We made it to episode 25! In this episode, we reflect on the past 6 months of the Love Beyond Borders Podcast. Normally this would call for a celebration, but we are in uncertain times with COVID-19 turning our world upside down. Tune in to hear how the Coronavirus is affecting immigration in the US and to find out what's in store for the Love Beyond Borders Podcast.

Queren left her home in Mexico and moved with her mom, dad and brother to the United States at a young age. She didn't realize the full gravity of her status in the US until she was a bit older and started to see some of the consequences. She went through some very dark times, like when her father and brother were detained at the border and deported, and when she was unable to attend her father's funeral in Mexico. Queren is now a US Citizen, but she's still dealing with the psychological...

Patty and her family have been through a lot. Her husband Joel was detained and held for two months in ICE custody before being deported to his native country, El Salvador. Together Patty and Joel have two small children who are now missing their father. Listen in to this episode to hear Patty explain what it was like to see her husband detained right in front of her, to learn what it was like for Joel in the detention center and to hear her talk about the devastating effects family...

Lia is an interculturalist. She researches the role culture plays in communication, leadership, psychology, learning and change. In this interview, she shares fascinating research with us that can help you better understand how culture, language and vulnerability can affect your intercultural relationships. *Check out Lia's Instagram: @globalbonez *Connect with me on Instagram: @kelli.fm *Join the Love Beyond Borders Podcast Community on Facebook *Be a guest on the show! Send an email...

Kate and Val are dedicated to teaching multicultural couples how to manage their money in order to build their American or Canadian dream. Finances can be a very complicated topic for any couple, but maybe even more so for multicultural couples. Countries and cultures around the world view money differently, so it's no wonder it can become a stressor in relationships. In this episode, you'll hear some great advice from Kate and Val about having a common vision as a couple, creating short and...

Sadhana grew up knowing she was undocumented. She moved to the US with her family from Guyana at the age of thirteen. Her status kept her from accomplishing many of her goals, like getting her driver's license and going to college, but that all changed when DACA was introduced. DACA opened up doors for Sadhana but it wasn't a permanent solution. Especially after the 2016 election and the threat to end DACA from the new administration. Tune in to find out the brave decision Sadhana and her...

Katie is from the US and her husband Markus is from Austria. In this episode, you'll hear how they've navigated life in two countries, two cultures, two languages, with two families and two weddings! Katie talks about their differences and how they've been able to work together to better understand one another. She shares the importance of having family who appreciate their cultural differences. She tells us how she managed homesickness and what it's like to live as a digital nomad! This is a...

Stacy is a US Citizen but her husband is undocumented. Together they are raising five US Citizen children. In this interview, Stacy shares the heartbreaking ordeal her family is facing. Her husband is in removal proceedings and may very likely be deported to Mexico. Stacy and her family must make a gut-wrenching decision: Uproot their lives and move to Mexico to keep their family together or remain in the US and face long term, possibly permanent family separation. This is a decision she...

Hey guys! Tiago and I are in Brazil visiting family for a few weeks. While I'm gone I thought I'd rebroadcast the very first episodes of Love Beyond Borders. (I'll be back with new episodes in January) Episodes one, two and three are all about our immigration story. Today you'll hear the dramatic conclusion of our three part immigration story. Find out what happens with our I-601 Waiver for Grounds of Inadmissibility and whether or not we are able to move home to the US.  *Connect with me...

Hey guys! Tiago and I are in Brazil visiting family for a few weeks. While I'm gone I thought I'd rebroadcast the very first episodes of Love Beyond Borders. (I'll be back with new episodes in January) Episodes one, two and three are all about our immigration story. Today you'll hear part two of our three part immigration story. By now you know the tragic outcome of our K1 Fiancé Visa process. Stay tuned hear about my move to Brazil and the next steps in our immigration journey, including an...

Hey guys! Tiago and I are in Brazil visiting family for a few weeks. While I'm gone I thought I'd rebroadcast the very first episodes of Love Beyond Borders. (I'll be back with new episodes in January) Episodes one, two and three are all about our immigration story. My Brazilian husband and I navigated the complex and unforgiving US immigration system for over five years. Stay tuned to find out how we met, fell in love and the path we took to be together forever. It included the K1 fiancé...

Today's episode features a very special guest - my husband, Tiago! If you've listened to Love Beyond Borders since the very beginning, then you know all about how we met and the immigration nightmare we went through. If you haven't already, go back to episodes 1, 2 and 3 to catch up on our story. In this episode, Tiago is going to share his perspective on some of the things we've been through together as a binational couple - the good and the bad! He's also going to share what it's been like...

Today's episode will have you laughing out loud. In this conversation, I'm joined by Jitesh Jaggi. Jitesh is a Chicago based story teller and two time Moth Story Slam winner. He's a recent immigrant from India and has a great sense of humor. Jitesh walks us through the immigration process he went through to get here and helps us understand why humor might be the best way to talk about hard topics like immigration. Enjoy!  *Send Jitesh an email: [email protected] *Connect with Jitesh on...

Calling all language lovers...this episode is for you! Have you ever wondered how an intercultural relationship works when both partners speak a different first language? Do you face challenges in your relationship due to a language barrier? Today's conversation is with Marcela (Marce) Cacace. She's from Colombia and her first language is Spanish. Her husband Michael is from the US and his first language is English. Marce knows all about the role that language plays in relationships like...

In this episode, you'll hear my conversation with Mohamed Malim, the founder of Dream Refugee and a company called Epimonia. Both of Mohamed's organizations do important work to highlight the stories of refugees and to give back to the community. Mohamed is a Somali-American and in this conversation, he shares his experiences of being born in a refugee camp and moving to the United States as a young boy with his family. Mohamed has an amazing perspective to share with us so you won't want to...

In today’s episode, you’ll hear Jessica and Pouya’s story. Jessica is a United States Citizen living in Maryland . Her husband Pouya is from Iran, but is currently living in Spain to complete his PHD. They have a really interesting love story - one you won’t want to miss out on. Unfortunately, Trump’s travel ban on Muslim-majority countries threw a big wrench in their plans to be together. Listen in to find out more about the effects the travel ban can have on families, including those of...

This week’s episode features the host of the Getting Married Multiculturally Podcast, Edit Vasadi. Edit was born in Serbia, grew up in Hungary, went to university in Italy and now lives with her American husband and children in the United States. In this interview, Edit details her upbringing, how she met her husband, her US immigration experience and the ups and downs of life as a multicultural couple. Edit doesn’t shy away from hard topics. You’ll hear her open up about what led her and her...

In Part 2 of this interview, Nicole gives us an update on their case. To re-cap, she's been living in Mexico for nearly 13 years waiting for her husband Margo's ban on re-entry to the United States to expire. She also gives us an inside look at the process of writing her book, Amor & Exile: True stories of love across America's borders. The book focuses on the early years of her relationship with Margo and coming to grips with the reality of his immigration burden. It details their early...

Nicole Salgado is the co-author of the book Amor & Exile: True stories of love across America's borders. Nicole has been living in exile in Mexico for going on thirteen years now. In this episode, Nicole will talk about what it was like to live in the US with her husband Margo while he was undocumented. She talks about the moment they found out that Margo's only chance to gain legal status would require him to leave the US and wait 10 years to apply for re-entry. She'll describe her...

Today's episode is a conversation with Abigail Wahl, an immigration attorney. Abbie walks us through the complexities of our country’s immigration system and helps set the record straight on some of the biggest immigration myths.  She answers these questions and more: -Is there a line? Is getting legal status simply a matter of filling out the paperwork and paying the fee? -What are the legal avenues for immigrating to the US?  -How are US Citizens affected by our current immigration...

Today's episode is a reflection with a call to action. Our country's immigration system is broken. We hear that all the time, but what does a broken system look like? How does it play out in day to day life?  In this episode, I reflect on this topic and talk about many changes to immigration that are being made under the current administration. It's easy to get lost in a sea of immigration news and headlines, but if we want to make positive change... we have to act. This is where you come...

Kali is an American Citizen, but her husband is undocumented. Together they have a 3 year old US Citizen son, making them a mixed status family. Kali shares what it's been like to deal with an immigration system that doesn't have a reasonable pathway to legal status for her husband. She mentions presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke and the work he's done in an effort to help families like hers. She talks about American Families United, a nonprofit organization that lobbies for a reasonable...

In this episode, you'll hear all about the day Tiago was naturalized as a US Citizen. I'll read an excerpt from my journal sharing the details of that day and the emotions I felt. We'll take a closer look at the benefits of becoming a US Citizen and the steps of the naturalization process. I'll take you back to the day of his Citizenship Interview and test and let you join in our celebration! Connect with me on Instagram @kelli.fm Apply to be a guest on the show by sending an email...

Today's episode features Camille Trummer. When Camille met Daniel in college, she wasn't exactly sure where he was from. Turns out he's from Germany and was in the US on a student visa at the time. After dating for a few years, Camille and Daniel were ready to take the next step -- but what did that next step entail? Listen along as Camille details their journey through the US immigration system and her thoughts on the process. Enjoy! *To see a picture of Camille's family, head to Instagram...