In this episode of Stories Beyond Borders, I sit down with Tanja Podvrsan, a cross-cultural trainer and coach whose life journey spans Slovenia, the United States, and now France.

Tanja’s story begins in Slovenia, where, as a young girl, she would look up at the sky and dream of a life beyond what felt familiar. That dream turned into reality most unexpectedly, as she left her home with nothing but a plastic bag, a book, and a doll, when she immigrated to the United States as a teenager.

But starting over wasn’t easy. Navigating a new culture came with challenges, including bullying and being labeled as “different.” At home, she held onto her Slovenian identity, while outside, she learned to adapt, code-switch, and survive in an environment that didn’t always understand her.

Her journey didn’t stop there. Years later, life took her to France—another culture, another transition, and another set of challenges. What was meant to be temporary became a new chapter filled with unexpected difficulties, especially when it came to integration and finding her place once again.

Through exposure to multiple nationalities and languages, Tanja shares how communication goes far beyond words—each language carrying its own etiquette, nuance, and identity.

Today, she uses her experiences to help others navigate international careers and cross-cultural environments, guiding individuals, teams, and executives through the complexities of working and living across borders.

This conversation is about more than moving countries—it’s about identity, resilience, and what it really means to belong.

Her message is simple yet powerful: trust yourself, and everything will be all right.

🔗 Connect with Tanja:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tpodvrsan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanjapodvrsan/
Website: www.tptalks.com
Email: [email protected]

What does it mean to grow up everywhere… and nowhere at the same time? 🌍

In this episode, I sit down with John Liang, Editor-in-Chief of Culturs Magazine and an Adult Third Culture Kid (ATCK), to explore identity, belonging, and what it really means to grow up across cultures.

Born in Guatemala to Chinese descent, John shares his family’s story—from his parents’ unexpected love story to his own journey across Costa Rica, the U.S., Panama, and Morocco. His life is a reflection of constant movement, cultural adaptation, and redefining what “home” truly means.

For years, John didn’t have the language to describe his experience. He once identified as a “global nomad,” only later discovering the concept of Third Culture Kids—and finally finding a sense of understanding and belonging.

We talk about:

• What it means to be an Adult Third Culture Kid
• Growing up between cultures and identities
• The ease—and complexity—of building connections across cultures
• How storytelling helps us make sense of who we are
• Why the TCK experience can be different for men and women

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fully belong in one place, this conversation is for you.

🌐 Website: www.cultursmag.com
📸 Instagram / Threads: @juanjohnjedi
🦋 Bluesky: @juanjohnjedi.bsky.social

🔗 Connect with John Liang

Tasnim Hasan, marketing strategist, storyteller, and founder of Bangladeshi Trailblazers Podcast & Influsio, shares her journey across continents and cultures in this episode of Stories Beyond Borders. Born in Bangladesh, raised in Dubai, and having pursued her studies in the USA, Tasnim reflects on how the cities she’s lived in shaped her perspective, career, and creativity.

From witnessing Dubai’s transformation firsthand to launching her own podcast during the isolating times of COVID-19, Tasnim navigated cultural transitions, visa challenges, and the intricacies of returning to Bangladesh as an adult third-culture individual. She opens up about the culture shocks she faced—including the art of punctuality—and how she found her community of understanding friends.

Tune in as Tasnim shares her message for fellow global citizens: keep traveling, savor good food, create content, and explore opportunities—because every experience adds to the story you are building.

📩 Connect with Tasnim Hasan:
Producer, Bangladeshi Trailblazers Podcast
E: [email protected]

In this episode of Stories Beyond Borders, I sit down with Desta — a Bangkok-born, British-Eritrean educator, writer, and vocalist whose life has unfolded across continents, cultures, and languages.

Having traveled to more than 90 countries through her work in international education, Desta shares the deep gratitude she feels for a life shaped by movement — and the quiet tension that comes with it: the longing to sometimes be rooted in one place and call it home.

We explore her powerful relationship with languages — she speaks eight and is still learning more — and how music became her most meaningful gateway into language learning and cultural connection. She also shares practical and inspiring tips on how anyone can learn a new language through rhythm, sound, and emotion.

From her love for colourful and creative Thai cuisine to her vision of expanding her platform, Language Through Music, and writing two upcoming books, this conversation is a beautiful reflection on global identity, curiosity, and human connection.

Her message is a reminder we all need:

No matter how different we are, there is always something that connects us.

🎧 Tune in to hear a story about movement, belonging, and finding home in people, in languages, and in music.

🔗 www.languagesthroughmusic.com

In this episode of Stories Beyond Borders, I sit down with Simone Johnson, a former U.S. diplomat, author, and cultural bridge-builder, to unpack the deeply human journey of identity, culture, and self-discovery.

Originally from Jamaica, Simone shares her immigrant story—moving to the United States on a scholarship, navigating college, and adapting to a new culture. But beyond the “typical” immigrant narrative lies a powerful inner awakening. Raised in a collectivist culture where family comes first and meeting others’ needs is expected, Simone found herself confronting the individualistic values of American society—and questioning where she fit within it all.

Through reflection and lived experience, Simone realized a simple yet profound truth: you can’t pour from an empty cup. She opens up about learning who Simone truly is, unlearning guilt around self-prioritization, and understanding that fulfillment must come before service to others.

We also explore the different expectations placed on men and women, the importance of setting boundaries, and why boundaries are not acts of selfishness—but acts of self-respect. Simone shares insights from her book and her podcast, The Immigrant Experience in America, and leaves us with a powerful reminder: coming home to yourself is the most important journey of all.

This conversation is for anyone navigating multiple cultures, carrying family expectations, or learning how to choose themselves—without guilt.

🌐 Website: https://thebridgeconcepts.org
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonewjohnson/
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimmigrantexperience
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theimmigrantexperience

🔗 Connect with Simone

In this episode, I speak with Saleha Mirza, author of Confessions of a Brown Girl, about identity, belonging, and the quiet struggles many brown women grow up carrying.

Saleha is the youngest of four siblings and grew up as the only brown child at her school, without South Asian friends or people who looked like her. Wanting to fit in, she often tried to be more Western and, at times, felt embarrassed being around other brown people—feelings she now reflects on with honesty and self-awareness. Her parents, unlike many traditional South Asian households, encouraged integration and openness, shaping her perspective in unique ways.

We talk about how these early experiences influenced her sense of identity and later inspired her book, Confessions of a Brown Girl, which is a collection of her own stories alongside experiences shared by friends and acquaintances. Saleha also opens up about marriage, the challenges of adjustment, and the realities many women face but rarely speak about openly.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful message: don’t settle for less—in relationships, in life, or in how you choose yourself.

This episode is an honest, reflective conversation for anyone who has ever felt caught between cultures, expectations, and the desire to belong.

🔗 Follow Saleha’s refinishing & DIY projects on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gemofapiece

📚 Find her book Confessions of a Brown Girl on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/43Vd1is

In this episode, I sit down with Bảo-Vy Nguyễn, a community organizer, artist, and founder of Missing Blue, a grassroots initiative dedicated to creating space and visibility for cross-cultural individuals. Born in Montreal and raised across multiple cities—including Ottawa, Vancouver, and even Finland—Vy’s life has been deeply shaped by constant mobility and the layered identity of being a third-culture kid.

Vy opens up about one of her biggest lifelong challenges: the question “Where are you from?” A question that seems simple, yet for many TCKs, carries complexity, assumptions, and the pressure of being placed into a box. She shares the experience of returning to Montreal and being placed in a welcome class despite being from the city, and how cultural expectations and linguistic assumptions have shaped her sense of belonging.

We also dive into the creation of Missing Blue, the community Vy built to support individuals navigating multicultural identities. She speaks about the importance of representation, safe spaces, and connection for people who don’t fit neatly into one cultural category.

Vy also reflects on how different languages bring out different versions of herself, and how—despite speaking English, Vietnamese, and French—she sometimes feels insecure when others question her French. Yet through it all, she embraces an empowering message:
Feeling alienated doesn’t make you less—her alienation is her strength, making her authentic, grounded, and uniquely herself.

If you’ve ever struggled with identity, belonging, or cultural complexity, this episode will feel like a conversation you’ve been waiting for.

Connect with Vy:
Instagram: @missingblue.co
Facebook: @missingblue

In this deeply heartfelt episode of Stories Beyond Borders, I sit down with Angela — a biracial woman who grew up navigating two cultures: a white mother and a Black father. She shares how, in her home, race wasn’t openly discussed, leaving her to make sense of her identity on her own.

Angela reflects on the complexity of looking white in a Black family, acknowledging both the privilege she carried and the disconnect she sometimes felt. She opens up about the emotional weight of this journey, including a period of depression, and how embracing her story became an act of healing.

As the first in her family to earn a college degree, Angela speaks candidly about what growth really means — that it isn’t always tied to achievements or tangible milestones, but to the quiet, internal work we do within ourselves. She also touches on how her siblings experienced identity differently, showing how one family can hold multiple truths.

Toward the end, Angela shares beautiful wisdom on self-compassion, reminding us to be gentle with ourselves and that we’re not behind. Her words feel like a warm exhale — a reminder that every journey unfolds at its own pace.

If you’re interested in identity, healing, and the courage to celebrate your own story, this conversation will speak to you.

👉 Connect with Angela:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrateyourselfpodcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@celebrateyourselfpodcast

In this episode, I’m joined by Simone Pols, a language enthusiast, coach, and founder of the Simple Italian Podcast — one of the most popular podcasts for Italian learners. 🌍

Simone’s story is rooted in curiosity — a deep desire to learn, explore, and connect with people across cultures. Having lived in several countries and speaking nearly a dozen languages (with Spanish as his favorite!), Simone shares how language has been his bridge to understanding the world.

We talk about his travels, including his memorable trip to Bangladesh, where a few words of Bengali made all the difference in connecting with locals and navigating a new culture. He also reflects on what learning languages has taught him about being present, open, and mindful in life.

✨ His message? Stay curious, be present, and keep learning — because every language opens a new way to see the world.

🌐 Website → simonepols.com
🎙️ Podcast → Simple Italian Podcast on Spotify
📸 Instagram → @simonepols

In this episode, I’m joined by Angela Vitiello, MBA, MSEd — founder of the Expat Parenting Collective, alumna of INSEAD, member of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council, and affiliate of the Institute of Coaching at McLean/Harvard Medical School.

Angela has lived in 4 countries across 3 continents, traveled to nearly 40, and has been navigating life as an expat parent since 2018. Her work centers on experiential learning, leadership development, transitions, and intercultural communication.

We dive into Angela’s journey moving from New York to South Korea to Amsterdam, and how these transitions shaped her identity as both a professional and a mother. She opens up about raising her two third-culture kids (TCKs), who are growing up with exposure to three rich cultural backgrounds: hers, her husband’s, and the local culture of where they live.

Angela shares the importance of giving children the space to ask questions, to honor and celebrate multiple cultures through rituals, holidays, and daily practices, and to embrace the richness of belonging everywhere and nowhere at once. Her message is simple yet profound: approach life with curiosity.

✨ A must-listen for expats, TCK parents, and anyone curious about identity, belonging, and raising children across cultures.

Connect with Angela Vitiello

🌍 Website: www.expatparentingcollective.com
📸 Instagram (Work): @expatparentingcollective
👩‍💼 LinkedIn: Angela Vitiello, MBA, MSEd
📸 Instagram (Personal): @itsangelavitiello