Packing Up and Peacing Out – Details, episodes & analysis

"How could you move so far away from your family?!" If you've moved abroad, you've heard this question a million times. This week, we're answering it!

Taylor and Lili unpack the emotional reality of being thousands of miles from the people who love you most. From dealing with homesickness during holidays to managing the guilt when you miss important events, we get REAL about the challenges of being an expat daughter.

In this episode:

• Our honest strategies for combating FOMO when scrolling through hometown Instagram stories

• How to balance nurturing old friendships while building your new social circle

• The special 'Call Your Mother' segment featuring both our moms sharing their raw reactions to our moves

• Planning visits: how often, where, and making the most of limited time together

Whether you're preparing for the big move or already abroad, these insights will help you maintain the relationships that matter most—no matter how many time zones separate you.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Lili: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld⁠ 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague 

Tags: expat lifestyle, moving abroad tips, living overseas, American expats, international relocation, adapting to life abroad, expat community, making friends abroad

Visa? Check. Apartment? Check. But what about everything else that makes life worth living? In this episode, Taylor and Lili dive into the essential but often overlooked aspects of building a fulfilling expat life.

Discover how to:

• Create a thriving social calendar from scratch in a new country

• Establish a support network that feels like family

• Transform a foreign apartment into a place that truly feels like home

Taylor shares her supermarket mishaps in Prague, while Lili reveals her tried-and-true method for making friends as an American woman abroad.

Whether you've just landed or you're still in the planning phase, these practical tips will help you create not just a functional life overseas, but one that brings you genuine joy.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague 

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld 

Tags: expat lifestyle, moving abroad tips, living overseas, American expats, international relocation, adapting to life abroad, expat community, making friends abroad

Have you ever wanted to Pack Up & Peace Out? Us too.

Welcome to the first episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out! We're Taylor and Lili, two Americans who took the leap to live abroad, and we're here to help you decide if moving overseas is right for you. OR if you've already made the move, we're dishing all the tea about what it's REALLY like to build a life in another country.

In this episode:

• Our completely different journeys of moving abroad

• Taylor's real-life romance story that led her across the ocean

• Lili's "moving addiction" and her honest experience of losing a parent while living thousands of miles away

• Practical advice for Americans considering the expat life

• The emotional rollercoaster of your first year living abroad

Whether you're dreaming about moving overseas, actively planning your escape, or already navigating expat life, this podcast is your ultimate companion for the journey.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague 

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld 

So you want to move abroad but haven't gone all the way... with a visa application yet? Don't worry, the first time is always a little awkward, but we're here to help you through it!

Welcome to this week's episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out where Taylor and Lili are getting intimate with the topic everyone's curious about but afraid to ask: how to get that very first visa to live abroad. 

In this episode, we're breaking down the 5 best "starter visas" for people looking to make their first international move. From the commitment-light fling of a Working Holiday to the long-term relationship of a Partner Visa, we're covering all your options for legally shacking up in a foreign country.

You'll learn about:

• Student Visas: The classic "I'm just here to learn" approach that works in almost every country (and might lead to something more serious!)

• Working Holiday Visas: The casual summer romance of visas-  fun, exciting, but with a definite expiration date (typically for those 18-30)

• Partner Visas: When your relationship status literally determines your visa status-  Taylor shares her hilarious story of the foreign police randomly showing up to verify her relationship was "real" (awkward!)

• Digital Nomad/Freelance Visas: For the independent types who don't want to be tied down to one employer (but still need to prove you can support yourself)

• Cultural Exchange Visas: The "live with the locals" experience, perfect for au pairs and those on a budget (but expect some curfews and house rules!)

Whether you're dreaming of Prague's cobblestone streets, London's busy pubs, or a beach in Bali, this episode will help you understand which visa might be your ticket to that first international adventure. Remember, everyone was a visa virgin once, even us!

Check out this comprehensive guide to digital nomad and freelance visas in Europe: https://wherecani.live/digital-nomads-the-self-employed-and-visas-in-europe/

Going to Grad School in Europe- Simplifying the Application Process: https://www.arichwomansworld.com/blog/how-to-simplify-your-grad-school-applications-for-the-uk-amp-europe 

Working Holiday in Australia Guide: https://www.arichwomansworld.com/blog/working-holiday-visa-australia-guide 

Have you already lost your visa virginity on one of these pathways? We'd love to hear your story! Message us on Instagram to potentially be featured on a future episode.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Tags: first time visas, how to move abroad, expat visas for Americans, working holiday visa, digital nomad visa, student visa abroad, partner visa experience, cultural exchange programs, legal ways to move overseas, visa options for expats

Ever scrolled past those Instagram posts of people working poolside in Bali and wondered if it's actually achievable? This week, we're pulling back the curtain on the digital nomad lifestyle with someone who's mastered it!

Join Taylor and Lili as they interview Paige Copeland, founder of Becoming Solo and digital nomad extraordinaire. After hitting rock bottom, Paige completely transformed her life by embracing location independence—and now helps others do the same through her thriving business organizing group trips for solo travelers.

In this eye-opening conversation, you'll discover:

• The raw, unfiltered story of how Paige's lowest moment became the catalyst for her digital nomad journey

• The surprising challenges of the laptop lifestyle that Instagram doesn't show you

• How Paige turned her passion for solo travel into a successful business venture

• The practical steps to transition from a traditional career to location independence

• Why solo travel is genuinely transformative (and not just a trendy hashtag)

• Whether Paige would ever consider moving back to the UK after years of global living

Whether you're dreaming of escaping the 9-5, curious about building a location-independent business, or simply fascinated by alternative lifestyles, this episode delivers honest insights and actionable advice from someone who's living the reality—not just the highlight reel.

Follow Paige

Follow Becoming Solo

Join a Becoming Solo Trip

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star review! Your support helps more people discover our podcast.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Tags: digital nomad lifestyle, location independent work, solo travel for women, travel creator, travel entrepreneur, digital nomad income, starting travel business, remote work abroad, female digital nomads, group travel business, expat entrepreneurs

Remember that first day of kindergarten when making friends was as simple as sharing a crayon? Fast forward to moving abroad as an adult, and suddenly you're back to square one… except this time, your mom isn't there to give you a reassuring hug before she leaves!

In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out, Taylor and Lili tackle one of the biggest challenges of expat life: building meaningful friendships from scratch in a foreign country. From awkward language barriers to navigating cultural differences in social norms, we're sharing our unfiltered experiences of friend-dating abroad.

You'll hear about:

• Lili's wild story of how a potential "friend" turned into her dedicated internet troll (and the red flags she missed)

• Taylor's close call with befriending a certain type of "supporter" and Lili's similar experience

• Our honest review of expat meetups, language exchanges, apps, and sports clubs—what actually worked and what wasn’t for us

• The surprising places we found our closest friends abroad

• Timeline for turning acquaintances into genuine friends when you're starting from zero

Whether you've just landed in a new country or you're still struggling to find your people years into expat life, this episode delivers practical strategies and relatable stories to help you build the support system you need abroad.

Have your own friendship abroad story to share? DM us on Instagram @packuppeaceout we may feature it in an upcoming episode!

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Tags: making friends abroad, expat friendships, building community overseas, expat loneliness, social life abroad, American expats, friend dating, immigrant friendships, international friendships, expat social groups, overcoming loneliness abroad, friendship apps for expats

Ever dreamt of falling in love with a frenchie? Welp, what happens when the red wine and cigarettes of it all fades, and you need to do some french bureaucracy… tragique!

This episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out with Lili and Taylor is our first ever guest episode and we’re so excited to be joined by Celina of @celinaacotedeparis. Celina’s story is a whirlwind that started with a stint in Paris, a stint in London, and now living outside of Paris (where the real Parisiens live) with her logterm french partner.

Since Taylor and Lili are both in international relationships, but having very different stories, we wanted to ask Celina about her experience. We get into the first meeting and romantic story, how paperwork can get in the way, what its like having French in laws, and why in the end they are just guys. Whether you're an expat already dating internationally, dreaming of finding love abroad, or just curious about cross-cultural relationships, this episode delivers the honest conversation about dating abroad that guidebooks never mention!

Listen now for the dish on dating Europeans we all wish we'd had before moving abroad!

Follow Celina on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@celinaacotedeparis On Insta: https://www.instagram.com/celinaacotedeparis 

Her Site: https://celinatolbert.com/ 

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

"But how will you live there if you don't speak the language?!" Every expat or immigrant has heard this question… and in this episode, we're tackling it head-on!

Join Lili and Taylor as they dive into the real struggles and surprising wins of navigating life in countries where English isn't the primary language. Lili reveals her humbling experience living in Spain despite years of classroom Spanish (spoiler: she could barely order a beer), while Taylor shares her Czech Republic journey and whether learning Czech is worth the effort.

In this episode:

• The honest truth about whether you NEED to learn the local language to thrive abroad

• How language barriers impact your ability to build authentic friendships

• Our tried-and-tested language learning methods that actually work for busy adults

• The unexpected emotional impact of not understanding conversations around you

• Practical tips for surviving daily life when you're still learning (grocery shopping, doctor visits, bureaucracy)

Whether you're considering a move to a non-English speaking country or already struggling with language immersion, this episode delivers actionable strategies and real talk about what it's actually like on the ground.

Listen now for the language learning advice we wish we'd had before moving abroad!

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/ 

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld 

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Tags: language learning abroad, expat language barriers, living in non-English countries, learning Czech, Spanish for expats, language immersion, American expats in Europe, language learning apps, cultural adaptation, moving abroad, expat dating, language learning tips, immigrant problems 

"So you both have rich dads, right? That's how you paid for your lives abroad?"

Well... not exactly. In this no-filter episode, Taylor and Lili pull back the curtain on the financial realities of moving overseas.

We get into ALL the money questions you're too afraid to ask:

• The amount we each saved before making our first international moves
• The shocking truth about our monthly budgets in Prague and London (rent, groceries, social life—we share it ALL)
• Why European salaries seem so low compared to American ones (and whether you'll actually feel broke)
• How to save money after moving (yes, it's possible!)
• The long-term financial impacts of becoming an expat or immigrant that no one warns you about

If you've been wondering if moving abroad is financially realistic for your bank account, or you've already moved and want to compare your spending with other expats, this episode is your financial reality check!

No sugar daddies, no BS—just two American gals sharing the unfiltered financial tea about what it really takes to pack up and peace out.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakespragueFollow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

Tags: expat finances, cost of living abroad, moving abroad budget, expat salaries, saving money overseas, American expats, international relocation, financial planning for expats, Prague cost of living, London expat budget, immigrants