Nobody Warns You About the Lonely Part

Nobody Warns You About the Lonely Part

How do you build a life — friends, family connection, community, career — when you’ve moved somewhere you didn’t plan to be? That’s the real question this conversation is built around. Writer and foreigner abroad, Rosamaria Mancini has lived it twice over: Italy taught her to slow down and find peace; Germany forced a full reset: new language, new norms, new social playbook. She’s navigated isolation, adult friendship-making, parenting without the family village, career reinvention across continents, and losing a parent from thousands of miles away. We get practical about what most people don’t talk about: the early warning signs that you’re slipping into isolation, how to deliberately engineer friendships as an adult in a country where you don’t speak the language, and what “staying close” to family actually looks like across time zones; not the glossy version, but the daily reality. We also get into parenting abroad without a village, the guilt of caring for aging parents at a distance, and the honest truth that “forever” is a scary word; so plan in seasons, not absolutes. This is one of those episodes that’ll land differently depending on where you are in your move. If you’re six weeks out, it’s a candid preview of what’s coming. If you’re six years in, it’s a reminder that the hard parts are normal and survivable. More About Rosamaria Rosamaria Mancini [https://rosamariamancini.com/] is a New York–born writer whose career spans print journalism (bylines in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and other publications), several years in the Vatican Press Office in Rome, and her current role with Fairtrade International in Bonn, alongside teaching communications at the Brussels School of Governance and UMGC Europe. After years in Italy, she moved with her family to one of Germany’s tri-border regions (Germany–Netherlands–Belgium). Rosamaria writes candidly about the realities of life abroad — from isolation and friendship to parenting, bureaucracy, and career reinvention — most recently in her memoir [https://www.amazon.com/SOS-Podcasts-Rosamaria-Mancini/dp/1738423166/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YE5P4MPFKX9R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HKLy7cn-FgnP5o_Q1287wqiiRl7FqszQydldvhpNHsU.WEC-cMml1YeeDBq_gA2GVTP3xB-KsTYZC3VRXEB-GcQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=rosamaria+mancini&qid=1721745812&sprefix=rosamaria+mancini%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1]SOS Podcasts [https://www.amazon.com/SOS-Podcasts-Rosamaria-Mancini/dp/1738423166/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YE5P4MPFKX9R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HKLy7cn-FgnP5o_Q1287wqiiRl7FqszQydldvhpNHsU.WEC-cMml1YeeDBq_gA2GVTP3xB-KsTYZC3VRXEB-GcQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=rosamaria+mancini&qid=1721745812&sprefix=rosamaria+mancini%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1] (Cambria Books, 2024). What You’ll Hear * Early signs you’re slipping into isolation, and how to course-correct quickly * A simple “friend-making” playbook for adults abroad (volunteer, show up, repeat) * Daily contact habits to stay close to family across time zones * Guilt and grief at a distance: practical ways to support aging parents * Third-culture kids: one big advantage and one trade-off * Language learning without overwhelm: low-ego, high-exposure tactics * Bureaucracy survival in Italy/Germany: prep, mindset, recovery * Career reinvention abroad: resilience + flexibility > silver bullets * Why “forever” is optional; thinking in seasons, not endpoints Show Notes * [~00:39–06:30] The honeymoon hangover: why isolation sneaks up and how to spot early signs (energy dips, avoidance, “just us” bubble). * [~14:41–16:41] Social engineering for grown-ups: volunteering at school/local events as low-pressure friend-making. * [~19:50–21:30] The tiny-touch rule: daily contact rhythms with family (even 30 seconds) to reduce distance guilt. * [~23:15–27:12, 31:29–31:36] Guilt vs. reality: caring for aging parents from abroad — what you can do from afar, and what to forgive. * [~27:40–32:20] Grief abroad: reframing “quality over quantity” time; letting outside voices help you process loss. * [~46:12–50:34] Third-culture kids & Gen Alpha: independence, multilingual exposure, and the cost of no village. * [~43:25–45:23] Language learning without overwhelm: low-ego, high-exposure tactics; comprehension over perfection. * [~59:00–01:02:20] Bureaucracy playbook: know norms, pre-stack documents, and plan a recovery ritual after admin days. * [~01:01:50–01:02:46] Micro-adaptations that matter: borrow the local pace; dress for weather, not season. * [~34:27–41:36] Career pivots that stick: send the emails, take the no’s, collect the learning — resilience compounds. * [~51:39–52:25] Designing for seasons, not forever: keeping options open without pretending permanence. Thinking About a Move? If this episode got you thinking about where you’d actually go, MoveSmart [https://movesmart.world/] can help you figure that out. It’s a tool built around a conversation that generates personalized country recommendations based on your real life: your career, your family situation, your non-negotiables; not a generic list. Recording Details Recorded: November 6, 2025 Locations: Host in Belize; Guest in Germany (tri-border region) Get full access to Unfiltered Abroad at unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe [https://unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Beyond Duolingo: Achieve Fluency with AI

Beyond vocabulary, syntax, and grammar, language is a way to reopen the world. In this episode, business coach, language expert, polyglot, author, and host of the Fluent Show, Kerstin Cable, makes a practical case for learning at any age, and on any budget. We get honest about app culture (why Duolingo streaks don’t equal fluency), the myth of “immersion or bust,” and how a simple habit system can carry you further than motivation ever will. Kerstin shares how to design “daily contact” with your target language, why intrinsic motivation matters more than time on the clock, and how to turn AI into a patient training partner rather than a distraction. We dig into mnemonics that actually stick, the brain-health upside of learning, and a bigger truth: identity rides in our voices—and power often decides which accents get called “educated.” If you’ve fallen off Spanish (same), or you’ve wondered how to start again without burning out, this one gives you a plan you can use today. Less parroting, more pattern recognition. Less pressure, more play. And a reminder that learning another language isn’t just a skill—it’s a way to live more widely. Guest Bio Kerstin Cable is a language learning coach, writer, and podcaster based in England. A native German speaker who has studied 10+ languages (and fell in love with Welsh), she created The Fluent Show (240+ episodes), co-founded Women in Language, and runs AI Language Club, where learners use practical, low-friction AI workflows to personalize practice. Kerstin’s approach blends habit design, realistic planning, and self-compassion—helping adults build daily contact, leverage mnemonics and roots, and develop true fluency without chasing streaks. She’s been featured by BBC World Service, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Bloomberg Businessweek, and The Cut. Guest Links * www.kerstincable.com/ [http://www.kerstincable.com/] * www.fluent.show/hosts/kerstin [http://www.fluent.show/hosts/kerstin] * www.youtube.com/fluentlanguage [https://www.youtube.com/fluentlanguage] * www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/ [http://www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/] * www.ailanguageclub.com/ [http://www.ailanguageclub.com/] * Kerstin’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/khammes/] What You’ll Hear * Why streaks ≠ fluency—and what to track instead * “Daily contact” over daily grind: habit design that sticks * Intrinsic motivation > willpower (how to find your “why”) * The language habit system: goals, four core skills, accountability * Mnemonics and linguistic roots that turbocharge memory * The myth of immersion—and a better path to fluency * Using AI without overwhelm (and why AI doesn’t judge) * Safe spaces, “silent periods,” and pushing your edge wisely * Accent bias, class, and why “one correct accent” is a trap * Welsh joy, world peace: language as connection (not performance) Show Notes * Kerstin’s practical definition of fluency (patterns + grace) — 15:32–16:34 * App critique (habits vs real-life mapping; “useless sentences”) — 11:46–13:31 * “Daily contact” menu (texts, shows, micro-reading, drills) — 06:15–08:07 * Intrinsic motivation (fun, specific goals; 30-day challenge) — 08:07–09:39 * Language Habit System (listening, reading, speaking, writing; weekly) — 42:50–44:22 * Mnemonics that work (imagery + roots; simple CSV workflow) — 25:51–27:56 * Brain benefits (neuroplasticity; cognitive cross-training) — 17:21–17:50 * AI as patient sparring partner (prompts, tutorials, judgment-free) — 12:50–13:05; 20:22–23:33; 49:00–49:12 * Safe-space strategy (practice where failure is cheap; silent period) — 46:50–49:12 * Accent & power (permissive stance; bias shapes “correctness”) — 57:50–58:07; 1:01:41–1:01:56; 1:02:33–1:02:39 * “Immersion” without moving (structure first; stop parroting) — 16:58–17:06 * Community & accountability (tutors, exchanges, avoid overcorrection) — 42:50–44:22; 45:49–46:22; 52:30–53:10 Recording Details Recorded: November 3, 2025Locations (Remote Recording) with Simo in Belize and Kerstin in England If you enjoy this podcast, you might also like the A Foreign Perspective [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-perspective], Foreigner501 [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreigner501], Foreign Tales [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-tales], the Lili Art Blog [https://www.lilidauphinee.com/blog], or my award-winning book Home in Good Hands [https://amzn.to/4kIi7YB]. If you’d like to support this Substack and help me keep creating stories and essays about life abroad, consider subscribing, sharing, or buying me a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/d_oneandonly_simo]. And to those who already have—thank you. Your support means the world. Get full access to Unfiltered Abroad at unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe [https://unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Mexico's Lake Chapala = New Life

This is what happens when the retirement wheel goes flat. After 27 years of teaching in Atlanta, QUEEN D MICHELE [https://substack.com/profile/179616839-queen-d-michele] realized her pension wouldn’t fund the life she actually wanted. Instead of grinding into her 70s, she moved to Mexico’s Lake Chapala, trading headlines and hesitation for routine, community, and room to think. In this episode of Foreign Radio, we talk practicals—visas, safety, and research—and internals—ego vs. soul, and how distance changes what you notice about home. Queen also shares how moving to Mexico sparked a spiritual awakening, leading to a trip to Guinea-Bissau, where she reconnected with her ancestry, and why she’s building a consciousness-forward curriculum for Gen Alpha. If you’re weighing a move—or just craving a life that fits—this one’s for you. What You’ll Hear * Why “work, pay bills, repeat” isn’t a retirement plan * Mexico safety: lived reality vs. scary headlines * Soft landings: expat hubs, research, and recon alternatives * Mexican visas, immigration and the luck variable (and how to avoid relying on it) * Importance vs. pitfalls of the ego. “Ego has a general purpose, but it’s not the general.” * How distance creates space for inner work * Gen Alpha, phones, and a missing class: mindfulness, agency, choices * Ancestry, repatriation, and breaking generational patterns * Visualization as a starter move (imagine → act) * The simple rule for moving abroad: don’t bring “home systems” with you Show Notes * Queen’s pivot: 27 years in classrooms → a pension that covered rent → side hustles → the choice to exit the wheel rather than ride it into old age. * Expat life in Lake Chapala as a strategic landing: short flight from Atlanta, spring climate, built-in expat community—why “soft landing” reduces friction and fear. * Media vs. boots-on-the-ground truth: how safety in Mexico actually feels day-to-day, and why local expat groups beat cable news for decision data. * Visas and Mexican Immigration process: do the research early; control what you can so you don’t depend on “stars aligning.” * Mindset shift: how ego is useful and a hindrance. Why living “inside out” beats “outside in” any day of the week. * Parenting abroad: more nature, fewer screens; why direct contact with the world matters for Gen Alpha; reflections on Simo’s experience living in Belize. * 52 Insights for Gen Alpha: the importance of practical SEL skills—mindfulness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, conscious decision-making for Generation Alpha. * Ancestry and identity: an African DNA trail to Guinea-Bissau, stepping into an ancestral village, and the idea that healing can move up the bloodline. * Don’t import the fortress: blending with the host culture instead of trying to replicate your old life behind gates. * First step for fence-sitters: visualize a day in the new place—then backfill the logistics that make it real. More About Queen Queen D. Michele is an educator, author, and nonprofit founder who left a 27-year teaching career in Atlanta to build a life abroad in Mexico. Her work sits at the intersection of practical relocation and inner change: navigating Mexican visas, safety, and community while also making space for the inward shift that a slower, simpler routine can unlock. After tracing her maternal African bloodline to Guinea-Bissau and visiting her ancestral village, Queen launched projects focused on generational healing and a consciousness-forward curriculum for Gen Alpha. She writes on Substack and at FulaAmerican.org about life abroad, identity, and choosing a life that fits. Episode Recorded remotely on October 14, 2025 (Simo D in Belize and Queen in Chiapas, Mexico) Episode Recorded remotely on October 14, 2025 (Simo D in Belize and Queen in Chiapas, Mexico) Links * Exodus Summit: https://exodussummit2025.heysummit.com/ [https://exodussummit2025.heysummit.com/] * Jerry Brown Travels (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@JerryBrownTravels [https://www.youtube.com/@JerryBrownTravels] * African Ancestry: https://www.africanancestry.com/ [https://www.africanancestry.com/] * Queen’s Substack: https://substack.com/@queendmichele1 [https://substack.com/@queendmichele1] * FulaAmerican: https://www.fulaamerican.org [https://www.fulaamerican.org] * Instagram: @fulaamerican Simo’s Substack runs on curiosity, reflection, and subscriber support. If you find value in these conversations, consider becoming a subscriber, especially a paid one. It’s the best way to keep this work going and show that this content matters. If you enjoy this podcast, you might also like the A Foreign Perspective [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-perspective], Foreigner501 [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreigner501], Foreign Tales [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-tales], the Lili Art Blog [https://www.lilidauphinee.com/blog], or my award-winning book Home in Good Hands [https://amzn.to/4kIi7YB]. If you’d like to support this Substack and help me keep creating stories and essays about life abroad, consider subscribing, sharing, or buying me a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/d_oneandonly_simo]. And to those who already have—thank you. Your support means the world. Get full access to Unfiltered Abroad at unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe [https://unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Global Lessons for American Change

What if living abroad isn’t an escape but a way to see home clearly? Evan Jaqua has lived in Japan, China, and across South America, speaks four languages, and now channels those lessons into the Solutions Party [https://www.solutionsparty.org/], a reform project looking to break politicians’ addiction to power. In Episode 9 of Foreign Radio, we talk about how people worldwide all share something in common: the desire for freedom and prosperity. We discuss why “one-idea” systems fail, how pluralism and good journalism keep societies healthy, and how international experience can shape how we behave at home. Evan provides a sober approach to risk, too: don’t run away from problems; do your homework before moving abroad, and know where you’re going and the culture you’re entering. This episode is for anyone weighing a move or wanting to borrow an international lens to make meaningful decisions at home. What You’ll Learn * Why power behaves like an addiction—and how to design politics to resist it * The surprising sameness across cultures: freedom, prosperity, future for our kids * “One idea only”: lessons from time in China * How immersion (not headlines) rewires assumptions * Solutions Party 101: term limits, de-tribalized parties, stronger journalism * Why disagreement is permanent and how mature societies manage it * Practical pathways to go overseas (or borrow the perspective at home) * Why time > stuff: design your life around the scarce resource * Courage over hesitation: action beats fear * Why “running away” is the wrong reason and what to do instead—research: avoid authoritarianism abroad. Show Notes * Shared humanity first: Under the noise, most people want the same things—freedom and prosperity—and we’ve got to steer back to that common aim. * Power as a drug: Why leaders (and systems) relapse into self-preservation—and how to break the cycle with structural limits. * Pluralism vs. “one idea”: Living in China showed Evan how brittle single-perspective systems become; democratic strength = diversity of opinion. * From expat to engaged: Languages and years abroad didn’t pull Evan away from home—they armed him to contribute back. * Solutions Party in brief: One-term service, parties that organize ideas (not tribes), and journalism strong enough to inform rather than inflame. * Handle disagreement like adults: Conflict is inevitable; the craft is how we process it without rage addiction. * Design for time: Choose location, habits, and work that give time back; stuff can be managed—time cannot. * Sober travel: Moving isn’t a cure-all. Do due diligence on safety, rule of law, and real political conditions. * Borrow the lens: If you can’t go yet, build an international perspective locally—communities, languages, and cross-cultural work. * Act despite fear: Start small, keep moving; clarity comes from motion. More About Evan Evan Jaqua is an international business development specialist and polyglot who has lived in Japan, South America, and China. Fluent in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Chinese, he’s seen how different systems shape everyday life, and how much ordinary people share: a desire for freedom and prosperity. Evan founded the Solutions Party to translate those lessons into reforms at home, tackling politics’ addiction to power with structural fixes, healthier parties, and a revitalized press. His outlook is worldly, practical, and grounded in lived experience. Recorded October 7, 2025 Links * Solutions Party [https://www.solutionsparty.org/] * Belize & foreigner life essays [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreigner501] * On the Road in Mexico [https://simod.substack.com/p/on-the-road-in-mexico]- My experience driving through Mexico when moving to Belize * Simo’s Substack runs on curiosity, reflection, and subscriber support. If you find value in these conversations, consider becoming a subscriber, especially a paid one. It’s the best way to keep this work going and show that this content matters. If you enjoy this podcast, you might also like the A Foreign Perspective [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-perspective], Foreigner501 [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreigner501], Foreign Tales [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-tales], the Lili Art Blog [https://www.lilidauphinee.com/blog], or my award-winning book Home in Good Hands [https://amzn.to/4kIi7YB]. If you’d like to support this Substack and help me keep creating stories and essays about life abroad, consider subscribing, sharing, or buying me a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/d_oneandonly_simo]. And to those who already have—thank you. Your support means the world. Get full access to Unfiltered Abroad at unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe [https://unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

This is the New Retirement!

For decades, the story was simple: work hard, save up, retire at sixty-five.But that story isn’t true anymore. Brian Clark [https://substack.com/profile/18025426-brian-clark] —writer, entrepreneur, and founder of the legendary Copyblogger—knows what happens when the system we’ve been sold stops making sense. After building multiple 7-figure digital businesses, he didn’t retire; he adapted. Now, through his project Further [http://Further.net], he helps Generation X navigate a new reality where the rules of work, money, and meaning have changed. In this episode of Foreign Radio, we talk about rewriting the playbook for midlife: turning experience into freedom, replacing “security” with flexibility, and building a life that actually fits today’s world. What You’ll Learn * Why the old “work hard, retire at 65” story no longer works * Unlearning loyalty to employers who can’t return it * The demographic and economic shifts forcing adaptation * Why adaptation isn’t a dream—it’s survival * How to turn decades of experience into portable income * Midlife reinvention and the business of “just-in-time” expertise * Strategic relocation and the rise of the “slowmad” lifestyle * The practical side of living abroad→ healthcare, cost, and mindset * How to prepare before you leap: the first steps toward independence * A simple mindset for moving from fear to action Show Notes * The myth of retirement: how the system that promised freedom became one that traps people in fear * The collapse of loyalty: when employers stopped building careers and workers stopped believing in stability * Demographic upheaval: longer lives, lower birth rates, and why “old age” isn’t what it used to be * From pensions to 401(k)s: how the financial playbook broke down * A global perspective: healthcare, cost of living, and why relocation is a practical—not idealistic—move * The “slowmad” mindset: living three to six months in different places to test real-world fit * Expertise as currency: how to turn what you know into independent income streams * Reinvention over retirement: the unretirement movement and why purpose matters more than age * Portable work, portable life: building freedom before the system forces your hand * The first decision to break free from the corporate treadmill More About Brian Brian Clark is a writer, traveler, and entrepreneur best known as the founder of the pioneering content-marketing platform Copyblogger, along with its StudioPress and Rainmaker business lines. Between 2007 and 2017, his companies generated more than $70 million in sales—without investment or traditional advertising—thanks to his innovative content-driven approach. After selling Copyblogger’s assets and taking time to travel the world, Brian launched Further, a publication helping Generation X navigate midlife, longevity, and the shifting definitions of work and retirement. He also leads Leading Expert, offering coaching and consulting for expertise-based business owners adapting to rapid change. Brian has been featured in numerous books by leading thinkers, including Seth Godin, James Clear, Daniel Pink, and others, recognizing his role in shaping the early landscape of online entrepreneurship and modern content strategy. Today, Brian and his wife live a “slowmad” lifestyle, spending several months at a time in places like Baja Sur and Costa Rica—continuing the same experiment in adaptation that his work inspires others to try. Find Brian’s work:🌐 Further.net [https://further.net]📬 news.further.net [https://news.further.net] (Substack newsletter)🔗 LinkedIn @thatbrianclark [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatbrianclark/] Episode Recorded on September 18, 2025 Simo’s Substack runs on curiosity, reflection, and subscriber support. If you find value in these conversations, consider becoming a subscriber, especially a paid one. It’s the best way to keep this work going and show that this content matters. If you enjoy this podcast, you might also like the A Foreign Perspective [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-perspective], Foreigner501 [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreigner501], Foreign Tales [https://simod.substack.com/s/foreign-tales], the Lili Art Blog [https://www.lilidauphinee.com/blog], or my award-winning book Home in Good Hands [https://amzn.to/4kIi7YB]. If you’d like to support this Substack and help me keep creating stories and essays about life abroad, consider subscribing, sharing, or buying me a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/d_oneandonly_simo]. And to those who already have—thank you. Your support means the world. Get full access to Unfiltered Abroad at unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe [https://unfilteredabroad.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]