What Happens When You Move Abroad Sight Unseen with Mary Alice

Ever thought about packing up your life and moving to another country you’ve never even been to? That’s exactly what my guest today, Mary Alice Duff, did. She’s a fractional COO and business strategist living in Montpellier, France. After launching her own clothing brand and later shifting into business consulting, she now helps small businesses streamline operations and scale sustainably. She also runs a workshop called Solopreneurship for Global Mobility, helping others use self-employment as a pathway to living abroad. Born and raised just outside Philadelphia, Mary Alice had never set foot in France when she and her husband sold their house, packed up their daughter, their dog, and their cat — and boarded a one-way flight to the South of France. In this episode, she shares how a casual pandemic conversation turned into a full-blown relocation plan, what it was like navigating the French visa process, and how she built a brand-new life from scratch in a country where she didn’t speak the language. We talk about adjusting to French culture — from Sunday closures to the famous three kisses — finding community, raising a multilingual child, and learning to slow down after years of the American hustle. It’s an inspiring story about taking a leap, trusting yourself, and realizing that sometimes the best moves in life are the ones you can’t over-plan. In This Episode The spontaneous moment that started their move to France How they navigated the entrepreneur visa process as Americans Finding housing, schools, and community from abroad The surprising cultural differences (and how many kisses is too many) Adjusting from the U.S. hustle to a slower, more intentional pace What Mary Alice wishes she’d known before moving abroad Why she says it’s okay to just try it — even if it doesn’t work out   Connect with Mary Alice LinkedIn   EPISODE SPONSOR: Living abroad as an American? Your US taxes shouldn’t be a mystery. MyExpatPlanning helps Americans overseas organize their taxes, investments, and retirement goals with tools built for expat life. From understanding foreign income to optimizing for next year’s tax efficiency, plan smarter and stress less - all in one place. Take control of your financial future today at MyExpatPlanning- made by expats, for expats.   ABOUT ARMCHAIR EXPAT Armchair Expat is hosted by Shannon Acton, founder and Chief Bargain Hunter of Bargain Homes Abroad Follow on Instagram  @bargainhomesabroad Visit our Website: https://www.bargainhomesabroad.co Subscribe to our E-Mail Digest: https://www.bargainhomesabroad.co/subscribe VIP Access: https://www.bargainhomesabroad.co/membership If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and leave a review. It helps us reach more future expats and keep these stories coming. If you're interested in sponsoring or partnering with Armchair Expat, please reach out to Shannon at the following email: info AT bargain-homes DOT com