International & Expat Families: The joy of living abroad while helping others
By Bill Connor
Hong Kong 1998! My wife and I moved our small family to Hong Kong over 25 years ago with an opportunity of a lifetime to be part of the student support team at a prestigious international school, HKIS.
I remember being told “home is where your heart is” and took comfort in this. Our infant son and preschool daughter, at the time, found a new “home” benefitting from world-class education, playing with new friends, exposure to new languages, foods, etc. Together, we enjoyed the tight-knit home of new friends along with “bucket list” travel from Thailand beaches, mountains in Borneo to trips to visit Aussie friends.
We also just recently wrapped up 3 years in beautiful South Korea, as “empty nesters,” with our beloved Chadwick International School in Songdo, South Korea. With me serving as the psychologist and my wife, a HS school counselor, we found a “home” working to support students and families.
We cherish being part of these international school communities, full of passion for children and cutting edge education, being well-resourced, within the caring expat and local family blend that makes these schools such gems.
The benefit and resiliency of living overseas for children and families can be immense; e.g., expanding an empathetic world view, respect and acceptance of multiple cultures, languages, social skills, financial benefits, and facing new and anxiety provoking challenges, travel, etc. The challenges for “third culture”kids ( expats) and their families are also well documented (e.g., developing depth of relationships given the transient nature of friendships, developing a sense of belonging and identity, adjusting to languages, food and new routines, increased anxiety or depression for some, etc). The challenges of local/host country students and families are also understood, for some being part of a minority group for the first time (attending international school within their home/ host country). They may feel unique pressures to achieve and distress when trying to connect with peers not attending their intl school.
While it makes for rich and energizing work within a school, it can also be stretching and taxing, trying to meet the range of mental health, social, emotional and learning needs, even within these compassionate and well- led school communities.
Despite all the highly trained teachers and staff , counseling and student support programming, for a small number of children and/or families, needs may exceed the resources within the international school, expat community or local supports ( medical, clinical, specialized education, etc).
A small number of families find themselves searching for options if/ when needing to look beyond their current country/place of residence. There is always hope. There are always options.
Now living back in the USA, I’m grateful for the continued opportunity to be part of the Aspire Group where families can turn. We provide caring and comprehensive “best match” therapeutic and educational consulting and placement services for a range of options from traditional boarding, therapeutic boarding schools, LD or special needs boarding, to traditional boarding schools, summer programs, gap year planning, college guidance, and post secondary programs for college age and beyond.
Our team, along with “best match” programs/school options, can provide family support to bridge the gap while a child, adolescent or young adult child is away. Home continues to be “where the heart is” whether your child is near or far. We’re here to help (The Aspire Group )
