The Emotionally Resilient Expat: Engage, Adapt and Thrive Across Cultures

by Linda A. Janssen

Living abroad offers enriching experiences of growth, broadened perspective, enhanced cultural understanding. Yet its transition-rich, change-driven, cross-cultural nature can place considerable demands, leaving us stressed, disconnected, our identity in flux. Building on existing literature and benefitting from recent developments in psychology and brain-body connections, The Emotionally Resilient Engage, Adapt and Thrive Across Cultures shows the key to successful transitions and beyond lies in emotional resilience to adapt, adjust or simply accept. Linda A. Janssen combines candid personal stories from experienced expats and cross-culturals, with a wealth of practical tools, techniques and best practices from emotional, social and cultural intelligence, positive psychology, mindfulness, stress management, self-care and related areas. FACTORS(TM) offers a way to live a healthier, more positive, emotionally engaged, culturally connected global life. "Using personal story and solid theory in her groundbreaking book on emotional resilience, Linda A. Janssen guides those facing the challenges of cross-cultural living to dig under the initial rocky surfaces of overseas life to discover - and use - the rich gold of their own experience. A great resource for expats of all backgrounds." Ruth E. Van Reken, Author, Third Culture Growing Up Among Worlds "Janssen's work is sure to be a stand out in any expatriate or cross-cultural arena. She eloquently, articulately and incisively delves into areas previously considered taboo in order to highlight how we can all gain mastery over whatever life throws our way. I will definitely be referencing Janssen's material when working with TCKs, expat parents and international students." Tina L Quick, Author, The Global Nomad's Guide to University Transition, www.internationalfamilytransitions.com "A practical guide in the art of managing the risks of overseas life in ways that will promote endurance and effectiveness. Full of honest and hope-filled stories from the lived experience and life-long learning of Janssen and her dozens of expatriate contributors. An invaluable companion for expats who want to know that they are not alone." Duncan P. Westwood, PhD, (C)OACCPP Clinical Director of Expatriate Care & Development, International Health Management "As with any food rich in nutrition, this book is best sampled regularly and digested slowly." Drs. Douglas W. Ota, NIP Psychologist, NMI Mediator, Family Therapist, www.dougota.nl

Genres: Nonfiction

392 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2013

Reviews

[Lindsay Feliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are lots of books out there about expats and how to best deal with expat life and the challenges it brings. I read many of them, but I find that usually I cannot relate for one reason or another. Perhaps because I did not move with a travelling spouse or the fact that I do not have children and face the special problems that that brings with it. The Emotionally Resilient Expat by Linda Janssen was the exception.
Occasionally when I read a book I may find one sentence, one phrase that sticks in my mind. This book is jam packed with words which resonated deeply with me and made me stop and think. It is a combination of extensive research (I think Janssen must have read every book and academic paper on the subject), her own personal experiences and experiences of many other expats as they candidly reveal their innermost feelings to different situations. It is raw and honest and I could not read it without stirring up my emotions, some of which have been buried for over a decade.
Here are just a few of the phrases which made me stop in my tracks and give me that “Oh My God” moment.
The book deals with culture shock and the whole subject of where is home:
“For you, my child, I wish you two things: to give you roots and give you wings.”
I think all expats have the wings, it can just be a little hard sometimes to work out where the roots are or how we feel when we are uprooted. Where is home?
When it comes to cultural differences, once again, reading this book affirms my beliefs but at the same time makes me think.
“A pre-requisite to be part of the culture you live in is to bond with it and not reject it when you see something you don’t like or feel doesn’t fit in with your values. By rejecting it the only one you isolate is you.”
It isn’t easy all the time to bond with the culture of the Dominican Republic, but I know it is only when you do bond that you really reap the rewards, and once again Janssen realises this as she quotes a contributor:
“I have learned compassion and tolerance. I have learned patience and being non judgmental.”
She talks about blogging as well and made me realise that my blog is not just for me but for others:
“Most people dream about living in a foreign land, but it remains that, a dream. We owe it to them to show them a world they might not get to experience otherwise.”
The book has a logical structure and slowly everything is pulled together to culminate in a series of very practical tips to ensure emotional resilience and to get the very most out of every day. When you finish it you cannot help but feel more positive and uplifted. You can choose to be optimistic – one of the great attractions of Dominicans:
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
I just loved this book. It is not one to be read at one sitting but every time you pick it up you learn more about yourself, you gain affirmation about how you coped in the past and how you are coping now. And most of all you feel your emotional resilience getting stronger to enable you to cope with whatever the expat life can throw at you. This book is not a ‘nice to have’ it is simply a definite ‘must have’ for every single expat.

[Minna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am at a loss for words to verbalize my appreciation for Janssen's work. To put it succinctly, this is a must-have publication for expats & those who love them. I bought this book for my mother immediately!

Realistic, yet full of hope, & meticulously researched, this will be one of my favorites read in 2015.

[Alberto Venturini · Rating 3 out of 5]

We need more books like this. I think the ideas behind this book are important for anyone who identifies as expat/cross-cultural. I am a cross-cultural person, so when I started reading this book, my expectations were very high. However I am giving it 3 stars because, while Janssen attempts to be fully inclusive in her definition of cross-culturals, most of the anecdotes (and many of the premises in the book) are from the point of view of accompanying spouses or "Third-Culture Kids". This is understandable, given the author is an accompanying spouse herself, but it just didn't speak to my experience of moving abroad as a single person, for no better reason than to discover the world and myself. I felt disconnected from many of the stories presented throughout the book. A much better reading for me was The End of Belonging: Untold Stories of Leaving Home and the Psychology of Global Relocation.

[Joey O’Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very very good. Really knows what it’s like to be an expat. Tips and tricks. I felt very seen and heard

[Kym Hamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

When fellow expat blogger Linda A. Janssen released The Emotionally Resilient Expat in 2013, I downloaded it to my Kindle...and it's taken me a year to get to it. This is no reflection on her guide to engaging, adapting and thriving as one of life's cross-cultural nomads. The Emotionally Resilient Expat is full of helpful tips and poignant anecdotes. There are also snippets from Janssen's own experience which she writes so vividly, it's like I was standing right beside her in the kitchen as she sliced those vegetables. I can see that would be one of those books that can be dipped into time and time again wherever you are in your expat journey and I suspect it's also a good resource for non-expats to get a sense of the culturally nomadic in their own lives.

[Jack Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's it like down your neck of the expat woods? Exhilarating? Challenging? Tough? Isolating? Life-enhancing? Alienating? All these things wrapped up in a bow? You are not alone. We live in a global village where it has never been easier to pitch your tent in a foreign field. But, it's a sprawling village of brain-aching complexity and diversity, which can stump even the most adventurous and resilient. Janssen has managed to capture the very essence of what it means to try a different culture on for size, assembling an exhaustive toolkit to help the expat explorer adapt and prosper. It's quite a coup.

[Roz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice