Chinwag Tuesdays

Jayanti arrived in Brisbane in 2017 to start her PhD, and her very first day in the research lab involved watching a fellow student struggle through a presentation in front of a room full of people asking tough questions. She thought: what have I signed up for? In this episode, Jayanti talks about the journey from that intimidating first day to delivering a TEDx talk in front of 200 people, in her...

In this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays, I'm chatting with Serena Low, a Singapore-born, Melbourne-based trauma-informed coach who helps introverts, high achievers, and quiet achievers do something that doesn't come naturally to a lot of them: let people see how good they really are. Serena spent 11 years as a lawyer before making a major career pivot. She's also the host of The Quiet Warr...

This week on Chinwag Tuesdays, I'm sitting down with Aastha, who made the big move from New Delhi to Sydney five years ago after meeting her Australian husband. Aastha has an eight-year background in media and communications, a Master's in Business Administration, and she's now working as a Customer Success Manager, connecting with clients all across Australia and New Zealand. We talk...

This week on Chinwag Tuesdays, I’m joined by Jeane, an Indonesian-born primary school teacher who packed up a decade-long teaching career in Indonesia and moved to Melbourne to start fresh, on a completely different continent, in a completely different classroom. We talk about what it’s really like to teach Australian kids when you’re still learning the culture yourself, the hilarious moments when...

G'day! Welcome back to Chinwag Tuesdays, the podcast from Aussie English with Amanda where we chat about language, culture, and life as an Aussie abroad or a migrant finding their feet in Australia. This week I'm chatting with Tara, a fellow Aussie originally from Newcastle who packed up her life after graduating from uni and moved to Prague, Czech Republic, to teach English. And she's...

Welcome to Season 3 of Chinwag Tuesdays 🎙️ In this episode, I’m chatting with Christopher Kong , founder of Crouching Tiger Network , about the real soft skills migrants need to succeed in Australian workplaces. Chris was born in Melbourne, spent 17 years working across Asia (including China and Singapore), and has landed every role in his career through networking. In this honest and practical co...

In this Chinwag Tuesdays episode, I sit down with Mike Budden—an Aussie English teacher living in Berlin—who is also fluent in German! We dive deep into accent training, pronunciation, language immersion, and the real reason why many learners struggle with listening. If you're learning English (or teaching it!), this episode is packed with insights and relatable stories to help you improve you...

In this week’s Chinwag Tuesdays, I chat with Frankie — an English teacher from a small-town in Georgia in the US who has called Colombia home for the past eight years. Frankie’s story takes us from a life-changing trip to Nicaragua, to falling in love, selling everything she owned, and starting fresh in a new country. We talk about the highs and lows of living abroad — visa challenges, learning a...

In this heartfelt Chinwag Tuesdays episode, I sit down with Shak — a photographer and restaurant owner originally from India, now living on the Sunshine Coast. With 18 years of experience navigating life in Australia, Shak shares his raw and relatable journey from student migrant to successful business owner, father, and proud Aussie resident. From ordering coffee without saying “please” to the po...

🔊 Audio Disclaimer : So sorry about the sound quality this week! I had some unexpected mic issues. This is the best balance I could manage between cleaning it up and avoiding distortion. If I left it untouched, there was too much echo — so this version is the best of both worlds (even if not perfect). Thanks for understanding! 💛 In this inspiring Chinwag Tuesdays episode, I sit down with Julia f...

Moving countries isn’t just paperwork – it’s personal. In this powerful Chinwag Tuesdays episode, I’m joined by Katrina James, a Sydney-based counsellor who helps skilled migrants navigate the emotional challenges of moving to Australia. From homesickness and cultural confusion to late-night dinners and job market pressure, Katrina shares what really happens after the visa is approved. Learn how A...

What’s it like moving from bustling Mexico City to the calm and quiet of Perth, Western Australia? In this warm and insightful episode of Chinwag Tuesdays , I chat with Karen—my very first guest from Mexico—about her journey as a skilled migrant, her career in the IT industry, and the cultural surprises she faced along the way. Karen opens up about everything from converting pesos to dollars at th...

Why is it so hard to make friends in Australia? What do Aussies really think of migrants in the workplace? This week on Chinwag Tuesdays , I’m joined by Aditya — a tech leader, career coach, and migrant who has lived across India, the US, and now Melbourne. We chat through his fascinating journey from Amazon and Salesforce to helping new migrants settle in and thrive professionally in Australia. F...

From Portugal to Melbourne — Jo’s life is a masterclass in language, culture, and courage. In this Chinwag Tuesdays episode, I chat with Jo: a hyperpolyglot actress, drama teacher, language teacher, and translator who now calls Australia home. Jo speaks six languages, has worked in international theatre and education across Europe, and shares what it’s really like performing, teaching, and living...

In this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays , I chat with Carol , a civil engineer from Brazil living in Sydney. Carol shares her journey of moving to Australia, transitioning from construction to project management, and launching a mentoring business to help other migrants land jobs in their fields. If you're an international student or professional looking to break into the Aussie job market, this episo...

Want to master an accent that opens doors? This week on Chinwag Tuesdays , I sits down with Jesús Flores, an inspiring Colombian accent coach living in Michigan who helps learners transform their English pronunciation into a confident American accent. From sci-fi movies and teenage language schools to moonlighting as a pronunciation coach—this episode is full of golden insights for international s...

From Townsville to Shanghai and back again — Maree shares her 18-year expat journey teaching English in China. We go deep into the reality of reverse culture shock, expat identity, starting an education business back in Australia, and how living abroad transforms your perspective forever. If you're an ESL teacher, migrant, or international student navigating life between cultures, this episode is...

What does it mean to sound Australian when you’ve grown up multilingual, lived abroad, and still say “France” instead of “France”? This episode with linguist Nick is a love letter to Australian English, culture, and identity — especially from a South Aussie perspective. Get ready for a lively chinwag about Balkan languages, ethnic pride, Aussie small talk, reverse culture shock, and the unique Sou...

Ready for a real chinwag? This week on Chinwag Tuesdays , I sit down with Richa, a passionate English teacher from India who's taught students from over 15 countries—and she's only just getting started! 🎓🌏 P.S. Just a heads-up—there was a little recording issue towards the end, so the episode ends a bit suddenly. But don’t worry, you won’t miss any of the good stuff! We chat about the ups and do...

In this inspiring episode of Chinwag Tuesdays , I chat with Dawa — a Nepalese international student, gardener, and aspiring IT professional living in Melbourne. From juggling three jobs and a master's degree to starting a gardening side hustle, Dawa shares the real challenges and wins of migrant life in Australia. We talk about Aussie slang in trade jobs, navigating cultural differences, working i...

In this heartfelt episode of Chinwag Tuesdays , I sit down with Xiang — a Chinese-born art therapist, artist, and migrant living in Melbourne — to unpack her inspiring story of healing, creativity, and adjusting to life in Australia. Xiang opens up about learning Aussie English , navigating cultural differences, experiencing burnout, and how art therapy became a transformative tool for self-expres...

📢 Planning to move to Australia? Avoid these visa mistakes & get expert PR advice! 🇦🇺 In this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays , I chat with Aakarsh, an immigration lawyer in Melbourne , about: ✅ The biggest visa mistakes international students make ✅ PR pathways and how to transition from a student visa ✅ Why cultural integration is essential for long-term success in Australia Aakarsh shares:...

In this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays , I sit down with Leticia, a marketing executive at Pearson, originally from China and now based in Melbourne. 🇨🇳➡️🇦🇺 Leticia shares her journey of studying in Australia, securing PR through marketing (a rare pathway!), and thriving in the Aussie job market. We discuss: ✅ Moving from China to Melbourne – Why she chose Australia and her experience settling in ✅...

In this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays , I chat with Anish, a civil engineer from Chandigarh, India, now living in Adelaide. 🌏 From growing up in a family of engineers to navigating university life in Australia, Anish shares his journey of career choices, cultural adaptation, and the challenges of settling into a new country. We dive into his experiences studying in South India, overcoming confidenc...

In this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays, I sit down with Emma from Mmm English, one of the biggest names in online English education! 🌟 Emma shares her journey from teaching in Vietnam to building a YouTube empire with over 6 million subscribers. We dive into the evolution of mmmEnglish, why she stepped away from her channel, and how she created Hey Lady - a thriving online community for women learni...