Relocurious Podcast

For the first time this season, Relocurious asked every guest the same question: Where is home for you? The answers were — as Kathy puts it — beautiful, glorious, contradictory chaos. No two were alike. In this solo season finale, Kathy sits with all eight answers and tries to make sense of what they have in common, what they reveal about belonging, and what she’s learned about her own answer after a season of asking everyone else.She also looks ahead to Season 4, and the question that’s been getting louder the more we talked about home: Who are you, once you get there? Specifically, how does a big move change your creative self?We hope you enjoy this season finale. We’re taking a short break over the summer and will be back in the fall with all new episodes exploring creativity and relocation.Are you dreaming about relocating? Newly arrived? Join us in exploring the inner experiences of moving across borders. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

Nerida’s story isn’t about a single bold leap from one country to another, rather, it details a life in which moving has simply always been part of the picture. As the daughter of a diplomat, her first international relocation came at age seven, when her family moved from Australia to Malaysia. She didn’t choose it, but it shaped her profoundly. Since then, she has lived in seven countries, spending more of her life abroad than in her native Australia — first through her upbringing, and later through her career in international development and human rights.What makes Nerida’s perspective so compelling is the lightness she brings to questions that feel heavy to many people: Where is home? Where do I belong? Rather than holding tightly to one place or one answer, she has developed an openness to new cultures, new versions of home, and new opportunities as they come. In this episode, Nerida reflects on how moving early in life shaped her relationship with attachment, planning, and belonging — leaving her free to say “yes” to new possibilities.Are you dreaming about relocating? Newly arrived? Join us in exploring the inner experiences of moving across borders. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this special three-part series, Relocurious explores relocation through the perspectives of three members of the same family.When Darren joined the Canadian Foreign Service, it set in motion a series of international moves that would shape the lives of his wife Heather and their son Nick as well. Across three episodes, we hear each of their perspectives on the same family relocations — revealing how differently shared events can be lived and remembered.In the first episode, Darren reflected on relocation through the lens of career and public service. Next, we heard Heather’s experience of moves with young children, and creating a meaningful career for herself. This week, we meet Nick, one of Darren and Heather’s sons, who was just a toddler when he moved for the first time. Part 3: A Life in Motion – Nick’s StoryIn this final episode of our three-part family series, we hear from Nick, whose childhood unfolded across continents, cultures, schools, and friendships as his family moved through his father’s career in the Canadian Foreign Service.Nick made his first international move to Honduras as a toddler – long before he had a say in the matter. But it was a later move, around the age of 10 or 11, that proved more difficult, as relocation began to collide with a growing sense of identity and belonging.In our conversation, Nick reflects on the tension between disruption and possibility. At an age when friendships and familiarity matter deeply, moving can feel like a loss — bringing frustration, grief, and resistance. And yet, over time, those same experiences can open unexpected doors: new interests, new communities, and a broader sense of self.Nick’s perspective highlights how repeated moves can foster adaptability, perspective, and a unique kind of freedom — the ability to start over and create something new. Together with Darren’s and Heather’s stories, his voice completes a layered portrait of what relocation looks and feels like from within a family — and how differently it can be experienced across a lifetime.About NickNick works in technology partnerships, with a current focus on data activation, integration, and agentic AI. In his spare time, he enjoys snowboarding, fussing over his cat, and actively participating in Vancouver’s music scene as a performer, promoter, and co-founder of an event production group and party series called Step Out, which he runs with his partner, Leah.Having moved multiple times before eventually settling in Vancouver, Nick developed an appreciation for starting over and creating new realities for himself — a skill that continues to shape both his professional path and personal growth.Are you dreaming about relocating? Newly arrived? Join us in exploring the inner experiences of moving across borders. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this special three-part series, Relocurious explores relocation through the perspectives of three members of the same family.When Darren joined the Canadian Foreign Service, it set in motion a series of international moves that would shape the lives of his wife Heather and their son Nick as well. Across three episodes, we hear each of their perspectives on the same family relocations — revealing how differently a shared experience can be lived and remembered.In the first episode, Darren reflected on relocation through the lens of career and public service. In this episode, we hear from Heather.Part 2: A Life in Motion – Heather’s StoryWhile Darren’s work determined the family’s postings, Heather’s experience of relocation centered on building a life within each new place.With every move, she helped create stability and continuity for the family — establishing routines, building community, and helping their children navigate the emotional realities of leaving one home and adapting to another.At the same time, Heather was also shaping her own path. Over the years, she built a rewarding career for herself while adapting to the constraints and opportunities of life across multiple countries.In our conversation, Heather reflects on:* The importance of making decisions together* Helping children process loss and adjustment* Balancing the excitement of international life with the practical considerations of moving a family abroad* Finding purpose and identity while repeatedly starting over in a new countryHer story offers a powerful inside view of the quieter work that makes international family life possible.About HeatherHeather Johnston is an educator, trainer, and interculturalist. She has worked as a special education teacher in Canada, a volunteer English teacher in Malawi, an in-country orientation coordinator in Honduras, and an intercultural education specialist for the Canadian International Development Agency and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. She has also taught online for UBC. She is a diplomatic spouse, mother of three boys. She has lived in Canada, Malawi, Honduras, the US, Egypt, and Ghana. She self published a book called Please Be Upstanding about her time in Ghana. She also has a rather large bead collection.Links:Please Be Upstanding: Letters from Ghana - BookWhere are you on your relocation journey? Got a big dream, or are you already “there”? Follow others’ stories — and share yours when ready! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

For the first time on Relocurious, we’re exploring relocation through the unique lenses of individual members of a family.When Darren joined the Canadian Foreign Service, it set in motion a series of international moves that would shape not only his career, but the lives of his wife, Heather, and their children. Across three episodes, we speak with Darren, Heather, and their son Nick individually to understand how the same relocations were experienced from three very different vantage points.Darren moved for work.Heather moved as a partner.Nick moved as a child — before he was old enough to choose.Together, their conversations reveal the nuance, complexity, and emotional layers of family relocation: questions of agency, belonging, identity, sacrifice, and adaptation. What does it mean to share a life in motion? And how differently can the same experience be lived and remembered?Part 1: A Life in Motion – Darren’s StoryIn this first episode of the series, we hear from Darren.Darren’s story of relocation began long before his diplomatic career. Having grown up between countries, movement was already part of his identity. Later, after teaching in Malawi and Canada, he joined the Canadian Foreign Service.Rather than one defining move across borders, Darren’s life unfolded through a succession of postings — from Canada to the United States, Honduras, Ghana, Egypt, and beyond — before eventually returning to Canada.In this conversation, Darren reflects on:* The importance of shared decision-making* The trade-offs embedded in career-driven mobility* The challenges of feeling a sense of belonging in each new place* The ongoing longing for a place you no longer liveHis perspective offers a thoughtful look at what it means to build a life shaped by service, movement, and responsibility, and how those choices ripple through a family.About DarrenDarren Schemmer grew up in Canada, Germany, and the United States. After teaching in Malawi and Canada, he joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1989. He served abroad in Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, and at the Organization of American States, and later as High Commissioner of Canada to Ghana and Ambassador to Togo.Since retiring from the federal government in 2014, Darren worked for three years as Executive Director of Simon Fraser University International and has served on the boards of four non-profit organizations. He and his wife now live in Vancouver, with their three sons and two grandchildren nearby.Where are you on your relocation journey? Got a big dream, or are you already “there”? Follow others’ stories — and share yours when ready! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is a story about a move that didn’t unfold as planned. Maria, a Romanian educator, anthropologist, improviser, and poet, set out with a clear plan to move to Canada. Instead, unexpected events gradually shifted her path toward an unplanned settling in Portugal.Shaped first by the pandemic and then by a long stretch of uncertainty, Maria’s journey became less about arrival and more about letting go, recalibrating, and finding her footing again. In this deeply personal conversation, she speaks about the difficult work of releasing old plans and re-taking control of her life, and reflecting on the quiet realization that she has, in fact, arrived. If you’ve ever found yourself suspended between places, identities, or possible futures, this episode may feel familiar – and, we hope, quietly reassuring.Links:Maria’s Website: https://meadows.today/Viola Spolin Improvisation Method: https://www.violaspolin.org/Center for Courage & Renewal: https://couragerenewal.org/program-calendar/A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life - Book by Parker PalmerThe Genius Myth - Book by Michael MeadeLiving Myth PodcastWhere are you on your relocation journey? Got a big dream, or are you already “there”? Follow others’ stories — and share yours when ready! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Charlie, whose relationship with travel began early, and whose positive first experiences abroad shaped her desire to keep exploring. Born and raised in Germany, Charlie first ventured out into the world at 14, when a semester in Australia planted the idea that she was capable of adapting to — and even thriving in — new places far from home. What may have began as something “daunting” soon turned into excitement, curiosity, and confidence, eventually leading her to study in Sweden, complete graduate studies in Canada, and spend extended time backpacking through Southeast Asia and Latin America. Now living in the Cayman Islands and beginning what she calls “her adult life” — in a committed relationship and with her first full-time job — Charlie reflects on what “home” looks like after a life shaped by movement.Where are you on your relocation journey? Got a big dream, or are you already “there”? Follow others’ stories — and share yours when ready! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

What if “home” wasn’t a place, but a way of being?In this episode of Relocurious, we’re joined by Kristy Halvorsen, whose life challenges conventional ideas of relocation, relationships, and purpose.After serious health wake-up calls as a firefighter-paramedic, Kristy let go of most of her belongings, hitched up an Airstream, and just got on the road. What began as an experiment in freedom became a way of life she calls coddiwompling — wandering with no destination.Living off-grid and migrating with the seasons, Kristy carries her sense of home with her. She speaks candidly about loneliness, trust, saying goodbye, and staying open when nothing feels certain.Kristy is the author of Perfect Unfolding, a reflective adventure memoir about a year that “broke her open” and reshaped how she lives. This conversation invites us to rethink what home can mean, and whether it might be something we carry, rather than somewhere we arrive.Links:Kristy’s Book: https://perfectunfolding.com/Kristy’s Website: https://kristyhalvorsen.com/What makes relocating so rich in emotions and insights? How does it transform people’s lives? Follow powerful stories as a subscriber.P.S. Would you like to share your story of moving across borders? Get in touch. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

A series of steps brought Kathy to imagining a life overseas: First, she realized early in her adult life that creative pursuits and travel fulfill her. She then set the goal of leaving full time work behind by the time she turned fifty. And, she sought out a financial planner to discuss what was possible.The planner’s words of wisdom? The lifestyle you are dreaming of is available to you — if you are open to relocating.Fast forward ten years, Kathy is reflecting on the enthusiasm and curiosity that guided her (well, our) quest for finding a new home, and the sense of gratitude that living the dream has brought. Since our move to Porto, Portugal a couple of years ago, we have not only appreciated our welcoming community and the ease of exploring Europe, but also how much more connected we now feel with our families — both in Europe and back in Canada.This conversation takes us to Kathy’s reflections on attachments — to places, pursuits, and people — and to the notion that putting your intention to relocate out to the world can help you be accountable to yourself for the steps you take, and it can help others support you on your journey.Join us for more insights into relocation journeys: from dreaming to creating the imagined life, including hiccups and emotions.Ready to share your relocation dream, or how you experienced your own move? We would love to meet you and hear your story. Get in touch. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

Growing up in former Czechoslovakia, freely travelling the world once felt out of reach for Michal. It all changed with the fall of the Iron Curtain: borders opened, opportunities presented themselves, and Michal was ready. His curiosity about the world led him from Europe all the way to North America … and back, years later.In this special episode, Kathy interviews Michal about his passion for travelling, his relocation experiences, and how a lifetime of moves has reshaped his relationship with freedom, belonging, and what it really means to call a place “home.”In 2023, Kathy and Michal made their new home in Porto, Portugal. To Michal, this place feels both like home and as a gateway to so many places yet to be discovered!Enjoy his story!What makes relocating so rich in emotions and insights? How does it transform people’s lives? Follow powerful stories as a subscriber.P.S. Would you like to share your story of moving across borders? Get in touch Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

When Michelle and Sean visited Portugal for a beach vacation in 2015, they felt an unexpected connection to the country — one that kept pulling them back again and again. Michelle quickly became keen on moving there, so she quietly set the wheels in motion. Sean joined the plan a bit later, but with an open mind. Along the way, the couple encountered a few surprises, some challenging, others more light-hearted.In the episode, Sean and Michelle share their everyday experiences of finding their way in Portugal, from navigating daily tasks to staying connected with loved ones overseas, learning the language, and a few realizations from their own relationship.We hope you enjoy their story!Michelle (American) and Sean (British) are expats who relocated to Portugal one year ago after falling in love with the country on their first visit a decade earlier. While Sean enjoys retirement, Michelle coaches midlife women online, helping them regain control over impulses to overeat, overspend, and overdo.The couple have embraced the “unknowing” of expat life, celebrating each successful day as a “boss day.” Thankfully, such days are becoming more frequent in their life. You may contact Michelle at [email protected] makes relocating so rich in emotions and insights? How does it transform people’s lives? Follow powerful stories as a subscriber.P.S. Would you like to share your story of moving across borders? Get in touch Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

This week on the podcast, we meet Tracey Zhang. Having left home at 16 and relocated across six cities worldwide, she understands firsthand the loneliness, identity shifts, and cultural disorientation that often accompany major moves. Tracey shares how uncertainty and unmet expectations after moving solo from Hong Kong to Canada, seeking a “fresh start” after a series of personal setbacks, put her on a path of deep personal exploration and transformation. Those experiences shaped her life path, and inspired her work as a relocation coach and somatic practitioner. She now helps expats and immigrants navigate the emotional side of moving abroad.In our conversation, Tracey names something that many of us experience, but rarely acknowledge: Moving doesn’t fix what hurts. On the contrary, it often magnifies it. Thankfully, that realization can become the beginning of a journey towards healing, clarity, and what Tracey beautifully calls “coming home to yourself.”Today, she guides others through these emotional challenges through workshops, online sessions, and somatic practices – supporting people in cultivating a genuine sense of belonging from within. If you are looking for deep insights into the emotional journey that many immigrants experience, this is the episode for you. And, even if you don’t have a relocation on the horizon, Tracey shares gentle wisdom that may help you discover something new about yourself and your journey through life.Links:* Tracey’s website: https://traceyzhang.com/* Free ebook: https://traceyzhang.com/e-book-1What makes relocating so rich in emotions and insights? How does it transform people’s lives? Follow powerful stories as a subscriber.P.S. Would you like to share your story of moving across borders? Get in touch Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

This week, we speak with Matej Adam Balint, a Slovak student whose university program has taken him to Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin over the past three years. Each new city has brought a fresh beginning, then all too soon, it’s time to move on again. Matej shares about the cycle of unpacking, repacking, building friendships, and redefining what it means to belong.For Matej, relocation isn’t just a practical challenge, each move is an opportunity to learn more about himself. In our conversation, he reflects on how each move has revealed a different layer of his identity, and how living between cultures and languages has given him a deeper understanding of authenticity, freedom, and adaptability.He speaks about learning to let go of places, routines, and even versions of himself — without feeling loss. Instead, he sees those attachments turn into memories, lessons, and confidence for the next step.We talk about belonging as both comfort and constraint, about how a new culture can unlock new dimensions of self-expression, and about why taking action — “testing your hypothesis,” as Matej puts it — may be the only way to find clarity.This is a story for anyone who’s ever wondered what keeps us grounded when everything around us shifts, and how movement itself can become a form of home and self-discovery.What makes relocating so rich in emotions and insights? How does it transform people’s lives? Follow powerful stories as a subscriber.P.S. Would you like to share your story of moving across borders? Get in touch. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

This week we talk with Catherine Stratton, a writer and filmmaker from Hoboken, New Jersey whose dream to explore the world has brought her to Paris, France.When her marriage ended, and her grown children moved out of the family home, Catherine stepped out of her comfort zone to embark on new life adventures. She remembers telling herself at one point, “I gotta get out there, make more memories!”Catherine journeyed through the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France, experiencing the highs and lows of being a solo traveller. These days, she is enjoying life in Paris — yet her journey may not be over. As Catherine says, she is “still figuring it out,” “always looking for the belonging,” continuing her search for that place to call “home”.For Catherine, inspiration to live a life of her dreams came from an unexpected source: an advertisement for a red Ferrari that caught her eye in a magazine years ago. The ad said, “Only Those Who Dare … Truly Live,” and she still remembered these words perfectly! After the interview, as Michal found this framed poster of the old ad online, it seemed to take Catherine all the way back to those original sparks of her life dream!What makes relocating so rich in emotions and insights? How does it transform people’s lives? Follow powerful stories as a subscriber.P.S. Would you like to share your story of moving across borders? Get in touch. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

This week we speak with Madeline Wahl, who shares her emotional journey from the United States to Scotland. Madeline relocated to Glasgow on a study visa, along what turns out to be a deeply personal and transformative journey. During COVID-19, she moved back home to Florida to be a caregiver for her mom. She wanted to pursue the dream of living abroad, but life didn’t unfold the way she expected. What started as a dream to travel became a journey through profound grief and self-discovery.Madeline Wahl is a writer and an alumna of the MLitt in Fantasy Literature program at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. While living in the States, she worked as a journalist for publications including HuffPost and Reader’s Digest.She writes about her caregiving experience on her Substack: She is also planning on sharing more experiences about solo travel and her years abroad on her Instagram @madelinewahlwrites.Photo credit: Zoë LintzerisWhat makes relocating so rich in emotions and insights? How does it transform people’s lives? Follow powerful stories as a subscriber. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In most episodes, our guests are speaking with us from the place they had relocated to. They are reflecting back on the move, new experiences, and the journey toward feeling a sense of belonging in their new home. Today’s guest, however, has faced obstacles in her quest to relocate from Canada to Scotland, the country that has won her heart.Tineke is a professional photographer who travels the world capturing the people, places, and cultures she experiences. In 2017, she took a group of photography students to Scotland and thus began a love affair with the wind and the sea and the land. She has returned to Scotland for several months every year since 2021, actively seeking a way to immigrate permanently, but has faced obstacles that have prevented that dream from coming true.While caught between the two countries, Tineke has learned to create home within herself. In this episode, she shares her story of hope, resilience, and a determination to find a way.Help us bring you more stories of the ups and downs of moving — by becoming a subscriber.N.B. In the discussion at the end of Tineke’s interview, Michal references the Bridges Transition Model that outlines how we may transition through big changes in three stages: endings, neutral zone, and new beginnings. In the context of relocating, the model invites advancing gently, with self-compassion and self-care. See if it helps you make sense of your experience: https://wmbridges.com/about/what-is-transition/ Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

Sometimes we need a nudge to finally take the leap and chase the dream of adventure. For paramedics Joe and Tania, that nudge came in the form of Tania’s milestone birthday – a reminder that it was time to commit to her dream of living abroad for at least a year.What began as a one-year plan quickly stretched into seven. Along the way, the couple navigated the highs and lows of building a life in a new country, gained dual citizenship, and wrestled with questions of career identity, ego, and family priorities.We loved the energy, reflection, and insights that Tania and Joe wove into their story, we hope you enjoy it too!As we explore the world, our minds expand. But how do moves affect us emotionally? Join us as we examine the ups+downs of relocating! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

Have you ever held onto a dream for your whole life, but never taken the next step to make it happen? Today’s guest had the dream of moving to Europe, but did not take the steps to make it a reality until a death in the family, and a close look at how short life can be, spurred her into action.Barbara Grassey is a writer and book coach who moved from the US to Portugal solo in January of 2021, in the middle of the COVID lockdowns. Her Substack, My Expat Golden Girl Life, explores her journey as an expat, from the logistics of moving to slices of everyday life. She is the author of American Expat: Moving Abroad Solo After 60.We hope you enjoy our conversation!Links:“My Expat Golden Girl Life” Blog on Substack: The Book: https://barbaragrassey.com/american-expat-the-book/“Finding Your Portugal” conversation with Barbara and Kathy: Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

Like many children of immigrants, Sarah heard beautiful stories of her mother’s home country of Portugal. But it wasn’t until she visited her mother’s birthplace — the Portuguese island of Madeira — that she felt an undeniable pull: this was where she was meant to be.When fate offered her a month-long artist residency on the island, she didn’t hesitate, she leapt at the chance. The one-month residency turned into twelve years (and counting). In that time, Sarah has experienced both the exhilaration of feeling spiritually connected to the land and the isolation of being an outsider, even while speaking the language. The highest highs and the lowest lows have shaped a deeply personal journey of self-discovery. We’re so grateful to Sarah for sharing that journey with us on this episode of the Relocurious podcast.Join us in exploring the emotions of relocating as a free or paid subscriber to Relocurious.More about Sarah:Sarah Linhares is a Canadian-Madeiran multidisciplinary artist, mystic, and transformation guide based on Madeira Island, Portugal.Through music, poetry, and movement, her work explores the sensuality of raw human emotion — alchemizing pain into power, passion, and purpose while harmonizing the divine and physical realms. Her self-produced album and poetry book, SUBTROPICAL: Musings on Paradise Found, chronicle her own hero’s journey of healing and relocation from Canada to Madeira, and are available online.With over 30 years of experience in personal development, energy mastery, and spiritual practice, Sarah’s current project and YouTube channel, EMBODY · MY · SOUL, bridge spirituality with grounded human experience. Blending ancient wisdom with modern healing tools, she inspires others to awaken their soul’s truth and live in deep alignment. She offers private consultations, mentorships, group workshops, and transformational retreats.* 🎥 YouTube Channel — EMBODY · MY · SOUL: youtube.com/@sarahlinhares* 📖 SUBTROPICAL Poetry Book: sarahlinhares.myflodesk.com/subtropicalbook* 🎶 SUBTROPICAL Album: sarahlinhares.myflodesk.com/subtropicalalbum* 🌟 Book a Soul Consultation: sarahlinhares.myflodesk.com/embodymysoulconsultation* 💫 Follow the journey → instagram.com/sarahlinhares Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this special episode, we (your hosts, Kathy and Michal) pause to reflect on our own experience of dreaming about living in another country, eventually relocating from Canada to Portugal — and the journey that sparked the Relocurious project.As we’ve listened to the stories of our podcast guests, examining the emotional layers of our own experience of moving, what has started to emerge is a sequence of stages that we all seem to be moving through. We call it The Relocurious Arc — a five-stage framework for making meaning of the unfolding emotions of relocating.Our relocation journeys seem to start with Imagining, gradually progressing through Letting Go, Leaping, and Re-rooting, until we eventually arrive at Belonging:* Imagining is the stage of browsing maps, dreaming of reinvention, watching travel videos, joining podcasts, and wondering who you might become elsewhere.* Letting Go is the quiet, often overlooked stage of release of routines, identities, ‘stuff,’ and communities and circles of family and friends that once defined you.* Leaping is when intention becomes action. The decision is made, plane ticket booked, suitcases packed. Some may have doubted you, but you are doing it!* Re-rooting is where you begin to build a new life. The arrival is real, though the systems and customs are still unfamiliar, and it doesn’t yet feel like you belong.* Belonging: Over time, something shifts. You recognize the streets. Someone remembers your name. You feel ‘seen.’ A sense of here-ness begins to settle in.In this milestone conversation, we explore what these stages have looked and felt like for us: the dreams that gave rise to our move, some of the complexities of leaving, the excitement of arrival, the slow (and sometimes surprising) rhythms of settling in, and the evolving sense of home in our new country. Each stage brings challenges and rewards, and each gives rise to deeply personal questions.We invite you to listen in, reflect on where you (and those you are moving with) may currently be on this arc, and consider what questions arise for your next step.Not yet a subscriber? Join us as we start a new season of podcast episodes and reflection posts on the emotions of relocating. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this episode, we speak with Aryan, a young man from India who moved to Canada to pursue graduate studies. What began as a plan to stay close to family in Ottawa took an unexpected turn when the right academic program led him instead to rainy Vancouver—a detour filled with surprises, challenges, and unexpected growth.Aryan shares what it was like to trade the familiarity of India for the newness of Canada, navigating everything from Vancouver’s ‘endless rain’ to the surprise of a tech-heavy classroom culture. Along the way, he reflects on identity, independence, and the experience of going from being “someone” in his home country to starting over in a new one.We also explore how his early years in boarding school helped Aryan build the resilience and openness that shaped his relocation journey later in life. It’s a thoughtful and honest conversation about cultural adjustment, self-discovery, and the art of slowly building a life in a new country. Aryan shares plenty of insight, and a dash of humour.Whether you’re preparing for a move abroad or simply are curious about the lived experience of relocation, Aryan’s story will resonate.If listening to this podcast sparks new ideas, prompts useful reflections, or helps you refine your own relocation plans, why not subscribe? Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this episode, we sit down with Caleb, originally from Ghana, and Deniz, who is Turkish. They are a newly married couple who recently made Canada their new home. Their story began in a language class in Turkey, and what started as a fleeting connection eventually grew into a relationship that spanned years and continents.With Deniz thriving in Spain and Caleb pursuing studies in Vancouver, their future together was anything but certain. In this lively and layered conversation, they reflect on what it took to bridge the distance, both emotionally and geographically, as they navigated an international move, loneliness, and their own contrasting personalities: Caleb the dreamer, and Deniz the planner. From setting up their first home to embracing a shared future in a new country, their story is full of warmth and optimism. Help us continue bringing you inspiring stories like this one — consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to Relocurious. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

Deeply understanding your personal values and who you are at your core is one thing. Finding a country where those values align, and where you’re free to explore your authentic self, is a rare and powerful gift.This week, we speak with Hawwa, who moved from the Maldives to Vancouver, Canada, just two years ago, and describes the experience as a leap of faith. A scholar with a background in sociology and education, Hawwa brings a thoughtful perspective on the emotional and psychological journey of migration.Her story is one of courage, clarity, and inner alignment. It’s about leaving behind the expectations of her previous environment, and finding a new sense of self in a country that feels like home.We talk about how migration can offer a rare opportunity to reset: not just to start over, but to start more truthfully. Hawwa shares the importance of knowing your values, resisting the pressure to conform — whether back home or in a new place — and trusting yourself enough to begin again.Continue to be inspired by the stories of courageous and adventurous people who have moved — become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

What happens when your “dream move” abroad doesn’t feel so dreamy? In this episode of Relocurious, we talk with Cressida, who moved from a cottage in the English countryside to the fast-paced urban energy of Hong Kong with her husband, and a newborn in tow.From the outside, it looked like an incredible opportunity: a new country, a new adventure, a fresh chapter. But inside, Cressida was struggling with exhaustion, isolation, culture shock, and the pressure to stay positive for everyone around her.She opens up about what it really felt like to navigate steep city streets with a sleepless baby, and how it took time, and several small but meaningful changes to start feeling more grounded.Together, we explore the hidden emotional costs of relocating, especially when big moves overlap with other major life transitions like new parenthood or retirement. We also talk about what happens when we only share the highlights, and why telling the whole story matters—for ourselves and for each other.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a move that was supposed to be exciting, this conversation will resonate.Immerse in more stories and reflections on the emotional side of moving by becoming a free — or paid — subscriber to Relocurious. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

What happens when a political earthquake nudges you halfway around the world? In this episode of Relocurious, we meet Sarah and Stu, an adventurous couple who turned a moment of shock into a new chapter. Originally from Malta and the UK, they now call British Columbia, Canada home.Their relocation story is anything but straightforward. It’s spontaneous and strategic, emotional and analytical, highlighting how big moves are rarely just about geography. We talk about the emotional aftermath of Brexit, the myths we carry about new places, and the mental gymnastics required to make a life-changing leap feel both wild and wise.Sarah and Stu offer candid reflections on homesickness, financial strain, rediscovering identity, and finding humour in the hard parts.This episode offers real talk, gentle wisdom, and the reminder that big change doesn’t always start with a plan, it starts with a feeling.Immerse in stories of moves and fresh starts as a free — or paid — subscriber to Relocurious. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this episode Kathy speaks with Anushka, a young woman who grew up in India and now lives in British Columbia, Canada. As a young girl Anushka fell in love with the city of Vancouver, Canada when she visited as a tourist with her family. Years later, she returned to Vancouver as a masters student, and now lives there as a newly graduated working professional. She thinks that the city is a wonderful place for people wanting to relocate for experience, beauty, or diversity. Although with her fair share of mountains to climb, she’s found the city to be welcoming and abundant in opportunity and kindness, and has spent the last three years since her relocation on a journey to make as many discoveries about herself and the world as she possibly can. On being asked of what she thinks her future in this journey holds, she replies with the spirit of embracing uncertainty, “Vancouver, I’m not going anywhere; but World, here I come!”.Don’t miss future episodes of the Relocurious podcast — become a free or paid subscriber.To find resources mentioned in this episode, please check out our Resources page. Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this episode of Relocurious, Michal sits down with Alex, who shares his deeply personal story of leaving Romania and building a new life in Canada. What started as an impulsive leap during a time of emotional burnout became a journey of transformation. Alex opens up about the creative roots that shaped his identity, and the period of disillusionment that led to his decision to relocate. He reflects on the honeymoon phase of immigration, the loneliness that followed, and the unexpected moments of connection that helped him feel at home in a new land.This episode is a heartfelt exploration of how moving abroad can not only change your surroundings—but also who you are at your core.Would a few more stories about relocating help you make your big move? Why not become a free or paid subscriber to Relocurious? Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

In this episode of Relocurious, your hosts Michal and Kathy explore the emotional and psychological side of moving abroad—this time through the lens of a couple embracing relocation as an adventure rather than a permanent move.Michal sits down with Georganne and Anne, a married couple who have spent the last 20 years in Canada. With dual citizenships spanning the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., they’ve recently made the leap to relocate to the U.K. Their move is open-ended, fueled by a desire to reconnect with roots, experience European living, and travel more deeply.From navigating identity to dealing with unexpected events, this episode offers a candid look at the joys, surprises, and emotional layers of starting over in a new place.If not now, when? Sign up to hear many more inspiring stories as a free or paid subscriber! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

The Relocurious Podcast shares real stories from people who have recently relocated to a new country. Through open and honest conversations, we’ll explore the emotional journey behind moving abroad—what sparked the idea, what pushed it from dream to reality, and how life is unfolding in their new home.Moving abroad isn’t just about visas, packing, and finding a place to live—it’s a human experience that challenges identity, expectations, and resilience. By sharing these stories, we hope to normalize the emotional ups and downs and provide a space for reflection and learning.Whether you’re just starting to consider a move or already in the process, these stories will offer inspiration, insight, and practical advice for navigating the highs and lows of relocation.As you ponder that big move in your life, enjoy the treat of a personal story or reflection once a week as a free or paid subscriber.In this episode, join Kathy and Michal as they speak with guests Jim and Vickie Berkley. Jim and Vickie moved from Denver, Colorado, USA to Porto, Portugal in 2023 in their search for a culture that valued relationships ahead of wealth.This episode inspired a further reflection on the power of planning. Check it out: The Power of Planning. Check it out! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe

The Relocurious Podcast shares real stories from people who have recently relocated to a new country. Through open and honest conversations, we’ll explore the emotional journey behind moving abroad—what sparked the idea, what pushed it from dream to reality, and how life is unfolding in their new home.Moving abroad isn’t just about visas, packing, and finding a place to live—it’s a human experience that challenges identity, expectations, and resilience. By sharing these stories, we hope to normalize the emotional ups and downs and provide a space for reflection and learning.Whether you’re just starting to consider a move or already in the process, these stories will offer inspiration, insight, and practical advice for navigating the highs and lows of relocation.In this episode, meet your hosts, Kathy and Michal, as they share their experiences with relocation, and why they started this podcast!A free or paid subscription will help you stay on top of all things Relocurious! Get full access to Relocurious at www.relocurious.com/subscribe