Transcontinental Overload

Today's guest has made me miss not only one, but two places! Alex Katte, originally from Houston, TX, lives near Munich with her German husband and new baby son. We discuss the weird similarities between Bavarian and Texan cultures, the joys of driving without a speed limit, and the special charm of traditional clothing.Of course we also delve into the cultural differences, and how tricky it might be to incorporate two cultures within one family, the difficulties of the German language and what it's like to get married during the pandemic.If you're thinking about studying in Germany, the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) is a great resource! I hope you enjoy today's episode as much as I did! You can find Alex on Instagram, or follow her soon-to-be-revived blog. To read up on why I haven't been around, check my blog, and find me on Instagram, Facebook, or right here on my website.

A little glimpse into my new surroundings! I've not had time or energy to set up new interviews with other expats, so today it's just yours truly, sharing some thoughts and updates from my new home in New Jersey. I'm reading out my latest blog post, which of course you can also read right here. In the meantime, find me on Facebook, Instagram, or check out my website. I'm always interested in hearing from you, welcome feedback and comments and would love to find new guests! Get in touch. I love my expat community.

Here's my belated last episode of 2021 to kick off 2022! My guest is another expat in Germany, Lawin from the Philippines.We chat about Lawin's unexpected journey to becoming a European resident, his somewhat frosty welcome in Germany and what to expect when you move into a new place, as well as the main differences in working culture, how to make friends, and the beauty of German work-life-balance. Our conversation then veers off to cover the wonderful world of karaoke, and we discuss German music, including the weird phenomenon that is German Schlager. Lawin is a fellow podcaster; he started "Pop Your Cultural Cherry" during the pandemic, and we compare some notes and chat about his upcoming plans for the show.  Find him on Instagram, and make sure you give his podcast a listen - just click the link and find your preferred podcast platform.  

Here it is, my last episode of the year! I'm talking to Aspen, an American who grew up in Hawaii and has been based in Munich, Germany, for the last nine years. Our conversation ranges from discussing cultural differences including the vastly different social systems in the US and Germany, her journey through German bureaucracy, bluntness, and loneliness, and the reasons why she loves German culture with all its weird and wonderful quirks.     As Aspen would put it, she's achieved the American dream by moving to Germany - but I think it's down to her amazing tenacity and positive outlook on life.  We also chat about the brutal world of social media, why she's taken a step back from her original channels, and is working on new projects. One of those is a very tongue-in-cheek-but-honest new podcast about intercultural dating, which she started with her friend Nicole, host of The Expatcast podcast and previous guest on this show. The very brilliant title of this collaboration:  "The Abroadcast - two broads abroad dating Germen so you don't have to".  If you want to find out more about Aspen, find her on Instagram, and make sure you check out her and Nicole's new podcast! 

This is a Thanksgiving special! Just kidding, but we recorded it on Thanksgiving day, and so there's a fair amount of festive talk in this conversation. My guest is Jenn, an American who's been living in Rome for the last four years. We talk about the beauty of Italy, and la dolce vita, but also how vulnerable you can feel as an expat, and how moving to a new country can pull the rug out from under your feet. Jenn opens up about her own personal journey and how she's appreciating the fact that this experience can totally transform your life in a good way and coax personality traits out of you that you never knew you had, and how all her and her husband James' "messy" experiences have led to them founding their own fitness business, Overstreet Wellness.   You can discover more about Jenn and James on Instagram: Jenn can be found here, and James is here.  Both have direct links to their fitness program. And - since Christmas is fast approaching, and I haven't had any Glühwein yet - if you feel the need to make a donation, you can do that here. Happy Holidays! 

Today's guest is Izge, who grew up in Turkey, left her home country to study in the US, worked in various locations. and then decided to move back and forth a few times. She now feels like a complete mix of the two countries and slightly at odds with both from time to time. We talk about those seemingly small moments that change the trajectory of your life, the best way to integrate into life in another country, and how to combine those different aspects of yourself.And we both agree that food is the best way to connect us with our heritage and the places we love (yes, I am collecting my guests' recipes).Happy Halloween, y'all! 

Today's guest is Janine, a Canadian expat in Valencia, Spain. Janine left Canada over 14 years ago, but never planned to stay this long. Cupid had other plans, however, and she ended up staying, and after initial bumps in the road, is now fully embracing her expat existence. We talk about the strange sense of not belonging, how to survive - and even embrace - the dark days, and why being stubborn is a good thing. We discuss toxic positivity on social media, and how finding your voice and staying true to yourself are the most powerful weapons as an expat. Janine is married to a Welshman, so of course we had to have a little nostalgic gush fest about Gavin & Stacey - if you've never seen it and are curious about Wales, this is the show to watch. An absolute institution, not just in the UK. You can find Janine on Instagram, and learn more about her services as a copywriter and writing coach on her new website, So Janine Christie, which will be launched very soon! In the meantime, her previous rants and observations can be found on her old website, My Expatations.  Find out more about me on my website, don't forget to follow me on Instagram, @overloadedsteph, and if you like, buy me a coffee! 

Hello, I'm back! Today I don't have just one guest, but two! Married couple Megan from the US and Simon from the UK are on the show to tell us their story and share some insights into the differences between their countries."Great Britain and America are two countries divided by a common language" - this famous George Bernard Shaw quote couldn't be more true.Megan grew up near Austin, Texas,  moved to California after college and then to New York, where she met Simon from the UK, who had taken the opportunity to leave his home country for a job posting in the US. They talk us through how they met, and how their different backgrounds have influenced their relationship and decisions. Topics include language and behaviour, US vs. British dating rules, and of course, food! British vs. US dishes, spices and special traditions, such as turkey two ways.In case you're still wondering what Yorkshire puddings are, here's a link to provide more information! And equally so for Tamales. I just didn't have room in the episode.  See you next time!

Today's guest is someone you might have heard of if you're a) Francophile, and/or b) a comedy enthusiast. Paul Taylor is a British stand-up comedian who lives in Paris with his French wife and daughter, and performs both in English and French.  We talk about his career transition from Apple employee to full-time comedian, how to do comedy in two languages, the peculiarity of accents and in particular British vs. American English,  and our theories on why some people have stronger accents than others. Paul gives us a glimpse into the life of a stand-up comedian, different stand-up cultures in different countries, and how comedy has been greatly helped by the advancement of Netflix. Since both of us are language nerds and subtitle enthusiasts, our conversation dives deep into that part of linguistics. We also talk about the challenges of bringing up kids with multiple languages and cultures, and how we can keep a connection to a country we don't live in. Paul's first hour-long stand-up routine, Franglais, is available on YouTube, while his second show, So British ou Presque, was interrupted by the pandemic, and is starting up again now - so if you're in France later this year, you're in luck! Tickets are available on his website.  Paul also vlogs regularly, and he does a live show where viewers/listeners call in to contribute, Happy Hour Live. All his materials can be found here.

My guest today is my namesake Steffi, originally from the UK, who's lived in Southern Germany for a couple of years now. She calls herself an unexpected expat, and had never anticipated a move, or having to learn another language. Of course we discuss the many aspects of learning German,  how she slowly overcame her fear of talking to native speakers, and how ultimately the whole expat experience has given her more confidence and helped her to be less risk averse. We do go off on a tangent exploring a possible connection between the Scots and the Bavarians, and the merits of British vs. US baked beans. Other topics include the joys of driving on the Autobahn at 200km/h, why people perceive the Brits as more polite when they're actually much ruder than the Germans (yes I know this will cause some controversy), and the phenomenon of not appreciating a place's beauty when you live there, but definitely miss it when you've left.Make sure you check out Steffi's blog, Adventures of Steffi, and find her on Instagram or Facebook as @theadventuresofsteffi.

Today's guest is Brigitta, a Hungarian with some Canadian roots, who's married to an American. And not just any American, but a member of the US Army. We talk about what it's like to deal with the many moves and ups and downs of army life, how to make and maintain friendships when your life is so transient, and how to cope with the sacrifices you need to make sometimes.I was really impressed by Brigitta's warm personality, positive attitude and obvious love for her husband and the life they've created. If you're an Army spouse in need of some encouragement or just a chat – get in touch with Brigitta! She's happy to connect, and can be found on Facebook where she runs her own business as a Virtual Assistant. And as threatened in my intro, here's the Ko-Fi link in case you want to "buy me a coffee"! 

My guest today is Corinna, a fellow German in the US. Corinna currently lives in Cape Cod with her American husband and two children, although they hadn't planned to live there, and might still up sticks and relocate.Corinna's story resonated with me on so many levels - being married to someone not from your home country, trying to make it work in one country, but missing another, relocating and doubting your decisions... but you just keep going. And Corinna and Ben's love story is a truly mesmerizing one! Corinna also has some great tips for traveling with children, and how to stay sane and survive as a couple when you experience so many different situations together. As you will hear in this interview, this woman is a fighter - I mean, who founds two businesses while traveling with kids, no long-term plan and no home to return to?!I'm so excited to share this love story with you. If you want to find out more about Corinna and her travels, go to her Instagram. And of course, check out Corinna's businesses:Ryde and Roam, children's vintage wear The Caep, phone accessoriesIf you're a German expat or someone who speaks German, here's another podcast for you, Muttersprache-Podcast, hosted by Monique Menesi. Check it out!

My guest today is Marie,  a fellow European bringing up kids in the United States. Born in France, Marie lives in Michigan with her American husband and two children.  We talk about what it's like to try and maintain your mother tongue as the minority language in your household and country, and how to create the need to use "your" language, while accepting that your kids are growing up in another country and culture.She even founded her own French school with other expats in order to support her kids' learning. Other topics - of course - are the weird and wonderful differences in French and American culinary cultures, the difference between peaches and coconuts, and how we can create beauty by mixing cultures.  If you want to find out more about Marie, check out her blog, French Bias, where she talks about bringing up multilingual kids, expat life in the US from a French perspective, and lots and lots of information about food and food culture, as well as language learning resources.  And if you feel the urge, feel free to buy me a coffee!  

My guest today is Dana, an American in Munich, Germany. Dana is a seasoned YouTuber, and her channel, Wanted Adventure, is an absolute favourite of mine. She is also the author of a really funny and insightful book about learning German, You Go Me On The Cookie!, which we talk about at length. It's only published in German at the moment, and is a wonderful reminder for us German native speakers that our language is full of wonder and contradictions.  Other topics of conversation include (of course) the love story that brought her to Munich, weird and wonderful birthday and cake traditions, the many degrees of bubbly water, and German windows. Other than on YouTube, you can also find Dana on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  She also has a Patreon page, plus a super cute gift shop - take a look!  ​Her book, You Go Me On The Cookie! is widely available – how about a little support for your local book shop?

My guest today is Cath, who was a guest on my show over a year ago, and it was so good to be able to continue our conversation. It's not easy to have a flowing conversation and then try to fit it into an hour-long episode, so I was more than pleased to delve into all the things we didn't have time for last time. Our conversation meandered from the whirlwind beginnings of Cath's love story, to dealing with redundancy, coming out and leaving her home country to move half way around the world, same-sex marriage, and how to deal with neurodiversity within a relationship, realizing you didn't actually read the small print when you moved into your new partner's life and home. To find out more about Cath, visit her website, Drawn to a Story, and make sure you check out her wonderful book, Living Elsewhere, – it's a fantastic gift for someone living or planning to live the expat life.  And as if being an illustrator and running her own business wasn't enough already, Cath is also a practicing shamanic healer!Cath can also be found on Instagram and Facebook, where she runs regular "Talk-Back Tuesday" and "Barefoot Friday" live groups, addressing topics such as gender identity, racism, prejudice and so much more! 

Today I'm talking to Brenda, a "Nebraskan farm girl turned global adventurer" about her life in Tanzania, where she lives with her Tanzanian husband and their twins and various extended family members, running a safari business, Tanzania Choice Safaris. Brenda is a wonderful storyteller and talks openly about her journey from being an introverted Western woman to embracing life in a completely different, patriarchal society, how her new culture has shaped her views on her own country, and what advice she would give other women in similar situations.  Brenda also has a  blog, The Joy of Life is Love, which she (and I too!) hopes to revive, and if you are interested in seeing the family in action, you can find them on Amazon Prime on House Hunters International, Season 78, Episode 2 (2015): A Family Safari in Tanzania. 

My guest today is the wonderful Sundae Schneider-Bean, author, podcaster, and intercultural coach and strategist, whose mission is to help global individuals achieve their international and personal goals.Having been a member of Sundae's coaching program, I loved hearing her story - from meeting her Swiss husband on a backpacking trip, to moving to Switzerland, experiencing a terrorist coup in Burkina Faso and then relocating to South Africa, with a few solo parenting stints, identity crises and challenges thrown in along the way.We discuss what it means to differentiate between cultural and personal differences within a relationship, the importance of equality when it comes to decision making, how to give  yourself space to adjust and sometimes grieve, and so much more. If you're interested in finding out more about Sundae and her work, make sure you listen to her podcast Expat Happy Hour, or visit her website!And here's a link to her Love Letter Every International Couple Needs to Read.

Welcome to my new season! For the next few weeks and months, my focus will be on cross-cultural relationships, and I'm kicking off this new approach with a wonderful guest:  Carol El Hawary from Scotland, who lives in Cairo with her Egyptian husband. I still maintain this should be a movie script: a holiday romance in a country her aunt had strong connections with turned Carol's life upside down and led her to create her dream business. We talk about all the challenges a Western woman faces in an extremely male-dominated society, the heartache of almost losing a friend over the new relationship, how climate influences character, and how amazing it is to be able to influence a culture from within (with a good dose of fierce Scottish willpower!). Check out Carol's new travel service, Literary Tours Egypt, to find some wonderful inspiration!

Today's guest is one of my favourite expat podcasters: Nicole Palazzo from The Expat Cast – "the podcast where expats share stories about fitting in, standing out, and every mishap on their journey to feeling at home abroad".  We talk about the dark moments of expat life, how we discover things about ourselves we didn't know, and what happens when your primary reason to leave your home country is no longer the reason to stay in your new place. We discuss what it means to be introverted expats, and how we need to work really hard to overcome this, or, as Nicole puts it, try to "overthink things less", and start to embrace our expat outsider status. You can follow Nicole on Instagram, check out her website with all the links, or find her podcast on all the usual platforms. Make sure you check out Nicole's conversation with Rachel from Meet the Germans, who is also a previous guest on this podcast! As promised in the introduction, here's the link to Matthew and Camila McConaughey's YouTube channel, with information on the benefit concert and their Just Keep Livin Foundation. Don't forget: 21st March!

It's just me today, celebrating my podcast's first anniversary and over 2,000 downloads, as well as making a little announcement.Thank you so much for being such fantastic listeners! Don't forget to spread the word, and please subscribe!You can also find me on my website, on Instagram, or join my Facebook group.See you next time!

Today's guest is Katherine from Bad Days Abroad, the blog she decided to start in order to process her own journey as an expat and her recent decision to repatriate to Estonia, her passport country, after 15 years of living abroad. Katherine describes herself as an adult TCK, having spent most of her formative years in Switzerland, Portugal, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Denmark, before deciding to move back "home". Our topics range from leaving your home country at an early age, to living as the perpetual outsider, language learning myths, the difficulty and serendipity of making friends as you get older, and how to deal with longing and grieving for another place.We take a very honest look at friendships, the transience of expat life, and how it can teach us to live in the moment more and really appreciate what's going on in our present.I was blown away by Katherine's maturity and total honesty, and can absolutely recommend her blog and Expats in Lockdown and upcoming Should I Stay or Go series! And of course, you can also find her on Instagram.If you feel inclined to donate to Austin's homeless shelters and winter storm relief organizations, you can do this here, or here, or here, and there are many more places in need of help.

Today's guest is Martina from Germany, who has lived in Spain, Switzerland and Australia, and is currently enjoying life in California with her young family.Martina created her blog, Almonds & Sunset, to celebrate the beauty and adventures of life abroad. Languages are one of her biggest passions, and if you're ready to listen to two German language nerds geeking out about accents, the English language in general and our innate desire to fit in as non-native speakers, this episode is for you!Of course we also talk about Martina's experiences in Australia, Spain and Switzerland, and the things she misses about all of them. If you want to find out more, check out her blog and Instagram!Find Feli and Josh's podcast episode on accents & dialects here. As ever, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast (and leave a nice review!!), check out my website, find me on Instagram, and join my Facebook page!

Today, I have the great pleasure of talking to Expat Empire founder David McNeill. Originally from the United States, David has lived in Beijing, Tokyo and Berlin, and is currently based in Porto, Portugal.He started Expat Empire because he has a genuine passion for living abroad, and wants to inspire people to move and show them how to do it. He has produced books, podcasts and blog posts, organizes meetup events and offers personalized consulting services to give everyone the opportunity to achieve their international dreams. In our chat, we cover a whole range of topics, from the importance of having a dream and the willingness to take risks, to learning patience and trusting (and honing) your intuition in order to move forward.If you're planning a move abroad, or if you're an expat who feels stuck in your current situation and are looking for change or an improvement of your circumstances, make sure you take a look at David's website, Expat Empire. You can contact him directly by email at david@expatempire.com, and follow him on Instagram.And if you're thinking of moving to Japan, check out his book "Passport to working in Japan".

My very special guest today is Feli from Munich, aka German Girl in America (that's her YouTube channel). I love talking to people with a similar background, and in typical German fashion, we jumped right into all the dicey topics you avoid in polite conversation in America: ignorance when it comes to world matters, sex, politics, religion, and many more. We had a blast!Feli explains how she ended up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and what prompted her to launch her YouTube channel, and more recently, her podcast, Understanding Train Station. (Listen to this episode if you want to find out what the title means!)Find Feli on Instagram: @german_girl_in_america , and @understandingtrainstation. Feli - German Girl in America

My guest today is Etienne, whom I met through my husband's work, and who I knew within five minutes of meeting absolutely had to be a guest on my podcast. Originally from South Africa, Etienne has lived in Germany and then moved to the US in 2000 with his South African wife. They now live in San Diego, CA, with their three children.Our conversation topics span the full US expat spectrum, and include gems such as: accents, especially German and South African Afrikaaner and English differences in South African culturethe intricacies of bringing up your children with multiple languagesmusings and insights into the American psyche the pros and cons of reinventing yourself & the price you pay for leaving your home comfortssausages in all shapes and formsAmerican chocolateWe also seem to dedicate an inordinate amount of time talking about Starbucks.The Netflix show I mention but couldn't remember the title of, starring German comedian Anke Engelke, is called The Last Word. It is a brilliant example of German humour.Etienne de Bruin

Here's my take on a traditional but not entirely typical German Christmas (is there such a thing?).After my intro, I'm reading two of last year's blog posts I wrote about Christmas traditions in the US, UK and Germany, and the mix my family has created. If you've already read them, feel free to skip ahead to minute 19.If you'd like to check out the posts on my website, click here for Part 1, and here for Part 2. One of my favourite German (or rather Bavarian/Austrian) Christmas carols is "Es wird scho glei dumpa" (It will soon be dark). You can check out the lyrics with a literal English translation. If you'd like to hear the carol, listen to this amazing A Capella version, or Hubert von Goisern's version (it’s not a great recording, but you’ll get the idea, and he's a wonderful artist). Please don't forget you can donate to Refugees International through my donation portal right here.Guten Rutsch!!

Today's guest is Rachel from YouTube channel "Meet the Germans"! I always love talking to people with a connection to Germany, and Rachel being a Brit in Germany was a double whammy of fun for me. Apart from comparing notes on German and British culture, we also discuss what it's like to move in stages, and the importance of moving on your own terms, especially when it comes to your career, so you don't end up being a trailing spouse.Other topics include the German obsession with asparagus, bad internet infrastructure, carnival hysteria, and the crime that is the dubbing of TV series and films.Please go and find Rachel's show on YouTube! You can find her on the Deutsche Welle Euromaxx YouTube Channel, and of course, check out her Instagram.Episodes of Meet the Germans that we talk about in particular are:Small TalkAsparagusFilm dubbing And please don't forget to consider a donation to Refugees International. You can do this by visiting my website and scrolling down to the Psst! Section to find the "Buy me a Coffee" button, or go straight to my Ko-Fi page. Thank you so much!!!Rachel Stewart

Today's guest is Oscar, a software engineer from Uruguay. At the age of 17, he ventured away from his home country to achieve his career dreams, but eventually decided to put family first and return to Uruguay, after living in the US, the UK and Portugal. We discuss what it's like to find your place in the world when your sense of belonging is askew, and you constantly question your identity, and how certain life events make our minds up for us. Other conversation topics range from navigating British social norms and sense of humour, to craft beer and international hand gestures, as well as raising multilingual children and trying to establish English customs in a Latin American country.I found Oscar's story really inspiring: belonging everywhere and nowhere, loving your family and the countries that become part of you, while keeping your sense of humour - a perfect recipe for years like this one! Oscar Mariani

Today, I'm joined by Dr. Laura Anderson, child and family psychologist with her own multicultural background. Dr. Anderson specializes in global families, adoptive families and those raising gender expansive children and adolescents, as well as treating children and teens suffering from anxiety and depression. The range of topics we cover in our conversations are so valuable and interesting to all parents, not only global families, and if you are the parent of a teenager, or a pre-teen, I'd highly recommend listening!A big topic we talk about is parental guilt, as added mobility and options always lead to a rise in feelings of guilt and fear. We discuss how you can avoid falling into that trap, and a "recipe" (27:50) for more successful transitions, using the following ingredients:child inputpreparation / preparednessacceptance of discomfort / grief, loss, fearsense of being in this togethermaintaining boundaries: no decisions out of guilt or fearThe book we mention is Raising Global Teens, by Dr. Anisha Abraham, a practical handbook for parenting in the 21st century.If you'd like to find out more about Dr. Anderson, visit her website, or find her Common Chord Psychology page on Facebook. Laura Anderson

My guest today is Sophie, whom I met at work here in Austin. She was in total disguise when we met; to me, she sounded just like any other American girl in her twenties, and I had no idea she was a TCK with a very varied international background, until I heard her speak Italian on the phone. I'm so happy she wanted to be interviewed for my podcast, and it was fascinating to hear her family's story and her perspective as a TCK. We talk about the difficulties of being thrown into a new country with a new language at a young age, what it's like to maintain friendships over time and distance, and how tough it can be to reveal, and be proud of your full self when you're surrounded by people who don't necessarily want to hear the whole story. And if you want to check out today's sponsor: https://roomsteals.com/Sophie Durre

Here's the German version of the last episode!Und hier das Ganze auf Deutsch! Ich hatte ein wenig Zeit und Lust, mal wieder meine Muttersprache zu benutzen.Wer Interesse an dem Artikel bei Medium hat, hier ist der Link.

It's been just over 6 months since I launched the podcast! As I don't have a new guest this week, I thought I'd use myself as a substitute. And as a special touch to celebrate this half-anniversary, I decided to do this not only in English, BUT ALSO IN GERMAN. So if you'd rather listen to my ramblings in German, or if you just want to know what I sound like speaking my mother tongue, just download the next episode, 15 b. Or better still, download both, anyway. You know you want to!!The content is pretty much the same, of course, I veer off track from time to time, couldn't help myself. The Medium article I read from can be found here.

My guest today is Terry Anne Wilson, a Canadian-born expat of 30 years, who has spent the last two years back in her passport country. She is the author of Monday Morning Emails, which she co-wrote with fellow expat Jo Parfitt, and we talk about this wonderful memoir at length. I can't recommend it enough, it's a lyrical, honest and heartbreaking account of two families' expat lives, and has so much to offer (not only to expat families). Terry Anne is working on other writing projects and workshops, and you can find out more about her life on her website (including her blog).Topics that come up through talking about her book are mental health and expat parent guilt, the importance of roots and how to make peace with your life once your nomadic days are over. Terry Anne shares what helped her get there, including her "Wonder Room", "Serendipity Fridays", and how the COVID19 crisis has forced her to really arrive "home".We also mention the wonderful global expat organisation FIGT, Families in Global Transition, which I absolutely urge you to check out, and we bring up another author and expert in the area of third culture and cross cultural kids and global families, Ruth Van Reken.Please don't forget to subscribe to my podcast. I so enjoy being part of the expat AND the podcast community!Terry Anne Wilson

Today I'm talking to Nate Ritter, an American travel enthusiast who, after a somewhat aborted attempt at living in France, describes himself as a "failed expat". We're talking about his adventures trying to live in France with his wife, why no failure is really a failure, and how his experiences have contributed to him setting up his hotel room savings business, Room Steals. We talk about the big topic of learning a new language and some tricky pronunciations (if you're listening to this with young children around, be warned: we do mention a certain male body part...). And of course, we also throw in quite a few French stereotypes for good measure! Nate's message: keep trying, learn from your mistakes, and don't settle for just one country when there's a whole world to explore.The book I mention is Lynne Murphy's The Prodigal Tongue. Lynne Murphy also has a blog, Separated by a common language.Nate Ritter

My guest today is Jacqueline, and old friend of mine from the good old California days. This episode was recorded in early March, before Coronavirus changed everything. Jacqueline is originally from the UK, has lived in France, California, back in the UK, and now lives in Connecticut with her husband and the youngest of their three children - the older two are attending university in the UK (although currently, due to the pandemic, staying with the family in CT). We discuss her multiple moves and what it's like to create stability and roots for your family when you don't have that permanent physical family home. We also talk about friends, and how hard it is to make new ones as you get older. And of course we compare notes on all the things we miss from the UK!Here's a link to the American school in Thorpe, England, that we talk about:https://www.tasisengland.org/Jacqueline Jeffries

In this episode, I talk to Micah, an American transplant in England. After several hops back and forth across the pond over several years, he currently lives in London. Our topics are British vs. US work culture, the importance of making tea the right way, the surprising differences in British and American English, and the loveliness of British quirks, accents and culture.We also discuss the horrendous toll expat life can take on your family, especially when your experience doesn't match up with your partner's or your children's, and how important it is to have a solid support system in place that starts with more awareness from the side of your employer, and also school.The book I mention is "Watching the English", by Kate Fox. If you are anthropologically inclined, I absolutely recommend it!To avoid confusion, we recorded this interview a month ago in Austin, however, I edited it while on holiday/vacation in Colorado (please excuse the sound quality at the beginning and end, I was not in my studio), and both locations are mentioned. Enjoy!!Micah Willbrand

In this episode, I talk to fellow German and nomad Luise Gutsche about the importance of a global (online?) support system, managing family life on various continents, the benefits of boarding school, and what it's like to be stranded in your home country when you didn't expect to be there that long. Luise is a passionate photographer, you can find her here. Her blog, Shanghai Calling (it's in German), is a treasure trove of topics. I highly recommend it! She's happy to connect with you, if you have any questions on expat life, boarding schools, etc., or just want to make contact. Of course, she's on Instagram too. Enjoy!Luise Gutsche

In this episode, I catch up with Maija, a Finnish expat in California. We met as volunteer art docents, teaching art in our elementary school district, and bonded over our love of art and of course our European roots. Topics are what it's like to raise cross-culture, multilingual children (Maija has four), the importance of roots and how to keep your children connected to them, and how to use art as a way to stay true to our expat duality - and make the most of Californian can-do attitude. You can find Maija and her inspiring photography on instagram: @onblueplate/, and of course on her beautiful ceramics website: https://www.onblueplate.com/Maija Lähdesmäki

Today's guest is Stephanie, an American who has been living overseas for the majority of the past 15 years, covering Argentina, Colombia, UAE, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan and China. She moved to Berlin, Germany in January 2020, just before the Coronavirus lockdown. Steph talks about her various stints in Asia, reverse culture shock when she returned to the US, and what it feels like to change countries so often. And, of course, a major subject is food.....Her podcast and other projects can be found here:https://www.stephfuccio.com/She's on Facebook and Twitter @stephfuccioHer podcast, "Geopats - for the globally curious" covers 7 different themes, including language, coffee, books, podcasting, and more: https://www.stephfuccio.com/geopats-podcastSteph mentions the travel writer Pico Iyer, full name Siddharth Pico Raghavan Iyer, a British born essayist and novelist. For more inspiration, here's his wonderful website: https://picoiyerjourneys.com/If you want to hear her me being interviewed by Steph (we recorded just after this interview, as we simply couldn't stop talking), check it out here:https://www.stephfuccio.com/geopatslanguageSteph Fuccio

In this episode, I talk to expat Shaun from South Africa about my home country, covering the intricacies of the German language, some well-known German stereotypes and a few surprising facts! Shaun has lived in Germany for 13 years and has set up his own podcast, "The Germany Experience": https://thegermanyexperience.de/Make sure you check it out!If you're interested in what I had to say when I was a guest on Shaun's podcast (Episode 34), take a look here:https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/finding-yourself-in-second-language-language-identity/id1464633448?i=1000467213659&l=enAnd if you've become curious about "Dinner for One" and want to know what all the fuss is about, watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVd_VLO9xccShaun Behrens

In this episode, I'm talking to Claire Hauxwell, an American expat in Zug, Switzerland. Claire is a serial expat, having moved from Michigan to Geneva, followed by Brussels, Mexico City, to Johannesburg, and back to Switzerland. The conversation was recorded before the Coronavirus crisis led to us all being in lockdown, and Claire has added on to her blog in the meantime. Make sure you check it out. Claire's blog:https://mytheoryonblooming.comHer post about "trailing spouses": https://mytheoryonblooming.com/?s=trailerClaire's latest, Coronavirus-related blog post: https://mytheoryonblooming.com/2020/03/21/at-least-we-all-have-plenty-of-toilet-paper/Claire Stelma Hauxwell

Kim's website:https://resilientexpats.com/Kim is referencing this podcast:Talking with Kids about War, Violence & Politicshttps://preemptivelove.org/podcast/season-2-episode-4/Kim Adams

In this episode, I talk to expat coach Kim Adams, founder of Resilient Expats, who coaches families, schools and teachers on how to develop emotional skills and how to turn the challenges of expat life into strengths. Kim and her family, originally from Missouri in the US, have spent the last ten years in Thailand and Oman. This episode is Part 1 of the conversation with Kim, which was recorded before COVID-19 hit the news. Part 2 to follow next.You can find Kim at:https://resilientexpats.com/ Book references:"Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds" (David C. Pollock, Ruth E. Van Reken)https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/121920.Third_Culture_Kids?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=UHoRy3X3O3&rank=1"Safe Passage: How mobility affects people & what international schools should do about it" (Douglas W. Ota):https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25052916-safe-passageKim Adams

Quite unexpectedly, this episode turned into an ad for Texas! Sarah and I discuss expat bubbles, resilience, the wonderful world of volunteering and all things Texas. For more information about Sarah, visitInstagram: @browneyedgalabroadhttp://www.browneyedgalabroad.com/Mentioned amongst Sarah's inspirations:Terry Anne Wilson, writer, traveller, expat:https://notesonaboardingpass.com/https://terryannewilson.com/Two Fat Expats, bloggers & podcasters:http://www.twofatexpats.com/And if you're interested in volunteering, check out:https://www.volunteer.gov/https://globalvolunteers.org/Sarah Black

This episode is all about what it's like to be a triangle, finding your true identity and coming to grips with the English sense of humour. Cath talks about her journey from Australia to the UK, and why nothing comes close to a proper Sydney Flat White. https://www.drawntoastory.com/https://www.drawntoastory.com/living-elsewhere.htmlhttp://iamatriangle.com/https://www.naomihattaway.com/Cath Brew

Transcontinental Overload is all about the expat experience. In this first episode, I explain why I wanted to create an expat podcast, what you can expect from my conversations with my guests, a few personal expat anecdotes and how you can join in the fun. Stephanie Cook