Available Worldwide

In this interview, Erica Green talks about how she's kept the arc of her career, stayed true to her love of working with words, and created a truly fabulous event that gathers together authors, writers, and readers from around the world: the Iceland Writers Retreat.

Bio: Erica Jacobs Green has worked in book publishing for twenty-five years. Highlights of Erica’s publishing career include positions as a children’s book editor at Chronicle Books, Director of Publishing at Discovery Channel (Discovery Communications), and Vice President, Editorial Director for Kids Books at National Geographic.

As a freelance writer and editor, her articles and short stories have appeared in anthologies, newspapers, and online. Erica has worked with award-winning authors and illustrators as well as an array of famed brands for children and adults: from Jane Goodall to Star Wars and Kwame Alexander to Williams Sonoma.

Currently, Erica runs the Iceland Writers Retreat and Iceland Readers Retreat as well as WonderLab Group, LLC, both of which she co-founded. Originally from California, she’s spent over a decade abroad as an EFM at posts in Northern Ireland, Turkey, Russia, Iceland, and Poland. She now resides in Washington, DC.

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In this episode, I talk with Trena Bolden Fields about being authentic to yourself and to your path. She reminds accompanying partners to never give up on what we love, and that real partnership does not mean having to lose yourself along the way.

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In this episode, we hear from Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett about being a foreign-born spouse, finding and creating community, and learning how to get paid for what you do.

Amanda is the founder of Miss Panda Chinese, a popular online Chinese language and culture resource for parents and educators. She has taught ESL and Mandarin Chinese on four continents and is the Chinese language consultant for Word Party Season 4 and 5 on Netflix.

She was a former executive at Warner Bros. and has served as a professional interpreter for Hollywood celebrities as well as numerous Fortune 500 companies. Amanda was also the co-host for the English Club, the top-rated English language learning program on the National Education Radio Station in Taiwan, the radio equivalent of PBS in the United States.

Her published works include “First Mandarin Sounds an awesome Chinese word book” and the “Let’s Learn Mandarin Chinese with Miss Panda!” streaming album. She provides intercultural language consulting and training for global families, businesses, and language teachers.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit availableworldwide.substack.com

In this episode, I talk with Amy Kennedy who has found her accompanying partner superpowers in meaningful, accessible volunteering. She's turned her volunteer gig into a paid job, but also created a global network of diplomatic spouses and expats who are working to empower and inspire young women. You'll hear about puppies, reaching out to host country NGOs and the GCLO's professional development fellowship grant.

Amy has been a lifelong expat and grew up in the FS, mostly in Africa. Currently posted to Beijing, she has been a Girl Scout volunteer for the past 11 years and has worked with USA Girl Scout Overseas on various projects for the past 3 years. Before COVID, Amy worked as a Community Development Manager, helping establish a USAGSO community in Maputo, Mozambique and joining World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scout staff to re-establish Girl Guides there after a 40 year pause. She is currently the Program Development Coordinator for the USAGSO Virtual Troop. Amy has twice been awarded a State Department Professional Development Fellowship grant and in 2020, was awarded the Girl Scout Thanks Badge.

Contact her about the virtual troop or for advice on starting your own Girl Scouting program at post at [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit availableworldwide.substack.com

Join us as we chat with learning strategist Carlos Pompa. Listen as he explains how a helicopter is a good metaphor for sustaining a successful business while moving between countries.

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Stephanie Anderson, co-host of Available Worldwide, is also the owner of Global Nomad English. In this episode, find out what inspired her to work with non-native speakers of English in the diplomatic community and how her mission has changed over the last few years.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit availableworldwide.substack.com

Join Stephanie Anderson as she chats with the co-host of the Available Worldwide podcast, Lauren Steed. Learn how Lauren has found her niche helping clients whose vision for their students matches her own optimistic outlook for Foreign Service college-bound kids.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit availableworldwide.substack.com

Join us as we chat with Tim Robinson of The REI Concierge about finding passion by working for yourself, hobbies, investments, and how friends can motivate you to start something new.

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Join us as we chat with Ladan about teaching piano in the Embassy community and online, and about finding your groove despite life's interruptions.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit availableworldwide.substack.com

In this episode, we interview Dr. Elizabeth Shaffer, a 2012 SOSA Award for volunteerism recipient and a pediatric occupational therapist who has redefined herself to respond to the challenges she sees in the world around her, first by developing learning and training programs in her hose countries and then by starting a global community supporting parents as they help their kids find ways to succeed in this mobile lifestyle.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit availableworldwide.substack.com