Diane Lemieux
Diane Lemieux was born in Quebec, Canada and began travelling at the age of three. She has since lived in 10 countries (Canada, Hong Kong, the United States and Brazil, China, Mozambique, Congo-Brazzaville, Vietnam, the Netherlands, and most recently in Lagos, Nigeria) and speaks English, French, Dutch and Portuguese. She studied international and intercultural issues as well as communication and journalism. Her life goal is to build bridges of empathy and understanding between peoples and cultures through her books and articles. She has 10 years of experience in international development and over 14 years as a freelance author, journalist and editor.
Diane Lemieux is co-author of The Mobile Life: a new approach to moving anywhere
See Diane’s presentation at the American Book Center on Youtube
All Diane's Articles
Stephanie Dijkstra has been Editor-in-Chief of The XPat Journal since its inception 20 years ago. During a FaceTime interview, Diane Lemieux set out to uncover the vision of the woman who has set the tone and shaped the unique quality… read more >
The Woman With The Red PenStephanie Dijkstra has been Editor-in-Chief of The XPat Journal since its inception 20 years ago. During a FaceTime interview, Diane Lemieux set out to uncover the vision of the woman who has set the tone and shaped the unique quality of the Netherlands’ foremost English-language magazine. Stephanie tells me that living in Chile as a 10 to 14-year-old made her aware of the huge disparities that exist in the world. Every day, her shiny yellow school bus (though in reality not so shiny because it had holes in it) would pass through a poor village on the way to and from her nice home and private school. The awareness of her privilege made her very uncomfortable. “I’m always trying to find the story behind the story or the country; the story behind the expat rather than just the shiny, glimmering surface life of being an expat. It’s the struggle that people go through to get where they are, and what they make of their lives, and what they overcome to get there: that’s what I like to tell.” And just as she keeps the voices of each writer in the articles she edits, she is careful to reflect the voice of her interviewees. “I’m so afraid that every interview is going to sound like me describing somebody else that I really try to make every article sound different by using their way of expressing themselves.” read more >
It was nothing more than a dream two decades ago: ensuring the right of every man woman and child to protection against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Today, the International Criminal Court (ICC) contributes to a world in… read more >
Daring to Dream BigIt was nothing more than a dream two decades ago: ensuring the right of every man woman and child to protection against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Today, the International Criminal Court (ICC) contributes to a world in which no one, no matter their rank or title, is above the law. As the ICC celebrates its 20th anniversary, Diane Lemieux speaks with outgoing ICC President Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi about the evolution of this institution from a big dream, to a tangible force in the global defence of human rights. “In the early ‘90s, there was this great idealism about the possibility of doing something that would strengthen justice and the rule of law. I always thought that the creation of the ICC was a big dream, but not an impossible one.” www.icc-cpi.int read more >
By Diane Lemieux Ève-Marie Dalcourt and Donnie Duncan are in The Hague because it is home to one of the world’s top dance companies, the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT). Diane Lemieux talks with these two young dancers about their life… read more >
Incubating World-Class Talent in The HagueBy Diane Lemieux Ève-Marie Dalcourt and Donnie Duncan are in The Hague because it is home to one of the world’s top dance companies, the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT). Diane Lemieux talks with these two young dancers about their life and their work in this quiet Dutch city by the sea. Competition to get into the NDT is daunting; dancers from around the world dream of joining the company. “You can ask anywhere; NDT is known as the lead contemporary dance company in the world.” Donnie Duncan is 23 years old and in his first year with the company. Originally from Carbondale, Illinois in the USA, he applied to NDT from San Francisco where he worked after his Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis on dance at Webster University. “It is the incubator of new choreographers. Other companies are watching to see who we’re going to bring out, who is up-and-coming,” adds Ève-Marie, from Montreal, Quebec. www.ndt.nl read more >
What do you think of when you hear the label ‘refugee’? Diane Lemieux interviews Manar Aburshaid and busts a few stereotypes. Whatever image the word refugee elicits, it is certainly not the charismatic, intelligent face of Manar Aburshaid. Had I… read more >
“Our Main Goal As a Family Is Education”What do you think of when you hear the label ‘refugee’? Diane Lemieux interviews Manar Aburshaid and busts a few stereotypes. Whatever image the word refugee elicits, it is certainly not the charismatic, intelligent face of Manar Aburshaid. Had I met Manar six years ago, I would have used words like businessman and entrepreneur to describe him. Back then, Manar employed 200 people in his factory in Damascus, producing acrylic, polyester and cotton yarn. In 2013, Syrians awoke to the realisation that [so-called] ISIS had taken over half the country. “At that point I decided that I had to find a solution. At 18, my sons would be dragged into the war and would lose their future.” Never once in the story did Manar see himself as a victim of circumstance, as a pawn in someone else’s game. Even when faced with the Dutch government’s attempt to turn him into a faceless, powerless ‘refugee’, he was determined to keep agency in his own hands and work to achieve his goals. He even returned the loan given to him to help set up his apartment. “I don’t want it; I will manage my new life totally on my own.” read more >
One summer evening in July, Sarina Maat was enjoying a drink and nibbles on a terrace in the sun with her fitness coach-turned-friend. Summer evenings don’t get much better than that in the Netherlands. Well, actually, in this case they… read more >
Sarina MaatOne summer evening in July, Sarina Maat was enjoying a drink and nibbles on a terrace in the sun with her fitness coach-turned-friend. Summer evenings don’t get much better than that in the Netherlands. Well, actually, in this case they do. That evening, an acquaintance called: “I’ve just seen you in the bookstore!” She texted a picture of The Holland Handbook. The cover featured a picture of Sarina on her bike, fighting her way through wind and rain in a smart business suit and heels, clutching a battered umbrella above her head. I interviewed Sarina on another terrace, on another sunny day in The Hague. I was curious to meet the woman behind this iconic Dutch image. Quickly it became clear that the businesswoman in the photograph also embodies an approach to professional life and work-life balance that is part and parcel of the expatriate experience. Sarina: “It is good to take a break and look carefully at what is out there, and what skills you want to use. In the process of looking for a job you are faced with questions like, ‘Where am I now?’ ‘What have I done and where do I want to go?’ ‘What makes me happy and what impact can I have?’” read more >
The mobile lifestyle can make looking for a new job quite challenging. In this article, Diane Lemieux looks at ways of highlighting your expat skills and knowledge in your job application process to your advantage. In today’s job market, employers… read more >
Applying for JobsThe mobile lifestyle can make looking for a new job quite challenging. In this article, Diane Lemieux looks at ways of highlighting your expat skills and knowledge in your job application process to your advantage. In today’s job market, employers make a short list of applicants based purely on certain key words they are looking for. As an expat, how do you get your talents recognised? Career counsellor and executive coach Akkie Okma has a suggestion based on her approach to job application skills training. “In an application process, employers may not recognise the value of the skills and experiences you have. It is your responsibility to tell them, in as compelling a way as possible, what you can do and what you have achieved.” Especially if you do not have the precise experience they are looking for, you need to be able to show that you have the exact skills they require. To accomplish this, here is a three-step process for preparing to apply for a job opening. Diane Lemieux is co-author of The Mobile Life: A New Approach to Living Anywhere, www.themobilelife.eu. For more information on Akkie Okma, see www.okma-advies.nl read more >
The concept of a ‘career’ for the partners of globally mobile expatriates is usually not a straight path up a corporate ladder but rather a meander through available opportunities. Although planning a career throughout the uncertainty of an international lifestyle… read more >
The Career of an Expat PartnerThe concept of a ‘career’ for the partners of globally mobile expatriates is usually not a straight path up a corporate ladder but rather a meander through available opportunities. Although planning a career throughout the uncertainty of an international lifestyle is difficult, there is a strategy that it makes it possible for accompanying partners to have a successful career. The decision to make an international move is most often the result of an employment opportunity for one rather than both partners within a couple. For the accompanying partner, a move to a new location looks very different. It is true that each new location requires a re-definition of self and an evaluation of locally available opportunities. However, there is a strategy that makes the process more manageable. It has to do with taking a long-term view rather than focussing on the short-term requirements of a new location. In their book, The Mobile Life: A New Approach to Moving Anywhere, Anne Parker and Diane Lemieux show how moving to a new location is actually about going from one life to another life. You have a normal, happy life where you are now, and your goal is to create another equally normal and happy life at your next location. The Mobile Life has been awarded the 2014 Nonfiction Authors Association Gold Award. To read the full article buy The XPat Journal Autumn 2014 Issue or subscribe online read more >
How do we plan the education of our children given the unpredictable nature of an internationally mobile life? Diane Lemieux, co-author of The Mobile Life: a New Approach to Moving Anywhere, looks at tips for maximising the benefits of an… read more >
International Schooling: A Parent’s GuideHow do we plan the education of our children given the unpredictable nature of an internationally mobile life? Diane Lemieux, co-author of The Mobile Life: a New Approach to Moving Anywhere, looks at tips for maximising the benefits of an international education. Our goal in selecting schools for our children is two-fold. Firstly, we want to ensure that our children have a positive experience during their school years despite the disruptions caused by moving: we want to make sure that, after the inevitable settling-in phase, they enjoy being at school, make good friends and enjoy learning. Secondly, we want to make sure that, at the end of their school years, our children are able to get into whichever tertiary education institution, or job, in whichever country they choose. The good news is that there are more schools around the world that cater to mobile families than ever before. These schools are aware of the impact that ‘being new’ can have on children and are geared to getting kids settled and active as quickly as possible. And as parents, there are primarily two things you can do to help your children maximise their experience: keep an eye on academic consistency and ensure smooth transitions between schools. Academic Consistency There are basically three types of school that may be available at your future location: National schools of the country you will live in. Academic curriculum and standards are set, and schools verified, by national authorities. National schools abroad, such as American, British, French or Korean schools. Curriculum and standards are sometimes established nationally, such as in the French system. In most cases, however, these schools are independent and private, meaning that they set their own curriculum and standards. Many of these schools are members of accreditation bodies (such as the Middle States… read more >
