Expat Lifestyles Episodes

Nina Aziz Justine has lived in five countries, worked across forty-seven of them, and spent the better part of five decades asking the question that so many of us quietly carry: where on earth do I actually belong? She is a serial entrepreneur, cultural chameleon, and self-described "rat in the lab" of her own life experiments, Nina has channelled all of that lived complexity into her memoir, The Home Within: A Nonlinear, Soulful Memoir About Belonging Across Cultures and Change. She sits dow...

Send us Fan Mail Adrienne Belaire grew up on Aramco compounds in Saudi Arabia from first grade through high school, a world full of sunshine, small communities, and the particular freedom of a life lived between cultures. She is a wife, mother, potter, and artist who, after navigating her own sometimes turbulent repatriation to the United States, made a quietly remarkable decision: to go back again. She returned to Saudi Arabia as an adult gave birth to and has raised her three children the...

About Pia Pia Mailhot-Leichter is a self-described "recovering nomad" who has lived in more places than most people visit, from Manhattan to Sri Lanka, London to France, and eventually dropping anchor in Copenhagen after decades of following the nomadic pull. Born to a French-Canadian mother and a New York City father, she grew up crossing cultures before she had words for it, and spent years searching for belonging before discovering it lived inside her all along. Today she's an author...

Dr. Joy Wiggins Meet Dr. Joy Wiggins, we chatted about Raising Kids to Boardroomsshe is a cultural agility expert, former professor, and single mum who packed up her life in Texas and moved to Lisbon, Portugal with her teenage daughter Ruby. She's spent decades living and working across cultures, from Germany to China to Jordan, she also now helps globally mobile women build careers and lives that don't fit neatly inside one country's borders. What You'll Take Away: There's a world of differen...

What does it really take to build a life across cultures? In this episode, intercultural trainer Kathy Ellis joins Doreen for an honest conversation about the messy, beautiful reality of cross-cultural living. From her small-town Midwest roots to seven countries, multiple languages, and decades helping others navigate global transitions, Kathy brings both personal experience and professional expertise to the table. In this conversation: The Cultural Iceberg: Beyond Tourist-Level Understanding...

In this heartfelt farewell to the Nomadic Diaries podcast, Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks co-host reflect on a remarkable 10-month journey exploring the expansive topic of belonging. Together, they look back over 30 episodes, key guest moments, personal transformations, and the evolution of the conversations. The hosts revisit why belonging matters, share moving stories from the series, and discuss how the podcast impacted their own sense of community and connection. They also expre...

Show Notes Welcome back to Nomadic Diaries for part two of our conversation with Ruth Van Reken, the influential voice behind "Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds." Joined by Megan Norton-Newbanks and your host Doreen Cumberford, Ruth dives deep into cross-cultural identity, belonging, and generational perspectives. Key Topics Discussed Navigating the "Where Are You From?" QuestionRuth shares practical ways globally mobile people can gracefully answer this challenging question.The Soc...

Support the show Nomadic Diaries explores expat life, repatriation, belonging and global living. This episode may be part of our Re-Entry Series (30 episodes on coming home) or The Belonging Project (29 episodes on belonging across cultures). Browse the full catalog at nomadicdiariespodcast.com and please share or leave a review if this episode resonated.

In this engaging episode of Nomadic Diaries, Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks welcome Caz Stuart, an accomplished documentary filmmaker, to discuss the art of storytelling, belonging, and community - both on and off camera. Caz explores her nomadic journey from Europe to San Miguel, Mexico, weaving in her extensive career experiences, particularly in making hard-hitting documentaries on social issues for UK television. The conversation spans topics from the dynamics of competitive pi...

In this heartfelt episode of Nomadic Diaries, Doreen Cumberford opens up about the challenges and transformations of expat life, drawing from her own 15 years as an accompanying spouse in Saudi Arabia. She reads an excerpt from her book, "Life in the Camel Lane," diving into the core themes of home, identity, and the elusive sense of belonging for global nomads. Listeners are invited to reflect on adaptation, cultural transitions, grief, and the growth that comes from living liminally—caught bet...

In this delightful “Belonging Bite” mini-episode, hosts Doreen and Megan dive into the profound connection between food and belonging. From childhood comfort foods to international culinary adventures, they explore how what we eat is never just about taste, but deeply tied to our sense of home, community, and personal story. Key Topics Covered: Personal Food Memories: Megan shares her love for afternoon tea—a ritual that grounds her and transcends borders. Doreen reminisces about the comfort of...

This episode explores the deep connections between movement, body awareness, identity, and belonging, especially as experienced by people who navigate multiple cultures. The conversation dives into Marcia Bonato Warren's unique approach to Embodied Code-Switching® and the role of somatic awareness in feeling at home within our bodies across shifting cultural contexts. Key Topics Discussed: What is Somatic Awareness?Originates from the Greek word for “body” (soma). Goes beyond physical presenc...

In this insightful episode of Nomadic Diaries, hosts Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks delve into the mental health challenges and evolution of belonging on the expat journey with special guest Patrick Kadian, The Expat Hypnotherapis. Drawing from decades of global living, as well as expertise in multiple mental health modalities, Patrick Kadian explores how moving across continents continuously reshapes our understanding of identity, belonging, and well-being. Key Topics Covered Patr...

Episode Overview: In this episode of Nomadic Diaries, co-hosts Megan Norton-Newbanks and Doreen Cumberford dive into the nuanced relationship between language and belonging. Drawing from their own global upbringings and experiences living in multiple countries, the hosts unpack how language—including dialects, family language mashups, and community-specific lingo—shapes our sense of home and connection. Key Topics Discussed: Mother Tongues & Dialects: Doreen Cumberford reflects on the comfortin...

The Plot Twist Nobody Warns You About! In this insightful conversation, Angie Weinberger returns to Nomadic Diaries to explore the complex emotions and practical challenges faced by expats and global citizens, especially around repatriation and defining "home." Angie, based in Zurich, shares her expertise on supporting expats and expat partners with global mobility. Key Topics Covered Maintaining International Connections: Angie and the host discuss the challenges of keeping deep global frien...

In this heartfelt episode of Nomadic Diaries, host Doreen Cumberford chats with Brigitte Muller, a South African marketing strategist and long-term expat living in Tampa, Florida. They delve into the complexities of expat life, from the economic realities that drive difficult moves, to the richness and challenges of adapting to life in a new culture, grappling with grief from afar, and the deep sense of purpose that keeps expats motivated. Key Topics Covered 1. Brigitte’s Expat Journey: Brigit...

Some time ago I recorded this episode of Nomadic Diaries with Todd Nims, an Aramco Brat whose parents we had known in Saudi Arabia. Episode Highlights In this captivating conversation, we explore the fascinating journey of filmmaker and cultural bridge-builder Todd Nimms, whose unique upbringing between Saudi Arabia and America shaped his perspective on identity, belonging, and cross-cultural understanding. Todd's Intercultural Roots Todd Nimms was born in Saudi Arabia to an American family, a...

Key Topics Discussed Tracy’s Expat Journey: Tracy shares her path from Aberdeen, Scotland to Mexico, with stops in Houston and Cancun, and explains how her kids have thrived in a multilingual, multicultural environment.San Miguel de Allende for Families: It is definitely shifting from a retiree-focused town to an increasingly family-friendly destination, with multi-generational families taking root.Safety and Community: Both guests address common concerns about safety in Mexico, providing per...

In this episode of Nomadic Diaries, host Doreen Cumberford welcomes friend and real estate expert Tracy Moss to discuss the ins and outs of buying property in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Tracy draws on her 20+ years in Mexico, sharing practical steps, insider tips, and cultural insights to help expatriates, digital nomads, and dreamers navigate the real estate market with confidence. Key Topics & Highlights 1. Real Estate in San Miguel de Allende Tracy explains her holistic approach with B...

Hopefully you will find this episode with Marilyn Gardner soul-nourishing! Host Doreen Cumberford welcomes Marilyn Gardner for a deep dive into the rhythms, challenges, and beauty of leading a global, nomadic life. Marilyn shares her experiences of moving through 36 homes across continents, the lessons found in both anticipation and nostalgia, and the journey of finding "places that light you up", even when you never fully feel that you belong. Together, Doreen and Marilyn explore what it mea...

In this episode, Doreen Cumberford welcomes welcomes Mathieu Gagnon, an Adult Third Culture Kid (ATCK) and Professor of Psychology at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario specializing in the emotional experiences of third culture kids (TCKs), expats, and people in global transitions. Mathieu's international upbringing as the son of a Canadian diplomat took him from Paris to Morocco, the Ivory Coast, Haiti, Switzerland, and back to Canada. Together, they dive deep into the emotional l...

I sat down with Linda Mueller, who was a previous Co-Host for the Re-Entry Series. Linda is an experienced ExpatPartnerCoach and we dived into the benefits of coaching for people who live in the international and global communities. Together, we explored what it really means to thrive as a global nomad, especially as an accompanying partner. We cover everything from wrestling with issues of purpose and identity to maintaining relationships and overcoming guilt. Linda shares her hard-earned wisd...

In this episode, we sat down again with Tanya Crossman, a leading expert on Third Culture Kids (TCKs) to catch up on recent research findings. Understanding Third Culture Kids Defining the TCK Journey: Tanya clarifies what makes a Third Culture Kid—children growing up outside their passport country without plans to settle permanently—and why their experience differs from immigrant children. Hidden Struggles, Global Strengths: How TCKs develop unique perspectives while navigating complex identi...

In this episode of Nomadic Diaries, we sat down with Tanya Crossman, a leading expert on Third Culture Kids (TCKs) whose personal experiences and professional work have made her a trusted voice in the global mobility community. Tanya's Third Culture Journey Tanya Crossman's journey as a TCK began with moves between Australia and the United States during her childhood, following her father's career path. Her cross-cultural experiences deepened significantly when she later spent 13 years living a...