Moving overseas with teens - again! As my most downloaded podcast episode last season was about moving abroad with teenagers, I thought it was a good time to bring in an expert! So, this is an absolute mega-episode, where I have brought in the wonderful Emma Cochrane, Teen Confidence Coach. The wisdom and insight she has about this age group of children is astounding. Even if you don't have teens yet, you soon will do! You will be even better placed to prepare your children to move overseas with confidence. FIND EMMA HEREEMMA'S STORE Helping expats of all levels of experience build a succes ..read more

How to cope with feeling homesick as an expat Moving abroad is an exciting adventure filled with new opportunities, cultures, and experiences. An incredibly rich experience, offering opportunities to immerse yourself in a different culture, perhaps learn a new language and make new friends.    However, expat life is not without its challenges and there are bound to be a few bumps along the way.    One of the most common emotional challenges faced by expats, particularly those who are new to a country, is homesickness. (Well, the second most common – in my long experience in ..read more

Expats and emotional overwhelm: when everything just gets too much. It’s all just TOO MUCH! Emotional overwhelm that catches us at times regardless of where you are on your expat journey, whether this is your first move, or your 21st . Emotional overwhelm can hit anyone, at any time, in any place, and wherever you are in your expat journey. It can also be particularly strong at the start of a new school year as you work out new routines, timetables, expectations and challenges.  When you just curl up into a ball and hide for a while but you can’t, because suddenly you have to do the schoo ..read more

So, you want to move abroad? You're dreaming of retiring overseas? You've had enough of this country's weather/cost of living/government [delete as appropriate]. You want to live somewhere else. But how do you make it happen? And where is the best place for expats, anyway? In this episode I will take you through all kinds of ideas and delve in to the 'Where', 'Why', and most importantly, the 'HOW' to make your expat dream come true, It's never too soon to make plans, but it may be too late. So you need to get cracking and listen to find out what to do. Get expat life support at every stag ..read more

“I had to leave my baby in Dubai and return to the UK” No, this isn’t me being dramatic: this is the TRUTH for far too many expat parents. ?  If you move overseas with your child, then spilt up with your partner, you may not be allowed to return home with your child. Immigration laws may also forbid you from staying in that country. You are stuck between a rock and a hard place. There is no happy ending. In this very special podcast episode I have the greatest honour to interview Roz Osborne, the Founder and CEO of GlobalARRK; the only charity specialising in helping stuck parents. Find ..read more

In this episode I dip my toes in to the world that is learning a new language. With a few quick tips on language learning for both you and your children. Even if you’re moving for just a couple of years or so, you’ll get so much more out of your stay if you can speak the lingo.  I’ll share 5 reasons why an expat should learn the local language, however long you’ll be living in that country. And especially if you’re moving to an expat hub – get yourself out of the expat bubble and thrive! Also, I’ll offer you some quick tips to get you up and running. And most of what I talk about will app ..read more

How to build an active and fulfilling social life for yourself overseas. When you live abroad an important element of your life is your social circle; your network, your support system. AKA Friends! “So, no one told you life was gonna be this way” Sometimes we can feel so lonely overseas that it causes big problems such as depression, wanting to go home and more.  In fact, a lack of a support network is often cited as the number one reason for expat failure.  So, let's prevent this from happening in the first place! Let's make sure that you've always got the tools to help you find yo ..read more

Did you move abroad for love? Long distance love stories for Valentine’s Day! Falling in love with someone while travelling or living in another country can be a magical experience. The thrill of adventure combined with the excitement of a new relationship can create memories that last a lifetime, and a relationship built on a mutual adventurous spirit. People move overseas for many, many reasons. Most move for a better life; however that may look for them. Some move abroad to study. Some move abroad to work. And sometimes those people end up falling in love – either with the country, or a per ..read more

How to cope with the comedown when you’ve moved overseas. Not long after you’ve arrived in your new country, there comes a time when it suddenly hits you – ‘Oh, is that it? Now what?’ You feel quite down and flat and wonder if you’ve made a terrible mistake. We all know that moving overseas is really exciting. It heralds great change, perhaps the hope of a better future and a better life. To most families it represents a new start in their lives both professionally and personally. But many new expats are shocked that it isn't all happy days and paradise living and begin to second guess their d ..read more

Expect the Unexpected Culture Shock Expats and the Holiday Season These three topic were planned for separate episodes, but life events meant it made sense to see if I could fit them all into one episode, just in time for the Holidays! I think I succeeded ?  I wanted to talk about how strange and different, and sometimes upsetting these special holidays can be for expats living away from their home countries and families.  And the reason these special, family-oriented dates feel so different and sometimes difficult is ultimately down to culture shock!  As for the Expect the Un ..read more