How to Live Overseas for a Year and Make Career Break Travel Possible: Outlaw Escapes

What if taking a year to live overseas wasn’t a fantasy, but a plan you could actually pull off? In the first episode of our new semi regular episodes of 'Outlaw Escapes', Shayla and Kate talk with lawyer and mum Melissa Hii, who moved her family to Bordeaux and ran her law practice from France. No secret money tree, just thoughtful planning, a willingness to compromise, and the courage to try something different. From visas to village schools, here’s what we dig into about career break travel: – Why intuition beats a perfect plan, and how to act when “sensible” says don’t – Funding a year abroad: renting out your home, buffers for exchange rates, and realistic costs – The admin reality: long‑stay visas, relocation agents, French bureaucracy, school enrolments, and bank workarounds – Working remotely across time zones without dropping clients or income – Kids and culture shock: making friends, and the confidence they gain – City vs regional costs, decluttering early, and choosing a location (hello, TGV lines) – Identity, success, and ignoring the “shoulds” when your gut says go Whether you want sun-soaked months in Europe, a family reset, or a break that helps you come back clearer and braver, this conversation shows that career break travel is possible for regular people, not just influencers or billionaires. In this episode – Shayla’s own 18‑month escape to Provence and the “columns” test for big decisions – Melissa’s Bordeaux leap while co‑running a firm in Melbourne – Practical steps: visas, schools, housing, relocation agents, and time‑zone workflows – Using rental income and interest‑only periods to make numbers work – The best mindset shift: you’re moving to live, not to holiday 💡 This episode is for you if: – You’ve dreamed of how to live overseas for a year but think it’s impossible – You want a career break that isn’t a résumé gap, it’s a life design choice – You’re curious about raising kids abroad and the reality of foreign schools – You feel weighed down by jobs, mortgages, and stuff, and want more freedom – You’ve ever said “I wish I could do that” and meant it 🔗 Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: [email protected] 📩 Sign up for our newsletter for more tools and real talk on our website 🎧 Hosted by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer 🎙 Produced by the Outlaws Podcast