The American essayist and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once said that children are all foreigners. Though I'm not sure what he meant exactly, I'd like to think that he admired the openness, curiosity and excitement that often characterize small children as they meet and experience life for the very first time.

Living and working in a foreign country is a lot like this because in many ways you are starting over - learning and experiencing everything - language, food, culture and people - for the very first time. It's especially true if you choose to live in a country where you don't speak the language or you are unfamiliar with the customs. You become a child again - you're not quite sure what's going on around you and when you try to communicate no one understands you. So you point a lot, ask questions and carefully watch what others do. And, most of the time, you'll find that your new acquaintances understand and even welcome your foreignness.

Living and working abroad can be a rewarding experience it you leave home with realistic expectations and a positive attitude. Many of the tips that follow are valid for all lone writers. After all, working as a freelancer for companies is a little bit like working in foreign territory - the company you work for is foreign in the sense that you don't know the people or their internal language, and many have their own culture and ways of doing things.

So for all you "children" out there who are willing to embrace all that's new and different, here are five important lessons I've learned from working as a writer in Europe.

1 Respect the culture of the country and company you are working in.

When I first arrived in Denmark from the United States, the Danish business environment seemed very similar to where I came from. But after a while I started to notice subtle differences in the way people communicated with each other. And I am not talking about the language. Danes don't do anything without first holding a meeting. Everyone gets a chance to voice their opinion - on just about everything. So I had to learn and accept that a lot of people were going to be reading my material and that everyone had an opinion on how it should be written.

2 Learn the language

Learning the language of your host country can be a tremendous help especially when you are trying to edit text written by a non-native English speaker. And, by knowing at least some of the language you boost your credibility with potential clients. You show that you are willing to learn something about the country you are living in and are at least trying to communicate with your new colleagues on their terms.

Take a language class for foreigners. Or, hire a tutor before you leave. But the best way to learn the language is to meet and interact with the local people. Not only will you get insight into the country, culture and way of life, you'll also learn more about yourself and how you view your own country and values (all of which you can use in your daily work as a writer!). Speaking from experience I can say that it's tempting to hang out with other expatriates - after all you have a lot in common - but crying in your beer about home or how ridiculous some of the customs are is a negative spiral. Don't go there. Resist this temptation as much as possible - especially in the beginning and particularly if you know you are abroad for a short time. It's surprising how fast time flies and suddenly your stay is over. And it would be a shame if you've spent most of your time with expats.

3 Maintain & improve your own language skills

Yes, learn the local language but don't forget your own. Read, write and speak in your native language preferably with other native speakers as often as possible. This can be difficult when you are trying to learn a new language and make friends with the local people but it's especially important if you end up like me - married to a local and living in the country for more than just a few years. The longer you live abroad the greater the danger of the local language and ways of expressing things creep into your own language. It's also important to follow what's going on in your area of expertise. Keep abreast of new trends and developments in your home country. Join associations that can help you network, etc. Believe me; it's so much easier now that we have the Internet.

4 Do sweat the small stuff

Of course, this lesson applies wherever you work as a writer or editor. But it's especially important when working abroad. You've probably experienced this situation before: you're attending a meeting or a conference and a non-native English speaker is making a presentation. They are probably using PowerPoint. And, like the conscientious writer or editor that you are you carefully read the text on the slides (that is if the presenter hasn't crowded too much text onto one slide) and you can't help but notice all the small mistakes. Price is spelled prize, it's is its, there is their, and so on. Many non-native English speakers don't think these mistakes mean much in the larger scheme of things. But it's your job to make them see and understand why it's important. I often tell my clients that they wouldn't meet a customer with gravy stains on their scarf or tie so why should there be spelling errors in their presentations?

5 Have fun

Finally don't forget to have fun. Enjoy your time abroad. And, if you're open and as curious as children often are, you'll learn as much about yourself as you do about your host country, and have a great time, too! You'll grow in many ways - both professionally and personally - and end up feeling very much at home wherever you go.