Quiero un Panino con Cheese - a Podcast for TCKs and Multicultural Families

Gaia Striano - a TCK raising TCKs
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Semimonthly

Ever tried answering the question “Where are you from?” and gave a 10-minute monologue? Ever caught yourself switching between three languages in the middle of a sentence? Ever wondered what home really means when you’ve had more than one? If so, welcome to Quiero un Panino con Cheese, the podcast for parents, kids, and families living the beautiful chaos of multicultural life. Season 2 will be hosted by Gaia Striano, a TCK mom who has raised 3 TCKs across borders, cultures, and languages.   This show explores the joys and challenges of Third Culture Kids—kids who grow up between cultures, languages, and identities.

  1. 1d ago

    Raising TCK Girls: Identity, Belonging & Self-Esteem with Andrea Schmitt Lozano

    Send us Fan Mail Trigger warning: This episode touches on mental health, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, so please take care while listening. Moving countries can be an incredible opportunity—but for a teenager, especially a teenage girl, constant change can also come with a very real emotional cost. In this episode of Quiero un Panino con Cheese, I talk with Andrea Schmitt Lozano, a teen girl life coach with a master’s degree in clinical psychology, longtime expat, and mother of a Third Culture Kid (TCK). Andrea brings both professional experience and lived experience to the conversation. After more than 30 years of expat life, she understands the challenges of raising globally mobile children—and she experienced firsthand what happened when her daughter reached adolescence after years of moving between countries and changing schools. Her daughter had changed schools eight times by the age of 14. As the moves continued, Andrea noticed changes in her daughter’s friendships, identity, self-esteem, and sense of belonging. That experience ultimately became part of what led Andrea to focus her work on teen girls, TCK girls, and globally mobile young women. In our conversation, we explore: Why adolescence can make the challenges of TCK life even more complicatedThe difference between fitting in and belongingWhen healthy cultural adaptation turns into “shape-shifting”Why some TCK girls feel pressure to edit themselves to fit into different cultures or friendship groupsIdentity, self-esteem, social pressure, body image and beauty standardsWhy returning to a passport country can sometimes feel harder than moving to a foreign countryThe assumptions people make about TCKs based on their passport, appearance or languageThe pressure some globally mobile girls feel to be the “adaptable, grateful daughter”How grief from repeated moves can coexist with gratitude for an international childhoodWhat the “Triple Bind” is and how it impacts adolescent girls, especially in a globally mobile contextWhat parents can do when their teenager is struggling with another moveThe importance of listening, validating emotions, and making difficult feelings “speakable”The resilience and global perspective that can also come from growing up across culturesOne of the most important messages Andrea shares with parents is that you don't have to make your daughter's life painless. Instead, parents can create a safe space where their daughters can talk honestly about both the exciting and difficult parts of their globally mobile lives. For TCK parents, expat families, globally mobile teenagers, and anyone trying to understand the complex relationship between identity, culture, and belonging, this conversation is a must. You can find Andrea on Instagram at globalgirlcoach as well as on her website, Global Girl Coach and on LinkedIn at Andrea Schmitt Lozano If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

  2. Sep 16

    From 15 to Forever: A TCK Love Story Against the Odds and Across the World - with Madison and Rob

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when two Third Culture Kids from very different backgrounds meet, lose touch, reconnect years later, and build a multicultural family together? In this episode of Quiero un Panino con Cheese, I talk with Madison and Rob about growing up between countries, navigating TCK identity, and what it means to feel at home when “home” isn’t a single place. Their paths first crossed as teenagers, when Madison was living in Peru and Rob had just moved to Argentina. They became friends online, dated briefly, went their separate ways, and eventually reconnected in their twenties. Their story is a beautiful example of how relationships—and people—can remain part of our lives even when geography keeps getting in the way. They share their experiences of moving across cultures, returning to their passport countries, finding belonging, raising multilingual children, and building a multicultural family in the Netherlands. They also explore the unexpected strengths that can come from a globally mobile childhood—including adaptability, empathy, and open-mindedness—and offer advice to young TCKs navigating friendships, identity, and constant change. In this episode: Growing up as Third Culture KidsTCK identity and belongingReverse culture shock and returning “home”Multicultural relationships and parentingRaising multilingual childrenWhat home really meansThe strengths of being globally mobileAdvice for young TCKsTheir final message to young TCKs is especially powerful: stay connected to the people who matter, embrace your adaptability, and recognize that what may feel like a weakness or insecurity today can eventually become your superpower. If you've ever struggled to answer "Where are you from?", questioned where you belong, returned to a country that was supposed to feel like home and discovered it didn't, or wondered what happens when two globally mobile people build a life and family together, this conversation is for you. Follow Madison Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nomad.ison.k/ for more of her perspective on multicultural life.  If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

  3. Sep 2

    Moving Abroad: 5 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me - with Lidia Budziszewska, PhD

    Send us Fan Mail What does it really mean to move abroad? We often focus on the exciting parts of becoming an expat or international family: discovering a new culture, learning a language, meeting new people, and creating a new life. But the emotional reality of moving abroad can be much more complicated. In this episode of Quiero un Panino con Cheese, I sit down with Lidia Budziszewska, a clinical psychologist from the multilingual therapy center, Open Psychology, based in Madrid, who has lived in Spain for 19 years and works with expats, international families, children, teenagers, and Third Culture Kids Drawing on both her personal experience of moving from Poland to Spain and her professional experience as a psychologist, Lidia helps us understand some of the emotional challenges that can come with living abroad—and why struggling doesn't necessarily mean you made the wrong decision. In this episode, we discuss: 🏠 Home will never feel quite the same again Moving abroad can fundamentally change our sense of identity and belonging.💔 You will inevitably miss important family moments Birthdays, weddings, babies, aging parents, holidays and everyday moments can all highlight what we're missing when we live far from family. 🤝 Meaningful friendships take time Making friends as an adult in a new country isn't always easy. We talk about loneliness, the expat bubble, finding local friendships, and why social connection is essential for our wellbeing.🌍 Sometimes you will feel incredibly vulnerable When you don't speak the language fluently, don't understand the cultural codes, or don't yet know how things work, even simple everyday tasks can suddenly feel overwhelming.❓ What if I had never left? The “what if?” question is a common part of the international experience. u created.Perhaps the most important message from Lidia is this: Difficult thoughts and feelings don't necessarily mean you made the wrong decision. Moving abroad changes your context. The things that worked for you at home may need to be rebuilt or adapted in your new country. Feeling lonely, vulnerable, homesick, or uncertain doesn't automatically mean you should leave. Sometimes it simply means you're adjusting. Moving abroad isn't simply about changing your address. It's about rebuilding parts of your life while carrying your old life with you. And perhaps that's why the experience can be both incredibly rewarding and incredibly challenging. About Lidia Budziszewska Lidia Budziszewska is a clinical psychologist who has lived in Spain for 19 years. Originally from Poland, she moved to Spain as an Erasmus student and went on to complete her Master's and PhD studies there. She is one of the founders of Open Psychology, a Madrid-based psychological center offering support in multiple languages to adults, children, teenagers, couples and families, as well as support in schools and at home. Lidia works in Polish, Spanish, and English, and Open Psychology's multidisciplinary team also provides psychological support in additional languages. Find Lidia & Open Psychology here: 🌐 Open Psychology Website 📱 Open Psychology Instagram  💼 Open Psychology LinkedIn If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who is preparing to move abroad—or someone who has already made the move and is discovering that the emotional side of international life is more complicated than they expected. If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

  4. Aug 19

    Finding the Home Within - with Nina Aziz Justin

    Send us Fan Mail Belonging, Identity & the Emotional Journey of Living Between Cultures What does it really mean to feel at home? For Third Culture Kids, expats, immigrants, global nomads, and anyone who has lived between cultures, “Where are you from?” can be a surprisingly complicated question. In this episode of Quiero un Panino con Cheese, I’m joined by Nina Aziz Justin, keynote speaker, strategic advisor, resilience mentor, and author of The Home Within: A Soulful Memoir of Self-Belonging Across Cultures and Change. Nina was born in Malaysia and has spent decades living and working across cultures and more than 40 countries. Her experiences have led her to explore one of the most fundamental questions of multicultural life: Where do we belong when we no longer fit neatly into one place, culture, language, or identity? Her book The Home Within explores migration not simply as a physical journey, but as a journey of identity, becoming, and ultimately returning to ourselves. In this episode, we talk about: Why the simple question “Where are you from?” can trigger such a complicated emotional response for TCKs and global citizens.The difference between fitting in and truly belonging.Why Nina describes belonging as a muscle that we strengthen through practice.The hidden grief of migration—and why gratitude does not cancel grief.How we can love our new lives while still grieving the people, places, languages, traditions, and versions of ourselves we left behind.The unexpected gift of non-belonging and what happens when we stop seeing it as a wound.How living between cultures can make us more curious, empathetic, inclusive, and aware of other outsiders.The connection between belonging, neuroscience, emotional safety, and the nervous system.Why spirituality can become a kind of “portable home” when everything around us changes.Multilingualism and why Nina describes having different languages as having different rooms inside her home.How language carries memory, emotion, personality, humor, and identity.The realities—and unexpected gifts—of multicultural marriage.Why repatriation can sometimes be harder than moving abroad.What running can teach us about resilience, discomfort, patience, and self-trust.Nina’s resilience equation and why resilience isn't about becoming unbreakable.And perhaps the most important question of all: How do we come home to ourselves?A conversation about the multicultural experience One of the things I loved most about this conversation was Nina’s reminder that we don't have to choose between gratitude and grief. We can be grateful for the life we've built and still miss home. We can love our new country and still long for the language, food, humor, people, and childhood references of somewhere else. We can be successful and still feel lonely. And we can discover that belonging doesn't necessarily mean finding the one place where we finally fit. Sometimes, belonging means becoming comfortable enough with ourselves that we no longer need to shrink in order to fit anywhere. Nina's beautiful concept of “the home within” feels especially relevant for those of us who have spent our lives crossing borders—physical, cultural, linguistic, and emotional. About Nina Aziz Justin Nina Aziz Justin is a keynote speaker, strategic advisor, business resilience mentor, and author of The Home Within. Her work draws on decades of international experience, weaving together resilience, identity, migration, reinvention, neuroscience, and belonging. Her book explores what it means to build a sense of home within ourselves while navigating cultures, change, and different versions of who we are. Connect with Nina Website: The Resilience Mentor Instagram: @nina.aziz.justin LinkedIn: Nina Aziz Justin on LinkedIn The Home Within: Buy or learn more about The Home Within A question for you Where is home for you—and has that answer changed over the course of your life? If you've ever struggled with the question “Where are you from?”, I'd love to hear your story. If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

  5. Aug 5

    Language Is More Than Words - With Michelle from WeCultivate

    Send us Fan Mail What if learning a language wasn't really about vocabulary and grammar? In this fascinating conversation, I sit down with Michelle from WeCultivate Training and Media to explore the deeper layers of language—how history, identity, culture, bias, and belonging shape the way we communicate. Michelle shares her multicultural upbringing, her journey from UX designer to language educator, and why she believes language learning is just as much about psychology and sociology as it is about memorizing words. Together we unpack why speaking the same language doesn't always mean understanding each other, how stereotypes influence the way we judge accents and language ability, and why curiosity is one of the most powerful communication tools we have. Whether you're raising multilingual children, living abroad, learning a new language, or simply interested in understanding people more deeply, this episode will challenge the way you think about communication. In this episode, we discuss: Why language is so much more than vocabulary and grammarMichelle's multicultural background and how it shaped her perspectiveThe connection between language, culture, identity and historyWhy there is no single "correct" version of a languageHow colonial history continues to influence the languages we speak todayThe cultural differences hidden within the same language (Spanish, English and beyond)Judging accents and the myths surrounding "proper" EnglishWhy multilingual speakers are often unfairly corrected or underestimatedThe importance of creating safe spaces for language learnersHow curiosity can replace stereotypes and assumptionsPractical advice for anyone learning a new language or moving abroadMichelle is the founder of WeCultivate and host of WeCultivate:The Pod, where she explores the intersections of language, communication, culture, and identity in real-world contexts. With a multidisciplinary background across science, policy, and tech, her work focuses on the often-overlooked realities of multilingual communication—especially for professionals navigating complex, global environments. She’s known for challenging traditional ideas of “language learning,” shifting the conversation beyond the textbook and toward how people are actually understood, evaluated, and experienced in everyday interactions. Drawing from her experience living across multiple countries and cultures, she brings a perspective that pushes beyond conventional narratives and into the realities most conversations miss. You can find Michelle here: Substack: https://wecultivate.substack.com/ Main podcast page: https://wecultivate.world/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wecultivate.world/ If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

  6. Jul 22

    Finding Home One Bite at a Time with Gloria Senescall

    Send us Fan Mail Can a single meal transport you back to childhood? Can trying a new dish change the way you see another culture? In this episode of Quiero un Panino con Cheese, we're exploring the extraordinary role that food plays in shaping identity, preserving culture, and creating connections across borders. For Third Culture Kids (TCKs), expats, immigrants, and multicultural families, food is often much more than nourishment. It carries memories, traditions, family stories, and a sense of belonging. At the same time, being willing to embrace unfamiliar foods can open the door to understanding new cultures and building meaningful relationships. Joining me is Gloria Senescall, who shares her family's multicultural story and reflects on how food has become both an anchor to home and a bridge to the many places they've lived. Together, we discuss how every shared meal offers an opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate the diversity that makes our lives richer. Whether you're raising children across cultures, living abroad, or simply passionate about exploring the world through food, this conversation is a reminder that sometimes our greatest cultural lessons happen around the dinner table. In this episode, we discuss: Why food is deeply connected to identity and belongingHow family recipes preserve memories across generationsThe role food plays in multicultural families and global livesWhy trying unfamiliar foods helps us better understand other culturesHow shared meals create meaningful cultural connectionsFinding "home" through the flavors we carry with usI'd love to hear from you! 🍝 What food instantly makes you feel at home? 🌍 What's the most unusual dish you've ever tried that completely changed your perspective? Join the conversation on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese and share your story! If you want to know more about Gloria, you can find her on LinkedIn Sometimes all it takes is one bite to feel at home… or to discover a whole new one. If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

  7. Jul 8

    Home Is Something You Carry: Third Culture Kids, Identity & Belonging with Sam Frearson-Tubito

    Send us Fan Mail What does home really mean when you've spent your life moving between countries, cultures, and continents? In this episode, I sit down with Sam Frearson-Tubito—author, speaker, and third-generation global nomad—to explore the realities of growing up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK), raising globally mobile children, and navigating identity, belonging, and home across cultures. Having lived in 15 countries and raised four fourth-generation global nomads, Sam shares her deeply personal journey of international relocation, expat parenting, and motherhood. Together, we discuss the emotional realities of global mobility, the gifts and challenges of raising multicultural children, and why belonging isn't tied to one place—it is something we build throughout our lives. Our conversation is inspired by Sam's beautiful memoir, Beneath a Borrowed Sky: A Woman's Search for the True Meaning of Home, a powerful reflection on family, resilience, identity, forgiveness, and finding home wherever life takes you. Whether you're a Third Culture Kid, an expat, an accompanying partner, raising an international family, or simply trying to understand your own sense of identity and belonging, this episode offers encouragement, practical wisdom, and plenty of moments that will make you feel seen. In this episode, we explore: What it means to grow up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK)Living in 15 countries and embracing life as a global nomadHow international moves shape identity and belongingThe emotional impact of boarding school and childhood separationWhy even experienced expats experience culture shockThe unexpected challenges of relocating to the United StatesRaising resilient, multicultural children through international transitionsExpat parenting and preparing children for life abroadWhy grief and excitement can coexist during every moveHelping children navigate change with honesty and emotional resilienceBuilding community while living overseasThe importance of learning the local language to create belongingSupporting accompanying partners and globally mobile familiesHow writing a memoir became a journey of healing and forgivenessWhy mothers need more self-compassionDiscovering that home is a feeling—not simply a locationSam Frearson-Tubito is a third-generation global nomad, writer, and mother of four fourth-generation global nomads. Having lived across 15 countries on four continents, she writes about Third Culture Kids, identity, belonging, motherhood, international relocation, and global mobility. Her memoir, Beneath a Borrowed Sky: A Woman's Search for the True Meaning of Home, beautifully intertwines her experiences growing up internationally with her journey raising globally mobile children, offering an honest and moving perspective on what it means to create home across cultures. Connect with Sam: 🌍 Blog: Wandering Identity📷 Instagram: _wanderingidentity_✍️ Substack: Sam Frearson-Tubito📖 Beneath a Borrowed Sky: A Woman's Search for the True Meaning of Home is available on Amazon worldwide. If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

  8. Jun 24

    Redefining the "Trailing Spouse" Experience with Annegret Bertsch, CPC

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined once again by Annegret Bertsch, a Certified Professional Coach, for a thoughtful conversation about the realities of accompanying a partner abroad and the complex emotions, challenges, and opportunities that can come with it.  Together, we explore why the term “trailing spouse” often feels limiting and discuss how accompanying partners can reclaim their identity, purpose, and sense of belonging while navigating life overseas. Annegret shares both personal and professional insights, offering practical advice, encouragement, and a fresh perspective for anyone living an international life. In This Episode We Discuss: Why many people dislike the term trailing spouseThe identity shifts that often accompany international movesNavigating career interruptions and personal reinventionBuilding community and finding purpose abroadCommon emotional challenges accompanying partners facePractical strategies for adapting to life in a new countryThe importance of self-compassion during transitionsHow international experiences can lead to unexpected growth Connect with Annegret here: On InstagramOn her website: Coaching BecauseLinkedIn: Annegret BertschEnjoying the Podcast? If this episode resonated with you, taught you something new, or made you feel a little less alone in your journey, I'd love to hear from you. Please:  ⭐ Rate and review the podcast  💬 Leave a comment  📤 Share this episode with someone who might benefit from it  🎧 Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode For more, you can also follow me on my Instagram page: Quiero un Panino con Cheese Thank you for listening and for allowing me to be a small part of your day. Until next time, on Quiero un Panino con Cheese. ❤️ If this conversation about Third Culture Kids, global parenting, identity, belonging, and raising multicultural children resonated with you, I'd love your support. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone navigating international life, raising globally mobile children, or searching for where they truly belong. Together, we can help more globally mobile families feel understood, connected, and at home—wherever they are in the world. For more, please follow me also on Instagram at Quiero un Panino con Cheese

See All (38)

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Ever tried answering the question “Where are you from?” and gave a 10-minute monologue? Ever caught yourself switching between three languages in the middle of a sentence? Ever wondered what home really means when you’ve had more than one? If so, welcome to Quiero un Panino con Cheese, the podcast for parents, kids, and families living the beautiful chaos of multicultural life. Season 2 will be hosted by Gaia Striano, a TCK mom who has raised 3 TCKs across borders, cultures, and languages.   This show explores the joys and challenges of Third Culture Kids—kids who grow up between cultures, languages, and identities.

Information

You Might Also Like