Building Home: An Expat Podcast by Nneya Richards

Everyone talks about the hard parts of moving abroad. No one talks about the hard part of moving back. This week I'm sitting down with my friend Sofía Zanotti (remember the Bergamo park friendship that our moms basically arranged for us?!) as she prepares to leave Italy after years of building a full life here: a coffee shop, an amazing community for women, a family, a home. She's heading...

Ambika moved to Naples by accident — a backpack, a birthday party, and a Neapolitan she wasn't planning on falling for. We talk career reinvention, bilingual love, and what it really takes to earn your place somewhere new. Like, comment and subscribe! Follow my adventures on instagram @nneya and Amby's @ambymathur Amby’s Honest Naples Travel Guide

This solo episode I'm diving into two listener questions that come up A LOT. One woman has been dreaming of living in Europe since she was nine years old. She had Sicily and Malta booked for next month. Then the current immigration climate made her pull back — not because the dream died, but because she's a naturalized citizen trying to protect herself while the world feels unpredictable....

Most people don't realize that building a life abroad is about more than just where you live—it's about who you become in the process. Allison Sager, a true citizen of the world, shares how her journey from the U.S. to Siena to Rome transformed her understanding of community, authenticity, and the soul of a place. Her story proves that stepping out of your comfort zone can unlock a lifetim...

Most moms swear by the chaos — but what if motherhood in a new place actually unlocks a deeper sense of home? In this heartfelt Mother's Day special, I'm going to give you an intimate glimpse into my life as a Black American mother thriving in Bergamo, Italy. And we're going around the world, chatting with mothers that I've had on the pod from Milan to Mexico City and hearing some...

Today I’m chatting with fabulous journalist and multi-hyphenate Ana Victoria Torres Guzmán, a Dominican fellow bravoholic living in the gastronomy capital, Lyon, France! Today’s convo is a wild ride as we’re reeling from the Summer House Scandal. Ana shares her journey from the Dominican Republic to France, her insights on reality TV culture, and her experiences living abroad. Discover how her Car...

Join me today with my dear friend Kabir Awatramani as he takes me through his journey of his chic childhood growing up in Bombay to being lured by the magical pull of the island of misfit toys, NYC. We reminisce about the old days of fashion, our Blackberries, gender studies and politics and how we  found each other across careers, continents and timelines. Such an open, thoughtful conversation an...

In this episode, Christina — a clinical psychologist who understands the beautifully tangled inner world of expats and digital nomads — opens a window into the emotional landscapes that come with living between cultures. We talk about how trauma, grief and past experiences travel with us, the different ways psychology shows up around the world, and what it really means to build a sense of home whe...

This week is a solo episode where I catch you guys up on how we spent the Thanksgiving holiday. My mom's in town, Michele gave a tear-jerking speech, we had a Jamaican-Italian gala charity dinner that was featured in Vogue Italia and a beautiful stay at The Place in Florence. It was also a week of some pretty special firsts...Wow... what a packed week. Listen, subscribe and review! It helps pe...

Nneya sits down with Kayla Jagusch—founder of Even Numbers—to discuss moving to Milan during the pandemic, building creative community, navigating entrepreneurship in Italy, and using art as a bridge for connection. Kayla shares insights from her New York upbringing, her work with major global brands, and her journey toward defining home through self-expression, cultural exchange, and belonging. L...

In this episode, I'm chatting with American journalist and comedian Molly Mulshine who now calls Dublin home. We chat about the cultural differences in parenting, the cost of living, and the vibrant comedy scene in Dublin. We go from immigration and tradwives to the Real Housewives of Potomac and the House of Guiness. It's a fun conversation you won't want to miss! And of course, Molly...

Today I'm chatting with an old dear friend from Amherst College, Allie Canton who is a meditation teacher and the author of Practically on Purpose, a Substack and podcast for high achievers who collected all the gold stars and are now looking for deeper meaning, purpose and joy. She's also a healthcare technology lawyer advising high-growth startups and volunteers with causes supporting health car...

In this episode of Building Home, I share my insight on the au pair experience, drawing from my own time aupairing in Italy and discussing a recent news story about an American au pair who fled her host family. I explore the cultural differences and challenges faced by au pairs, contrasting my positive experience with that of the young woman who struggled. The conversation also delves into the Net...

This is the real life Under the Tuscan Sun... but in Abruzzo... and you don't have to be retired. You can buy that affordable home in Italy now, for you and your family. It's wildly different but Cassie and her fam is making it work! Nneya speaks with Cassie of @RootlessInItaly about her journey from the US to Italy, exploring themes of cultural integration, parenting, and small town commu...

In this engaging conversation, Nneya Richards and Sofía Zanotti explore the themes of community building, entrepreneurship, and cultural differences in parenting as they navigate life in Bergamo, Italy. Sofi shares her journey as a founder of the Perla community, emphasizing the importance of connection among international women. They discuss the unique aspects of parenting in a new country, the b...

If Portugal has been on your destination bucketlist for a while, listen to this podcast before you book your flight! In this engaging conversation, Nneya Richards speaks with Margo Gabriel, a Haitian-American journalist and culinary expert based in Lisbon, Portugal. They explore Margo's journey from Boston to Lisbon, her experiences as a Black woman in both cities, and the vibrant culinary sce...

In this episode of Building Home, host Nneya Richards speaks with Bettina Prentice, a renowned curator and cultural strategist, about her journey from New York to London, the art of hosting salons, and the importance of community in the contemporary art world. They discuss the role of artists in society, the significance of spirituality in art, and the cultural differences between New York and Lon...

Enjoyed Emily in Paris? Then trust me, you're going to love the whimsical, colorful, authentic mosaic that is Sutanya in Paris! In this engaging conversation, Nneya Richards and Sutanya Dacres explore the multifaceted experiences of Americans living in Paris. Cultural diversity in Paris enriches the expat experience. They discuss the challenges of finding suitable hair care, the cultural diver...

In this conversation, Nneya anddear friend Caterina Monda explore the cultural nuances of being an American in Italy including Thanksgiving, the experience of living in Milan, and the challenges of navigating a multicultural identity. They discuss the design scene in Milan, the pride Italians have in their heritage, and the complexities of tourism and preservation in Italy. The dialogue highlights...

This episode is all about celebrating the magic of belonging to two places and building community in a new home.  Join Nneya and her friend Stacey Chia as they dive into the joys and challenges of making friends in their thirties, cultural connections, their passion for food, and the spontaneous creation of the 'Breakfast Club. This episode is a love letter to both New York and Singapore. It’s a c...

Neither myself or today's guests are the first Black creatives that saw Paris as a sort of North Star. But what does that say about New York. Are New York prices hindering a thriving creative class? Families? Now, that's a bleak thought. Ryan Norville had a quarter life crisis that lead her on a path to learning French and eventually she, her husband and two kids moved to Paris! Ryan's...

Una persona influyente... that perfectly describes today's guest Courtney Mccolgan an absolutely force in the tech entrepreneur world, currently blazing new trails in Latin America as the founder and CEO of Runa. Today we're chatting with this California girl, and Fulbright scholar about her path from California to China then Peru (with love) to CDMX. She's also raising a beautiful glo...

"You don't get anywhere by being comfortable." That could be one of the life mottos of today's guest, owner and executive chairman of Mount Cinnamon Beach Resort Grenada, Barry Collymore. From his time studying abroad to building community and mentorship, Barry is a true testament to when you love what you do, it comes naturally.  And what he loves is to grow, learn and evolve --...

"There’s no going back in your identity, once you’ve moved, and once you have children, your identity does shift." Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake, one of Obama's favorite books of 2022 and coming soon to your screen adapted by Harpo productions! In 2021, Random House reached out to me about the upcoming novel, Black Cake. Upon reading it, I immediate connected to this stor...

As a woman in the very gendered sports world, I’ve seen Eden thrive. She’s phenom and there’s not too many Black women, particularly Black Italian women in these decision making offices, on either side of the Atlantic. And it’s wild how she got into the field too… it was a chance bus encounter that led to her career path! It was so fun to dive in with Eden about her passion for sports culture and...