Happy Abroad Summit 2023

For a fulfilled & happy life abroad with your loved ones

Learn from global experts to
experience your happiest life abroad.

Learn from global experts to experience your happiest life abroad.

APRIL 16-21, 2023

6 days, 6 themes, global experts & a unique community

6 days, 6 themes, global experts & a unique community

When moving to a new country, at first we are super excited. We look forward to amazing experiences together with our loved ones and to exploring new places.

And then reality hits. Actually living abroad, establishing a daily life in which we thrive and are happy, becomes more of a challenge than we had initially expected.

The Happy Abroad Summit is a go-to resource for international individuals, couples and families, who feel overwhelmed, frustrated and stuck in their life abroad.

We at Be Happy Abroad are beyond excited to offer this free resource now in its third edition. Tune in and learn from global experts sharing their knowledge, tips and tricks on how to create a happy & fulfilled life abroad.

Experiences & success stories
from previous Happy Abroad Summits

“In my opinion the content of the summit was well thought, diverse and great for starting an inner journey.
The diversity of the speakers and of the themes
was amazing and so needed.”

“I’m currently in your happiness abroad seminar…and I just wanted to say thank you sooooo much ❤
I find your energy and presence really healing, and this has helped immensely.”

Day 1: Navigate an international & intercultural life

When moving abroad, everything seems like an adventure at first. But then reality hits, and we realise that this is not the same as a vacation. How do we feel welcome, at home and happy in this new environment, when faced with so many unfamiliar habits and patterns? Maybe we don’t even speak the local language? The amazing contributors on day 1 share their knowledge and tools on how to make the international & intercultural  lifestyle a success for everyone involved.

Annette Dahl

Intercultural Intelligence Specialist

Delivered intercultural training & support
for expat families since 2006

Annette Dahl is the founder and CEO of C3 Consulting, a cross-cultural consultancy helping clients succeed in their global projects. Since 2006, Annette has delivered cross-cultural training for a wide range of organizations and she has prepared many hundreds of assignees and accompanying families for their future expat life in countries all around the globe. A core element in Annette's training is providing the expats with simple and practical tools that can help them navigate any setting where you live or work across cultures.
More about Annette

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Natalia Newel Eldon

Stress Coach, Yoga Teacher, Nutrionist

Personal experience as serial expat, helps you to
release stress and see opportunities abroad

Moving abroad means change, change and more change. It is stressful at times, and at other times just fantastic. Natalia has spent most of her adult life abroad and has really embraced the opportunities she could get out of it. From restaurant owner to full time yoga teacher aiming to contribute to the community around herself from different angels of health and wellness. However, it has not always been easy, but she learned a thing or two along the way, on how to reinvent herself, which she is excited to share with you.
More about Natalia

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Nina Rottmann

German Language Coach

How to manage the emotional side of
language learning and keep motivation high

Nina is on a mission to assist well-educated expatriate women in learning German and achieving successful integration. As a dedicated language teacher, she founded "Deutsch mit Nina" - an online language school exclusively for women, aimed at accelerating gender equality. With years of teaching experience at renowned institutions such as the United Nations, University of Vienna, and Schloss Krumbach International School, she is committed to making your residence at a German speaking country both rewarding and fulfilling.
More about Nina

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Suzanne Dinter

Hypnosis Coach for Expats

Release stuck emotions from the past
to become unstuck and thrive abroad

Suzanne helps fellow high-performing expats get off the emotional rollercoaster they find themselves on after moving abroad so that they feel calm, confident and like themselves again.
She does this using a highly effective, quick and proven 10-week programme that has helped thousands of people become unstuck, get back their happiness and achieve their goals (even if they've tried many other things before that didn't work).
More about Suzanne

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Day 2: Strengthen your happiness skills

Happiness doesn’t magically come to some, and not to others. It is a choice and requires certain skills. Global experts are sharing their expertise on which skills are required and how to nurture them.

Olga Skalska

Psychologist & Embodiment Coach

Create more peace and joy in everyday life through the healing power of body movement and music

Olga Skalska is a Psychologist, Embodiment Coach and Founder of Move&Grow, a company with mission to support high-performing individuals and organizations in sustainable growth, wellbeing, and authentic leadership.
In her work she uses a holistic approach that focuses on mind, body, and spirit integration. Her goal is to empower and equip every individual with skills and tools, so that they can create more mental, physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual freedom.
More about Olga

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Alex Østergaard

Life Coach

Drop the mask, identify who YOU really are
and become self-confident from within

Alex started his career at Google and then went on to work at other big tech companies like Uber and eBay. During this time he experienced a lot of imposter syndrome and never felt good enough despite promotions and doing well in his job. This led to a lot of self induced stress, anxiety and eventually burnout.
Since then he’s been on a mission to help people to optimize their mindset. He now works with a variety of clients to help them overcome fears, improve self-confidence and find a stronger sense of purpose.
More about Alex

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Julia Halilovic

Well-Being & Confidence Coach

Creating internal peace and feeling home
despite the external chaos

As a Well-Being & Confidence Coach, Julia helps people embrace their uniqueness, unlock their confidence, and fall in love with themselves. She guides people to live their happy, confident and powerful version. Focusing on true happiness from within, Julia applies different techniques like meditation, mindfulness and visualisation to create awareness and boost your confidence.
More about Julia

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Day 3: Discover your life purpose & grow your career

Losing sight of your personal and professional ambitions in life, is a big challenge in international moves. Especially if your motivation for moving is love. Hear which tips & tools experts in this field have to share on how to get back on track and regain a sense of identity, purpose and goals.

Keki Mwaba

Expat Career Development Coach

Practical lessons for career hunting abroad
and how to tackle job interviews

Keki founded Expat Career Development after several years working as a recruiter at leading global companies (e.g. Disney, Uber, and Reddit) in Amsterdam. She offers career guidance services to help international professionals translate their experience to the European job market and take the next step in their careers. During this session she will share her story of how she relocated from South Africa to the Netherlands, built a career and also share some practical tips on how to succeed in the job market.
More about Keki

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Emily Rogers

Transition & Leadership Coach

Reconnect with your aspirations & strengths
and lead the second act of your life

Emily is a transition and leadership coach. She helps women who want to take the next step in their career or their lives.
She also works with organisations who want to turn their employees into true leaders that will move the organisation forward.
More about Emily

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Natália Leal

Career & Life Coach for Expats

Define what career success looks like for you
and take the most effective steps

Natália Leal is a Career & Life Coach who helps open-minded internationals (incl. expats and their partners) become clear and confident about the next steps towards a successful career and fulfilling life. With 20+ years’ experience across different countries and sectors, she combines various tools to create coaching journeys that fit each person. A former WFTO Chief Executive, Natália loves jigsaw puzzles and volunteers in different organisations. She is also a trainer, guest speaker and Assistant Professor.
More about Natália

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Karin Björkman Tendijck

Founder & Recruiter at Beyondo

The benefit of gaining experience abroad,
and how to position yourself as international talent

Karin is Swedish and has lived abroad most of her adult life. A few years back, she relocated back to Sweden, which was an adjustment after so many years abroad. This time, her Dutch husband and their children joined her. A fantastic experience as a family and very exciting move. Karin is the founder of the recruitment agency Beyondo, specialised in bringing together companies and international talent. She has made it her profession to help others find a suitable job, when being new in a country, as well as assisting Swedish speaking ‘home comers’ when they relocate back to Sweden.
More about Karin

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Sara Coggiola

Life Coach, Intercultural Trainer, Podcaster

How to reinvent yourself abroad and turn every experience abroad into learning & growth

Sara is a Life Coach and Intercultural Trainer that supports international families and spouses settling in a new country. She has been abroad for the past 18 years supporting her husband's international career and her own family at every move. Sara has recently launched a Podcast called “Reinventions in between” where she shares tips on how to reinvent between life stages, career changes and living abroad. Originally from Italy, fluent also in English, French, Spanish and a bit of Thai.
More about Sara

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

"There is nothing like the summit"

"I looked in the Internet about this subject a lot, but there is nothing like that. Nobody gives you info in such a complete way and very understandable for anybody. Everything is in one place."
Nathalia Diaz
Colombian in an intercultural relationship with a Scotsman

Day 4: Build deeply connected & intimate relationships

Happy and thriving relationships can be a challenge to begin with. Add the turmoil and chaos that comes with moving internationally, and maybe even adding several cultures into most of the relationships in your life – and the challenges multiply. What many of us experience is losing a sense of belonging.
Day 4 is all about how to create and maintain the relationships in your life that you truly desire and that make you feel that you belong.

Navine Eldesouki

Founder of Coffee with an Expat Community

The magic of a strong community and
why you should invest in building yours

A global nomad for over two decades establishing homes and lives for herself and her family in 8 countries. Navine is passionate about creating community for women to connect and make friends because as an expat you will face specific challenges, one of them being making friends and creating your support network.
More about Navine

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Julie Sharon-Wagschal

Couples Therapist & Educator

Strengthening your relationship through good conflict management and building friendship

Julie is a Dutch-American psychologist, relationship educator, and founder of the Center for Relationship Learning. She offers therapy and workshops for couples, and training and consultation for professionals by using the Gottman Method for Couples Therapy. Primarily working within the local international community, Julie has counselled clients from over 50 countries. At her private practice, she helps distressed and disconnected couples to rediscover and reignite friendship and intimacy, and improve their communication skills.
More about Julie

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Sarah Siegert

Friendship Coach for Expats

How to approach friendship building abroad
from a space of self-love

Sarah is a Friendship Coach for Expats. She moved abroad herself 4 years ago and knows how it feels to live abroad without any friends or family around. She felt very lonely in the beginning but managed to create amazing friendships using the strategies and doing the work that she is now using in her coaching practice. She helps expats to create meaningful and healthy friendships abroad so they can enjoy their expat journey to the fullest.
More about Sarah

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Day 5: Create a thriving family life

There are so many things to consider when building an intercultural, multilingual, diverse family life. How do you help children at different ages through change? How can you support them in embracing different languages and cultures? Listen in on day 5 for essential tips on these topics.

Dr. Bettina Gruber

Expert on raising multilingual kids 

The most common obstacles in multilingual families
and how to overcome them

As a trained linguist with a doctoral degree in general linguistics and a mum to three trilingual children Bettina has been supporting multilingual families around the globe since 2019. Main heart and passion lies with those families who are struggling with their multilingual journey. The sources of these difficulties are many, and her motto: It's never too late. You can always turn your multilingual journey around and take it onto the path that you envision for your child.
More about Bettina

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Lauren Wells

Founder & CEO of TCK Training

Create a place of emotional safety for
children in transition and thrive as a family

Lauren Wells is the founder and CEO of TCK Training, a company that specializes in resilience building resources and services for globally mobile families. Lauren's experience growing up as an American living in Tanzania, East Africa led her to pursue education in Child Development and Prevention Science so that she could offer families excellent care. TCK Training is an industry leader in trauma-research, using the data to influence practical strategies that families can use to help their children thrive.
More about Lauren

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Stefanie Fernandes

Parenting Coach & Therapist

Find your village away from home
and intentionally create your life

As a parent coach and therapist, Stefanie helps families to reach peace and fulfilment for each family member. Moving abroad has many implications on the dynamics within a family and she is here to guide parents and kids to a happier life abroad.
More about Stefanie

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Rhoda Bangerter

Author/Speaker/Researcher

Holding the fort abroad
as a long-distance family

Rhoda supports families where one of the partners works away from home a lot. This way of life, especially when lived as an expat family, brings specific challenges and opportunities. Failing to see them can lead to high stress for both partners, emotional distancing compounded by physical separation. Some families make this work and even thrive. She has spoken to hundreds of people and interviewed experts. She will share the strategies to avoid the pitfalls and use the distance to your advantage.
More about Rhoda

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Day 6: Establish sustainable feel-good habits

What to do if you are just too overwhelmed by everything that is going on, and it is hard to even get through the day?
Experts share their wisdom on how to optimize nutrition, exercise and mindset in order to experience more energy and motivation in daily life.

Dr. Pylin Chuapetcharasopon

Life & Human Potential Coach

Discover the most effective happiness practice
for YOU and make it a habit

Pylin helps high-achieving, unfulfilled corporate humans (local or abroad!) break free from restraint, reconnect with their purpose, and master the skills to create the extraordinary life that they are meant to live.
Originally from Thailand, Pylin has worked/lived in France and USA, and now calls Canada home. Although a portion of our happiness is determined by genetic set points, a LOT is influenced by our daily practices.
Pylin is here to help you discover the right happiness practice for you, and make it become a habit.
More about Pylin

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Jyoti Sharma

Feminine Confidence Coach

Creative ideas for mindfulness
beyond a sitting-down practice for daily life

When our new environment makes us feel lost and overwhelmed, our confidence becomes fragile. How can we feel rooted within ourselves no matter where we are?
Jyoti has experience living in three different continents and offers an immersive experience to access inner calm and belonging through creative imagination and mindfulness-based practices. Jyoti is an ICF-certified coach with training in interpersonal neurobiology, mindful self-compassion, and intermodal expressive arts therapy. She's dedicated to help women awaken to their magnificence the world so needs right now.
More about Jyoti

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

Talu Sehra-Eckhoff

Global Happiness Coach

How to cultivate positive
experiences & relationships abroad

Talu is blessed to be a mother of two TCK children with baggage of experience in change, living her Ikigai as a Global Happiness Coach supporting others to find happiness, clarity & harmony, no matter where they live.
Recently moved to Tokyo, previously lived in Germany, China, the US, Indonesia & Switzerland, has also worked in Consulting, Marketing & Relocation will be sharing how “the grass is green where you water it,” using practice tips for adults, children and families living a global life.
More about Talu

TAP IMAGE FOR MORE

The summit is not a one-off event.
It will have a lasting effect on your life.

"One of the biggest takeaways was: you don't feel alone. When you look at the stories, and the funny jokes when you first move to a country, and so on...they were unique!"
Natalia Volani
Greek living in Denmark

My name is Franziska and I am the founder of Be Happy Abroad and creator of the Happy Abroad Summit.

After 2 successful rounds in 2020 + 2021, the Happy Abroad Summit now goes into its third round. And both the summit and Be Happy Abroad are growing!

We at Be Happy Abroad know what it means to live abroad and in intercultural relationships. We are very familiar with the joys and challenges that come with it, and create and develop the Happy Abraod Summit based on that awareness.

And one thing we know for sure: we cannot thrive if we feel alone in this adventure, and we do not have to!

Which is why we once again for 2023 have gathered some of the leading global experts on different topics related to thriving in your life abroad. In the Happy Abroad Summit, they are going to share their wisdom with you.
PLUS, you will be part of a big network of like-minded international from all around the world.

What are you waiting for?

Frequently asked questions

Here are some of the questions you might have answered. If you didn’t get yours answered, please write us an email and let us know.

The Happy Abroad Summit is organised in a super flexible way. All the conversations with the speakers listed above are pre-recorded and will be live for one whole day (24 hours).

Here is the schedule:

  • Sunday, April 16: Navigate an international & intercultural life
  • Monday, April 17: Strengthen your happiness skills
  • Tuesday, April 18: Discover your life purpose & grow your career
  • Wednesday, April 19: Build deeply connected & intimate relationships
  • Thursday, April 20: Create a thriving family life
  • Friday, April 21: Establish sustainable feel-good habits

At 6am CEST each day (click here to check your local time), you will receive an email with links to the conversations of the day. 

Yes, as an additional offer, there will also be some live sessions this year. We are planning those at different times of the day, so that you can attend some of them, independent on which part of the world you are located in.

  • Live Q&A sessions with speakers are your chance to connect real-time with the global experts of this summit. The schedule of these sessions is sent out by email to registered participants of the summit.
  • Special live sessions with some summit speakers, who work with clients in a practical way. We will get a taste of a yoga session with Natalia Eldon, a dance experience with Olga Skalska, and an art exploration session with Jyoti Sharma. Times for these sessions will also be sent out by email.
  • Additional formats include: kick-off call for setting intentions for the week, virtual coffee chats to connect with community, celebration call to share insights and actions.

As it is impossible to plan these live events at good times for everyone, there will be recordings for most of them.

Yes, absolutely! This round is the third Happy Abroad Summit, and it has been extremely successful in the past. Participants have had a lot of insights and valuable takeaways. All the content is available for FREE for the duration of the event.

There are paid options available, that give participants access for a longer time, and include additional content as well, such as the option to listen to all conversations as a podcast, written summaries of the conversations, and worksheets for reflections.