Wives with Rosamaria Mancini

For the first time, Rosamaria Mancini welcomes a male guest to the podcast. In this episode, Rosamaria sits down with Ben Kendall, a former educator who stepped away from his teaching career to become a full-time stay-at-home dad. And while it's a change of perspective for Wives, the questions at the heart of Ben's story are deeply familiar: What happens when your career isn't the plan anymore? Who are you when your role changes? And how do you find yourself again?

Originally from Australia and now living in the Netherlands, Ben reflects on what it has meant to build a life around raising his children while his wife continued her career. He talks candidly about being the only dad in mothers' groups, managing the invisible work of running a household, navigating stereotypes about stay-at-home fathers, and finding community and purpose outside of traditional employment.

 Now that his children are older, Ben is entering another transition. He's exploring what comes next, including becoming a social media influencer and figuring out how maintain the flexibility his family needs. His story is a reminder that a career pause doesn't have to mean the end of ambition, it can become the beginning of a completely different chapter.

 Key Takeaways

• Redefining identity beyond a traditional career
• The realities, rewards, and challenges of being a stay-at-home parent
• Challenging traditional ideas about "mum jobs" and "dad jobs"
• Finding community, purpose, and connection outside the home
• Reinventing yourself as your children grow

For Ben, staying home was a choice to be present for the everyday moments that don't come back - the school performances, the milestones, the ordinary days that become the memories a family carries with them. Now, as his children grow, Ben is discovering what it means to make space for himself again.

Resources & Links

Follow Ben's stay-at-home dad journey on social media:

@stayathomedadlifehacks

Get in touch with Ben here.

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If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

In this episode, Rosamaria Mancini sits down with Charlotte Reich, a young professional in international relations and diplomacy who moved from Germany to Copenhagen to support her fiancé, a Danish diplomat.

Charlotte talks about the challenges of starting over professionally in a new country, building a network from scratch, and figuring out how to make a partner’s career feel like a shared choice rather than a sacrifice.

She shares how important it has been to communicate openly with her partner about her fears and ambitions, why she didn’t move to Denmark immediately, and how she has learned to create a sense of agency even when some of the bigger decisions are shaped by her partner’s career.

Key takeaways

·      Starting over professionally and rebuilding a network from scratch

·      Making friends and building community in a new city

·      Learning to embrace a different pace of life

·      Seeing relationships and sacrifice as phases rather than permanent

·      Why having agency over your own life matters

For Charlotte, the key is making sure that following doesn't mean losing yourself.

Resources & Links

Follow Charlotte on Instagram here

If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

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In this episode, Rosamaria Mancini talks with Olgu Berker, an academic and ceramic artist who moved from Turkey to Germany with her husband and two young children.

Before the move, Olgu had built a successful academic career. With a PhD in ceramics, a university leadership role, and her habilitation within reach, she expected their time in Germany to be temporary. Nine years later, she’s still there.

Olgu shares the challenges of trying to continue her academic career in a new country, including the language barrier that made finding an academic position nearly impossible. She opens up about the grief of putting a career that was central to her identity on hold — and how she found a new path through her art.

 Today, Olgu runs a ceramics studio from her home, teaches courses and workshops, exhibits internationally, and has built connections in both the local and expat communities. She also talks about learning the unexpected skills of running a business, from marketing and social media to scheduling and finances.

 Most importantly, Olgu shares how redefining success helped her make peace with the career she paused while continuing to grow as an artist, entrepreneur, wife, and mother.

 Key takeaways

• Career disruption can be especially difficult when your profession is a major part of your identity
• You can redefine success without giving up on your ambitions
• Resilience and an open mind can help turn an unexpected career change into a new opportunity
• Putting a career on pause doesn't necessarily mean giving up on it forever
• Sometimes the path forward requires creating your own opportunities

This episode is a powerful reminder that when life takes you in an unexpected direction, you don’t have to leave your ambitions behind. Sometimes, you have to reshape them.

Resources & Links

Learn more about Olgu Becker and her ceramics work: www.olguarts.com

Follow Olgu on Instagram and Facebook  

 If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

 www.wivespodcast.com

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In this episode, Rosamaria Mancini talks to Gina LaVere, an educator and professional musician about how moving overseas with her husband meant stepping away from a 22-year career as a choral director and confronting a question she hadn’t had much time to ask: Who am I when I’m no longer "Mrs. LaVere?"

Gina shares what it was like to suddenly step away from the classroom, the unexpected opportunities that helped her reconnect with music, and the challenge of rediscovering herself after years of being defined by her work. She also talks honestly about marriage, motherhood, faith, patience, and learning to let go of the need to control what comes next.

Most importantly, Gina reminds us that stepping away from a career doesn’t mean stepping away from yourself. Sometimes, creating space is exactly what allows you to finally hear your own voice.

Key takeaways

• The identity shift that comes when your career suddenly stops
• Finding unexpected ways to reconnect with your passion
• Learning to listen to your own needs and opinions
• Letting go of control and trusting that the next chapter will unfold
• Creating sacred space for yourself and the people who matter most

Gina’s story is a beautiful reminder that sometimes the pause we didn’t plan can give us the opportunity to discover parts of ourselves we didn’t even realize we had lost.

Resources & Links

If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review - it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

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In the Season 1 finale of Wives, host Rosamaria Mancini sits down with expat partner coach Emma Somerville to talk about the emotional and practical realities of relocating abroad as a spouse.

After moving from Dubai to Pakistan, and now Kenya, Emma shares how she navigated career disruption, identity shifts, loneliness, and the pressure many accompanying partners feel to “hold everything together.”

But this conversation isn’t just about the challenges. It’s packed with practical advice for women trying to rebuild confidence, create purpose, and make life work for themselves too.

Key takeaways

• Why the first few weeks after relocation should be treated as “low-capacity weeks”
• Why making friends abroad feels harder as an adult — and how to do it anyway
• The importance of creating a “portable passion” that moves with you
• How to stop tying your self-worth to productivity
• Why underemployment can sometimes feel worse than not working at all
• How to communicate resentment and unmet needs before they damage a relationship
• Why your wellbeing directly impacts your children, marriage, and your partner’s assignment success

Emma also explains the surprising research behind expat partner wellbeing and why organizations still aren’t doing enough to support accompanying spouses.

Resources & Links

Emma Somerville is an expat partner coach, positive psychology practitioner, yoga teacher, mum, and founder of The Zestie Life. She helps accompanying partners build confidence, rediscover purpose, and create fulfilling lives abroad.

Connect with Emma:
Instagram: @thezestielife

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://zestie.carrd.co/

In this episode of Wives, host Rosamaria Mancini sits down with Allie Hanna, a dental hygienist whose life and career took a turn after relocating to Germany to support her husband’s military career.

Allie shares the emotional realities of putting a career on pause, navigating unemployment overseas, and rebuilding her professional identity in a completely different role within healthcare administration.

From canceling a wedding to move abroad, to finding purpose and community in a small military town, Allie offers an honest perspective on resilience, personal growth, and accepting uncertainity.

Key Takeaways

• Leaving a career behind can feel emotional and disorienting
• Success evolves over time
• Spouse employment overseas is challenging
• Community makes a difference and building connections helped adjust to life in Germany

Resources & Links

Contact Allie on Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

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#militaryspouse #careertransformation #resilience #personalgrowth #reinventyourself #lifetransitions #supportandsacrifice #womenempowerment

In this episode of Wives, host Rosamaria Mancini sits down with writer, editor, and historian Tamala Malerk to explore what it really means to build a life around constant change.

From earning her PhD while moving across countries to redefining success and identity abroad, Tamala shares an honest and fun look at love, sacrifice, and self-discovery.

Along the way, she reflects on turning writing into both therapy and a career, the tension between academic ambition and a mobile life, and what it takes to redefine fulfillment on your own terms. She also highlights the ongoing search for identity beyond job titles and even weighs in on a “serious” global ranking of McDonald’s chicken nuggets.

This episode is a reminder that identity isn’t fixed, and that sometimes, the detours shape us more than the plan ever could.

Key Takeaways

• Identity evolves, especially through major life transitions
• Career paths don’t have to be linear to be meaningful
• Communication is essential in relationships that require sacrifice
• Fulfillment often requires redefining success on your own terms
• Creativity can become a lifeline during uncertain times

Resources & Links

Contact Tamala on LinkedIn and Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

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What happens when you follow your partner across countires, and your career doesn’t follow as easily?

In this episode, Rosamaria Mancini speaks with Sonia Burton, a researcher and evaluator who has built her career across the UK and the U.S., only to face unexpected professional barriers after relocating to the Netherlands.

Sonia shares the emotional and practical realities of navigating career disruption, maintaining a sense of identity without formal employment, and finding meaningful ways to stay engaged when you love data.

This is an honest conversation about ambition, adaptability, and redefining success when life takes a different turn. 

Key Takeaways

·      A career pause doesn’t erase your identity

·      Staying engaged matters

·      There’s no single “right” way to navigate this phase

·       Preparation is powerful

·      This time can reshape priorities

·      This chapter isn’t the end—it’s a transition

Resources & Links

Contact Sonia on LinkedIn and Facebook.

If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

www.wivespodcast.com 

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#militaryspouse #careertransformation #resilience #personalgrowth #reinventyourself #lifetransitions #supportandsacrifice #womenempowerment

What happens when a short-term career move turns into a lifelong commitment, and your identity shifts along the way?

In this episode, host Rosamaria Mancini sits down with Nathalie Stork, an IT consultant, expat, and military spouse who shares her journey from a planned three-month work assignment in Germany to building a life and family in Europe.

Nathalie opens up about the realities of putting her career on pause, raising a child abroad without a strong support system, navigating cultural differences, and eventually finding her way back into the workforce after years away.

This honest conversation explores the emotional and practical challenges many women face when their partner’s career takes priority, and what it takes to find themselves again.

Key Takeaways

• It's not always easy to see the long-term impact of big life decisions in the moment.
• Isolation abroad can be one of the hardest parts of expat life, especially without a support system.
• Taking a career break can affect confidence more than capability.
• Communication in relationships is critical, especially when roles shift over time.
• It’s never too late to return to your career, but staying connected to your field helps.
• Don’t underestimate your value when re-entering the workforce: ask for what you’re worth.
• Balance isn’t something you find once, it’s something you continually adjust.

Resources & Links

Follow Nathalie on Facebook here

If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review, it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

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#militaryspouse #careertransformation #resilience #personalgrowth #reinventyourself #lifetransitions #supportandsacrifice #womenempowerment

Episode Summary

What happens when a deeply rooted professional identity is put on hold? In this episode, Rosamaria Mancini sits down with Shona Johnston, a pediatric doctor who stepped away from her clinical career after nearly two decades in the UK to support her family’s move to the Netherlands.

Shona shares her journey through grief, identity shifts, and the emotional complexity of leaving behind a vocation that defined her. From working in high-intensity hospital environments during COVID to navigating life abroad without practicing medicine, she opens up about loss, resilience, and redefining purpose.

Key takeaways

·      Identity is not fixed - it evolves with life’s circumstances

·      It’s possible to hold two truths at once: gratitude and grief

·      Purpose can be rediscovered in unexpected ways

·      Letting go of a career path doesn’t erase your achievements

·      Having a sense of purpose is essential for well-being, especially in times of transition

·      Success can mean staying true to yourself—not just professional advancement 

This is an honest conversation about ambition, sacrifice, and what it means to rebuild a sense of self when life takes a different turn. 

Resources & Links

Contact Shona at [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode of Wives, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review — it helps more listeners discover these important conversations.

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#militaryspouse #careertransformation #resilience #dancejourney #personalgrowth #reinventyourself #lifetransitions #supportandsacrifice #womenempowerment