#19 The Darker Side Of Travelling That You Won't See On Social Media

A 5-Minute Guided Meditation for Calm & Presence | ft. Amir Khamseh

Press play, get comfortable, and let yourself arrive. A short 5 minute guided meditation to help you slow down, find calm, and come back to the present moment. This is a bonus from Episode #5, where I spoke with Amir Khamseh — a former Tesla engineer who turned the grief of losing his mum into a new life as a meditation teacher. We did this short meditation together before recording, and it felt too good not to share on its own. New to meditation or a daily practitioner, this is a simple reset you can return to any time. (Please don't listen while driving.) Listen to the full conversation with Amir in Episode #5. Hosted by Matt & Beth — two UK teachers exploring life beyond the classroom.

Turning Grief Into Power: Why a Tesla Engineer Walked Away From It All #5 Ft. Amir Khamseh

He had it all at Tesla — then his mum passed away, and it changed everything. This is the story of Amir Khamseh on turning grief into power. In this episode we talk with Amir Khamseh, a former Tesla engineer who walked away from his career after losing his mother — and rebuilt his life around meditation, healing and helping other people. We get into grief, the courage to start over, what mindfulness really taught him, and how he's turning his hardest chapter into purpose as a life coach. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Intro: Iran to Canada to Tesla (02:27) The 4am call: "your mum is sick" (04:20) A stage four diagnosis (05:36) Losing his mum, back at Tesla (07:08) "Using only 20% of my potential" (08:22) His first meditation, at 5am (09:56) Meditation as medicine for grief (11:49) Talking to the voices in your head (14:01) The dark night of the soul (15:51) Life before: money & emptiness (19:34) Matt's story: a broken leg (22:05) When trauma becomes a gateway (26:26) The unworthy six-year-old (30:21) "Just being is enough" (33:04) Why bad habits protect you (35:30) Meditation: a workout for the mind (39:50) Respond, don't react (40:56) Relax and release (Michael Singer) (44:09) Why he became a life coach (45:31) The courage to quit Tesla (49:23) The science of following your heart (54:11) His message at rock bottom (56:50) Where to find Amir & outro A conversation about loss, reinvention, and the lessons that only pain can teach. Find Amir on IG - @Amirkhms Follow the show for new episodes on grief, growth, mindset, meditation and reinvention. Hosted by Matt & Beth — two UK teachers exploring life beyond the classroom.

The Hard Truth Nobody Teaches You In School #4

Nobody is coming to save you — and that's the best news you'll hear all year. Too many young people leave school thinking life owes them an easy ride: a good job will fall in their lap, money comes quick, or someone else will sort it all out. This is the wake-up call I wish I'd had at 16. I get real about why life is hard, why no one is coming to rescue you, and what actually sets people apart — learning new skills, volunteering, and doing uncomfortable things long before you're forced to. It's not talent and it's not luck. It's being willing to do hard things while everyone else waits for easy. If you're young, a bit lost, or a parent who wants your kid to hear the truth — this one's for you. CHAPTERS Follow me on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @WheresHodgie linktr.ee/whereshodgie

Thailand or Vietnam? UK Teacher's Honest Comparisons #3

Thailand or Vietnam — which one actually wins? After living, teaching and travelling across both countries, Beth and I sat down to compare them properly. No tourist-board fluff, no "everywhere is amazing" cop-outs. Just two UK teachers talking honestly about what life is really like in each place. We get into the food, the cost of living, what teaching is actually like day-to-day, the people, the weekend escapes, the culture shocks nobody warns you about, and which country we'd genuinely go back to. Whether you're thinking about teaching abroad, planning a trip, or just curious how these two Southeast Asian giants really compare — this one's for you. CHAPTERS (0:00) Intro: Vietnam vs Thailand (0:42) Best food & best dish (2:41) Best beaches (3:38) Cheapest & best value (6:51) Best experience: the Ha Giang Loop (8:15) Most authentic travel (9:06) Most things to do (10:33) Kindest people (12:11) Best weather (13:17) Funniest people (14:55) Best fashion & style icons (15:43) Best sales technique (18:14) Best holiday & celebrations (19:40) Best beauty treatments (21:54) Craziest roads (22:37) Best city (24:15) Best for an adventure (25:41) Best for a relaxing break (26:21) Most livable & cost of living (28:38) Final scores & the winner (29:47) Outro & socials Featuring Beth (@bethanypayetartist on Instagram). Part of Lessons Beyond the Classroom — the series where we talk about everything teaching abroad has taught us outside the four walls of a school. Follow along: Instagram: @whereshodgie YouTube: @whereshodgie - full video version with travel clips available there! If you enjoyed this episode, a follow and a rating on Spotify genuinely helps more teachers and travellers find the show. Cheers for listening.

Why I Quit Teaching & He Left The UK #2 ft. @Family.Of.5.In.Thailand

Two big leaps. One conversation. In Episode #2 of Lessons Beyond The Classroom, I'm joined by Reece Haslam — a British dad who packed up his entire family of 5 and built a new life in Thailand. You'll know him from @family.of.5.in.thailand on Instagram, where he documents the realities of raising kids abroad and the truth about leaving Britain behind. CHAPTERS (00:00) Intro & meet Reece (02:07) Why leave the UK? (03:34) Cost of living, tax & red tape (05:49) Food, health & feeling better (08:52) A day in the life (10:04) Growing a social media following (17:47) Authentic content vs the algorithm (20:38) From UK teacher to world traveller (21:29) UK vs Thailand: education (24:46) What international school costs (25:44) Homeschooling & teaching abroad (28:38) Culture, safety & raising kids (30:30) Best things about Thailand (31:55) Healthcare vs the NHS (35:32) Doing business the right way (42:02) Advice for making the leap (44:01) How they ended up in Thailand (45:17) Visas & work permits explained (49:42) Where to find Reece & Mr Hodge This conversation came from a question I've been sitting with for a long time: what makes someone actually leave? Not dream about it, not talk about it on a Sunday night — but pack up their entire life and go. I left teaching. He left the country. We sat down and compared notes. What we covered: → The moment Reece knew the UK wasn't working for his family anymore → Why the British school system is failing kids (from both a parent and an ex-teacher's perspective) → The real cost — financial and emotional — of uprooting a family of 5 → What "freedom" actually looks like when you have children depending on you → Why so many young British families are choosing to leave right now → The hardest part of starting over in a country where you don't speak the language → What we've both learned about ourselves by choosing the path nobody around us understood → The advice we'd give to anyone sitting on the edge of a similar leap This is the kind of conversation I wish someone had recorded for me before I made my own leap. Honest, practical, and free of the "follow your dreams" platitudes you've heard a thousand times. If you've ever sat at your desk and wondered whether there's another way to live this life — this episode is for you. ──────────────────── About the show: Lessons Beyond The Classroom is hosted by Mr Hodge, a former UK teacher who walked away from the classroom to chase a more meaningful life. Each week features either a solo lesson (the kind that school never taught) or an honest conversation with someone living life on their own terms. About the guest: Reece Haslam documents life as a British expat dad raising 5 kids in Thailand. Find him on Instagram at @family.of.5.in.thailand. ──────────────────── Follow Mr Hodge: Instagram: @whereshodgie TikTok: @whereshodgie YouTube: youtube.com/@MrHodge For brand partnerships: whereshodgie@hotmail.com ──────────────────── If you enjoyed this episode, the best thing you can do is leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — it genuinely helps new listeners find the show. And if you know someone sitting on the edge of their own leap, send this episode their way. New lesson every week. Class is in session.