Abrotha Abroad

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What happens when life takes you from rural New York to the U.S. Air Force, Italy, Belgium, and beyond?

In this episode of Abrotha Abroad, Al B sits down with Ashley Tolbert, an Air Force veteran, wife, mother of two, and traveler whose experiences have shaped her understanding of culture, identity, family, and belonging.

Growing up as one of the few Black students in her community, Ashley learned early what it meant to stand out. Later, she encountered a different set of challenges as a Black woman serving in a predominantly male Air Force career field.

But her journey didn't stop with military service.

Ashley shares what it was like to move overseas for the first time, build a family in Italy, navigate giving birth in an Italian hospital, and eventually experience life in Belgium.

We also explore the places that left lasting impressions on her, including Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

In this conversation:

• Growing up Black in rural upstate New York
• Her surprising connection to the children's book Come On, Rain!
• Working at Walt Disney World through the Disney College Program
• Navigating race, gender, and leadership in the U.S. Air Force
• Moving to Italy and discovering life beyond the United States
• The unexpected challenges of giving birth overseas
• Why Ashley chooses Italy over Belgium
• Finding comfort and cultural connection in Jamaica
• How international travel changes your perspective on home

Whether you've traveled across the world or never left your hometown, Ashley's story offers an honest look at the experiences that shape who we become.

Abrotha Abroad — stories of living, thriving, and flourishing abroad.

🎙️ Hosted by Al B

🌍 https://abrothaabroad.com

🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AbrothaAbroad

Got a travel story, culture shock moment, or question about living abroad? Visit our website and leave Al B a voice message. Your story could be featured in a future episode.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation.

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What happens when growing up overseas becomes the foundation for a lifetime of adventure?

In this episode of Abrotha Abroad, host Al B sits down with Yolanda Smalls, a mother of two, Army brat, and 24-year U.S. Air Force veteran whose life has taken her across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

From growing up in Germany during the 1970s to raising her own children while serving in the military, Yolanda shares how living abroad shaped her perspective on family, culture, community, and the world around her.

We talk about her childhood in German villages, the realities of military life overseas, navigating different cultures in Japan and England, and the unexpected experiences that come with international travel—including a close call during a deployment to Jordan.

Yolanda also reflects on returning to the United States after years abroad, the connections she made around the world, and why Italy remains a place she would love to call home.

It's a conversation filled with laughter, military memories, cultural discoveries, and stories that remind us how much the world has to offer when we're willing to experience it.

In this episode:

• Growing up as an American military child in Germany
• Joining the Air Force and building a life overseas
• Raising children while balancing military assignments and deployments
• A close call during a deployment to Jordan
• Cultural experiences and community connections in Japan
• Living in England and traveling throughout Europe
• Returning to the United States after years abroad
• Playing Stamp or Stay with Yolanda

Whether you're a military veteran, a former military brat, an expat, or someone dreaming of living abroad, this conversation offers a personal look at how international experiences can shape a lifetime.

Abrotha Abroad — Stories of living, thriving, and flourishing abroad.

Hosted by Al B.

🌍 Visit: https://abrothaabroad.com

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abrothaabroad

📸 Instagram: @abrotha_abroad

Subscribe and join us for more conversations about life abroad, international travel, culture, and the people whose experiences take them beyond borders.

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From South Memphis to a life abroad, Rod Millbrooks has collected more than a few stories along the way.

In this episode of Abrotha Abroad, Al B sits down with Rod a retired Air Force firefighter, husband, father, and longtime Belgium resident to talk about the decisions, assignments, relationships, and unexpected moments that shaped his life overseas.

Rod opens up about growing up around drugs in Memphis, choosing the Air Force as a different path, accidentally becoming a firefighter, and discovering Europe for the first time. From England and Belgium to Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Canada, and beyond, he shares what travel taught him about people, family, culture, and himself.

We also get into raising military kids between two worlds, meeting his wife in Belgium, 30 years of marriage, the difference between visiting somewhere and actually building a life there—and why, after all the places he’s been, Belgium is still home.

Plus, Rod takes on Stamp or Stay, shares a few stories that probably should have stayed in the firehouse, and reminds us that sometimes the best life is the one you never could have planned.

This is what living, thriving, and flourishing abroad looks like.

Follow Abrotha Abroad on social media: @abrotha_abroad

🌍 Abrotha Abroad — Stories of living, thriving, and flourishing abroad.

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What happens when travel becomes more than a vacation and starts becoming a way of rebuilding your life?

In this episode of Abrotha Abroad, Al B sits down with Derrik Dyka, a Minnesota native, father of twin boys, author of Good Grief, and traveler who has visited more than 60 countries.

Derrik shares how growing up as the son of a farmer and Ukrainian immigrant helped shape his curiosity about the world, and how losing his wife eventually pushed him into a completely different chapter of life. Travel became part healing, part discovery, and part figuring out what came next.

Now based in Bangkok, Derek talks about life in Thailand, healthcare abroad, his 10-year resident visa, and why he keeps finding himself drawn back to China.

Then we put his travel experience to the test with a big round of Stamp or Stay.

This one is about grief, curiosity, second chances, and finding home in unexpected places.

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Sabrina McCrae grew up on a dirt road in rural Georgia in a multigenerational family where everybody contributed and hard work was simply part of life. Years later, that foundation would help carry her from South Georgia into the U.S. Army and eventually around the world.

In this episode, Sabrina joins Al B to talk about becoming the first woman in her family to join the military, changing her career field to get an assignment in Germany, an unexpected mission in Suriname, living in American Samoa, and how those experiences shaped the way she sees both America and life abroad.

They also get into the differences between the U.S. and Europe, Stamp or Stay, her fascination with Japan and Korean culture, K-dramas, and her passion for plants and hydroponics.

It’s a funny, honest conversation about work, culture, independence, curiosity, and being willing to experience something different.

Another story of what it means to live, thrive, and flourish abroad.

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Chris Jackson has been traveling for most of his life—and he's got the stories to prove it.

In this episode, Al sits down with the Air Force veteran, father, avid hiker, and scuba enthusiast to talk about a life shaped by movement, culture, family, and adventure.

Chris shares what it was like growing up as a military kid, experiencing England at a young age, joining the Air Force, and eventually landing in Japan—where food, nightlife, bartending, and Japanese culture opened up an entirely new world.

The conversation also turns personal as Chris reflects on raising his daughter as a single Black father in Belgium, navigating language and cultural differences, and watching her build a life of her own.

Then things get a little wild.

Chris takes us to Finland, where a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus leads to one of the more unexpected sauna stories ever told on Abrotha Abroad. 😂

Plus, Chris takes on Stamp or Stay, choosing between destinations including Japan, France, Finland, the Caribbean, Poland, Belgium, Madagascar, and more.

It's a conversation about travel—but even more about what happens when living abroad becomes part of your identity.

Abrotha Abroad — Stories, culture shocks, and real conversations about life abroad.

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Howard Traylor has been traveling since childhood, served in the U.S. Navy, raised a family overseas, and spent nearly a decade building a life in Belgium.

In this episode, Howard joins Al B for a hilarious and unfiltered conversation about growing up in Houston and Las Vegas, traveling to South Africa as a kid, accidentally finding his way into the Navy, life at sea, raising well-traveled children, and what living in Europe has taught him about being a Black American abroad.

Howard also explains why Belgium eventually grew on him, how travel changed his perspective on the world, and why the experiences his kids may take for granted today could mean much more to them later in life.

Of course, this being Abrotha Abroad, the conversation eventually goes completely sideways.

Vegas stories. Navy stories. Belgium. Family. Culture. Race. Travel. And somehow… sweet treats.

This is one of those episodes where you just have to press play.

Visit AbrothaAbroad.com to hear more episodes, leave Al B a message, and connect with the show.

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Belinda Coker has built a life around travel, hiking, and refusing to wait for “one day.”

A native New Zealander and Al B’s first international guest, Belinda shares how she began backpacking through Southeast Asia in the 1980s—before smartphones, Google Maps, online reservations, or social media. Armed with the original Southeast Asia on a Shoestring guidebook, travelers relied on hostels, handwritten directions, and conversations with strangers to find their way.

After years in the corporate world and raising a family, Belinda reached her mid-50s and realized she had lost touch with herself. One hike changed everything. Today, she spends up to eight months each year hiking trails around the world.

Belinda also tells the unbelievable story of being marched at gunpoint near the Pakistan–India border, explains how she found love on the trail, plays Stamp or Stay, and breaks down how house-sitting can eliminate accommodation costs while helping travelers experience everyday life in another country.

Belinda’s message is simple: Life is not a dress rehearsal. Stop waiting for the perfect time to start living it.

Connect with Belinda:

Soul Treader: https://soultreader.com/

The House Sitting Collective: https://housesittingcollective.com/

Abrotha Abroad listeners can receive 10% off house-sitting courses with promo code HSTRAVEL.

Follow Abrotha Abroad:

Website: https://abrothaabroad.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abrotha_abroad
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AbrothaAbroad

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What happens when a kid from New York joins the Army, gets sent overseas, and discovers a life he never imagined?

In this episode, Al B sits down with Paul, a retired 20-year Army field artillery and public affairs officer who now calls Paris home. Paul shares how assignments in Korea and Germany sparked his love of travel, the cultural encounters that changed how he viewed the world, and why seven years in Germany made returning to the United States harder than expected.

They get real about navigating Europe as Black American men, experiencing both blatant racism and unexpected acceptance, building friendships with locals, dating abroad, and finding a greater sense of safety and comfort outside the United States.

Paul also discusses visiting 54 countries, co-hosting the Rhythm and Roam podcast, writing his memoir, and why he believes leaving your comfort zone can completely change how you understand yourself, America, and the rest of the world.

Plus, the conversation ends where all serious discussions should: searching for legitimate soul food in Paris.

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In this episode of Abrotha Abroad, Al B. sits down with retired Army Ranger Ranger Russell a man whose journey spans from growing up in segregated-era America to building a new life and legacy across Europe. With humor, candor, and hard earned perspective, Russell traces his path from military child to Ranger instructor to NATO officer, and how each chapter shaped the person he became.

They explore resilience, discipline, and the “airborne mindset” that carried him through decades of service and across continents. From surviving Ranger school under his father’s command to finding peace in Brussels, Ranger Russell reminds us that purpose doesn’t retire  it evolves.