Two Fat Expats

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 The post Expats – The Series first appeared on Two Fat 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.. Read More The post How much money will I need? first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

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.. Read More The post The Trailing Spouse is Dead first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

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 Season Two (television) Wilderness (television) What are you.. Read More The post Should I go home? first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

This was Nikki’s very last podcast before she repatriated. The post When do you spill the beans that you're moving? Long term postings or always on the move which one are you? first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

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.. Read More The post Given birth away from home lately? Here's how things have changed. Also, an expat mental health check. first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

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.. Read More The post Want to know the truth? Here's some long term expat challenges you may not have thought about. Food discoveries from the Fatterati. first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

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! The post I don't like it here – what to do when you hate your location. first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

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.. Read More The post Doing it live in Singapore first appeared on Two Fat Expats.

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.. Read More

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.. Read More

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.. Read More

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.. Read More

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 kids catch.. Read More

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 (Netflix) Pivot.. Read More

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.. Read More

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.. Read More

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,.. Read More

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)... Read More

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.

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.. Read More

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.. Read More

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?.. Read More

Would you / could you (and where) would you swim in your current location? Would you / could you listen to a podcast at more than 1.0 speed? (Are we better at 1.5?) Would you / could you pay for the cost of your job interview if it was in another country? Would you / could you live the same life in two countries if you are splitting your life.. Read More

What happens when expat love turns sour. Two stories of betrayal, young love and then twenty years on, how do you protect yourself from getting burnt? Why is an expat betrayal any different. We decide on the best medical face mask to fly with. Stop overs in a time of covid, if you can’t fly direct what do you do in transit and how does it affect your choice? We’ve.. Read More

This week in would you/could you? Would you/Could you go out without a mask where you live? Would you/Could you call Lunar New Year Chinese New Year? Would you/Could you travel with just a ticket and a passport? We speak to Bridgee a Kiwi in Saudi. If you’re unaware of the situation in New Zealand and what it has been like for their expats and residents you NEED to listen.. Read More

We put a call out to the Fatterati and today we have an absolute gift for you. Sit back and enjoy some beautiful expat love stories. How did you meet? Where did it take you? Have you ever had a ten day first date? From a chance meeting on the dance floor in Guatemala, to running into someone while grabbing a coffee in rural china – in their own voices.. Read More

What did we talk about in 2021, quite a bit! Here’s a recap of the best bit. February Kirsty – It’s a Sin Nikki – Bridgerton March Kirsty – I made an adult (Tracey Crisp) The Adelaide Fringe Nikki – The Test Kitchen April Kirsty – Grace Tame – Press Club Speech Nikki – The One June Kirsty – Motherland Nikki – Mare of Easttown July Kirsty – Physical Nikki – Day X – New York Times.. Read More

Is there such a thing as your best Christmas ever? If so, where was it? We run through some of our favourite locations and moments as well as offering up some advice from the Fatterati on what made their Christmases so special. Nikki and I came to the general consensus that we have failed with Christmas this year – if you haven’t tell us what your secrets are. Our few.. Read More

Omicron has broken the hearts of many expats this week. With some of us being days away from getting on a plane before flights were cancelled and strict quarantine procedures rolled out. This week we talk about making plans in the world of Covid. Is it crazy to make plans? Or do we just need to be ready to pivot at all times? Small talk. Does it disappear in the.. Read More

This week we discuss Austria's decision to make covid vaccinations compulsory. Who's next? Can you keep your job while being a vacine hesitant expat? We also take a look at a new app designed to assist families to connect. It's kind of like Tinder for families, would you do it? Will this narrow our expat world or expand it? Our three favourite things. Kirsty is in love with the story.. Read More

This week we discuss the pros and cons of returning to your “home” country for the festive season. We’re also talking Christmas markets in Europe – will they happen this year? Nikki’s trying to not get her hopes up after last year’s heartbreak of watching the markets in Hamburg appear one day only to be dismantled and taken away the next. Nikki wants to know if magic mushrooms are back.. Read More

How much sh*t do you ship? And what effect is it having on the planet? In the week of COP 26 we look at shipping containers and personal belongings and how we can be better at moving our things from home to home. How does a third culture kid react to a fellow TCK telling them that they’re not really from where they say they are because they’ve “never lived.. Read More

This week we talk about the death of the expat blog. Did Bloggers become influencers? Did Instagram kill the art of storytelling? Do we even want to read expat blogs anymore?? Then Nikki talks about her recent Saturday night and why it might signify that she now feels ‘at home’ in Denmark? This week’s favourite things Helen Garner’s lockdown diaries 2021 (this is the link to the audio) Invisibilia. Poop.. Read More

This week we talk about the things you didn’t know you needed until you got there. Nikki is all over her new phone cover for her bike (something she didn’t need in the US). What have you needed in one country that became irrevelant in another? A portrait of Ghaddafi to show your allegiance? Winterized tyres in the Middle East? What has been your hardest goodbye and why? We talk.. Read More

This week we talk about the best vaccination for international travel. What’s the most widely accepted? And will there be restrictions on where you can go and what you can do depending on your vaccine? We also talk about getting the cold shoulder when you arrive. Are you going to be welcome when you return home? Are you better off staying away until travel is a little more accepted? Here’s.. Read More

Business Travel. Are you ready for it? Are you busting to do it or are you a little bit wary? Personal travel is different (there's a lot more margaritas) and you get to choose the destination and the activities – but business travel may have you heading towards a red zone, stuffy conference rooms and having to knock back that first offer of a hand shake. We also talk about.. Read More

Our two fat questions are vastly different this week. We cover how will menopause affect my expat life? And then what shall I buy as a hostess gift when I go to stay at someone’s house? Broad enough for you? Seriously though, what do you do if you’re an expat and you think you’re perimenopausal. Is it affecting new friendships? Is it stopping you from doing your job properly? Do.. Read More

If you had a chance to have a job in your home country (that you could do from anywhere) or a job locally, what would you choose? What makes more sense? Keeping one leg in the employment market at “home” or getting overseas experience? Does it affect how you settle into your new location? Nikki wants to know how  you follow local media in a new country? Particularly if the.. Read More

Nikki gives us an insight into life in Denmark without covid restrictions. Spoiler alert…there was a buffet table! We discuss what airlines are doing to keep customers “on board” . Nikki mentioned this article https://thepointsguy.com/guide/airline-elite-status-coronavirus/ Do you re-invent yourself with every expat move? Can you do it both professionally and personally? Or is re-invention just an expat myth. Here’s just a few of our favourite things this week: Modern Love.. Read More

Okay I'm just going to put this out there. I talked about my clivia not flowering – and if that sounds really really naughty and rude it's because you're possibly not across the beautiful South African native. So if you want a smirk and a school girl giggle listening to me earnestly talk about the excitement of my clivia flowering might be it. Onwards! This week we talked about finding.. Read More

Are you trying to get into Australia? This week we spoke to Sarah from Mindful Migration. Sarah explained the options for getting back into Australia, and more importantly how you’ll get out once you’ve got in! Nikki talked about her recent move to Denmark. In case you missed it while Denmark has mandated it’s third covid shot (booster shot) it is officially opening up. Drop your masks, forget the tests,.. Read More

Kirsty has lost her tree, what was once a flourishing jungle appears to now be a burnt stump. Nikki on the other hand is trying to work out where the top of the tree begins. Who do you call when something significant happens? Kirsty wanted to know what Nikki wouldn’t be leaving Hamburg without which took the conversation to Libya, Canada, Jakarta, South Africa, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Kirsty’s favourite.. Read More

With Europe and the US opening up, but Australia shutting down who are the expats who will make it home for Christmas? Also we talk International Schooling, when do you decide where your children will finish their schooling? How soon is too soon? Kirsty’s three favourite things: Australian Story – A Balancing Act Catch of the decade Feel Good Nikki’s favourite things Snowpiercer The Bold Type Day X – New.. Read More

How do you keep your medical records up to date when you travel? Have you registered your Covid vaccine in your home country. Nikki’s decluttering, Kirsty’s rowing on her brand new water rower. Nikki is reading – The Mindful Way Through Depression – Freeing yourself from Chronic unhappiness. She’s also dowloaded “Insight Timer” a meditation app. Favourite things for Kirsty Motherland You can’t ask that Baby Surgeons Favourite things for.. Read More

Okay, let’s get the down low on digital vaccine passports. When and how will they work? What’s your small world story? For Nikki it’s her new apartment in Copenhagen, for Kirsty it’s all about the egg cups in Libya. Our favourite things for the week: Kirsty 1000 hour eyebrow mascara The Power of Being Yourself – with Travis Boak (podcast) Julia Roberts movies Nikki Mare of Easttown – HBO Max.. Read More

Kirsty opened a can of worms in the Two Fat Expats Facebook group with a question (that with hindsight) was always going to be problematic. “How do we make International Schools more accountable?” So how do we? We discuss in today’s episode what makes a great school. Is accrediation important? How do you measure the success of a school and what types of International schools are available? Nikki wants to.. Read More

In our four fat questions we discuss what will happen to the expats who cannot be vaccinated, those who are highly allergic, is this the end of their expat experience? We talk about the most successful moving stories, and is there a cap on how many times you can reinvent yourself in the expat world. Our Favourite things Nikki The One – Netflix Queen of the South – Netflix Conference.. Read More

Our anonymous question this week is all about staying together when you’re physically miles apart. How do you turn those “admin” phone calls into conversations that will brighten your day rather than leave you feeling flat and discombobulated. Our anonymous Fatterati member feels like her phone calls with her partner have become more like reporting in. We call in the experts and offer our own tips. Kirsty’s husband G has.. Read More

Season Seven. Episode Three. Are you trying to get back into Australia? Ever wondered what quarantine looks like? This week we take you inside quarantine in Melbourne, Australia. Long term Fatterati member Kelly tells us about taking her daughter back to Australia to begin University. What do you do if you’re an expat kid and you need a tax file number, medicare card, and bank account. Kelly walks us through.. Read More