Welcome to this week's podcast episode where we have the pleasure of introducing you to Dexter Zhuang, a Chinese-American expat living in Singapore. Dexter's journey is one of courage, adventure, and the pursuit of building a life that aligns with his personal values.

Dexter's story begins in Canada, where he was born to parents from Shanghai. As a Chinese-American growing up in the Midwest, he learned to navigate the cultural complexities of balancing his ethnic identity with his American upbringing. He then moved to the East Coast to attend Dartmouth College, before starting his tech career in Silicon Valley on the West Coast.

Despite his success in the fast-paced tech world, Dexter's internal compass always pointed towards adventure, new experiences, and a sense of purpose. This prompted him to leave San Francisco and move to Singapore, where he founded the Money Abroad newsletter with the aim of helping expats to implement systems for building wealth overseas.

One of the key takeaways from Dexter's story is the importance of personal finance. He learned firsthand that setting up systems and automations is possible even in complex setups across countries. This is an essential lesson for anyone seeking to take control of their financial future, regardless of where they are in the world.

Dexter encourages us to prioritize self-care and self-love and to avoid seeking external validation. He believes that building habits and making connections are key to feeling at home in a new place. This mentality allows him to fully embrace the opportunities and joys that come with living in different countries.

We hope that Dexter's journey has inspired you to take control of your finances and pursue adventure. Don’t forget to share this episode with your friends and leave us a review. Thank you with a big smile.

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--- Show Notes ---

Dexter's newsletter: Money Abroad

Dexter's Linkedin: https://sg.linkedin.com/in/dexter-zhuang

Link to Dexter's Career Mapping Toolkit: Values Discovery Exercise

Join us in this episode as we sit down with Sammy Pontrelli, a scientist and a proud Californian whose upbringing has shaped his identity in unexpected ways. We delve into his journey of self-discovery, from identifying as an Italian, to an Italian American, and now as a Californian living in Switzerland.

Food has played a significant role in Sammy's life, especially his family's Italian sausage-making business, which has influenced his identity. But what food does he miss the most? Would you believe it's not a burger, but Asian cuisine in LA?

Sammy's journey doesn't just end with food, he's also a brilliant scientist with a PhD in Chemical Engineering from UCLA. His current research in marine biology at ETH Zurich has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of bacteria in the ocean and the fight against climate change.

Through his experience, he emphasizes the importance of having a supportive network and work environment to feel at home in a new place. In academia and the sciences, cultural diversity and collaboration across labs around the world provide unique perspectives and opportunities to learn about different cultures.

So, grab a cup of coffee, tune in, and join us in this captivating conversation with Sammy. 

Please share this episode with your family and friends and leave us a review. Thank you with a big smile!

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Today, we are happy to welcome Grace Morelos with us on the podcast. Born in the Philippines and having lived in Thailand and the United States during her formative years, she is now a teacher at an international school in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

Her experiences as a Third Culture Kid were pivotal in her professional journey – she is dedicated to supporting children going through the challenges of transitioning to a new school system, language and culture as she once did. Grace is the teacher that she needed when she was a student.

Grace has written a Master’s thesis about how travel can help ease rootlessness and restlessness among third culture kids. Travel can provide a "breath of fresh air" and a change of scenery that helps us stay grounded for longer periods of time in any given place.

Accomplishments are not always measured through awards and achievements – sometimes it's about learning to be content with who you are, what you have, without feeling the need to constantly reach for more. 

We hope that this episode motivates you to go out there and explore the world, not just physically but also mentally. Please share this episode with your family and friends and leave us a review.

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--- Show notes ---

Correction: Grace is a 1st grade teacher (not 4th grade).

We are delighted to have Adam Newman with us today. Adam is from Sydney, Australia and has been living and working in multiple cities, including Perth, Helsinki, London, and Paris. 

After graduating from a classical music conservatory, he earned an MBA and found success in the tech industry. He is now the Head of Marketing for a Medical Technology company, based in Paris.

Adam began his fascinating journey in France 6 years ago, when he arrived in Paris for a week of holidays without speaking any French. What was meant to be just a vacation, turned into something special; he fell in love with the language and culture and has been living in Paris ever since.

Through his experience becoming fluent in French, Adam discovered that overcoming language barriers can open up a world of opportunities. It has also helped him to form relationships with locals that have flourished into strong long-lasting friendships.

His story highlights the importance of family ties, as Adam remains extremely close to his family despite being oceans apart and thousands of miles away. This shows that no matter how far apart we are physically, it is possible to stay connected emotionally.

He reminds us the importance of not being afraid to be vulnerable and to ask for help. It’s ok not to be ok. We need to be patient to deal with life’s challenges and to take things one step at a time, instead of expecting instant gratification.

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Today, we welcome Esme Wong to the podcast. Her story is one of adventure, resilience and passion. Born in Malaysia in a Malaysian-Chinese family, Esme has spent the last 15 years exploring the world and making it her own. Her journey began when she left her home country to attend UWC and a music conservatory in Italy. This experience springboarded her journey across continents to complete her bachelor's and master's degrees in music in the US.

Esme is a trained classical pianist and professional opera coach who has been using music as a vehicle for social change. Music is more than just notes on a page, it is a language that can bring people together and drive positive change in society. To build stage confidence, she would sign up for extra performances, overcoming nerves through practice and sheer determination.

But her story isn't just about music - it's also about her effortless ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Wherever she goes, she makes friends easily by starting with an open mind and accepting differences with innate curiosity for new cultures and places. She finds similarities between people as well as using food as a platform to connect with others.

Recently, she moved to Dresden, Germany with her husband for the next chapter in their journey. We hope that her story resonated with you and that you will be able to take something away from it.

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In today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Stephanie Lintner. Born in France and raised in various countries including the Netherlands, Germany, and Israel, Steph offers a unique perspective on what it means to be a diplomat’s child.

Although she has a German passport, and both of her parents are German, Steph doesn’t identify as a German herself. She has been living in Switzerland for the past 15 years after attending Les Roches where she studied International Hospitality Management. She now works as a Talent Acquisition Partner at a biotech company in Zurich.

We hear how you should adapt to the country instead of expecting the place to adapt to you. Going outside of your comfort zone is crucial in learning the ropes of a new place. And while it may feel like you're drowning at times, riding the wave is key - expect it to be tough but know that you'll make it out eventually.

"Unless you ask for it, no one will give it to you," asking for help is something that Steph learned from her experiences as well. Being structured and clear on what you need and practicing asking for it can make all the difference.

Steph used her experiences and unique skill set from her global citizenship journey to excel and find passion in her profession. Join us as we delve deeper into Steph’s story and learn more about the challenges and joys of being a diplomat’s child.

It's amazing how unique each of our experiences are, but we hope that you can relate to many aspects and take away some comfort and learnings to apply in your own life.

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Welcome to today's episode, where we have the pleasure of hosting Chelmy Misaki. Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Chelmy is a proud mixed-race Brazilian Japanese. Her adventurous spirit led her to spend the last two decades living in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the US and Switzerland.

Chelmy has had an incredible journey filled with unique experiences that have shaped her into the person she is today. She previously worked in the hospitality industry and is now happily married to an Dutch-Irish husband with two young daughters living in Switzerland.

One of the most beautiful moments in Chelmy's life was when she connected with her grandfather's family in Japan, nearly a 100 years after he had migrated to Brazil. This emotional reunion brought her closer to her roots and gave her a deep sense of belonging.

Not all moments in Chelmy's life as a global citizen were easy. She faced a particularly challenging time while working abroad in a toxic environment that took a toll on her mental health. This experience, however, has given her the strength to prioritize her well-being and stand up for herself moving forward. 

This story is truly touching and moving! It's amazing how unique each of our experiences are, but we hope that you can relate to many aspects and take away some comfort and learnings to apply in your own life.

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--- Show notes ---

Some corrections on Chelmy's introduction:

1:05: … and Switzerland

1:20: Dutch-Irish husband (instead of Irish-Dutch husband)

1:30: nearly 100 years after he migrated to Brazil (not 100 years)

On the this episode of Unpacked: Global Citizens, we have the pleasure of talking with Santiago Guerrero. Santi is a citizen of Argentina, Ecuador, and Poland who was born and raised in a small town in Ecuador.

Santi’s international journey began when he attended UWC in Costa Rica, Dartmouth College in the US, and ESADE business school in Spain. He has since lived and worked across Chile, India, Germany, and recently settled down with his girlfriend in Cambridge, the UK.

In our conversation, we explore the challenges that global citizens face as they navigate new cultures and experiences while trying to maintain the balance within themselves. Books have helped Santi deal with life situations by providing perspective beyond his immediate environment.

We found Santi's views particularly beautiful - in order to be open and appreciate the differences of each place, we first need to find balance and peace within ourselves. We hope you take away something valuable from this story and share this episode with your friends.

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--- Show notes ---

Some books shared on the podcast by Santiago:

"A Journey Around my Room", small correction: by the French writer Xavier de Maistre

"How to travel from your sofa" by Alain de Botton mentions about the book that "De Maistre's theme is that the pleasure found in new places is dependent upon the traveller's mindset and that a person's own locality can be as fascinating as a foreign land."

"Buddhist Stories" by Paul Dahke

This week we welcome Bernadette Victorio on the show. Bea moved from the Philippines to Japan to pursue her graduate degree in International Development.

She took a bold step and ventured all across Asia, following her passion – to ensure that the financial sector embraces transparency and accountability, and at the same time, safeguard the rights and well-being of people when it comes to their investment decisions.

Bea is a working mom and together with her Kyrgyz husband, are raising their six-year-old daughter, who is a third culture kid and considers herself 100% Filipino, 100% Kyrgyz, and even 100% Japanese.

To Bea, being a global citizen means being a foreigner and a local at the same time. She reminds us that we must become part of our new home by stepping outside the bubble of expats, learning and respecting the culture of each place.

It was a pleasure speaking with Bea, and we found her story to be both inspiring and insightful. We thank her for sharing her story with us, and hope you can gain something from the discussion too.

If you enjoyed our podcast, help us spread the word! Please share it with your friends and family, and leave us a review. Your support would mean a lot to us. Thank you! :)

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This week, we welcome Emily Bernstein to the podcast. Emily is from the UK and had moved to South Africa and Ghana with her family in her teens. When Emily moved back to the UK for university, instead of feeling completely at ease and comfortable in her home country, she was experiencing “reverse culture-shock”.

Emily pursued a graduate degree at Cambridge University in International Development before training and working as a teacher. She is now continuing her academic pursuits and is writing her PhD research on Global Citizenship Education, comparing the International Baccalaureate (also known as the IB) to A-Levels programs.

Even after moving back to the UK, Emily remains especially close to her friends made in South Africa as they connect over a special bond formed over their shared experiences abroad. These deep connections help to anchor us in our everyday lives regardless of how far we may be apart physically or geographically.

It was great talking to her about the terms Third Culture Kids and Global Citizenship from the academic perspective, including their history and intricacies. Third Culture Kids were the pioneers in experiencing and appreciating multiple cultures, but eventually everyone will, one day, become global citizens.

Thank you Emily for sharing your story with us. We hope that you enjoy this enriching conversation as much as we did.

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--- Show notes ---

For parents and professionals looking to actively teach and support global citizenship education in children 0-5, here's how to get in touch with Emily or follow her work:

Instagram: @my.globalcitizens