All blog articles with Expat life 23 articles Blog 24 April 2023 | Sera Pantillon - Julia Bosson - Vasco Ferreira da Costa From Chad and Colombia, two participants tell all about the SDG Youth Programme – the perfect way to start working in international cooperation Julia Bosson and Vasco Ferreira da Costa both work as trainees at international cooperation organisations as... Read more Blog 3 April 2023 | Anja Delaquis - Sera Pantillon “Understanding the realities of the communities with which your organisation works is essential” Anja Delaquis is a trainee with Helvetas in Nepal. In this interview, she shares her experience working in Nepal and how... Read more Blog 17 February 2023 | Chloé Favre - Nicole Töpperwien Accessing social security in an unpredictable global career situation At the beginning of our international careers, we tend to disregard social security, but later wish we had addressed... Read more Blog 24 January 2023 | Sina Baranyai Professionals in international cooperation – finding the right balance as a family People interested in international cooperation often wonder if it aligns with starting a family. At Forum cinfo 22... Read more Blog 25 October 2022 | Sina Baranyai - Luc Bitterli "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... Read more Blog 6 July 2022 | Jane Carter "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... Read more Blog 22 June 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more Blog 20 April 2022 | Jane Carter "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... Read more Blog 30 March 2022 | Loredana Contaldi How our employee Simon became a digital nomad A private sector company outlines the benefits and obstacles of mobile working. Get inspired. Read more Blog 21 March 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more Blog 14 March 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more Blog 1 March 2022 | Natacha Wicht 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... Read more Blog 21 February 2022 | Babette Pfander "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... Read more Blog 24 January 2022 | Jane Carter 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... Read more Blog 17 January 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more Blog 14 January 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more Blog 6 January 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more Blog 1 December 2021 | Guillaume Wegmüller "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... Read more Blog 4 April 2016 | Babette Pfander "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... Read more Blog 1 November 2015 | Babette Pfander "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. Read more Blog 6 July 2015 | Camille Aubry "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... Read more Blog 1 June 2015 | Camille Aubry "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... Read more Blog 1 March 2015 | Babette Pfander "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. Read more
Blog 24 April 2023 | Sera Pantillon - Julia Bosson - Vasco Ferreira da Costa From Chad and Colombia, two participants tell all about the SDG Youth Programme – the perfect way to start working in international cooperation Julia Bosson and Vasco Ferreira da Costa both work as trainees at international cooperation organisations as... Read more
Blog 3 April 2023 | Anja Delaquis - Sera Pantillon “Understanding the realities of the communities with which your organisation works is essential” Anja Delaquis is a trainee with Helvetas in Nepal. In this interview, she shares her experience working in Nepal and how... Read more
Blog 17 February 2023 | Chloé Favre - Nicole Töpperwien Accessing social security in an unpredictable global career situation At the beginning of our international careers, we tend to disregard social security, but later wish we had addressed... Read more
Blog 24 January 2023 | Sina Baranyai Professionals in international cooperation – finding the right balance as a family People interested in international cooperation often wonder if it aligns with starting a family. At Forum cinfo 22... Read more
Blog 25 October 2022 | Sina Baranyai - Luc Bitterli "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... Read more
Blog 6 July 2022 | Jane Carter "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... Read more
Blog 22 June 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more
Blog 20 April 2022 | Jane Carter "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... Read more
Blog 30 March 2022 | Loredana Contaldi How our employee Simon became a digital nomad A private sector company outlines the benefits and obstacles of mobile working. Get inspired. Read more
Blog 21 March 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more
Blog 14 March 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more
Blog 1 March 2022 | Natacha Wicht 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... Read more
Blog 21 February 2022 | Babette Pfander "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... Read more
Blog 24 January 2022 | Jane Carter 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... Read more
Blog 17 January 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more
Blog 14 January 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more
Blog 6 January 2022 | Neva Fark "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... Read more
Blog 1 December 2021 | Guillaume Wegmüller "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... Read more
Blog 4 April 2016 | Babette Pfander "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... Read more
Blog 1 November 2015 | Babette Pfander "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. Read more
Blog 6 July 2015 | Camille Aubry "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... Read more
Blog 1 June 2015 | Camille Aubry "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... Read more
Blog 1 March 2015 | Babette Pfander "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. Read more