PODCAST · society
Pretend
by Celina & Emma
We’re Celina and Emma, previously known as 'Pretend Parisiennes', two Aussies who packed up our lives to explore the world and now find ourselves back in Melbourne. Join us as we talk about living abroad, moving back, and building a new sense of belonging in a familiar place. From navigating identity to pretending our way through life’s twists and turns, Pretend is for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re just figuring it out as they go.
Episodes
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42. Deep Dive on Living Abroad
Moving abroad isn’t just an adventure—it’s a full-on identity shift. In this episode, we (Emma & Celina) unpack what it’s really like to leave home and start fresh in a new country. As two-time Paris expats we share our personal stories of navigating life in a foreign country - Emma also reflects...
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41. Talking About Death: Loss, Fear, and Finding Perspective
In this episode, we dive into an honest and heartfelt conversation about death. Celina shares how her worries have been heightened recently about losing loved ones and saying goodbye to the world, while Emma offers her perspective as they unpack their evolving views on the topic. Together, they...
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40. Pretend: Rebranding, Moving Home, and Navigating Friendships
In this episode, we share the story behind renaming our community and podcast to "Pretend". We also dive into the ebb and flow of friendships as life takes us on different journeys. Finally, we explore how we want to carry the community that we found while abroad back home, and the bittersweet...
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39. Having Your Heart in Two Places
In this episode, we explore the bittersweet reality of having your heart split between two places after living abroad. From the joy of building a life in a new city to the challenges of returning home, we discuss the emotional tug-of-war between two worlds. Join us as we share personal stories,...
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38. Adjusting to Life Back Home After Living Abroad
If you have ever spent time living abroad, you'll know that it can be difficult to settle back in to life at home afterwards. You'll also probably know the feeling of having your heart in two places. In this episode, we discuss the adjustment period, reverse culture shock, moving back in with...
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37. We Are Back! Let's Catch Up
Welcome to our very first long distance poddy! Emma has moved back to Melbourne, Australia, while Celina continues life in Paris for now. On this episode we chat about whats been happening since our last podcast (4 months ago!).
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36. EMMA DECIDED TO LEAVE PARIS!
On this episode, we have some big news... Emma made the decision to quit Au Pairing and LEAVE Paris. We discuss how this choice came about, mental health while abroad, the process of actually quitting Au Pairing, and everything else that comes with making the big decision to end an experience...
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35. Heartbreak While Living Abroad
Dealing with feelings of heartbreak is sooo tough... especially when you're living abroad and away from your usual support system and comforts. On this episode we discuss how difficult these feelings can be, our own personal experiences, and types of heartbreak other than just romantic heartbreak.
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34. CHIT CHAT: Life Updates, Dating & Temporary Friendships
Hey Pretend Parisiens! This week we decided to have a casual catch up chat. We talked about how life in Paris has been looking recently - what we have been up to and what we have planned. We also delved into the topic of temporary friendships, deciding what to do after a year abroad, and Emma…
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33. First Few Weeks in Paris: Settling In
In this episode we talk about how it felt initially arriving in the bustling city of Paris. It was exciting, overwhelming, and a little daunting at times. We give our tips for the main things to focus on during your first days and weeks after arriving somewhere new, to start feeling more at ease...
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32. Discussion: Summer in Paris & What We're Up To
It's summer time in Paris! On this episode, we talked about what it's like in this city during this period of time. We also discuss what we've been up to, our mindset recently, and whether we are feeling happy with our decision to continue our time abroad.
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31. AU PAIR MINI SERIES: Saying Goodbyes
On this episode, we go over the emotions that come with building up to the big goodbye to family and friends before moving abroad. This can be scary and sad (or not at all for some people), but we think it's an important aspect of moving as you never know when you'll get time with those special...
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30. AU PAIR MINI SERIES: Packing For A Year Abroad
There are so many things to do and think about in the lead up to moving abroad, and a big one is... Packing! How do you even begin to pack up your life for an entire year (or more)?! In this episode, we discuss our mindset for both times that we packed to move abroad, and give advice for what we...
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29. AU PAIR MINI SERIES: Countdown For Leaving
As your departure for your year abroad as an Au Pair is approaching, you may be feeling overwhelmed with nerves, excitement, and questions. We created this episode to give you some guidance to help you get through your last few weeks at home as it can be quite stressful to go through alone. We…
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28. Interview with Live: Experiencing Two Different Lifestyles in Paris
On this episode we chatted with our great friend Live about her time spent living in Paris. Live originally moved to Paris in 2016 to be an Au Pair and spent a year loving this vibrant city, then she moved back at the start of 2023 to do a semester of exchange at a french university and found…
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27. Lessons & Reflections From A Year Au Pairing in Paris
Join us, Celina and Emma, as we detail our journey of a year as au pairs in the enchanting city of Paris. In this episode, we share our most memorable highlights, discuss the challenges we faced, and delve into the valuable lessons we learned along the way. From cultural immersion to personal...
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26. Paris Life: What Has Shocked Us Most? #2
Travelling and living abroad obviously comes with a lot of culture shock, especially in a big city like Paris. On this episode, we discuss the most surprising and noteworthy differences we have noticed during our daily lives in Paris that we are still adjusting to. Contact us: Instagram:...
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25. How to Get Through Tough Times While Living Abroad?
Going through difficulties is a part of life, but the tough feelings associated with them can be particularly hard to handle when you are away from home. Being abroad means you don't have your typical close group of people around which means you have to deep dive into your feelings and cope with...
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24. Discussion: What's Next After a Year Abroad?
It's a strange feeling coming to the end of a year living abroad. Normally, we head back to our hometown and pick things up where they left off. However, it can be weird to return to what once was 'normality' after such a life changing experience. Or what if you decide you actually want to extend...
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23. Chatting with Juliette - Celina's Host Kid!
On this episode we chatted with Juju, Celina's 10 year old host kid! We covered the topics of growing up in Paris, having an Au Pair, and being bilingual. Tune in to hear the magical point of view of this bright little girl who has had Au Pairs for 8 years and was born and raised in Paris!…
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22. How Did We Make Friends in Paris??
On this episode, we discuss the different ways we made friends both times we have lived abroad in France. The experience of moving to a new city can be a lonely one, so meeting other people along the way can really help make the move easier and more enjoyable. We now have a mix of french friends,...
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21. OUR STORY: A Unique Friendship Timeline & Why Pretend Parisiennes?
This episode has us share a special story. How we became friends and why we chose to start « Pretend Parisiennes ». We bring you back to when we met, discuss the highlighted memories we share, and open up about some monumental events we’ve experienced while being by each others’ side. Tune in…
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20. What Are Our Top Tips For Learning French?
On this episode, we discuss one of the biggest barriers when living in a foreign country - LANGUAGE! As native english speakers, we took it upon ourselves to learn french while living in Paris. We have used a range of techniques to achieve our current level of french, and in order to continue to...
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19. Discussion: Time Anxiety During A Year Abroad
Do you feel the need to fill up your time and always make plans, especially while living abroad? In this episode we explore the anxiety that can come with managing your time in a foreign city. We share our feelings about time slipping away in our year of Au Pairing and how we are trying to make…
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18. Interview with Delphine Vaills: Running an Au Pair Agency
Delphine runs an Au Pair Agency called EuroPair Services, which is the agency that we have used to come to Paris. Delphine spoke about how her agency works, why you should consider being an Au Pair, and the pros of going through an agency. She also gives an insight to her own personal experience…
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17. Discussion: Feeling "Homesick"
What does it mean to feel homesick? and have we been experiencing it?? On this episode we discussed loneliness and the struggle to find a sense of belonging no matter where you are. We also gathered input from some of our friends who have spent long periods of time abroad, and asked them if they...
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16. Can You Guess The Most Visited Monuments In Paris?
On this episode, Celina did some research and quizzed Emma on the top three most visited monuments in Paris. We also discussed which ones are OUR favourites and Why?! Tune in for some fun chats about the city's most famous sights and some cool facts that we found out about them along the way!...
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15. Interview With Antonio: Going Against The Grain
On this episode we chatted with our friend Antonio about his decision to move to Europe for five months in order to write his book about the journey of accepting and sharing his identity as a disabled person. Antonio shared with us the lessons he learnt during his time abroad. We also discussed…
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14. Discussion: Dating In Paris / Dating French Men
Happy Valentine's Day y'all! Today we have a fun episode where we dive deep into the world of dating while living abroad. We had a super honest discussion about our thoughts on french men, stereotypes, how we met new people to date in Paris, and more! Hope you enjoy. Contact us: Instagram:...
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13. Interview With Mia: Reflecting On A Year Abroad
On this episode we chatted with Mia Casey, our sweet friend from Australia. Mia just spent a year travelling after her initial plans to Au Pair in France fell through. She chats to us about her first time as a solo female traveller and what lessons she has learnt along the way. Contact us:...
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12. Our Tips For Surviving Your First Time in Paris #1
What's the best metro pass to get if you're visiting Paris? What areas should you avoid? How can you ask where the toilets are?? This episode we fire through some hot tips we thought of, as a part one of our mini guide to surviving your first time in Paris! Contact us: Instagram:...
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11. Discussion: Maintaining Our Relationships From Afar
Living abroad can involve a lot of time spent on your phone and chatting to loved ones in a different part of the world. Whether it's our family, friends, or a significant other, it can be hard to juggle, and even straining to feel a kind of 'pressure' to reach out regularly. On this episode, we...
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10. Paris Life: What Has Shocked Us Most?
Travelling and living abroad obviously comes with a lot of culture shock, especially in a big city like Paris. On this episode, we discuss the most noteworthy aspects of daily life in Paris that have surprised us and that we are STILL adjusting to. Contact us Instagram: @pretendparisiennes Email:...
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9. Au Pairing: Live In Vs. Live Out
When choosing a host family as an Au Pair, the living situation can be the deciding factor. There are definitely some aspects that we didn't think about before moving in, such as... do we have to share a toilet?? Having experienced both scenarios, we discuss the pros and cons of living with the...
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8. Discussion: Christmas & New Years Abroad
The holiday period can be an interesting time - the year is drawing to a close and it's a period of reflection that is generally spent around the ones you love. However, we also seem to place a lot of unrealistic expectations on ourselves this time of year. This episode is a discussion of our...
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7. How Are We Coping with Winter in Paris?
The winter blues can be a real thing! On today's episode we discuss how we have been trying to lift up our spirits in sub zero temperatures, and what we have been spending our cold days doing in Paris. Contact us Instagram: @pretendparisiennes Email: [email protected]
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6. Discussion: Independence
We think that being able to thrive while living abroad requires a lot of independence. This episode we discuss why we love being okay on our own and how we try to maintain that feeling. We also touch on how hard it can be to continue being independent, especially after big life changes such as a...
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5. Au Pairing: Favourite Aspects
The role as an Au Pair is an interesting position, which definitely has its ups and downs. Today we discuss our three favourite aspects of the job, and delve deeper into the dynamic of living with a host family. Contact us Instagram: @pretendparisiennes Email: [email protected]
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4. Discussion: Change
Whether it’s a new job, the seasons, or our friends - change really is a big part of life! Especially when moving overseas. This episode we discuss our personal thoughts and feelings on change and why the heck we willingly implemented so much change into our lives so suddenly. Contact us…
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3. What Does Our Daily Life in Paris Look Like?
This episode, we discuss the typical things we get up to on a daily basis while we are living in Paris. From famous museums to wine on the Seine, these are our favourite ways to spend time in the city of lights. Contact us Instagram: @pretendparisiennes Email: [email protected]
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2. How Are We Living in Paris?
In this episode we briefly discuss how we made the dream of living in Paris a reality. We chose to take a very specific path in order to make things like getting a visa, finding accomodation, and setting up a community all much easier! Be sure to listen in if you have any interest on how to move...
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1. Why "Pretend Parisiennes"?
A brief explanation of why we chose to name ourselves the "Pretend Parisiennes". Contact us Instagram: @pretendparisiennes Email: [email protected]
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Welcome to Pretend Parisiennes!
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We’re Celina and Emma, previously known as 'Pretend Parisiennes', two Aussies who packed up our lives to explore the world and now find ourselves back in Melbourne. Join us as we talk about living abroad, moving back, and building a new sense of belonging in a familiar place. From navigating identity to pretending our way through life’s twists and turns, Pretend is for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re just figuring it out as they go.
HOSTED BY
Celina & Emma
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Pretend have?
Pretend currently has 43 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Pretend about?
We’re Celina and Emma, previously known as 'Pretend Parisiennes', two Aussies who packed up our lives to explore the world and now find ourselves back in Melbourne. Join us as we talk about living abroad, moving back, and building a new sense of belonging in a familiar place. From navigating...
How often does Pretend release new episodes?
Pretend has 43 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Pretend?
You can listen to Pretend on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Pretend?
Pretend is created and hosted by Celina & Emma.
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