Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories
Almost Local: Living Abroad Stories is a podcast about people building lives and finding home abroad.
Formerly Expat Experts and hosted by Marc Alcobé, the show features thoughtful, long-form conversations with people living abroad around the world. Each episode explores what it really means to start over somewhere new — from culture shock and identity shifts to belonging, community, and the slow process of becoming almost local.
Rather than checklists or relocation advice, Almost Local focuses on the human side of life abroad: the emotional transitions, the in-between moments, and the personal stories behind international moves.
Whether you’re already living abroad, considering a move, or simply curious about life elsewhere, this podcast offers honest stories and nuanced perspectives on making a home far from where you started.
Episodes
71 episodes
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 49
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49:50
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.
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Season 5
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Episode 48
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42:04
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 47
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45:25
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 46
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44:33
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 45
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50:53
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 44
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49:30
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 43
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50:16
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 42
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42:08
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 41
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59:56
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 40
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56:10
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 39
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1:00:32
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 ...
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Season 4
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Episode 38
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1:15:56
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 37
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57:16
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 36
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1:20:29
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 35
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57:42
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 34
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1:13:00
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, ...
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Season 4
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Episode 33
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1:01:40
Almost Local #32 | From Shy Scientist to Confident New Zealand Expat 👩🏻🔬 🌏
🌏 🐝 What happens when a shy German scientist dares to trade her lab coat for a one-way ticket abroad? Hanna Marks, a Berlin native who left her stable job in biological research — including working on honeybee diseases — to pursue a more meanin...
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Season 4
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Episode 32
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1:09:27
Almost Local #31 | Building a Business Career in Africa - Woman & Mom 👩🏼💼📲
🌍💼 What’s it like to be a woman leading a high-stakes sales career in West Africa’s male-dominated telecom world—while also becoming a mom abroad?In this powerful and inspiring episode of the Expat Experts Podcast, Marc sits down with Wa...
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Season 4
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Episode 31
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1:07:48
Almost Local #30 | From Wall Street to Mom Abroad: Shocks & Podcast Therapy 🎧🙏🏼
📰🤰 What happens when a successful Wall Street Journal journalist gives up her fast-paced NYC life to move to Italy and Germany—becomes a mother abroad, and suddenly finds herself lost, isolated… and hilariously overwhelmed?Meet Rosamaria...
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Season 4
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Episode 30
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1:02:31
Almost Local #29 | From Brazil to Greece via East Africa: A Life Journey 🌍🧿
🗺️🛖 With over a decade of experience working in international development, Kelly shares what it’s like to build a life abroad while making an impact through NGO work. From studying in Latin America to navigating life in East Africa, and now sea...
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Season 4
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Episode 29
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1:11:14
Almost Local #28 | Leaving the U.S. at 60: A Pastor’s Adventure in Europe! 🇨🇭🇳🇱
⛪️ 🌍 At 60, Douglas Brouwer left the U.S. to lead churches in Switzerland and the Netherlands. In this episode, he shares his expat journey, the challenges of moving abroad later in life, and the cultural surprises he faced as a pastor in Europ...
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Season 4
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Episode 28
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51:00
Almost Local #27 | Beyond the Tourist Trail: Insider Life in Thailand 🌇 🇹🇭
🇹🇭🤔 Ever wondered what life in Thailand is really like beyond the tourist traps and retirement visas? In this episode, we sit down with Mike Oppenheim, an author, podcaster, and world traveler who lived in Bangkok and Hua Hin—not as a tourist, ...
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Season 4
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Episode 27
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1:04:22
Almost Local #26 | From Genova to Athens: A Mythical Expat Journey 🏛️ 🇬🇷
🇮🇹🇬🇷 In this episode, we dive into Chiara's incredible journey, the challenges of adapting to a new country, and how she found her place in Greek culture. Whether you’re an expat, a travel lover, or just curious about life in Greece, you won’t ...
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Season 4
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Episode 26
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58:46
Almost Local #25 | 130+ Countries, Shopping & Travel Vlogs: Life Without Borders 👑🌍| Interview with Kerry Damiano
🌍✨ What happens when you turn the whole world into your home?Meet Kerry Damiano, a fearless solo traveler who has explored 130+ countries, competed in international pageants, and built a brand around travel vlogging and sustainable shopping...
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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1:00:23
