Explore every episode of the podcast She Hit Refresh | Move Abroad After 30

This special episode of the She Hit Refresh podcast dives into the world of home swapping. Host Cepee is an avid HomeExchange user with over 60 home swaps, from Madrid to Mexico!

Cepee is joined by Clémence Craig, Head of Growth for North America at HomeExchange, who provides an insider's look at how the platform works, its community-driven model, and answers to frequently asked questions. You'll also hear from two experienced Home Exchange members: Maria Nicholas, an American living in Malaga, and Shannon Acton, founder of Bargain Homes Abroad and the Armchair Expat podcast. They share their real-life experiences, favorite swap experiences, and essential tips for first-time home exchangers.

We hope you enjoy this episode!  if you're ready to give home swapping a try, head to SheHitRefresh.com/homeexchange, and you'll get some free GuestPoints. See y'all back here next season!

IN THIS VIDEO:

• The benefits of HomeExchange compared to platforms like Airbnb 

• Debunking common misconceptions and misgivings about home swapping

• The different types of exchanges, including simultaneous, non-simultaneous, and guest points

• Real-life stories and memorable swaps from experienced HomeExchange members

Watch episode 75 on YouTube

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Clémence Cragan leads North American growth at HomeExchange, making home exchange more accessible and better known across the U.S. and Canada. Originally from France, Clémence has spent the past 10 years in the United States. She’s also a mom of two young children, plus a dog and a horse! Her family uses HomeExchange for their travels, which has completely transformed the way they vacation. Clémence is a strong believer in the magic of home exchange, both personally and professionally.

Maria is an American living in Spain for 14 years, blending her love for travel with remote work. She coaches purpose-driven women seeking deeper fulfillment in life and relationships, drawing from her background as a teacher, voiceover artist, and former Hollywood actress. As a speaker, she shares insights from her unconventional path, empowering audiences to embrace their differences as a compass for life's direction. Maria's mission is to inspire others—entrepreneurs, educators, and women in transition—to trust themselves, claim their space, and pursue life with courage and intention.

Shannon is the creator of Bargain Homes Abroad, a multimedia platform that sits at the intersection of affordable European real estate and the dream of moving overseas. Through her website, podcast, newsletter, membership community, and popular Instagram account, she helps North Americans see that international living is more accessible than they think. Focused on homes with character, slow travel, and creative paths to life abroad, Shannon is planning her own move to Europe. For now, she lives in Southern California with her husband and rescue pup, Nellie.

Where to find Shannon:

• Website:bargainhomesabroad.co

• Instagram: @bargainhomesabroad

THANKS TO OUR EPISODE SPONSOR, HomeExchange!

HomeExchange is the global leader in home exchange vacations, offering authentic, sustainable, and affordable vacation opportunities for everyone. With over 220,000 members across more than 155 countries, HomeExchange makes vacations on a budget possible with a nominal annual membership fee, no hidden costs or cancellation fees, and 24/7 assistance. In 2021, HomeExchange Collection was created, an exclusive community for like-minded travelers to meet, share, and exchange their luxury homes.

HomeExchange is a Certified B Corporation, part of a global community of businesses that meet and commit to high standards of social and environmental impact. With teams in France, Croatia, Spain, and the United States, travelers can browse their entire collection of homes and schedule their home exchange at homeexchange.com

Thea Duncan is the founder of Doing Italy, a company that helps people purchase property in Italy. She helps people gain the knowledge they need to move to Italy with ease, while avoiding the pitfalls that can affect expats when moving abroad.

Thea shares her personal story of navigating Italy's evolving landscape for foreigners. She discusses everything from securing visas and building a career in Italy's unique job market, and the things that she loves most about Italy.

Born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Miami, Thea traveled the globe until Italy captured her heart in 2002. She earned her master’s degree at Bocconi University in Milan, and later worked with some of Italy’s storied fashion and design houses, including Gucci and Luxottica. Some 20 years after her first trip to Italy, Thea lives in Milan with her husband, Diego, and their adorable son, Lorenzo.

In this episode:

• How Thea's initial trip in 2002 sparked her two-decade journey to living in Italy

• Visa options for moving to Italy, including the student, elective residency, and digital nomad visas

• Recent changes to Italian citizenship by ancestry

• The realities of the Italian job market and why many expats choose entrepreneurship

• What to expect when buying a one-euro home in Italy

Watch episode 74 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, ⁠International Living⁠!

For the past three and a half years, Marla (53) has called Valencia, Spain, her home. In this episode, Marla gives us an in-depth look at how a rare cancer diagnosis a few months after moving to Spain changed the direction that she thought her “refresh” would take.

Along with immersing herself in Spanish culture, Marla is working on her memoir about overcoming adversity with grace and humor. She’s traveled to 40 countries and lived in various parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. She has been a professional fundraiser, event planner, freelance writer, and teacher of English as a Second Language. 

Marla has been a part of the She Hit Refresh community since 2018. She first appeared on the podcast in 2022 and shared how she's navigated some of the many curveballs thrown her way. 

In this episode:

• Marla's experience receiving a rare cancer diagnosis just months after moving to Spain
• Navigating the Spanish public healthcare system with a chronic illness
• Parallels between facing a health crisis and moving abroad
• How living in Spain has impacted her health
• Advice for women considering moving abroad, especially those with a chronic illness

Listen to our previous episode with Marla: Finding Opportunity in Adversity with Marla Stein | Ep 41

⁠Watch episode 73 on YouTube⁠

Thank you to our season sponsor, ⁠International Living⁠!

Kathleen O’Donnell is a freelance writer and former digital nomad who has lived in Greece full-time since 2022. Athens, with all its chaotic charm, has become Kathleen’s home, and her love for the country keeps getting stronger. 

Kathleen started her writing business, secured a residency visa in Greece, and has grown her business into a sustainable and successful company. 

In this episode:

• How Kathleen transitioned from a corporate job in Boston to freelancing in Greece
• Requirements for the Greek digital nomad visa and residency permit
• Why Athens is an amazing city — but not for everyone
• How Kathleen built a successful freelance writing business
• Greek bureaucracy and living with uncertainty
• Advice for women over 30 who dream of moving abroad but feel scared

Where to find Kathleen:

• Substack: American Girl in Greece
• Travel blog: mylonesomeroads.com
• Greek nomad visa/permit process
• LinkedIn

Watch episode 72 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, ⁠International Living⁠!

Jacinda Fuller is an international educator and aspiring freelancer who’s passionate about living life abroad. After spending three lovely years in Spain, she knew that living abroad was meant for her. Now based in Guatemala, Jacinda is enjoying the warm hospitality and Latin American culture. 

Cepee catches up with Jacinda, who speaks about why she left Spain, her temporary return to the US, and the teaching opportunity that led her to Central America.

This conversation isn't just about changing countries; it's about Jacinda's journey of resilience, adapting to bureaucracy and cultural differences, and her plans to keep evolving her career as a long-term expat.

In this episode:

• Why Jacinda returned to the US after three years as a language assistant in Spain

• How Jacinda found a teaching job at an international school in Guatemala

• Her favorite things about Spain and her new home of Guatemala

• Advice on overcoming challenges and fears when moving abroad

About Jacinda:

In her free time, she enjoys baking, exploring nature, and spending time with friends. Still figuring things out, always open to new experiences, and excited for whatever comes next.

Connect with Jacinda on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jacinda.fuller.9

Mentioned in this episode:

• Creating the Change You Want to See in Your Life with Jacinda Fuller | Ep 46 

• Amisa (American International Schools in the Americas)

Watch episode 71 on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsor, INTERNATIONAL LIVING!

In 2021, at 36 years old, Mary Alice took a bold leap… leaving behind her life in Philadelphia to start fresh in France, sight unseen!

With her husband and young daughter, she moved to Montpellier on France’s profession libérale visa—the country’s self-employment visa—and has been building a new, more intentional life ever since.

Tune in to hear how she made it happen and what life looks like now on the other side of her dream.

In this episode:

• Why Mary Alice and her husband decided to move to Montpellier

• The steps she took to secure France’s profession libérale visa

• Advice on how to get letters of intent from potential French clients

• Mary Alice's experience adapting her business to her new lifestyle in France

• French taxes / social charges and benefits for self-employed individuals

• Detaching from American productivity culture and embracing a slower life

Mentioned in this episode:

• Profession libérale visa

• Foolproof French Visas
• Connect with Mary Alice

• Taking the Leap: How Patricia Built a Business in France After 50 | Ep 65

Watch episode 70 on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsor, International Living!

A favorite guest, Lori L. Tharps, returns for her third appearance on the podcast. Lori is an award-winning author, journalist, and founder of the Reed, Write and Create Sanctuary.

She updates us four years after her move from the U.S. to Spain. She talks about her life as an expat in Malaga, how her children have adjusted to life and school in Spain, and how her career has evolved.

Lori shares the joys and challenges of building a life abroad, including manifesting her dream creative career, and needing to support her aging parents from afar. Lori initially joined us nine days before her move (Ep39, re-released this season) and again six months later (Ep40). 

In this episode:

• Lori’s life and academic career in the US before moving to Spain

• Lori's biggest surprises about living in Spain

• Practical reasons behind Lori's decision to move to Spain with her family

• How Lori's two children have adjusted to life and schooling in Spain and Europe

• Ongoing challenges of supporting aging parents from abroad

• How Lori manifested her dream creative life

About Lori:

A prolific author, journalist, and award-winning podcast host, Lori L. Tharps is the founder of Reed, Write, & Create, which supports and celebrates BIPoC stories and storytellers. Lori works with clients as a writing coach, literary activist, and consultant on book-related projects, book tours, and literary events.

Before moving to Europe in 2021, Lori spent nearly 15 years as a tenured professor at Temple University teaching journalism, creative writing, magazine writing, and editing, as well as classes on race and the media.

Where to find Lori:

• ReedWriteandCreate.com
• YouTube: youtube.com/@LiteraryLori
• Instagram: @reedwriteandcre8/
• Reed, Write and Create podcast

Listen to previous episodes with Lori:

• From Philly To Malaga: One Woman's Pre-Move Adventure of Relocating a Family of 4 to Spain (REPOST of Part 1)
• From Philly To Malaga: One Woman's Pre-Move Adventure of Relocating a Family of 4 to Spain (Part 2)

Watch episode 69 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, INTERNATIONAL LIVING.

Are you an artist dreaming of a creative life abroad? Well, consider moving to Berlin, which offers artists the opportunity to live in Germany on a freelance artist visa! Carly, a holistic health coach, DJ, and storyteller, shares her path to getting a freelance visa in Germany as an artist juggling multiple creative pursuits.

If you’re a creative who doesn’t qualify for a traditional work visa or a digital nomad visa, then this visa might be for you!

Carly breaks down the process and requirements for obtaining a freelance visa in Berlin, including language requirements, resources to support you, and steps to German citizenship. She also talks about her unexpected loneliness, culture shock, and living costs in this vibrant city. 

If you’re considering moving to Berlin to continue your artistic career, Carly’s honest advice will give you essential information to get you started on the path to residency.

In this episode:

• The process for obtaining a freelance artist visa

• Unexpected challenges of culture shock as an American living in Germany

• How Carly pursues multiple creative careers

• Language learning visa as an alternative to the freelancer visa

About Carly

Carly is a multi-disciplined artist, coach, and creator devoted to inspiring greater freedom, connection, and vitality in every area of life. Through her work as a holistic health coach, DJ, and storyteller, she empowers others to nourish their bodies, express their creativity, and live with authenticity and joy. Guided by the belief that true well-being arises from the harmony of mind, body, and spirit, Carly weaves together wellness, music, and community-building as pathways to deeper connection—with ourselves and with each other.

Find Carly on Instagram

@‌CarlyPFeldman

@‌karli.musik

Watch episode 68 on YouTube

Find more resources at shehitrefresh.com/ep68/

Season 5 of the She Hit Refresh podcast is sponsored by International Living.

Cheryl is a seasoned entrepreneur who built a multi-million dollar business over 32 years. Meanwhile, she traveled to seven continents and over 40 countries. In 2023, she made her dream of living abroad a reality, relocating to Tirana, Albania, after selling and donating most of her belongings. Currently on sabbatical, Cheryl is embracing this next chapter with curiosity and joy.

Learn what surprised her most about Albanian culture, and how she’s building community in her new home city. If you feel that moving abroad is too expensive, too complicated, or that you've waited too long, Cheryl's story will give you hope!

In this episode:

• Cheryl’s “good enough” life before making the move abroad

• Her method of downsizing and the emotional challenges of moving abroad

• Some of the pros and cons of living in Albania

• What Cheryl loves most about living in Tirana

• Why taking a scouting trip to Albania is an essential step

Watch episode 67 on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsor, International Living

Are you a nurse in the US dreaming of living and working abroad, but don’t know how? Meet Sophie Blake, a NICU travel nurse who went from travel nursing in the US to working as a nurse in the UK.

Sophie shares her experience obtaining a UK skilled worker visa, the licensing process, and the unexpected differences in her daily nursing duties while working in a private hospital in London.

If you're a nurse who wants to move abroad, this episode outlines a pathway and the practical steps to working as a nurse in the United Kingdom.

In this episode:

• How Sophie got a visa to work as a nurse in the UK
• Recruiting agencies that place US nurses in the UK
• Differences in nursing duties in the UK vs the US
• Overall experience of working as a nurse and living in London

Where to find Sophie:

• The Traveling Sopha
• Instagram: @‌TheTravelingSopha

Mentioned in this episode:

• Continental Nurses
• Reachout Medical
• Anywayward

Watch episode 66 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, International Living!

At 51, Patricia Brooks traded her corporate paycheck for life in a small town in southern France. A seasoned problem-solver with many years of experience as project manager and a certified coach, Patricia started a business, The Courage Catalyst.

Passionate about instilling confidence and courage in others, Patricia now empowers women to confidently pursue their dreams of living abroad.

Patricia discusses pathways for long-term stays and entrepreneurship in France. And she confirms that knowing your core motivation ("your why") is essential for navigating the challenges that come with moving abroad.

Her story and expert guidance offer real encouragement for anyone dreaming of an international adventure, proving it's not too late to create a life you love in a new country.

In this episode:

• Patricia's unexpected desire to learn French and decision to move to France

• Anxieties around leaving a corporate paycheck and the importance of running the numbers

• France’s long-stay visitor visa and the profession libérale (freelancer) visa

• Creating her business, The Courage Catalyst, to help other women move abroad

• The importance of knowing your "why" for moving abroad

Where to find Patricia:

• TheCourageCatalyst.com

• YouTube: @PatriciaBrooksCourageCatalyst

• Instagram: @thecouragecatalyst⁠

• Facebook: The Courage Catalyst

Resources:

• France’s Long Stay Visa

• France’s profession libérale visa

Watch episode 65 on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsor, International Living.

As founder of Digital Nomad Kit and creator of the Virtual Excellence Academy, Hannah Dixon has empowered over 37,000 freelancers worldwide. Hannah is known for creating inclusive communities that inspire belonging and well-being while empowering learners to build thriving independent businesses.

Hannah discusses why being a virtual assistant (VA) is a good career option. She shares her insights on staying motivated, trying to avoid burnout, and what it takes to be a successful VA, as well as her project to support and connect remote workers who are LGBTQIA+. 

In this episode:

• Hannah's journey to becoming a pioneer in the location-independent lifestyle.

• The definition of virtual assistance and the work of Digital Nomad Kit

• Hannah’s free 5-Day VA Challenge and its potential to launch remote careers

• The benefits of freelancing and becoming a VA over traditional full-time employment

• Rainbow Remote community for LGBTQIA+ remote workers

• Hannah's future plans and dream projects

Connect with Hannah:

• Free 5-Day VA Challenge

• Virtual Excellence Academy

• Rainbow Remote

• Hannah’s newsletter

Previous episodes with Hannah:

• Feel It to Heal It: Hitting Rock Bottom & Rising Above with Hannah Dixon| Ep 34 (from 2021)

• How to Become a VA: Hannah Dixon, Digital Nomad Kit | Ep 8 (from 2019)  

Move Abroad After 30 Masterclass

This four-day live training covers the essential steps to moving abroad, from visa options to mindset work. Join the waitlist for the next masterclass at shehitrefresh.com/masterclass.

Watch episode 64 on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsor, ⁠International Living⁠!

This episode from the archive features author and She Hit Refresh member Lori Tharps just before her 2021 move from the U.S. to Spain with her husband and two children. At that time, Lori was just 9 days away from hopping on a plane and making her life abroad dream with her family a reality! 

Lori gives us an insight into those final days of closing up shop on your life in one country and prepping for a big move with your family to another continent. 

And we’ll be posting an episode this season where we’ll catch up with Lori to see how it’s going now that she’s settled into her life in Spain.

In this episode:

• How Lori's love affair with Spain started

• Why she’s moving to Spain at age 49

• Why she left her tenured faculty position

• How her kids feel about moving abroad

• How Lori and her husband will support themselves abroad

• Her experience as a Black woman in Spain

• What the last 9 days of her life in the U.S. were like

About Lori

Lori L. Tharps is an author, journalist, educator, and podcast host who uses her words to spark conversation and change around issues of race and diversity. 

She is the author of the book, Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America and a memoir, Kinky Gazpacho: Life, Love & Spain, and she has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Essence, and Glamour. Lori is the mother of three, can say “I love you” in seven languages, and considers any independent bookstore her happy place.

Connect with Lori:

• Website: My American Melting Pot 

• Reed, Write, and Create podcast
• Instagram: @loriltharps

Thank you to our season sponsor, ⁠⁠International Living⁠⁠!

Cepee answers move abroad questions from the November 2024 Move Abroad After 30 Masterclass, providing practical advice and personal insights to help you navigate your move abroad.

Moving abroad can be an emotional rollercoaster. But the challenges that you face can be overcome if you surround yourself with like-minded people and maintain a solutions-based mindset.

Still have questions? The April 2025 Move abroad after 30 masterclass is a great resource to get your questions answered!

In this episode:

• Do you need an immigration lawyer when applying for a visa?

• How do I figure out where to move if I'm not sure yet?

• Can I take my U.S.-based job abroad?

• What kind of healthcare can I expect abroad?

• How do I rebuild my social life abroad?

• Should I buy property abroad?

• How do I stay motivated when the move abroad feels overwhelming?

About Cepee:

Cepee Tabibian is the founder of She Hit Refresh, a global community of over 17,000 women aged 30+ who want to transform their lives by moving abroad. Her expertise and inspiring journey have been featured in top media outlets like Forbes, USA Today, The New York Times, Business Insider, CNBC Make It, and International Living. She also delivered the TEDx Talk “What immigrants can teach us about identity,” and has spoken at numerous travel and relocation events such as TBEX (Travel Blogger Exchange) and International Living’s “Ultimate Go Overseas Bootcamp.”

Born in West Virginia to an Iranian father and a Colombian mother, Cepee grew up in the diverse city of Houston, Texas, with a deep-rooted curiosity about the world. While wanderlust was always in her DNA, her journey to moving abroad wasn’t easy. After numerous failed attempts, she finally succeeded in moving to Madrid, Spain, in 2015 at age 35—a life-changing decision that inspired her to empower other women to break free from their own roadblocks and create the lives abroad they’ve always dreamed of.

Through her Facebook group, Move Abroad After 30 Masterclass, Refresher’s Lounge, YouTube channel, and podcast, Cepee equips women with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to move abroad at any age.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Move Abroad After 30 Masterclass: shehitrefresh.com/waitlist

• Hannah Dixon's 5-Day VA Challenge: shehitrefresh.com/vachallenge

• Girl Gone International: https://girlgoneinternational.com

• Internations: internations.org 
• Bright Tax: brighttax.com

Watch episode 62 on YouTube

A big thank you goes out to our season sponsor, International Living!

Cepee speaks with Denise, who moved from the US to the Netherlands in her 50s on the DAFT visa.

A certified project manager and Prosci-certified change manager, Denise is launching her management consulting business, Pastel Fire Business Consulting, while navigating life in her new home. 

Denise's story will inspire you to pursue your dreams, no matter your age!

In this episode:

• How divorce and tech layoffs led to a turning point
• The fear, excitement, and uncertainty of preparing for a move abroad
• DAFT visa requirements, benefits, and limitations
• Finding housing in the Netherlands’ competitive rental market
• Denise's advice for women in their 50s who want to move abroad

Where to find Denise:

• Pastel Fire Business Consulting
• YouTube: @TrippingtheBrightFantastic

Mentioned in this episode:

I want to take care of me: Why more American women are moving abroad for a better life (USA Today)

Watch episode 61 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, International Living!

Cait Church is a music marketing professional, full-time wanderluster, and typical Pisces. With a passion for amplifying the voices of women in country music, Cait built her career at a major record label as a marketing director and promotion director. But burnout led her to step away, and she embarked on an adult gap year, traveling across Europe with her wife and Winston, their one-eyed Chihuahua mix.

Now based in Valencia, Spain, Cait is a freelancer, working on projects that are in alignment with her lifestyle, including collaborating with She Hit Refresh and working in international marketing at an artist management company.

On weekends, you’ll find her eating tapas, taking walks along the Mediterranean, or hopping on a train to explore somewhere new.

In this episode:

• Cait’s burnout and adult gap year away from the corporate hustle

• Spain’s Golden Visa and changing visa requirements

• Why Valencia is a great fit for Cait and her wife

• Living as an LGBTQ+ couple in Spain

• How networking helped Cait transition to freelancing

• Managing long-distance relationships with friends and family

Mentioned in this episode:

• Hannah Dixon’s 5 Day VA Challenge

• Instagram: @cait.c.church

Watch episode 60 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, International Living.

Michelle Coulson is CEO and founder of Remote Rebellion, a company that teaches people how to get remote work and design their lives with freedom and flexibility. In this episode, Michelle shares actionable tips on how to get a remote job, common mistakes to avoid, and the realities of the digital nomad lifestyle. 

Originally from the UK, Michelle worked as a recruiter for seven years. During lockdown, she was required to work remotely, so she took advantage and moved from London to Bali.

Then in 2021, when the dreaded “return to office” call came, she said NO. She quit her job and set up Remote Rebellion. Since then, she’s empowered hundreds of people to get remote jobs that align with their values. 

In this episode:

• Michelle's path from a traditional job in London to working remotely in Bali

• Why Michelle founded Remote Rebellion

• Debunking misconceptions about remote work

• • Common mistakes job seekers make
  • Tips for landing remote roles

• Strategies to stand out in the competitive remote job market

• Why taking breaks and prioritizing self-care is crucial in the job search process

Connect with Michelle:

• remoterebellion.com 

• LinkedIn: Remote Rebellion

• Instagram: @remote_rebellion

Watch episode 59 on YouTube

Looking to move to Europe?

Get your copy of ⁠"I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe"⁠ at https://shehitrefresh.com/visaguide.  

Join our ⁠She Hit Refresh Facebook group⁠, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh at ⁠⁠shehitrefresh.com⁠⁠, and follow us on Instagram at ⁠@shehitrefresh⁠⁠.

The Move Abroad After 30 Masterclass is a four-day live training covering the essential steps to moving abroad, from visa options to mindset work. Join the waitlist at http://shehitrefresh.com/masterclass

Alyssa is an American writer and educator with a very low tolerance for comfort zones. Ten years ago, she took the leap of a lifetime, moving from Boston to teach at an international school in Switzerland. She currently lives in Scotland, where she recently completed her PhD. She loves being an advocate for other solo women looking to take their leap into life abroad.

Alyssa has been a finalist for the BBC's Scottish Voices talent development program, and her unpublished novel was longlisted for Helen Lederer's Comedy Women in Print Prize. In her free time, she can be found dancing (badly), doing improv, and hanging out in bookstores. 

In this episode:

• Why Alyssa left Boston to explore international opportunities

• How she found her first teaching position in Switzerland

• The timeline for international school recruitment and tips for educators

• Why she moved to Edinburgh, Scotland

• UK visa options and challenges

• How to handle doubts when making big life changes

• The value of community and support from women who have already moved abroad

Resources from this episode:

•  Search Associates

• U.K. Visas and Immigration 

•  Schrole 

Where to find Alyssa:

• Website: alyssaowrites.com
• Instagram: @‌alyssaowrites

Watch episode 58 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, International Living!

Looking to move to Europe?

Get your copy of ⁠I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe⁠. 

Join our ⁠She Hit Refresh Facebook group⁠, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh at ⁠⁠shehitrefresh.com⁠⁠, and follow us on Instagram at ⁠@shehitrefresh⁠⁠.

Join the waitlist for the Move Abroad After 30 Masterclass, a four-day live training covering the essential steps to moving abroad, from visa options to mindset work.

Nicole is a 44-year-old American who moved from California to Portugal, sight unseen, with her husband, two cats, and a dog. Before moving, Nicole was successful in convincing her employer to let her work remotely from overseas. 

Three years later, she’s happily living in Porto, learning the language, building a community, and sharing her immigrant journey on Instagram. She has no regrets about her decision to move and enjoys the slower pace of life, affordability, and safety in her new home country. 

In this episode:

• Why Nicole and her husband chose Portugal over other options

• Differences between Portugal’s D7 visa and digital nomad visa

• How Nicole made a strong case to her employer that enabled her to work remotely

• Using an EOR (employer of record) company to handle taxes and compliance

• How she found her apartment in Porto

• Challenges of making local friends and the importance of expat communities

EOR (Employer of Record) Companies:

• Deal
• Native Teams 
• Remote

Where to find Nicole:
Nicole shares her immigrant journey, and insights into what life is like in Portugal as a foreigner, on Instagram at @NicoleinPortugal.

Watch episode 57 on YouTube

Thank you to our season sponsor, ⁠ International Living⁠!

Looking to move to Europe?

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. 

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh at ⁠shehitrefresh.com⁠, and follow us on Instagram at @shehitrefresh⁠.

Move Abroad After 30 Masterclass: A four-day live training covering the essential steps to moving abroad, from visa options to mindset work. Join the waitlist at shehitrefresh.com/masterclass.

Your host, Cepee, is joined by a returning favorite, Cindy Sheahan, for an update on her incredible journey. Cindy learned about the possibility of obtaining Italian citizenship through descent, a much faster process than waiting for Portuguese citizenship. This led to a swift change of plans, packing up her life in Portugal and heading to Italy.

Cindy's story is proof that it's never too late to rewrite your story. From solo travel at 56 to now traveling extensively with a partner and a home base in Palermo, Sicily, Cindy's adventures show that it's never too late to change course!

In this episode:

• Pivoting from nomadic travel to living in Portugal to becoming an Italian citizen

• Why Italy works better for Cindy’s nomadic lifestyle 

• Overview of the process to obtain Italian citizenship through descent

• Update on her relationship with her French paraglider boyfriend

• What Cindy loves about Palermo, Sicily

About Cindy

Cindy is a world traveler, American expat, wine drinker, and rule-breaker who has spent the past 7 years exploring the planet full-time. She enjoys hiking, hostels, free walking tours, and connecting with people. Cindy hopes to encourage and inspire other women to step out of their comfort zones -- and their time zones. She writes a blog about travel hacks and solo travel to places like Turkiye, Colombia, and Sri Lanka.

At age 63, she continues her travels, heading to Vietnam and China with her French paraglider boyfriend (whom she met on Tinder in Nepal) and then to Korea on her own this spring. 

Where to find Cindy:

• Website: postsfromaflashpacker.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/postsfromaflashpacker
• Instagram: @postsfromaflashpacker

Watch episode 56 on YouTube

About Cepee

Cepee Tabibian, Founder of She Hit Refresh and a citizen of the world, was born and raised in the U.S. by a Colombian mother and Iranian father. While Houston, Texas, will always be home, she relocated to her favorite country in the world, Spain, in 2015 at 35 years young and hasn’t looked back. Her mission is simple: to inspire women to take bold steps toward the life they’ve always wanted abroad—because you're never too old and it’s never too late to hit refresh.

Looking to move to Europe?

Get your copy of “I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe” at shehitrefresh.com/visaguide.

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh at⁠ shehitrefresh.com⁠, and follow us on Instagram at ⁠@shehitrefresh⁠.

Special thanks to our sponsor, International Living, for making this season possible!

Masha is an American marketing executive from New York City. After nearly 15 years of working in advertising as a public relations specialist, community manager, social media expert and strategist, Masha decided to take a sabbatical abroad for a year with her husband and cat Trudy. 

Masha and her husband now live in Valencia, Spain, where they spend their days immersed in the culture, reading, creating art, and living life without the Sunday scaries. Masha believes that everyone should have the opportunity to take time off beyond a 2-week vacation or a work-sponsored sabbatical.

In this Episode

• Life challenges that inspired Masha and her husband to pivot

• Their planning process for moving abroad

• Why Masha and her husband chose Valencia, Spain

• The benefits of taking a break from work in your 30s

• Tips on building community and meaningful relationships 

Where to find Masha:

TikTok: @mashadanielle
Instagram: @mashadanielle

Watch episode 55 on YouTube

About Cepee

Cepee Tabibian, Founder of She Hit Refresh and a citizen of the world, was born and raised in the U.S. by a Colombian mother and Iranian father. While Houston, Texas, will always be home, she relocated to her favorite country in the world, Spain, in 2015 at 35 years young and hasn’t looked back. Her mission is simple: to inspire women to take bold steps toward the life they’ve always wanted abroad—because you're never too old and it’s never too late to hit refresh.

Looking to move to Europe?

Get your copy of “I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.”

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh at shehitrefresh.com, and follow us on Instagram at @shehitrefresh.

This episode is sponsored by International Living.

Welcome back to the She Hit Refresh podcast! Your host, Cepee, is thrilled to be back after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus. This episode is a reintroduction (or introduction!) to She Hit Refresh, explaining the break, what's been happening, and what exciting things you can expect this season.

The She Hit Refresh podcast is for women age 30 and up who want to transform their lives by moving abroad. Host Cepee sits down with women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved overseas.

About the host

Cepee Tabibian, Founder of She Hit Refresh and a citizen of the world, was born and raised in the U.S. by a Colombian mother and Iranian father. While Houston, Texas, will always be home, she relocated to her favorite country in the world, Spain, in 2015 at 35 years young and hasn’t looked back. Her mission is simple: to inspire women to take bold steps toward the life they’ve always wanted abroad—because you're never too old and it’s never too late to hit refresh.

In this episode

• What is She Hit Refresh?

• Why we paused the podcast and why we brought it back

• Our new sponsor: International Living!

• Cepee’s life updates

• How She Hit Refresh has evolved

• What’s coming to the podcast this season

Watch episode 54 on YouTube

Looking to move to Europe?

Get your copy of “I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.” Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh at shehitrefresh.com, and follow us on Instagram at @‌shehitrefresh.

A big thank you to International Living for making this season possible!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast. A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.  

This episode is a special one as it's a recap of our 2022 She Hit Refresh Mijas, Spain retreat that I hosted in April. I sit down with Astrid Provence who is an experienced global facilitator, coach, speaker, and performance artist from South Africa who joined me at the retreat to help facilitate sessions throughout the week. Come listen as we give you an insight into what the retreat is all about!

What we discuss

• The origins of the She Hit Retreat
• The purpose of the retreat
• What kinds of women attend the retreat
• Why they attend the retreat
• Where the retreat took place
• The workshops we led
• What excursions we had
• What we all did in our free time during the week
• and much more!
  

About Astrid

Astrid Provénce (She/Her) is an experienced global facilitator, coach, speaker, and performance artist from South Africa, now based in Madrid, Spain. 

She has spent over 8 years studying personal development, leadership, and spiritual principles. She has worked internationally, having developed and led workshops in over 10 countries. 

Having studied with The International Coach Federation (ICF), Landmark Worldwide, and great teachers like the late Shakti Malan at Shakti Shiva Academy and Mary Morrisey at The Brave Thinking Institute, she has honed her skills in holding groups through deep processes. 

Like many women, she grew up in a culture that did not guide, celebrate, or support her sexual development. She embarked on her own sexual awakening in her early thirties that helped her shed layers of shame and disconnection from herself. This led her on a journey to find her passion as a guide to support women in their own re-membering of their pure and empowering erotic nature. She coaches women in sensual wellness, to find their confidence from within, and live a joyful and juicy life.

Astrid is the co-founder and sensual embodiment coach at Into The Boudoir (ITB). ITB offers sensual experiences for women, workshops, and boudoir photography with a mission that all women celebrate their bodies and reclaim their innate sensual power.

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast. A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak with Siobhan Farr who is 65 years young! In early 2020, right before the pandemic, she was embarking on her solo adventure of ‘6 Countries x 6 Months’ in her 60s! She had planned to spend 3 weeks in Ecuador but due to the pandemic that turned into 13 months! She became an unIntentional Digital Nomad which led her to start Digital Nomads Beyond 50; an online community for people in their late 40s+ who are currently travel/working, planning to, or just curious.

What we discuss

• How and why she embarked on her 6 countries in 6 months at 60
• What it was like to get be in Ecuador for 13 months during the pandemic
• How she became an unintentional nomad
• How she makes a living as a digital nomad
• Her advice for women 50+ who feel like it's too late to change their life
• Her community Digital Nomads Beyond 50
• and much more!

About Siobhan

In 2019 she started selling off 30 years of her Dallas, Texas life to begin her nomad years on 4 March 2020. Siobhan was looking forward to adding new countries to the 34 she had already visited. However, the pandemic locked her in the first destination of her ‘6 Countries x 6 Months’ 2020 itinerary. Those initial three weeks in Ecuador stretched to 13 months!

As a result, Siobhan pivoted her plans to market and manage her business full-time remotely; she became an Unintentional Digital Nomad. In search of others who are older Location Independents, her personal experience growing a meet-up to 1300 members led her to become the Spark Originator of Digital Nomads Beyond 50.

DNB50 is an online community for people in their late 40s+ who currently travel/work, plan to, or are just curious about this life. She turned to her previous profession in corporate Learning & Development to organize the DNB50 Virtual Summit June 2021, 30+ topics presented by 28 experts. This June in Medellin, Colombia she’ll host the first Digital Nomad CoLiveWork specifically designed for older nomads!

Siobhan is truly a home-free Digital Nomad. She has no permanent base; her home is wherever I lay my head on the pillow that night.

September - December she's back in Dallas to work in-person Medicare and ObamaCare Annual Enrollment. The other eight months of the year, from various global locations, she serves her clients via internet.

As a multi-income steam entrepreneur, she publishes the travel blog Bronze Abroad Nomad and, via Amazon, The Ultimate Digital Nomad Travel Planner + Journal series. As a solo Digital Nomad in her 60s, and a woman of color, Siobhan want to inspire others to banish the belief that it's too late to reinvent themselves. Flip the page, the future is still unwritten!

Connect with Siobhan on her website Digital Nomads Beyond 50 and join her Facebook group.

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. 

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak with Jessica Ellerbrock who is 45 years young and originally from Ohio. Jessica moved up the ranks in retail buying working for large corporations like The Men's Warehouse and Sears but when she was unexpectedly let go after a 10 year run she not only lost her job but also her identity. So she did what any refresher would do in times of uncertainty, she hit the road to travel! Travel has taken Jessica all over the world and has led her to find her purpose and passion. Listen in as Jessica tells us how her road of refreshes led her to London where she currently works as a Sales & Operations Manager for a social enterprise that employs women in creative arts.

What we discuss

• How losing a job in corporate America led to a loss of identity
• The healing process of Walking the Camino de Santiago 
• Losing her mom at 27 to breast cancer and how (and when) she dealt with the loss
• How hitting brought awareness to her trauma and allowed her to seek help
• How a Kiva fellowship to Rwanda in microfinance set her on a whole different path
• Her subscription box Wanderkarma 
• Doing a masters at age 41 and changing careers 
• How she went to volunteer in Greece at a refugee camp and ended up getting a job in London
• How she found her passion from her refresh journey
• What helped keep her moving forward during the uncertainty
• and more!
  

About Jessica

Jessica always had wanderlust, but never had time. At 38 she lost her job in Corporate America and immediately took a refresh backpacking trip through Europe. She spent 2 months in Spain - 1 of those months was spent walking the Camino de Santiago. This journey showed her that she had a lot of work to do on healing from the death of her mother.

Since then, the journey continues from volunteering in microfinance in Rwanda, going back for her masters, and to now working with a social enterprise employing refugee women in creative products.

Her passion is her own small business - Wanderkarma, which is a subscription travel box supporting local artists in a new country each month. 

Connect with Jessica on her website, at Wanderkarma, and follow her on Instagram.


Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak with Christine Job, 35 years young, originally from Atlanta but after experiencing a severe bout of "burnout" she took the leap abroad and landed in Spain where she has been flourishing ever since. Listen in to hear about her journey and how she's been able to create a beautiful life and sustainable business abroad.

What we discuss

• How burnout led her to move abroad
• The life affirming experience of walking the Camino de Santiago
• How she went from teaching English in Spain to Entrepreneurship
• How she helps Black women & WOC create sustainable businesses
• How living abroad can be a pathway to wellness
• Creating a life on your own terms and the work that comes with it
• Why we should listen to the little nudges and ideas that come to us
• Why it's important to stay curious, get clarity, and be honest with ourselves
  

About Christine

Christine Job is a Business Strategist & Host of the "Flourish in the Foreign" podcast which elevates & affirms the voices & stories of Black women living & thriving abroad. Her podcast also explores living abroad as a pathway to wellness. As a Business Strategist, she helps Black women & WOC leverage their talents & expertise into viable & sustainable online businesses. She believes that you can be both professionally fulfilled and financially abundant while you pursue a thriving life abroad. She is originally from Atlanta, but after experiencing a severe bout of "burnout" she took the leap abroad and landed in Spain where she has been flourishing ever since.

Connect with Christine on her website Flourish in the Foreign, Follow her on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.


Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak with Maria Rivera, 48 years young. Maria was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in Alabama and spent the past 22 years of her life in Texas before moving to northern Spain for love! If you are looking for love then this episode is for you! Maria gives us all her best advice for setting yourself up for success to find the partner you deserve.

What we discuss:

• Finding in love at 44 in the most unexpected places
• Dating long-distance between continents
• Moving abroad for love
• Advice for finding love “later in life”
• Overcoming limiting beliefs
• Creating a business model that allows you to work from anywhere in the world
• What life is like living in the Basque Country (northern Spain)
• How her mom followed her to Spain at the age of 73!
• and much much more!

About Maria
Maria Rivera is a former New York City advertising copywriter and University of Texas at Austin lecturer. She is the founder of Haven Abode Properties Group at Team Price Real Estate in Austin, TX (havenabode.com) and lives in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain with her husband and scruffy terrier, Frankie. She writes about creativity, relationships, Spain, guts and reinvention. She loves inspiring women to live their most creative life.

Connect with Maria on her website Haven Abode and on Instagram a Frankie and Pili Go to Spain.

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to Dr. Kate Green, mother of 5,  who is currently a professor of psychology in the United Arab Emirates. Tune in to hear about her life in the Middle East and how she's chosen to educate her kids as they've moved around the world.

What we discuss

• What life is like in the United Arab Emirates
• Raising a family of 5 around the world
• What exactly is unschooling and worldschooling?
• Advice for parents who want to travel and move abroad with kids
• Why having a safety net, even if you’re married, is so important
• and more!
  

About Kate

As a life-long explorer and lover of learning, Kate Green has lived and worked around the world. She is currently back in the Middle East for a year as a professor of psychology and has moved her family to this region twice before this to help start new universities.

Kate has five children born in various places around the world who are now successful young adults and teens (two still living at home) who have all been worldschooled using an unschooling approach to learning. The older three now live in varying international locations and are now 4th generation Third Culture Kids. As a former Dean and professor of psychology and education, worldschooling has often led to interesting clashes with formal systems versus out-of-the-box learning!

Because of these, she now helps other parents who want to step out of limiting systems to find a new path in their family’s learning journey. The family is currently using a large white board to try and map out where they should move to next summer; getting a PhD was much easier than this. The ideas are numerous!

Connect with Kate on website Dr. Kate Green and blog The World is a Book

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to Amy Scott of Nomadtopia. Amy is 46, a mother of two (twins), and currently lives in Mexico. Tune in to hear about her inspiring story of quitting her job at 29 to travel the world and how it changed the trajectory of her life.

What we discuss

• Quitting your job to travel
• How she ended up living in Argentina
• Traveling the world with your partner
• Slowing down a nomadic lifestyle and staying in one place
• What life in Mexico has been like
• Having kids in your 40s
• Raising kids and living abroad during the pandemic
• and much more!

About Amy

Originally from the United States and currently based in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, Amy Scott has spent the past 16 years traveling the world and living abroad while running multiple businesses. She’s passionate about helping entrepreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers harness the power of location independence to create freedom in their life and work. As the founder of Nomadtopia, Amy connects and supports people around the globe who are building their own version of a location-independent lifestyle (aka Nomadtopia).

Clients and colleagues call her “the queen of location independence,” “a true travel/work expert,” and “the go-to resource for anyone looking to make their living while traveling the world.” When she’s not sharing resources with her community or interviewing fellow nomads for her podcast, Amy can be found reading books of all genres, tasting local delicacies, and exploring new places or relaxing in the park with her Argentine husband and their Mexico-born twin toddlers.

Connect with Amy on her site Nomadtopia, Facebook and Instagram.


Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak with Jacinda Fuller, an American living in Spain. Jacinda moved abroad just about 6 months after the pandemic hit the world. Listen in to see why she left the U.S., what it was like to move during unprecedented times, and how life in Spain has been!

What we discuss

• Her former life in the U.S.
• Facing burnout as a teacher
• Coming to Spain to teach English in the language assistant program
• Moving to Spain during a pandemic
• Life in Fuengirola, Spain
• Changing careers from teaching to instructional design or virtual assistant
• Learning Spanish
• Challenges of living in Spain
• The best parts of living in southern Spain
• What her family and friends thought about her move abroad
• and more!

About Jacinda

Jacinda was born and raised in Oklahoma, home of tornado alley. She's an educator and virtual assistant. She have a love for learning and new experiences. You can likely catch her taking in the sun while strolling the paseo. It’s her go-to place. She's currently living in Spain and loving the cañas, vino, and Andalucian lifestyle!

Follow Jacinda and connect with her on Instagram.

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast. A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to Melanie Hamlett. Melanie from the U.S., 43 and living her best life in France! This was such a fun conversation and I think you're going to love it!

What we discuss

• Qualify of life in Europe 
• How her career took off after moving abroad
  • How Europeans actually prioritize enjoying life and don't center their existence around their job
• Dating after 40 and using Tinder
• Becoming a "cougar" 
• Living in France
• Dealing with parents passing while abroad
• Living a slower
• Teaching English in Spain (we both participated in Spain's language assistant program)
  

About Melanie

Melanie Hamlett is a comedian, storyteller, journalist and writing coach living in Lyon, France. After over a decade of doing comedy in NYC and LA, she moved to Europe. Since arriving in Europe, her writing career in America has taken off—she writes regularly for Glamour Mag, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Harper's Bazaar, Slate, The Guardian, etc etc and is now in talks with production companies to turn her stories into TV shows. This all started when she left LA to become an English teacher in Spain in the auxiliary program at 40 years old. Now she's married to a French man and is happily fulfilling her career in Lyon. She coaches new and seasoned writers on how to get bylines in major publications and get their stories out there.

Connect with Melanie on here: https://linktr.ee/MelanieHamlett and check out her Glamour article Men My Age Wouldn’t Date Me, so I Became a ‘Cougar’

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast. A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to Kristin Montgomery a teacher from Wisconsin who has been able to take her profession around the world. She is currently living in Colombia and shares her insights on living in Medellin and teaching abroad.

What we discuss

• What it's been like living in Medellin
• How she started teaching abroad
• Teaching English in Spain (we both participated in Spain's language assistant program)
• What skills does someone need to find work abroad as a teacher
• How to find opportunities at international schools
• Advice for learning a foreign language
• Anxiety, how it has impacted her travels and how she has overcome it
• and much more!

About Kristin

Kristin is a teacher from Wisconsin whose ever-present wanderlust has taken her to live in France, Spain, Switzerland, and Singapore. She has a love for all things international and has visited over 50 countries and counting! After six years of teaching back in Wisconsin she decided to hit refresh and move to Medellín, Colombia to teach at a bilingual school. She's enjoying the year-round spring weather and the beauty of the Colombian landscape and people.

Connect with Kristin on her website Growing Global Citizens.


Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to Lucy Liu, not Charlie’s angels or Ally McBeal, but an equally if not more inspirational Lucy Liu! A fellow podcaster, I met Lucy when we were both on a panel at the virtual summit, Podthon. I'm excited to share her story for many reasons, and especially because this is our first guest who has relocated to Taiwan!
 

What we discuss

• What it's been like to live in Taiwan for two decades
• What are the challenges and opportunities of living in Taiwan
• How she transitioned from being a financial advisor to becoming a life coach
• What is a life coach and what they can do for you
• What it's like to raise a child between to countries and cultures
• Why it’s important to find your community
  

About Lucy

Lucy Liu is a master life coach helping women in life transitions unstuck, kiss overwhelm bye, cultivate rockstar confidence, see clarity, reach new goals, and live a joyful fulfilling life! She is an unshakable optimist, wife, mother, easy-going entrepreneur, women empowerment workshop facilitator, motivational speaker, author and inspires as the host of her weekly podcast The Lucy Liu Show, She has been featured in Medium, VoyageLA, Elephant Journal, ThriveGlobal, FOX, CBS, NBC and dozens of podcasts.

Connect with Lucy on her website Lucy Liu Coaching, listen to her podcast The Lucy Liu Show, and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin!

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to my partner in crime, co-founder of She Hit Refresh, Annette Villarreal! We catch up on what's been going on the past 7 months since our last episode together, episode 38.  It was a tough year, as you'll hear.

What we discuss

• What we've been up to since July
• Cepee's new semi-nomadic lifestyle
• Annette's breakdown
• Changing jobs
• Advocating for ourselves
• Annette's trip to Malaga, Spain
• One-word intentions
• Our focus for 2022
• and so much more!
  

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to Marla Stein! I met Marla virtually are few years ago in the the She Hit Refresh facebook group. At the time she was teaching English in South Korea and since then she’s become a moderator for our online community, a content writer for our website, she’s joined us in Morocco on our 2020 retreat, and last but not least she’s become a wonderful friend who I was so excited to finally have on the podcast!

Life has thrown a lot of curveballs at Marla which we'll talk about in this episode and she'll also share how she's been able to find opportunities in every challenge.

What we discuss

• What the non-lucrative visas for Spain process has been like during COVID
• Why she moved to South Korea and what it's like to teach English there
• How being diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 30s impacted her life
• How to transitioned from non-profit fundraising into content writing (she's a writer for She Hit Refresh!)
• How she's turned the adversities in her life into opportunities
• and more!
  

About Marla

Originally from New York, Marla is a wanderlust who thrives on adventure and new experiences. To date, she's traveled to close to 40 countries and has lived in London, Tel Aviv, San Francisco, Boston, and South Korea. At the moment, she's eagerly waiting for her visa for Spain to come through so she can hit refresh in Europe.

Marla holds a Bachelor's in Psychology and a Master Degree in International and Intercultural Studies. She's also a former non-profit fundraising director and has worked for health, education, and international focused organizations.

While she's hit refresh numerous times, one of her most "extreme" changes was saying goodbye to her career and social life in San Francisco to teach English as a Second Language in a small town in South Korea. Since then, she's launched Marlita's Atlas Writing Service and creates content for clients in T.H.E (Travel, Health, and Education) industries. Her clients include one of the largest travel information sites in the United States and She Hit Refresh.

Connect with Marla on her website Marlita's Atlas. Find more information about her experiences in Korea on YouTube at Marla S. (don’t forget the period). Learn more about why she's moving to Spain in her article 9 Reasons Why I’m Leaving the United States to Live in Spain. 

Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.  Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. 

Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 4 of the She Hit Refresh podcast.  A podcast for women age 30 and up who want to break free from routine and start a life of travel. Specifically women who want to move abroad or travel the world long-term. I sit down with women who have made their refresh dreams come true and discuss how and why they moved abroad or hit the road to travel.

In this episode I speak to the inspiring Lori Tharps! Lori moved from the U.S. to Spain in May 2021 and joined me on podcast episode 39 to talk about her upcoming move. We sit down again 6 months later to see how Spain has been treating her and how her and her family (husband and 2 children) have adjusted!

What we discuss

• What her last few days in the U.S. before leaving for Spain were like
• What obstacles did she face when she left and when she arrived to Spain
• How she felt about moving during a pandemic
• How her children have adjusted to living and going to school in Spain
• How she plans to spend her time now that she's quit her job
• What she needs to unlearn so that she can truly embrace her refresh
• and more!

Lori L. Tharps is an author, journalist, educator, and podcast host who uses her words to spark conversation and change around issues of race and diversity. She is the author of the book, Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America and the memoir, Kinky Gazpacho: Life, Love & Spain and she has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Essence and Glamour magazines. Lori is the mother of three, can say, "I Love You" in seven languages and considers any independent bookstore her happy place.

Connect with Lori on her website Lori Tharps and on Instagram and Twitter.


Looking to move to Europe? Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I speak to women in the travel industry who are making an impact and helping others live their best lives. We talk about everything including corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this bonus episode I speak to She Hit Refresh member Lori Tharps about her upcoming move from the U.S. to Spain with her husband and two children. At the time of recording this podcast Lori was just 9 days away from hopping on a plane and making her life abroad dream with her family a reality! 

Listen in as  Lori gives us an insight into those last final days of closing up shop on your life in one country and prepping for a big move with your family to another continent. Is she packed? What do the kids think? Did she quit her job? Is she nervous? Where will she live and so much more!  What makes this episode really special is that in 6 months we’ll be checking in with Lori to see how her life has unfolded in Spain since we last talked!

Lori L. Tharps is an author, journalist, educator, and podcast host who uses her words to spark conversation and change around issues of race and diversity. She is the author of the book, Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America and the memoir, Kinky Gazpacho: Life, Love & Spain and she has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Essence and Glamour magazines. Lori is the mother of three, can say, "I Love You" in seven languages and considers any independent bookstore her happy place.

Connect with Lori on her website My American Melting Pot and on Instagram and Twitter.

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I speak to women in the travel industry who are making an impact and helping others live their best lives. We talk about everything including corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

This is the last episode of Season 3, but don't fear we'll be back with Season 4 in the all. In this episode I'm joined by She Hit Refresh co-founder Annette Villarreal as we catch up on what’s been going on since we were last on the podcast together on Episode 28| 2020, This Is My Year!…Oh Wait, Is It? in October 2021.

A lot has happened in 8 months! Listen in as we talk about everything from quitting jobs to a possible move for Annette, letting go to realizing dreams,  dating...one of us now has a boyfriend...and much much more!

What we discuss:

• What has changed in out lives since October 2021
• Our one-word intention of 2021
• Family challenges
• Thoughts on turning 41 and 45
• Discomfort and work and advocating for ourselves
• Dating and relationships
• Letting go of control and living month to month
• ...and much much more!
  

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I speak to women in the travel industry who are making an impact and helping others live their best lives. We cover everything including corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this episode with my friend, mentor and source of inspiration, Sienna J. Brown. Sienna is the founder of Master Your Move Abroad where she teaches women how to find the clarity, career and community they need to build a life abroad on their own terms. Her mission is to empower and elevate women in their personal and professional lives. She's been featured in international publications like Vogue, CNN, Travel & Leisure, TEDx and more.

What we discuss

• Her move from the U.S. to Spain
• Her life and career pre-Spain including a stint at Vera Wang
• How she went from teaching English abroad to getting hired by a Spanish company and founding her business
• Her advice for those who want to live abroad but don't want to teach English
• The challenges she's faced abroad
• How she's been able to create a life she loves
• What a typical day in Javea for her looks like
• What holds most people back from success
• and much much more!
  

About Sienna

Sienna J. Brown is the founder of Master Your Move Abroad where she teaches women how to find the clarity, career and community they need to build a life abroad on their own terms. Her mission is to empower and elevate women in their personal and professional lives. She's been featured in international publications like Vogue, CNN, Travel & Leisure, TEDx and more

Connect with Sienna on her website and Instagram.

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I speak to women in the travel industry who are making an impact and helping others live their best lives. We cover everything including corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this episode I speak with Nicole Caba. Nicole is a Dominican-American who left her 6-figure salaried career in New York to hit refresh at a new life in beautiful Lyon, France to launch her own tech startup, Avvinue, that helps others plan, manage and finance their move down the block or around the world.

What we discuss:

• Leaving her corporate job to go all in on her business idea
• Why and how she moved to France
• What is the French Tech Visa?
• How she prepared for her move abroad in one months time
• As a child of immigrants, reflecting the journey of being an immigrant abroad
• The challenges of starting a business abroad
• Is it a good time for people to move abroad?
• and much much more!

Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn and Twitter. Learn more about the all-in-one moving app Avvinue at Avvinue.com, on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I speak to women in the travel industry who are making an impact and helping others live their best lives. We cover everything including corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this episode I speak with Rachel V. Hill. Rachel is a trailblazing Travelpreneur, Speaker, and Published Author who joins us to talk about moving and living abroad during the pandemic. 

This is a question that comes up a lot in our community! People want to know if they can move abroad, if they should move abroad, and how to move abroad during these unprecedented times. Rachel will cover all this and more (she even takes a few community questions)! And share with us her own move abroad – to Mexico in the midst of COVID.

What we discuss: 

• Her “retirement” from corporate America and how she launched a successful six-figure travel influencer brand
• How she prepared to travel the world long-term
• Her advice for women who want to hit refresh but are paralyzed by fear and the unknown
• If moving abroad during the pandemic is possible
• How she moved to Mexico in 2020
• What you need to be aware of before making the leap in the current state of the world
• How to find official COVID-19 protocol resources in your new country
• How to deal with COVID-19 related challenges on your own abroad?
• and much much more!

About Rachel

Named one of the “11 Influential Black Women in Travel You Should Know” by Travel Noire, Rachel V. Hill is a trailblazing Travelpreneur, Speaker, and Published Author. With a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing, she has merged her expertise in Tech and Digital Marketing and passion for travel into a global brand.

Now running a marketing agency, Rachel’s passion is to hit new and veteran travel professionals up level their marketing with high-ticket digital products and automated processes.

Connect with Rachel on her website, Instagram, LinkedIn, and check out her podcast.

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I speak to women in the travel industry who are making an impact and helping others live their best lives. We cover everything including corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this episode I speak with Hannah Dixon, founder of Digital Nomad Kit. She is a former guest, joining me on Episode 8 to talk about her trainings and how to become a VA, however in today's episode we change gears and get personal to talk about her challenging year and half moving through and recovering from a painful break-up and burnout in her business. Hannah was very open about her struggles on social media and I was so impressed with her candidness, vulnerability, and strength and wanted to tap into her journey as from the outside it seemed she had everything to be grateful for. Her story is a reminder that we all face challenges in life, no one is spared a struggle no matter how accomplished we may be. Listen in as she talks about the ups & downs since 2019 and fills us in on where she’s landed.


What we discuss:

• Hitting rock bottom after a break-up and business burnout
• How to she was able to move through a dark place in life
• A change of scenery and how that affects our mental health
• How the pandemic and staying still impacted this digital nomad
• Is travel a means of running from something in life?
• Why 2020 was actually her best year in business
• Her lessons learned from 2020
• Her focus for 2021
  

We also talk about therapy, if you are looking for affordable, private online counseling that you can access anytime, anywhere check out BetterHelp.com. Get 10% off your first month with our discount code refresh.

If you're interested in becoming a virtual assistant sign-up for her FREE 5-Day VA Challenge!

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I’ll be speaking to women in the travel industry who are making an impact and helping others live their best lives. We’ll be covering corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this episode I speak with my friend and mentor Jakiya Brown Thiaw who I met in 2018 at a Blogger’s Bootcamp in Javea, Spain. Jakiya left the corporate world in 2016 to travel the world and since then has gone on to create her own brand The Traveling Fro where she helps transform aspiring entrepreneurs into to business owners.

What we discuss

• Her corporate runaway story, going from a lead brand manager to successful business owner
• What freedom means to her, especially as a Black-American woman
• The highs and lows of the entrepreneurs journey...and how to keep going when you want to give up
• How travel changed her perception of what was possible in life
• Why she moved to Senegal
• The importance of knowing the impact you want to make
• Why helping the Black community create  generational income is important to her (and how she does that)
• Lessons learned from a unpredictable 2020
  

About Jakiya

In 2016, Jakiya left the corporate side of beauty as a lead brand manager for brands like Giorgio Armani, Lancôme and Philosophy to pursue her dream of traveling the world.

Along the way, she reconnected with her unique gift of highly-engaged storytelling, built a community of over 20K, was featured in publications like Oprah Magazine and worked to grow hundreds of companies and personal brands with her fresh branding strategies and techniques.

She now consults tired 9-5ers, entrepreneurs, influencers, full-time business owners, and everyday 'grammers a-like, on strategies and systems she's used on $4M-$400M businesses to transform aspiring entrepreneurs into to business owners, ideas into income, and stories into impact; by building a solid business around their story, skillset & expertise.

Connect with Jakiya on her website The Traveling Fro (grab your free vision board template!) as well as on Instagram and Twitter.  Click here to get on her waitlist for The Business of Instagram Marketing Academy.

Get your copy of I'm Outta Here! An American's Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter. Check out our Forbes feature: How Americans Can Move To Europe (It’s Easier Than You Think)!

Welcome to Season 3 where I’ll be speaking to women in the travel industry who are having an impact on the travel industry and helping others live their best lives. We’ll be covering corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this episode I speak to Nanette Fairley who I met in 2019 at the Digital Nomad Girls Retreat. She has gone on to co-found WhatNextology which is a diverse community of inspiring individuals who are getting ready to or have already retired. Listen in as we cover moving into your Third Age.

What we discuss

• Her corporate runaway story from large corporate roles and entrepreneurship to traveling the world in her 50s
• What her role as a business psychologist in her former life actually entailed
• The inspiration behind WhatNextology
• What to think about when planning for retirement...and why it's so much more than finances
• How does one know if they are financially ready to retire?
• Advice for those who are over 50 but aren't financially where they need to be to retire?
• Her perspective on being childfree

About Nanette

Nanette's plans for her Third Age which involves travelling in slo-mo around the globe, are currently on hold with the current health crises. However, she has been SO lucky to be spending COVID non-travel time in Australia with her family, something, as an expat, she has not done in 28+ years.

A business psychologist by training, Nanette has more than thirty years’ experience in the corporate world, primarily in management consulting and the aviation industry. Her role has varied from culture and change projects to supporting individuals make the most of their talents and careers through leadership development, talent management, and developmental assessment.

Since leaving full-time employment Nanette founded WhatNextology, a resource for those wanting to make the most of their life after full-time work and family commitments. WhatNextology provides community,  support, ideas and inspiration for those planning their what's next in their Third Age.

As well as working in large corporate roles, Nanette set up a bricks and mortar business in 1998 which was acquired in 2018 by a dynamic US corporate with global expansion plans.

Connect with Nanette on her website WhatNextology, her Facebook community Retirement Redefined Inspiration for your ThirdAge, Instagram, or reach out to her directly at nanette@whatnextology.com

Take the FREE WhatNextology Wayfinder questionnaire and report that explores important factors proven to be essential for a healthy and fulfilling Third Age.

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Welcome to Season 3 where I’ll be speaking to women in the travel industry who are having an impact on the travel industry and helping others live their best lives. We’ll be covering corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

In this episode I sit down with Yaa Priscilla Birago to talk about her exciting new venture Femmebnb. Yaa is a mentor, speaker, IT consultant, philanthropist and a social entrepreneur. She is the Co-founder and CEO of Femmebnb Inc., the first social networking vacation and short-term rental platform that allows women to rent their spaces to other women in hopes of maximizing safety, comfort, and peace of mind.

What we discuss

• The inspiration behind Femmebnb
• Do female only spaces discriminate against men?
• Where her passion for passion for travel technology, women travel safety, and improving women’s travel experiences across the globe came from
• How she made the leap from Criminology and Sociology to Information Technology and Travel
• How FemmeBnB addresses diversity and inclusion in the travel industry
• As a business owner does she ever face imposter syndrome
• Traveling with and without kids

About Yaa

Yaa Priscilla Birago is a mentor, speaker, IT consultant, philanthropist and a social entrepreneur. She is the Co-founder and CEO of Femmebnb Inc., the first social networking vacation and short-term rental platform that allows women to rent their spaces to other women in hopes of maximizing safety, comfort, and peace of mind.

She created the company to provide a safe space, peace of mind and a community for women travelers after she had a terrifying experience as a solo traveler in Rome. Yaa holds a B.A degree in Criminology and Sociology from the University of Windsor but her passion for tech, women and children advancement has led her into the Information Technology and Non-Profit sector for the past 10 years.

Yaa is also the Co-Founder and President of Hands of a Hero Foundation (HOHF), a non-profit organization that provides workshop, mentorship, leadership, art and career development programs for youth and children in Canada and Ghana. Under her leadership, the organization has executed many impactful programs and projects. HOHF was a recipient of the Global Impact Award by JIC Awards of Excellence.

Yaa was a recipient of Women’s Courage International Award and she was named as a Black Canadian Role Model and Top 100 Black Women to watch in Canada. She was also selected as Top30 under30 Pioneers by FOG and in March 2020, she was recognized as WOCStar Woman to watch. Yaa is passionate and enthusiastic about youth development, travel technology, women travel safety, sustainable travel, and improving women’s travel experiences across the globe.

Connect with Yaa on her website Femmebnb, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Welcome to Season 3 where I’ll be speaking to women in the travel industry who are having an impact on the travel industry and helping others live their best lives. We’ll be covering corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

Are you looking to move to Europe? I've got just the book for you: I’m Outta Here An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe!

This is the book you’ve been dreaming about! What is it? It’s the ultimate guide for those who want to move to Europe but feel completely lost, frustrated, or stuck with their visa options. I did the research and went through 44 European countries and narrowed it down to the 16 easiest countries that you can move to that have viable visa options. You’ll find info about each country, over 50 visa options, and details on 34 cities to relocate to. It’s literally everything you need to know about finding the right visa and location in Europe for you to start your new life in! One that’s feasible, and the right fit for you! Get your copy today and start planning your exit strategy! You can purchase the digital book at https://shehitrefresh.com/move-to-europe-book/

In this episode I sit down with Flora Baker. Flora is a travel blogger and author from the UK. In 2017 she found herself a part of a club no one is prepared to join, The Adult Orphan Club, which is also the name of her new book. Having lost both of my parents, Flora felt like the right person to have this intimate discussion with. Listen in as we talk about the hard truths about grief, death, and losing our parents.

Flora Baker is a travel blogger and author from London, UK. After her mum died suddenly in 2009, Flora embarked on a long-term travelling lifestyle in an attempt to avoid her grief. For the next decade, she studied in San Francisco, taught English in Ecuador, built houses in Brazil, worked with Bollywood singers, trained as a journalist in a Colombian newsroom, sailed to the Arctic, and eventually moved back to London for her masters degree.

When Flora’s dad became terminally ill in 2017, both her life and writing changed focus. After a decade of privately acknowledging her own grief, Flora now uses her personal narrative writing and her online presence to engage with the grief community and help others with their own experiences of loss. Flora’s new book, ‘The Adult Orphan Club’, is a part memoir, part guide to grief.

You can read more from Flora on her website Flora the Explorer, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and find ‘The Adult Orphan Club’ on Amazon.

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Welcome to season 3 where I’ll be speaking to women in the travel industry who are having an impact on the travel industry and helping others live their best lives. We'll be covering corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

Question for you...Are you looking to move to Europe? If you’ve been following along in the She Hit Refresh Facebook group which you can join at https://www.facebook.com/groups/shehitrefresh/ you’ve heard about my new digital book: I’m Outta Here An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe!

This is the book you’ve been dreaming about! What is it? It’s the ultimate guide for those who want to move to Europe but feel completely lost, frustrated, or stuck with their visa options. I did the research and went through 44 European countries and narrowed it down to the 16 easiest countries that you can move to that have viable visa options. You’ll find info about each country, over 50 visa options, and details on 34 cities to relocate to. It’s literally everything you need to know about finding the right visa and location in Europe for you to start your new life in! One that’s feasible, and the right fit for you! Get your copy today and start planning your exit strategy! You can purchase the digital book at https://shehitrefresh.com/move-to-europe-book/

In today’s episode I sit down with Jen Ruiz.  Jen is a lawyer turned travel blogger and author currently living in Puerto Rico. She is a three-time TEDx speaker and is a #1 Amazon Bestseller, two-time Readers’ Favorite Award winner with books like:

• 25 Ways to Work From Home: Smart Business Models to Make Money Online
• The Solo Female Travel Group
• The Affordable Flight Guide
• You Need a Vacation: How to Travel with a Full Time Job

She runs Jen on a Jet Plane, where she helps travelers fly for less and experience more. Connect with Jen:

https://www.jenonajetplane.com

https://www.tiktok.com/@jenonajetplane

https://www.instagram.com/jenonajetplane

https://www.facebook.com/jenonajetplane

https://www.twitter.com/jenonajetplane

https://www.pinterest.com/jenonajetplane

https://www.amazon.com/Jen-Ruiz/e/B07B7GSVSL/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Don't forget to get your copy of I’m Outta Here! An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.

This is the first episode of season three of the She Hit Refresh podcast! We’ve taken a long hiatus but I’m so glad to be back with this spectacular season. As you may remember in Season two we interviewed women from the She Hit Refresh community who had hit refresh and started living the lives they had always dreamed of, women in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.

In this season I’ll be speaking to women in the travel industry who are having an impact on the travel and helping others live their best lives. We'll cover corporate runaway stories, remote work tips, grief and travel, planning for retirement, solo female travel, moving abroad, building generational income, and much more!

If you are looking to move abroad be sure to check out my much anticipated book: I’m Outta Here! An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe! This is the book is the ultimate guide those who want to move to Europe but feel completely lost, frustrated, or stuck with their visa options. I did the research and went through 44 European countries and narrowed it down to the 16 easiest countries that you can move to that have viable visa options. You’ll find info about each country, over 50 visa options, and details on 34 cities to relocate to. It’s literally everything you need to know about finding the right visa and location in Europe for you to start your new life! One that’s feasible, and the right fit for you. Get your copy today and start planning your exit strategy! 

In  today’s episode I sit down with She Hit Refresh co-founder Annette Villarreal to catch up and talk about what has transpired in the last year and half since we last sat down together. We talk about our wins and our challenges, the unexpected curveballs that life threw our way, getting COVID, thoughts on turning 40 and 45, why getting off the hamster wheel and getting out of Austin is such a battle for Annette,  dating, kids and where they rank on the list of priorities, we talk about what we want to focus on for the rest of the year, and my possible move out of Madrid.

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on on Instagram and Twitter.

Don't forget to get your copy of I’m Outta Here! An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe.

This is the last episode of season two. It's been a wonderful season full of personal refresh stories from our members. If you've ever thought about radically changing your life and fulfilling that need to travel or move away you're in luck.

First up we have Lynn Strough, who lived the conventional life of wife, mother, and working in a cubical. After a divorce and job layoff she took the opportunity to forge a new path and travel the world on her own at 56. Then we'll hear from Elizabeth Quintal a Houstonian who was ready to leave Texas for somewhere and chose Madrid as her new home. But she didn't come alone, it was a family affair, she moved here in her 30s with her husband and son.

What We Discuss

• Life after divorce and a job layoff
• What it's like to hit refresh in your 50s
• Facing agism in the workplace
• Taking life on the road for 4 years as a solo traveler
• How to travel on a budget
• What's it like to stay in a hostel
• Leaving the American dream behind for a better life abroad
• What it's like to move abroad with a family
• Moving to Spain without knowing Spanish
• What are the best parts about living in Madrid
• What has been the most surprising thing about moving to Spain
• It's about the journey not the destination

About Lynn

At age 56 after a perfect storm of job layoff, divorce, and giving up her home, Lynn hit refresh by selling almost all of her possessions and taking off with just a backpack to travel around the world solo on a shoestring for a year. This morphed into almost 4 years! She has house and pet sat, stayed in hostels, even couch surfed, in 15 countries, from Australia to SE Asia, to Eastern and Western Europe. Currently, she's back in her home state of Michigan after my daughter had a baby. While she's not sure when, she's pretty sure this won’t be her permanent landing pad, as wanderlust runs through her veins.

Read more about Lynn in our Member Spotlight.

Follow Lynn on her website at Travellynn Tales and Facebook and Instagram.

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth Quintal is a coffee fueled wife, mom, writer, photographer, and small business owner living in Spain. She is the co-founder of The New Antiquarians, a photography studio based in Madrid, believing deeply in the power of storytelling, being adventurous, and capturing the everyday magical moments.

And when she’s not with her camera or chasing her son around a playground she’s working on her first book of poetry. As a passionate dreamer, lover of the journey called life (even the messy) she uses the lens and the pen to tell her story, help others share theirs, and amplify the stories overlooked, untold, or forgotten.

Connect with her on her website The New Antiquarians  and Instagram @thenewantiquarians and @elizabethmquintal

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Are you thinking of Moving to Madrid? In this episode we hear from two friends of mine who I met in this magical city. Both left North America to see what Spain had in store for them and by moving abroad they've been able to redefine their lives.

What We Discuss

• What it's like to move to Madrid in your 40s!
• Leaving a life of convention and making the brave decision to move abroad
• Teaching English in Madrid - what is the Auxiliar program 
• What is a freelance visa and how to start a business in Spain?
• Join SpainGuru a Facebook group that helps foreigners with immigration and residency questions in Spain
• Moving to Spain at 34
• The challenges of living in Spain
• Dating in Madrid as an African-American woman
• How the dating world can be cruel and why it's ok to take a break
• Join Melanin Madrid a Facebook group in Madrid for people of color
• How moving to abroad can spark your creativity

About Lisa

After following the traditional path in Canada for 25 years (Bachelor and Master of Science in Dietetics, followed by an MBA and then working 12 years in direct marketing in the financial sector), Lisa hit refresh by moving to Spain in 2013, at the age of 43. She always wanted to do something “different” and be her own boss. After two years as a language assistant, she obtained her work permit (one year earlier than normal) to work as a freelance English teacher and soon created a niche specializing in Medical English (combining her previous experience and education in a surprising way that she didn’t expect).

Since then, Lisa and her team have been helping medical professionals in Spain attain the level of English they need to achieve various professional goals including presenting at international conferences throughout Europe and North America, actively participating in international meetings and clinical trials, publishing their research, completing a fellowship abroad, or working as a licensed medical professional in an English-speaking country.

Follow Lisa on Facebook, LinkedIn and her website.

About Khephra

Khephra White is a comedian, writer, actress, and occasional musician from New Orleans, LA. A series of unfortunate events inspired her to hit refresh at the age of 34. Since then, it's been 6 years filled with new experiences, new food, new adventures in dating (ugh!), and ZERO regrets! She hasn’t looked back yet, and doesn’t plan to. You can find her in the kitchen (she’s a bomb cook, y’all), on her yoga mat, on the dance floor, relaxing on a nice terrace while plotting world domination and ways to dismantle the patriarchy, or knitting - because variety is important.

Follow her on Facebook and her blog Misadventures en España. 

Join our She Hit Refresh Facebook Group, get more tips and advice on how to hit refresh on our blog and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.