Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Expatability Chat
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moving with Teens with The Teen Confidence Coach | 21 Nov 2023 | 00:54:55 | |
Moving overseas with teens - again!
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| Expat Homesickness | 18 Oct 2023 | 00:33:27 | |
How to cope with feeling homesick as an expat Moving abroad is an exciting adventure filled with new opportunities, cultures, and experiences. An incredibly rich experience, offering opportunities to immerse yourself in a different culture, perhaps learn a new language and make new friends.
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| The Comedown and How to Get Through It | 11 Jan 2023 | 00:35:16 | |
How to cope with the comedown when you’ve moved overseas. Not long after you’ve arrived in your new country, there comes a time when it suddenly hits you – ‘Oh, is that it? Now what?’ You feel quite down and flat and wonder if you’ve made a terrible mistake. We all know that moving overseas is really exciting. It heralds great change, perhaps the hope of a better future and a better life. To most families it represents a new start in their lives both professionally and personally. But many new expats are shocked that it isn't all happy days and paradise living and begin to second guess their decision. It’s OK, this is a completely normal experience; and it can often hit harder after the holiday season, which is why I want to talk about it now. Why does this come-down happen? And what can you do to get through this feeling? Yes, through is the word I mean, because it is a transient feeling; it will pass. When it happens after you’ve moved, I call it the comedown, or the 6-month slump. And then we have the ‘expat blues’, which is a similar feeling, and is relevant to this time of year. See the links below for articles I’ve written about these. So, listen to this episode to learn coping methods, and tips to help you get through it, and once you understand why this feeling happens, you’ll be better prepared to power on through!
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| Culture Shock and the Holiday Season | 16 Nov 2022 | 00:27:23 | |
Expect the Unexpected And the reason these special, family-oriented dates feel so different and sometimes difficult is ultimately down to culture shock!
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| Expat Guilt | 19 Oct 2022 | 00:21:21 | |
Expat Guilt. The one topic guaranteed to fire some people up, the one topic that’s tormenting many of my readers, my groups, my tribe. The topic that gets the most attention, the most comments, the most bitterness, the most sadness and causes every shade of angst you can possibly imagine. Expat guilt can ruin your life overseas as you’re so busy thinking of others that you can’t truly live your own life. But you're not alone - believe me! Discover what expat guilt is about, what it’s for, how it can help you see your life choices from another’s perspective, and most importantly, how to manage these heavy feelings. Find out how to deal with your family’s feelings and how to cope with your own. I’ll give you the tools to help you escape the trap of expat guilt and move forward to a happier life abroad without neglecting your family and friends back home. Don't let expat guilt get in the way of the exciting life you deserve. You deserve to be happy in your life overseas!
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| Expats and Emergencies Back Home | 21 Sep 2022 | 00:22:41 | |
The very worst part of expat life. The Dreaded Phone Call telling you of the death of a loved one back home. And yes, this episode was prompted, and triggered, by the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 2nd, as it came less than a week after the funeral of our own family member. That Dreaded Phone Call triggers a whole heap of thoughts and emotions, that pile on quicker than your brain can process. When you're living overseas and receive that call, the world feels huge and impassable, you feel small and out of control, and helpless. There is nothing you can do right now. It's beyond overwhelming. Watching the news as Her Majesty’s children and grandchildren rushed to go to Balmoral to say their goodbyes will resonate with all, expat or not and parallels something many expats have to deal with. Most of us don’t have a private plane to hail, or a helicopter standing by. And we don’t have staff to help with the kids, or get us to the airport or anything like that. Yet, even with all that help on hand for them, and being in the same country, they still weren’t able to make it to her bedside in time. While our circumstances are wildly different, that journey is excruciating, regardless of your birth status. The journey will be burned into your memory yet blurred with pain as well. I try to share the pain with you while, as ever, giving you some tips to help lessen the load.
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| Reverse Culture Shock and The Ex-Expat Club | 17 Aug 2022 | 00:20:45 | |
Talking about reverse culture shock; the peculiar, alienating feeling you get when you move back home after living the expat life. And I do realise that I’ve not actually spoken about normal culture shock on this podcast yet (that’s a topic for the future!) but I wanted to get this one in now after the visiting home episode last month. Because a form of reverse culture shock can hit you even when you make a short visit to your home country after moving overseas. I’ll tell you what reverse culture shock is, how it shows itself and why it happens. And, of course, I’ll share tips on how to cope and work through any reverse culture shock symptoms. You’ll also learn the first rule of Ex-Expat Club… ! “So, here you are ~ Ijeoma Umebinyuo
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| Planning a Trip to Your Home Country | 20 Jul 2022 | 00:17:26 | |
Visiting your home country, maybe for the first time since you moved overseas, and how to plan it so you don’t have a nervous breakdown or fall out with everyone! For many expats this is the first opportunity you’ve had to visit your home country since the world turned upside down: since it shut down due to the COVID pandemic. Now the world is rebooting and you’re planning a visit to your home country – maybe for the first time since you moved abroad and will see your families and friends for the first time in about three years. Sharing tips for success from seasoned expats.
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| Welcome Back! A Bit About Me and Expatability | 27 Jun 2022 | 00:20:34 | |
Starting season 2 of the Expatability Chat Podcast with an episode all about me! Giving you a little insight into me, my life and what I do. Plus an explanation of what Expatability is, what that word actually means. Yes, I should have explained all that when I first started my expat podcast back in 2020 but I forgot! I also explain why I use the word ‘expat’ when it still upsets a lot of people – it will make sense when you listen, I promise. And I reveal a couple of case studies that give you an idea of why I do what I do – which is, of course, supporting expat parents with their move and life overseas. I’m here to help you live the expat life you dream about and deserve, with practical and sensible advice and information. Along with some sugar-free tips, no BS tips and tricks to help you on your way. If you’re planning a move abroad, or if you’re already living your expat life, or even if you’re planning a move back home, you’ve come to the right place! I offer you experienced insight, advice, and information so you and your kids can live your expat experience to the full. There are so many layers to this expat life that you need to know about, but often you don’t know what you need to know! And that’s what I aim to help you with. Knowledge is power!
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| Moving Abroad with Teenagers | 12 Apr 2021 | 00:30:14 | |
How to help your expat teen cope with moving Learn why moving is hard for teens and how what age you move for the first time makes such a difference. Discover what Expat Child Syndrome is, what to be aware of and how to prevent and manage it. Plus an insight into my views on the whole 'kids are resilient' belief.
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| How to Prepare Kids for Moving Overseas | 29 Mar 2021 | 00:30:41 | |
For very young children, moving house can be very hard indeed. They have become accustomed to their home, their room, their friends and their routines and to leave all this can throw them into confusion. The world of a child is unexpectedly complex and the things they worry about are not always the things we might expect. Added to this, their understanding of time, distance and space is very limited, so the concept of moving to a new home, in another part of the world, for a defined period, can be totally alien. By being aware of this, you will be able to help them understand it all a little better.
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| When is the Best Time to Move Abroad with Kids? | 15 Mar 2021 | 00:32:52 | |
Moving abroad with children; what to expect, how to prepare them and how to support them. This episode will be the start of a kind of series about this very topic: how to help your children have a smooth move into expat life. We all want the best for our children, and we all want them to experience the easiest possible transition, so in this episode I’ll start by sharing just a few of the amazing benefits your expat child can gain. You’re setting your child up to become a well-rounded, globally relevant and internationally aware adult. Then I’ll talk about timing: what is the best age to make the move abroad with your children? Is there a ‘best age’? And I’ll explain how different age groups cope and adapt. And also, the time of year can have an effect on how swiftly your child will adapt to their new expat life, so that’s something to consider too.
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| Expats and emotional overwhelm: when everything just gets too much. | 13 Sep 2023 | 00:24:13 | |
Expats and emotional overwhelm: when everything just gets too much. Emotional overwhelm that catches us at times regardless of where you are on your expat journey, whether this is your first move, or your 21st . Emotional overwhelm can hit anyone, at any time, in any place, and wherever you are in your expat journey. It can also be particularly strong at the start of a new school year as you work out new routines, timetables, expectations and challenges. When you just curl up into a ball and hide for a while but you can’t, because suddenly you have to do the school run again. When you’ve discovered school finishes at midday on Wednesdays, yet it takes you an hour to do the school run, so what’s the point of going back home… When your kids are having upsets, meltdowns, tantrums at least once a day and you feel like joining them. When you’re frustrated that your life isn’t the Insta-perfect expat dream you expected, when you’re missing the easiness of home. Discover what causes emotional overwhelm, how it can affect you, and most importantly, how to manage it to reclaim your brain and happiness.
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| Living With Uncertainty | 01 Mar 2021 | 00:29:48 | |
Live and Thrive in These Uncertain Times Not only are we dealing with ‘unprecedented’ times, we are also dealing with a huge amount of uncertainty on a daily basis. Uncertainty about the future is normal; we cannot see what is likely to happen in our lives. These days, however, we are also living with uncertainty about the present, which causes all kinds of horrible feelings and emotions. Things change so quickly that it’s all very unsettling. When you’re planning a move abroad, or potentially moving anywhere, this uncertainty is even more a feature of your life: expat life comes with uncertainty attached. Maybe the company says you might be posted overseas… but they don’t know for sure. Or you will be posted overseas… but you don’t know when. Or you don’t know how long the posting will last… Will you move on? When and where? And all the other questions that come with moving abroad – schooling, housing, etc etc. And now, of course, will you even be able to fly to that country? Will you have to produce some kind of proof of vaccination paperwork? Will you have to quarantine? Will there be another outbreak that shuts borders again? Find out what uncertainty I’m personally facing in this episode and learn some tips to cope so you can find a little peace too.
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| It's The Final Countdown (to Packing Day) | 15 Feb 2021 | 00:25:23 | |
Packing Day! It’s the final countdown. Starting from about 3 weeks before Packing Day with advice, hints and tips on what needs doing now. Including a few items to make sure you get now. Then some experienced tips on how to make Packing Day run smoothly for both you and your packing crew. Plus how to cope with the big day itself. Once that’s done, the hardest part is over, and you’re on you first leg of the journey to your new, expat life.
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| Paperwork and The In-Home Survey | 01 Feb 2021 | 00:24:47 | |
Sorting out Your Paperwork and What to Note During Your In-Home Survey Two distinct but connected topics as your path towards Packing Day is one way; and it’s coming up soon. You may be a supremely organised person who deals promptly and efficiently with all your paperwork as soon as you have some. Or you may be like me; stuffing it randomly into a drawer to file another day… most likely, that ‘another day’ is when you next have to move house… The first part of this episode is all about organising your paperwork for disorganised people! In the second part of this episode, I’ll take you through step by step, what happens with your in-home survey: when the removal company’s assessor comes to take stock of what you’ll be shipping. Lots of useful hints and tips for those of you who don’t move overseas with just two suitcases!
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| Clearing the Clutter | 18 Jan 2021 | 00:29:11 | |
Decluttering Before a Move Overseas Start as soon as you know you’re moving abroad. Whether that’s two years in advance or two months. Getting started is often the hardest part. With tips, tricks and advice from someone who hates decluttering, but has had to do it often! Find out how to declutter with kids around, discover logical methods to make this necessary task easier and learn my one key mantra to help you make tough decisions. Even if you’re not moving overseas, having an occasional clear out of the clutter really does help clear some mental space too.
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| Happy New Year! | 04 Jan 2021 | 00:25:48 | |
Happy New Year!
A brief look back at 2020 and a couple of things I learned about myself. Also, an introduction to something I call The Expat Blues, which can hit many of us – expat or not, to be frank, around this time of year. A melancholia about the end of the holiday season. I’ll give you a couple of tips on how to shake off this rather flat feeling. You may also feel a need; a somewhat self-imposed pressure, to make the ubiquitous New Year’s Resolutions. I say don’t make resolutions! Make plans and set goals instead, which have a much better success rate. And I’ll share my top 10 goal setting tips to ensure success in a world then making plans seems a risky business. Let's do our best to make 2021 as successful as possible for each of us!
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| An Expat Christmas | 07 Dec 2020 | 00:19:05 | |
Well, it’s December. What a year this has been. And there is no denying that it’s been probably the most difficult year most of us have ever experienced. Christmas overseas in general is a bit weird if you’ve spent most of your previous Christmases in your home country. And this is often a difficult period for expats, due to expectations from our families in our home country and the pressure we put on ourselves to try to make everyone happy. We often place a lot of significance on this festival as it may be the main, or only, option for us to all to get together in one place again. This year, we may not be getting the Christmas we hoped for, but there are still many opportunities to make this a memorable season for all the right reasons.
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| Finding your New Home Overseas | 30 Nov 2020 | 00:21:27 | |
Tips for finding your ideal home overseas Something I’d highly recommend is to move into somewhere temporarily. It’s a great way to trial run the neighbourhood you are considering. Spend a few weeks or months getting settled into the country and the lay of the land and work out where and how you want to live. If you’re prepared to live out of boxes for a while, then you can take your time to find the perfect home with some detailed local research. It’s not just about choosing the right property, it’s about choosing the right area. Yes, location, location, location!
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| Know Before You Go - The Legal Stuff | 16 Nov 2020 | 00:28:27 | |
Some of the legal aspects of moving and living overseas.
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| How to Choose a School Overseas | 02 Nov 2020 | 00:37:47 | |
An overview of the main types of expat education options available and how to choose the right one for your child. Tips and advice on what to keep in mind when choosing a school abroad. Do you choose a local school or an international school? Home education or virtual school? How to find a school for your SEN child and more! Sometimes parents put too much emphasis on trying to find a ‘good’ school. This is very hard to judge as a parent as it depends on the curriculum, the teachers and differs from class to class and from child to child, even within the same family. Each child is different; each country’s school system is different. Also, families differ in their requirements and wishes and even relocations vary greatly. Make choices for your child and your family. Not necessarily the school ‘everyone else’ sends their children to. What is more important is that your child is happy there; a happy child learns, regardless of the school’s reputation.
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| Choosing a removal company for your move overseas | 26 Oct 2020 | 00:25:15 | |
Choosing a removal company for your move overseas How do you find the best international removal companies? How much is a removal company? How do you know you are choosing a reputable firm? Start looking early! Plan a long way ahead because there is a lot involved. And don’t go for the cheapest option. There’s more to this big move than price. Tips on the extras to look out for, so you’re not taken by surprise later on. You've got an awful lot on right now, and moving house is one of the most stressful times in the person's life. Make sure you choose an international removal company that can help remove as much of the stress as possible.
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| How to Expat! | 16 Aug 2023 | 00:35:10 | |
So, you want to move abroad?
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| The Proactive Expat Partner | 19 Oct 2020 | 00:27:23 | |
Why being proactive is important for the accompanying expat partner Don't live as a shadow in somebody else’s life. Live your own life; one that feels right to you. As an expat partner, the emphasis is on you being proactive. Why? Because all the people you’re (hopefully) meeting will probably already have established lives. They aren’t waiting for you to slot into their lives, so you must be the proactive one; to go out there and make friends and create your life. You simply can’t just rely on other people to make the effort, including your partner, to be the ones to ensure your happiness. In this episode, I want to take a look at ways you can reclaim your identity and making your expat life your own; to enjoy where you are and, basically, to make the best of it! Many accompanying expat partners say that as soon as they take complete ownership for their own happiness and stop relying on each other that they really start to be happy. Your life starts when you make it happen.
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| The Expat Partner's Identity | 12 Oct 2020 | 00:26:48 | |
Why being the expat partner makes such a difference and what extra challenges the accompanying expat partner faces. To start with, we get labelled as ‘the trailing spouse’… We don’t like that. Our identity is immediately stripped from us and we are given a demeaning and disempowering label. We are so much more than a label. However, some communities consider the label itself to be the sole cause of an expat partner’s dissatisfaction and spend hours choosing alternatives which simply compounds the issue. Because this means the actual issues are being brushed under the carpet and ignored. Deflecting away from solving the problem by focusing on the wrong thing altogether. Our lost confidence and ultimately potential mental health issues aren’t caused by a label used by companies or individuals. Potential problems in self-identity and general upheaval and expat life are caused by a lack of genuine and experienced support. In this episode I dive into self-confidence issues, self-identity and dependence; working through to discover how to retrieve your self-confidence, find yourself, reclaim your identity, and protect your independence. Many expat partners say that as soon as they take complete ownership for their own happiness and stop relying on each other that they really start to be happy.
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| Expat Mental Health | 05 Oct 2020 | 00:26:09 | |
Expats are at double the risk of mental health conditions compared to people who never move abroad. And over half of those who are unhappy living abroad say that not having a personal support network in the host country contributes to their unhappiness. We have great hopes for our new expat life, but reality often lets us down. We realise that expat life is not the Instaperfect dream we expected and this can hurt. Expat life is an emotional rollercoaster. Many say it, many agree – you have ups and downs. It’s when the ups disappear and the downs dip further and stay down that we need to get support and help. Nobody expects to experience mental health problems, and nobody can predict how you will cope with your new life, however resilient you think you may be. Being properly and realistically prepared for your new life abroad makes it easier to manage your expectations and hopefully prevent some of negative experiences you may encounter.
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| Plan Your Packing | 28 Sep 2020 | 00:24:09 | |
How to organise your packing and shipments efficiently An overview of how to organise your possessions into the different transportation options you have for your move overseas. Tips on what to pack into shipping containers, air freight, luggage and carry-on. Plus information about taking your vehicle overseas.
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| Nailing Your 'Look-See' Trip | 21 Sep 2020 | 00:18:39 | |
How to make the most of your look-see trip The "Look-See" Trip is an exploratory visit to the country you’re moving to - an exploratory visit or a pre-location visit. It is important to make sure that your look-see trip is planned efficiently so you can get as much done as possible on the visit There’s a lot to achieve in a relatively small period of time, so I hope this guide will help you to make a fool-proof plan. Hopefully, you'll come away from the "Look-See" trip armed with valuable insight into your soon-to-be-life, schools, and neighbourhoods.
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| Decision Fatigue and Expats | 14 Sep 2020 | 00:23:03 | |
Decision, Decisions, Decisions! All this decision-making pressure can become too much, particularly when we are moving overseas and there are so many unknowns to factor in. We make between 1000-5000 decisions every single, normal day. Which is why making extra, life-changing choices on top of leads to O.M.G ARRRGH! Or, to give it an official name, decision fatigue. It’s a form of mental exhaustion and ultimately causes you to either stop making decisions or making poor choices. Making good decisions is something that can be lost in the mix of overthinking and over analysing: you get into a state of ‘Can’t see the wood for the trees’ – you’re looking at the tiny details instead of the big picture. Are you confident in your decision-making skills? Or would you like a little help from someone who’s been there and done that – several times? Someone who can help you see the big picture and help you cut through the wood so you can see the trees? If you need someone neutral to chat it all over with, in complete confidence. I’m here for you! Let me help lighten your mental load. I can help you discover everything you need to make the best decision for you and your family. While I can’t make your decisions for you, I can offer honest advice, experience-based suggestions, recommendations, tools and tips to lighten your mental and emotional load. I’m dedicated to helping you simplify your expat decision-making process, so you have clarity and confidence in the major life choices you’re making. Get in touch today!
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| Researching Your New Life Overseas | 07 Sep 2020 | 00:29:02 | |
How to research effectively I expect the first thing you did as soon as you heard you may be moving overseas was to start researching your potential destination. Sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people make assumptions about a country and don’t bother to research it. People who make the most successful transition abroad are those who are fully prepared and have done their research. You need to work out if a country will be a good fit for all members of your family. It’s hard to gauge what it will be like based on other people’s perspective, which is what you’ll find when you search; someone else’s view of a place may differ wildly from yours. Researching the rules and regulations, visas, work permits, culture and customs, geographical information, climate etc is one thing, you need to stick to the facts and note what is relevant to you. When it comes to finding out if that destination will suit you and your family, you need to be more circumspect and open minded.
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| What to Expect When You're Expatting | 31 Aug 2020 | 00:28:37 | |
What to expect when you’re expatting. And why preparation is SO important to prevent the possibility of ‘expat failure’, ie returning home sooner than expected. There’s obviously a lot more to this topic than I’ve covered in this episode, however, any information is better than no information in this subject! Being properly prepared for expat life, and going into it with an open mind, managed expectations and reining in your assumptions will give you a really good basis for making your expat life a fabulous and successful one. Looking at a few reasons people move overseas, and a few key reasons expat life may not work out for some. Knowing about these in advance helps you prepare and be aware. I’ll share some tips for success, to help you positively prepare.
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| Overcome Overwhelm | 24 Aug 2020 | 00:26:28 | |
Overwhelm - that paralysing feeling you get when you look at the huge amount of stuff you need to do before you move and have the pressure to get it all finished in time. Being overwhelmed and exhausted leads to poor decision-making. You have too many decisions to make, and a finite time in which to make them, and that can cause ‘decision fatigue’. Overwhelm is an emotion caused by feeling out of control and unable to manage your circumstances. I can help you manage all of this. In this episode, I share my insight, tools and tips to help you overcome overwhelm so that your preparation is a stress free as possible.
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| Happy kids = happy mum! | 17 Aug 2020 | 00:15:15 | |
Just a quick episode today – all about how to settle your kids quickly into their new home overseas and how to recognise culture shock in children. There’s a saying that “a happy mother means happy children”, and that is true. However, when you first arrive in a new house, it’s much easier for mother to be happy if the kids aren’t playing up. On the whole, most children are more resilient to change than adults. However, culture shock can strike children in its own special way. The more you prepare for the change in life, the better your child – and you – will adapt! Moving overseas and potential confusion and culture shock can be challenging for both parent and child. Study up in advance, do your best to find a new community and keep an open mind about the new place. Before you know it, it will feel like home.
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| Stuck Parents - and What to Know Before You Go | 12 Jul 2023 | 00:33:06 | |
“I had to leave my baby in Dubai and return to the UK” If you move overseas with your child, then spilt up with your partner, you may not be allowed to return home with your child. Immigration laws may also forbid you from staying in that country. You are stuck between a rock and a hard place. There is no happy ending. Find out what a stuck parent is, how you can get help if this is you, and how GlobalARRK are working to get the law changed so that abusive and coercive controlling relationships overseas don't damage even more families and children. Please sign & share this petition to be a part of the change needed to ensure survivors reach safety and justice with their children after an abusive relationship abroad https://change.org/protecthaguevictims
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| Moving overseas with pets | 10 Aug 2020 | 00:22:34 | |
How to move overseas with your pets Moving abroad with pets can be done; it’s not really difficult, but you need to think this through this very carefully for both you, your family and your pets’ well-being. Pet relocation is not a cheap undertaking, and the paperwork can be an absolute nightmare. And it’s not something that can be planned at the last minute. Some countries have a process as long as six months in advance of the move, sometimes more if you haven’t kept up to date with certain vaccines. Moving overseas with your pets isn’t as difficult as you might think. Unless there are concrete reasons why your pet can’t move with you, it’s something you should really consider. Children who have pets settle into their new home quicker if their beloved pet comes too. It's well worth serious consideration. In this episode, I’m joined – as usual – by Sumi, my expat cat who has a lot to say on this matter!
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| First Day of School Tips | 03 Aug 2020 | 00:26:07 | |
Tips for starting a new school, returning to school after the COVID lockdown interruption and advice for helping your child start school after home education.
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| Arriving Well | 27 Jul 2020 | 00:22:17 | |
The key to success from the start of your expat life is to prepare before you leave your current home. With insider tips on what to pack in your suitcases to make sure your entire family settle quickly to expert advice on what to do in the first day or so after arriving at your destination. The tips and tricks in this episode will ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running in your new home country, and help you and your family’s smooth transition to expat life.
For more detail and lists to download, check out these links:
Hand Luggage Packing Lists
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| Expats and Isolation | 20 Jul 2020 | 00:22:57 | |
This episode is dedicated to everyone who is feeling isolated right now – expat or not. I’ve been hearing from many expats recently that this topic - isolation - is particularly poignant right now. And this goes for recent repats, and non-expats too, of course. When you move overseas, you’re expecting a fabulous new life. Moving overseas is exciting. It heralds great change; perhaps the hope of a better future. To most families it represents a new start in their lives both professionally and personally. But it’s quite often that you’ll hit a period of feeling isolated and lonely as hell. Of course, now, in 2020, the isolation is even more pronounced. This sense of isolation, loneliness and boredom is a common problem – even outside of COVID. Here are some tips to help...
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| Before You Say 'Yes' to a Move Overseas | 13 Jul 2020 | 00:28:51 | |
Before you say yes to a move overseas. Conversations to have with your partner before going for an international assignment. Most problems arise from assumptions and unfounded expectations. So deal with those before you agree to move. Maybe you're not completely 100% sure about this massive decision just yet. Maybe you’re not sure if expat life is right for you? Maybe you have concerns about the destination? Perhaps it’s a timing issue? Have you discussed the future? What happens once the assignment is finished, or if one of you wants to stay and the other wants to leave? There are numerous aspects of expat life that need thinking and talking about before you leap off into the wild blue yonder. Even if you're raring to go, there are still some discussions you need to have with yourself and with your partner. Even if you've said yes already, there’s still time to clear up some of the following issues.
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| Covid, Lockdown and Culture Shock | 06 Jul 2020 | 00:16:51 | |
Exploring the culture shock of COVID19, lockdown and comfort zones. Nothing could have prepared most people for the culture shock of lockdown. And yes, I do mean culture shock. Now we are moving out of lockdown. This is creating new issues, the main one of which is the matter of comfort zones. When we become anxious, we create a comfort zone. During lockdown, this comfort zone was forced upon us and now lockdown is easing, it's becoming hard to move out of our bubble.
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| Repatriation Blues | 29 Jun 2020 | 00:37:02 | |
“Every goodbye calls for preparation, but most times, life takes us by surprise.” So, this first Expatability Chat episode is all about repatriating and therefore, I'm starting at the end of expat life! Lots of sympathy, advice, information, and insights so you’re realistically prepared for expat, and ex-expat life.
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| Language Learning for Expats | 14 Jun 2023 | 00:32:19 | |
In this episode I dip my toes in to the world that is learning a new language. With a few quick tips on language learning for both you and your children. Even if you’re moving for just a couple of years or so, you’ll get so much more out of your stay if you can speak the lingo. I’ll share 5 reasons why an expat should learn the local language, however long you’ll be living in that country. And especially if you’re moving to an expat hub – get yourself out of the expat bubble and thrive! Also, I’ll offer you some quick tips to get you up and running. And most of what I talk about will apply to your kids as well as you. Then I move onto talking about what’s known as full immersion language learning, and the pros and cons of that... Whilst it’s generally acknowledged that full immersion into a language is the best way to become fluent, this is pretty stressful and not always possible. And I’ll share why I don’t believe that full immersion is always a good format for children and can be extremely damaging for some. Not learning the language will make your everyday expat life more stressful – like going to doctors, shopping or getting your paperwork done – simple things you’ve always taken for granted become minefields when you’re trying to navigate them in a foreign language. If you don’t speak the language, you will feel cut off from the country you live in. Remember, learning even a few words and phrases of a new language is inclusive and will open so many doors for you as well as boosting your confidence and giving you a massive sense of achievement.
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| How to Prepare for Unpacking Day | 17 May 2023 | 00:20:53 | |
How to prepare to receive your shipment – all the items that you packed into a lorry for container shipping. Or, to be more accurate, Preparing for the day all your shipped items get delivered. Because the actual unpacking takes way longer than a day… How to organise yourself before the lorry arrives so your unpacking day can go as smoothly as possible. What you need to have and do before the unpacking crew arrive. Tip: Don’t panic. And always know where your inventory is… 😉
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| From Malawi to Mannequins | 12 Apr 2023 | 00:37:42 | |
From Malawi Expat to Mannequin Lady!
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| How to Find New Friends As an Expat | 15 Mar 2023 | 00:37:02 | |
How to build an active and fulfilling social life for yourself overseas. “So, no one told you life was gonna be this way” Sometimes we can feel so lonely overseas that it causes big problems such as depression, wanting to go home and more. In fact, a lack of a support network is often cited as the number one reason for expat failure. So, let's prevent this from happening in the first place! Let's make sure that you've always got the tools to help you find your own support network, wherever you are in the world. So, how can you build an active and fulfilling social life for yourself overseas? In this episode, I’ll tell you how, and share 10 actionable tips you can use to build an active and fulfilling social life for yourself overseas. Making new friends as an adult can be challenging; making new friends as an expat doubly so, but it is definitely possible. It can take time and effort, but it's worth it. And I’ll share something really exciting to make sure that you always have your own support network with you at all times. So, whoever you are, wherever you are in the world, wherever you’ve come from, wherever you’ve been, wherever you’re going, I’ll be there for you. 🎶 Friends theme song by The Rembrandt
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| Moving Overseas for Love | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:18:58 | |
Did you move abroad for love? Long distance love stories for Valentine’s Day! Falling in love with someone while travelling or living in another country can be a magical experience. The thrill of adventure combined with the excitement of a new relationship can create memories that last a lifetime, and a relationship built on a mutual adventurous spirit. People move overseas for many, many reasons. Most move for a better life; however that may look for them. Some move abroad to study. Some move abroad to work. And sometimes those people end up falling in love – either with the country, or a person they meet there. Perhaps your partner has a career move abroad and you go with them. This is also moving for love, because you may have to sacrifice quite a bit - giving up your own career for example. This is the trailing spouse / accompanying partner story, and is mine – kind of… yes, I’ll share my own love story here too, of course! There are several variations on this theme as we’ll see in this episode of a compilation of love stories.
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