Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories
Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories shares honest, human stories of people building lives and homes abroad. Hosted by Marc Alcobé, the channel explores what it really means to live somewhere new, beyond visas, checklists, and highlight reels.
Through in-depth conversations with people living abroad around the world, we talk about belonging, identity, culture shock, community, and the slow process of becoming almost local. These are stories about finding home in unfamiliar places, navigating life between cultures, and redefining where you’re from.
Whether you’re already living abroad, planning a move, or simply curious about life elsewhere, Almost Local is a space for reflection, connection, and real experiences of life beyond borders.
New episodes weekly feature personal stories from around the world, shared with honesty, depth, and nuance.
Episodes
78 episodes
Almost Local #56 | From Communist Poland to Detroit: How Being an Outsider Became My Superpower
Peter Kolat, known as Polish Peter, left communist Poland at 14 and landed in Detroit — expecting palm trees and sports cars from the movies, but finding identical brick houses and a language he couldn't speak.What followed was a decade...
Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories (Trailer)
People think living abroad is about places—but it isn’t. It’s about what you leave behind: a routine, a language, even a version of yourself. Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories explores the real life abroad—not the highlight...
Almost Local #55 | Winging It: From Broke Musician to 10 Years Living Abroad
What happens when you move abroad with absolutely zero plan? In this episode of Almost Local, I sit down with James Hammond (host of the Winginit Travel Podcast) to talk about his 10-year journey of long term travel, surviving on working holida...
Almost Local #54 | From Sardinia to Wyoming: How Cultural Adaptation Shapes Our Identity
In this episode, Franz Sidney shares her fascinating journey through multiple countries and cultures, revealing insights about adaptation, mindset, and the emotional nuances of living abroad. Whether you're considering a move or just curious ab...
Almost Local #53 | Living in Nicaragua: What The Media Won't Tell You (Safety & Cost of Living)
Thinking about moving to Latin America? In this episode, we sit down with Mike, who has spent 14 years living in Nicaragua and over 30 years building communities across the region. We dig into the truth about safety, the real cost of living, an...
Almost Local #52 | Poland vs. Spain: My Brutal Culture Shock Reality
Is raising kids abroad harder than you thought? In this episode of Almost Local, British English teacher Amy Smith breaks down the brutal reality of culture shock in Poland vs. Spain and exposes the biggest myths about language learning.If ...
Almost Local #51 | Starting Over Abroad at Midlife: Reinvention, Courage & Life Abroad
What does it really take to start over abroad — especially later in life? In this episode of Almost Local, Tina Coleman shares how living abroad reshaped her identity, courage, and view of time. Living abroad isn’t just about chang...
Almost Local #50 | Language, Confidence & Living Abroad: The Biggest Mistakes Expats Make
Are language skills really the key to confidence when living abroad? In this episode of Expat Experts, we go deep into what expats get wrong about learning a language, expat confidence, and actually feeling at home in a new country.We t...
Almost Local #49 | The Lonely Reality of Moving to the South of France (And How to Fix It)
Thinking of moving to the South of France? It’s not just baguettes, beaches, and sunshine. In this episode of Almost Local, we dive into the real, unfiltered truth about expat life in France.Josh Kennedy, a Dutch forigneir who has lived...
Almost Local #48 | Quitting a Career to Start Over Abroad: Finding Peace in Portugal
What really changes when you move abroad? In this episode of Expat Experts, Caline Malek shares her journey from high-pressure journalism to aligned living in Portugal — and how Human Design can help expats avoid burnout and find clarity.
Almost Local #47 | The Emotional Cost of Expat Life: Loneliness, Identity & Burnout
Expat life isn’t always an adventure. In this episode of Expat Experts, clinical psychologist Dr. Elefant-Yanni reveals the hidden emotional cost of living abroad, identity shifts, and the pressure expat couples face.Living abroad can b...
Almost Local #46 | Moving to Costa Rica: The Real Cost, Visas & "Pura Vida" Reality
Thinking of moving to Costa Rica? It’s not just beaches and sloths. In this episode of Almost Local, Zach Gerth from Start Abroad breaks down the honest reality of relocating to Central America.From his time in the Peace Corps to buildi...
Almost Local #45 | New York vs Paris: Lifestyle, Career & Quality of Life Compared
What is it really like to live in Paris as an American expat? 🇫🇷 In this episode of the Expat Experts Podcast, Marc sits down with Paul Island, originally from New York City and now living in Paris, France. After traveling to 54 countries, Paul...
Almost Local #44 | Why We Chose Portugal After 15 Years Abroad (Spain, Korea, Saudi)
Thinking about moving to Portugal? In this episode, American expat Kalie reveals the honest reality of living in Porto as a family, breaking down the exact cost of living, the SEF bureaucracy nightmare, and why you should come with "no expectat...
Almost Local #43 | Living in Indonesia as a Foreigner: Daily Life, Culture & Reality
🎧 In this episode of Expat Experts, I’m joined by Australian-born filmmaker, storyteller and podcast host Chris Baron. Now based in Indonesia, Chris takes us behind the scenes of his extraordinary journey—from filmmaking in extreme environments...
Almost Local #42 | Leaving Toxic Work Culture Behind: Why I Moved to Amsterdam
What happens when your life abroad looks perfect on paper — but inside, you feel completely empty? ✈️ 🤔In this episode of the Expat Experts Podcast, host Marc Alcobé talks with Lara Ferreira — a Brazilian-born former corporate high-flye...
Almost Local #41 | Moving to Spain: Spirituality, Risk & Starting Over Abroad
Thinking about moving abroad? Wondering why some places feel right and others feel off? Today’s episode will change how you see the world 🌍✨We’re joined by Isabel Guerreira, founder of Your Stellar Truth — a New York City expat who move...
Almost Local #40 | The Dark Side of Studying in Italy: Expat Reality 🇮🇹
👩🏼🎓🇮🇹 In this episode, we sit down with Sofia Vrettou, a Greek researcher and expat currently living in Italy, to explore what it really takes to build a life abroad — emotionally, culturally, and personally. Sofia shares her journey from Gree...
Almost Local #39 | From 9–5 Jobs in Australia to Slow Travel in Southeast Asia
🏯 👧🏽 What happens when you sell most of what you own, leave behind stable 9–5 jobs, and decide to slow travel through Southeast Asia? Meet Zanesta & Nabeel, the creators behind Tiny Detour. Originally from Australia, they traded routine for...
Almost Local #38 | Want to Live as a Digital Nomad? Aleksandar Svetski Shares His Secrets 💻 🌎
Unlock the untold story of Aleksandar Svetski, an entrepreneur who overcame $250K in debt by age 20, lived as a digital nomad, and eventually launched the app Satlantis.io—a radical new vision for social mapping.In this episode, we dive ...
Almost Local #37 | Surprising Truths About Expat Parenting Abroad! 👶🏼🌍
🤰✈️ In this episode, Angela Vitiello, founder of the Expat Parenting Collective, discusses the unique aspects of raising kids abroad. She shares insights on navigating culture shock as an expat family and offers valuable parenting tips for thos...
Almost Local #36 | Life in Italy as an American: Embracing Culture, Challenges & Growth 🇺🇸🇮🇹
🇮🇹 🐎 What’s it really like to live in Italy as an American? We talk with Mike Manchester — an American expat who moved from Denver to Siena over 20 years ago and built his life in Italy. Mike co-founded an intercultural study abroad program, ra...
Almost Local #35 | Living with Chronic Illness, Conflict Zones & Expat Lifestyle 🩺 🌎
🌍 🥼 What’s it like to live in Baghdad, Beirut, Phnom Penh, Lagos, and Curaçao — all while battling Lyme disease and Hashimoto’s? In this powerful episode of the Expat Experts Podcast, we sit down with Vashti Kanahele, functional medicine practi...
Almost Local #34 | From Airline Pilot to 50+ Cities as a Digital Nomad ✈ 💻
🌍✈️ Ever dreamed of leaving a high-flying job to travel the world full-time? In this episode of the Expat Experts Podcast, I sit down with Jordi Llonch Esteve, a former airline pilot turned global digital nomad and tech founder. Jordi traded co...
Almost Local #33 | 14 Days in a Chinese Jail: Story of Survival & Growth 🇨🇳 🚔
🏈🚓 What happens when your dream of living abroad turns into a nightmare? Former American football player Chancellor Jackson found himself arrested and thrown into a Chinese jail for 14 days.In this jaw-dropping episode of Expat Experts, ...
