Moving Countries 101

In this episode, Clare is joined by Dominic George who is a travel management consultant who runs Global Connect Solutions. He and Clare met when the airline she had booked to fly her and her family back from Crete, went bankrupt.

Dominic explains how a travel management consultant uses their knowledge and connections to solve any travel problems their clients experience and do so quickly. Far faster than if they were travelling independently or using a travel agency. They also provide this service for people who are moving country, helping them to bring their dreams to fruition.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A travel agent is an intermediary, whereas a travel management consultant books things independently. If things go wrong, they take personal responsibility for sorting everything out and do so on a one-to-one basis.
• Contracts and negotiations play a big role in how smoothly the customer journey goes.
• Travel management consultants use their connections and knowledge to solve problems far faster than is the norm.
• Dominic´s firms also smooth the way for pets who travel and personal belongings.
• Sometimes when you travel in a premium cabin you get a bigger baggage allowance and save money by doing so.
• If you are planning a complicated trip or want to work somewhere for a few months a travel management consultant will know how best to do it.
• Hiring a travel management consultant does not mean you lose control and cannot arrange some aspects of your journey yourself.

BEST MOMENTS

‘People probably underestimate the value of a travel management consultant over a travel agent. ´

‘It´s an entirely customisable service that we operate.’

‘At the end of the day I am here to make your life easier.’

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Lilian Roeland who has been living in Spain, for decades. She was raised in The Netherlands and has also lived in South Africa and plans to live in Canada. She went on holiday to Spain, fell in love with the country and made it her home. 

Lilian talks about understanding cultural differences and how not taking them into account enough impacts your life. She also explains how she managed being separated from friends and family and what she did when her father fell sick. Lilian also shares her experience of living in South Africa working to make the life of young people easier.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Taking opportunities is the best way to learn, expand your horizons and live a full life.
• Having a safe home to go back to or a backup plan is essential. It enables you to be brave and try things.
• There are many cultural differences in Spain despite them being in Europe.
• Never ignore cultural differences. Try to accept and adapt to them.
• Life in Spain is different but good. Longer days and a relaxed social environment are just two examples.
• In Spain, knowing the right people helps to speed bureaucracy up.
• Racism is still an issue in Spain, mainly with the older generation.
• When trying to help people in other countries ask them what they need, don´t assume you know. The European way of doing things is not a good fit everywhere.
• When returning to your own country after spending many years abroad you will experience a culture shock. You and your home country have changed. So, you will need to adapt.

BEST MOMENTS

‘I went out in the world free to see what would happen. ´

‘Administration is a lot slower.’

‘Don´t just assume that you will know better, there are always different options.’

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Micheline Mauvis who was heartbroken when she had to leave her home country of Zimbabwe. For 40 years she lived in several countries, including the UK, France, Portugal, and South Africa. Today, she is returning to the beautiful country of Zimbabwe and is planning to use permaculture to grow food sustainably. 

She is very much on a healing journey and in love with Zimbabwe. Micheline provides some beautiful insights into its beauty, history, and entrepreneurship in the country. They also share some practical tips, including the best way to ship your possessions across the world.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Zimbabwe is now peaceful and flourishing. The country is stepping into its own power and working to lead the way in living differently.
• People in Zimbabwe are very patient.
• The heat in Zimbabwe is dry and it has as much rain as the UK, but it rarely rains for more than a couple of hours.
• In Zimbabwe houses are built to stay cool naturally.
• Zimbabwean architecture is influenced by many cultures and the use of unusual but sustainable materials and building techniques is still widespread.
• Off grid no longer means no power, internet, or water.
• Packing to move abroad is challenging. When you use a shipping container you pay for volume, not weight, which has many advantages.

BEST MOMENTS

‘All of your vision, your goals are part of a quite major healing journey. ´

‘The roads are chaotic, but people are very polite.’

‘I was busy doing absolutely nothing.’

‘They (Zimbabweans) are very capable and self-sufficient, very entrepreneurial.’

EPISODE RESOURCES

Living in Zimbabwe for UK nationals - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-zimbabwe 

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Fiona Whyte, a financial advisor and writer who moved to Spain just a few months before the first Covid lockdown. She explains why they chose Spain and lived in Airbnbs for the first six months. Fiona also shares how they ensured that their 14-year-old daughter could successfully finish her education and the steps they took to maintain a close bond with their 18-year-old son who was at university, in the UK.

The episode also covers what it was like to commute between two countries, finding a job in Spain before becoming self-employed. Settling into a new country and how it transforms who you are and inspires you to fulfil some of your dreams.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Living in a place for 5 or 6 weeks is usually enough for you to know whether an area is right for you or not.
• In Spain, it is possible for children to continue to study using the UK school curriculum and do so in English. Fiona explains how.
• Spanish schools, including the International ones are culturally very different, which means kids of all ages usually need a lot of extra support.
• Pools cost a lot to maintain, but even in a hot place you can only use them for a few months of the year.
• Learning the language is harder than you think and in certain circumstances it is usually best to seek out someone who speaks your first language.
• When looking at financial matters like pensions use a professional who understands both the situation in your home country as well as in your new country.
• Proximity to your home country is an important consideration.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Never just go on one of these viewing tours where you just go look at houses and buy the first house within five days. ´

‘We sacrificed the pool so that we could be closer to the sea.’

‘We have different tax regimes in different provinces within Spain.’

EPISODE RESOURCES

The Clever Little Gecko by Fiona Whyte - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clever-Little-Gecko-Fiona-Whyte/dp/1398416185/

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Sebastiano Zuddas, a leadership scholar at The Royal Academy of Engineering who specialises in creating digital twins for cities. He and Clare both moved to the UK as small children and have a parent from another culture. They discuss what it is like to grow up with the influence of two cultures, that of their home life and that of their new country.

This episode is ideal for anyone who has recently moved with children to a new country or is thinking of doing so. It includes many fascinating insights.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Children from two cultures understand that there is more than one way to do things. They are open to other cultures and languages.
• Being bilingual has advantages, but there are also some pitfalls and extra challenges, which are discussed.
• Often, children with two cultures will be advised to tackle social situations in two different ways, depending on which parent is giving them advice.
• Children will sometimes feel the need to unlearn the behavioural norms that they learn from their parents so that they can fit into their new country more easily.
• Engineers are in demand in most places, so it is far easier to live in different countries.

BEST MOMENTS

‘I recall that my desperate wish was to feel settled. ´

‘I want to learn to become more comfortable with it (tactility) because it is something I unlearned by coming here.’

‘I'm open to new languages as well. I like sort of figuring out what comes from where in language.’

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Clare is in conversation with Katie Sharpe, an artist who lives in California. Katie met her husband in the UK and moved to the USA with him, just 5 months before lockdown. Initially, Katie could not work which massively impacted her sense of self-worth and her relationships. She explains how she successfully navigated that situation, made friends, and set up her own business.

This episode also contains some great information for those who are using the Green Card route to move to the USA.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• If you move to be with your romantic partner, you will likely be completely dependent on them for a time. This change can be stressful for you and for them. Being prepared for that situation will make things easier.
• Often, moving to another country challenges who you are. Everything shifts. 
• Home is where the person you live is. If your heart feels at home, the rest will follow.
• Do your research. Understand what paperwork you need for each process and how to get it. To some extent, this will inform the order in which you do things.
• Going to the laundromat is a surprisingly good way to make friends. Walking the dog is also an easy way to start to connect with others.
• Slow down, it takes time to establish yourself and get everything into place.
• Who you are and the way society sees you does change when you move to another country. Be ready for that. At first, you won´t fit in.
• Often, there will be a period when you can´t legally work.
• It is possible to start your own business in the USA while waiting for your Green Card.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Home becomes a person and not a place. ´

‘Even though it was hard, I now have a much better appreciation of life.’

‘You are reminded every day that you are British, which is not something you think about at home.’

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Jess Zillessen who has recently lived in France and Cyprus and is in the process of moving to South Africa. Jess explains how becoming modern-day gipsies is taking her, her husband and two small children closer to their ultimate goal. She shares practical advice that others living a nomadic lifestyle can use to better handle moving home every week, getting visas and raising children while travelling.

This episode includes a clever and legal way to spend more than 6 months of a year living in EU countries. Something many Brits wrongly assume is no longer possible because of the post-Brexit 90-day rule.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Staying in a country for a few months using a tourist visa is a great way to test the waters.
• The 90-day in 180 EU rule does not apply to European countries that are not members of Schengen e.g. Cyprus.
• Friends and families are likely to express concern and expect you to settle down. Listen, but don´t let them put you off of leading a nomadic life if that is what you want.
• Research is key. Don´t ignore the concerns about a country or place, but bear in mind that people who live there have usually developed effective ways to get around them. Find out what they are and decide if you would be happy doing the same.
• Overcoming obstacles and challenges means you have to do things differently, which means you get the opportunity to try different things and create something new.
• Every time you move, take a picture, and put some of your own photos or art on the walls.

BEST MOMENTS

‘You just don´t get bored, everywhere is stunning. ´

‘It is interesting how a reputation precedes a country.’

‘When we get to a place, we put up a picture and instantly feel at home.’

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Andreea Herman, a Romanian Christian, who lived in Spain and met her Indian Hindu husband when they both worked on a cruise ship. Today, they live in the UK. Andreea explains why they opted to live in the UK, and how they learned about each other's quite different cultures and decided in advance which cultural norms they would follow in each area of their life together.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Taking the time to listen, observe and try different things is essential for gaining a full understanding of each other's culture.
• Making important decisions before you marry or have children, is vital. For example, Andreea and her husband decided in advance which religion their children would be raised in.
• Intercultural marriages based on mutual respect that allow each person to maintain their own identities are more likely to be happy.
• Stay close to both families but be realistic about how this can be done. There will be times when you cannot physically be there.
• Help any children to experience both cultures as well as the one of the country they live in.
• Living in a 3rd country that neither person was born in is a good way to create neutral ground.
• Living with each other is the best way to get to know how a culturally diverse relationship is actually going to work.
• Always putting the needs of the children first helps you to make the best decisions for the family as a whole.

BEST MOMENTS

‘We both keep our own identities. ´

‘Mass media is doing a lot of harm by presenting certain countries in certain ways.’

‘It´s important to be a respectable, decent person wherever you go.’

ABOUT THE HOST

Clare Kay is a seasoned global mover – with an international career in sales, customer service, personal development, and as a flight attendant. She has sold books and TV programs globally, taught English as a foreign language, and supported non-native speakers through proofreading. Her own global moves – from the UK to Zambia, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and the USA – bring direct experience, and her global outlook has given her the growth and connections to support others in creating a life abroad. Through her podcast Moving Countries 101, she inspires listeners with the confidence and courage to make their own move – and deepens the cultural conversation in her Facebook Group – Moving Countries 101 with Clare Kay

CONTACT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/movingcountries101withclarekay/

https://www.tiktok.com/@movingcountries101

www.linkedin.com/in/clarekay 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.