Xuxu - The Prague Expat Podcast

From Istanbul to Brno: This Is Your Sign to Quit Corporate Life

What happens when you leave Istanbul, start from scratch in Brno, build a career in IT… and then decide to buy a van and launch your own moving business? In this episode of Xuxu, I talk with the founder of Omut Express about moving to Czechia, building a life in Brno, quitting corporate life, and helping more than 320 people move across Prague, Brno, and Europe. We talk about career changes, expat life, best moments, Czech surprises, svíčková, faith, risk-taking, and why sometimes you need to be “a little bit crazy” to build the life you want. A warm, funny, and motivating conversation about starting over — and keeping going. In this episode: * Moving from Istanbul to Brno * Starting a career in IT * Quitting corporate life * Building OT Express from scratch * Czech culture shocks and favorite traditions * Why failure can become a blessing * The power of just doing it 🎧 Listen to more episodes of Xuxu on Spotify.

S2: Episode 1 - Charlanne from USA

In this episode of Xuxu, I talk with Charlanne, an American expat who moved to Prague in 2013 and ended up building a whole new life in the Czech Republic. What started as a trip with her dad to Prague turned into a major life change: leaving behind plans to become a police officer in the US, falling in love, staying in Prague, raising a family, and now moving into a tiny house near Olomouc. Charlanne also shares what surprised her most about Czech society, how she met her Czech husband on Tinder, what giving birth in the Czech Republic was really like, and why she’s trading Prague for village life. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to move to Prague, start over abroad, or build a life far from where you thought you’d end up, this episode is for you. In this episode: * moving from the US to Prague * culture shock in the Czech Republic * dating and finding love in Prague * expat motherhood * giving birth in Czech hospitals * learning Czech * leaving city life for a tiny house near Prague Xuxu is a podcast about expat lives, identity, change, and the stories people carry with them in Prague and beyond.

Episode 12: Closing season 1 with Xuxu

Welcome to the final episode of Season 1, an episode mostly about xuxu. But i needed a host - so I invited my friend Martin. The first ever Czech person I was in touch with. After a full season of interviewing expats about their first days, culture shocks, integration stories, and life in the Czech Republic, Martin steps into the hot seat to share his own perspective - as the first Czech guest on the show. Together, we revisit: * 🇨🇿 What foreigners really think before moving to the Czech Republic * ✈️ First impressions of Prague back in 2017 * 🌍 Eastern Europe vs. Central Europe — does it matter? * 🏥 Navigating healthcare, language barriers, and real integration * 🍺 Beer culture similarities between France and Czechia It’s a reflective, funny, and heartfelt conversation about identity, belonging, and what “home” really means after 8 years abroad. Thank you for being part of Season 1. 💛

Episode 11: Constantine from Greece

❄️ “Did I make the wrong decision?” Arriving in Prague at minus five degrees, straight from a sunny Greece, our guest’s very first thought was doubt. In this episode, we rewind to October 2018: the first night on a friend’s couch, the first bureaucratic errand (hello, Lítačka), and the shock of Czech autumn. Friendship, IT jobs, referrals, and falling in love with a city faster than expected. We also dive into: – Greek communities abroad and how they grow – first impressions of Czech people - A conversation about doubt, adaptation, language barriers, and the small everyday moments that make a new country slowly feel like home. 🎧 Listen if you’ve ever moved abroad — or wondered if you should.

Episode 10: Maria from Ukraine

What does it really take to rebuild your life in a new country—and even create a community from scratch? In this episode, Maria shares her journey of arriving in Prague alone, without ever having visited the city before, after years of moving across countries. We talk about the emotional reality of immigration: the excitement, the fear, the exhaustion, and the moment you realize that “arriving” is only the beginning. Maria opens up about her integration process in Prague, learning the language, finding her footing, and the importance of building a support system. That search led her to football—something she only started playing at 22—and eventually to founding Roving Cobras, a women’s football club in Prague created as a safe, non-judgmental space for beginners and expats.