This week we discuss Expats the television series based in Hong Kong. The series is adapted from the novel The Expatriates written by Janice Y.K. Lee. Nikki is 6 months in with her repatriation and has a very honest chat about being friendless and miserable. Our favourite things: Tiny Beautiful Things American Fiction Past Lives Taylor Swift The Eras Tour One Day Expats

What is a good salary in Doha? London? Jakarta? We’ve all seen the questions based on how much money you need to make to survive, today we have a new question. What’s been the biggest cost you didn’t foresee when you moved? What did you forget to factor in? We also talk about the grieving expat. Going through grief when no-one understands the enormity of your loss. How do we cope with losing expat friends when we’ve moved on to a new location? Favourite...

The Trailing Spouse is dead – this week on the podcast we talk about why the “Accompanying Spouse” has arrived. I mean the Accompanying Spouse was always a better term wasn’t it? We all walk side by side don’t we? Sidenote – the term Trailing Spouse will no longer be used in the Two Fat Expats Facebook Group with Accompanying Spouse being the preferred term. We’re also talking Posh and Becks and how no matter how much money you have or how many football teams you own you’re still...

This week on the podcast we answer a question from the Fatterati’s “Should I go home?” We also discuss the complications of re-acquainting yourself with old friends after repatriation. Kirsty’s three favourite things: Exposed (podcast) Deadloch (television) Travis and Taylor and everything EVERYTHING about them Ange Postecoglou and The Tottenham Spurs Nikki’s three favourite things: Sex Education Season Four (television) The Newsreader...

🎧 Nikki has repatriated and she’s yet to make a new friend BUT it’s not all bad because she’s living in paradise AND she’s discovered her new favourite drink (a gin mule). This week on the podcast we’re talking repatriation, the good, the bad and the ugly cry. Kirsty’s three favourite things: The Girlfriends (Podcast) What’s love got to do with it (film) Matidlas (Disney + Doco) And I know I said three favourite things but I had to mention...

This was Nikki’s very last podcast before she repatriated.

It’s been seven hours and sixteen years…yes I know the song doesn’t go like that but it fits with the intro. It’s been a long time since Kirsty and Nikki have hit the maternity ward so we asked the Fatterati what it was like to have a baby away from home. We also did an expat mental health check, Nikki is now down to her last week as an expat before hitting the repatriation trail. Lots to discuss. We also gave you our three favourite things (which we didn’t agree on) Nikki loves The...

What are some of the unique challenges long term expats face? Savings and superannuation, self care and medical issues? Heart breaking friend break ups? Property ownership and all the tax implications that come with it? We ran through a few. We shared food discoveries from the Fatterati, what can’t you now live without? Kirsty’s three things: The Fablemans, Chris Rock, Benjamin Law article on Survivor experience Nikki’s three things: The witch trials of JK Rowling,...

Also, the ageist expat are you a victim or a perpetrator? Kirsty’s three things: Shrinking, The Big Swing and while we’re on the subject….golf! Nikki’s favourite three things: White Collar, 1923, Robbie Williams live in Copenhagen And watch out Amsterdam we’re coming for you!

Welcome to our first live audience podcast recorded in Singapore – yes yes Kirsty was in Singapore in 2016 but it was a 4 kids, 20 suitcases and a beagle reading whereas this was the full package! The theme of the evening was friends. Kirsty asked Nikki will she have to change the way she recruits friends upon repatriation. What will be different? Nikki asked Kirsty How will you replenish or change up your friendship group post covid now that you have quite a defined time split between...

Nikki is dealing with the realities of the impact her expat life has had on her family relationships and describes how it feels like a bit of a “kick in the guts”. We talk about Kirsty’s book and its premise. Ever been described as excess baggage? Get ready for the reply. Three favourite things Kirsty: Meet Cute The Good House Helen had her baby – The gorgeous Wengel (meaning the good news) Three favourite things Nikki: The Sound: Mystery of...

How will you settle? Expats traditionally have itchy feet so how do you settle when you’re heading home? How will you plan your expat year ahead? Or how will you divide up your time ahead? Now that expats are back travelling between countries what’s the most effective way to plan your year? Kirsty’s three favourite things: She said Steven Spielberg on Smartless  Have you ever taken your kids to a driving range in the holidays? Highly recommend. Our...

How will you cope with no-one giving a flying fig about your expat life when you’re home for the holidays or repatriating? Kirsty and Nikki discuss why expats are hurt by friends and family that appear disinterested in their expat lives. Is it time to accept that you’re really not that special?  How will you deal with newcomers writing you off when they hear that you’re leaving? And how will you keep yourself open to making new friends even though you know you’re at the end of your...

Will you be with family or without for the festive season? What do you do to make your holiday season special or is the holiday season non existant where you’re currently living? Instead of our usual three favourite things with podcasts, movies and television we discuss our three favourite holiday traditions. Nikki: Making or tracking down Christmas Crackers and Bon Bons Buying a christmas ornament from your expat location Christmas Eve baking followed by...

In our would you/could you we discuss what Covid restrictions look like in China right now. Would you/could you move there? We talk to the Chinese Fatterati about their lives and report back. Would you/could you make your house a home without your shipment? How? Kirsty’s Favourite Things: Colin from Accounts Shetland Magnetic Eyelashes Nikki’s Favourite Things: White Lotus Season 2 Wednesday Long Lazy Lunches watching your expat...

This week on the podcast we discuss travelling between countries with medications and how to navigate when you’ve been prescribed something in one country only to discover it’s banned in the country you’re moving to. Nikki has some big news which leads us to discuss expat redundancy. Nikki’s favourites The Rest is History (The World Cup series) The Inside Man (Netflix) Limitless (Disney +) Kirsty’s favourites The Staircase...

This week’s episode is all about the World Cup both in Qatar and South Africa. I’ve written a piece about living in Qatar and the recent press. Here’s a few of the links I talked about: David Beckham Peyton Manning World Cup Commercial Ghanin Al Muftah – the star of the opening ceremony. Michael Sheen – Welsh message Nikki’s three favourite things: Heartbreak High on Netflix The Handmaids Tale Season 5 Peripheral Kirsty’s three...

A quick chat about having the World Cup on your door step. Who has the longest work hours and is it just a part of Expat Life? Should you put up and shut up? What’s it like to work in Qatar during the World Cup? We answer your questions about our 200th episode: When and how did we meet? What was our favourite holiday as an expat? Where would we like to live next if we could choose our next expat location? What’s our advice for introverted expats? Would we do any of our expat parenting...

Are you ‘randomly selected’ for an extra pat down every time you make your way throught the airport? We think we may know the reason why. Listen in to find out why it’s happening to you. Would you/Could you break up a friendship over conversations about your children going to boarding school? Why does it hurt so much and how to gently discuss. Our recommendations: Kirsty: Fed Up, Liquorice Pizza, Australian Story (back catalogue – Joel Edgerton) Nikki: Bad Sisters,...

Nikki walks us through her covid on holidays experience. Would you/could you send packages to a transit hotel? What are the rules? Do all hotels let you do it or are some hotels going to charge you for the privilege? We discuss. Would you/could you set up a contract with your partner on how many times you’ll be heading to your home country (particularly if you’re both from different countries). Nikki referenced this post with over 80 comments and recommendations. Our...

In would you/could you this week we discuss expat insurance. What do you need? Are you paying too much? Or have you forgotten to pay at all? We also discuss recent activity in the Two Fat Expats Group. Anger management, political commentary and killing the spirit of expats one post at a time. It’s time for us to have a chat. 🙂 Our favourite things: Kirsty: The Split season 3, Gaslit, Everything I know about love. Nikki: The Time Travellers Wife, Chat 10 Looks 3...

We begin with a couple of would you/could you questions. Would you / could you leave an apple air tag in your shipment (either air or sea) to track your belongings? Would you / could you take a trip home without your family, if you all hadn’t been ‘home’ for a long time? Our favourite things Kirsty – Shane (Shane Warne documentary), House of Gucci (HBO Max), I’ve always struggled with my weight, Losing it didn’t mean winning (NYT article and podcast) Nikki...

We begin with a couple of would you/could you questions. Would you / could you leave your child in your home country and return to live in your expat location without them? Would you / could you change your June / July holidays this year? Travelling in the European summer is going to be manic. We discuss some of the issues the Fatterati have encountered with flights, travel, unexpected quarantine and delays. Our favourite things Kirsty – Better Things (FX),...

Would you / could you agree to remote parenting roles while in separate countries? Nikki asks Why am I organising sleepovers from 10,000 miles away? Would you/could you tell me what an ESTA is and if so do you feel up to date with its rules and regulations since covid? Our favourite things Kirsty – WeCrashed (Apple TV+), Smartless (podcast), I refused to switch seats on a plane, was I wrong? (NY Times article) Nikki – Bridgerton Season 2 (Netflix), Pieces of Her...