The Expat Pod

Title: The Expat Pod: Francesco Baldini

Subtitle: An Italian in Ireland

Episode Number: 26

Release Date: [10/12/2023]

Duration: [00:52:09]

Welcome to The Expat Pod, the podcast where we explore the ins and outs of living abroad, embracing new cultures, and navigating life as an expat. I'm your host, James Doran, and today, we're diving into leaving an italian upbringing to explore. Francesco initially took a working travel visa to move to Toronto in Canada, making use of connections he already had in that city.

He then moved to Ireland where he feels is the city which moulded the man he is today, meeting his wife and having a family, making some amazing friends, and enjoying some pints of Guinness.

Now Francesco is living in Chester in the north-west of England!

Join us for the stories he tells!

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Welcome to another instalment of the Quick Fire Questions derivative of the podcast. In this shorter format, I ask my quest a handful of questions to which they share a quick answer in order to hopefully inspire some future expats to follow in their footsteps or at the very least be entertained by some of the great answers!

This week I am joined by Wiebke who is a German living in Chile.

Come join us to hear her take on the matters at hand

Living Abroad Lightning Round:

00:00. What is your favourite place you've lived?

01:00. What is your favourite international food?

02:00. What is your favourite international tradition?

03:00. What is your favourite thing about living abroad?

04:00. What is your best homesickness remedy?

05:00. What is the hardest thing about living abroad?

06:00. What is the best phrase you've learnt whilst living abroad?

07:00. What is the best way to make friends abroad?

08:00. What is the best thing to do in your new city?

09:00. What is your best expat life hack?

About Wiebke :

Wiebke used to work in the German police force before taking the plunge to support her life and dream living in a jungle in Costa Rica... guess what she achieved it.

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Summary

Richard shares his experience of living abroad, starting with his time in Spain and then his move to Costa Rica. He emphasizes the importance of immersing oneself in the language and culture of a foreign country to truly learn and grow. Richard also discusses the process of obtaining visas and the need for legal assistance when dealing with contracts and property in a foreign country. He highlights the value of positive communication and treating others with respect in both personal and business relationships. In this conversation, Richard shares his experiences of living abroad, specifically in Spain and Costa Rica. He talks about the initial excitement and adventure of arriving in a new country, describing the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings he encountered. Richard also discusses the social aspects of living abroad, including making friends and immersing himself in the local culture. He then delves into the process of starting his own business in Costa Rica and offers advice for those considering living abroad. He emphasizes the importance of being respectful, street smart, and open to new experiences. Richard concludes by encouraging listeners to live their own lives and not let naysayers or negative influences hold them back.

Takeaways

Immersing oneself in the language and culture of a foreign country is essential for personal growth and learning.

Obtaining visas and dealing with legal matters in a foreign country may require the assistance of an attorney.

Positive communication and treating others with respect can lead to better personal and business relationships.

Taking risks and pursuing opportunities abroad can lead to unexpected and fulfilling experiences. Living abroad can be an exciting and adventurous experience, filled with new sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings.

Socializing and immersing oneself in the local culture is an important part of the expat experience.

Starting a business in a foreign country requires careful planning, hiring specialists, and adapting to local laws and regulations.

It is important to be respectful, street smart, and open to new experiences when living abroad.

Don't let naysayers or negative influences hold you back from pursuing your dreams of living abroad.

Sound Bites

"I wanted to live again. And I know I was going back to where I was going to be."

"What did I see? Rainforest. What did I hear? Monkeys. Birds. Amazing."

"What did I smell? The freshest air could ever breathe. What did I taste? Come on, man. Look at the food that's here. And what did I feel? The warmest weather. It felt amazing, like a warm bath."

"It's almost like going back in time 20 or 30 years. People are family oriented, God fearing. All the neighbors know one another. People walk arm in arm, hand in hand. Kisses on the cheek, which I always think is cool."

Connect with Us:

• Website: https://www.tallmantravels.co.uk/the-expat-pod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089327439022
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.expat.pod/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExpatPod
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-expat-pod/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:25 Chapter 1: Getting There

14:29 Chapter 2: Language and Cultural Immersion

27:19 Chapter 4: Positive Communication and Respect

35:24 Chapter 5: Taking Risks and Pursuing Opportunities

44:21 The Excitement and Adventure of Living Abroad

55:43 Socializing and Immersing in the Local Culture

01:06:22 Starting a Business in a Foreign Country

01:18:17 Advice for Living Abroad

01:26:25 Living Your Own Life and Ignoring Naysayers

Keywords

living abroad, language immersion, cultural immersion, visas, legal assistance, positive communication, respect, living abroad, adventure, culture, socializing, starting a business, advice

Title: The Expat Pod: Lace Flowers

Subtitle: : Leaving the UK for a South American Adventure

Episode Number: 28

Release Date: [07/01/2024]

Duration: [00:55:12]

Welcome to The Expat Pod, the podcast where we explore the ins and outs of living abroad, embracing new cultures, and navigating life as an expat. I'm your host, James Doran, and today, we're diving into the life of Lace Flowers, a British person who left the UK with her young family as a single mother to explore South America, after manifesting her move the year before.

Lace has navigated Mexico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and is now living in Colombia, where she's been able to manage her online business inspiring women to set up online work as virtual assistance, and previously working in Crypto teaching to help build confidence in the new financial markets.

Join our chat exploring the world of international food, dating, understanding tourist visa requirements, the language and a couple of healthcare run-ins.

Connect with Us:

• Website: https://www.tallmantravels.co.uk/the-expat-pod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089327439022
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• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExpatPod
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-expat-pod/

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If you enjoyed this episode of The Expat Pod, please subscribe, rate, and leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you and continue to deliver valuable content on life as an expat.

Summary:

In this episode, Molly answers 10 quick-fire questions about her expat life in Costa Rica. She talks about her favorite place to live, her favorite international food, and her favorite international tradition. Molly also discusses the best thing about living abroad, the hardest thing about it, and her best expat life hack. She shares her love for being on boats, the phrase she's learned while living abroad, and her advice for making new friends. The episode ends with a thank you message.

Takeaways:

• Living in Costa Rica is like living in paradise with beautiful scenery and a relaxed lifestyle.
• Kebabs are Molly's favorite international food, and St. Patrick's Day is her favorite international tradition.
• The best thing about living abroad is being able to spend more time outside and enjoy the weather.
• The hardest thing about living abroad is feeling disconnected from friends and family back home.
• Molly's best expat life hack is using a dual SIM in her cell phone to have a local number and a US number.
• Making new friends requires putting yourself out there and being the kind of friend you would like to have.
• Molly loves being on boats and considers it her happy place.
• The phrase 'Pura Vida' is a versatile expression in Costa Rica that represents the pure and joyful life.
• Molly's advice for making the most of expat life is to embrace new experiences and create opportunities to include others.
• The episode ends with a thank you message and a call to engage with the podcast.

Connect with Us:

• Website: https://www.tallmantravels.co.uk/the-expat-pod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089327439022
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.expat.pod/
• X: https://twitter.com/ExpatPod
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-expat-pod/

Subscribe, Rate, and Review:

If you enjoyed this episode of The Expat Pod, please subscribe, rate, and leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners like you and continue to deliver valuable content on life as an expat.

Sound Bites:

"What's your favorite place you ever lived? Well I live right on Lake Arnall in a town called Tronadora and I love it here because it's just beautiful there's rolling green hills and a lake and a volcano in distance and it's just an absolutely beautiful place to be."

"Oh, kebabs, hands down, kebabs."

"Well, I guess technically St. Patrick's Day is an international tradition for me now since I live in Costa Rica. So I'll go with that one."

Chapters:

00:00 Favorite Place and International Food

01:53 Favorite International Tradition

03:19 The Best Thing About Living Abroad

04:45 The Challenges of Living Abroad

06:33 Molly's Expat Life Hack

08:27 Making New Friends

09:19 Boats and Bliss

10:45 The Versatile Phrase: Pura Vida

12:40 Making the Most of Expat Life

13:10 A Thank You Message and Call to Engage