The Buddhist parable about the two arrows is a classic. It reminds us that whilst pain is inevitable in a full life, the choice as to whether, or not, to suffer is ours. A good reminder with the many challenges, uncertainties and misadventures that are a normal part of any expat adventure. Enjoy this French twist on the legendary tale. A good sense of humor is always a handy strategy for avoiding that second arrow.

Think you know your partner inside out and back to front? Well, healthy individuals all grow and change over their lifetime and are shaped by the life’s myriad of triumphs and challenges. Strong couples know their partners inner world intimately. They seek to understand their partner’s hopes, dreams and fears. This privileged information helps create a “love map”. This serves as a roadmap for strong, intimate connection, and a useful guide in bumpy terrain. An international move can be a time of incredible growth and change. Learn about “love maps” and how to download the updates for the next phase of your relationship journey.

“Nothing in the world causes so much misery as uncertainty”- Martin Luther King

The one thing that’s certain at the moment it is we are living in extremely uncertain times. In a year when most of us expected to be mostly consumed by the uncertainty of whether Trump will get a second term, or the progress of climate change, we have been blindsided by the father of all uncertainties, a global pandemic.

If expat life is not uncertain enough, this takes it to a whole new stratosphere. This blog post won’t provide any more certainty as to the security of our international jobs, when we will get to see our loved ones again, or the impact on-line learning will have on our third culture kids and their desperate need to “belong” somewhere. But, it will ideas on how find a measure of control and foster a level of acceptance amongst the chaos. These tips will help you reduce distress and conserve emotional and physical energy for things you know you can control for “certain”.

I was miserable and lived in dread of Thursdays, French class day! It got to the point where I would have preferred having a bikini wax performed by a drunken baboon then go to French class. But I continued to put pressure on myself and worked even harder, telling myself that “everyone” else was “getting it”. My cute language “faux pas” were met with self-criticism whilst my inner critic (who sadly is still only monolingual) yelled “you can’t keep up with them”. Then COVID 19 arrived. French class was suspended and with the mandated lock-down I had the excuse to hibernate from the French whirlwind that engulfed my senses each time I cracked open my front door. It was then that I realised the mistake I was making.