The Expat Cast

Wandering but Not Lost: Financial Freedom as an Expat & Traveler with Vanessa from Wander Onwards

Season 6, Episode 1. Welcome back for Season 6! We're kicking it off with a deeper look into how Vanessa of Wander Onwards got to become the financial guru, world traveler, and awesome expat she is.

From a brief stint as an undocumented person in China to meeting her husband at a beer pong tournament, Vanessa's got some crazy stories to share. She also explains how and why she got serious about paying off her over $100,000 in debt - including personal finance tips you can implement right away - while still living abroad and traveling the globe.

 

This episode is sponsored by Lingoda. Read more about their upcoming sprint on the blog and sign up for the sprint with the code EXPATCAST2 for 20€ off!

 

FIND VANESSA

Her Website wanderonwards.co

On Instagram @WanderOnwards

On TikTok @WanderOnwards

Her upcoming event, "How to Pivot into Tech from Any Industry"

 

THE DATING ABROADCAST

Subscribe on Spotify

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Getting a German Driver's License with Stacey

Season 5, Episode 10. Stacey's had her California driver's license since she was a teenager, but it doesn't get her far in Germany. Once you move to Germany, you have 3 years to convert your license to a German license, or you have to start over from square one. 

For Nicole, from Pennsylvania, a state with license reciprocity with Germany, it was a one-time visit to city hall and a 35€ fee. For Stacey, from California, a state without reciprocity, it was months of studying, a first aid course, practical hours, and lots more money.

For more on this topic, head over to the blog.

 

This episode is sponsored by Comfort Eats. Read more about them on the blog.

 

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US Americans: How to Vote from Abroad with Candice from Democrats Abroad

Season 4, Episode 23. If you are a US citizen, even if you live abroad, you ARE eligible to vote. And you SHOULD vote.

Candice works with Democrats Abroad Germany and Vote from Abroad. She's here to tell us how to vote from abroad, why to vote from abroad, and what deadlines to keep in mind.

The important information she shares in the episode can be found here.

 

FIND DEMOCRATS ABROAD

On their website

On Instagram @demsabroadgermany

On Twitter @DemsAbroadDE

Facebook @DAGermany

On Email info-germany@democratsabroad.org

 

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My Coronavirus Test Experience (Minisode)

Minisode. My summer vacation ended up consisting of me visiting friends in Cologne, Berlin, and Amsterdam. Because I was outside of German borders, I qualified for a free Coronavirus test upon my return. I share what my experience was like.

 

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Divorce as an Expat Living Abroad with Katia

Season 4, Episode 14. Getting divorced abroad is complicated and challenging in just about every imaginable way, and Katia Vlachos is here to talk to us about it all.

Katia, a longtime expat, got divorced from her Austrian husband in Switzerland. She shares what she learned through the challenging process.

For more about Katia's experience and the resources she mentioned, head over to the blog.

 

FIND KATIA

Visit her website

Read her book, A Great Move

Check out her coaching services

On Facebook @KatiaVlachosCoach

On Twitter @vlachosk

On Instagram @vlachosk

 

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Creating Home with Julia

Season 4, Episode 5. Expat & life coach Julia inspired me with her blog post, "How to feel at home while you're abroad." Although "home" can seem like it's something that just exists, separate from us, home is actually a feeling created actively by an individual.

But how?

Julia and I map out various strategies that have worked for us to make us feel at home, no matter where we are in the world.

 

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Community from a Distance with Aspen from AspenAbroad

Season 4, Episode 4. Coronavirus is a global pandemic that's got many of us trapped at home. Aspen and I team up to bring you a podcast/YouTube cross-over to help you find the good in this bad situation. Our status as expats in Germany has given us plenty of practice at maintaining relationships and creating a sense of community from afar, and we share our favorite tricks to feeling connected despite the distance.

 Check out the video of this collaboration on Aspen's YouTube channel here.

Read the blog post to find out more here.

 

FIND ASPEN

On YouTube at AspenAbroad

On Instagram @Aspen.Abroad

Our last episode together called Moving Abroad or Running Away?

 

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Counseling for Cross-Cultural Relationships with Katie

Season 4, Episode 3. Being in a cross-cultural relationship comes with many strengths and many challenges, especially if one partner moved to a new country and learned a new language to make the relationship work. This week's guest has lots of experience with that, both personally and professionally.

Katie Rössler is an expat couple's counselor. Working with couples in person and online, through sessions as well as online courses and guides, Katie helps her clients navigate the tricky waters of miscommunications, conflicting expectations, and more.

We discuss common isuses in relationships involving two or more cultures, and we also get into how couples and families can use the lock-down during Coronavirus to their advantage. Katie helps us reframe the situation as an opportunity and offers concrete ideas on how to succeed during quarantine.

This episode is a nice complement to the episode Intercultural Relationships.

For more resources, check out this blog post.

 

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Getting Married in Germany with Natalie

Season 3, Episode 24. Natalie left her home country of the UK and was backpacking in Australia when a handsome German man caught her eye in a hostel. Cue a whirlwind year of traveling together throughout Australia and Asia before moving together to Freiburg, Germany.

When the two got engaged, Natalie had plenty of big dreams for how she wanted her wedding. But quickly, it became apparent that putting on her dream English wedding in Germany wasn't going to so easy. On top of that, a surprise cancer diagnoses landed Natalie in chemo around the time of the wedding, leading to additional complications, both logistically and emotionally.

Natalie is a force of nature, though, and she didn't let any of this keep her from putting on a unique wedding that had her fingerprints all over it. We discuss how she settled on her wedding venue in the Black Forest, the challenge of finding a wedding videographer, and the different wedding formats offered in Germany.

 

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Apprenticeships in Germany with Shanon and Michael

Season 3, Episode 18. Germany is famous around the globe for their apprenticeship program, or Ausbildung. Did you know that foreigners are also eligible to do an apprenticeship in Germany?

We talk to two Americans doing apprenticeships in Germany, one in beer brewing and the other in pottery. The best part? During the whole three-year program, they get a salary! It’s not much, but it’s livable!

They explain to us how they got their positions, what it’s like doing an apprenticeship as foreigners in their late 20s, and what opportunities will be available to them upon completing their programs.

 

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Filing US Taxes as an American Expat with Nathalie from MyExpatTaxes

Season 3, Episode 16. Happy Thanksgiving!

Here at The Expat Cast, we're thankful for taxes. Or at least the services & programs that taxes provide. And we're thankful for people like Nathalie Goldstein, who founded MyExpatTaxes, a company whose software makes filing your US expat taxes fun and cute.

"Fun" and "cute" and "taxes" all in one sentence? Hold your gasps! With the MyExpatTaxes software, it's actually totally true.

Nathalie tells us about starting MyExpatTaxes and shares TONS of information that can help you avoid common tax filing mistakes among US expats.

For all the tips and resources mentioned, click here.

 

FIND MYEXPATTAXES

Use the promo code EXPATCAST at check out to save 10% on your filing!

On their website

Instagram @myexpattaxes

Facebook @myexpattaxes

Twitter @myexpattaxes

 

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Expat Loneliness with Gabriela

Season 3, Episode 15. The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and we're all getting lonelier.

The normal November blues are made that much more challenging when you're facing them in a foreign country. But fret not! You're not alone, even if you are lonely. Every expat has experienced a season of loneliness, and, dare I say, we'll all face them again at some point.

This week's guest is fellow expat and life coach Gabriela Encina, who brings us stories from her own life as well as the experiences of her clients. Gabriela talks us through some of the tips that have helped her and her clients as they navigate expat loneliness and strive to feel more connected in their new home country.

Click here to read her tips.

 

FIND GABRIELA

On her website

Instagram @gabriela.expat.coach

Facebook @psgabrielaencina

 

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Imposter Syndrome as an Expat with Melissa

Season 3, Episode 13. You know it's going to be a good episode if it references Brene Brown AND Maya Angelou! This week, we're diving into the nitty gritty of imposter syndrome, or the deep feeling and/or fear of being a fraud. Maybe you've heard of it before, maybe you've admitted to feeling it before, but MAN does expat life intensify the experience of imposter syndrome!

Melissa, aka Intentional Expat, lived in Spain and the Netherlands for a decade before moving back to her home state, Washington in the US. Melissa has a PHD in Clinical and Health Psychology, which she uses in her work as an expat life coach - making her the perfect guest for this topic. Melissa shares with us the 5 types of imposter syndrome, how to identify it in your life, and what to do to succeed in your expat life despite feeling this way.

For resources and more, check out the blog.

 

FIND MELISSA

On her website

On Instagram @IntentionalExpat

On the Expat Hour podcast

 

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Taxes for Expats in Germany with Agnese from Wundertax

Season 3, Episode 11. After using and loving the WunderTax tool for expats in Germany to file German taxes, Nicole was so impressed that she invited them on the show. Fellow expat in Germany, Agnese, works with WunderTax, and she tell us everything we need to know to file our taxes on time, accurately, and painlessly.

The episode focuses on general insights into filing taxes in Germany. For more about filing taxes in Germany, check out this blog post.

 

FIND WUNDERTAX

On their website

Their expat-specific page

On Facebook @GermanTaxes

On Instagram @GermanTaxes.de

On YouTube @Wundertax

On LinkedIn @wundertax-gmbh

On Xing @WunderTax

 Find out who is obligated to file taxes in Germany

 

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Snacks & Toilets with Trash Jenny

Season 3, Episode 10. It's the episode no one wanted, that no one needed - yet here it is! It's Snacks & Toilets!

In the first half of the episode, we discuss snacks - the snacks we love and hate in Germany, and the snacks we miss most from home.

Then comes part two: toilets. Have you encountered the elusive German toilet phenomenon, the poop shelf? We dish out the pros and cons of the strange design, then we give some well-deserved hate to our home country, USA, for having public bathroom doors that have cracks large enough to see people through.

 

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Raising a Son with Special Needs in Germany with Shaun of Expat Life Germany

Season 3, Episode 6. Today, the expats in Germany podcast worlds collide - because Shaun from The Germany Experience is a guest on The Expat Cast!

Shaun moved to Germany from South Africa years ago with his wife, in search of adventure and new experiences. They now have German citizenship and are raising two - soon to be three! - kiddos in their rural German village.

Their oldest son has a special need called SYNGAP-1, and Shaun shares with us how they've navigated the situation as foreigners and second-language German speakers. From doctor's visits to learning what resources are out there for kids like their son, it's been a whirlwind that's left them more in love with life in Germany than ever.

 

FIND SHAUN

Online at thegermanyexperience.de

On Instagram @the.germany.experience

On Twitter @GermanyXP

More information on what his son has here  

 

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Moving Abroad with Teenagers with Linda

Season 3, Episode 5. Linda Kerr grew up as a Third Culture Kid and is now a "trailing spouse" or expat partner. That means she's experienced living abroad during various stages of life - but now, she's doing something totally new. She is living abroad in Germany with her husband and their two teenagers.

Linda explains how she's made moving to Europe work with a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old. Although it's not always easy, Linda's family has embraced their 3-year stay in Germany as a chance to make history come to life by visiting the cities that their kids are learning about in history class.

 

FIND LINDA

On her blog Travel Teening

On Instagram @travelteening

  

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International Schools with Lauren

Season 3, Episode 4. "For us, the number 1 priority was that they would thrive academically, that they would thrive socially, and that this experience would build them up, not suppress them and make them feel like introverts just because they're outsiders."

When Lauren moved from the Jersey Shore in New Jersey, USA to Barcelona, Spain with her husband and three small children, she did her research and decided that international school was the right choice for her kids' schooling. She explains to me what that means, what varieties there are within international schools, and what it's like to be a part of one. We also bicker about American football team allegiances and pigs in a blanket.

 

FACEBOOK GROUPS FOR EXPATS IN BARCELONA

Barcelona Babies & Kids  

American Expats in Spain   

Barcelona Kids Play   

Barcelona Expat Families   

Barcelona Expats - International BCN 

  

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Ask the Expat with Stacey

Season 2, Episode 25. Welcome to the Season 2 finale episode! To celebrate 50 episodes, 10,000 downloads, and 1 year of podcasting, we've called up a good friend to answer listener questions and quandaries in a brand new format called Ask the Expat. We give our best go at answering questions sent to us from expats all over.

For a full list of questions and resources mentioned in the episode, click here.

We'll be back with season 3 soon. Keep your eyes on social media and stay subscribed to get updated about when the next season will hit your feeds.

 

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Preparing to Move Abroad with Riana

Season 2, Episode 19. Riana spoke to us when she had one month left in Canada before she, her partner, and their dog moved to Prague. As a Canadian under the age of 30, Riana was able to take advantage of the Youth Mobility Visa, which allows Canadians to life and work in 35 countries for one year. She talks us through how she decided that life abroad in Prague was the right choice for her.

Riana shares what kind of preparation she's been able to do pre-move abroad, as well as what it's been like emotionally preparing for her year in Europe.

 

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Expat Mama with Ashley

Season 2, Episode 15. You last heard from friend of the show, Ashley, when she was pregnant with her son, and now she's back to share what it's like with her young son.

Ashley is now 7 months into motherhood, and she shares with us what it's been like adjusting to her new role. What was it like for her to give birth in Germany? How has she handled being an ocean apart from her family in the US? And how is she planning on keeping her American identity alive with her son?

Ashley's go-to book recommendation for new parents-to-be is:

The Shit No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby's First Year by Don Dais

 

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Affording Iceland with Alex

Season 2, Episode 7. Iceland skyrocketed to the top of the Must Visit list of many eager travelers over the last 5 years, but what's it like to actually live there? We chat with American expat Alex Illes about how she ended up with Iceland, how she managed to move her cats with her, and what it's taken to make life there work.

 

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Learning German with Jenny

Season 2, Episode 1. It's 2019! Is one of your goals for the new year to learn German? Super, then buckle up and brace yourself for some German-learning resources, tips, & venting. Of course, to learn German, or any language, a course is a great idea. But if you can't take a class due to money, access, or whatever, no fear. Our discussion focuses on free methods that are available to everyone.

We explain why Tandem partnerships are so effective, advocate for labeling everything in your room/apartment/home/office/life auf Deutsch, vent about akkusative and dativ, and swap our favorite German-language TV shows, podcasts, books, and more.

For a full list of resources mentioned in the episode, click here.

 

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A Plethora of Resources for Living in Germany with James

Season 1, Episode 23. When host Nicole was preparing to move to Germany, one of the websites she frequented was Live Work Germany. It seems like they've got a resource guide for every bump in the road of moving to Germany, from registering your address to navigating a foreign qualification recognition process - all up-to-date, all in English. As a librarian who loves a good resource, Nicole has long been a huge fan. So it was an honor to sit down with the man behind it all, James!

James moved to Germany from England 12 years ago for a job after studying the language in university. He didn't expect to find a new home to the extent that he did. Lucky for us all, his career evolution led him to launch a website and blog to help other expats and want-to-be expats figure out the practicalities of moving to Germany. He also chats with us about his new service, where users can send in their German correspondence and get, in English, a short run-down of what they need to do.

 

LIVE WORK GERMANY

Check out all of James' incredibly helpful resources at Live Work Germany

Sign up for James' new German Correspondence service

 

WEAREXPATS TWITTER

Nicole will be tweeting @wearexpats from December 10-17.

 

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Host your podcast on PodBean. Go to podbean.com/expat to get your first month with PodBean for free.

 

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COMMUNICATE

Got questions, comments, topic ideas, funny anecdotes? Email us at theexpatcast@gmail.com