Expecting Expats

In this very special episode of Expecting Expats, we’re joined by Mandolyn Crotts, founder of Carry Them Ministries, a nonprofit organisation in Nigeria supporting mothers and babies through breastfeeding education, nutritional support and care for infants facing severe malnutrition.Originally from Texas, Mandolyn moved to Nigeria with her husband in 2018, initially planning to stay for just one year. Eight years and four children later, Nigeria has become home – and what started as a desire to help her local community has grown into an organisation making a meaningful difference in the lives of mothers and babies.We talk about what it means to raise a family abroad, navigating motherhood and the healthcare system in a very different cultural context, and how an expat experience can open your eyes to needs and opportunities you might never have encountered otherwise.In this conversation, Mandolyn shares some incredibly personal parts of her journey, including adopting her first child in Nigeria, her own experiences giving birth there, and the challenges she faced during her postpartum recovery.In this episode, we talk about:​Moving abroad with the intention of staying for just one year – and finding a completely different life than expected.​The maternal and infant health challenges Mandolyn witnessed in Nigeria, and how these inspired her to start Carry Them.​Breastfeeding education, formula marketing and the importance of giving mothers access to accurate information and practical support.​Adopting her first child in Nigeria and navigating motherhood in a new country.​Giving birth abroad, postpartum complications and the importance of respectful maternity care.​Building a community-based organisation and working alongside local women and staff.​How living abroad can give us a different perspective and inspire us to make an impact.​The importance of women supporting women, sharing experiences and building community.About Carry ThemCarry Them works to support mothers and babies in Nigeria through breastfeeding support, nutrition education and care for vulnerable infants. You can learn more about their work and how to support the organisation here:🌍 Website: https://carrythem.orgFind us and our workWhether you're navigating pregnancy, parenthood, relationships or life abroad, we’d love to connect with you!Amanda Graybill – Mindful MamaAmanda supports expecting and new parents through childbirth education, GentleBirth workshops, doula support and one-to-one coaching, with a special focus on international families.🌍 Website: https://www.mindfulmamafrankfurt.com/📧 Email: [email protected] / Camilla Jensen – Worlds Apart CounselingCamilla is a couples counsellor specialising in expats and international couples, offering couples and individual counselling in Frankfurt and online.🌍 Website: https://www.worldsapartcounseling.com📧 Email: [email protected]🎧 What we're listening toAs always, we end the episode by sharing some recommendations!Mandolyn: Theo of Golden – an audiobook she describes as a beautiful reminder that the world is not as frightening as it can sometimes seem, and that there is still so much beauty in it.CJ: Pinkpill Rx – a podcast discussing interesting topics around women and society. CJ especially recommends episode 75, “AI Gender Bias.”​You can find Pinkpill Rx here: https://pinkpillrxhq.com/​Thank you so much to Mandolyn for sharing her story and the incredible work she is doing. ❤️And to all our listeners: remember that we are stronger when we support one another. Community, connection and sharing our stories are such important parts of the expat journey.

Moving abroad and building a life in a new country can be exciting, but finding a real sense of belonging? That can be a whole different story. ❤️In this episode of our Expat Experts series, Amanda and CJ sit down with Raehyun Kim, founder of Link n Learn in Frankfurt, to talk about building community, helping children grow in confidence, and creating a home away from home for international families.Originally from South Korea, Raehyun moved to Germany almost 21 years ago. After becoming a mother, she began asking herself a question many parents can relate to: What is my purpose beyond being a mom?That question, combined with her desire to create a welcoming space for her daughter and other international families, inspired her to build Link n Learn — a place where children can explore, learn and express themselves, while parents connect and build friendships of their own.We talk about:✨ Finding your our village abroad — Why community is so important for expat parents who don't have family nearby, and why building lasting connections can be harder when people are constantly moving away.💛 Raising confident third-culture kids — How growing up between cultures can shape children's identities, and why having a space where they feel understood and included matters.🎭 Helping shy children find their voice — How creative classes, performances and opportunities for self-expression can help children discover their confidence.🤝 Making connections as an adult — How a community can help parents build friendships, even when striking up a conversation with another mum doesn't come naturally.💃 The magic of dancing together — Why Raehyun believes dancing brings people closer, creates joy and helps build a stronger sense of togetherness.🌱 Building a business with purpose — Raehyun shares the challenges of growing Link n Learn, the importance of staying connected to the families she serves, and why protecting her own happiness and boundaries is essential to keeping her passion alive.Our biggest takeaways​Community isn't just a nice extra when you're living abroad — it can be an essential part of feeling at home.​Children thrive when they feel safe, welcomed and encouraged to express themselves.​Finding your people can make navigating life between cultures feel a little less lonely.​You don't have to be a confident extrovert to build meaningful friendships. Sometimes you just need a little help getting started.​Community doesn't happen by accident. It's built, nurtured and held together by people who care.And Raehyun's beautiful reminder to take with you: “It's not about where you live, but it's about who you're surrounded by. So, as long as you have your tribe of people around you, you can make anything your home.”🔗 Link n Learn: https://linknlearn.de/Raehyun is also part of Jummadols, a dancing duo that celebrates fun, creativity and the joy of moving together.💃 Find Jummadols on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jummadols?si=DbJpcLwMsWLqrTHy You can also find Jummadols on Instagram and TikTok.What we've been listening to 🎧As always, we're sharing a few podcast recommendations at the end of the episode!​Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod — Raehyun's recommendation, inspired by her morning routine and The Miracle Morning.​The Diary of a CEO — Another podcast Raehyun enjoys.​Child – BBC Radio 4 — Amanda's recommendation, exploring childhood, development and the science and history of how we grow.​28ish Days Later – BBC Radio 4 — Amanda's other recommendation, a fascinating deep dive into the menstrual cycle.Connect with Amanda & CJ 💕Amanda Graybill – Mindful Mama FrankfurtExplore Amanda's work and resources for mothers: https://www.mindfulmamafrankfurt.com/CJ – Worlds Apart CounselingFor couples counselling with a focus on expat and international couples, visit: https://worldsapartcounseling.com/

Kids’ clothes. Seasonal changes. Hand-me-downs. Rain pants. And… somehow an enormous amount of mental energy. 😂On the surface, swapping your children’s clothes from one season to the next sounds simple. But then come the questions: What still fits? Do we have rain pants? Where are the winter shoes? What needs replacing? What should we save for the younger sibling?It’s not just the clothes. It’s the mental load.In this episode of Expecting Expats, Amanda and CJ talk about the invisible planning, remembering, anticipating and decision-making that comes with changing your children’s wardrobes — and why this can feel even more complicated when you’re raising kids abroad.We talk about:👕 Why the seasonal clothes swap is a whole project
🧠 What the mental load actually is
🇩🇪 The expat layer — including German Kita requirements and the infamous Regenhose!
👧👦 Hand-me-downs, siblings & storage
🛍️ Sustainability vs. reality
💬 Whether a fair partnership really means 50/50
❤️ Why recognition of invisible work matters
📅 Small systems that can make recurring tasks easierAnd then there’s the emotional load. Because packing away tiny clothes isn’t just about clothes. It’s also a reminder that your child has grown, another season has passed, and time is moving very, very quickly. 🥹💡 Our takeawayYou don’t have to solve the entire mental load in one conversation. But noticing it is a start.Talk about what you’re each carrying. Make the invisible visible. Recognize the work that isn’t immediately obvious. And find small systems that make recurring tasks easier.And if you’re currently surrounded by tiny sweaters, rain pants and piles of clothes that no longer fit… we see you. 😂❤️🔗 Resources & Recommendations🧠 Mental Load / Equal Care Test
Make invisible care work visible and start a conversation about how mental load is distributed. Available in English and German.
👉 https://mental-load-test.org/en/start/ (mental-load-test.org)📖 CJ’s recommendation: Attached
Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller explores adult attachment styles and how they can influence romantic relationships.
👉 https://amirlevinemd.com/books/attached/ (Amir Levine, MD)🎧 Amanda’s recommendation: In the Dark
Amanda is hooked on In the Dark from The New Yorker. Their current series, The Journey, investigates a mysterious California couple and a shocking surrogacy story.
👉 https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/in-the-dark/the-journey (The New Yorker)🌍 Amanda’s Work — Mindful Mama
English-language pregnancy, birth and early-parenthood support for international families in Frankfurt and online.
👉 https://www.mindfulmamafrankfurt.com/ (Mindful Mama)❤️ CJ’s Work — Worlds Apart Counseling
CJ (Camilla Jensen) works with expat and international couples and families around communication, relationship patterns and cross-cultural challenges.
👉 https://worldsapartcounseling.com💕 About Expecting ExpatsExpecting Expats is a podcast for expat parents navigating pregnancy, parenthood, relationships, identity and family life abroad.We’re here for the messy, funny, beautiful and sometimes overwhelming parts of raising a family away from home. Thanks for being part of our community! ❤️

Watching your kids grow up is one of those beautiful contradictions of parenthood: you can be incredibly proud of who they’re becoming while also quietly wishing you could freeze time.In this episode of Expecting Expats, Amanda and CJ have an honest, emotional conversation about the bittersweet experience of letting go as our children become more independent — and how that experience can feel even more complicated when you’re raising kids abroad.Amanda shares what it was like to say goodbye as her nine-year-old son flew to Madrid on a school trip — his first time travelling abroad without his parents. What should have been a moment of excitement and pride also brought a surprising amount of grief and anxiety as Amanda realized that her little boy is becoming a big kid.CJ reflects on her own smaller, everyday moments of letting go, from watching her four-year-old confidently navigate a doctor's appointment to realizing that her almost-three-year-old can do far more independently than she sometimes gives him credit for.Together, they talk about:💕 The emotional rollercoaster of watching our children become more independent✈️ Why a school trip abroad can feel like such a huge milestone😭 How two things can be true at the same time — we can be proud and heartbroken, excited and scared🍼 Why milestones like weaning can unexpectedly bring up feelings about our children growing up🇩🇪 How parenting in Germany can encourage independence from a young age🌍 The unique expat experience of raising children who may one day feel at home in multiple countries🏡 What it means to be a “safe harbor” that our children can always return to👣 Learning to support our children's independence without hovering💭 The identity shifts that happen for us as our children need us in different ways👀 The unique experience of being the people who hold the memories of our children's childhood when extended family lives far away❤️ Learning to grieve the little versions of our children while making space for who they're becomingOne of the biggest reminders from this conversation is that letting go isn't one single moment — it's a lifelong rhythm. Our children will continue to need us, but the way they need us will change.And perhaps that's the heart of parenting: helping them feel secure enough to go out into the world while knowing they always have somewhere safe to come home to.🎧 What We're Listening ToAmanda recommends:
How to Let Go of What You Can't Control and Redirect Your Energy — Mel Robbins PodcastCJ recommends:
Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés💕 Connect With AmandaAmanda Graybill is a childbirth educator and birth doula supporting international families through pregnancy, birth and early parenthood in Frankfurt and beyond.Through Mindful Mama, Amanda offers English-language childbirth education, GentleBirth and other support for international families.🌐 mindfulmamafrankfurt.comAmanda's work includes online and in-person support for international families, including childbirth education and pregnancy/parenting support.💕 Connect With CJCJ / Camilla Jensen is a couples counselor specializing in expat and international couples.Through Worlds Apart Counseling, CJ offers support to couples navigating relationships, connection and the unique challenges that can come with building a life abroad.🌐 Worlds Apart CounselingYou can learn more about CJ's work and book a session through her website.

Summer is (almost) over, and we're back in Frankfurt! ☀️🍂In this lighthearted summer catch-up episode of Expecting Expats, Amanda and CJ sit down to share what their summers actually looked like—from family trips and international travel to summer camps, weddings, World Cup fever, and the very real exhaustion that comes with travelling with kids.CJ spent much of the summer at her family's holiday house in Sweden before heading to Denmark, while Amanda packed in trips to Valencia, Amsterdam and Utrecht, plus a children's sailing course back in Germany. Needless to say, neither summer was exactly restful!We chat about the joys (and challenges!) of travelling with children, including putting kids into a Spanish summer camp for the first time, navigating cultural differences around mealtimes and bedtime, and discovering that sometimes… home really is where the pretzels are. 🥨We also talk about the reality of having young children at home during the long summer break—with no school or daycare—and why getting back to a regular routine can feel like such a relief for parents.But summer wasn't all chaos. We reflect on our summer bucket lists, the spontaneous moments that ended up being some of our favourites, and the things we want to carry with us into autumn. For CJ, that's the cosy feeling of Swedish summers and spending time in nature. For Amanda, it's making more room for fun and spontaneity while letting go of some of that summer FOMO.And because autumn feels a little bit like a new year when you're a parent, we also look ahead to what's coming next—including CJ's exciting new chapter as a certified couples counsellor.In this episode, we talk about:What a summer of expat family life really looks likeTravelling around Europe with young childrenSpending the summer in Sweden, Denmark, Spain and the NetherlandsPutting children into a Spanish summer camp for the first timeThe challenges (and unexpected joys) of navigating different culturesWhy Spanish family events happening at 10pm can be a shock to the system!The never-ending work of feeding and entertaining children during school holidaysThe relief of getting back to school, daycare and regular routinesOur summer bucket lists—and whether we actually completed themSummer nights, World Cup fever and spontaneous adventuresThe funny ways our children develop a sense of belongingWhy sometimes home is where the pretzels are 🥨What we want to leave behind and carry into the autumnEmbracing cosy autumn vibes and making plans to get through the winterCJ's new chapter as a certified couples therapistPodcast RecommendationsThis episode's recommendations include:Two Cents Podcast – A witty and honest podcast about the experience of living life in Germany as African women.Camp Shame – A documentary-style, true-crime-ish podcast about a children's weight-loss camp. Definitely one for a particular mood!A little reminder for fellow expat parentsSometimes a holiday isn't actually a holiday.Travelling with children can mean cooking, cleaning, managing bedtime, navigating unfamiliar places and keeping everyone entertained—just in a different location. But that doesn't mean the memories aren't worth it.Whether your summer was full of adventures or mostly involved trying to keep everyone fed and alive, we hope this episode reminds you that you're not the only one figuring it out as you go.Thanks for joining us for this little summer update. We're so happy you're here❤️More from Amanda & CJ🌍 CJ — Worlds Apart CounselingCJ is a couples therapist who works with expat and international couples, helping partners navigate the unique challenges that can come with building a relationship and family across cultures.👉 Worlds Apart Counseling🌿 Amanda — Mindful Mama FrankfurtAmanda is a childbirth educator and doula offering childbirth education and support for international families in Frankfurt, with classes available in English.👉 Mindful Mama Frankfurt