The Expat Cast theexpatcast

Season 3, Episode 25. It's the season 3 finale!!!
Thanks to everyone who has made this season of The Expat Cast a smashing success. To celebrate the season wrapping up, I've invited guests from the last 3 seasons to give us an update on where they are now, how things have changed since they last were on the podcast, and what decisions they've been making lately about their expat life.
We'll be back with season 4 at some point in the near(ish) future! Bis dann!
 
FIND THE GUESTS
1. James, from LiveWorkGermany, was on the episode "A Plethora of Resources for Living in Germany"
2. Sixtina, from Six Miles Away, was on the episode "From Pils to Pints to Passport Stamps"
3. Aurora was on the episode "Choosing to Move Back"
4. Riana, from Teaspoon of Adventure, was on the episode "Preparing to Move Abroad"
5. Meg was on the episode "Long-Distance Relationships"
6. Samar was on the episode "The First Few Months"
7. Gyo, from Gyo Monreal, was on the episode "Celebrate Every Little Win"
 

FOLLOW THE EXPAT CAST
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Twitter @theexpatcast 
 
INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN PODCAST?
Host your podcast on PodBean. Go to podbean.com/expat to get your first month with PodBean for free.
PodBean allows you to manage your episodes, check out statistics, and design a podcast website - AND they have some of the best customer service. If you're new to podcasting like I was, PodBean makes the whole process so much easier, and their live chat feature puts you in quick contact with helpful, patient customer service staff who don't judge you when you ask beginner's questions. ;)
 
NEED A CREDIT CARD?
Try N26. They're an online-only bank with free payments in any currency, free ATM withdrawals in Euros, and support staff in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
I just did a bunch of research to choose my first-ever German credit card, and I ended up choosing N26. I set up my account entirely online in minutes, received my card earlier than anticipated, & now I can manage my credit card in a super sleek, English language app. It was incredibly easy & now I have something to use on my various travels!
Referral code: nicolep9184
 
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COMMUNICATE
Got questions, comments, topic ideas, funny anecdotes? Email us at theexpatcast@gmail.com

Season 3, Episode 24. Natalie left her home country of the UK and was backpacking in Australia when a handsome German man caught her eye in a hostel. She's a gal who goes for what she wants, so she organized "group trips" with fellow travelers, where she would just happen to be sitting next to Conrad the whole time. The two hit it off immediately. Cue a whirlwind year of traveling together throughout Australia and Asia before moving together to Freiburg, Germany.
When the two got engaged, Natalie had plenty of big dreams for how she wanted her wedding. But quickly, it became apparent that putting on her dream English wedding in Germany wasn't going to so easy. Some things were downright impossible. On top of that, a surprise cancer diagnoses landed Natalie in chemo around the time of the wedding, leading to additional complications, both logistically and emotionally.
Natalie is a force of nature, though, and she didn't let any of this keep her from putting on a unique wedding that had her fingerprints all over it. We discuss how she settled on her wedding venue in the Black Forest, the challenge of finding a wedding videographer, and the different wedding formats offered in Germany.
 

FOLLOW THE EXPAT CAST
Instagram @theexpatcast 
Twitter @theexpatcast 
 
INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN PODCAST?
Host your podcast on PodBean. Go to podbean.com/expat to get your first month with PodBean for free.
PodBean allows you to manage your episodes, check out statistics, and design a podcast website - AND they have some of the best customer service. If you're new to podcasting like I was, PodBean makes the whole process so much easier, and their live chat feature puts you in quick contact with helpful, patient customer service staff who don't judge you when you ask beginner's questions. ;)
 
NEED A CREDIT CARD?
Try N26. They're an online-only bank with free payments in any currency, free ATM withdrawals in Euros, and support staff in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
I just did a bunch of research to choose my first-ever German credit card, and I ended up choosing N26. I set up my account entirely online in minutes, received my card earlier than anticipated, & now I can manage my credit card in a super sleek, English language app. It was incredibly easy & now I have something to use on my various travels!
Referral code: nicolep9184
 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE EXPAT CAST
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
Podknife
 
COMMUNICATE
Got questions, comments, topic ideas, funny anecdotes? Email us at theexpatcast@gmail.com

Season 3, Episode 23. After I had Katie on as a guest for the episode called Intercultural Relationships, I knew I had to have her on again to talk about her day job. Katie spends her days deciphering and translating old German handwriting from different genealogical documents. 
Individuals researching their German ancestry - or individuals who just stumble across their great-great-grandma's diary - come to Katie to bring these original documents back to life. German experienced a handwriting reform just last century, but already it's hard to find people who can still read the old font, especially when it's handwritten. With her fluency in German, her knowledge of old German terms, and her specialization in reading the old handwriting, Katie's job lets her dive into the colorful personal histories of people who lived years, decades, and even centuries ago.
In the episode, Katie and I geek out about two TV shows: Outlander (available on Netflix) and Finding Your Roots (from PBS).
 

FIND KATIE
Online at SK Translations
Take her course on German handwriting
Read her book, Tips and Tricks of Deciphering German Handwriting
 
FOLLOW THE EXPAT CAST
Instagram @theexpatcast 
Twitter @theexpatcast 
 
INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN PODCAST?
Host your podcast on PodBean. Go to podbean.com/expat to get your first month with PodBean for free.
PodBean allows you to manage your episodes, check out statistics, and design a podcast website - AND they have some of the best customer service. If you're new to podcasting like I was, PodBean makes the whole process so much easier, and their live chat feature puts you in quick contact with helpful, patient customer service staff who don't judge you when you ask beginner's questions. ;)
 
NEED A CREDIT CARD?
Try N26. They're an online-only bank with free payments in any currency, free ATM withdrawals in Euros, and support staff in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
I just did a bunch of research to choose my first-ever German credit card, and I ended up choosing N26. I set up my account entirely online in minutes, received my card earlier than anticipated, & now I can manage my credit card in a super sleek, English language app. It was incredibly easy & now I have something to use on my various travels!
Referral code: nicolep9184
 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE EXPAT CAST
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
Podknife
 
COMMUNICATE
Got questions, comments, topic ideas, funny anecdotes? Email us at theexpatcast@gmail.com

Season 3, Episode 22. There are an estimated 9 million Americans living abroad. If you asked each one of them how they feel about being American, you'd probably get 9 million unique answers. While we can't ask every single person how they feel, we can - and have! - asked two, and this week, we talk to Zoe, a native Philadelphian who returned to the city after various experiences living and traveling abroad.
Zoe is one of Nicole's oldest and closest friends. They go back 20 years, and it was no surprise to Nicole when Zoe decided to move to France, because Zoe always was on her own unique path. However, it was a surprise when, after her second year in France, Zoe decided to move back to the US - not just temporarily, but permanently. Or, semi-permanently. Zoe has since spent 3 months in South America and 7 in Asia, but now, she goes abroad to travel. Her home is Philadelphia. She comes on the show to explain how confronting opinions about American culture around the globe made her more proud to be an American.
This is the second part in a two-part series about American expats reflecting on their American identity. Last week, we talked about American Shame with Gabe.

FOLLOW THE EXPAT CAST
Instagram @theexpatcast 
Twitter @theexpatcast 
 
INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN PODCAST?
Host your podcast on PodBean. Go to podbean.com/expat to get your first month with PodBean for free.
PodBean allows you to manage your episodes, check out statistics, and design a podcast website - AND they have some of the best customer service. If you're new to podcasting like I was, PodBean makes the whole process so much easier, and their live chat feature puts you in quick contact with helpful, patient customer service staff who don't judge you when you ask beginner's questions. ;)
 
NEED A CREDIT CARD?
Try N26. They're an online-only bank with free payments in any currency, free ATM withdrawals in Euros, and support staff in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
I just did a bunch of research to choose my first-ever German credit card, and I ended up choosing N26. I set up my account entirely online in minutes, received my card earlier than anticipated, & now I can manage my credit card in a super sleek, English language app. It was incredibly easy & now I have something to use on my various travels!
Referral code: nicolep9184
 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE EXPAT CAST
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
Podknife
 
COMMUNICATE
Got questions, comments, topic ideas, funny anecdotes? Email us at theexpatcast@gmail.com

Season 3, Episode 21. There are an estimated 9 million Americans living abroad. If you asked each one of them how they feel about being American, you'd probably get 9 million unique answers. While we can't ask every single person how they feel, we can - and have! - asked two, and this week, we talk to Gabe, a native South Carolinian living in Amsterdam.
Gabe feels a deep sense of shame about being an American. Since moving to Europe, he's become disillusioned about numerous aspects of American history, culture, and identity. In fact, his shame is so deep that he learned accentless Dutch and fully integrated into Dutch life just to avoid being identified as American. Gabe shares with us what his journey of moving abroad was like, and how he got to this place of shame about his heritage.
Next week, we'll hear someone who feels the exact opposite in an episode called American Pride.
 

FOLLOW THE EXPAT CAST
Instagram @theexpatcast 
Twitter @theexpatcast 
 
INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN PODCAST?
Host your podcast on PodBean. Go to podbean.com/expat to get your first month with PodBean for free.
PodBean allows you to manage your episodes, check out statistics, and design a podcast website - AND they have some of the best customer service. If you're new to podcasting like I was, PodBean makes the whole process so much easier, and their live chat feature puts you in quick contact with helpful, patient customer service staff who don't judge you when you ask beginner's questions. ;)
 
NEED A CREDIT CARD?
Try N26. They're an online-only bank with free payments in any currency, free ATM withdrawals in Euros, and support staff in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
I just did a bunch of research to choose my first-ever German credit card, and I ended up choosing N26. I set up my account entirely online in minutes, received my card earlier than anticipated, & now I can manage my credit card in a super sleek, English language app. It was incredibly easy & now I have something to use on my various travels!
Referral code: nicolep9184
 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE EXPAT CAST
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
Podbean
Podknife
 
COMMUNICATE
Got questions, comments, topic ideas, funny anecdotes? Email us at theexpatcast@gmail.com

FEGEPADFO. Is that another one of those famous, long, confusing German words?
Nein!
It's short for the First Ever Germany Expat Podcasters Advent Donation Face Off.
The Expat Cast is competing against Expat Life Germany to see who can get more donations to their charity of choice over this Advent season. You can participate by donating to either one of their charities - or both!
 
UPDATE: FEGEPADFO is over! We are blown away to say we've raised a total of 350 Euros for our charities of choice. Thank you to everyone who participated, and have a wonderful start to 2020!
 
MORE INFORMATION
expatlifegermany.de/charity
The Expat Cast's charity of choice: Women's Worth Inc
Expat Life Germany's charity of Choice: Lebenshilfe
 
FOLLOW THE EXPAT CAST
Instagram @theexpatcast 
Twitter @theexpatcast 
 
FOLLOW EXPAT LIFE GERMANY
Instagram @expatlifede
Twitter @expatlifede