Guest Post: Understanding Our Global Present through the Lens of the Past

Posted on February 10, 2011

Guest blogger - Brooks Rosenquist

Brooks Rosenquist is a doctoral student in Education Policy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennesee.  He has lived in Taiwan and Spain, and is looking forward to his next international adventure.

“Some of the houses in this neighborhood are FIFTY years old!”  That’s how I remember a quote from Steve Martin’s character in LA Story.  Growing up in California, my sense of history of place didn’t go back too far.  I was surrounded by relatively new buildings and the car and commuter culture they were built around. Although on our fourth grade field trips, we did visit some of the few oldest local historic sites, such as those associated with the Gold Rush of 1849.  When it came time to go to college, this young man headed east, to Washington DC, and my sense of history of place was forced back a few centuries.  Then, junior year, I headed even further east, for a semester abroad in Salamanca, Spain.  For me, this required a quantum leap in my sense of history of place: in Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, they have two cathedrals, and the one they call “the new cathedral” dates back to the 1500s.

When I am lucky enough to travel abroad for any period of time, I’ve learned I have to try to do at least a little background on the place, the language, the customs, the cuisine, the geography, and the history.  I remember living in Taipei, seeking out books on Chinese history in one of the few small bookstores that specialized in English language books, hoping to teach myself something about the sequence and characteristics of the more than twenty dynasties and five thousand years of history in order to put in context some of the ancient treasures I saw on display at the National Palace Museum,.  Then again, instead of just reading about the raw facts of history from one era, country, or culture, you sometimes need a book that really puts it into perspective for you, providing the big picture and showing you how its patterns and lessons are applied in our world today.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to read Parag Khanna’s book “The Second World”, where he describes his travels though the world while presenting the argument that, after the Cold War, there is substantial shift of power to the middle-income countries and emerging economies, as the powers of Europe, China, and the US court these countries for access to markets and natural resources.  While others have expounded variations on this theme, Khanna does so particularly coherently and convincingly; the book reads like a travelogue, so that you can read it straight through or skip around to the sections on the countries that interest you most, enjoying the author’s mix of political analysis and entertaining details and observations.  I was in college with Khanna, and after this book was published, he really started to get some of the acclaim that, when I met him, was just limited to the college campus.  It was really cool to see my old classmate on TV doing interviews with Charlie Rose and on CNN with Farheed Zakaria.

Khanna is coming out with his second book later this month, and this time, he is really taking a broad, sweeping, historical approach to his analysis.  With a decline of influence of the world’s superpowers, political, economic, and even military power is devolving not only to emerging market governments, but also to corporations, armed resistance groups, and non-profit, philanthropic, and other international organizations.  In this book, called “How to Run the World: Charting a Course for the Next Renaissance,” Khanna draws upon history to construct a comparison with another time in global history when power was also widely dispersed in this way: the Middle Ages.

For example, while Europe struggled to find it’s way and even lost some of the technological know-how developed by the Romans, empires in China, India, and the Arab world flourished.  The Byzantine Empire, based in modern day Turkey, served as a stable link between the East and West.  Khanna sees a reflection of many elements of the Middle Ages in our own times, with the US playing the role this time of the multicultural Byzantine Empire, linking East and West.  While those with a Euro-centric vision of history think of these centuries as a time of stagnation, it was in many ways a high point for much of the rest of the world.  When the knowledge retained and developed in the East was reintroduced to a stabilized Europe, the continent experienced a cultural Renaissance.

From his title, it seems like that is a vision of the world which Khanna would like to encourage: a world with stable and widely distributed economic and political power, which is so interconnected on multiple levels that it avoids war and instead allows for the development of art, commerce, dialog, and travel.  Hopefully, those that are in the position to make a difference on a global scale will read Khanna’s book and start to make this vision a reality.  For those of us who intend to go or continue to “go global,” this dynamic and interconnected vision of the world is an enticing one, indeed.

Goinglobal Insights: Interviewing Advice to Work in Spain

Posted on December 27, 2010

Photo attribution to andercismo

Imagine working abroad for the first time, armed with all the information you need to successfully acclimate yourself to the work environment, social scene and overall cultural customs? That is where Goinglobal steps in. Goinglobal is committed to providing you with an arsenal of career information and resources to ease the transition abroad and help you be prepared before you leave. We have career country guides for over 30 countries, written by in-country researchers, that help you as a professional regardless of whether you are a novice or seasoned expat.

Every week, we will feature an insight from one of our global career guides to help you achieve your dream of working internationally.

Today’s tip: How to interview in Spain

Interviews will vary greatly depending upon the type of companies, their cultures, the interviewer, the type of job, the sector or other aspects. This guide only intends to address the typical behavior or situation one can be facing.

Pre-Interview Preparation

The best way to prepare for a job interview in Spain is to research the company’s website or reference books. Spanish recruiters are impressed with applicants who have knowledge about the company’s chief executives, products and services, competitors and clients. One should also review the job requirements carefully to ensure that all the important issues can be addressed in the interview.

Interview Conduct

For an interview, dress should be formal or classic. Men’s business attire consists of a conservative but well-fitted suit, including a jacket and tie. Women generally wear stylishly tailored dresses or suits. Black or brown shoes for men and heels for women are preferred.

The Interview

Spaniards tend to be very conversational, and there is always casual discussion before entering into business. Personal relationships are very important, both socially and in business, as this helps establish trust.

Post-Interview

After the interview, it is acceptable to follow up with a phone call or an email with the main interviewer. It is advisable to avoid calling the first thing in the morning. This follow up communication will thank the interviewer for his/her time, and offer him/her the opportunity to get further information, including information about references.

This is just a sample of what you’ll find in the complete Spain guide.

Goinglobal Insights: Cost of Living in Japan

Posted on December 20, 2010

Photo attribution to andercismo

Imagine working abroad for the first time, armed with all the information you need to successfully acclimate yourself to the work environment, social scene and overall cultural customs? That is where Goinglobal steps in. Goinglobal is committed to providing you with an arsenal of career information and resources to ease the transition abroad and help you be prepared before you leave. We have career country guides for over 30 countries, written by in-country researchers, that help you as a professional regardless of whether you are a novice or seasoned expat.

Every week, we will feature an insight from one of our global career guides to help you achieve your dream of working internationally.

Today’s tip: How much it costs to live in Japan

Japan is considered to be one of the most expensive countries in the world in which to live. One prominent survey recently ranked the cost of living for expatriates in Tokyo as the fourth-highest in the world, behind London and Moscow and virtually tied with Seoul. The basket of goods and services used in the survey was priced more than 22 percent higher than the same basket of goods and services in New York, the most expensive city in North America.

Food, particularly imported food conforming to western tastes, is very expensive in Japan. Another cost of living survey found Tokyo’s food prices for expatriates to be the highest in the world, some 30 percent higher than New York and 45 percent higher than London. Staples of the Japanese diet, such as rice, seafood and soybean products are much less expensive, however, than western food staples. Budget-minded consumers can also find a variety of household goods at numerous “100 Yen” stores that sell items for 105 yen (about 1 USD) each (including tax).

Salaries in Japan are moderately high, but not always commensurate with the cost of living. A mid-level electrical engineer in Japan with five years of experience earns an average annual gross salary of 60,100 USD but takes home 46,200 USD in net salary and works an average of 51 hours per week. Corporate department managers fare better, earning an average of 83,300 USD gross or 62,000 USD net per year, for an average of 48 hours of work per week.

Housing

Due to the crowded nature of Japan’s cities, housing is very expensive. A 30 square meter (322 square feet) apartment in central Tokyo rents for an average of 1,480 USD per month and a scarcely-available 100 square meter (1,076 square feet) apartment rents for an average of 5,020 USD per month. Rent in Yokohama and Nagoya are equally expensive, with a three bedroom apartment renting for from 2,800 to 5,600 USD per month.

Medical Care and Health Insurance

Japanese companies are required to register all employees on a group medical plan with the Japanese health care system. The company pays for half of the yearly fees while the employee pays the other half. Foreign companies organize their own plans through the Japanese system or by using private health care. Most expatriates are not eligible to join the Japanese system until having lived in Japan for one year, thus expatriates who plan to come to Japan to work should have health care coverage from their home country to cover the first year. After the first year, expatriates can change to the Japanese plan or a private health care system.

This is just a sample of what you’ll find in the complete Japan guide.

Guest Post: First Impressions of an International Experience

Posted on December 16, 2010

Photo courtesy of Lucas Franchi

How do you capture your first thoughts while taking an international experience? Your senses are on an all time high as you experience something new every moment. That excitement is addicting to travelers and expats alike. For many people, that feeling is what keeps them looking for their next international adventure. Today’s guest post by Lucas Frachi takes us into the mind of someone who just step foot to the country that he would call home for a year.

Follow Lucas and his adventures on his blog “My Self-Imposed Exile“.

I’m currently flying over Southern China on a flight from Hong Kong to Guilin.  In the past 36 hours I’ve traveled 8000 miles to the other side of the planet.  I’ve been stuffed into 3 consecutive airlines seats, all of which were made to fit an anorexic 12-year old girl.  I spent 14 hours inside the Hong Kong airport, where I got lost twice.  When I finally found a quiet spot to get a little sleep a security guard yelled at me in Cantonese and made me get up.  I’m tired, I’m dirty, and judging by the looks I am getting from the flight attendant I probably smell really bad too.  And all of it was worth it just for this light show.

I’m looking out of my window at a huge thunderstorm that is laying waste to whatever part of China I’m flying over.  I’ve always loved watching thunderstorms off my front porch, but this is different.  The clouds are lighting up with huge explosions and each time they do I can make out every little detail of the plane and the clouds themselves.  The effect is hauntingly beautiful.

I look down at my watch and see that it is 12:07 AM China Time.  A new day has just begun, my very first day in China.

Town of Guilen - courtesy of Lucas

These were the words I wrote into my journal when I officially started my first year abroad in the People’s Republic of China.  The effect of the lightning storm inspired me to make the very first entry into a journal that I was afraid would go unused.  It turns out that I would need to buy a second journal before my year was complete.

The year I spent in China was the greatest experience of my entire life.  I shaped me in ways that I can’t even describe and definitely don’t understand.  The very first day I spent in China turned into one of the greatest days in my life.  Here is the story.

Upon arriving in Guilin a representative from my school met me at the airport.  When I heard “representative” I figured an old man in a suit; turns out it was a 17 year old kid with acne and zero English other then “Hello.”  He was going to drive me down to Yangshuo for my orientation.  Yangshuo is about 90 minutes away and the drive was anything but ordinary.

Roads in China are notorious health hazards.  There is no such thing as streetlights in Guilin or Yangshuo and the only lights that night were headlamps and flashlights from pedestrians.  At least 4 different times I knew we were going to hit someone only to miss them at the last minute.  I was very impressed with my rep’s driving skills.

Courtesy of Lucas

The next morning I received my first of many shocks.  When I arrived in Yangshuo it was completely pitch black outside, no lights anywhere, not even the moon.  When I woke up and looked out the window I was staring at a 300 meter, vertical cliff face with pagodas built right into the side.  The entire area around Yangshuo is filled with Karsts, small hills with completely vertical faces on all sides.  The mountains stuck up straight into the sky like they were poked up by a giant finger.  It was like walking into Dr. Seuss’s craziest dream.

After a morning exploring the city I embarked on the highlight of my day, a boat trip down the Li River.  Yangshuo gets a lot of rainfall every year and it all drains into the Li River.  Because of that the area surrounding the river itself has some of the most breathtaking Karst scenery in the entire province.  Poets and artists have been coming to the area for 3 millennia to search for inspiration.  After spending 5 minutes there I understood why.

The day was hot and hazy but I could see for miles around.  From a mountaintop we could see the entire basin laid out like a picnic table.  From the riverside I could see just how huge some of the karsts were.  On the river though was the real show.  The karsts flowed up and down like an artist had drawn them himself.  Even the vegetation on the hills succeeded in painting me a picture that I can still visualize to this day.  I sat in stunned silence as my bamboo boat motored up and down the river.  The river itself is so famous in China that it is featured on the 20 Yuan bill.  Other bills have images of Hua Shan Mountain, the Great Hall of the People, The Great Wall, and even Tibet’s Potala Palace.

Courtesy of Lucas

That night, as a terrific ending to a remarkable day, I was taken to a hostel called Monkey Jane’s Rooftop Bar and Hostel.  After toasting this new chapter in my life I spent the evening looking out on Yangshuo before the city turned in for the night.

Soon enough we were joined by fellow teachers and backpackers.  One thing I have always loved about backpacking is the ability to meet others with similar desires and pursuits but totally different backgrounds.  This night was the first time I experienced that.  I spent the evening teaching a Kyrgyzstani about American politics and learning about the culture and history of Kyrgyzstan in return.

Thus ended one of the greatest days of my life and the perfect starter to one of the greatest years in my life.  My short bio here has not done it justice, but nothing I say could possibly do it justice.

If you’re ever in Yangshuo, take a trip on the river you will know precisely what I mean.

Guest Post: Researching Potential Employers Abroad

Posted on November 2, 2010

Jim Key - Director of Global Marketing at Intrax Internships Abroad

Today’s guest post is brought to you by Jim Key, Director of Global Marketing at Intrax Internships Abroad. Learn about his suggestions to land an international job.

You want to work abroad, but you are studying here in the US or Canada. You probably figure the place to start your research is scanning job sites overseas. Sure, go ahead and scan them. There is no harm in finding out what jobs are out there. Just keep this in mind, unless they are actively looking for someone from abroad, you will start at a huge disadvantage vs. local applicants that only starts with the legal/paperwork challenge of getting a visa.  This is why few (if any) organizations actively seek employees from abroad for entry level skilled work unless their country is at full employment. Recognizing this mean knowing that employers won’t look for (or find) you, so you better find them through a thoughtful strategy.

1)     Where do you want to go? You speak Spanish, you studied in Spain, seems like Spain is the obvious choice. Right? Determine the markets that are best (or least bad) for you. Most students that I talk to have a top choice and are flexible about where they might want to go. Let’s say you want to go to Europe. I’ve got a copy of The Economist right here – Spain’s unemployment rate is 20.5% and Norway’s is 3.3%. Outside of Europe, South Africa is at 25.3% unemployment while Thailand is at 0.9%. Not trying to say all unemployment is created equal – every country has its own definition of unemployment. Context matters – Japan’s 5.1% is high by their standards while Germany’s 7.5% is historically low, so the business confidence is higher in Germany. Still, all things being equal, do you like your chances better in a place where 20% of the locals (and 44% of 18-25 yr olds) can’t find a job? Big caveat to this: of course all things aren’t necessarily equal. If your expertise and/or connections point to a certain location, that changes things. Likewise, some places are positively welcoming with their visas (Australia comes to mind) while others are more restrictive. Putting it together, think about where you want to go in broader terms than where you studied or where you enjoyed visiting.

2)     Who do you know? If you have lots of local contacts and people vouching for you somewhere, that makes a huge difference in getting your foot in the door. A frequent source of frustration among students I speak with is that they do not know enough people. If you have not already gotten going on LinkedIn, start now. Connect with your friends, people you’ve worked with at internships, professors and Career Services people who you know, and so on. LinkedIn is designed to help you see through the people you know to their contacts so that you can make a more personal connection. You can take a look at our video or many other videos and articles on the topic to learn how to make LinkedIn a tool for you to make that connection. While we’re on social media, why not use Facebook updates to let your friends know you seek a job in China (and you’re open to suggestions)?

3)     Figure out your skills who might need them: Let’s say you’re four (or five) years into a Bachelors degree and you have been immersed in North American culture most of your life. What do you know that others don’t?  Think strategically and broadly about your interests and education. Talk with someone at your school’s career center. A company in London needed a student comfortable with mobile phone applications. Another company in Berlin is looking to develop Facebook marketing strategies.  Do you know anyone who has logged hours on Facebook, (seemingly every day), developing their knowledge? You see where this is going. Usually it relates to newer technology, but you may have a skill set that has a market and stands out more overseas than at home.

4)     Dig: It’s easy to put together your dream list of organizations that you (and many other people) want to work for: from Apple, the United Nations, and Lonely Planet to Goldman Sachs and Google.  Those household names are popular so the jobs at those companies are pretty competitive. There are fewer people reaching out to and applying to that 10-person mobile phone app company in London or that 50-person social media marketing agency in Berlin. Search for companies doing what you want to do in places where you want to work. You’ll find the big names, but specifically look for startups and smaller firms that could want your skill set. Generally, smaller firms can make faster decisions too. In addition to Googling, look at lists from Chambers of Commerce, industry lists, entrepreneur incubators, and even venture capitalists. Every country is different, so be resourceful here.

In two weeks, we’ll put this together. If you’ve gone this far, you have found the right country, leveraged your connections, targeted the right industry for your skill set, and uncovered some hidden gem companies that are not bombarded with thousands of resumes daily. Needless to say, the outreach needs to be thoughtful too.

Expatacular Tips For New & Current Expats: Alternative Accomodations with Airbnb

Posted on October 21, 2010

Expatacular tips are about making your first or next expat move easier. Think of them as the “Lifehacker” for Expats.

Whether you aspire to live, work or study in another country or if you are already doing that, then the word “expat” is part of your everyday language. In the most general sense, an “expat”, is anyone who is temporarily or permanently living in a country other than the one where they claim citizenship.

Every week, we take a look at “expat hacks” to help you make the next transition abroad seamless.

If you have any to suggest, leave them in the comments or send us a message.

Today’s tip: Stay like a local with Airbnb.com

Airbnb.com

Tired of staying at the Holiday Inn when in Ann Arbor, MI? Not sure of what you are getting when you book through couchsurfing.org? Airbnb.com is a novel concept in travel accommodation where the locals make their own homes available to travelers, for a price.

The easy to use interface is simple, enter the destination of your choice and the dates you want, et voila! Airbnb then looks in that area for rooms, condos, homes and even castles (yes, castles) available for rent from private owners who have registered themselves with airbnb.com. Transactions are done through PayPal or a Credit Card and the money isn’t disbursed to the host until at least 24 hours after you check in.

Accommodations can either be listed in either a grid with pictures attached or a map view so you can see exactly where you will be staying. It is a simple matter to narrow your search results by price, distance and recommendations. Each search result comes with a short description, amenities available and some quick details.

As with all social websites, the real power comes from user recommendations. Recommendations are abundant, not just for the result you select, but also for other properties that host has listed on airbnb.com. If that host receives enough stellar feedback from travelers then they become eligible for SuperHost Alliance status, a designation given by airbnb.com to hosts that go above and beyond. A nice warm and fuzzy for those of us still hesitant to use the service.

The most innovative feature of the site has to be the groups feature, a user created network of hosts and travelers that provides rooms for those with the same interests, alma-mater, profession, etc…  Clicking on a group displays a world map view showing where hosts participating in the group are along with a picture grid of available accommodations below.

As a matter of full disclosure, we have yet to try out the service airbnb.com provides. Reading the reviews of some of the users and the favorable view it received in the New York Times, aribnb.com will definitely be on my short list of providers to try while traveling abroad.

Goinglobal Insights: Canadian Top Employer Profiles

Posted on October 18, 2010

Photo attribution to albertopveiga

Imagine working abroad for the first time, armed with all the information you need to successfully acclimate yourself to the work environment, social scene and overall cultural customs? That is where Goinglobal steps in. Goinglobal is committed to providing you with an arsenal of career information and resources to ease the transition abroad and help you be prepared before you leave. We have career country guides for over 30 countries, written by in-country researchers, that help you as a professional regardless of whether you are a novice or seasoned expat.

Every week, we will feature an insight from one of our global career guides to help you achieve your dream of working internationally.

Photo attribution to Ian Muttoo

Boasting with wide open skies, massive glaciers and nearly desolate islands, is the country of Canada. Have you ever considered working there? The following list represents companies reporting the largest assets/revenues in the country. This will help to identify companies in your search for international jobs and internships in Canada. More than 400,000 additional corporate profiles can be found in Going Global’s Employer Directory.