Blog All blog articles with Expat life 20 articles Women in international cooperation – finding the right balance as a family Women interested in international cooperation often wonder if it aligns with starting a family. At Forum cinfo 22... Sina Baranyai • 24 January 2023 "How do I want to live my life within the system? What is my role?" Looking back on a year full of highlights and challenges for an SDG Youth Programme trainee Luc Bitterli participated in the first cohort of the SDG Youth Programme. As an intern at Swisscontact, he gained work... Sina Baranyai • Luc Bitterli • 25 October 2022 "Sometimes you must compromise if you want a family – but I stress compromise, not sacrifice" This is the third of three blogs exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with raising a family whilst... Jane Carter • 6 July 2022 "Being Swiss, we tend to be a bit reserved. Get out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to network and make yourself seen!" David Müller, working for UNDP with SDG investing, talks about his fascination with Africa, maintaining a good work-life... Neva Fark • 22 June 2022 "It's amazing how quickly one adapts to life in a new country": The spouse's view During the Forum cinfo 2021 we held a session to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with raising a... Jane Carter • 20 April 2022 How our employee Simon became a digital nomad A private sector company outlines the benefits and obstacles of mobile working. Get inspired. Loredana Contaldi • 30 March 2022 "If you really want to understand the country, try to spend as much time as possible outside the expat bubble" Luc Bitterli is a trainee for Swisscontact in Bangladesh. In this interview, he shares what motivates him, his most... Neva Fark • 21 March 2022 "When working abroad, you sometimes have to be relaxed enough to deal with upcoming issues day by day" Anja Hungerbuehler is doing an internship as an Innovation Capacity Amplifier with HEKS in Cambodia. In this interview... Neva Fark • 14 March 2022 Learning to take care of yourself before taking care of others Since finishing nursing school, Rebecca had the idea of being a humanitarian health worker. She joined us for a virtual... Natacha Wicht • 1 March 2022 "Working in a fragile and complex context takes a bit of humility" Farook Doomun, Deputy Representative for Operations at UNICEF talks about his experience in fragile humanitarian... Babette Pfander • 21 February 2022 An international childhood? It was a great start in life! During the Forum cinfo 2021, we held a session to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with raising a... Jane Carter • 24 January 2022 "I never regretted leaving my well-paid job in Switzerland to start from scratch with an NGO in Colombia" At the age of 35, Tony Zuber changed his career and started working in international cooperation abroad. In this... Neva Fark • 17 January 2022 "It’s a life of extremes – on the one hand, the most rewarding work there is, on the other, the most draining and demanding" Karin Hofmann had worked several years in conflict zones with the ICRC. She talks about her most challenging experiences... Neva Fark • 14 January 2022 "Prepare yourself and be mindful; you will not get a second chance to make a first impression" As an expat, it is not always easy to find your place in a new team in a foreign country – Anvar Sabzaliev has... Neva Fark • 6 January 2022 "Ce sont les petites décisions qui façonnent notre vie", entretien avec Christian Castelli Rencontrez Christian Castelli, Policy and Best Practice Officer auprès de la Force intérimaire des Nations unies au... Guillaume Wegmüller • 1 December 2021 "Living and working within the United Nations system", Nathalie Meyer Meet Nathalie Meyer, Social Policy Specialist within the NETI Programme, UNICEF. Learn more about her position and... Babette Pfander • 4 April 2016 "My job in a development bank", Jean-Luc Bernasconi Meet Jean-Luc Bernasconi, Lead Economist at the World Bank in Tunis. Learn more about his position and career path. Babette Pfander • 1 November 2015 "My career in international financial institutions", Laurent Corthay Meet Laurent Corthay, Specialist in private sector development with the World Bank. Learn more about his position and... Camille Aubry • 6 July 2015 "My job as a programme officer at the Swiss Confederation", Barbara Profeta Meet Barbara Profeta, Programme Officer at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Learn more about her position and... Camille Aubry • 1 June 2015 "My job in the exchange of personnel in development cooperation", Judith Reusser Meet Judith Reusser, Specialist with Comundo. Learn more about her position and career path. Babette Pfander • 1 March 2015
Women in international cooperation – finding the right balance as a family Women interested in international cooperation often wonder if it aligns with starting a family. At Forum cinfo 22... Sina Baranyai • 24 January 2023
"How do I want to live my life within the system? What is my role?" Looking back on a year full of highlights and challenges for an SDG Youth Programme trainee Luc Bitterli participated in the first cohort of the SDG Youth Programme. As an intern at Swisscontact, he gained work... Sina Baranyai • Luc Bitterli • 25 October 2022
"Sometimes you must compromise if you want a family – but I stress compromise, not sacrifice" This is the third of three blogs exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with raising a family whilst... Jane Carter • 6 July 2022
"Being Swiss, we tend to be a bit reserved. Get out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to network and make yourself seen!" David Müller, working for UNDP with SDG investing, talks about his fascination with Africa, maintaining a good work-life... Neva Fark • 22 June 2022
"It's amazing how quickly one adapts to life in a new country": The spouse's view During the Forum cinfo 2021 we held a session to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with raising a... Jane Carter • 20 April 2022
How our employee Simon became a digital nomad A private sector company outlines the benefits and obstacles of mobile working. Get inspired. Loredana Contaldi • 30 March 2022
"If you really want to understand the country, try to spend as much time as possible outside the expat bubble" Luc Bitterli is a trainee for Swisscontact in Bangladesh. In this interview, he shares what motivates him, his most... Neva Fark • 21 March 2022
"When working abroad, you sometimes have to be relaxed enough to deal with upcoming issues day by day" Anja Hungerbuehler is doing an internship as an Innovation Capacity Amplifier with HEKS in Cambodia. In this interview... Neva Fark • 14 March 2022
Learning to take care of yourself before taking care of others Since finishing nursing school, Rebecca had the idea of being a humanitarian health worker. She joined us for a virtual... Natacha Wicht • 1 March 2022
"Working in a fragile and complex context takes a bit of humility" Farook Doomun, Deputy Representative for Operations at UNICEF talks about his experience in fragile humanitarian... Babette Pfander • 21 February 2022
An international childhood? It was a great start in life! During the Forum cinfo 2021, we held a session to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with raising a... Jane Carter • 24 January 2022
"I never regretted leaving my well-paid job in Switzerland to start from scratch with an NGO in Colombia" At the age of 35, Tony Zuber changed his career and started working in international cooperation abroad. In this... Neva Fark • 17 January 2022
"It’s a life of extremes – on the one hand, the most rewarding work there is, on the other, the most draining and demanding" Karin Hofmann had worked several years in conflict zones with the ICRC. She talks about her most challenging experiences... Neva Fark • 14 January 2022
"Prepare yourself and be mindful; you will not get a second chance to make a first impression" As an expat, it is not always easy to find your place in a new team in a foreign country – Anvar Sabzaliev has... Neva Fark • 6 January 2022
"Ce sont les petites décisions qui façonnent notre vie", entretien avec Christian Castelli Rencontrez Christian Castelli, Policy and Best Practice Officer auprès de la Force intérimaire des Nations unies au... Guillaume Wegmüller • 1 December 2021
"Living and working within the United Nations system", Nathalie Meyer Meet Nathalie Meyer, Social Policy Specialist within the NETI Programme, UNICEF. Learn more about her position and... Babette Pfander • 4 April 2016
"My job in a development bank", Jean-Luc Bernasconi Meet Jean-Luc Bernasconi, Lead Economist at the World Bank in Tunis. Learn more about his position and career path. Babette Pfander • 1 November 2015
"My career in international financial institutions", Laurent Corthay Meet Laurent Corthay, Specialist in private sector development with the World Bank. Learn more about his position and... Camille Aubry • 6 July 2015
"My job as a programme officer at the Swiss Confederation", Barbara Profeta Meet Barbara Profeta, Programme Officer at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Learn more about her position and... Camille Aubry • 1 June 2015
"My job in the exchange of personnel in development cooperation", Judith Reusser Meet Judith Reusser, Specialist with Comundo. Learn more about her position and career path. Babette Pfander • 1 March 2015