The importance of networking when you are
an expat

23 Feb 2010

Moving abroad is both exciting and unnerving.
The opportunities for adventure, getting to know
another land, its culture and its people make up
for a rich experience. Yet, as human beings we
are built in a way that makes us seek for things
which are familiar, those which give us some
level of comfort even as we openly pursue the
strange and unfamiliar.

Finding yourself in a new country makes you
realize that you don’t have your network with you
anymore. If you’re an international assignee,
your company’s HR department may be able to
help you with the basic stuff and you have the
opportunity to meet new people via your work.
But when you’re a trailing spouse or
accompanying partner, the experience can be
doubly overwhelming.

Simple tasks like knowing where to buy whole
wheat organic bread and finding one’s way
around with the public transport may be enough
to trigger a meltdown when you realize there is
simply no one you can phone and ask. The first
few months become a struggle in terms of
settling in and making sense of a strange
language for instance. The need to connect with
other people who are going through or have
undergone the same experiences can be very
helpful.

Networking, like any form of human contact arise
from our desire to be connected to others. This
need couldn’t be stronger than when you find
yourself in a foreign country, without the support
of your friends and family.

It is one thing to meet people at the store where
you frequently do your grocery shopping or at the
butcher’s where you buy your meat. It’s another
to meet people in an organized setting by joining
a group or association, be it casual or formal.
Websites and publications dedicated to expats
are very useful tools and rich sources of general
information.However, I have learned that the
best way to get acquainted and experience the
local culture is through first hand accounts and
recommendations of fellow expats.

Networking comes in many forms. It can be
through a language class, a group or association
made up of citizens from the same country, a
business network, knitting or quilting clubs or a
playgroup.

Here are some reasons why it is important to go
out there and join a network!

› People who attend networking events are more
open to new things ideas, so you get to meet
people who are as enthusiastic as you are about
making new connections.

› You meet like-minded individuals whom you
share common goals or interests with or who
may come from the same country of birth.

› People who network are quite friendly and
eager to know other people. Some lasting
friendships have been formed in the expat
circuit, even as parties move on to other
countries for other assignments.

› Meeting an eclectic group of people from
different cultures in one melting pot makes you appreciate and celebrate the diversity of this world we live in.

› You get to learn new things and expand your circle.

› You will have access to all kinds of information like where to find a good organic market, the best Japanese restaurant in town or how to find a babysitter through a network of au pairs and house help.

› You don’t sit at home and mope and get lonely because you will stop feeling socially isolated!

The advantage these days is that there are all kinds of groups and associations out there to satisfy every networking need or goal. The key is finding the right match to your personal networking goals so you can embark on an enriching expat journey.

From my own experience, I have discovered first hand the benefits of joining two remarkable networks in The Hague. My life has been definitely richer and a new world has been opened up for me, which wouldn’t have been possible to find even in my current employment.

The monthly networking event at the Women’s Business Initiative International, an incubator and business center for women entrepreneurs, is a fertile setting to meet women in various stages of starting or running their own small businesses. Collaborating and learning new ideas through these helpful and encouraging women who are willing to share their own expertise, experiences and the ups and downs of running one’s own business definitely makes it an event worth attending.

Connecting Women on the other hand is an English-speaking community of both international and local women. The meeting is as rich and varied in themes as the women who make up the association. You don’t have to be a member to attend the meetings. Sessions cover a wide range of topics with different speakers who are experts in their chosen fields, from ExpatWomen.com founder Andrea Martins to the Antiques Diva herself Toma Haines. And the energy in these meetings and conversations are quite vibrant. You walk away from it feeling alive and rejuvenated. That itself is reason alone why you should go and try it out.

The ability to network effectively is one of the most important skills an expat can have. It is an activity that works both ways, it could benefit you and the people you are in contact with, so giving and receiving information is vital. Sharing is the key word and one has to be proactive and realize that it is all about building relationships long after the initial meeting.


About the author
Melinda Roos
Business & Marketing Instructor
info[at]melindaroos.com
www.melindaroos.com


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