OFF THEY GO - Stories of Starting Over Abroad

#4 Unlearning who I was told to be - An Armenian Women Carving her own Path

"I am not asking for permission. I am informing you." Imagine standing in your family’s kitchen, looking into your dad’s eyes, and realizing that this single sentence will change the trajectory of your life forever. In this moment Syuzanna took a step off the path that had been pre-written for her since birth. I first met Syuzanna as my passionate tour guide, she showed me her beautiful home country Armenia. A thriving woman, multi-linguist, passionate advocate of women empowerment, youth education and peace building. One day, she shared her origin story with the group. It was one of those moments that left everybody speechless, and in awe. None of us had imagined that. Growing up in a traditional society in a village in rural Armenia, Syuzanna made the courageous choice to leave everything behind. At 24, she moved to Germany entirely on her own: no scholarship, no family system, just an impressive determination to own her future. In this episode, we dive deep into the reality of carving your own path when the world expects you to follow another. We explore: * Tradition vs. Autonomy: The weight of unwritten rules and the moment Syuzanna decided she would no longer "obey" without question. * The Courage of Informing: Why she chose to inform rather than ask for permission, and how her father’s silent support surprised her. * The Process of Unlearning: How moving to a new culture forces you to shed the identity others gave you to find who you truly have been all along. * A Legacy of Change: How one woman’s decision to move abroad shifted the mindset of her entire family back home. A conversation about the hunger for exploration, the grit it takes to rebuild in a foreign country, and the beauty of becoming the person you were always meant to be. ♥️ @syu7ana [https://www.instagram.com/syu7ana/] ⁠⁠@janina.offshegoes⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/janina.offshegoes/] https://ariexplorearmenia.com/en/ [https://ariexplorearmenia.com/en/]

ON THE GO - Ever experimented with Kindness?

Could being kind and compassionate be one of the most underrated skills of our times? ON THE GO - a new series of whatever comes to me while I'm in motion. Because movement sparks my mode of contemplation. Walking, riding, or - like in this episode - flying 10000m somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean. And it all started because I overpacked my carry-on luggage... @janina.offshegoes [https://www.instagram.com/janina.offshegoes/]

#3 Starting over from Scratch 14.000km away from Home

What does it feel like to leave everything behind and start over on the other side of the globe? Andreza was courageous enough to find out! She left São Paulo at 25 with nothing but a suitcase, following a calling she couldn't really put into words. What started as "I want to improve my English" turned into eight years of rebuilding her life from scratch on Australia's Gold Coast. We dive into what it really takes to start over: the resilience that stretches like an elastic band, the box you no longer fit in when you go home, and why deep connections are the reason you stay. A conversation about intuition, courage, and the life that unfolds when you jump into the unknown. 🗺️ @souza_andreza [https://www.instagram.com/sousa_andreza/] ⁠@janina.offshegoes⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/janina.offshegoes/]

#2 Did I just get scammed? Left alone in in Xinjiang

I had just entered China overland from Kyrgyzstan. I thought the tough part of the border crossing was behind me. But then, at one of the many security checkpoints in rural Xinjiang: I was suddenly left all alone. My backpack was gone. 🚕💨 Did the taxi really just drive off with everything I own? Left me in the middle of nowhere, where nobody speaks a language I understand? Has my gut feeling been this off? 🫠🙈😬 This, and the story of how I ended up in the back of a pickup with armed policemen in KPK, Pakistan – and what popcorn has to do with the whole scene. 🍿👮🏼‍♂️ Listen to find out. And please let me know how you would've reacted!

#1 And so it begins...

OFF THEY GO is a home for stories of stepping into unknown territory. Of taking leaps. And navigating everything that comes along with these decisions. In this first episode, I share a little bit about all the stories my mind made up, trying to convince me not to follow this tiny little voice that knew that I wanted to live abroad for more than a decade. And launching this podcast alone is a big step for me personally. A step into visibility. Speaking to a camera and an unknown audience. This was not on my list for 2026, I can assure you that. But: It is exactly what my little voice has been saying for quite a while now. And with all the experience I gathered along my journey, one thing is most present: that following this inner knowledge, my intuition, always pays off. In the most magical, unexpected ways. In this episode 00:00 Embarking on a New Journey 04:17 The Call to Adventure 07:01 Embracing the Unknown 08:51 Listening to Your Inner Voice 11:46 The Power of Intuition 14:13 Navigating Growing Pains 15:05 What realization has inspired you the most on your journey? 21:53 Embracing Beauty in Chaos More about my journey since quitting my 9-to-5 18 months ago on @janina.offshegoes [https://www.instagram.com/janina.offshegoes/] Find some more snippets from my recording on the OFFTHEYGO-Youtube-Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@OFFTHEYGO]. I completely lost track of time and recorded a total of 1h11. 😅