Sat, 20 March 2010
Employment
Employment Information
Female expats in Europe say they are mostly happy
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About 75 percent of women surveyed by Expatica in 2008 said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their lives.In a survey of more than 200 women living abroad, 74 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their lives while only 12 percent said they weren’t. Foreign women living in Switzerland, France and Belgium ranked the highest in satisfaction levels while those in Spain and Germany polled the lowest.
"The Belgians are friendly and used to foreigners, so blending in is easy," wrote one respondent. "The country is centrally located in Europe with good access to many other countries and cultures while the distances in the country are short enabling easy access to cultural and sporting activities."
Other said they were glad of the low crime rate, the values placed on a balanced life, children and the environment, happy to be with their foreign partner and to experience another culture.
"I feel I like almost everything about my country of residence," wrote one resident of France. "My life is great, full, peaceful and everyday there are new things to learn, new challenges to meet and to help me grow…My neighbors are great (all French)...coming to live here is certainly one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life."
While most people responding rated their country of residence positively, residents of Spain found the most to like about their host country with only nine percent viewing it negatively. In contrast, 26 percent of respondents living in Germany have a bad impression of their host country.
"German culture is too rigid and stoic for me," wrote one German resident. "I find it to be the most boring culture I’ve yet experienced. It is a very rule-oriented society and they are not afraid to correct you in public (when you make a mistake while recycling or parking your car)."
Job satisfaction
Professionally, 48 percent of respondents said they were happy or very happy and those in Switzerland, the Netherlands and France said they were most satisfied with Spain coming in last.
"I gained my middle managerial experience in the Netherlands," wrote one foreigner living in the Netherlands. "Due to the Dutch work ethic, I believe my project management and human resource management skills developed much better than expected."
About 20 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied and expressed a myriad of reasons including racism, sexism, underemployment, bad bosses, low wages and inflexible working conditions.
I am an American. Before coming to Belgium, I lived and worked in Switzerland for 20 years. However, after living here short of 2 years, I can only say that the Belgians are much more in acceptance of foreigners. I learned German and the Swiss dialect, but quite often when I go into a Swiss bank, they speak German to me while I am speaking their dialect, only because I "look foreign" to them. The life there in Switzerland is very rigid, many people do not speak another language other than what is spoken in the part of Switzerland. Here in Belgium, I have found most people in the Flemish Brabant area to be fluent in Flemish, French and English. I have made many good friends in Switzerland, but it is easier to make friends here because of the openness of the Belgians, plus of their society being multi-lingual. I have met many expats here all with very interesting backgrounds. Culture and activities are boundless here, not too mention the ability to drive or fly just one and a half hour to be in another country. Although I do many things of Switzerland, I feel much more home here because of the warmth of the people and the numerous activities that are offered. The quality of life is much different. Ok it's not perfect, especially the way many Belgians drive. PLEASE DO NOT USE MY NAME NOR MY EMAIL ADDRESS. Thank you. Regards, J. Bobadilla
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