In the final episode of season 1, I speak with Laurence Ekperigin, professional basketballer, hip hop artist and song writer. Laurence grew up in the US, is half British and is currently based in France where he plays basketball for Poitiers Basket or PB86 as it is more affectionately known to fans.

Basketball has taken Laurence all over the world. He has lived and played in South Korea, Italy, Spain, Israel and of course France so he is no stranger to making a move overseas.

Whilst basketball is a huge part of his life, he is also a talented rapper and song writer, pairing melodic productions and honest lyricism. He draws inspiration from artists such as Kendrick Lama, Jay-Z and Outkast. L Boogz as he is known in the rap game has collaborated with several artists and is making great contributions to the hip hop world. Go and check him out!

Instagram: @onlyboogz

Spotify, Sound Cloud, Youtube etc: L Boogz

In this episode I speak with Bastien Ornano. French-born Bastien opened his bakery J’aime French Bakery in Philadelphia where he says customers can expect a real taste of France. 

In French, J’aime means Love, and it is with Love that every pastry is made.

After graduating from high school in France, Bastien had the opportunity to spend a year in California as a foreign exchange student. It was thanks to this experience, he discovered and fell in love with the American spirit. He also discovered the love Americans have for French food!

When he returned to France he attended business school and after working two years in an IT consulting company as a business manager, he decided that the time had come to follow his dream of a permanent move to America. He enrolled in one of the best pastry schools in France, LENÔTRE, where he graduated with honors and boarded a plane to open up shop in the US.

In this episode I am joined by Peterborough United’s Goalkeeper, Daniel Gyollai. Hungarian born, he moved over to the UK when he was just 15 years old to join Stoke City. He has played for several British clubs since then and joined Peterborough United last year in 2020. We discuss what it was like moving over at such a young age, how his parent’s support has been a huge factor in allowing him to get to where he is today, his ability to drown out the crowd and keep focused even when some of those voices shouting out to him from behind his goal are very familiar ones, our mutual love of baked beans and so much more.

In this episode of Away from the Motherland, I speak with Lana Asaad, a journalist originally from Iraq. Lana now lives in the West of France having arrived 10 years ago as a political refugee. Lana shares memories of her childhood growing up in her beloved Baghdad, her favourite food prepared by her grandmother, the difficulties of starting over again in a new country as well as her love of France and the French people. Today Lana owns and runs the cutest little tearoom in the French town she resides. Pop over to her Instagram if you love coffee and cake! Instagram: Lana / Citron et Cerise @citron_et_cerise Away from the Motherland @away_from_the_motherland_pod Email: You can get in contact with the show at [email protected]

In this episode I speak with Tanisha Townsend the Chief Wine Officer and founder of Girl Meets Glass, a wine lifestyle and education agency based in Paris. Originally from the US, Tanisha creates wine and food pairing experiences for expats and tourists alike. She is the host of one of my favourite podcasts “Wine School Dropout” and teaches wine courses at universities in Paris. We speak about her childhood, what sparked the move to the French capital, business in France, anecdotes and of course..... wine. Head over to Tanisha's podcast - Wine School Dropout to get wine educated or connect with her via social media @girlmeetsglass You can get in contact with the show at [email protected] or visit us on Instagram at @away_from_the_motherland_pod

In this episode I speak with Renata Cieślak, a Polish lady who moved to the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India back in 2013. She lived in several Indian cities before she and her husband along with their 3 children decided to quit the 9-5 rat race and live a life closer to nature. She speaks about the highs and lows of life in a village as a foreigner, the constant cultural differences she navigates on a daily basis, her projects on the farm, her love of Indian cooking and much more.

In this episode I speak with Emma Lipman. Born and raised in England, Emma is a professional footballer who currently plays as defender for Italian team Lazio. Emma played for several big clubs in England before pursuing her career overseas and also represents Malta in the national team. We talk about how football is not only her job and passion but also a vehicle for another love of hers, travel. She speaks about life in Italy and how the experience of living abroad and the slower pace of life has allowed her the time for self-reflection and growth which she may not have had the opportunity to explore had she stayed in the UK.

In this episode I speak with Alexandra Paucescu. Born and raised in Romania, she studied Management and obtained her Masters degree in Business. She worked in sales for a decade and went on to meet and marry a diplomat and embarked on a completely different journey, as a diplomatic trailing spouse. 

The years that followed inspired her to write her book, 'Just a diplomatic spouse ', about the reality of this kind of life and right now she is working on a children’s fiction book.

Alexandra currently lives in Berlin.