My first encounter with members of the World Bank Family Network dates back to the nineties when my husband took his assignment in Washington DC. A few days after my arrival, the spouse of one of his new colleagues called me and offered to introduce me to other spouses at the WBVS office. Everyone I met was friendly and gave me a warm welcoming, they knew just about how it feels when you have resigned your job and moved to a new country, away from family and friends.
Remember that this was a time with no internet, emails nor FaceTime, the ties to a former life were almost cut and the need to make new friends became a top priority- right after unpacking boxes and navigating the hurdles of DC city services. And there was that spouse network offering newcomers a board palette of information, services and volunteering opportunities to help do just that: meet an international crowd, get friends, make yourself useful, share your knowledge, acquire new skills, broaden your horizon, in short get out of the house!
No need to say I was thrilled to join and to become an active member. Everything interested me: the Welcoming Service, the Book Project, the cultural activities, the Spouse Issues, the networking with Bank staff to get better information and services for our members. The enthusiasm and dedication to support the WBG families never left me.
Decades later, two relocations later, a new status (spouse of a WBG retiree) the feeling of belonging to an incredible community remains the same. WBFN is unique in the way it embraces newcomers and give them a place in a community where they are safe and understood and where they can choose if and in what way they want to help other members and support the network. No matter where you are posted, no matter if your family situation has changed, or if you are retiree, or just visiting on a trip, once a member, always a member. No limited warranty.
Nowadays there is almost as many staff in CO as there are in HQ. Those staff have families, and they need to be taken care of to ease and make the relocation a success. This has always been the case. As we know WhatsApp groups are great to get information in the new duty country, but I would urge newcomers to come to “Get together of all kinds " or organize them if there aren’t any where they are. Meet your WBFN family. You didn’t know you had one? Check twice!
Chantale Holzmann
Book Project President- Twice WBFN President. Head of Spouse Issues
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