Last Saturday, a small group of international women gathered around a table in Auckland for another Almost Local Coffee Circle. What started with a simple question quickly turned into stories ...
Why New Year resolutions feel different when you live abroad. Reflections on expat life, identity, belonging, and becoming almost local.
Discover why community abroad matters, how loneliness affects expats, and practical tips on how to make friends abroad and build real connection.
By Maria | Almost LocalEstimated read time: 6–7 minutes If you’ve ever packed up your life and started over somewhere new — in another city, another country, or another version ...
Meeting Karina in person was truly wonderful. She grew up as an expat and brings a lifetime of experiences — from her childhood abroad to now, living in New Zealand ...
Happy Friday, Almost Locals! I’m Maria, your host, writing from the quaint, cloudy city of Auckland, New Zealand. If you’re new here, welcome to Almost Local—a community for anyone navigating ...
Welcome Back I’m Maria, your host here at Almost Local. Today I want to share a deeply personal and universal story—the experience of relocating to New Zealand and rediscovering what ...
Moving countries is never just about geography. It’s about identity, change, and the messy in-between of leaving one world while stepping into another. This July, my husband, our two teenagers, ...
Discover Maria’s free journaling workbook for expat women + listen to Episode 3 of the Almost Local podcast about the 5 big dilemmas of expat life.
Moving abroad and feeling isolated? Discover 20 honest, practical tips for building community and making real friends in a new country—without the awkward small talk.
