Expat Sandwich

We talk with veteran public radio producer Katy Sewell and writer Tiffany Parks, hosts of the podcast The Bittersweet Life. Laugh, cry, and learn about life and Rome in the process!

There's so much going on in Venezuela these days, it's hard to keep up. Luckily we have Marian Lefeld, an artist from Caracas to help us understand and navigate the current political and economic volatility. Lefeld moved to the United States twenty-two years ago with her husband Max just after Chavez was elected President. She shares what it was like to move to the US and leave her family behind, as well as current struggles in both countries.

Charity Blansit moved to Barcelona 17 years ago for love--before the smartphone and crush of tourism. She helps us make much needed sense around Catalonia's ongoing fight for independence as well as offering some guidance around cultural customs and learning two languages at the same time.

We discuss the resurgence and research benefits of plant medicines. Daniel Cleland takes you deep into the Amazon and shares what it's like to take ayahuasca, the role of the Shaman, and his life in Peru and South America.

Culture Shock Flashback turns Expat Sandwich on its head. Instead of interviewing American expats, we invite foreign expats living in the United States to share their experience. In this episode we talk with French nationals Charlotte and Laurent about their thoughts on American culture.

Mike Martino went from jazz musician to second degree black belt in karate to software development and then finally being a potter living in Japan for the last 21 years. Martino offers incredible insight into Japanese culture, hilarious language mishaps, and even a romp through the prison system--which turns out to be a little different from the way they do things in the US.

We're back with Season 2! What do you do when you just can't help yourself helping other people? We talk with Judson Moore and discuss how to plug in through foreign exchange, Peace Corps, how to become a foreign diplomat and more. In OUR book, nice guys finish FIRST!

Moving to a country is hard enough--chef, blogger and cookbook author David Lebovitz discusses his kitchen renovation disaster in Paris featured in his new book "L'appart" as well as providing us with better understanding of French culture.

Everyone has ideas, but few push them to reality. Jay Dillon, founder of Yardbird, discusses moving to Hong Kong to oversee manufacturing for his startup, and navigating corruption, piracy, and worker conditions in China as well as life amongst the "hongkies."

Immediately following college, 23 year-old Jilli Leonard jumped on an opportunity to teach English as a second language in China. After 2 years of learning the ropes, she shares wisdom gained on the other side of the world while navigating a life in Shanghai. Our eyes remain wide open at her observations and insight at such a young age.

Climate scientist Joanna Young shares what it was like to travel to Antarctica with 76 other female scientists on the inaugural Homeward Bound voyage. Learn what's going on with climate change directly from a true scientist and not filtered through the media. Find out why this scientist feels optimistic about the future and more!

We kick off a new segment, Culture Shock Flashback, which features foreign nationals living in the US describing what it was like for them to move to America. In this episode host Marty Walker takes you way back to the 80s and describes her own experiences of domestic culture shock growing up in the Midwest and abruptly deported to Texas for unruly teenage behavior. Marty's first foreign friend, Helena, describes what it was like to be a Swede living in Springfield, Missouri thirty years ago during the heyday of televangelists. Get early access by becoming a supporting member of our community on Patreon. patreon.com/expatsandwich

American expat and travel writer Meredith Bethune shares what it's like to create articles for some of the big names such as Conde Nast, New York Magazine, Travel and Leisure, National Geographic and many others. We get insight on her writing process, how she works with editors, fights writers block and procrastination, all while making her home base in Leuven, Belgium. And when she's not writing? Satisfying her obsession with Belgian beer.

We catch up with anonymous blogger OGM -- who posts hilarious observations of Germans, odd things his wife says, beer and food reviews and much more at OhGodMyWifeIsGerman.com, which has attracted a massive following. He's from Portland. She's from Niedersachson. They married 4 years ago and OGM dives headfirst into a new life in Hannover, Germany. What does he love most about Germany besides Blood Tongue? I'm never bored. Ever. -- OGM

This week we catch up with American expat Thomas Callahan--a human rights worker turned corporate law attorney who's been living in Moscow for the last seven years. He provides an enormous amount of insight into what Russians think about Americans, their overall dislike/distrust of the Clintons, vodka, and living with surveillance under an authoritarian regime.

Considering travel to Africa comprises less than 1% of all international travel by Americans annually, it's no wonder most of our preconceptions are shaped by TV shows and the media. Brandy Taylor moved to Cape Town last year with her husband Will and their young son. Together they run Khashana Travel, a bespoke safari company. She describes what it's like for an American to live in the rainbow nation of post-apartheid South Africa and helps dispel some of the myths surrounding what she now calls home.

Mickey Smith is an American artist that has been living in New Zealand since 2011. Living amongst the Kiwis is as complex as its diverse landscape. Mickey describes the ups and downs of living in such a distant country.

Adam Raymont is an American artist that has been living in Berlin since 2008. Berlin is considered to have the largest contemporary art scene in the world. Adam shares what it's like to live in a city with an incredibly complex history.

Surfing. Tacos. Tequila. Is there anything else? Expat Jen Farrell shares the ins and outs of living and slowing down, just north of Puerto Vallarta.

Single. Female. Farm. Rural. Ecuador. One brave gringa.