My Red Couch Talk with Kris Feroleto

As a child, Kris Feroleto faced challenges in school, often feeling out of sync with traditional learning methods. She always believed she learned differently—by doing, experiencing, and engaging with those she admired for their knowledge and insight. Kris absorbed information like a sponge, leading to the ironic and transformative journey of becoming a lifelong learner. She later channelled her experiences back into education as an educator, helping students who, like her younger self, struggled to fit the mould.

Education

• Undergraduate Degree: Human Growth and Development
• Master’s Degrees:
  • Education: Special Education
  • School Counseling
  • School Administration

Career Highlights

Kris has held multiple roles in education, including:

• Special Education Teacher
• School Counselor
• Head of an Alternative Education Team
• School Administrator (Middle and High School)

Fun Facts

Kris is a certified yoga teacher, a licensed boat operator, and a passionate beach lover with dreams of embarking on a world cruise.

Becoming an Expat

Despite a wealth of experience and educational credentials, Kris found the transition to life as an expat unexpectedly challenging. The first time she moved to Switzerland with her wife, the adjustment proved so difficult that she returned to the United States before her wife’s contract was complete.

When life brought her back to Switzerland—this time to Geneva—Kris was determined to approach the experience differently. She reached out to Angie Weinberger, an exceptional coach, whose guidance transformed Kris’s expat journey. Through weekly coaching, Kris learned valuable strategies for adapting to life abroad.

Lessons Learned

Preparation Begins Before the Move

• Closing up a home
• Establishing support systems stateside
• Organizing paperwork: bills, taxes, voting, medical insurance, postal mail
• Scheduling doctor’s appointments: physicals, medication, vision, dental, dermatology
• Spending quality time with family, friends, and neighbors

Arrival

• Finding a suitable home, preferably with a garden for her dog
• Avoiding the mistake of waiting too long to secure housing, which previously led to three months in a hotel and four moves

Stages of Expat Life

• Honeymoon Stage: Exploring the excitement of a new country, city, and neighborhood
• Assimilation: Integrating into the new environment by:
  • Building a network and community
  • Establishing routines
  • Navigating local transportation
  • Finding essential services: grocery stores, pharmacies, vets, doctors, and more
  • Understanding city regulations: garbage and recycling days, dog registration

Self-Care and Resilience

• Practicing patience, self-kindness, and compassion
• Engaging in positive self-talk
• Developing independence and resilience
• Staying connected with loved ones
• Embracing self-care: massages, reading, walking, planning adventures
• Cultivating a sense of humor

Key Takeaways

Kris learned that it’s okay to:

• Make mistakes
• Experience ups and downs
• Navigate the emotional push and pull of enjoying a new home while missing the old one
• Laugh, cry, and embrace the full range of emotions

Outcomes of Her Expat Journey

• A deep passion for learning about new cultures and forging connections
• A love for travel and meeting new people
• The creation of a new community and support network
• Trusting the process and following her heart
• Slowing down to appreciate small joys
• Remarkable personal and relationship growth
• Embracing the life-changing nature of being an expat

Lastly, Kris emphasizes the critical role of having an outstanding expat coach, like Angie Weinberger, to guide and support the journey.

The #RedCouchTalks

The #RedCouchTalks promote thought leaders, expats, and entrepreneurs in the Global Mobility sector. We use a red couch as a backdrop for a deeper conversation, almost like a coaching session. It’s the only furniture we‘ve had since I was eight. It’s been around the block and travelled with me from place to place. It’s almost falling apart, but it’s my happy place to chill. 

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