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2009-03-10
One of my friend, Zanine WOLF works for Asia Pacific Access (APA) - a relocation company in China.
She interviewed last year accompanying spouses currently living in China.
The results of her interviews and her conclusions can be found in the latest MOBILITY Magazine, March 2009.

"Wolf interviews accompanying spouses currently living in China who share their stories of what it was like to leave their lives behind and move to a foreign country. Each spouse reflects on how they overcame the challenges and difficult moments they faced, as well as discusses the many rewards of living in China.

By Zanine Wolf

We live in a world where dual-career families are becoming the norm, with both partners in a marriage equally committed to their careers or personal development. This has implications for companies relocating families overseas, and China is no exception.

With the eyes of the world very much on China, a posting to the country is an attractive option for families; however, many of today’s accompanying spouses moving here are not content to put their own lives and careers on hold for the sake of their partner’s career advancement. It is little surprise then that studies on international mobility point to spousal discontent as one of the key factors underpinning assignment failure—and one of the reasons assignments are being turned down in the first place.

On arrival in China, a typical scenario is one in which the assignee, through his or her new job, has a clearly defined sense of purpose and structure, and children are quickly immersed in school activities and making new friends. By contrast, the non-working spouse faces the task of recreating his or her own life—making new friends and finding a meaningful way to spend time, either through working or other pursuits. Being faced with a blank canvas on which to reinvent yourself can be exciting, but it also can be daunting if you do not know where to start and especially if you are not supported in the process."

To read the full article, go to:
www.worldwideerc.org/Resources/MOBILITYarticles/Pages/0309wolf.aspx