Unhappy trails

HEADNOTE

What can ruin an overseas relocation? Dual-career dilemmas and frustrated "trailing" spouses.

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From the beginning,

Terry Paule, an administrative law judge, had a plan. Relocating with her husband (a corporate attorney) and children to Hong Kong, she was eager to launch into this new phase of her life and optimistic about the opportunities that awaited her. She was also aware of the statistics that accompanying SpOUses who relocate globally with their partners rarely get jobs. But Paule had a strategy and was hopeful that she would be one of the lucky few. She took the time to settle her two daughters into school, set up house and make friends before pursuing job options.

However, Paule didn't foresee how difficult it would be to work overseas, even in Hong Kong, which is one of the few places where foreigners can pbtain work visas. She landed a position in a law firm but quickly discovered that the typical schedule-10-hour days, six days a week-was impossible given the frenetic pace of her husband's work schedule and her parenting responsibilities. This, coupled with his travel schedule, the kids' long school vacations, and home leave back to the States for six to eight weeks during the summer, made a full-time job impossible to maintain.