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Geopats Abroad : Chats with expats, immigrants, and locals
By Stephanie Fuccio | Expat of 20+ yearsSociety & CultureEducationPersonal JournalsPlaces & TravelLanguage Learning
Geopats Abroad : Chats with expats, immigrants, and locals episodes
- Why is learning Chinese so hard with German Bookish YouTuber Angie Dumas
Send us a text
Musical tones, grammar traps, aha moments. Chinese sounds simple—until it isn't. From tone tricks to missing tenses, Steph and Angie chat about the unexpected complexity of learning Mandarin, especially for speakers of English and German. Their conversation unpacks how tonal cues, filler sounds like “ma” and “ah,” and even body language all shape meaning, while verbs and grammar markers leave learners scratching their heads. Hear what surprised them most and what finally clicked in this honest, funny, and relatable episode on navigating a famously “easy” language—until you try speaking it.
Full conversation:
https://geopatsabroad.buzzsprout.com/2039972/episodes/11201561-german-chinese-languages-in-shanghai-with-bookish-youtuber-angie-dumas
Angie's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6LBSm1HZjecZt7EVnyUImw
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=7118738--------------------
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/and
Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/
12 min - Spain and China are culturally similar?
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Imagine realizing that everything you were taught about politeness, personal space, and even shopping no longer applies. In this conversation with Shannon, we talk about how living abroad—especially in China and Spain—has completely reshaped our habits and expectations. From using QR codes to give money to street performers, to feeling awkward saying “please” and “thank you” too much, to the never-ending tug-of-war between needing personal space and learning to let it go, it’s a real look at how cultural norms can clash, evolve, and even make you laugh at yourself.
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=7118738--------------------
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/and
Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/
12 min - Dog culture and class in China (replay clip)
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Evan was expecting cultural differences when he first moved to China in the early 2000's but he wasn't ready for the nuances of dog culture. Here's a clip from our conversation about pet adoptions, status pets and more from 2018, when we both lived in Shanghai, China.
Full episode:
https://geopatsabroad.buzzsprout.com/2039972/episodes/13164575-what-was-dog-culture-shock-like-for-this-american-in-china
----------------------------------------------
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=7118738--------------------
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/and
Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/
15 min - Chinese International Student Found A Home in Edinburgh, Scotland (replay clip)
Send us a text
Culture shock both positive and negative can feel odd, disorienting. Xing, an international student who studied in Edinburgh, Scotland more than a decade ago, described his experience as a "Game of Edinburgh" with different seasons. Here's a clip from the full conversation I had with Xing in 2018 about that game.
Full episode:
https://geopats.buzzsprout.com/2039972/episodes/11201564-what-was-it-like-to-move-from-china-to-scotland-for-this-writer
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=7118738--------------------
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/and
Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/
11 min - What should you do when you don't get paid for your English language job? (replay clip)
Send us a text
Here's a clip from Evan's experience teaching English in Korea in the early 2000's.
Full episode:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2039972/episodes/11201567
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=7118738--------------------
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/and
Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/
13 min - A Brit & A Chinese National Explore Mandarin & English Together
Send us a text
It's time to switch places. Yifei, a Chinese college student in Shanghai and Phil, a Brit living in China, who was doing a Master's program at the time of recording, are swapping stories of learning their two mother tongues. What a pleasure it was to pick their brans on learning their first and all other languages after that. Get ready for some surprises and laughter.
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Support the show
🔥 Grab some Geopats merchandise: https://geopats.tpopsite.com/
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/ and Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/🤸🏽 Need help with your podcast: https://www.saneandsimplepodcasting.com
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=71187381 hr 33 min - SEASON 5: Revisiting Geopats
Send us a text
So much country to country movement is speeding up in 2025 so it feels like a good time to bring back the podcast. First, we're going to replay episodes and listen to your reaction. What should be next for Geopats? What do you need to hear? And then, we'll see what happens. Enjoy!
🔥 Grab some Geopats merchandise: https://geopats.tpopsite.com/
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/ and Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/🤸🏽 Need help with your podcast: https://www.saneandsimplepodcasting.com
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=71187383 min - A Norwegian’s Lens on Hong Kong
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Can you imagine taking 35,000 photos in one year? Photographer Thomas Sandfield did this his first year in Hong Kong. Join us on this Expat Rewind show for a flashback to this first year as an expat for Thomas and all the flicker fun he had.
Thomas Sandfield:
https://www.instagram.com/thomassandfield/?hl=en
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
🔥 Grab some Geopats merchandise: https://geopats.tpopsite.com/
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/ and Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/🤸🏽 Need help with your podcast: https://www.saneandsimplepodcasting.com
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=71187381 hr 47 min - An Italian Author in China on Food Shocks, Expat Life & Writing Abroad
Send us a text
Love, loss,new beginnings, it's what we think of when we dream of moving abroad. But what about expat circle gossip or food culture shock moments. We rarely talk about those moments. Author Antonella does though, in her touching book, Parsley & coriander: Life in China with Italian flavor, which is set in Suzhou, China. Join us for the wild ride.
Antonella's website: https://www.mimicostalunga.it/
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Support the show
🔥 Grab some Geopats merchandise: https://geopats.tpopsite.com/
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/ and Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/🤸🏽 Need help with your podcast: https://www.saneandsimplepodcasting.com
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=71187381 hr 14 min - A Kenyan's Story of Belonging Through Digital Spaces in Germany
Send us a text
Can social media ground us and make us feel more at peace in this crazy world?
This conversation with Tania from Swahili Secrets will present an answer to this question that is not common but very refreshing. Tania was born in Kenya and moved around a lot. Her geographical footprint includes 4 other African countries, Thailand, Austria and Germany. Although she calls Germany home, her heart and her projects revolve around Kenya. In this conversation we follow her online journey from her first chat room all the way through to her current day Instagram world. This IG space includes the travel services of Swahili Secrets, the African inspired merchandise of Bantu Sisters, and the community oriented The Kenyan Kind.
In this conversation we chat about:
- her amazing geographical trajectory
- her first experiences online & her current onlineness
- private and public social media choices
- how her online posting habits have changed
- the online lessons she’s learned over time
Traveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422
Support the show
🔥 Grab some Geopats merchandise: https://geopats.tpopsite.com/
🤸🏽Music from
Damon Castillo: https://www.damoncastillo.com/ and Key Frame Audio , https://keyframeaudio.com/🤸🏽 Need help with your podcast: https://www.saneandsimplepodcasting.com
Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.
🔥 Traveling Mailbox: scan/forward postal service for Americans. It's saved me time, money and headaches.
https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422🔥Chase Sapphire Credit Card: annual fee, NO currency conversion fee. Used this in many countries globally.
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19Q/MDNYO68N38
🔥 Stackry: Shop in the U.S. and have the items shipped internationally.
https://www.stackry.com/register?referral=711873846 min
About Geopats Abroad : Chats with expats, immigrants, and locals
From the publisher's feed
Geopats Abroad is about what helps us feel grounded while in our life abroad.
For eight years of my serial expat life, I interviewed people about…
the things that helped them understand, adjust to, and feel more connected to the places they were living.
The original Geopats Abroad podcast ended in 2022, but the conversations still hold up.
Living Abroad, Culture, Identity, and Belonging
In these conversations, you’ll find stories from expats, immigrants, international students, long-term travelers, and people whose lives don’t fit neatly into one place.
The driving force of the podcast is my own curiosity and desire to connect with other internationals globally. This isn’t just an audio project, a podcast, a YouTube channel, an Instagram profile, a Stationary Store or a Substack. It’s a very personal project. It’s part of who I am and who I was while recording these conversations.
Some episodes are practical. Others are deeply personal. Most explore the small and big things that help us make sense of a new place and feel more at home in it.
What Geopats Abroad Explores
Each season of Geopats Abroad approaches getting comfortable in our new places from a different angle.
Season 1: Guests looked back at something they had written during an earlier period of living abroad, including emails, blog posts, and social media posts, and reflected on how they saw that experience differently later.
Seasons 2 and 3: Language learning. Season 2 focused on foreigners learning Mandarin Chinese, while Season 3 featured native Chinese speakers talking about learning English and other languages.
Seasons 4 and 5: Online communities that helped people feel more connected and at home in a new place.
Season 6: Books that helped people understand the places they were living in.
Season 7: Conversations about learning languages other than Chinese.
Season 8: Coffee and the role it can play in connecting to a place.
Season 9: Podcasting globally: how it’s similar and different. And of course, how it can connect us to each other in our new culture.
Season 10: A mixed season covering music, photography, returning home, and other parts of life abroad.
Season 11: Immigrant kids who later became expats, exploring how growing up between cultures shaped the way they experienced living abroad as adults.
About Stephanie Fuccio: Serial Expat Since 2003
I’m Stephanie Fuccio. I’ve mostly been living and working outside the U.S. since 2003 and have lived in Asia, Latin America, and Europe during this time.
My own experiences with culture shock, identity, belonging, language, and building a life abroad shaped many of the questions behind Geopats Abroad.
The podcast grew from my curiosity about what helps people feel grounded in a new place, how we build connection far from where we started, and how living abroad changes the way we understand home, culture, identity, and ourselves.
Geopats is my ongoing archive of those conversations