Have you ever visited a city or a country and just known deep down that it's where you were meant to be? This is what Steph Zakas experienced on her first visit from the USA to Iceland, and it's the reason why she's living in the country today.

Steph Zakas is a true slashie - she’s a coach, advisor, consultant, and photographer. In this chat, you’ll find out how she made Iceland her home, what it’s like to live in a country of such extreme contrasts (so much darkness in winter and a sun that never sets in the summer), and how Steph thinks that contributes to such a creative society. You’ll also learn that if you do come to Iceland, you shouldn’t treat the place like Disneyland.

So, you’ve fallen in love with the beautiful country of New Zealand. How can you go about moving there to live and work? What sectors are especially interested in employing foreigners, and what’s the visa application process like?

David Andrews joins the Expat Focus Podcast to talk through your various visa options, application requirements and the costs involved. David’s the founder and director of Visa Visa Immigration Services and Hire Minds Recruitment. He’s also an expat in New Zealand himself, so he knows exactly what it’s like to pack up your life and move to a new country.

How easy is it for a foreigner to find a job in Denmark, if they haven’t been fortunate enough to line up something for when they arrive? What sectors are they most likely to find work in, and what are some need-to-knows about Danish workplace culture? My guest to answer all of these questions and more is Kate Dahl, a career consultant for internationals in Denmark.

If you’re a Brit in Europe, or a European citizen living in the UK, the issue of Brexit will be high on your radar. At the time of recording this, there are just six months to go until the UK leaves the European Union, and there’s still no deal.

European leaders at a summit in Salzburg just shot down the UK Prime Minister’s latest plan, so everyone’s gone back to the drawing board. There have been ‘no deal’ planning papers released, and right now, that prospect is looking like a scary reality.

So where does Brexit leave citizens’ rights, on both sides of the Channel? And what can expats in the UK and Europe be doing now, to best prepare?

Today’s guest is Daniel Tetlow, Co-founder of the organisation British in Germany, and a member of British in Europe. And - spoiler alert - he doesn’t have definitive answers, no one does right now, but he does explain why he and others are working so hard to get them. You’re going to hear Daniel mention the name ‘Michel Barnier' a few times in this interview - he’s the EU’s Chief Brexit negotiator. And you’ll find all the useful links that Daniel mentions, listed in our show notes.

When it comes to taking your career to Luxembourg – where do you begin? What are the main industries for expat workers in the country and, what sort of salaries can you expect? Do you need to speak one of the key languages, or can you get by with English?

You’re going to learn all about the Luxembourg job market in this episode. Our guest is Amy Amann, a local coach, trainer and consultant. So keep listening for some great insights and advice, on looking for work in Luxembourg.

When it came time to think about retiring, Ben Zabulis and his partner Hillary quickly realised that the typical European expat retiree destinations, like Spain, weren’t quite right for them.

Instead, they sold up in the UK and moved to Hong Kong; a place that had captured their hearts years before.

Ben’s a regular columnist for Expat Focus, and he joins us in this episode to talk about how he’s settled back into expat life.

In this week's podcast, Expat Focus talks to John Siskar about his experience of teaching in Germany. Having moved from being a kindergarten teacher all the way through to secondary school, John has a wealth of experience to share! 

What can you expect as a foreign teacher working in Germany? And what do you do when your school goes bankrupt? American expat John Siskar wasn’t planning to dive into an international teaching career when he went travelling six years ago. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to later find himself with an almost empty bank account. Today on the show, John shares his insights into teaching in Germany, and explains how he navigated a really difficult situation.

What was your biggest struggle when you moved to your new country? For Melanie Aronson, an American in Sweden, it was overcoming this unexpectedly deep sense of loneliness. She felt it so strongly, she decided to make a friend-finding app called Panion to help others who were feeling the same way she was. Keep listening to hear all about Panion, and Melanie’s experiences in Sweden.

Writer and Editor Kirsten Raccuia is known for her Sand in My Curls blog, which until recently, was all about her expat life in Malaysia. We last spoke at the height of the global pandemic, when she and her husband were closing in on a decade in Penang.

Fast-forward a couple of years, and they’re in a new country, Mexico. I’m chatting with Kirsten again to find out what factors influenced their decision to move, and why Mexico? And what it was like to close the Malaysia chapter of their life abroad.

Remote working has definitely hit the mainstream … and around the world, more and more people are taking the opportunity to be ‘temporary locals.’ Combining their jobs with longer-term travel, staying in one country for a month, or a few months at a time. Longer than the typical annual holiday allowance.

But how do longer stints abroad – when you’re working – impact your tax situation? Today on the show, Oliver Heslop joins me again. He’s the owner of GETS – Global Expatriate Tax Services,based in the UK. But he works with tax experts all over the world.

He’s going to talk through some things to consider if you’re living the digital nomad life. I should point out, Oliver’s not giving any specific advice in this episode, but you can ask him directly if you have a burning question; just go to the ‘financial’ tab at expatfocus.com and then click to ‘UK tax advice.’

American Ashley Bartner can tell you all about it – and she’s going to, today on the Expat Focus Podcast.   

10 years ago, she and her husband Jason left the hustle and bustle of New York for a big old farmhouse in the beautiful Marche region of Italy. They’ve turned it into a very successful organic farm, inn and cooking school – called La Tavola Marche. But that’s not all - Ashley and Jason are also helping other expats lay the groundwork to realise their own dreams of ‘living the sweet life’ in Italy, after experiencing first-hand, the consequences of being unprepared.  

What’s your motivation for moving abroad? British expat Melanie Haynes was ready for an adventure, and it led her and her husband to move to Denmark. More than eight years later, they’re still there, living in the capital of Copenhagen. And Melanie’s blog dejligedays has become a go-to for many English-speaking expats in the city; she shares her discoveries, recommendations and gives newcomers advice for settling in. In this episode, Melanie shares her relocation story, and provides a little insight into the Danish way of life.

For a lot of us when we move abroad, the last thing we really want to think about is our tax situation; getting paperwork in order, remembering reporting dates and deadlines for a country we’re no longer living in.

It might not be exciting, but it’s necessary, and our guest in this episode is going to run through some common scenarios for UK expats.

OLIVER HESLOP is the owner of GETS – Global Expatriate Tax Services, and his company has tax specialists based in the UK, the US and Australia.

During our chat, Oliver will provide some interesting tips and examples, but it’s important to point out that what he talks about here is not meant to be specific advice – for that, you should get in touch with him or another tax advisor.

Expat Focus talks to entrepreneur Craig Carlson about moving to France and starting his diner chain, ‘Breakfast in America.’

In this episode, Expat Focus talks to Jonathan Brown – an American who is carving out a location-independent life, while basing himself in Singapore.

Jonathan originally moved to Asia to work for LinkedIn. Since then, he has published a book called The World Is Your Home, aimed at young professionals looking to take their own careers abroad. 

So what is life like as an expat in Singapore? And what sort of cultural challenges can you expect? Jonathan’s going to share his insights.

Many of us want to ditch our 9-5 life and travel the world. But finding a viable way to do that long term can be a bit of a challenge! One way that is increasing in popularity is house sitting. Vanessa Anderson is the publisher of House Sitting - the Ultimate Lifestyle Magazine.

She and her partner Ian are living that ultimate lifestyle, as nomadic expats, looking after other people's homes and pets. So how does house sitting work exactly, and how do you get started? Vanessa's going to share some tips.

Expat Focus talks to Naomi Hattaway about repatriation, and what it's like to never quite feel at home. Naomi is the brain behind the popular I Am A Triangle concept, which she explains in more detail in the podcast.

I first spoke to Max Lee just over a year ago on the show, and he was preparing to move his young family from North America to Taiwan. It was a move abroad that they’d been planning for many years, and Max intended to focus on his music career in their new country, while his wife would be remote working for a company back in the States.

One year on, I’m excited to find out where they’re at - what went to plan, and what plans changed.

Amanda Walkins talks to Expat Focus about how she came to move abroad, and how she ended up being a serial expat. Covering topics such as finance, check lists and the practical considerations necessary when changing countries, Amanda describes the joys and surprises of expat life. 

Expat Focus talks to Jasmine Turner, an American expat teacher living in South Korea, about life, culture shock, and the isolation people can experience when living abroad.

Will Hewitson, Senior Partnerships Manager at FC Exchange, talks to Expat Focus about how to get a great rate on currency transfers, and moving your money abroad with confidence.

Vickie Skorji from Tell Japan talks to Carlie about the challenges of moving abroad and their impact on mental health.

Sarah Cole from John Murray Learning talks to Expat Focus about learning foreign languages.

Rebecca Grappo from RNG International Educational Consultants talks to Expat Focus about moving abroad with children.

Bethany Tucker from PetRelocation.com talks to Expat Focus about how to move abroad with your animals.

Tom Zachystal from Individual Asset Management talks to Expat Focus about some of the financial challenges US expats should consider

Anthony Parent from IRS Medic talks to Carlie about the US tax system and how it affects expats.

Guest hosts Claudine Gindel and Anthony Parent at IRS Medic talk to Tom Zachystal, founder of Individual Asset Management and Expat Focus partner, about why US brokerage accounts of Americans abroad are being closed down.

Learn more about IRS Medic at www.irsmedic.com and follow their Parental Advisory podcast at www.parentaladvisoryshow.com. Contact Tom through his enquiry form at Expat Focus.

A topic that comes up quite often in our Facebook groups is moving abroad with children. What’s the ideal age? Especially if they're going to need to learn a new language? What about the best time of year to move? And how do you make the assimilation process, from learning new cultural norms to making new friends, as smooth and enjoyable as possible?

My guest today is someone who can speak from experience. Sharon Green is the founding editor of online publication SHE DEFINED. And in 1998, just before she turned 12, Sharon migrated with her family from Durban in South Africa to Melbourne in Australia.

Sharon’s going to share her experience of being a third culture kid, and how it has shaped her sense of belonging as an adult.

Guest host Katy Sewall from the Bittersweet Life podcast talks to her co-host Tiffany Parks in Rome about her decision to move abroad.

Casey writes part-time on a variety of topics, including his family's move and their ongoing adventures in Costa Rica, chronicled in his blog, A Dull Roar. In addition, he authors two other blogs and contributes articles to Hubpages about do-it-yourself projects, science and technology topics, amateur radio, life and humor.

British expat blogger Lindsay de Feliz talks to Expat Focus about life in the Dominican Republic, her blog yoursaucepans.blogspot.com and her upcoming book.

In this podcast we talk to expat education expert Becky Grappo about the challenges of international education and how to find the right school for your child abroad.

In this podcast we talk to Simon Hilton about foreign exchange and currency transfer issues for expats sending money abroad.

In this episode we speak to Robin Pascoe of ExpatExpert.com about the joys and challenges of expat parenting. Robin is a well known expat author who aims to help families make the most of living, working and raising children abroad. Robin's books are used by international school communities, global mobility practitioners, relocation specialists and traveling spouses worldwide and we're delighted to have her on the show!

We speak to Michael Barrett, an American expat who has settled in France and now runs the blog AmericanExpatinFrance.com to help other expats. This interview gives us a unique insight into the problems and differences between the US and France as well as the benefits of living in another culture.

In this podcast we talk to Oliver Heslop to get his expert advice on expat UK taxation matters.

We talk to expat author, blogger and Expat Focus columnist Toni Hargis about her writing career and what it takes to make a living in the world of expatriate books and blogs as a British expat living in the USA.

When American, Samaki Dorsey Schneider moved to France permanently five years ago, the last thing the 44 year-old expected was to need to take a driving test. But that’s the reality for some expats who can’t simply exchange their existing driver’s license for a French one. Keep listening to find out why this is the case, what the testing process is like in France, some of the costs involved and the road rules that might be a little different to what you’re used to.

Click here to get a quote from Cigna Healthcare for health insurance in the USA.

When you're moving abroad, one of the things at the top of your to-do list should be sorting out health insurance, especially if you're moving to a country like the USA with no universal healthcare system. 

So, where do you even start? What's the minimum essential health coverage that you should have in the States? And what does a good health insurance plan there even look like? How much will you be out of pocket for medications? What would a trip to the emergency room cost you? And what health treatments are seen as extras in the USA? To answer all these questions and more, Kate Lambon from Cigna is joining me in this episode.

Finding or creating a sense of community can be a real challenge when you live abroad. Greek American Pare Gerou is building hers from the ground up in the form of a cohousing community in southern Greece. So what is cohousing and just how ‘communal’ is it? What kinds of people would you be living with, and what if you don’t get along? Keep listening to find out in my chat with Pare about the Greek Village Cohousing project.

We also discuss Greece’s golden visa scheme, how much it costs to join a cohousing community, and what happens if one day you decide to leave.Pare, just before we kicked off this podcast, we were talking about Greece versus Portugal and why you think Greece is a bit underrated and Portugal perhaps overrated. So maybe we can start with you telling me about why you were and why you think other people should be more attracted to Greece.

It’s one thing to dream about living life in another country, but it can be quite daunting to make that dream a reality. Especially if you’re, say, a little bit older than fresh out of college.

Today’s guest, Cepee Tabibian, tried and failed a few times to move from the USA to her dream life in Spain. She finally succeeded at the age of 35, and formed the She Hit Refresh community to inspire other women aged over 30, to follow in her footsteps.

We’re going to talk through some common considerations for women when it comes to moving abroad in your 30s, what new work and visa opportunities are available for US citizens in Europe, and what Cepee sees as the 4 key elements to a successful move abroad.

Now Cepee is a fellow podcaster, so after you listen to this chat, be sure to search for her “She Hit Refresh” podcast.

The Covid pandemic has been a catalyst for change for so many of us. How are you living your life differently to before the year 2020? Husband and wife, Alex and Michelle, actually had a big move abroad in mind before the global shutdown derailed their plans. Now, they’re catching up.

They quit their jobs, sold most of their stuff and moved - with their two cats - from Texas to Rotterdam in the Netherlands on the Dutch American Friendship Treaty, or DAFT, Visa.

The couple document their lives on their YouTube channel; it’s called Buncharted. And we chat today about their experience of setting up in the Netherlands, applying for their visa - which only happens after you arrive, lifestyle differences, and what they’d leave behind if they had to pack for their move all over again.