203 - The single mum story of Anna von Frances

In 2015, at 36 years old, Anna von Frances packed up her house, sold all her things and left Canada. With a 40 L backpack and her Chihuahua x Jack Russel, Anna moved to Guatemala. Six months later, she fell pregnant to a local tattoo artist after a one night stand. Despite pretty much everyone she spoke to about it advising her against having the baby, the father of the unborn child swept in and offered her a family and support. He encouraged her to have the baby. Anna didn't know it at the time, but he would become emotionally abusive. As her pregnancy progressed, she found herself becoming increasingly reliant on this abusive man and more aware that she was gradually losing her identity and her own circle of friends through the tactics he used to isolate her. She had become a shell of the woman she used to be and was depressed and suicidal. At 7 months pregnant, Anna packed up her things and escaped Guatemala in the middle of the night, driving over the mountain range into South Mexico. After she had her daughter, she went back to Guatemala to get back to work and to be around people she knew. A year later, Anna and her daughter Luna travelled for a year - through Asia and other parts of the world - and then they moved back to Mexico. By the time Luna was 2, they had travelled through 9 countries together. This year she embarked on her next chapter – becoming a single mum by choice. In this episode Anna shares: Why she left Canada in the first place. The shock of the pregnancy (as she had left the idea of having a child behind). Being raised by a single mum and how that affected her. Why travelling with kids as a single mum is easy. Why she loves her single mum life. How hard it is to celebrate the milestones on her own. Why she refers to her ex as the biological donor, and not her daughter's dad. Why she has decided to have another child by choice and choosing the right donor. Experiencing COVID-19 in Mexico. Her dating experiences as a single mum. The freedom that women have in being able to have children solo. Her advice to anyone thinking about becoming a single mum by choice. And so much more. Anna has such a great vibe and is a true example of an empowered woman. Links mentioned in the episode: Join Thrive Tribe HERE.  Connect with Anna on Instagram here.  To contact Julia, email: [email protected]. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest