Andrew Stegmann
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Expats: How to Get In Touch With Your Creative Side to Manage Transition

This article was originally published by Vivian Chiona of Expat Nest.

Using creative processes like art-making can help us to cope with change and capture our unique expat story. Global nomad, art psychotherapist and transition specialist Shellee Burroughs shares some easy ways to get started…

Transition can be an emotional roller coaster no matter how many times we’ve gone through it. As a parent of third culture kids (TCKs) and as an adult TCK, I’ve experienced transition many times and in many forms: I’ve moved countries as a child, single adult, and wife; then as a parent of young children and later as a parent of teenagers. In my experience, each transition can bring up unresolved grief, loss, anger and issues of identity.

As an art psychotherapist, I’ve seen how taking a more artistic approach can support children, teenagers, parents and families to manage change. Using creative processes is important to help us release and contain our feelings and fears. We are used to communicating using words, but creating images can be extremely powerful and can help us explore feelings in a different way.

Creativity and COVID-19

The COVID pandemic means that a lot has changed in a short amount of time! We find ourselves in a global state of ‘not knowing’, dealing with disappointments, loss and fear. Working online with my clients during the pandemic, I’ve seen firsthand how exploring our feelings through creative artwork during this challenging time can reveal strengths and vulnerabilities that we perhaps were not aware of before the crisis.

I have used a variety of creative processes during lockdown, both with myself, my family, and my clients. One I’ve found particularly helpful (and enjoyable) is a daily post-it ‘diary’. These small squares are the perfect size in which to illustrate one event, thought or idea each day; a small piece of paper also feels ‘safer’ to manage. In years to come I will be able flip through my sketchbook of post-its and look back on this pandemic and how I experienced it. (See my post-it diary here.)

Tip #1: Simple materials

You don’t need a huge variety of materials to be creative, nor do you need expensive ‘artist quality’ materials. Look for art materials used at school, as they are often cheaper and don’t stain.

Some basics include:

  • Felt pens, drawing pencils, erasers, sharpener
  • Drawing paper (printer paper is too thin if you want to use paint)
  • Scissors, glue, coloured paper, magazine cuttings (for collage/journalling)
  • Oil pastels (if using chalk pastels, get some hairspray to ‘fix’ the image on paper)
  • Items found in nature (leaves, shells, )
  • Water-based paints – poster or tempura are best. Acrylics can stain (they are glue-based) and oils are messy and can take a long time to dry.
  • A selection of paintbrushes in different sizes – simple sponge ‘brushes’ are easy to use and store, and can be great fun for all ages.

Tip #2: Ways of working

Are you asking a specific question? Or is it more of an ‘open’ approach? Each has its place and I use a combination of both. For example, when moving back to the UK from Kuala Lumpur in 2017, every few days I would sit down with my children to draw a joint ‘countdown’ picture, which we kept as a whole piece of work (you can see it here). This longer-term work journalled our experience as a family, and it’s something I will always treasure.

During your process, don’t place high expectations on yourself – often very simple images have the most impact. And don’t be put off if an image brings up unexpected emotions. This is natural and is part of the transition process. We’re so used to expressing ourselves in words – sometimes images can impact us in a deeper way than expected.

Tip #3: Keep your creations

It’s easy to be dismissive about your creations, but you’ll find that they will take on greater significance over time. Looking back at your transition experience in this way is fascinating – and becomes a visual diary of your life story.

During relocations, it’s easy to misplace, damage or lose work that has meaning. Here are some tips to keep your creations safe:

  • Get a large folder to protect the work. Clear plastic ones are cheap online, and easy to keep in a suitcase.
  • Take photos of your creations on your phone and store them safely on another device or in the cloud.
  • Leave paintings out as long as possible to dry so that they don’t get stuck together when stored in a pile

Some ideas to get you started

  1. Journalling: Individual or group. Words and images can be used together – anything goes!
  2. Scribbling: Had a tough day? Get scribbling! This is fun for the whole family and turning scribbles into a picture can provide psychological ‘space’ for processing deeper feelings.
  3. Superheroes: “What superhero would you be and what skills will you take with you when we move?” This helps children in particular to see that their positive attributes will be sustained, even after their move, and can help them feel more in control.
  4. Look ahead: “What do you think this year will look like? Where are your favourite places now? What will be the same and what will be different?” All of these questions can be explored using images and can show feelings that might not be obvious.
  5. Freestyle: Just create. Anything! Scribbling, filling in shapes, finger painting and colouring can provide our brain with some much-needed ‘space’ for processing.

Creating is important and so is having fun. Enjoy exploring! But also acknowledge the darker, deeper aspects of transition and the effect it can have. Transition can be difficult, exhausting and painful. Previous losses often come to the surface and this can make transition more difficult than expected but giving these feelings a ‘voice’ can really help.. Finding creative approaches that work best for you can give you the space to feel what you really feel, while learning more about yourself in the process.

About the author: Shellee Burroughs is a registered Art Psychotherapist and Clinical Traumatologist. She is a member of the British Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and has worked in a wide variety of settings in the UK, Canada and Malaysia, including as a school counsellor. Shellee has also facilitated workshops and trained counsellors, staff and parents in trauma, identity, loss and transition.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
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We Are Proud to Say We Have Won Graebel’s 2020 Environmental Stewardship Award

This year, as part of Graebel’s 2020 Partner Alliance Excellence Awards, Relocation Africa has received their 2020 Environmental Stewardship Award.

Based on submissions, the award is given to the partner who demonstrates a unique commitment to sustainability innovation.

In our submission, we highlighted our accomplishments with and towards our paperless office, water saving, solar energy system, community outreach via the GOLD charity, vegetable garden, recycling efforts at our head office, and ongoing, team-driven CSR initiatives. We also spoke about our online Consultant training, moving towards a digital (online) portal instead of physical welcome packs, flexible work hours and work from home systems for our team members, remote meetings to reduce our carbon footprint, and integrating sustainable practices into the way we do business with our clients.

We hope that our efforts inspire other companies to take environmental stewardship and sustainable business practices into account for their own operations, and implement ongoing CSR initiatives in their workplaces, as if we work together, we can make the world a healthier place for future generations.

For highlights from the conference, click here.

 

Graebel Companies, Inc. is a leading provider of global talent and workplace mobility solutions for Fortune 500 and Global 1000 firms and their employees in 165 countries. Since its founding in 1950, Graebel has evolved, innovated and grown to deliver excellent service and results for clients, all while remaining family-owned and focused on its duty of care. With custom technology solutions, Graebel develops and implements mobility strategies that help companies attract and retain talent; respond faster to global market trends; and maximize return on mobility programs. The company addresses every part of the mobility lifecycle for employers and employees, including services for departure and move management, destination, settling-in and ongoing assignments. For more information, visit Graebel.com. Here’s to the world ahead ®.

Gallery

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
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A Discussion About Emerging Market Relocation

Significant segments of this article were originally published by Executive Expatriate Relocations Middle East (EERME).

As the world collectively attempts to combat the impact of the recent global pandemic, much of the focus is on rebuilding and strengthening economies. Governments and organisations continue to determine which avenues and actions will be most beneficial, both in the short term and the long term. One undeniable source of economic growth is geographical expansion, particularly into areas that will be a catalyst for new consumers and new revenue streams; this is where emerging markets come in. For many companies emerging markets offer a unique opportunity for development, but any potential prosperity is highly dependent on a successful relocation strategy, which can be more challenging than expected.

Our MD, Rene Stegmann, recently joined EER’s Marie O’Neill, Elite Woodhams Relocation’s Anna Kavelj, and A.P. Moller-Maersk’s Tamlyn Kuhn in a EuRA webinar about Considerations When Relocating to Emerging Markets. Together, they examined the crucial considerations required to take advantage of this lucrative arena.


The Importance of Emerging Markets

Coined by the World Bank in 1981, this phrase is intended to apply to any country or economy that has “some characteristics of a developed market, but does not fully meet its standards”.  Unsurprisingly many countries have found themselves shifting in and out of the moniker as their status adapts or circumstances change. Essentially though, markets that fall within and around the definition of ‘emerging’ continue to be of great interest when it comes to international expansion. Emerging markets offer enormous potential for diversification and growth. They often feature an ambitious population, fresh, creative talent, amenable governments and, of course, new demographics of consumers.  In the past engagement with emerging markets has helped propel the fortunes of organisations and the economies of their home nations exponentially and in turn transformed the landscape of the engaged market. In order to fully integrate with an emerging market, a company needs to facilitate a smooth relocation process and that is only possible if proper adherence is given to the challenges and obstacles that might be faced and expert help sought on how to avoid or overcome them.

Preparation, Preparation, Preparation

Just so you know we really mean it.  Preparation is absolutely critical when it comes to emerging market relocation. Ensuring that you can do this successful is entirely related to your local connections. Without the proper research and knowledge, it becomes almost impossible to navigate the nuances of new destinations and avoid costly mistakes. Those considering relocation must ensure they have trusted in-country partners with expert local knowledge and an unimpeachable sense of how things work on the ground. By investing in forging those connections it is then possible to determine key aspects that will be required from your employees, your administration and your budget. Regional insights are always invaluable when it comes to relocation and that expertise can ensure a smoother process that means assignees can focus on their role and get stuck in from day one. Local partners can advise on elements such as:

  • Relevant requirements and laws to abide by, including taxes
  • Time lines and compliance for immigration and visa services
  • Potential customer bases and audience demographics
  • Best-suited locations for commercial and residential properties
  • Cultural customs and unique attributes
  • Employee relocation considerations from housing to schools, bank accounts to utilities

A Collaborative Approach

When any company is looking at emerging market relocation, the chance of success can be significantly increased if they adopt a collaborative approach across the whole organisation.  Every department needs to be comprehensively briefed so that objectives are understood and actions taken that facilitate their achievement efficiently. Procurement, HR, Senior Leadership and others need to make sure they are on the same page.  By implementing a robust talent management approach they can ensure they have the right people helping them on the ground, the right people coordinating the company’s new strategy and the right people to cope with the stresses of relocating their life.

Communication is King

As with many areas of business, communication is incredibly important. Any company looking to relocate to an emerging market needs to make sure it can effectively communicate with:

  • Local partners on what their objectives are and important cultural understandings
  • Relevant authorities on what rules and regulations will be
  • Internally with teams managing relocation and assignees being relocated
  • New audiences within the market on raising brand awareness and generating interest

Prioritizing communication and ensuring it remains consistent throughout the whole process can be a huge factor in avoiding potential pitfalls such as complex business requirements and ‘lost in translation’ mistakes.  It will also help to manage expectations. Expert DSPs will be able to communicate key information and potentially surprising aspects. They can relay that things may well work differently than expected such as overall concepts of time, common cultural attitudes, political upheaval, technology holes and problematic infrastructure.  They can also coordinate cultural training that can provide invaluable knowledge for the company and the assignee to understand their new environment and hit the ground running.

Ultimately emerging market relocation isn’t right for every company.  They need to weight the risk and reward elements of any expansion decision to prevent costly issues. Companies need to research the proposed location, connect with local experts, foster effective communication and choose the right assignee to undertake the challenge. If they can successfully do those things then they are left with nothing but potential and opportunity.

To watch the recorded webinar, click here, or watch it in the media player below.

To discuss relocating to emerging markets in more detail with us, and to find out how we might assist you with relocation services across Africa, feel free to contact us via the details below, or visit our website by clicking here.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

How Much Does it Cost to Move Overseas? Here’s Part 1 of an SA to UK Example

This article was written by Sam Beckbessinger.

Part 1 of 2.

Hello, grownups 🙂

How are you hanging in there, chaps? I’ve pretty much degenerated into a pile of snack-crumbs and blankets by this point.

Today I’m taking a question about the costs of moving to another country.

Hi Sam! I know you moved to the UK recently. I wondered if you’d be comfortable sharing a rough estimate of your moving budget? My husband and I are talking about making a similar move sometime next year, and it would help our planning to have a better sense of how much we’d need to save up for it. Why reader, I LOVE sharing my budgets! Queen of Overshare, right here.

TL;DR: moving myself, my partner and our cat to the UK cost us about R185,000. I reckon if we’d been a bit more careful about a few things, we could have gotten that down to R150,000. If we hadn’t been so extremely lavish about it, we could have done it for R30-R50k.

Here’s a breakdown of what we actually spent, line by line.

Some notes on our budget:

We moved in January 2020. Prices have probably changed a bit since then, already.
We moved from Cape Town, South Africa to Cambridge, UK. If you want to know why, I wrote about that decision here.
My household consists of me, my partner, and our cat (Sir Digby Chicken Caesar).
We did get a moving stipend from my partner’s new company, so we were a bit less frugal than we would have been if it was entirely our own money.
Your budget will depend on a few variables. Obviously, the biggest one is where you’re moving to, but five other factors are:

  • How many people are moving?
  • How complicated is your visa situation?
  • Are you bringing pets?
  • Are you bringing any stuff?
  • Will you have to financially emigrate?

Obviously, if you’re 22 and single and naturally nomadic and you’re just bringing your clothes, moving overseas is hella simple. I, however, am no longer 22, and I’m a nester, so my move required about as much planning as a space shuttle launch. Many spreadsheets were involved.

Moving the people

You might be tempted to book your flights far in advance so you can get the best deal on flight tickets. Resist this temptation. You can’t fly until your visas are finalized and your pets are approved to travel (if you have pets), and both of these factors are hopelessly unplannable. This can all turn into some pretty complicated schedule-Tetris, so flights should be one of the last things you book.

When you’re building your budget, anticipate that you might need to pay a bit more than you think, in order to find a flight that works with your timing.

It’s worth paying for a couple of extra pieces of luggage to bring with you on the plane. You’re not going to have anything except what you bring on the flight with you, for a long time.

Our flight costs for 2 people from Cape Town to London, including 1 excess bag, were R17,372.

Securing visas/residence permits

My partner’s an EU citizen (lucky bastard) so the entirety of his application took 40 minutes and was totally free.

My own visa situation was a lot more complicated, so we decided it would be worth paying immigration consultants to talk me through the Vogonesque application process. We used a company called Breytenbachs, who were knowledgeable and reassuring. There were one or two small hiccups in the process, mostly because I made the questionable decision to try to move to England mid-Brexit, just as all their rules were changing.

Overall, I was glad that there were people that I could call with my questions when things got confusing. That said, this did end up being one of the most expensive parts of the process. I’d suggest to someone else going through this process that it’s worth paying for some specific consultations to clear up questions you have, but do the actual application process yourself.

My visa ended up costing us R16,838, but if we’d done more of the process ourselves we could have kept this under R10,000.

Moving the cat

Transporting my pavement-special cat across the world is probably the single most boujie thing I’ve ever done. It was also, without a doubt, the most stressful part of the whole experience.

Would I do it all again? Absolutely. I love that little furry idiot.

Different countries have different rules about what you have to do to import pets. For the UK, they don’t have to be quarantined, but they do have to go for a series of shots and tests over the course of four months before they can fly. This ultimately ended up controlling our timelines – we were ready to go long before our cat was. So, if you’re bringing a pet, getting the clock started on this process is the very first thing you need to take care of.

It’s also worth knowing that there are completely different protocols for travelling on the same day as your pet (you don’t have to be on the same flight), or travelling separately to them. You have to decide early on which approach you’re going to take, and if you’re travelling together, don’t book your own flight until you have solid timelines for your pet’s.

I did a lot of shopping around, trying to figure out if we could move the cat more cheaply by handling a lot of the admin ourselves. Ultimately, it didn’t seem worth it, so we decided to go with pet transport company called PetPort who walked us through the whole process from beginning to end. I can’t recommend PetPort highly enough. They were proactive, helpful and communicative.

We also got some good advice directly from our vet, who really went above and beyond for us (including rushing out to do a last-minute panicked house-call on the day before we needed to fly because I couldn’t wrestle the damn hellcat into his carrier, and I had a one-hour window to get his papers signed by the state vet on the other side of town).

Overall, including vet bills, bringing our cat cost us (GASP) R25,613. Ja, I know. I could have left the little shit behind and bought a literal tiger cub instead.

In the next article, we will share the rest of Sam’s story, including what to take with and what to buy; finding somewhere to live; and info about financial emigration. Stay tuned for the second part.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].