Transitions often leave us feeling like our world has been turned upside down, intensifying our anxiety. In the last episode of Love Your Expat Life, we explored what anxiety is and debunked some common misconceptions about it (make sure to tune into part one first).    Today, I want to share a powerful tool that has helped me manage anxiety and regain control during transitions.    When you embrace the fact that certain aspects of life are beyond your control, you open the door to...

For global nomads, change is the only constant. And, with the recent world events and constant flow of bad news this can make our anxiety levels rise.   Today, we're going to explore the intricate dance between navigating transitions and understanding anxiety, and how these two seemingly opposing forces can coexist harmoniously.   Transitions come in various shapes and sizes, sometimes overlapping, making life more complex.  And as global nomads, we add another layer to these transitions...

In this episode of Love Your Expat Life, I’m joined by the incredible Sundae Schneider Bean, a true Renaissance woman in the world of intercultural strategy, transformation facilitation, and solution-oriented coaching.    Join us as we delve into her journey of helping individuals and organizations not only survive but thrive through life quakes and significant shifts, no matter where they are in the world.    With a decade of experience running a location-independent business and working...

Transition is a vital skill for success in the 21st century, whether or not we live abroad. So, how can schools, educators, & parents better help our children grow up to be more resilient during times of transition?   I know I’m not alone as a parent when I say– we move abroad with the best intentions, but we often focus on the logistical aspects of transitions and neglect the emotional rollercoaster our children have to navigate.   In this episode I have the privilege of speaking...

There are 40 million global families who move to a new place, leave their neighbors, jobs, schools, and communities behind. They have to start all over again.    This is where international organizations need to step up and recreate that sense of a ‘village’ again so that those international children can thrive.   I’m joined by Former Co-founder at Expat Valley and Ombudsman for International Children co-founder, Matthijs de Rave. Together, we will delve into his inspiring vision for...

Often, people undergo changes when they feel dissatisfied with their current circumstances. In such cases, there's a tendency to hastily seek something different in order to find relief.    However, change is often best when we pursue alignment rather than relief. When we already appreciate the life we have and still nurture a desire for growth, for new experiences beyond our current horizons and are aligned with our reasons, this is when magic happens. Elizabeth Mina, who has made a...

Clarity is a source of peace. It helps us feel focused and energized.   When there is clarity, there is no fog. When we are clear, we can move mountains. We can accomplish anything. We defy the odds, we don’t give up.   When we do not have clarity the opposite happens– we feel stressed and we do not take action. Do you often wonder: how, where, is that right?   Clarity is not something that falls from the sky, it’s something you create. For this reason, creating clarity is at the...

Episode 112: Smooth Transition: How to Ease Repatriation with Repats, Wiebke Homborg, and Christina Kapaun   What, in your opinion, presents more challenges: moving abroad or repatriating to your home country?   In this conversation, we explore the stressors and challenges associated with repatriation, as well as solutions to minimize the transition's impact. Wiebke Homborg, a Third Culture Kid (TCK), and founder of Chameleon Coaching is an Intercultural Trainer and Expat Coach. Having...

Expatriate women often share a common feeling of loneliness. . But guest Navine Eldesouki decided to take this shared feeling and create a community out of it. Navine is the founder of Coffee With an Expat, a female-centered space for meaningful connection and storytelling over a cup of coffee.    I asked Navine about how she grew her supportive global network for women. Here are her insights that you’ll learn in this episode:   The story behind “Coffee With an Expat” The importance...

It’s well-documented that international assignments for dual-career couples can be both exhilarating and complicated at the same time. Many organizations with international talents have not fully understood the complexities of dual international career couples in their workforce. This is what usually happens: One career takes precedence over the other Two partners equally sub-optimize their careers They individually pursue two careers at the expense of the family.   Often, as...

As parents, we have the best of intentions and we want our children to thrive in the midst of transitions. However, we're also dealing with our own roller coaster of emotions and so many other things. In this episode, we help you reflect on what you can do to support your TCK (and yourself better).   For instance, as a TCK parent, you might ponder questions like:   How do you comfort your children who might be excited to move for the first time, but who also feel the deep loss for...

Imagine this: Bernard's family was enjoying a ski vacation in the Alps when news broke out about Russia's attack on Ukraine. Little did they know that this seemingly ordinary ski trip would mark the end of their familiar life in Moscow. Their house, their beloved pet, and for Bernard's teenage son, his serious girlfriend—everything would soon become memories.   Such scenarios are not uncommon for Third Culture Kids (TCKs), who often face sudden evacuations and uprooting from their familiar...

A TCK, or third culture kid, is a person who spends a significant amount of developmental time outside of their passport country. This exposes them to some tremendous experiences they wouldn’t otherwise have.   Parenting or teaching a Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a one-of-a-kind experience, shaped by their extraordinary mobility. Join us in this enlightening episode as we delve into the distinctive advantages of raising TCKs. Discover powerful strategies to transform the challenges they...

After the pandemic, there’s been a tremendous increase in people moving abroad for personal decisions instead of mandated ones by a company. Sanelo is a company that serves those people.   After working in the moving industry for over 20 years, Josh Sims gives his advice for planning a seamless move abroad.   Josh first started out packing and moving homes up and down the West Coast of Australia in between school and university studies. In 2014 he moved to Singapore to work with Santa...

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, a podcast that provides you with the tools and inspiring stories to live the life you love no matter your location! I'm excited to talk about the importance of decluttering this month and how it can help us lead an organized life, no matter where we are in the world.    I’d like to start with this message: “The more you organize your mind, the more your life will be organized.” If you’ve been with me for awhile or are just tuning in you’ll find out that a...

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, a podcast that provides you with the tools and inspiring stories to live the life you love no matter your location! I'm excited to talk about the importance of decluttering this month and how it can help us lead an organized life, no matter where we are in the world.    As someone who lives abroad, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to balance the demands of family, work, and travel, and it’s easy to move boxes around the world without knowing what’s...

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, a podcast that provides you with the tools and inspiring stories to live the life you love no matter your location!    In this episode Soraya King, non-executive vice chairperson of the Meikles Foundation and also the Chairperson at NYLESA, the New York Local Expatriate Spouse Association, expounds on common challenges for spouses including career sacrifices, loss of identity, and financial independence.    Our conversation also follows Soraya through her...

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, a podcast that provides you with the tools and inspiring stories to live the life you love no matter your location!    In this episode National Climate senior scientist, Dian Seidel expounds on her transformative journey teaching english in Thailand during her third trimester.   After decades in a fulfilling career where her work contributed to the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, Dian broke the mold by moving abroad and expanding her perspectives with her partner....

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, a podcast that provides you with the tools to live the life you love no matter your location!   This episode is especially important to me as my in-laws from Norway, Mathias and Benedicte, share their journey of living abroad in many different countries including Oman, Taiwan, & Scotland.    This young couple, who is 20 years younger than me, are at the stage where they’re debating whether or not they should live abroad. Benedicte feels stuck and...

Reaching 100 episodes in almost two years is no small feat, and I'm excited to celebrate it with you. By the end of this episode, I will share three valuable lessons that this adventure taught me to help you further in living a life you love. But first, give yourself a pat on the back because without you this podcast wouldn’t be possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for discovering, listening to, & supporting my podcast! I've had the pleasure of living in several places over...

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, a podcast that explores the realms of expat life– and all the ups and downs it brings.   Today I want to share a tool with you for calming an anxious mind. Naturally, as an expat, anxiety may rise to high levels at certain moments throughout our journey.   For instance,  “What if my kids are not accepted into the school we applied to next year? What if we are not able to live well without the perks and benefits in this expensive city we’re moving to?” The...

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, a podcast that provides you with the tools to live the life you love no matter your location!   In this episode, Mariam Navaid Ottimofiore, a talented expat author, writer, researcher, and economist shares her insights on her book, ‘Messy Mobile Life’-- a book that speaks to the complexities that many mobile families face.    At 19 years old Mariam left her home in Pakistan with a one-way ticket to Boston. After living in 10 different countries, marrying...

Imagine yourself in a forest with only two paths. If you want to live a life of freedom, lightness, and impact, you need to be open to exploring other paths that may not be immediately visible to you.   The way you think about choices can be limiting and prevent you from achieving what you truly want for yourself and those you care about.   Welcome to Love Your Expat Life podcast, a space where you gain the tools necessary to live a life you love no matter your location!   Let me ask...

Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, where we explore transformational stories & tools to help you design a life you love no matter your location.    In this episode, Kate Dahl, founder of Career Denmark ApS & expat living in Denmark shares her evolution through travel.   After turning down a teaching career in China, she listened to her gut & found herself in her husband's home country. She quickly learned that navigating the job market there was no walk in the park. She used her...