Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories

Marc Alcobé Talló
  • 4.5 (6)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories is a podcast about people building lives and finding home abroad. Formerly Expat Experts and hosted by Marc Alcobé, the show features thoughtful, long-form conversations with people living abroad around the world. Each episode explores what it really means to start over somewhere new — from culture shock and identity shifts to belonging, community, and the slow process of becoming almost local. Rather than checklists or relocation advice, Almost Local focuses on the human side of life abroad: the emotional transitions, the in-between moments, and the personal stories behind international moves. Whether you’re already living abroad, considering a move, or simply curious about life elsewhere, this podcast offers honest stories and nuanced perspectives on making a home far from where you started.

  1. Almost Local #44 | Why We Chose Portugal After 15 Years Abroad (Spain, Korea, Saudi)

    3D AGO

    Almost Local #44 | Why We Chose Portugal After 15 Years Abroad (Spain, Korea, Saudi)

    Thinking about moving to Portugal? In this episode, American expat Kalie reveals the honest reality of living in Porto as a family, breaking down the exact cost of living, the SEF bureaucracy nightmare, and why you should come with "no expectations." After 15 years living abroad in Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, Kalie and her family settled in Porto. But is the "Portugal Dream" all it's cracked up to be? We discuss the pros and cons of Portuguese life, the differences between Porto and Lisbon, and the specific challenges of raising a "third culture kid" in Europe. 🎙️ Guest: Kalie Kalie is a seasoned American expat and "serial mover" who has lived in five countries (Spain, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Portugal) over 15 years. Currently settled in Porto with her husband and daughter, she advocates for a "zero expectations" mindset to navigate the messy realities of life abroad. 🔗 Guest Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expatseverywhere YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpatsEverywhere Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expatseverywhere Website: https://slateandkey.com/ and https://www.expatseverywhere.com/ 📚 Guest Webinar https://slateandkey.com/free-webinar/ Send us a message! PodMatchLike a dating app by matching hosts and guests for podcast interviews with process automations.VidIQHelps you acquire the tools and knowledge needed to grow your audience faster on YouTube and beyond.BuzzsproutThe easiest way to start a podcast. Gets your podcast online and into Apple, YouTube, and Spotify.Riversideis your online studio for high-quality podcast and video recording and editing. Powered by AI.OpusClipCreate amazing and trending clips out of your own interviews with OpusClip!Slate and KeyThe Key To Your New Life. A experience to curate the life of your dreams in the Portugal.Level8 LuggagesUse code LEVEL8Expat10 at checkout for 10% off your next travel companion!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    50 min
  2. Almost Local #43 | Living in Indonesia as a Foreigner: Daily Life, Culture & Reality

    FEB 9

    Almost Local #43 | Living in Indonesia as a Foreigner: Daily Life, Culture & Reality

    🎧 In this episode of Expat Experts, I’m joined by Australian-born filmmaker, storyteller and podcast host Chris Baron. Now based in Indonesia, Chris takes us behind the scenes of his extraordinary journey—from filmmaking in extreme environments to launching his podcast “No Ordinary Monday”, relocating abroad and re-imagining life on his own terms. We talk about: 🌍 Why moving abroad can be the ultimate life hack for growth & freedom 🎬 Making the leap from a traditional film career to remote creative work ✈️ Living as an expat in Indonesia: culture-shock, mindset shift, and daily wins 💻 Practical advice for building a location-independent career and working from anywhere ⚠️ The hidden challenges of expat life & how to turn them into opportunities 💬 Real talk: cost of living, finding your place, navigating visas and local culture  If you’re thinking about relocating abroad, switching careers into something more adventurous or creative — or simply curious what real expat life looks like — this episode is for you. 🎙️ Guest: Chris Baron A globetrotting documentary filmmaker and storyteller who, drawing on a background in science and a taste for adventure, travels the world capturing real‑life stories and unusual career paths from volcanoes to remote wild kitchens for his podcast No Ordinary Monday. 🔗 Guest Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noordinarymondaypodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/No-Ordinary-Monday-Podcast/ YouTube:  @noordinarymonday   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noordinarymondaypodcast Website: https://www.noordinarymonday.com/ Send us a message! PodMatchLike a dating app by matching hosts and guests for podcast interviews with process automations.Level8 LuggagesUse code LEVEL8Expat10 at checkout for 10% off your next travel companion!Slate and KeyThe Key To Your New Life. A experience to curate the life of your dreams in the Portugal.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    48 min
  3. Almost Local #42 | Leaving Toxic Work Culture Behind: Why I Moved to Amsterdam

    JAN 26

    Almost Local #42 | Leaving Toxic Work Culture Behind: Why I Moved to Amsterdam

    What happens when your life abroad looks perfect on paper — but inside, you feel completely empty? ✈️ 🤔 In this episode of the Expat Experts Podcast, host Marc Alcobé talks with Lara Ferreira — a Brazilian-born former corporate high-flyer turned mindful career & life coach, now based in the Netherlands. After a serious burnout, Lara discovered a deeper purpose and founded Mindful Experiences to help expats who feel “successful on paper but empty inside.” In this conversation, we explore: 🌍 What it really feels like to live abroad and succeed … but still feel disconnected 🔥 How burnout became Lara’s wake-up call and launch-pad for change 🧘 Practical strategies for expats to rediscover purpose, meaning, and fulfilment 💬 Cultural insights: Brazilian warmth vs. Dutch directness — what it means for life abroad 💡 Step-by-step advice for building a life abroad that feels good, not just looks good 💪🏼 Listen now to discover how burnout became Lara’s turning point, what it really means to live mindfully as an expat, and why finding balance abroad starts with slowing down. 🎙️ Guest: Lara Ferreira Lara Ferreira is a Brazilian-born mindful career and life coach based in the Netherlands, who transformed her own experience of corporate burnout into a mission to help expats find purpose, balance, and fulfilment abroad. 🔗 Guest Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulexperiences_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferreiralara Website: https://www.mindfulexp.com/ Send us a message! PodMatchLike a dating app by matching hosts and guests for podcast interviews with process automations.Level8 LuggagesUse code LEVEL8Expat10 at checkout for 10% off your next travel companion!Slate and KeyThe Key To Your New Life. A experience to curate the life of your dreams in the Portugal.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    40 min
  4. Almost Local #41 | Moving to Spain: Spirituality, Risk & Starting Over Abroad

    JAN 12

    Almost Local #41 | Moving to Spain: Spirituality, Risk & Starting Over Abroad

    Thinking about moving abroad? Wondering why some places feel right and others feel off? Today’s episode will change how you see the world 🌍✨ We’re joined by Isabel Guerreira, founder of Your Stellar Truth — a New York City expat who moved to Spain after discovering the power of astrocartography, the branch of astrology that reveals where in the world your energy flows best. In this conversation, we explore: ✨ How your birth chart can guide your relocation decisions 🌐 What happens when you move toward the right planetary energy lines 🇪🇸 The emotional + cultural reality of living abroad in Spain 💼 How Isabel launched a relocation-focused astrology business as an expat 🧭 Tips for expats, digital nomads, and anyone seeking a life that feels aligned If you're curious about expat life, relocating to Spain, digital nomad living, or how astrology and geography intersect, this episode is for you 🌙🧳💫 🎙️ Guest: Isabel Guerriera Isabel Guerreira is a New York–born astrologer and relocation coach living in Spain who helps people align their life choices and where they live through astrocartography. 🔗 Guest Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourstellartruth/ YouTube:  @YourStellarTruthAstrology-o4h TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yourstellartruth Substack: https://practicalastrology.substack.com/ Website: https://www.yourstellartruthastrology.com/ 🤑 Voucher code Astro111 - 15% off any purchase on the website Send us a message! PodMatchLike a dating app by matching hosts and guests for podcast interviews with process automations.Level8 LuggagesUse code LEVEL8Expat10 at checkout for 10% off your next travel companion!Slate and KeyThe Key To Your New Life. A experience to curate the life of your dreams in the Portugal.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    57 min
  5. Almost Local #40 | The Dark Side of Studying in Italy: Expat Reality 🇮🇹

    12/15/2025

    Almost Local #40 | The Dark Side of Studying in Italy: Expat Reality 🇮🇹

    👩🏼‍🎓🇮🇹 In this episode, we sit down with Sofia Vrettou, a Greek researcher and expat currently living in Italy, to explore what it really takes to build a life abroad — emotionally, culturally, and personally. Sofia shares her journey from Greece to Bologna as a PhD researcher, the cultural differences she experienced between Greek and Italian life, how identity shifts when you move countries, and the challenges of adapting to new academic and social environments. We discuss: The emotional side of living abroadLanguage barriers & cultural surprisesHow to build community when starting overThe beauty of blending culturesRediscovering yourself outside your home country 🎧 Whether you're already abroad, planning to relocate, or simply curious about expat life — this conversation is for you. 📲 Follow Sofia on: https://www.instagram.com/sofiavrettou_/ Send us a message! Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    56 min
  6. Almost Local #39 | From 9–5 Jobs in Australia to Slow Travel in Southeast Asia

    12/01/2025

    Almost Local #39 | From 9–5 Jobs in Australia to Slow Travel in Southeast Asia

    🏯 👧🏽 What happens when you sell most of what you own, leave behind stable 9–5 jobs, and decide to slow travel through Southeast Asia? Meet Zanesta & Nabeel, the creators behind Tiny Detour. Originally from Australia, they traded routine for freedom, leaning into lifestyle arbitrage and building a life on their own terms. In this episode of the Expat Experts Podcast, we dive into their expat journey as a couple: Why they left Australia for slow travel in Southeast AsiaThe biggest challenges & surprising moments of living abroad togetherHow they balance finances, relationships, and uncertaintyTheir best advice for mid-career professionals considering a similar leapFun cultural comparisons through our travel mini-gamesA hilarious story from their adventures on the road👉 Whether you’re dreaming of leaving the 9–5, curious about lifestyle arbitrage, or already living abroad, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about work, life, and freedom. 📲 Follow Nabeel and Zanesta on: https://www.youtube.com/@tinydetour/ https://www.instagram.com/tiny.detour/ https://tiny-detour2024.kit.com/6453a798c5 Send us a message! PodMatchLike a dating app by matching hosts and guests for podcast interviews with process automations.VidIQHelps you acquire the tools and knowledge needed to grow your audience faster on YouTube and beyond.PodcastpageMakes it easy to create powerful podcast websites in minutes. Without coding.BuzzsproutThe easiest way to start a podcast. Gets your podcast online and into Apple, YouTube, and Spotify.Riversideis your online studio for high-quality podcast and video recording and editing. Powered by AI.OpusClipCreate amazing and trending clips out of your own interviews with OpusClip!Level8 LuggagesUse code LEVEL8Expat10 at checkout for 10% off your next travel companion!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    1h 1m
  7. Almost Local #38 | Want to Live as a Digital Nomad? Aleksandar Svetski Shares His Secrets 💻 🌎

    11/17/2025

    Almost Local #38 | Want to Live as a Digital Nomad? Aleksandar Svetski Shares His Secrets 💻 🌎

    Unlock the untold story of Aleksandar Svetski, an entrepreneur who overcame $250K in debt by age 20, lived as a digital nomad, and eventually launched the app Satlantis.io—a radical new vision for social mapping. In this episode, we dive deep into: Aleks’s expat & digital nomad journey: How hopping across cultures shaped his mindset and career.From $250K debt to startup hustle: What resilience, discipline, and Bitcoin taught him.The philosophy behind Satlantis, and why he believes Bitcoin is more than money—it’s freedom.Mini-games like "Nomad Picks: Bullish or Bearish?" and "Pack, Burn, or Stack?" that reveal his expat preferences and values.Practical life hacks for other location-independent entrepreneurs looking to thrive abroad.📲 Follow Satlantis on: https://www.satlantis.io/ https://instagram.com/joinSatlantis https://x.com/joinsatlantis https://www.linkedin.com/company/satlantis.io/  📲 Follow Aleks on: https://www.instagram.com/svetskiwrites/ https://substack.com/@svetskiwrites https://www.youtube.com/@SvetskiWrites Send us a message! PodMatchLike a dating app by matching hosts and guests for podcast interviews with process automations.VidIQHelps you acquire the tools and knowledge needed to grow your audience faster on YouTube and beyond.PodcastpageMakes it easy to create powerful podcast websites in minutes. Without coding.BuzzsproutThe easiest way to start a podcast. Gets your podcast online and into Apple, YouTube, and Spotify.Riversideis your online studio for high-quality podcast and video recording and editing. Powered by AI.OpusClipCreate amazing and trending clips out of your own interviews with OpusClip!Level8 LuggagesUse code LEVEL8Expat10 at checkout for 10% off your next travel companion!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    1h 16m
  8. Almost Local #37 | Surprising Truths About Expat Parenting Abroad! 👶🏼🌍

    11/02/2025

    Almost Local #37 | Surprising Truths About Expat Parenting Abroad! 👶🏼🌍

    🤰✈️ In this episode, Angela Vitiello, founder of the Expat Parenting Collective, discusses the unique aspects of raising kids abroad. She shares insights on navigating culture shock as an expat family and offers valuable parenting tips for those considering moving abroad. Whether you're already an expat parent or contemplating the move, this episode provides essential guidance. Ever wonder about the intricacies of being an  expat parent? In this week's episode, we have an insightful discussion of raising kids abroad. Angela Vitiello shares her experience as an expat family in different countries, providing valuable parenting advice and strategies for navigating parenting challenges. 📲 Follow Angela on: https://www.expatparentingcollective.com/ https://vitielloconsulting.com/ https://www.instagram.com/expatparentingcollective/ https://www.instagram.com/itsangelavitiello/ Send us a message! PodMatchLike a dating app by matching hosts and guests for podcast interviews with process automations.VidIQHelps you acquire the tools and knowledge needed to grow your audience faster on YouTube and beyond.PodcastpageMakes it easy to create powerful podcast websites in minutes. Without coding.BuzzsproutThe easiest way to start a podcast. Gets your podcast online and into Apple, YouTube, and Spotify.Riversideis your online studio for high-quality podcast and video recording and editing. Powered by AI.OpusClipCreate amazing and trending clips out of your own interviews with OpusClip!Level8 LuggagesUse code LEVEL8Expat10 at checkout for 10% off your next travel companion!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Check the episodes in video in Youtube 🎥: https://www.youtube.com/@almostlocalstories Follow us on social media 📲: https://www.instagram.com/almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@almostlocalstories ⁠https://www.facebook.com/almostlocalstories 🌎✈️ Join our Almost Local Network now and connect with a global community of like-minded adventurers!

    57 min
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About

Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories is a podcast about people building lives and finding home abroad. Formerly Expat Experts and hosted by Marc Alcobé, the show features thoughtful, long-form conversations with people living abroad around the world. Each episode explores what it really means to start over somewhere new — from culture shock and identity shifts to belonging, community, and the slow process of becoming almost local. Rather than checklists or relocation advice, Almost Local focuses on the human side of life abroad: the emotional transitions, the in-between moments, and the personal stories behind international moves. Whether you’re already living abroad, considering a move, or simply curious about life elsewhere, this podcast offers honest stories and nuanced perspectives on making a home far from where you started.

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