“Curiosity keeps leading us down new paths”

W. Disney

Are you an expat in the Netherlands, or will you soon be one?
Or are you re-integrating back to the Netherlands again?
If that is the case, I can help you with this (re)integration and help you find familiar ground again.

Contact me

Expat life

Your expat adventure has started…. Soon you will settle in the Netherlands (maybe with a partner) which means a different country with a different culture. Life as an expat is exciting as well as challenging; and familiarizing yourself with the culture and the new environment in of the utmost importance for you and your family. Good preparation in advance, particularly at the start of your adventure, is paramount for a successful expat experience.

Adaptability

Did you know there are currently about 200,000 expats living in the Netherlands? In the Netherlands roughly 25 to 40% of expat assignments fail, primarily because expats and their partners are having trouble to adapt to the local culture and their work environment. In most cases the failure to adapt can be avoided, with good preparation beforehand and during your stay.

My expat life

I’m an experienced expat! Though a German by birth, I have lived almost half my life in the Netherlands. My partner is Dutch, and I have familiarized myself with the typical Dutch habits. Over 20 years I lived in various countries; Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Australia and South Africa, so I have a wealth of experience in living the “expat life” and am very familiar with the challenges but also positives of this life. I look back at those times with enthusiasm and pride.
Moreover, I look back at 20 years of experience in working at multinationals, so I know what challenges you run into at work. With proper preparation and coaching we can maximize your chances of a successful expat assignment.

Katrin Ellmann

Your challenges

Challenges you might face during your experience abroad:

  • Disappointment: life far away from home is not as rosy as you initially thought.
  • Culture shock: you may feel ‘out of your depth’, due to the differences in the language, norms and values, religion, or politics.
  • Loneliness: The feeling that you are completely on your own. In the beginning everything is chaotic, new and exciting. But once settled, with all boxes unpacked, you find the shine is wearing off and normal life has started again. You start to miss your friends and family. How do you resume your life? How do you regain your identity?
  • Or the other way around: after years abroad, you come back to the Netherlands and find everything has changed. You are suddenly lost in your “own home” country. How is your future going to look like, how does everything work? How and where will you start?

Expat Life Coaching

As an Expat Life Coach, I can help you find clarity and a better insight into this challenging situation. Together we will establish what you need in order to achieve your goals. We will set attainable targets and I will be there, by your side, to answer every question you may have, for as long as is needed.

Also see:

BEING AN EXPAT PARTNER
EXPAT - ON THE JOB COACHING
RETURNING HOME AFTER AN EXPAT ASSIGNMENT