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British Mum Facing Time in UAE Jail for Social Media Post

British Mum Facing Time in UAE Jail for Social Media Post

Did you know that the UAE has some of the strictest laws governing social media?

Despite its reputation as a global commerce and tourism hotspot, the Arab state has strict laws which on occasion take foreigners by surprise.

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Protecting Relocating Expats: A Duty of Care

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The news is full of accounts of people who have fallen foul of the law when working overseas.

Although for many readers, these stories can provide a little online interest to mull over during a coffee break, for others, they are a stark reminder of the tragic repercussions that can happen when travelling with no understanding of local laws and culture.

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New Expat in the UAE? Everything You Should Know About Ramadan in a Nutshell!

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For new expats relocating to the UAE, it’s fair to say that the transformation that takes place during the month of Ramadan can present quite a cultural shock to those who don’t understand it.

Whether you’re in the more conservative area of Sharjah, or, in the more liberal Dubai, Ramadan generally plays out in the same way and the same traditions and practices are observed.

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What Cultural Differences Can You Expect When Moving to Thailand?

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Thailand is a wonderfully hospitable country for those relocating there on expatriate assignments.

If you’re to make the most of your experience in this beautiful country however, it’s essential that you go prepared so that you can build productive relationships with the Thai people and make the best impression possible.

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What Cultural Differences can an American Expat Find When Moving to The Middle East?

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The Middle East is as culturally diverse as the USA, which makes it difficult to talk about Middle Eastern culture as something homogenous.

What we will do, however, is to pick a few cultural differences which are shared across most of the Middle East and which are more likely to trip North Americans up when working in the region.

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What are the Most Common Culture Shocks for Foreigners in the Middle East?

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Providing relocation training for expats moving to the Middle East means that we get to hear a great deal about people’s experiences in their new home country.

Although moving to the Middle East can be an incredibly positive experience, it goes without saying that adapting to new cultures and ways of doing things can be a challenge.

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What’s the Best Thing About Being an Expat in China?

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With so many cultural differences between China and the West, the decision to relocate to China as an expat can be a difficult one.

Although expats do indeed have some complex cultural differences to navigate however, there are a huge number of positives for people taking the move.

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Why Do Middle Eastern Men Wear a Chequered Headdress?

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A common question foreigners moving to or working in the Middle East ask at cultural awareness training sessions is, "Why do the men wear the headdress?"

Great question!

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What should Expats know about the UK Before Relocating?

What should Expats know about the UK Before Relocating?

We have been helping inbound UK professionals and their families get to grips with British culture for over 15 years.

 

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How is Thai Culture Different to American Culture?

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Living abroad gives you some excellent insights into foreign cultures.

Especially in terms of being able to compare them viz-a-viz with other cultures.

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What’s it Like Working in Vietnam as a Western Expat?

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Since the introduction of its outward-looking economic ‘Doi Moi’ policies in 1986, Vietnam has evolved into one of Asia’s strongest exporting countries.

This expansion has generated a myriad of opportunities for expats relocating to Vietnam, which are likely to continue to increase in the long term due to trade wars and increased production costs in China.

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Culture Shock in Brazil: A Foreigner’s Guide to Doing Business

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Big, beautiful Brazil!

For many foreigners doing business in the country for the first time, it can be a bit overwhelming!

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An Expatriate Child's View of Life in Saudi Arabia

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Despite all the attention given to the Middle East today, it's fair to say that stereotypes and misconceptions still make a lot of noise!

The perception of one country in particular, Saudi Arabia, is clouded by mystery and stereotypes due to the country's strict adherence to the Islamic faith.

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Translated Movies to Help Immigrants Settle into Life in South Korea

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Three Korean films and a cartoon have been translated for immigrant workers and foreigners married to Koreans to help them understand Korean culture. 

About 10 immigrants from Southeast Asian countries participated in the translation project to help people settle down in Korea more easily.

Three movies, ``Wolf Daddy,'' ``Stand by Me’’ and ``Walking in the Rainy Day’’ and a cartoon cooking guide were translated into four languages, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Chinese and English.

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What Skills do I need for an International Career?

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As an international careers adviser, I receive questions daily from people of varied backgrounds who hope to try their luck in the global marketplace.

Many job seekers mistakenly believe that they can’t begin an international career until their feet are on foreign soil.

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India turns away from expats to home-grown talent

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Expatriate executives, who were the flavour of the season when India was riding high on a 9%-plus growth rate, are now becoming the first ones to get the pink slip as Indian industry, hit by the slowdown, starts looking within the country for inexpensive hires.

“Many of the expatriate executives, who have been asked to leave, are subject experts. Their value diminishes in a downturn as companies are no more expanding, and thus don’t need people to guide in a new venture,” says K Sudarshan, MD of executive search firm EMA Partners’ India unit.

It's fair to say that Indian staff are naturally more effective within their position due to their understanding of Indian culture and business know how. 

Since October 2008, there has been a spate of replacements of expat executives with Indian professionals at the senior level. 

Read more > Execs in India

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AlloExpat Targets Expatriate Service Providers

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Allo' Expat Sdn Bhd, a Malaysia headquartered online publisher and www.AlloExpat.com.

Launched eight years ago, with now more than 40,000 visitors daily, AlloExpat.com is becoming the preferred online media for advertisers in the "expat industry" around the world.

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Cross Culture Kids

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I recently attended the 11th annual Families in Global Transition (FIGT) conference – (an idea which was first planned at a kitchen table in Indianapolis). 

That kitchen table belonged to author and Cross-Culture Kid (CCK) expert, Ruth van Reken. The first conference attracted 80 delegates but this year's boasted over 200.

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Review: Yanks in Blighty

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Donna Marsh is a business woman and cultural awareness trainer specialising in many fields.

Over her 30 year professional career she has visited more than 140 countries. As a strue globe-trotter this has given her a great insight into the field of intercultural communication, awareness and skills.

Now this experience has translated itself into a new publication entitled "Yanks in Blighty".

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Why is China Becoming a Top Expat Destination?

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The annual Global Relocation Trends report, from  Brookfield Global Relocation Services, reports that China is the top expat destination followed by the U.S., UK, Singapore and Switzerland. 

 China has some great advantages for inbound expats

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