Contract Work Abroad?

Hey folks!

I see there are a few general treads about working abroad but they seem to primarily be focused on NGO work, teaching English, nannying, etc. I'm specifically interested in hearing about doing government, educational (as in working for a university abroad), or corporate contract for six months to two years rather than the former.

I realize these experiences probably vary a lot given your chosen locale but I'd love to hear the whole gamut.

Simply, where did you start your job search?

How difficult is it to find a company that will sponsor you (and, well, a visa)?

How was the experience? Are expat communities (and, specifically, communities of folks working for a given company/institution/agency) very isolated/insular?

What was the process of finding a place to live like? Did the organization offer assistance?

Any experience in being a single woman working abroad?

I'm not looking to make this a permanent thing but, being a pretty damn young professional (two years out of college), I've been bitten by the travel bug and would love to keep building my resume and learning new things albeit in a different and potentially more challenging environment.

I should note that while I have some technical skills (web design, content management, etc.) I work primarily in marketing, corporate communications, and public affairs. I'm not a military veteran but I have practical experience working in a government agency focused on public diplomacy.