While living in a foreign country, it sometimes seems like everything has been left behind: friends, family, a career, as well as all of those other things that give a woman an identity and sense of purpose in her life. That’s why most expats, at one point or another, find themselves asking, “Who am I now?”This workshop is part of a unique program that supports expat women as they examine the challenges they currently face in defining who they are, both professionally and personally, in their new home country. It aims to connect women to their personal strengths and external resources in order to empower them to create rich, productive professional and private lives in their new host country.
Using confidence-building and motivational exercises, art making, journaling, group discussions and meditation, participants begin to identify and articulate the individual and shared issues they have and to create a sustainable support system amongst themselves. Issues are broken down into categories, including professional, social, family, spousal, personal and cultural.
Participants also will:
Learn ways to improve their physical, emotional and spiritual well being
Create new definitions for success in their personal and professional lives
Learn coping strategies for transforming emotional and physical blocks
Develop strategies to end feelings of separation and isolation within their family, the new culture, the expatriate community and their professional life
Address issues of self-confidence at home and work
Examine personal and professional motivations
If you are interested in participating or have any questions about the workshop, please contact:
Graciela Bareiro, Founder of Nexos Initiative
Program Coordinator
nexosinitiative@gmail.com
www.nexos-initiative.org
Susanna Kearney, Founder of C R E A T I N G S P A C E for WOMEN©
Workshop Facilitator
creatingspaceinc@yahoo.com
www.creativespaceforwomen.com Career-Planning Boot Camp
“Before, I was living in London and working at an advertising agency. I often worked 12-hour days combined with an hour commute to and from the office. Pretty much my whole life was consumed by my career. I was stressed out, irritated by not being able to have a social life and just sick of the routine I had gotten myself into. So, when my boyfriend said he was moving back to Peru to pursue his Mater’s degree, I jumped at the chance to break free from the rat race and reassess my professional goals. But once I got here, I was suddenly faced with something I never thought you could have – too much free time. Without work I was at loose ends, and I started wondering: What do I do now?” – Recent Expat
Many people who follow their spouses or significant others to Peru find themselves in the same situation. They have left behind careers in their home countries and find themselves restless with their inability to use their professional skills, creativity, intelligence, etc. in a productive way in Peru. These are the ideal recruits for Career-Planning Boot Camp.
Career-Planning Boot Camp is a workshop sponsored by the Nexos Initiative that helps participants understand that job-hunting process in a new country and ensures that expat partners/spouses remain in good spirits to maximize the results of their expatriation.
During the workshop, participants are asked to complete a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and write a career plan for both the short- and long-term. This helps participants focus on what they really want to do while they are abroad and gives them the confidence they need to pursue their goals. The workshop also covers topics such as:
Working or doing business in Peru and abroad
Building a portable career
Networking
The workshop costs US$15 per participant for a group of 15 or US$25 for one-on-one coaching. All proceeds go to support Nexos Initiative projects. If you are interested in or have any questions about the workshop, please contact:
Graciela Bareiro, Founder of Nexos Initiative
Program Coordinator
nexosinitiative@gmail.com
www.nexos-initiative.org
Claudia Landini, Founder of expatclic.com
Intercultural Facilitator
claudiaexpat@expatclic.com
Facing the challenges of living in a new culture
For many expats, Peru is a long way from home – not just in terms of physical distance but also in terms of cultural practices. For example, showing up on time isn’t expected and, in fact, for most people isn’t a priority. Life is also a lot more spontaneous with plans often being made less than an hour in advance. So for people who have lived in cultures where schedules, organization and order are priorities, Peru generally comes as quite a shock.
Relocation: Challenges and Practices is a workshop that helps facilitate the adaptation process for all people who face new cultures or who move to new countries. Participants begin by identifying the process of pain, refusal and disorientation that can arise when arriving in a new country. Throughout the workshop participants discover the points of resistance to the new culture and begin to solve them by adopting coping strategies and looking to build a positive relationship with the surrounding culture.
The workshop costs US$30 per participant. All proceeds go to support Nexos Initiative projects. If you are interested in or have any questions about the workshop, please contact:
Graciela Bareiro, Founder of Nexos Initiative
Program Coordinator
nexosinitiative@gmail.com
www.nexos-initiative.org
Claudia Landini, Founder of expatclic.com
Program Designer and Facilitator
claudiaexpat@expatclic.com
Breaking through the Language Barrier
Probably before moving to Peru you never thought twice about asking someone at the grocery which aisle you could find the sugar in, making or confirming appointments over the phone or evening ordering a pizza for delivery. But when you are living in a foreign country without speaking the language, even the simplest tasks can seem insurmountable. Not knowing how to communicate is an isolating experience and can make settling in to a new country and a new culture even harder.
Nexos Initiatve founder, Graciela Bareiro knows just how that feels. When she first moved to the United States from Paraguay with her husband and baby daughter, she didn’t speak any English. “I couldn’t make an appointment with the doctor for my daughter,” she remembers. “I had to ask my husband to do it because he speaks very good English.” But through classes at a local college and a conversation group at the Brooklyn Library, her English improved and she was able to settle in and make friends.
Because of her experiences abroad, Bareiro has created a Spanish conversation group for expats living in Lima in conjunction with the South American Explorers Club. The weekly two-hour culture and conversation workshop is for intermediate/advanced level foreign residents and Peruvians who are interested in cultural exchange.
There is no structured curriculum; the topics discussed are based on the interests of the group. However, in general the workshop covers:
Meeting people
Making arrangements and appointments
Learning more about Peru, including history, activities, customs, interesting places and food
Managing the transition of living in a foreign country
Exploring cultural values and differences
This weekly workshop is held from noon until 2 p.m. every Monday at the South American Explorers’ Clubhouse (Calle Piura 135, Miraflores, Lima). It is free for South American Explorers Club members and S./ 5 for non-members. If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact:
Graciela Bareiro, Founder of Nexos Initiative
Instructor
nexosinitiative@gmail.com
www.nexos-initiative.org
South American Explorers
limaclub@saexplorers.org
www.saexplorers.org
