Episode 1, Part 1: Living and Working Abroad

Leaving your home country sounds like a dream—new opportunities, a better lifestyle, growth. But what about the moments no one talks about? The loneliness. The milestones you miss. The quiet grief of being far away from everything and everyone that once defined “home.”In this solo episode of Stories Between Sips, your host, René van Niekerk, opens up about the emotional cost of living and working abroad. From strained friendships to culture shock, from the guilt of privilege to the sting of racism and othering—she shares what it really feels like to exist in the in-between.If you've ever lived abroad, thought about it, or loved someone who has—this episode is for you.🎧 Topics Covered:* Being far from friends and family* Missing life’s important milestones* Evolving friendships across distance* Culture shock moving from a third world to a first world country* Navigating racism, othering, and identity shifts* What it means to grow through dislocation💬 Let me know if something in this episode resonated with you in the comments or DMs.📲 Follow for more:Instagram: @StoriesBetweenSipsPodcastTikTok: @Storiesbetweensipspod🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review on your favorite podcast platform! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit storiesbetweensips.substack.com