Home Is Where the Heart Thrives: An Expat’s Adventure
Tay’s journey from Argentina and Venezuela to Auckland, New Zealand is a heartfelt story of love, courage, and finding home in unexpected places. In this episode of Almost Local, we ...
No IKEA, No Problem: Finding Home in Unexpected Places
Moving back after years abroad comes with surprises — like realizing there’s no IKEA to help you start over. In this Almost Local story, I share what happened when we ...
The Life-Changing Decision That Shaped My Life Abroad: Why the Messy Middle Isn’t Failure
Moving abroad isn’t just about visas, flights, or new addresses. It’s about decisions — the ones that shape who we are and who we’re becoming. For me, that journey began ...
Almost Local Podcast Episodes, Expat Life and Dilemmas
Navigating Tsunamis and Transitions: 3 Lessons for Life Abroad
Happy Friday, fellow almost locals! It’s another day here in Cloudy, Auckland, New Zealand, and I’m coming to you with tales of navigating life from the world’s edges. Whether you’re ...
Biking Worlds: Lessons on Belonging Abroad
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 ...
Relocating to New Zealand: Finding Home, Community, and Connection
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 ...
Coming Home: A New Edge of Place
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, ...