Expats Exposed

Have you ever arrived in a city and thought: I think I could settle down here?
What if I bought a house here? And then started checking options for real estate in that city.

Now, if you are someone who has traveled or lived in many different countries, thinking about when to settle down and choosing that place is not an easy decision.

On the other hand, if you are someone who lives in your hometown or in another city nearby and got roots there with family and friends, then thinking about moving to a different place and settling down there might be scary.

So, when is the right time to settle down and how can we make sure we picked the right place?

In this episode, I'll go through a list of important factors to consider when choosing a place to settle down.

There are plenty of travel destinations around the world that are worth a long plane ride. But there are also some cities and tourist attractions you wish you hadn't visited.

From attractions to cities, the website Insider came up with 20 travel destinations that are overrated because of cost, crowds, pollution, or otherwise.

In this episode, I'll go through this list for the first time and react to it, either agreeing or disagreeing.

What is Reverse Culture Shock and why it might be worse than Culture Shock? In this episode, I invited Nicki Post to talk about her experience moving back to the USA after living years abroad. Nicki and I discuss what it feels like to go back to our countries and how to deal with things when it doesn't feel exactly like "home" anymore. 

Nicki has been traveling around the world for 20 years and right now she is in her favorite place in the world: Buenos Aires in Argentina. While she plans to make Buenos Aires her base for the next several years, she also hopes to dive deep into Argentina to see and know as much as possible.

Ferran moved from Barcelona to Warsaw in Poland at the end of 2022. In this episode, he talks about his experience living in Poland in 2023 compared to a couple of years ago. Apart from living in Warsaw, Ferran has also spent time in Lublin and Krakow. 

He shares his thoughts on what it is like to make friends, get around, and rent prices. He also mentions the cost of living, job opportunities, and why Poland is a good option for digital nomads and remote workers.

Particularly popular with young professionals, Berlin has a lot to offer someone looking to move to a city with a strong economy, good job prospects and plenty of culture and nightlife. Rodrigo Catão shares his experience living in Berlin with his family. In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- The importance of speaking German;

- Challenges living in Germany;

- Can Germans speak English?;

- How diverse is Berlin?;

- How friendly are the Berliners?;

- Life in Germany vs. Brazil;

- Cost of living in Berlin;

- Tips for foreigners moving to Germany;

- How is Germany post Brexit?.

Buenos Aires is a hot spot for those who love music, food, dancing, and just all-around beautiful, warm, and friendly people. 

In this episode, I talked to Nati, who lived for 7 years in the capital of Argentina. We will cover topics such as:

- Challenges of living in Buenos Aires;

- Cost of Living;

- Different exchange rates and high inflation;

- What she misses about living in Argentina;

- Why she decided to leave;

- Tips for foreigners thinking about moving to Argentina.

Can you believe it is December 2021? I can't. These last two years have been crazy, and I think we are all dying to go to a different country and not have to wear a mask, take a PCR test before flying, or travel with a mask during an entire flight. But it is what it is.

In this episode, I talk about my first impressions living in Bogotá, Colombia. I have been to other cities like Medellín, but I am based in Bogotá right now. To be honest, I didn't know much about Colombia before I moved here, and I am just impressed with the amount of things this country has to offer. From a very rich cuisine to a recent history full of conflicts, this country has become one of the hottest travel destinations in Latin America. And if you think you know it all because you have watched a Netflix show about Colombia's recent history, then I will ask you to listen to the whole episode. Colombia is much more than its recent history.

Mexico City attracts tourists and expats from around the globe. The city's rich culture and fascinating history make it an excellent vacation spot. You'll find great food, world class museums, interesting archaeological sites, stunning architecture, ubiquitous art, gorgeous green spaces and varied cultural offerings.

In this episode, I talked to the Colombian Daniel Montaña, who has been living in Mexico City for the past three months. Daniel is my Spanish teacher, and I absolutely love having classes with him. If you also want to have Spanish classes with Daniel, you can click on the link below for his iTalki profile. 

Food is an important aspect of any country's culture. But what country's cuisine would make it to your top 5? Thinking about that, I came up with my own personal list. This top 5 is solely based on my own personal preferences, but it would be great to know what your top 5 would be. 

Happy Middle of the Week!

Don't forget to come back here on Friday for the longer episode of the podcast.

In a world where people seem to be so disconnected, what can unite global citizens? What are some positive things that everyone is talking about at the same time around the globe? In this episode, I'll be discussing how football (soccer) unites the world. 

Happy Middle of the Week!

This is the first Expats Exposed Express episode. Every Wednesday, you can come back to the podcast for a very short episode where I share my thoughts about different topics. Instead of keeping them all to myself, I've decided to share them with you. Every Friday, as usual, come back for the longer episode of the podcast. 

Hello everyone and welcome back to Season 2 of the Expats Exposed Podcast!

In today's episode, we will be looking at how the world will be like after the pandemic. There has been a lot of predictions regarding the economy, the way people will interact with each other, how the travel industry will be different, and so on. So, I decided to invite seven friends to share their perspective about the world after the pandemic is over. Will things go back to what they were before? What will be different and what will stay the same?

Is Rio really one of the most beautiful cities in the world? How safe is it for tourists and expats? And what about the cost of living? Ollie Levido shares his experience living in Rio. Ollie is from Australia but he fell in love with South America. He lived for a couple of years in Bolivia and at the end of 2020 he moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

This is episode 20 of the Expats Exposed Podcast. It's the end of Season 1 -- but no need to worry! Make sure to subscribe to this podcast to know the exact date we will be back with Season 2 in July, 2021. 

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- What was your impression of Brazil before moving there?

- What was challenging in the beginning?

- How difficult is it to communicate in Portuguese?

- What do you love and hate about expat life in Brazil?

- How safe is Rio?

- How do you get around the city of Rio de Janeiro?

- What's the cost of living like?

- Do you have any tips for foreigners planning to visit or live in Rio?

What is the most overrated travel destination in the world? In this episode, we go through a list of the 20 most overrated travel destinations in the world. I also gave my opinion and asked two friends what they thought were the most overrated travel destinations in the world.

There are cities, countries, and tourist attractions which are quite popular, but are actually not as great as they seem.

Why do people leave their countries? Why do people decide to move abroad? In this episode, eight expats explain the reasons behind their decision to live abroad. 

What is the most underrated travel destination? This is what I've been asking myself lately. Countries like France, Thailand, Italy, and Spain are very popular travel destinations. In this episode, we are going to talk about countries which are less popular among tourists. There are many countries and cities which are not very well known but still have a LOT to offer. Today we will discuss some of these countries and cities here.

To help me discuss which are the most underrated travel destinations in the world, I asked the help of three friends: Zuzana, Nicki, and Arthur. 

In today's episode, I talk to my friend Zuzana about living in the Czech Republic. I met Zuzana in Qingdao, China in 2015. However, she has been living in Kladno for the last 3 years. 

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- How similar are Slovak and Czech languages?

- Can locals speak English?

- Pros and Cons of living in the Czech Republic.

- Cost for rent in Prague.

- Current real state situation in Prague.

- Cost of living in the Czech Republic (groceries, transportation and utilities)

- Current travel restrictions and border control.

- Vaccination, trips, and getting the vaccine.

- Setting up an English school in Czech Republic.

- English teaching during and after the pandemic. 

Defining home has always been tricky for me. To be quite honest, I believe that I have never actually felt 100% at home in my hometown, where I grew up and spent most of my life. After moving abroad, I was challenged to start a new life in a completely different place, make new friends, and adapt to that new culture. But when will that new country start to feel like home? Is home a physical location or a feeling we have?

In today's episode, I invited four friends to help me answer this question. Thank you Zuzana, Nelson, Robin, and Ricardo for sending your definitions of home. I hope you enjoy this episode.   

Moving abroad can be very challenging and stressful. While living abroad, I have seen expats making mistakes that could easily be avoided before moving to a new country. From carefully researching about a new place to finally feeling at home in a different country, there are some mistakes you can anticipate and avoid in order to help you with the whole process.

In this solo episode, I share tips and tricks to help expats before and after moving to a new country.

Alex shares his experience moving to New York after having spent 15 years living in Bratislava, Slovakia. He arrived in New York in the middle of the pandemic in 2020 with his wife and daughter. 

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- Moving to Slovakia and living in Bratislava for 15 years;

- The challenges of moving to New York in the middle of the pandemic;

- Settling in New York, apartment hunting, and buying furniture;

- Office work when the pandemic is over;

- Living in the suburbs of New York;

- What is living in Stamford like;

- Cost of living in Stamford, Connecticut;

- The expat community in Stamford;

- The importance of credit score and purchase power in the US;

- What is home for Alex.

Lea D Meddings shares her experience applying for the UK Marriage Visa, moving to London during the pandemic, and adapting to British life. 

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- Her experience in the English Language Teaching industry;

- Teaching English online during the pandemic;

- How Lea met her fiancé Luke;

- The process to obtain the UK marriage visa;

- Lockdown and restrictions in London;

- Blending in and adapting to British life;

- Tips for expats moving to London;

- Hopes and expectations for 2021 after BREXIT.

Tatiana Severo has been working in China as an English teacher since 2019. In episode 9 of the podcast, Tati talks about what living in China is really like. 

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- Her experience living in the UK and Argentina;

- Why she moved to China;

- The amazing Chinese infrastructure;

- Pros and Cons of living in a small city in China;

- What to do and see in Shanghai;

- Advice for foreigners moving to China;

- Cost of living in a small city;

- Her definition of "home";

- Hopes and expectations for 2021.

Herbert Barlow (aka Hebinho) has been living in São Paulo for the past 8 years. It is South America's Megacity and also the financial hub of the region.  

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- Reasons why he moved to São Paulo;

- The job market in São Paulo;

- Making friends and building your community;

- Cultural diversity in Brazil;

- The downside of living in a megacity;

- The influence of immigrants in the city;

- Leisure options in São Paulo;

- Being LGBTQ+ in Brazil;

- Issues with social inequality, racism, and homophobia.

Bernardo and Gustavo (aka Bernie & Gus) have been living in Seattle with their families for some years now. They arrived in the USA many years ago as undergraduate students, lived in different parts of the country and finally settled down in Seattle, Washington. 

In this episode, we cover topics such as:

- Applying for scholarships and studying at American universities;

- The decision of staying in the USA after graduation;

- Living in New York, Kansas, and California;

- The benefits of living in Seattle;

- The cost of living;

- The diverse work environment in Seattle;

- Hopes and expectations with Joe Biden as president;

- The essence of America.

Érika shares her experience moving from Madrid to Amsterdam during the pandemic in 2020. She talks about her journey arriving in Amsterdam, finding an apartment, and integrating with the community as an expat. Érika covers topics such as:

- Cycling in Amsterdam;

- Modern vs. old Amsterdam;

- Arriving in Amsterdam during lockdown;

- How safe the city is for women;

- Living in Holland without speaking Dutch;

- Cost of living in Amsterdam;

- What she misses about Brazil.

I spent the last 4.5 years living in China and now it's time to share my story with the world. In the 4th episode of the Expats Exposed Podcast, instead of exposing another expat, I will expose myself. I will be covering topics such as:

• Why I decided to go abroad;
• Applying for a job in China;
• First impressions of China;
• Teaching English to kids, teenagers, and adults;
• Chinese culture, traditions, and habits;
• Redefining the concept of "home";
• Reasons why I left China;
• Living in a multicultural environment.

Art Costa Manso shares his experience solo traveling around the world, being a digital nomad in Georgia, and how he started his YouTube Channel Gringo Nation. 

Art talks about the pros and cons of living in Georgia, what the expat community is like, the cost of living, and what "home" means for him. 

"A visitor is a gift from God" is a popular saying in Georgia. It illustrates how welcoming Georgians are towards foreigners. 

In this episode, Crystal discusses the challenges of raising a kid in London with her husband. From the birth of her baby in the British National Health Service (NHS) to finding a nursery place, she covers topics such as:

*the cost of living in England's most expensive city;

*private and public nurseries;

*how kid-friendly London is;

*what the expat community is like;

*and the benefits of living in one of the most multicultural cities in the world. 

Hello everyone! This is the brand new podcast Expats Exposed! Here you will find honest conversations with expats around the globe. 

In today's episode, Ollie Levido talks about expat life in Bolivia. Ollie moved from Australia to Santa Cruz Bolivia where he currently lives and works as an English teacher. 

In this episode, Ollie talks about the challenges he faced as an expat in Bolivia, what surprised him the most when he got there, and he also shares precious pieces of advice for anyone thinking about traveling to Bolivia or living there as an expat. He also shares what is the next country he is moving to at the end of 2020.