Living Abroad Survey

Please tell me a bit about your experience living abroad as an expat.

Where are you? How did you end up there? What are the challenges you face?

Your answers support Stepping Forward Coaching in better meeting the needs unique to the expat community.

Thank you for your contribution!

~Margie Banin, Expat Coach, www.coachingwithmargie.com

**Note: Individual responses will remain private and confidential. **

1. Where do you currently live?

Where do you currently live? In my country of birth / never lived abroad (plan to live abroad)

In a foreign country

In my country of birth / returned from living abroad

2. Where is your home country and which foreign country do you live in (plan to live / have lived in)?

Where is your home country and which foreign country do you live in (plan to live / have lived in)? My home country:
Foreign country I live in:

3. Was / is your move voluntary?

Was / is your move voluntary? Yes; I actively sought the opportunity to live abroad

No; I did not want to live abroad but had no choice

More-or-less; I really didn't care, but it happened so here I am

*
4. Why did you move / why are you moving abroad?

Why did you move / why are you moving abroad?

5. How long have you lived abroad (plan to live abroad)?

How long have you lived abroad (plan to live abroad)?

6. What are the top 3 challenges / frustrations you face living as an expat abroad?

What are the top 3 challenges / frustrations you face living as an expat abroad? Cultural differences

Homesickness / culture shock

Communication / language

Getting oriented / figuring out day-to-day basics for living (housing, transportation, employment, health care, childcare, etc.)

Feeling isolated

Feeling out of place / not understood / can't be the "real me" in this culture

Integrating into the local community

Lack of purpose in life

Other(s) - please specify

7. There are a variety of support sources for those living abroad. Please rate your reliance on the following support options.

	Never	Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Regularly (6-12x/year)	Frequently (1-2x/month)	All the time (weekly or more)
Family living with you	*There are a variety of support sources for those living abroad. Please rate your reliance on the following support options. Family living with you Never	Family living with you Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Family living with you Regularly (6-12x/year)	Family living with you Frequently (1-2x/month)	Family living with you All the time (weekly or more)
Friends / family back in your home country	Friends / family back in your home country Never	Friends / family back in your home country Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Friends / family back in your home country Regularly (6-12x/year)	Friends / family back in your home country Frequently (1-2x/month)	Friends / family back in your home country All the time (weekly or more)
Local expat community	Local expat community Never	Local expat community Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Local expat community Regularly (6-12x/year)	Local expat community Frequently (1-2x/month)	Local expat community All the time (weekly or more)
Local community (non-expat; ie, native)	Local community (non-expat; ie, native) Never	Local community (non-expat; ie, native) Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Local community (non-expat; ie, native) Regularly (6-12x/year)	Local community (non-expat; ie, native) Frequently (1-2x/month)	Local community (non-expat; ie, native) All the time (weekly or more)
Colleagues / employer	Colleagues / employer Never	Colleagues / employer Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Colleagues / employer Regularly (6-12x/year)	Colleagues / employer Frequently (1-2x/month)	Colleagues / employer All the time (weekly or more)
Sponsor / sponsoring organization	Sponsor / sponsoring organization Never	Sponsor / sponsoring organization Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Sponsor / sponsoring organization Regularly (6-12x/year)	Sponsor / sponsoring organization Frequently (1-2x/month)	Sponsor / sponsoring organization All the time (weekly or more)
International friendship associations	International friendship associations Never	International friendship associations Occasionally (2-3x/year)	International friendship associations Regularly (6-12x/year)	International friendship associations Frequently (1-2x/month)	International friendship associations All the time (weekly or more)
Local community groups (religious, social, etc.)	Local community groups (religious, social, etc.) Never	Local community groups (religious, social, etc.) Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Local community groups (religious, social, etc.) Regularly (6-12x/year)	Local community groups (religious, social, etc.) Frequently (1-2x/month)	Local community groups (religious, social, etc.) All the time (weekly or more)
Online communities	Online communities Never	Online communities Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Online communities Regularly (6-12x/year)	Online communities Frequently (1-2x/month)	Online communities All the time (weekly or more)
Help lines / social services	Help lines / social services Never	Help lines / social services Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Help lines / social services Regularly (6-12x/year)	Help lines / social services Frequently (1-2x/month)	Help lines / social services All the time (weekly or more)
Counselor / other non-coach professional	Counselor / other non-coach professional Never	Counselor / other non-coach professional Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Counselor / other non-coach professional Regularly (6-12x/year)	Counselor / other non-coach professional Frequently (1-2x/month)	Counselor / other non-coach professional All the time (weekly or more)
Professional life coach	Professional life coach Never	Professional life coach Occasionally (2-3x/year)	Professional life coach Regularly (6-12x/year)	Professional life coach Frequently (1-2x/month)	Professional life coach All the time (weekly or more)
I do not seek outside support	I do not seek outside support Never	I do not seek outside support Occasionally (2-3x/year)	I do not seek outside support Regularly (6-12x/year)	I do not seek outside support Frequently (1-2x/month)	I do not seek outside support All the time (weekly or more)

8. Coaching is a partnership that supports you in effecting changes in your life. It is effective both in transforming an unsatisfactory situation to a satisfactory one as well as in enriching an already acceptable experience.

There are a variety of methods used in coaching. Which of the following would you most wish a coach to bring to the partnership? (Please indicate your top 3 choices.)

Coaching is a partnership that supports you in effecting changes in your life. It is effective both in transforming an unsatisfactory situation to a satisfactory one as well as in enriching an already acceptable experience. There are a variety of methods used in coaching. Which of the following would you most wish a coach to bring to the partnership? (Please indicate your top 3 choices.) Challenge

Inspiration

Validation

Accountability

Direction

Mentor

Focus

Sounding Board

Support

Ideas / Brainstorming

Insight

Strategies

9. Would you consider working with a coach to improve and / or enrich your experience living abroad?

Would you consider working with a coach to improve and / or enrich your experience living abroad? No

Yes - Optional: here's my email address, please add me to the Stepping Forward Newsletter mailing list!

10. Please share any additional thoughts here regarding your experience living abroad and what sorts of support would be the most valuable to you.

Thank you for your time today!

Please share any additional thoughts here regarding your experience living abroad and what sorts of support would be the most valuable to you. Thank you for your time today!

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