Third Culture Child: Feeling Alien on Return, Language and Identity - Emilie Gauthronet

Women, Work & Relocation on the French Riviera: Emilie grew up between France, the UK, and Belgium. A third culture childhood that shaped her language, identity, and sense of belonging long before she realised it. Returning to France as a young adult felt both familiar and unsettling: home, yet foreign. In this episode, we explore what it means to grow up internationally and come back to your country of birth feeling slightly out of place. Emilie reflects on studying and working in a language that once felt secondary, building confidence in French professional settings, and creating a career rooted in care, wellbeing, and human connection. We also talk about retraining later in life, navigating French systems, finding visibility as a self-employed practitioner, and why international environments can feel essential long after relocation ends. A thoughtful conversation about third culture identity, language, career reinvention, and what “home” really means for women who have lived between cultures. This is the full-length episode. If you would like to listen to a condensed 28-minute version, it is available on Living the Dream – Radio Edition. Living the Dream: French Riviera Podcast Women and their professional journey while relocating to the South of France. https://livingthedreampodcast.com