It’s one thing to dream about living life in another country, but it can be quite daunting to make that dream a reality. Especially if you’re, say, a little bit older than fresh out of college. Today’s guest, Cepee Tabibian, tried and failed a few times to move from the USA to her dream life in Spain. She finally succeeded at the age of 35, and formed the She Hit Refresh community to inspire other women aged over 30, to follow in her footsteps. We’re going to talk through some common considerati...
Apr 21, 2023•35 min
The Covid pandemic has been a catalyst for change for so many of us. How are you living your life differently to before the year 2020? Husband and wife, Alex and Michelle, actually had a big move abroad in mind before the global shutdown derailed their plans. Now, they’re catching up. They quit their jobs, sold most of their stuff and moved - with their two cats - from Texas to Rotterdam in the Netherlands on the Dutch American Friendship Treaty, or DAFT, Visa. The couple document their lives on...
Apr 19, 2023•52 min
Today’s guest built a successful business - and brand - around her passport country’s most popular food - pierogi. And she did it in the bustling city of Shanghai. Gosia Modlinska shares why she first moved to China a decade ago, how she navigated local rules and regulations as she ran her polish dumpling business, and why she pivoted to cocktails and became known for serving up one of the best martinis in town.
Mar 24, 2023•54 min
Welcome to another year of Expat Focus podcasts. We’re kicking off 2023 with an episode about life and career change, which tends to go hand-in-hand with a decision to move abroad. It’s certainly true for me. Actually, this year marks 10 years since I decided to quit my job and life in Australia, to move to the UK to see what else I was capable of. My guest is Midlife Career Change Coach Josh Peck , who talks about our common motivations for making a change, the three key elements for success, a...
Jan 27, 2023•30 min
Hey there, it’s Carlie with the Expat Focus Podcast. It’s another festive themed episode! We’re discussing Christmastime in South Korea and Spain with American expat and English teacher, Jesse Sweed. We talk about festive activities in the classroom, the perils of the Secret Santa gift, Spain’s Three Kings Day and how Jesse’s experience of the holidays in three countries has influenced how he celebrates this time of year with his own family. Oh and a little footnote - I have a "pooping log" ques...
Dec 20, 2022•32 min
Did you know that fried chicken is a Christmas tradition in Japan? And that the festive season is more about romance and gift giving between couples than arranging presents for the kids? Former expat and current Japanese tour company founder Nicki has lots of other fun facts to share from her 10 years' living in the country. So, whether you are an expat in Japan, planning a trip there, or just curious about how Christmas time is recognized in other parts of the world, I hope you enjoy this chat ...
Dec 15, 2022•31 min
When American Sara Dyson moved to Croatia in 2012, she couldn’t find any local resources in English to help her. So as she figured things out - like residency and healthcare, Croatian culture and learning the language, she posted about it on her website, expatincroatia.com , to help other foreigners. Close to a decade later, Expat in Croatia is a full-blown business, and Sara is about to become a Croatian citizen. In this interview, we talk about why Sara moved to Croatia, the ‘one giant grey ar...
Nov 25, 2022•44 min
The continent of Africa is our destination today. We’re going to be talking about living and working in Rwanda with Italian expat, Giulia, who decided to take a leap away from her life in Europe to follow a job opportunity. Giulia talks about her first impressions of the city of Kigali, and why it’s known as the ‘Switzerland’ of Africa. We also talk safety, work opportunities and local workplace culture, Giulia’s experience with the health care system, choosing to ‘not’ learn the local language,...
Nov 25, 2022•44 min
Have you ever visited a city in a foreign country, and just felt immediately at home? That was Laurel Wright’s experience whilst on a solo European holiday from the USA. Wanting to escape the hustle culture of LA, she decided to pack up her life, and move to Berlin. We recorded this chat a couple of months back, and talk about what Berlin is like in the summer, how she found a job and navigated German bureaucracy, freelancing in Berlin, workplace culture and making friends with locals. Laurel al...
Oct 26, 2022•52 min
Do you have your eye on a rundown old property in the French countryside? Are you planning to leave your big city life behind for a simpler one? Do you really know what to expect? Best-selling Author and Editor Janine Marsh gave up her city life in London and made the move to a neglected farmhouse in Northern France more than a decade ago. Find out what attracted her and husband Mark to the Seven Valleys, the creature comforts they had to leave behind in the big smoke, what they’ve learnt in the...
Sep 07, 2022•45 min
Today’s guest is an accidental social media influencer. American, Kacie Rose Burns has amassed a community of over one million people across TikTok and Instagram . And it all started with a little video she posted on her way to her new life in Italy. When I told a friend I was going to interview Kacie, she said “I just want to meet her in Italy and eat gelato together.” And that’s exactly the vibe you get watching Kacie’s social media videos. We chat about what led her to leave her career in New...
Aug 17, 2022•45 min
Joining me today is award-winning podcaster and Business Strategist, Christine Job. She has spent the past five years living in Valencia in Spain, and her podcast, Flourish in the Foreign, celebrates the voices and stories of black women, and women of colour, who are - just like her - living and thriving internationally. We talk about Christine’s own journey abroad, passport privilege, and how her experiences differ as a woman of colour in a foreign country. Christine also discusses how life in ...
Jul 15, 2022•54 min
Breathwork Academy Creator Artur Paulins first left Latvia to study in Denmark knowing zero Danish. He later moved on to London with no connections or contacts. And then after a good 10 years abroad, a gut-feeling told him it was time to move home. We chat in this episode about his repatriation process, feeling like a stranger in the country he grew up in and how, in the process of returning home, Arthur had a realisation about his next path.
May 24, 2022•21 min
Whether you’re doing it solo or as a family, a lot of energy goes into planning an international move and getting settled in a new location. And it can take a toll, both physically and mentally. So, what can you do to help keep your overall health in check? I’m chatting to an expert from one of our health partners - Cigna - in this episode, to get some insight into recent trends, and recommendations on how to make good health a priority, no matter where you are in the world....
May 17, 2022•21 min
Recently on the show, we heard from a couple who made the decision to move to Oman, and were off within a matter of weeks. Today’s guest has been planning his family’s move abroad for many years. In the summer of this year, 2022, Max Lee , his wife and their two young kids will leave the USA for Taipei in Taiwan. In the lead up to their much-anticipated overseas adventure, they’re nomading around North America. I caught up with Max when they were in Mexico to talk about their plans and expectati...
Apr 25, 2022•28 min
My guest today moved to Sweden from the UK, for love. But she felt a connection to the country long before meeting her partner. Katy Hetherington has quickly accumulated loads of first-hand experience in how to navigate different aspects of Swedish life - everything from getting set up, to getting a job, becoming a citizen, having a baby and even building a house. She’s going to share her top 5 things to know before moving to Sweden.
Apr 22, 2022•34 min
Are you dreaming of just packing up your life for an adventure abroad? In this episode, you’ll hear from a couple that did just that. They made the decision to move from the UK to Oman, and in just a few weeks, they were off. Teacher Sheri Lennon and Author Matt Jardine will explain how they navigated getting the right visas, adhering to the local dress code, and working culture. You’ll also find out about the cost of living in Oman, how easy it is to make friends with locals, and what they beli...
Mar 24, 2022•54 min
Before the pandemic hit, American Jake Doherty was running two very successful tour guide services in Bavaria. When Covid-19 completely decimated the travel industry, he had to find another way to put food on the table. In this chat, find out what motivated Jake to become a tour guide and settle in southern Germany, and why he set up his interactive cooking experience platform called Deri Dari.
Mar 21, 2022•34 min
Is it ok to travel for pleasure during a global pandemic? How do you weigh up the “risk” versus “reward”? And as the world currently deals with the Omicron wave of COVID, what measures can you take to make your travel as safe and as responsible as possible? American, Crissy Whalin is my guest to chat through these questions. In 2018, she started travelling the world full-time with her then 10-year-old son, Zephyr, and together they’ve visited 40 countries and more than 100 cities, documenting th...
Feb 24, 2022•49 min
Finding your tribe, family, community, whatever you like to call it, is so important when you move to a new place. Expats Angelina and Bonny know this first hand, having moved to the UK from Poland and France. They started their business, International School of Life , to connect expat women globally, helping them to boost their confidence, unlock their talent and grow their network so they can thrive. ISL Co-founder Angelina Piechowska joins me in this episode to chat about her own challenging ...
Jan 28, 2022•31 min
Following Brexit and amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is living and working in the United Kingdom as attractive as it used to be? In the past two years, we’ve seen a mass exodus of many expats from the countries they were calling home. The number of visas granted to Aussies to live and work in the UK reportedly dropped 74% in 2020. That same year, the UK issued 48% fewer youth mobility and temporary worker visas to Kiwis. But are New Zealanders and Australians beginning to come back to the UK...
Jan 20, 2022•32 min
If you live in the UK or in the EU, you’ve no doubt noticed an unwelcome trend in added fees and charges when receiving parcels from online shopping. Even parcels sent from family and friends abroad are turning up with added fees to pay. There’s a lot of confusion about what these fees are for, when they should be applied, and why they’ve even come into play. And if you’re an expat business owner, you might be wondering what you can do to try to minimise the pain of these fees for your customers...
Nov 23, 2021•29 min
Do you know if there’s a pension agreement between your home country, and the one you’re living in now? Do you know what you’ll be entitled to come retirement age, if you decide to stay living abroad? The lack of an agreement and what that means is what I’m discussing today with fellow Aussies Judy and Peter, a writer and a lawyer behind the group Australian Pensions in France. Australia has 31 international social security agreements with other countries, and France has 42, but they don’t have ...
Nov 16, 2021•29 min
My guest today is Alex, a language coach with a YouTube channel called ‘ French In Plain Sight ’. Now, as the name suggests, he coaches French learners, and I'm one of those, but a lot about his approach is relevant to learning pretty much any language. What I find unique about Alex is that he's not native, and his coaching method is really derived from his own experiences of learning French. We're going to be talking about finding confidence when learning a foreign language, how important those...
Sep 24, 2021•44 min
Today’s guest is sharing her experience of applying for Dutch citizenship. For Akanksha Pathania, it was a big decision, not least because becoming a citizen of the Netherlands required her to renounce her Indian citizenship. Find out what the process entailed, how you can best prepare for the exams, and why for Akanksha, becoming Dutch has been worth it.
Sep 24, 2021•27 min
This past year has really put our health and wellbeing in the spotlight – whether it’s been dealing with a Covid-19 diagnosis ourselves, supporting loved ones, or dealing with the mental and physical health impacts of long-term lockdown and significant lifestyle change. Health service providers have played a key role during the pandemic, and my guest for this episode is from one of our health partners here at Expat Focus - Cigna Europe. Doctor Peter Mills is going to talk through the ways in whi...
Jun 24, 2021•32 min
We are chatting to one of our regular columnists today, Ben Zabulis, who I’ve interviewed in the past about his decision to retire to Hong Kong. Now, lots has been happening in the world since our last chat, so I’m really keen to check in with him and hear his perspective, and also find out how he and his partner keep themselves well and healthy as retirees abroad. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and if you are looking for expat health and wellness resources yourself, head over to our websit...
Jun 17, 2021•23 min
So many workplaces have had to make drastic changes over the past year, which has affected how we do our jobs and, in some cases, if we even still have one. Whether you’re already abroad or looking to move internationally for work, it’s a daunting time to be searching for that next opportunity. How has the pandemic affected your industry? Are there fewer jobs around? Have employer expectations changed? And what does the remote working trend mean for the traditional expat job posting? Will it eve...
Jun 11, 2021•35 min
Expat entrepreneurs Mayank Marthur and Octavian Pop are the founders of Avasa AI . They met when Mayank was searching for a property to rent in London, and they realised there was a gap in the market for a complete home search solution that really works for the tenant – so, they created it.
May 24, 2021•27 min
You’ve no doubt heard about the devastating second wave of Covid-19 that India’s currently experiencing, and how it has overwhelmed the local health system. Many foreigners have decided to leave while they still can, as countries put bans on flights to try to prevent the spread of India’s Covid mutation. One foreigner who is staying put in the country is YouTuber Ben Jenks. An American, he has been based there for the past couple of years, and he’s joining me in this episode to describe what the...
May 19, 2021•23 min
