Relocurious Podcast

With your hosts Kathy and Michal

A space for curious minds to explore the emotional highs and lows of moving abroad. www.relocurious.com

  1. S3:E8 A Life in Motion – Nick's Story

    MAR 25

    S3:E8 A Life in Motion – Nick's Story

    In this special three-part series, Relocurious explores relocation through the perspectives of three members of the same family. When Darren joined the Canadian Foreign Service, it set in motion a series of international moves that would shape the lives of his wife Heather and their son Nick as well. Across three episodes, we hear each of their perspectives on the same family relocations — revealing how differently shared events can be lived and remembered. In the first episode, Darren reflected on relocation through the lens of career and public service. Next, we heard Heather’s experience of moves with young children, and creating a meaningful career for herself. This week, we meet Nick, one of Darren and Heather’s sons, who was just a toddler when he moved for the first time. Part 3: A Life in Motion – Nick’s Story In this final episode of our three-part family series, we hear from Nick, whose childhood unfolded across continents, cultures, schools, and friendships as his family moved through his father’s career in the Canadian Foreign Service. Nick made his first international move to Honduras as a toddler – long before he had a say in the matter. But it was a later move, around the age of 10 or 11, that proved more difficult, as relocation began to collide with a growing sense of identity and belonging. In our conversation, Nick reflects on the tension between disruption and possibility. At an age when friendships and familiarity matter deeply, moving can feel like a loss — bringing frustration, grief, and resistance. And yet, over time, those same experiences can open unexpected doors: new interests, new communities, and a broader sense of self. Nick’s perspective highlights how repeated moves can foster adaptability, perspective, and a unique kind of freedom — the ability to start over and create something new. Together with Darren’s and Heather’s stories, his voice completes a layered portrait of what relocation looks and feels like from within a family — and how differently it can be experienced across a lifetime. About Nick Nick works in technology partnerships, with a current focus on data activation, integration, and agentic AI. In his spare time, he enjoys snowboarding, fussing over his cat, and actively participating in Vancouver’s music scene as a performer, promoter, and co-founder of an event production group and party series called Step Out, which he runs with his partner, Leah. Having moved multiple times before eventually settling in Vancouver, Nick developed an appreciation for starting over and creating new realities for himself — a skill that continues to shape both his professional path and personal growth. Are you dreaming about relocating? Newly arrived? Join us in exploring the inner experiences of moving across borders. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

    36 min
  2. S3:E7 A Life in Motion – Heather's Story

    MAR 11

    S3:E7 A Life in Motion – Heather's Story

    In this special three-part series, Relocurious explores relocation through the perspectives of three members of the same family. When Darren joined the Canadian Foreign Service, it set in motion a series of international moves that would shape the lives of his wife Heather and their son Nick as well. Across three episodes, we hear each of their perspectives on the same family relocations — revealing how differently a shared experience can be lived and remembered. In the first episode, Darren reflected on relocation through the lens of career and public service. In this episode, we hear from Heather. Part 2: A Life in Motion – Heather’s Story While Darren’s work determined the family’s postings, Heather’s experience of relocation centered on building a life within each new place. With every move, she helped create stability and continuity for the family — establishing routines, building community, and helping their children navigate the emotional realities of leaving one home and adapting to another. At the same time, Heather was also shaping her own path. Over the years, she built a rewarding career for herself while adapting to the constraints and opportunities of life across multiple countries. In our conversation, Heather reflects on: * The importance of making decisions together * Helping children process loss and adjustment * Balancing the excitement of international life with the practical considerations of moving a family abroad * Finding purpose and identity while repeatedly starting over in a new country Her story offers a powerful inside view of the quieter work that makes international family life possible. About Heather Heather Johnston is an educator, trainer, and interculturalist. She has worked as a special education teacher in Canada, a volunteer English teacher in Malawi, an in-country orientation coordinator in Honduras, and an intercultural education specialist for the Canadian International Development Agency and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. She has also taught online for UBC. She is a diplomatic spouse, mother of three boys. She has lived in Canada, Malawi, Honduras, the US, Egypt, and Ghana. She self published a book called Please Be Upstanding about her time in Ghana. She also has a rather large bead collection. Links: Please Be Upstanding: Letters from Ghana - Book Where are you on your relocation journey? Got a big dream, or are you already “there”? Follow others’ stories — and share yours when ready! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

    38 min
  3. S3:E6 A Life in Motion - Darren's Story

    FEB 25

    S3:E6 A Life in Motion - Darren's Story

    For the first time on Relocurious, we’re exploring relocation through the unique lenses of individual members of a family. When Darren joined the Canadian Foreign Service, it set in motion a series of international moves that would shape not only his career, but the lives of his wife, Heather, and their children. Across three episodes, we speak with Darren, Heather, and their son Nick individually to understand how the same relocations were experienced from three very different vantage points. Darren moved for work.Heather moved as a partner.Nick moved as a child — before he was old enough to choose. Together, their conversations reveal the nuance, complexity, and emotional layers of family relocation: questions of agency, belonging, identity, sacrifice, and adaptation. What does it mean to share a life in motion? And how differently can the same experience be lived and remembered? Part 1: A Life in Motion – Darren’s Story In this first episode of the series, we hear from Darren. Darren’s story of relocation began long before his diplomatic career. Having grown up between countries, movement was already part of his identity. Later, after teaching in Malawi and Canada, he joined the Canadian Foreign Service. Rather than one defining move across borders, Darren’s life unfolded through a succession of postings — from Canada to the United States, Honduras, Ghana, Egypt, and beyond — before eventually returning to Canada. In this conversation, Darren reflects on: * The importance of shared decision-making * The trade-offs embedded in career-driven mobility * The challenges of feeling a sense of belonging in each new place * The ongoing longing for a place you no longer live His perspective offers a thoughtful look at what it means to build a life shaped by service, movement, and responsibility, and how those choices ripple through a family. About Darren Darren Schemmer grew up in Canada, Germany, and the United States. After teaching in Malawi and Canada, he joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1989. He served abroad in Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, and at the Organization of American States, and later as High Commissioner of Canada to Ghana and Ambassador to Togo. Since retiring from the federal government in 2014, Darren worked for three years as Executive Director of Simon Fraser University International and has served on the boards of four non-profit organizations. He and his wife now live in Vancouver, with their three sons and two grandchildren nearby. Where are you on your relocation journey? Got a big dream, or are you already “there”? Follow others’ stories — and share yours when ready! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

    34 min

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A space for curious minds to explore the emotional highs and lows of moving abroad. www.relocurious.com