Packing Up & Peacing Out

It’s really damn hot. In case you don’t know, at the time we are recording this there is a major heatwave across Europe. Temperature records are getting broken as we speak and there are already dozens of confirmed deaths either from heat-related illness or drowning from people seeking relief from the heat.  In most European countries, air conditioning is not widely available, so your girls are str...

If you told us 4 years ago that we would spend our friday nights at the pub screaming at our teams… we would laugh!  But when you move abroad, taking up sports is one of the easiest ways to integrate and make friends.  In honor of The World Cup being on, Taylor and Lili talk about how sports factor into living abroad. And TBH, they are a bigger factor than we ever thought! We discuss:  The differe...

Not every dream city abroad is made equal… some are walkable, some are quaint, some have world class entertainment, some have the hobbies you love. You just need to find the perfect city for you.  So what are the green flags to look out for? Taylor and Lili have each moved to very different cities and learned which parts of them make them a great fit and which parts aren’t so great.  We discuss: ...

In Spain, they think they are the healthiest in the world… and then they pull out a pack of cigs. In America, they think they have the best healthcare in the world… then you get a bill for $5000. In Australia, they say they are the most active country on earth… but they get a lot of skin cancer.  Basically, we all think we have health figured out! In reality, we all have a lot to learn from each o...

Unless you live under a rock you’ve probably heard the term Euro Summer, but what actually is it? How does one ‘Euro Summer’?  In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out we are putting on our travel agent hats and laying it out for you as two girls who live in Europe and have done a lot of traveling.  Whether you have a trip to Europe planned this season or Euro Summering is on your bucket li...

So the elephant in the room is that Taylor and Lili have never met in real life… until now! Lili flew to Prague and is officially an American in Prague for this episode and in honor of our first IRL episode, we are answering listener questions.  Love the show? Leave a review, it helps other people dreaming of moving abroad find us. We cover everything from how we started the podcast, to how person...

You know that moment when someone asks "where are you from?" and instead of a one-word answer, you watch someone take a breath and figure out where to even begin? Those people have a name: Third Culture Kids. And their stories are some of the most fascinating ones in the world of living abroad. In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out, Taylor and Lili sit down with Veronika Kozel,...

You walk into your first gynecologist appointment abroad, feeling nervous but prepared. Then the doctor gestures for you to undress  (no gown, no curtain, no "whenever you're ready") and suddenly you're going full Pooh Bear from the waist down while she stares at you like this is completely normal. Because for her, it is. Nobody warned us though! In this episode of Packing Up &am...

Your beloved daughter tells you she’s moving 5,000 miles away from home. WTF?! How are we supposed to stay close? Don’t worry, two mother daughter duo’s are here to help! In honor of our 50th episode AND Mother’s Day, we are bringing on our moms to discuss all things being a daughter who moves abroad and how our moms feel about it. Diane (Taylor’s mom) and Kelly (Lili’s mom) share their perspectiv...

You've got the visa. You've bought the plane ticket. You've told everyone you're doing it. Now you actually have to pack up your entire life and get it to another country. No big deal, right? In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out, Lili and Taylor get into the unglamorous but essential logistics of physically moving abroad — what to bring, what to leave, how to ship the re...

Finland keeps topping the World Happiness Report. And every time it does, someone (probably you) asks: should I just… move there? In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out, we're breaking down what the World Happiness Report actually measures and why a country's happiness ranking might be one of the least useful things to consider when deciding where to move abroad. Spoiler: the USA...

Moving abroad isn’t just visas, flights, and cute coffee shops. It’s also realizing your fridge is the size of a shoebox, lunch happens whenever people feel like it, and apparently you now need to say hello and goodbye to everyone . In this episode, Taylor and Lili are rating all the random things they’ve had to get used to while living abroad in Prague and London—from mildly annoying to surprisin...

Death and  taxes… yes, even when you move abroad, the IRS still wants to hear from you. If you’re an American living overseas (or dreaming about it), this is one of those things no one really explains— you still have to file US taxes no matter where you live in the world . Fun! 💸 This episode is sponsored by MyExpatTaxes Our first sponsor (!!) and a tool built specifically to make filing US taxes...

She moved from Connecticut to the Czech Republic at 18… because of one NPR segment. No, seriously. That one moment completely changed Liza Jean’s life—and now she’s helped dozens of other Americans move to Europe for university too. Liza is a 25-year-old American living in Brussels who did both her undergraduate and graduate degrees abroad. Now, she’s turned that experience into a career, helping...

What’s the difference between expat friendships and local friendships—and why does it feel so much harder to build a real social circle when living abroad? After watching a video comparing American and British friendship styles, we dive into a topic every expat struggles with: making meaningful connections in a new country . We’re unpacking: How to make local friends vs expat friends while living...

Celebrating your birthday is always a mix of emotions—but celebrating a birthday while living abroad ? That’s a whole different experience. Whether it’s your first birthday away from home or you’ve been living overseas for years, birthdays can bring up everything from excitement and independence to homesickness, loneliness, and reflection . In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out , we’re g...

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal caught our attention: “ Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record Numbers. ” So… what’s going on? In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out , we talk about why more Americans are seriously considering moving abroad —and why the traditional American Dream may not feel so attainable anymore. From rising costs of living to burnout culture, many people...

Think moving abroad will solve all your problems? Many expats discover that mental health challenges don’t disappear when you move abroad — and sometimes living abroad can make anxiety, loneliness, or depression even more intense. In this episode, we’re talking about mental health for expats and people who move abroad with Jamie Martindale, a licensed counselor based in Prague who works closely wi...

When you tell people you've moved abroad, the assumptions start flying. "You must be rich." "Are you running away from something?" "So you just didn't like America?" This week, we're breaking down the most common assumptions people make about expats and immigrants—and sharing whether we think they're true, false, or somewhere in between. As two America...

Want to save thousands to fund your move abroad? Or work in a stunning US National Park while figuring out your next adventure? Seasonal work might be the answer you're looking for. In this episode, we chat with Jaxton Bloemhard, who spent last summer working in Glacier National Park in Montana and has used seasonal jobs to fund his travels all over the world. We cover everything from how to f...

You move abroad and think things will be a certain way. But, guess what? A lot isn’t as it seems! So in this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out we are digging into the things that have surprised us. ALSO Lili shares some big news about her life in London. And Taylor shares some career growing pains she is having.  YOUR DREAM LIFE ABROAD by PUPO: the Facebook Group for the PUPOers! It will be...

We are so excited to announce YOUR DREAM LIFE ABROAD by PUPO: the Facebook Group for the PUPOers! It will be a space to meet other people living in your city, ask questions about moving abroad, share your opinions on the week’s topic, and have a direct line to Lili and Taylor. Join the group here:   https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1GJM3RsfRH/?mibextid=wwXIfr⁠   Have you spent hours a day doomscro...

Grabbing a pint after work with colleagues seems normal, right? Until it's 2am and you've said things that will haunt your Monday morning meeting. In this episode, Taylor and Lili dive into the surprising differences in drinking culture across Europe and the US. From London's legendary pub culture to Spain's relaxed relationship with sangria and Prague's beer-obsessed bars, they explore how moving...

So you moved to Europe and all the sudden you have to take off your shoes in the house and fit all of your condiments in a fridge the size of a backpack? Welcome to our lives!  Sometimes moving abroad is really just moving house. Your house will just be a lot more different than before! Taylor and Lili cover all the major differences (some you expect, others you don’t) and discuss their gripes wit...

Given all the sh*t going down in the USA right now, we figured no better time to talk about the itching feeling a lot of Americans are feeling right now. Should you leave? Now obviously we support you leaving the USA- but what happens if everyone does? And how do you even go about it? ALSO will you just feel guilty? All things we discuss in this episode.  Love the show? Please leave us a review on...