Platinum Seed / digital marketing agency’s Post

Holidays as an Expat - Searching for Connection The holidays hit differently when you’re an expat. My family is scattered across the globe, and while I carry the traditions I grew up with, I’ve had to get creative to keep the magic alive.  New cities, new friends, and unexpected constellations of community have shaped my holidays in ways I never could have imagined.  Amsterdam, with its twinkling canals and shared meals, has a way of filling those gaps.  Friends become family.  Laughter creates new traditions.  And this time of year reminds me that community isn’t fixed - it evolves, adapts, and grows, just like we do.  I know something about searching for new constellations of connection, both personally and professionally. It’s what I write about, design for, and dream about.  My writing this year has been about rethinking connection and how we build the spaces that brings us together. Find below a link to my latest article. https://lnkd.in/esVr7MXP As I look ahead to 2025, I dream about my next article. So please stay tuned for next year as I will explore some trends on the horizon. And to all my fellow wanderers, expats, and tradition-makers – Keep it up!  You´re doing great! Wishing you all a new year of connection and community - wherever you are.  Lots of love from Amsterdam,   Stina  #community #belonging #connection #holidays #expatlife #reflections2024 #communitymatters 

Returning Home for the Holidays: Joy or Juggle for Expats? 🌍 As the holiday season approaches, many of us living abroad are preparing to return home for Christmas. For me, it means flying from Kenya back to Germany. It’s more than just a holiday—it’s a delicate balance between two worlds. While it’s a time to reunite with family and celebrate familiar traditions, it also brings challenges. The experience of Reverse Culture Shock often hits when the familiar suddenly feels strange. We’ve changed, but others may still see us as the same. On top of that, there’s the pressure of numerous celebrations, family gatherings, and endless to-do lists. The hustle can leave us feeling overwhelmed—even though we came home to relax. How do we find time for ourselves amidst the festivities? This season is also a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come and what still aligns with who we are now. It’s a time for growth, but it requires mindfulness and space to navigate it. For those of you who’ve experienced this "homecoming," how did you manage the emotional and cultural shifts? What helped you cope with reverse culture shock? I’d love to hear your tips and experiences. 🎅🏽✈️ #ExpatLife #ReverseCultureShock #CulturalTransition #ExpatExperience

🎄 Welcome to the 24 Days of Well-Being for Expats! 🎄 Today marks the start of the 1st Advent week—a time of hope, reflection, and light. As expats, the holiday season can feel both magical and challenging. Loneliness, cultural differences, or language barriers might make this time of year feel isolating. But together, we can turn those challenges into opportunities for growth, connection, and joy. Over the next 24 days, I’ll share simple, actionable tips to boost your well-being, help you build connections, and thrive in your new home. Whether it’s embracing new traditions, practicing self-care, or finding moments of joy, there’s something here for everyone. ✨ Let this 1st Advent candle be a reminder that no matter where you are, light and hope are always within reach. Save this post, follow me, and share it with a fellow expat who could use some support this holiday season. Let’s make this December one to remember—together! #expatlife #globalcitzen #lifeabroad

This week's #Fridaylongevitypoll — Celebrating Intergenerational Holidays! Have you ever wished you could spend more time with your grandparents, grandchildren, or other family members of different ages? You're not alone! A recent poll by easyJet holidays of 2,000 British adults revealed that more than half (56%) regret not spending enough time with their grandparents. Furthermore, 54% hope to include them in future holiday plans. The desire to connect across generations is clear. 59% of respondents expressed a wish to spend more time with the older generations in their family, and 57% want to create cherished holiday memories with their grandparents.  Interestingly, 77% of those surveyed believe that the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is one of the most special within a family. Despite this, 27% admitted to speaking to their grandparents less than once a week. UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing and their magazine #thiscuriouslife want to hear from you! Do you like the idea of intergenerational holidays or trips where people of different ages share a passion? Take a few minutes to fill in our poll and share your thoughts on bringing different ages closer together through shared travel experiences. Your thoughts, views, and experiences are invaluable. They will help us gather rich insights to advise businesses on innovating and creating better holiday opportunities for families like yours, as well as for those of us who want to share our holidays with people of similar interests, no matter their age. https://lnkd.in/eWe6WBun 

There’s absolutely nothing worse than coming home from a holiday, scrolling on social media and realizing you missed out on seeing or doing something. But this, my friend, is where I can help. I want you to imagine this: you‘re planning a trip to Asia or Japan Instead of relying on some random blog you can’t verify or scouring online reviews (which, unfortunately, can be biased!), you have access to ALL the insider tips and recommendations curated just for you. I’m taking mental notes about you, your interests, how you like to travel, your budget and your timelines, and I’m giving you an itinerary that helps you make the most of your time because life is way too short to have regrets about your holiday. Send me a DM with a trip you’ve been thinking about, and let’s work together to make it happen. #holidayIdeas #TravelAgentsRock #TravelPro #TravelTips #InsiderKnowledge #VacationPlanning #ExploreAsia #DreamGetaway

Does home still feel like home? A question that troubles many expats during the holidays. You might feel more isolated, homesick, or even detached during this season if you are away. And yet, you may find it difficult to connect with the traditions, vibes and customs if you travel back home. Don't get me wrong, the holidays are great. I'm all for having them. The advantages of celebrating them are obvious: 🌲 Strengthening social values and expectations 🌲 Encouraging reflection, feelings of gratitude and closure 🌲 Strengthening the sense of identity and belonging See what I'm getting at? None of this is easy to navigate if you're an expat. This year, to save yourself from tears, explore some of these suggestions: ❄️ Mix and match Find your own spin-off holiday traditions from home. Combine them with local customs, or invite your international community to join you. ❄️ Reduce clutter Check in with yourself regularly. Create small pockets of time for yourself. Stop, evaluate and proceed mindfully. ❄️ Make room for sadness and/or guilt This period brings difficult feelings. It puts strained relationships and competing values in focus. You've changed, the home has changed, sometimes not in the same direction. and finally... ❄️ Don't feed Gremlins after midnight Best Wishes to You (+ cultural spaces you occupy) and Yours! #holidays #expat #atck #expatholidays #culture #identity #home #expectation #belonging #community #wellbeing #mentalhealth #counseling

As we commemorate the International Day of Happiness in 2024, the theme "Reconnecting for Happiness: Building Resilient Communities" resonates more deeply than ever before. In a world marked by uncertainty and challenges, the importance of fostering connections and resilience within our communities cannot be overstated.   The past few years have tested our collective resilience in unprecedented ways. From the global pandemic to social and economic upheavals, many individuals and communities have faced significant hardships. Yet, amidst these trials, we have also witnessed incredible acts of solidarity, compassion, and resilience.   At the heart of building resilient communities lies the power of connection. Whether it's reaching out to a neighbour in need, volunteering with local organisations, or simply sharing a smile with a stranger, every act of connection contributes to the fabric of our communities. These connections not only strengthen social bonds but also serve as lifelines of support during challenging times.   In addition to interpersonal connections, cultivating resilience at the community level requires addressing systemic issues and promoting sustainable development. This includes ensuring access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and economic opportunities for all members of society. By addressing root causes of inequality and injustice, we can create a more equitable and resilient world for future generations.   As we celebrate the International Day of Happiness, let us recommit ourselves to building resilient communities grounded in compassion, solidarity, and inclusivity. Each one of us has the power to make a difference, no matter how small our actions may seem. By coming together and reconnecting for happiness, we can create a brighter and more hopeful future for all.

Most people around the world plan their holiday during this time! Because this is the time to create memories and cherish moments with your loved ones Here’s why you shouldn’t miss this family time for anything: 1. Time to Reconnect Life gets busy, but holidays are a reminder to pause. We designed a few holiday packages that helps you detox from all electronic devices and spend quality time. 2. Unforgettable experiences Exploring new places, trying unique experiences, such as the northern lights, beach parties, spiritual reconnection. 3. Moments That Last a Lifetime: Holidays are more than travel; they’re about capturing smiles, laughter. Uzbekistan, Europe, Thailand, Australia are packed with new year celebrations. It’s still not late to celebrate, connect with us and take that long pending holiday. #holidayswithnix

There’s absolutely nothing worse than coming home from a holiday, scrolling on social media and realizing you missed out on seeing or doing something. But this, my friend, is where I can help. I want you to imagine this: you‘re planning a trip to Asia or Japan Instead of relying on some random blog you can’t verify or scouring online reviews (which, unfortunately, can be biased!), you have access to ALL the insider tips and recommendations curated just for you. I’m taking mental notes about you, your interests, how you like to travel, your budget and your timelines, and I’m giving you an itinerary that helps you make the most of your time because life is way too short to have regrets about your holiday. Send me a DM with a trip you’ve been thinking about, and let’s work together to make it happen. #holidayIdeas #TravelAgentsRock #TravelPro #TravelTips #InsiderKnowledge #VacationPlanning #ExploreAsia #DreamGetaway

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒐𝒏𝒔 Since last week I have been seeing some LI posts on Mid-Autumn Festival's greetings especially those based in China and I was wondering why as the actual holiday falls on Sep 17 (tomorrow). It is designated as one public holiday (see below left image) in China and I thought it might have to do with 调休 which I would translate as "gaining off-in-Lieu Leave by working on the rest day".  Indeed, Sep 14 (Sat) is designated as a working day (see below right image) and so Sep 16 (Mon) becomes a public holiday and so this year's Mid-Autumn Festival has three public holidays (Sep 15-17). So I think a better term for such greetings is to use 𝑴𝒊𝒅-𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒏 𝑭𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 and designate the greetings to those based in China. Actually 调休 is always a hot discussion topic on social media as a no. of people wants to have longer holidays and not to have a/a few working day(s) substitute as an off-in-Lieu leave. Actually China has only 11 public holidays with Chinese New Year and National Day having a 3-day holiday period, and it is the same here in Singapore which also has only 11 public holidays. My take is that both countries have very busy ports and so too many holidays would cause problems in handling the humongous cargo shipments (loading/unloading cargo, deliveries of the cargo etc). I think 调休 is a balanced approach given the context of China which is a vast country and so a journey back to hometown or to visit places of interest need longer holidays. As for Singapore, it is too small and a longer holiday period via 调休 would make people feel bored as there is no place to visit, and probably ending up with more gamblers visiting the 2 casinos on the island. 🔗#david_tbk_china ➽ #China posts #chineseculture #translation #mandarin #chineselanguage