Ed. note: Expat-expo 2007 is 7 October at Palexpo in Geneva, 11:00 to 17:00. Admission is free.

Photo, reproduced with permission, Ed McGaugh, 2007

Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – "I see myself as kind of a diplomat," Ed McGaugh says. McGaugh, who is both Swiss and American, is the founder and manager of expat-expo, which promotes expatriate-owned businesses for the English speaking community in Switzerland, mainly through events.  "The idea is to make things easier for people. To make Switzerland more approachable."

Reaching out to the expat community in Switzerland has long been a part of McGaugh’s life. He grew up in Switzerland, the Middle East, and the US, and McGaugh says he learned early on the importance of adapting to life in a new country. "Some people just don’t adapt," he believes. His goal is to help people make the adjustment, using resources within the community. "The expat community is very close-knit," he says.

McGaugh wondered when he created expat-expo about using the word "expat" in the name.

Some people told him the term was exclusionary or exclusive. Should
foreigners in Switzerland identify themselves so obviously as former
residents of a different country?

His use of expat "is not meant to be exclusive at all," McGaugh
says. He argues that today’s global markets place people all over the
world for work and personal reasons. For McGaugh, expat-expo is an
opportunity for the expat community to connect and do business.

He stresses that the expat community in Switzerland is by no means
closed to the Swiss. He notes that he is not alone in speaking some of
Switzerland’s languages and, like many other expats here, he does
business with a variety of Swiss and international customers. "This is
a multicultural event," he says. "The doors have always been open to
the Swiss."

The Geneva event 7 October is the fifth that the company has
organized, and the second in Geneva. This year’s expat-expo features
over 200 businesses and will offer a play area for children. In order
to draw such a crowd, McGaugh cultivates close ties within the expat
community. "The expat community is very word-of-mouth. You have to be
active in the community," he says.

Gerry Obara, owner of Village Antiques,
a fine arts and antiques business, has presented at three expat-expos
and believes that the events greatly help his business. "Expat-expo
provides a forum in which you can build a longer term relationship with
people who become both friends and customers. It’s open,
non-intimidating, and a wonderful way to expand your business," Obara
says.

Many of Obara’s expatriate clients are specifically seeking antiques
or pieces of art that remind them of home, he says. "In many ways being
an expat is not so much defined by where you live or where you come
from, but by a state of mind." He adds that being an expat is mostly
about having lived in another place, and carrying a part of that place
with you in your heart.

Peter Ingram of PC Repair 
is a new exhibitor this year. He is participating in expat-expo to
boost his business and reach new audiences. Ingram is a native English
speaker who also speaks French, which he says puts him in a good
position to help the international community, especially those who may
not speak French.

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