What you’ll hear in this episode:
• Today’s episode will be a brief welcome back to the podcast. I’ll share with you a bit about what I have in mind for Season 3!
• I’ll invite you to connect with me and stay in touch as we move into Season 3.
• I’ll request YOUR participation in the podcast by leaving me an audio message! I’d love to be able to share some of your voices and stories in a future episode!
What you’ll hear in this episode:
• Today’s episode will be a brief welcome back to the podcast after our break in August. I’ll share with you a bit about what I have in mind for Season 2!
• I’ll invite you to connect with Mindful Expat (and me!) and stay in touch as we move into Season 2. Read More
The podcast (and I) will be taking a break for the month of August. But don’t worry! We’ll be back with Season 2 of the podcast in September!
In preparation for Season 2, I would love to get some feedback from you, my listeners, to know more about what you’ve found helpful in the podcast so far and what you’d like to hear more about in future episodes. I’d really appreciate it if you’d take a few minutes to fill out this brief survey to provide me with a bit of feedback and let me know if you have any ideas for me!
Thank you in advance!
Today’s Mindful Expat Guest is Naomi Hattaway!
Naomi is from the United States (originally from Nebraska). She and her husband have 3 children, and together they have lived in New Delhi, India, and Singapore. They’ve now repatriated back to the US — first to Florida, then to Northern Virginia, and now to Columbus, Ohio.
Naomi is the founder of 8th & Home, a real estate and relocation company, where she specializes not only in helping families with the practical details of relocating, but also helps them find and build a true sense of community – where they can really thrive – in their new homes.
Naomi is also the founder of an amazing movement called, “I am a Triangle” (which was the helpful resource that Amel Derragui shared with us back in episode 6!). In 2013, Naomi wrote a blog post, entitled, “I am a Triangle and Other Tips for Repatriation,” where she wrote about her experience of living abroad and repatriating, using the shape of a triangle as a metaphor for her experience – saying that when we come from a country of squares and then we move to a country of circles, each of these experiences and cultures impacts us so that we eventually become a triangle – someone who may not completely fit in in either country. This article quickly went viral because it resonated with so many people, and Naomi has since built a community of fellow Triangles – people who may not feel as if they truly fit in either their passport countries or their host countries, but who find their sense of community and belonging with fellow Triangles.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
• About Naomi’s journey of living abroad and repatriating back to the US — and about some of the unique challenges of repatriation.
• How the “I am a Triangle” movement came to be and the wonderful benefits of connecting with fellow Triangles.
• How focusing on how we can be of service to a new community (rather than focusing on what the community can offer us) can offer a path to belonging in our new homes.
• The importance of vulnerability in allowing us to make authentic, meaningful connections.
• The importance of finding the right balance of in-person vs. online connections (which may be different for each person!). Read More
Today’s Mindful Expat Guest is Amel Derragui!
Amel is the host of the amazing Tandem Nomads podcast, which is a wonderful resource for expat partners. An adult third culture kid (TCK) and expat partner herself, she has a wonderful, inspiring perspective on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by global nomads. Amel has built a portable career for herself as a freelance marketing and communications consultant, and she now helps other global nomad entrepreneurs develop businesses that feels satisfying and meaningful to them and that work for them in their lives abroad.
What you’ll hear in today’s episode:
• About Amel’s own journey as a third culture kid (TCK), expat partner, and global nomad entrepreneur.
• Some of the common challenges faced by expat partners — especially around issues of personal and professional identity.
• Amel’s philosophy of turning the challenges into great opportunities! (And some tips for how to make this mental shift.)
• The importance of routines and building structure into our lives abroad.
• The importance cultivating gratitude in our lives.
• The importance of expressing our appreciation for our partners (even about the small things). Read More