Top Podcasts of 2021 Produced By & For Black Women Living & Thriving Abroad
Black women have been moving and living abroad since the beginning of time. Here is a list of the top podcasts of 2021 produced by and for Black women living & thriving abroad!
Want to move abroad? Subscribe to & give these podcasts a listen!
Picky Girl Travels the World
Adalia Aborisade is a veteran educator, world traveler, and serial ex-pat. After reaching financial independence on a teacher’s salary, she packed up her then 15-year-old daughter, canine sidekick, and sewing machine for a move to Honduras and has never looked back. Since her initial leap abroad, she has lived in Kuwait, China, and now is based in Mexico City, Mexico. Listen to her story here.
Her podcast, The Picky Girl Travels podcast was created for Black women who want more out of life. Join Adalia as she shares insights gained from creating a life of her own design, including how she made it happen on a teacher's salary. Expect to hear from women living life to the fullest by defying convention, embracing adventure, and most importantly, doing so with no regrets. https://www.pickygirltravelstheworld.com
Wonders of Wanders
Davida’s path to travel began with her grandmother’s Ananse stories under the starry nights of a Ghanaian childhood. Fusing this into a creative path, she pursued her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Communication Studies with French, and Master’s in Responsible Tourism Management. Davida currently resides in London. Listen to Davida’s story here.
Her podcast, Wonders of Wanders, is a feast of audio storytelling that brings the travel, food, and culture moments directly to your ears. https://www.wondersofwanders.com/podcast/
Kurly in Kansai
Ayana Wyse is a creative from the suburbs of New York. Living in Osaka since 2011 she has been involved in creating a community for the Black foreigners throughout Japan. She is the founder of the Facebook group and collective called Black Creatives Japan. Listen to her story here.
Her podcast, Kurly in Kansai (now ended), showcased her and her co-host’s, two Black women, experience living in the Kansai area of Japan. In the city of Osaka to be exact. https://www.kurlyinkansai.com
Flourish in the Foreign
I, of course, had to include my podcast, Flourish in the Foreign! I decided to move abroad to Spain after I completed the Camino de Santiago in 2014. I finally made the leap abroad in 2017, living in La Rioja and Barcelona. You can listen to my story of moving and living abroad here.
Flourish In The Foreign is a personal narrative podcast that elevates & affirms the stories & voices of Black women who live & thrive abroad. It also explores living abroad as a pathway to wellness, encompassing how financial, professional, physical, mental, and spiritual wellness is influenced by living abroad. https://www.flourishintheforeign.com
The Global Chatter
As a third culture kid, Amanda Bates’ interest in navigating cross-cultural spaces and identity started young. Her American-born, African-raised perspective continues to have an influence as she provides the creative direction behind The Black Expat to reflect the nuances of black international living and tell the stories that need to be told. You can learn more about her story here.
Her podcast, The Global Chatter is a conversational podcast on international mobility, identity, race, career, and more. Each episode takes a deeper dive into issues related to the expatriate experience, especially as it relates to Black and Brown people. Come for the commentary. Stay for the laughs. https://www.theblackexpat.com
Wine School Drop Out
Tanisha Townsend is the Chief Wine Officer of Girl Meets Glass, a wine lifestyle and education agency. She currently lives in Paris, France where she creates wine and food pairing experiences for ex-pats and tourists, hosts a wine podcast named Wine School Dropout, and teaches wine courses at universities in Paris. You can learn more about her journey abroad here.
Wine School Dropout, a bi-weekly podcast that teaches you everything you want to learn about wine but are afraid to ask. #nodegreenecessary. Produced by Studio Ochenta. https://www.wineschooldropout.com
All Things Iceland
Jewells Chambers is an engineer by training but is a career digital strategist. Her All Things Iceland platform encompasses a youtube channel, Instagram page, and a podcast, where she shares Icelandic news, traveling within Iceland, and her life in the country. Learn more about her story here
The All Things Iceland podcast gives travelers the inside scoop on Icelandic culture, nature, history, and language through the eyes of an ex-pat. You'll hear interviews, quirky facts, useful travel advice, and what it is like to live in the land of fire and ice. Additionally, there is a segment of the show dedicated to teaching you an Icelandic word or phrase. https://allthingsiceland.com
(A)broad in Education
Tiffany Smith is an educator with over a decade of domestic and international teaching experience. She had the opportunity to teach in Casablanca, Morocco, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Currently, she is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her dissertation study focuses on teacher attrition through African American educators who left the US PK-12 system for teaching opportunities in the UAE. Learn more about her experiences abroad here.
(A)broad in Education is a podcast on a mission to (dis)cover routes (roots) through conscious conversations about EDpats. Edpats are expatriates working in schools outside of their home countries. https://www.abroadineducation.com
Burn Bright
Kelley Anne Bonner is a highly sought-after lecturer and organizational strategist who has dedicated her career to researching and addressing the effects of trauma, burnout, and psychological safety in the workplace. Drawing on over 15 years of experience in both the U.S. and Europe, Kelley developed Burn Bright’s multidisciplinary approach to meet both the immediate and long-term needs of clients in high-performance fields like biotech, elite higher education, and Fortune 500 companies. Learn more about her life in England and Italy here.
Her podcast, Burn Bright, is dedicated to helping you keep your personal and professional radiance. Every week she discusses how to prevent burnout, the right way to build a good self-care routine, and how to build a support network that lasts. https://www.burnbright.com
Chronicles Abroad
Nubia Younge was called to the nomadic lifestyle 3 years ago when she decided to leave the United States on a one-way ticket to SouthEast Asia. Throughout her travels, she has lived on 3 continents and explored 43 countries. Nubia's passion for travel and the knowledge that she's gained in each country, inspired her to start a travel consultant business. Learn more about her here.
Frantzces Lyss is a Theracoach helping women heal the conflict within so they can reignite their joy. She is the creator of Defying Resistance. A blog that inspires people to move past the resistance in their lives so they can live a life with meaning and purpose. Learn more about her story abroad here.
Their podcast, Chronicles Abroad, uses travel to highlight stories of personal growth. They’re just two middle-aged, single, empty nesters who decided to start a podcast about living, working, and traveling abroad. They spotlight the stories of courageous world travelers, creative wanderers, and digital nomads who share their incredible experiences of the world through their eyes. https://www.chroniclesabroad.com
The Purpose of Money
Acquania Escarne is a Wealth Strategist who helps clients build and maintain generational wealth through saving and investing. She has lived and worked abroad in Haiti, Dubai, and Ecuador with the US Foreign Service. Check out her tips for building wealth abroad.
Her podcast, The Purpose of Money, shares financial tips, advice, and stories from women on the journey to break free from the golden handcuffs. Each interview has valuable tips on how to create freedom, time, and wealth in your life now. https://www.ThePurposeofMoney.com/podcast
Loose Change
Deanna Denham is a full-time graphic designer and lived in Hong Kong with her husband and two daughters before returning to the US. Learn more about her time abroad here.
She started her podcast, Loose Change pod, while living in Hong Kong. She says of the podcast, “ I’m learning just how much I can be pulled, stretched, challenged, and broken and somehow keep raising 2 kids. Change is hard, but so is being human. And if you’re changing too, meet your new accountability partner!” https://www.loosechangepod.com
The Jackie O. Life Presents Black Women Doing the Most
Jackie Omotalde has been crisscrossing the globe for the last 20 years. She was one of the original Black digital nomads. She has lived long-term in 7 countries and worked and/or traveled to over 70 countries. She is currently slow traveling the world with her toddler, Ruth.
Her podcast, Black Women Doing the Most showcases interviews and offers advice and tips on moving abroad or traveling full time. https://thejackieolife.com
Enterprising Expat
Patricia Qhobela-Jenkins was born and raised in the UK with Lesotho roots. As a serial ex-pat, she has converted her experience as a “trailing spouse” into reclaiming her identity and starting her own podcasting business. Learn more about her time abroad here.
Her podcast, The Enterprising Expat creates a community for women who have left their “passport countries” and are faced with the challenge of rebuilding their lives - over and again in new places. https://www.theenterprisingexpat.com
Black Women Travel
Wanda Duncan is a superfan of Black women travelers. To that end, she's created a Facebook group, a podcast, a conference, and a creative services agency that all center and empower Black women travelers. Wanda tried and failed to leave the States in 2010 to work and travel online as a digital nomad, and for the past five years has been doing that and much more. Listen to her story here
Her podcast, Black Women Travel, shares the stories of Black women who dreamed to make travel a priority. This community of bold women from all over the world have varied travel stories including short-term travelers based in a country, to long-term travelers living as digital nomads or working abroad. https://www.blackwomentravel.com
Young Gifted & Abroad
Danielle G.’s interest in experiencing more of the world began when she was a child. She set her sights on France in elementary school and on Japan in high school, and she was fortunate to achieve those dreams by studying abroad in both countries as an undergraduate student.
Her podcast, Young, Gifted, and Abroad is an interview podcast that launched on Juneteenth, 2018. Each episode features a person of color who has studied abroad or had similar international experiences as a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student. No matter the type or duration of experience, the goal is for these stories to inspire current PoC students (and non-students alike) to take advantage of opportunities to see more of the world. https://www.younggiftedandabroad.com
Homegrown Podcast
Marie- Louisa Awolajaa is a race-strategy implementation manager in a legal firm and currently resides in Hong Kong.
She co-hosts the podcast, Home Grown. It was created to inform, inspire and entertain with personal stories of Black ex-pats. Each week a wide range of Black guests discuss their experiences living, loving, and working abroad. https://www.homegrownthepodcast.com
Abroad & Co.
Candace is a travel blogger and ex-pat, based in London. She shares weekly doses of travel inspiration with practical information on all things across the pond,
Her podcast, Abroad & Co., is designed for millennials intent on seeing the world, ditching the status quo, and becoming global citizens. Every week as she gets candid with ex-pats around the globe, sharing their stories & realities of living abroad. https://www.abroadandco.com/
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Moving Abroad: Coping with a Lack of Roots through Community and Routine
To be rooted, for me, isn’t designated to a place, but rather a sense of self. I’m always deeply rooted wherever I go because I know who I am, and who I am evolving into and I move in alignment with that knowing.
Although I have had stints of being a digital nomad, I definitely don’t consider myself nomadic. I consider myself an ex-pat looking to be an immigrant somewhere lol. Truthfully, I’ve never felt as if I wasn’t rooted. To be rooted, for me, isn’t designated to a place, but rather a sense of self. I’m always deeply rooted wherever I go because I know who I am, who I am evolving into and I move in alignment with that knowing. I have, however, felt “unsettled”. As a type-A, Capricorn introvert, I’m definitely a home-body and I like routine. Even when I’m nomadic, I quickly create a routine for myself. So when I feel “unsettled” I know that I need to look outward for support and community. It requires effort and participation in the world and a community to develop a sense of belonging, familiarity, “settledness” and perhaps for some “rootedness”. I’ll also add that my friends and family travel (and live abroad) so I don’t feel as if my community, my people, or my belonging is ever tied to a single place.
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The Moving Abroad Conundrum: Deciding What To Do With Your Possessions
Should you really only take 2 suitcases abroad?
Look, you can do whatever you want! You hate to hear it, but it truly depends!
Should you really only take 2 suitcases abroad?
Look, you can do whatever you want! You hate to hear it, but it truly depends!
It depends on how you envision your life abroad. It depends on if you have the budget and patience to ship all of your worldly possessions around the world.
It depends on if your target country will accept your items into the country.
It depends on if your stuff will be able to be maintained in your target country’s climate (think new bugs, possible heat, humidity, or cold).
It also depends on if your stuff will even fit inside your new home! Let alone the door frame or window, but actually in your bedroom or living room. Will your stuff fit? Different cultures and countries have different size expectations for homes.
We go into this in detail in the Moving Abroad with Intention course, but it comes down to this: what does a life well-lived abroad look like to you? What are the reasons for you moving abroad? Is hauling all of your belongings to another country in alignment with that vision? No one can answer that question for you, it’s truly up to you!
Moving Abroad Checklist:
Things to Bring:
Valid passport and visa/work permit
Airline tickets and important travel documents
Financial documentation (bank statements, credit cards, emergency cash)
Medications and copies of prescriptions
Travel insurance policy
Essential clothing and shoes
Personal hygiene items
Important electronic devices (laptop, phone, camera)
Power adapter and converter
Essential documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, diplomas, etc)
Contact information for family and friends
Not easily replaced valuables (jewelry, expensive watches, etc)
Food items that are not easily replaceable (spices, etc)
Things Not to Bring:
Illegal items
Hazardous materials (chemicals, flammable liquids, etc)
Unnecessary excessive clothing, shoes, etc
Items that are illegal in the target country
Items that are unnecessary for your lifestyle in the target country
Expensive or sentimental items that can't be easily replaced in case of loss or damage
Items that are bulky and hard to transport
Items that are hard to maintain in the target country (for example, certain plants)
Have some insight to share? Drop your comments below and let’s continue the conversation.
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Get Specific: How to Ask Better Questions about Moving Abroad
Asking general questions will garner general responses. I know you may feel like you don’t have enough information to ask specific questions because you haven’t decided on a country, let alone a visa, but I’m here to push back and tell you that, in fact, you truly know enough to stop asking generic questions (and then have the audacity get mad when you receive an “it depends” response)!
Asking general questions will garner general responses. I know you may feel like you don’t have enough information to ask specific questions because you haven’t decided on a country, let alone a visa, but I’m here to push back and tell you that, in fact, you truly know enough to stop asking generic questions (and then have the audacity get mad when you receive an “it depends” response)!
Specificity Reigns Supreme, in both your current life and in the life you are hoping to cultivate abroad. You know (maybe in painful detail) the things that are not working in your life currently. You absolutely have very particular ideas of things you would prefer NOT to experience abroad. Therefore you more than likely know a lot more about the type of place you are truly looking for.
In fact, you probably have very strong preferences if you actually took a moment to be still and honestly listen to yourself.
Questions like “where can I live where there’s a beach and good education” are wildly abstract, will not elicit quality responses, and in fact may exhaust people who are sincerely trying to help you!
Like, what kind of question is that, ma’am!? What?! You do know Japan, New Zealand, Germany, even the Netherlands all have beaches right? What does a “good education” mean to you? And for whom? Yourself, a child? Specificity is supreme!
Let’s get real, you undoubtedly have definitive preferences in life. It would be hard to go through life, accumulate experiences, and NOT have developed any tastes or inclinations. So let’s first admit that you in fact have preferences in this life and that you most likely have pretty strong ideas about what life abroad means to you. I mean, why else would you just decide to uproot yourself and plunk yourself into an unfamiliar country?
If you’re still screaming, “No, Christine, I have absolutely no clue, no preference in going abroad, all I know is that I want to.”
Well, well, therein lies all of your answers that you claim not to know!
Why? Why do you want to go abroad?
What are you hoping to experience while abroad?
What are you hoping to be different about your experience abroad?
THERE! THERE is your preference (even if it’s just a sketch) and also THERE is the seedling of specificity.
The fact that you know what you do not what to experience, or what you would prefer to experience is the specificity that will garner better advice and less frustration on your part!
If you haven’t already, grab the Moving Abroad with Intention guide to gain the clarity needed to start asking better questions, but also the clarity you need to really build a game plan that will lead you to a thriving and sustainable life abroad.
Flourish in the Foreign’s Move Abroad with Intention Guide
Oftentimes, we keep our plans loose as a result of past experiences. We’ve learned to be flexible and accommodating, which is all nice in theory. But what if we’ve been habitually prepared for disappointment and hardship? If we have been conditioned to anticipate the worst-case scenario of never getting what we ever truly wanted? Then you’ve probably never taken a moment to consider what you truly desire, require, or prefer. As a result, you won’t allow yourself to fully imagine, contemplate or even expect that your needs, let alone your desires will ever be met. So you stick to the abstract, always knowing that whatever happens, you’ll be able to figure it out. Which is an excellent attitude to go abroad with, and will serve you well when unexpected things happen. But in this stage of imagining and researching, this attitude defers your wants and your vision of a life well-lived to others. You know more than you give yourself credit for and if you would allow your true desires, ideals to breathe you may actually find what you’re looking for.
So before you go into inquiry mode, breathe and give yourself the space and time to dream so that you can articulate your preferences. Then fully embody these preferences: what would it feel like if I lived within my preferences? Try it on, instead of preparing yourself to always conform to disappointment and “good enough” situations, start with what you actually want. NOT what you think you can get, start with your ideal and allow yourself to hold everything else up to that standard!
Have some insight to share? Drop your comments below and let’s continue the conversation.
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