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Posted by helenaja on 01/02/201901/02/2019

Street view near our home in Singapore

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May this Mother’s Day be good, beautiful and unique like you. And like these flowers, stay wild at heart and bloom wherever you are! #♡ #happymothersday #mothersday #mothersdayflowers #flowers #flowerfield #summer #summerflowers #wildflowers #bloom #blossom #bloomining #abroadland #greetingsfromabroadland #globalliving #motherhood #parentsabroad

💛Hello! I’m Helena, originally from Helsinki. With this introduction, I’m happily joining the #mayonthemove2020 challenge for expats by @thefrustratednester and @oregongirl_aroundtheworld I’m an artist/designer, mom and ‘immipat’, I’m also the author of the book Greetings from Abroadland: Experiences of Family Life Abroad. My biggest sources of inspiration are nature and everyday adventures. I like to combine fun with functional – to do things that delight and serve people. One example of this are @germanformummies cartoons I draw. Kindness, equality, creativity, open-mindedness, environment, family & friends, health and humour are things I value. Currently I live in Zurich with my husband and our two sons who are 5 and 11. Before Switzerland🇨🇭,we’ve lived in Australia🇦🇺, Singapore🇸🇬 and Finland🇫🇮. I’ve fallen in love with all these places! In the digital world you can find me at @abroadland /abroadland.com or at @helenajalanka /helenaja.com – I would love to hear from you! ♡ Ps. This photo is taken by my husband, on the #SqueakyBeach when we lived in #Australia. #abroadland #greetingsfromabroadland #mayonthemove #expatriate #expats #expat #expatbook #immipat #immigrant #internationalcommunity #internationalliving #expatlife #livingabroad #lifeabroad #abroad #global #expatcommunity #globalcreatives #globetrotters #expatfamily #globelover

What life skills can you learn from living abroad? Link to blog post (abroadland.com) in bio In the beginning of this year – before this global crisis was on – I started listing things I’ve learned during my family’s time abroad, and I noticed that they can help also in the volatile times we are now living. See the 8 useful life skills/lessons at abroadland.com/blog , link also in bio🔝 . It would be interesting to hear if you have similar or different experiences! Stay well💚 . . . #lifeskills #lifeabroad #livingabroad #abroad #abroadland #expats #expatlife #expatlifeskills #greetingsfromabroadland #overseas #livingoverseas #relocating #movingabroad #globalliving #internationalliving #lifehacks #lifelessons #traveling #expatriate #expatbook #expatfamily #familylife #life #seaquotes #oceanlover #sea #sealovers #enjoythejourney #⛵️ #sailboats

📯an upbeat book may be on its way!⁠ ⁠ Treat yourself or your friend with a compact, colourful, cheerful and useful book about life abroad. ⁠ ⁠ 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 has wise words by intercultural experts, personal stories and illustrations, spiced with humour.⁠ The book comes with 35 real-life cartoons and 75 tips on how to make the most of your time abroad.⁠ ⁠ 🎁 Get 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 to your or your friend's mailbox now from 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀!⁠ ⁠ Link in bio for more information ⬆️⁠ ⁠ Readers say:⁠ ⁠ 💬 "𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥."⁠ ⁠ 💬 “𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵! 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥: 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺.”⁠ ⁠ 💬 “𝘐𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.”⁠ ⁠ #bookstragram #book #expatbook #bookforexpats #books #coffeetablebook #abroad #lifeabroad #livingabroad #expatfamily #familylife #cartoons #abroadland #greetingsfromabroadland⁠ #booklovers #amazonbooks #expatbooks #kirjagramsuomi #illustratedbook #bookstagramswitzerland #familyabroad #internationalliving #internationalwomen #globalfamilies #life #digitalnomads #homeabroad #expatwomen #discovering #reading⁠

💛 Bounce back⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Resiliency ('an ability to quickly recover from or adjust to adversity/change') is the word of today, and we can all increase it – but how?⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Here are a few citations from Dr Lucy Hone's TED talk "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞":⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ 1. "𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬. They know that suffering is part of life [...] and knowing this stops you from feeling discriminated against when the tough times come."⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ 2. "𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. They have a habit of realistically appraising situations and typically managing to focus on the things that they can change and somehow accept the things that they can’t. [...] Resilient people don't diminish the negative but they also have worked out a way of tuning in to the good."⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ 3. "𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬: 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞? [...] Asking yourself, whether what you're doing, the way you're thinking, the way you're acting, is helping or harming you, puts you back in the driver's seat, it gives you some control over your decision-making."⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Watch the talk at www.ted.com/talks >⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ *Dr Lucy Hone is a director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing & Resilience, a research associate at AUT University and author of the book Resilient Grieving.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ #seal #sea #horizon #resilient #resilience #bounceback #keepswimming #perseverance #resiliency #gratitude #lifeabroad #livingabroad #abroadland #greetingsfromabroadland #lifeskills ⁠#ocean #oceanlover #naturelover #openwater #seals #abroad #life #sealife #sisu #nevergiveup #sealsofinstagram #sealovers #marinelife

💛 seedlings of hope⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Greetings from the same boat we are all in. I know many are now dealing with concern, sorrow or loneliness – my thoughts are with you. Even if we are used to change and uncertainty, this is a new level. Still, I believe we’ll get through this with the help of our perseverance.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ My family’s - like many of yours - days are pretty packed now. We've been pruning the unnecessary doings off and taking it day by day. The kids not only keep us busy but they also keep us in the present moment.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ For a calmer state of mind, here are some simple stress relievers worth testing:⁠⠀ 🌱 Deep breathing. Even just a few minutes.⁠⠀ 🌱 Regular fresh air. Even by the open window.⁠⠀ 🌱 Mini workouts. Even for 5 minutes.⁠⠀ 🌱 Connecting with others. Even by making one call.⁠⠀ 🌱 Writing. Even just a few thoughts.⁠⠀ 🌱 Uplifting music. Even just by listening to one song.⁠⠀ 🌱 Limiting the exposure to the news. The essential info will do.⁠⠀ 🌱 Seeing the humour in things. For example, I couldn’t help but laugh when I remembered my motto for 2020: Socialise more (by inviting friends over, by organizing play dates, by going to events etc.). ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ The world, and each of us, is rebooting itself now and while this is a painful process let’s hope it will give birth to brand-new things based on reconsidered values.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Stay well, everyone!♡⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ “Hope” is the thing with feathers -⁠⠀ That perches in the soul -⁠⠀ And sings the tune without the words -⁠⠀ And never stops - at all -⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -⁠⠀ And sore must be the storm -⁠⠀ That could abash the little Bird⁠⠀ That kept so many warm -⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I’ve heard it in the chillest land -⁠⠀ And on the strangest Sea -⁠⠀ Yet - never - in Extremity,⁠⠀ It asked a crumb - of me.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ - Emily Dickinson (1861)⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ #bird #tree #poem #hope #quote #greetingsfromabroadland #family #familylife #tidewillturn #calm #staycalm #seedsofhope #expatfamily #expats #familylifeabroad #livingabroad #internationalliving #globallife #globalfamily #globalwomen #neverstop #stressrelievers #thingswillgetbetter #tck #inthesameboat #newbeginnings #quarantine #quote⁠ #abroadland

💛 treasure keepers We all hold so many treasures within us, and only a fraction of them are noticed by others and also by ourselves. It’s easy to get lost in the everyday hassle and endless goals, asking advice from outside even if we already have so much wisdom within us: the lessons learned, the moments lived, the people around us, the places we‘ve been. I’m sure it would save us from some missteps if we would listen to our own voice more carefully and see what we have gained and gone through so far. No one else has what you have, and no one else knows better than you do what fulfills you. Quite recently I lost someone who I loved. So much. A person who had the biggest heart, who taught me a lot and who was always there for me. But I didn’t lose her completely as I still have all the memories, and I’ll always be carrying them and her stories with me. . "When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.” . Ps. These pictures I took on the gorgeous Stewart island/Rakiura. Probably the item on which the bird is sitting is not a treasure chest but I saw it as one. #treasurechest #treasures #treasure #globalliving #internationalliving #life #memories #quote #globalwomen #stewartisland #island #abroadland #greetingsfromabroadland #expatlife #expatriate #treasurekeeper #seagull #newzealand #sea #preciousmoments #lifeisatreasure #preciouslife #onelife #livingabroad #expatblog #preciousmoments #🌏 #sea #traveltheworld

💙 Mountainous moments The fresh year comes with things to let go, things to continue and things to start doing. One thing we’ll continue is to explore our current living country. 131 countries are bigger than Switzerland but still this land feels bigger because of the many spectacular places to visit. These photos were taken on the 2,5 km high Säntis mountain. From the top you can see six countries: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy. People are so small and mountains are so big! said our younger son when looking down from one of the mountain tops. What things you‘ll continue this year? #mountains #säntis #mountaintops #view #landscape #abroad #livingabroad #newbeginnings #fresh #explore #vista #scenic #scenery #internationalliving #internationallife #vuoret #greetingsfromabroadland #expatlife #expatbook #family #expatfamily #makinmemories #explore #⛰ #mountains #switzerland #🇨🇭#❄️ #snowymountains #sveitsi

💛 Stop-Breathe-Think-Act⁠ ⁠ This methodology is used in diving but it also serves as a general guideline for many task and situation in life. At the turn of the year, I've truly stopped and breathed. I was kind of forced to. Now I‘m in the thinking stage but I don't want to get stuck here for too long so I can move into action! What is your current stage? Ps. I took this photo on one of our holidays with an underwater camera - some of the most marvelous memories are made in and on the water! #stopbreathethinkact #lifeadvice #greetingsfromabroadland #abroadland #expatlife #reflect #guidelines #maxim #maxims #rules #beach #tropics #waterlife #diving #swim #expatfamily #lifeabroad #movingabroad #livingabroad #outlander #ausländer #foreigner #expatriate #internationalliving #globallife #mindfulness #global #calm #holidays #🏝

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