Bookmark and Share

Expat Runs Cooking School In Hong Kong

Moving to a new country in offer up a lot of challenges and doors. For many expats who are not working it is often a time to follow their passion or start a new business. One such Japanese expat in Hong Kong did just that and opened her own cooking school. “Keiko Sakurai of Japan is a rare exception. She has finished courses at dozens of local professional cooking schools and is now regarded as a noted Hong Kong food expert. She has also written three recipe books published in Hong Kong, and was a judge at the Best of the Best Culinary Awards in 2005, 2006 and 2007, a high-profile event sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. “At all the cooking schools I attended in Hong Kong, I was always told I was the first Japanese student there. All other students were Hong Kong people,” Sakurai said during a recent interview with The Japan Times.”

Read more from The Japan Times

Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School

Lessons Of An Immigrant Who Became an Expat

Moving overseas as an expat or an immigrant can be very similar. We are all outsiders who have come to live within a new culture and face many of the same challenges. Perhaps the challenges come with identifying ones self as an expat or an immigrant? “Being an immigrant is sort of like being an expat. Both are strangers who only experience the richness of where they are if they break through the dividing lines. Break through because it requires effort. Break through because at times you don’t feel welcome. Last summer, one of the hoardings along the Abu Dhabi-Dubai motorway read: “Ambition. It’s the reason why 218 nationalities can live together in harmony.” I don’t fully disagree with that statement, but I have asked myself, do we live in harmony or indifference? Life here can feel like the United Nations at times. Our strength and weakness are the same – it is our diversity. It’s easy for me to live in a city that has 218 nationalities, but real harmony comes from managing to leave my bubble and exploring the other cultures around me.”

Read more from The National

ExpatFinder.com is here for you during your move or while living abroad:

Read more tips and advice for tools to help you with life abroad and life abroad. Join the Expat Communities!

Ask us questions, Contact us today! Expatfinder

Bookmark and Share

Photo by Jenise

, , , , , , , , ,


Bookmark and Share

Haitian Expats Wait For News In Canada

Montreal is home to the third largest expat group of Haitians in the world. After Wednesday’s earthquake in Haiti virtual all communication has been shut off from the island. Family and friends cling to a local radio station for word. “Panicked immigrants jammed the call-in lines at the French-language Haitian radio station CPAM, asking in trembling voices what the anchors knew about the quake’s impact on various regions or, even more heart-wrenching, whether anyone listening might know of the whereabouts of specific people. “If anyone can say what happened to my mother and father, please call in,” one crying man pleaded. “Nobody can get through.”

Read more from Sphere

Earthquake in Haiti

Kevin Spacey To Portray An Expat In China

As Chinese television drama series has announced that Kevin Spacey will portray an expat character on the show. It’s an exciting event to think expats will be acknowledge as part of the Chinese cultural on TV. “Two-time Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey will play an American expatriate in an upcoming Chinese drama. Spacey will play a character who befriends a young man with a troubled work and domestic life in director Dayyan Eng’s “Inseparable,” Xinhua Sports and Entertainment Ltd. said in a statement Wednesday.
Shooting will start this month in southern China, the statement said. Xinhua Sports and Entertainment publicist Joy Tsang declined to reveal which city Spacey will be shooting in, saying filmmakers did not want public interest to interfere with the shoot.”

Read more from San Francisco Chronicle

ExpatFinder.com is here for you during your move or while living overseas:

Read more tips and advice for tools to help you with life abroad and life abroad. Join the Expat Communities!

Ask us questions, Contact us today! Expatfinder


Bookmark and Share

Photo by beliamuda

, , , , , , ,

Share/Bookmark

The Best Countries to Find Expat Happiness

A new HSBC expat experience survey names Canada as the number one country for expats. Expats who make their home in Australia or Thailand aren’t far behind in the lifestyle poll either. “What is clear is that the locations where salaries may not be as high, such as Canada and Australia, are where expats are really enjoying not only an increased quality of life but are also finding it easy to fit in to their new communities.” -Alan Smith, Head of International Wealth Management, HSBC Bank International”

Read more from HSBC

Canadian Flag

Indonesian Expats Rally To Help Their Homeland

Indonesian expats living in Canada have rallied to help the earthquake destroyed region of Padang. Expat communities throughout Canada have raised $30,000 to help and have named Indonesian expat, Ismal Sustankayo, to head the project. “To raise more money, the Indonesian communities in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver decided to host a series of charity dinners serving traditional Indonesian fare to raise funds for relief. The dinners drew hundreds of guests from all backgrounds, received rave reviews, and raised over $30,000.  …To Ismal, this duty is a central fact of life. “If you love your village, leave it.” Ismal says with a smile. And by leaving home and then coming back to help his neighbors in a time of need, he has brought his duty full circle.”

Read more from The Jakarta Globe

ExpatFinder.com is here for you during your move or while staying abroad:

Read more tips and advice for tools to help you with life abroad and life abroad. Join the Expat Communities!

Ask us questions, Contact us today!

Expatfinder

Share/Bookmark
Photo by SnakeDiver

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

 

We take a look at expat related news this week:

 

English road signs to lead way in Korea

 

Foreigners living in Korea say it will take more than a few English abbreviations to make the nation’s road signs more user-friendly.

The government announced Friday it was initiating a 100 billion won ($76 million) program to add abbreviations such as “Blvd.,” and “St.,” to help English-speakers navigate; however some North American expatriates told The Korea Times there are more confusing issues.
Read more from Joongand Daily

 

Cross cultural simulations

 

“In conjunction with live-scenario training, the U.S. Army uses online simulations to prepare its civil affairs and psychological operations personnel for their interactions with civilians in war zones…

Adaptive thinking is about cross-cultural communications,” says Maj. Eric Le Gloahec, a special projects officer at the Army’s John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “It’s not just problem-solving. It’s thinking outside the box.”

Learn more from Workforce management

 

American expatriates celebrate Obama’s inauguration

 

A large number of Americans overseas watched the January 20th inauguration on TV or gathered to organized events to celebrate the inauguration of president Barack Obama and Vice president Joe Biden. The inauguration was at an earlier time during the day for American expatriates across time zone as compared to the election results night. See below some of the pictures that were taken on that day:

 

Expatriates and locals in Vienna, Austria

 

Picture by Karola

 

Expatriates in Toronto, Canada

 

Picture by Photopia

 

Expatriates in Germany

 

Picture by Astroyoga

 

Expatriates and locals in Berlin, Germany

 

Picture by Snooker68

 

Expatriates and locals in Jakarta, Indonesia

 

Picture by Gronoz

 

Expatriates and locals in Amsterdam, Netherland

 

Picture by Agitprop

 

Expatriates in London, UK  

 

Picture by doctorow

Share/Save/Bookmark

, , , ,

 

Over the past 12 hours, all eyes were on the election night in the United States of America. Televisions around the world were tuned to broadcast Senator McCain delivering his concession speech as the American voters where reported to have elected Senator Barack Hussein Obama as the next president of the USA.  Obama democrats abroad, republicans abroad, Americans overseas as well as citizen of other nations joined together to follow what is described as an historic night.

Barack Obama as a former expat kid himself growing up for a few years in Indonesia, has found a good echo in the American overseas community but we will have to wait to find out what are the results from American expatriate’s vote.

As the election results where broadcasted around the world and across time zone, we take a look at some groups of American expatriates and locals following the historic event:

 

Expatriates and locals in Vienna, Austria



Supporters of the U.S. Democratic Party try to enter a pub to follow the U.S. presidential elections in Vienna, Austria, November 4, 2008.
Copyright: Reuters Pictures

 
Expatriates and locals in Sydney, Australia


Women react as votes are counted during a US Democrats Abroad election day watch in Sydney on November 5, 2008. Copyright: AFP/Getty Images 

 

Expatriates and locals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia



Supporters of US Democratic Party hopeful Barack Obama react in front of he Foreign Correspondent Club of Cambodia (FCCC) in Phnom Penh on November 5, 2008.
Copyright: AFP/Getty Images 

 

Expatriates and locals in Toronto, Canada 


Yonge & Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Copyright: Eyeline-Imagery 

 

Expatriates and locals in Beijing, China 

People follow the results of the US pesidential election from laptop computers during an election day event organized by the US embassy in Beijing. Copyright: AFP/Getty Images

 
Expatriates and locals in Chengdu, China


An American abroad stands next to posters of presidential candidates of Democrat Barack Obama (L) and Republican John McCain at the US election watch party in Chengdu, in China’s southwestern province of Sichuan on November 5, 2008.
Copyright: AFP/Getty Images 

 
Expatriates and locals in Paris, France


Copyright : francois_lafite 

 

Expatriates and locals in Berlin, Germany

The representation of German media group Bertelsmann in Berlin hosting a US election party
Copyright: qnibert00

 

Expatriates and locals Athens, Greece



A Greek American Obama supportes watch the early election results while attending the US election night by the Democrats Abroad in Athens, early November 5, 2008.
Copyright: AFP/Getty Images 

 

Expatriates and locals in Jakarta, indonesia



Americans residing in Indonesia Arian Ardi (L), Ron Mullers (C) and Phil Richard (R) celebrate the victory for the Democrat Barack Obama telecast live on the news in a cafe at a shopping mall in Jakarta on November 5, 2008. Copyright: AFP/Getty Images

 
Expatriates and locals in Seoul, South Korea

Members of Democrats Abroad Korea and Obama supporters watch an election broadcast on TV during the election Returns Party at the Orange tree November 5, 2008 in Seoul, South Korea.
Copyright: AFP/Getty Images

 
Expatriates and locals in Barcelona, Spain



People sit during an election night party organised by American Institute in Barcelona, to watch the results in the U.S. presidential elections, in Barcelona November 5, 2008.
Copyright: Reuters Pictures 

 
Expatriates and locals in London, United Kingdom



Supporters of United States Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, celebrate as they watch a TV broadcast predicting his victory in the state of Ohio, during an election party in the U.S. embassy in central London, early Wednesday Nov. 5, 2008.
Copyright : The Associated Press

 

Expatriates and locals in  Mexico city, Mexico


American citizen Ralston Darlington, a supporter of U.S. President-elect Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), watches Obama speak onscreen at an event sponsored by the Democrats Abroad in Mexico City November 4, 2008.
Copyright: Reuters Pictures 

 

Expatriates and locals in Amsterdam, Netherlands

President’s Night 2008 in de Melkweg
Copyright: PjotrP  

 

Expatriates and locals in The Hague, Netherlands


At the 5:00 a.m. post-election “Who’s the President?” Breakfast in The Hague, Netherlands.
Copyright: eselcee

 

Expatriates and locals in Manila, Philippines


Supporters of U.S. President-elect Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) watch election results at an event sponsored by the Democrats Abroad, in Manila November 5, 2008. Copyright: Reuters Pictures 

 

Expatriates and locals in Singapore, Singapore

Deanna Pesik, left, from California reacts as she hears results from television that Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States at an election results gathering in Singapore on Wednesday Nov. 5, 2008. Copyright : (AP Photo/ Wong Maye-E)

 

Expatriates and locals in Madrid, Spain


Copyright: marilink

 

And of course!  Expatriates and locals in Obama, Japan


Local residents celebrate as it is announced on television that Barack Obama has been elected the President of the United States in Obama, western Japan, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008. Copyright: (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

 

Do you have pictures of expat gatherings on election night? send it over ( contact @ expatfinder.com ) or leave the link in the comments!

Share/Save/Bookmark

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,