28 July 2015
| Last updated on 29 July 2015
Essential Expat Item: a Healthy Amount of Patience
Meet Lily Akpuaka-Bosse, the expat who became a behaviour coach seven countries later while living in China.
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I’m/ We’re living in:
Shanghai, China.
A bit about me/us:
I am a wife, a behavior coach and (7 countries later) I am an expat. A long time ago I was part of the corporate world, that was exciting, lucrative and (saying so myself) pretty successful however almost a decade into the game I realized I wanted a chance at more – a chance at aligning to my values more, a chance at more living and a chance at contributing, so I moved on from the 9-to-5 and set up an eCoaching platform called The Helpful Nomad which helps the expat spouse adapt to life abroad and establish mobility friendly career/business options. Visit us
How long have you lived there?
2.5 years.
Why did you move?
About 4 years ago I had two things I really wanted to do 1. See China and 2. Setup a eCoaching business, time ticked on and as ideas pickled in my head – then one day, just like magic, my husband came home from work to say he got offered a job in China; so here I am 1.Exploring China 2. Running an eCoaching business.
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What’s the accommodation options where you live?
3 bedroom suite in a 5 star hotel, we are fortunate with hubby’s job.
What are the summer months (Jun-Aug) like in your part of the world?
Temperatures are pleasant between June and August but there is the routine spike in humidity promptly relieved by a dramatic rain storm or better said, a typhoon.
Is summer (Jun-Aug) the best time of year to visit?
If you are looking for pleasant, summery temperatures visit us anytime between the early of April and early June – this is spring/summery weather which can be beautiful where you have trees and flowers in bloom.
Otherwise try end of September till early November, its autumn, again pleasant temperatures and beautiful rich shades of autumn reds on trees.
What do you enjoy doing with your time in the summer?
Getting lost in one of the million side streets Shanghai has to offer and then refueling on the terrace of one of the million restaurants, bars or café’s.
What’s the highest temperature it can reach in your summer time (Jun-Aug)
42 degrees centigrade and humid – intense.
What do you love the most about this time of year?
Its warm (thank goodness the freezing winters are over) and on a clear day when the sky is blue it is very beautiful – fantastic being outside.
What do you like the least about this time of year?
Humidity. The relationship between Humidity, Street Food and Breathing – it is a bit….heavy.
What do you wish you’d known before you moved?
Three years ago, I would have told myself, ‘Its China, better still Shanghai, – you can find anything if you know where to look so don’t worry, you will be fine.
What is the one essential item you would advise people to bring with them to your host country?
A translator App English-Mandarin AND a healthy amount of patience.
