Expat Focus

What does it take to own and run a B&B in the Italian countryside? American Ashley Bartner can tell you all about it – and she’s going to, today on the Expat Focus Podcast.    10 years ago, she and her husband Jason left the hustle and bustle of New York for a big old farmhouse in the beautiful Marche region of Italy. They’ve turned it into a very successful organic farm, inn and cooking school – called La Tavola Marche. But that’s not all - Ashley and Jason are also helping other expats lay the groundwork to realise their own dreams of ‘living the sweet life’ in Italy, after experiencing first-hand, the consequences of being unprepared.  

What’s your motivation for moving abroad? British expat Melanie Haynes was ready for an adventure, and it led her and her husband to move to Denmark. More than eight years later, they’re still there, living in the capital of Copenhagen. And Melanie’s blog dejligedays has become a go-to for many English-speaking expats in the city; she shares her discoveries, recommendations and gives newcomers advice for settling in. In this episode, Melanie shares her relocation story, and provides a little insight into the Danish way of life.

For a lot of us when we move abroad, the last thing we really want to think about is our tax situation; getting paperwork in order, remembering reporting dates and deadlines for a country we’re no longer living in.   It might not be exciting, but it’s necessary, and our guest in this episode is going to run through some common scenarios for UK expats.   OLIVER HESLOP is the owner of GETS – Global Expatriate Tax Services, and his company has tax specialists based in the UK, the US and Australia.   During our chat, Oliver will provide some interesting tips and examples, but it’s important to point out that what he talks about here is not meant to be specific advice – for that, you should get in touch with him or another tax advisor.

The Netherlands is well known for its great work-life balance, its cycling culture, tulip fields... But did you know it’s also a bit of an expat’s dream when it comes to making your move to a new country, and settling in?   My guests in this episode are Sharon and Gladys from Rotterdam Partners, and the Rotterdam Expat Centre. This and other centres like it in cities across the Netherlands are taking so much stress and hassle out of the life setup process for new arrivals. The ladies are going to explain how they help, and provide a few tips for those who are going to be making the move.

Could you handle composting your own toilet waste? What about doing away with the convenience of the supermarket, and growing all your own food?    Choosing a life that is more sustainable and self-sufficient is becoming easier, and more realistic for many of us, and living off the grid can also be very affordable in some parts of the world, once you get past all the up-front costs.   Ian Usher is the co-publisher of House Sitting Magazine. He also once sold his whole life on eBay, and scored a movie deal with Disney. But the chapter of his life that we’re going to dive into today is the one where he lived off the grid on his own Caribbean island, off the coast of Panama.

Expat Focus talks to entrepreneur Craig Carlson about moving to France and starting his diner chain, ‘Breakfast in America.’

In this episode, Expat Focus talks to Jonathan Brown – an American who is carving out a location-independent life, while basing himself in Singapore. Jonathan originally moved to Asia to work for LinkedIn. Since then, he has published a book called The World Is Your Home, aimed at young professionals looking to take their own careers abroad.  So what is life like as an expat in Singapore? And what sort of cultural challenges can you expect? Jonathan’s going to share his insights.

Many of us want to ditch our 9-5 life and travel the world. But finding a viable way to do that long term can be a bit of a challenge! One way that is increasing in popularity is house sitting. Vanessa Anderson is the publisher of House Sitting - the Ultimate Lifestyle Magazine. She and her partner Ian are living that ultimate lifestyle, as nomadic expats, looking after other people's homes and pets. So how does house sitting work exactly, and how do you get started? Vanessa's going to share some tips.

Expat Focus talks to Naomi Hattaway about repatriation, and what it's like to never quite feel at home. Naomi is the brain behind the popular I Am A Triangle concept, which she explains in more detail in the podcast.

Amanda Walkins talks to Expat Focus about how she came to move abroad, and how she ended up being a serial expat. Covering topics such as finance, check lists and the practical considerations necessary when changing countries, Amanda describes the joys and surprises of expat life. 

Expat Focus talks to Jasmine Turner, an American expat teacher living in South Korea, about life, culture shock, and the isolation people can experience when living abroad.

Will Hewitson, Senior Partnerships Manager at FC Exchange, talks to Expat Focus about how to get a great rate on currency transfers, and moving your money abroad with confidence.

Vickie Skorji from Tell Japan talks to Carlie about the challenges of moving abroad and their impact on mental health.

Sarah Cole from John Murray Learning talks to Expat Focus about learning foreign languages.

Rebecca Grappo from RNG International Educational Consultants talks to Expat Focus about moving abroad with children.

Bethany Tucker from PetRelocation.com talks to Expat Focus about how to move abroad with your animals.

Tom Zachystal from Individual Asset Management talks to Expat Focus about some of the financial challenges US expats should consider

Anthony Parent from IRS Medic talks to Carlie about the US tax system and how it affects expats.

Guest hosts Claudine Gindel and Anthony Parent at IRS Medic talk to Tom Zachystal, founder of Individual Asset Management and Expat Focus partner, about why US brokerage accounts of Americans abroad are being closed down. Learn more about IRS Medic at www.irsmedic.com and follow their Parental Advisory podcast at www.parentaladvisoryshow.com. Contact Tom through his enquiry form at Expat Focus.

Guest host Katy Sewall from the Bittersweet Life podcast talks to her co-host Tiffany Parks in Rome about her decision to move abroad.