Meet the Expats

Meet Selena, an American expat who moved from Texas to Madrid at just 24, despite never having visited the city before.Eight years later, Selena is still living in Spain and has gone through quite the expat journey, from teaching English and learning Spanish to navigating multiple visas, building a community from scratch, and eventually switching to Spain’s digital nomad visa.In this episode, Selena shares what motivated her to leave the US and try life in Europe after a six-week backpacking trip opened her eyes to a different way of living. She talks about why the sense of community she discovered in Europe made such an impression on her, and how she took the leap to move to Madrid without knowing exactly what the future would look like.We also talk about one of the biggest challenges of expat life: building a community from scratch. Selena shares how joining a football group helped her meet people from all over the world and led to friendships that have lasted almost eight years. Her advice? Put yourself out there, even when it feels uncomfortable. You never know where one conversation might lead.Selena also talks about learning the local language and integrating into Spanish life, why she believes you can't really get by with English alone, and how learning Spanish has made everyday life, bureaucracy and finding accommodation much easier.We compare Madrid with other parts of Spain, talk about the slower pace of life, the importance of patience, and why expats should always have a Plan B, C and sometimes even D when it comes to bureaucracy and visas.Selena shares some of her favourite Madrid restaurants, tapas bars and cafés.Selena's Madrid recommendations:🍴 La Confusa – Traditional Spanish tapas, plus an excellent cheesecake🍷 Taberna de la Copla – Vermouth and classic Spanish tapas in Malasaña🍽️ Cantina Singular – Small family-run restaurant with a twist on Spanish food, near Metro Bilbao🍷 Casa Alberto – Historic restaurant in Madrid's Literary Quarter, known for its vermouth🍷 Lamiak – Great tapas, wine and sharing plates🍸 La Berlona Bar – Chic and slightly more upscale, perfect for a date or when you want to impress🍷 Hermanos Vinagre – Casual, fun and very Spanish🎨 Los Gabrieles – Historic tapas bar with beautiful interior details, including paintings and tilework☕ Maria Peperina Cantina – Great coffee and big windows in Arganzuela🥐 Casa Victoria – Central café with a fun atmosphere, brunch and great coffee🎵 Selena's expat song: Vivir la Vida by Marc Anthony – a feel-good salsa track that captures the fun, energy and rhythm of life in Spain.If you're thinking about moving to Spain, starting a new life abroad, or simply wondering what it takes to build a life and community in another country, this episode is for you.Listen to the episode and discover Selena's journey from Texas to Madrid!Follow for more expat stories:📘 Meet the Expats Blog📹 Youtube Channel📱 InstagramCredits:Intro outro Ice tea, Not the kingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Meet with Urmi,an Italian with Bengali roots who grew up in Italy, spent time in the UK, and has now been living in Montreal, Canada for the past decade.Urmi is a Third Culture Kid, and her story is one of navigating different identities. Growing up with Bengali parents in Italy, she experienced a “dual life”: one version of herself at school and another at home. She shares the challenges of feeling both Italian and not quite Italian, while also feeling different within her Bengali community.We follow her journey from Sicily to Northern Italy, then to the UK as a teenager, before she eventually made the move to Canada — this time entirely by her own choice.Montreal turned out to be a surprising fit. Urmi talks about discovering a city that is deeply multicultural and bilingual, where she now works in French despite having studied in English. She also shares the little things that help her recreate a feeling of home.We also dive into working in Canada, including some important advice for anyone hoping to build a career in Montreal. Urmi explains why networking, LinkedIn, professional references and mentorship can be particularly important in the Canadian job market — and why being able to work in both French and English can make a major difference in Quebec.And as a TCK, does she see Montreal as her final home? Not necessarily. We talk about the idea that once you've grown up moving, you may always keep the door open to another country, another opportunity and another adventure.In this episode, we talk about:Growing up Italian with Bengali parentsThe challenges of having a dual cultural identityLife as a Third Culture KidMoving from Italy to the UK as a teenagerDiscovering multicultural MontrealFinding a job in Canada as an expatFinding pieces of Italy in MontrealWhy TCKs may always feel ready for another move📍 Urmi's Montreal recommendations:☕ Café Italia — a 70-year-old Italian café where Urmi goes for coffee, Italian conversation and a taste of home.🍕 Pizzeria Gemma — for Italian-style, thin-crust pizza.🍰 Casa di Totò — a Neapolitan family-run spot for Italian treats including cannoli, coda d’aragosta and sfogliatelle.🎵 Urmi's Expat Song: Perdono — Tiziano Ferro🎙️ Urmi's podcast: Stories Beyond Borders — a podcast exploring immigration stories, Third Culture Kids, identity and the meaning of home.If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and follow Meet the Expats on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for more stories from people building lives across borders.Follow for more expat stories:📘 Meet the Expats Blog📹 Youtube Channel📱 Instagram📱TikTokCredits:Intro outro Ice tea, Not the kingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Meet Denison Smith, an American novelist who recently traded the wide-open landscapes of New Mexico for the rolling countryside of Portugal’s Alentejo region.In this episode, Denison shares the story behind her move from the United States to Portugal, a journey that was years in the making thanks to Portugal’s Golden Visa program. What started as an “insurance policy” gradually became a life-changing decision, prompted by political shifts in the U.S., a desire for new possibilities, and the opportunity to build a slower, more intentional life abroad.We talk about the realities of relocating to Portugal, from navigating Portuguese bureaucracy and learning the language in a rural community to buying a home in the Alentejo and finding an unexpected network of artists, creatives, and fellow internationals living off the beaten path. Denison also reflects on the challenges of importing her car, surviving one of Portugal’s wettest winters in recent memory, and adapting to a culture where things happen face-to-face and at a very different pace.Along the way, we discuss what makes Portugal so appealing to expats: the warmth of local communities, the slower rhythm of life, the sense of trust between neighbors, and the beauty of living in a place where human connection still comes first.Denison also introduces her newly released novel, The Westward Hours, a speculative fiction story that explores climate change, political upheaval, resilience, and humanity’s relationship with the land. Interestingly, the themes of the novel mirror many of the reasons that ultimately led him to make the move to Portugal.If you're considering moving to Portugal, curious about life in the Alentejo, or interested in hearing an honest account of starting over abroad later in life, this episode is full of insights, stories, and practical realities.📖 Denison's book: The Westward Hours by Denison SmithRestaurant recommendation: Howard's Folly🎤Expat song: Que Sera Sera by Doris Day (from The Man Who Knew Too Much)Follow for more expat stories:📘 Meet the Expats Blog📹 Youtube Channel📱 Instagram📱TikTokCredits:Intro outro Ice tea, Not the kingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Meet Amanda,Who at the age of 17 started a nomadic lifestyle, bartending across 10 different countries, seizing every opportunity, before settling down with her family in Copenhagen.Amanda shares her reverse culture shock when moving back to the US, and more about life, culture shocks and the wonderful work-life balance in Denmark.Follow for more expat stories:📘 Meet the Expats Blog📹 Youtube Channel📱 Instagram📱TikTokCredits:Intro outro Ice tea, Not the kingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Meet Maddalena,an Italian relationship and dating coach now living in London, whose expat journey took her from a small town in Southern Italy to Dublin, Rome, and eventually London. In this episode, Maddalena shares how living abroad transformed not only her life, but also her approach to love, dating, and emotional connection.Dublin became her turning point. What started as an exciting new chapter quickly turned into a deeper personal journey. Away from her support system, Maddalena began noticing repeating patterns in her relationships — idealising partners, confusing chemistry with compatibility, and unconsciously building emotional barriers to protect herself.“When you are abroad you build a barrier unconsciously… this barrier makes you feel stronger and independent, but at the same time it blocks intimacy.”Through self-reflection, journaling, and learning to lower those emotional walls, Maddalena began to understand how expat life can amplify existing patterns. Loneliness, independence, and uncertainty often create a push-and-pull dynamic: wanting connection while simultaneously keeping people at a distance.She also shares powerful insights into common expat dating patterns:Dating casually because you know you might leaveChoosing "safe" relationships to prove stabilityConfusing chemistry with real compatibilitySeeking connection from a place of need rather than alignment“Chemistry is a spark, but it's not everything… Alignment is knowing your values, your non-negotiables, and asking deeper questions.”Today in London, Maddalena feels more grounded. Now a relationship coach, she helps expat women navigate dating abroad, gain awareness of their patterns, and create meaningful relationships built on emotional availability and alignment.Whether you're newly abroad, navigating loneliness, or simply curious about how expat life shapes relationships, this episode offers thoughtful reflections and practical advice on dating while living internationally.🎧 Expat SongsTubthumping — Chumbawamba“I get knocked down, but I get up again” — Maddalena’s Dublin anthem that reflected her resilience during her transformation abroadJazz music in London — Maddalena’s go-to vibe for relaxed, meaningful moments in the citywww.maddalenavario.comFollow for more expat stories:📘 Meet the Expats Blog📹 Youtube Channel📱 Instagram📱TikTokCredits:Intro outro Ice tea, Not the kingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.