This Expat Life

Another fantastic guest on the show today! I'm speaking with Puck Landewé, founder of start-up Elfin and on a mission to making women financially independent. A mission I personally very strongly support and which we also talk about at the end of this episode. But I invited Puck for another reason: and that's because she splits her time between the Netherlands, her home country & where she runs he...

In this episode I speak with Esther Grootenboer, a Dutch psychiatrist who moved to Norway with her family. Esther shares what it's like to continue her career in Norway, how living in Norway has made her more relaxed, what conscious decisions she took to start her new life, and how mindfulness has helped her in her expat journey. I really enjoyed talking to Esther and I hope you'll enjoy this epis...

Expat life isn't a stagnant line, just like normal human lives. I identified 7 typical phases that often occur, and knowing what they are about helps you to ride expat life like a smooth operator instead of a rollercoaster maniac. As always, I give practical tips as I go. Enjoy the ride!

For This Expat Life I spoke with someone who has a successful career in something I know very little about... jazz music! In this episode the Dutch, New York-based vocalist, conductor & composer Vivienne Aerts shares her story of how she built her music career in the US, plus some tips if you are dreaming of something similar. And that we would speak about chocolate from Congo, I never expected! T...

"No, you can't do that" "No, that's not for you" "No, you are too old / too young / not smart enough / not capable enough for that" Etc etc... How often do you have those thoughts when you think of something you desire or something outside your comfort zone? My guess: probably often, although you might not be aware of your thoughts. Most of us have these critical or negative thoughts. But a positi...

The one struggle that almost all expats talk about? Finding a new, fun & meaningful social circle that fits in with your life. Am I right?! But creating a community actually doesn't have to be that hard - yes, even in countries that are known for their closed culture! In this episode, global entrepreneur Marcel Wijermars shares how he has been creating communities in several countries and gives yo...

Well - a lot! In today's episode I speak with Willem van Uijen, a business friend of mine. Even though he's not an expat, I figured his 5-month(!) solo hiking trip through Europe would be an experience full of lessons useful for others too. And I wasn't disappointed during our interview! Listen to this episode to find out: - Why & how Willem took the decision to leave for 6 months - How he nearly...

This one is for you, chaotic, overwhelmed or busy expat who's travelling a lot! I've been in your shoes - when I lived in Brazil, I had trip after trip, which was a lot of fun but also generated quite some stress. In this episode I've collected 10 of my tips that have been working for me to stay sane, organised, happy & energised when you're constantly jetting off.  Hope they work for you too! And...

In today's episode I talk with Amandine P. Ruiz, one of my coachees. Living in Belgium now, the French-Panamian Amandine is an example of staying positive and what an optimistic mindset can bring you. I've always loved her positive outlook on life so I invited her to This Expat Life, as I know it can sometimes be hard to maintain that positivity while building up a new life abroad. In this intervi...

The one question I always get asked when I share my professional journey: "how did you make the leap from diplomacy to coaching?!". Well, in this episode I share everything about how I was able to quit my diplomacy career and choose to become an entrepreneur. With tips for you, as always! And could you use some guidance in taking the leap? Or in changing a situation you feel stuck in? Then get my...

Did you know I worked at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for nearly 7 years? In this episode I share my personal experience of being a diplomat and what I like & didn't like about the job. It's hard to do it justice in just one episode and I'm talking about a few things (both positive and negative!) that stood out for me, plus my story of how I became a diplomat. I'm very curious what you th...

Tumi Sineke is a South African entrepreneur currently residing in Oslo, Norway. I loved talking to her about how she intentionally designed her new life, struggled with the challenges of being an expat of colour and what she does to make expat life easier for herself. In this episode Tumi shares many tips that even serial entrepreneurs can learn from. Find more from Tumi on Twitter ,  Instagram an...

"I wish I had known this when I lived in Brazil!" was my thought after interviewing Coco Hofs. Coco explains so clearly that your personal preferences and cultural roots determine how you perceive another culture - and that two different cultures can look at a third culture in a completely different way, as they each value different things. Understanding your own preferences and those of the cultu...

Doors to The Co-Pilot are open NOW! Until this Tuesday only. This is the only room built for high-functioning expats at crossroads. If you're ready to stop being a passenger in your own life, this is your moment to finally take the driver's seat. I'm closing doors for the rest of the summer and this price won't come back.  Sign up now and get started today! https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/the...

With my 7+ years of experience living abroad and my knowledge as an expat coach… What would I do now if I were to start over again as an expat in a new country? In this episode I share the 10 things I’d focus on when building a new life abroad. Want more of this? In Expat Life School we look at those 10 things and MUCH more so you can create your best life abroad, aligning it with your needs & dre...

Kicking off the start of This Expat Life with one crucial aspect of a thriving life abroad: finding friends and building a new social circle! In this episode I’ll tell you how easy and not so easy finding friends has been for me in my 7+ years abroad and back home again. I’ll share the 3 key principles I’ve used to connect with new people and to build a strong community, and you’ll also get some p...

For all expats & globetrotters across the world, This Expat Life is your place to find real understanding and grow from the inside out. First episodes coming live on Friday 10 February - stay tuned!