My life as a proud and independent Expat woman

For my 30 year high school reunion I was asked to write about my path of life after having graduated. At first I was not so sure I wanted to share this with the wider public but then again it seems I am on a roll about revealing more about the author behind the blog this week! So here goes:

The deal with my father was that I needed to obtain my Swiss Matura thereafter I could study wherever I wished to. I obliged and of course took off to the United States the minute I got my High School Diploma thinking that I would finally fit in with the Americans I had looked up to for so many years. After two years, however, I came running back to Europe finishing my BA at the Bocconi University in Italy haven woken up to the realisation that I was much more Continental than I ever knew or would have liked to admit!

I decided to stay in Europe and even headed back to good ol' Switzerland landing the perfect job for myself as Export Area Manager at Caran d'Ache the world-renowned coloured pencil producer. Three years later I was hired for yet another dream job as European Export Manager with Elizabeth Arden, Unilever's cosmetic division. Yet again I was travelling the globe, working with colours and dabbing in a touch of luxury.

As I moved on to Marketing Director for Europe and the Middle East and my career was taking off in the right direction I lost my heart to a charming Italian co-worker who swept me off my feet and all the way to Argentina.

I was not going to give up my life and career to move the other side of the globe without a ring on my finger and his condition was that I follow him with a work visa. I found myself a job as Business Development Director with the French advertising company Publicis in Buenos Aires and off we went.

In 2000 the crisis hit Latin America and cost me my job, I discovered was pregnant and we decided I was going to be an Expat wife - for better or for worse - working as a team with my husband.

Our son was born a true Porteño and a few years later we moved to Paris, France and then on to Milano, Italy where I gave birth to our little girl. With two kids in tow we moved from Milan to Madrid, Spain then to Lugano, Switzerland and back to Paris where we are now based.

I have happily followed my husband over the past two decades rebuilding our life time and again from scratch not losing focus of what works best for our family. I have developed my own personal interests in International education and Expat blogging which I pursue with passion.

For in order to be a proud and independent Expat woman you must never trail but trail-blaze with passion and conviction!

My last business trip to the Middle East many moons ago!