This week we talk about the things you didn’t know you needed until you got there. Nikki is all over her new phone cover for her bike (something she didn’t need in the US). What have you needed in one country that became irrevelant in another? A portrait of Ghaddafi to show your allegiance? Winterized tyres in the Middle East? What has been your hardest goodbye and why? We talk.. Read More

Two Fat Expats

The hardest goodbyes? New country, new essential purchases.

This week we talk about the best vaccination for international travel. What’s the most widely accepted? And will there be restrictions on where you can go and what you can do depending on your vaccine? We also talk about getting the cold shoulder when you arrive. Are you going to be welcome when you return home? Are you better off staying away until travel is a little more accepted? Here’s.. Read More

The Best Vaccination for Travel.

Business Travel. Are you ready for it? Are you busting to do it or are you a little bit wary? Personal travel is different (there’s a lot more margaritas) and you get to choose the destination and the activities – but business travel may have you heading towards a red zone, stuffy conference rooms and having to knock back that first offer of a hand shake. We also talk about.. Read More

International School Dress Codes and here comes Business Travel, are you ready?

Our two fat questions are vastly different this week. We cover how will menopause affect my expat life? And then what shall I buy as a hostess gift when I go to stay at someone’s house? Broad enough for you? Seriously though, what do you do if you’re an expat and you think you’re perimenopausal. Is it affecting new friendships? Is it stopping you from doing your job properly? Do.. Read More

How does perimenopause affect the expat? And the link to the magic lipgloss.

If you had a chance to have a job in your home country (that you could do from anywhere) or a job locally, what would you choose? What makes more sense? Keeping one leg in the employment market at “home” or getting overseas experience? Does it affect how you settle into your new location? Nikki wants to know how  you follow local media in a new country? Particularly if the.. Read More

Can you keep your job “at home” but still travel?

Nikki gives us an insight into life in Denmark without covid restrictions. Spoiler alert…there was a buffet table! We discuss what airlines are doing to keep customers “on board” . Nikki mentioned this article https://thepointsguy.com/guide/airline-elite-status-coronavirus/ Do you re-invent yourself with every expat move? Can you do it both professionally and personally? Or is re-invention just an expat myth. Here’s just a few of our favourite things this week: Modern Love.. Read More

Generous Airlines and Expat Re-invention

Okay I’m just going to put this out there. I talked about my clivia not flowering – and if that sounds really really naughty and rude it’s because you’re possibly not across the beautiful South African native. So if you want a smirk and a school girl giggle listening to me earnestly talk about the excitement of my clivia flowering might be it. Onwards! This week we talked about finding.. Read More

Did she just say her clivia had flowered?

Are you trying to get into Australia? This week we spoke to Sarah from Mindful Migration. Sarah explained the options for getting back into Australia, and more importantly how you’ll get out once you’ve got in! Nikki talked about her recent move to Denmark. In case you missed it while Denmark has mandated it’s third covid shot (booster shot) it is officially opening up. Drop your masks, forget the tests,.. Read More

Season 8 – We’re back!

Kirsty has lost her tree, what was once a flourishing jungle appears to now be a burnt stump. Nikki on the other hand is trying to work out where the top of the tree begins. Who do you call when something significant happens? Kirsty wanted to know what Nikki wouldn’t be leaving Hamburg without which took the conversation to Libya, Canada, Jakarta, South Africa, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Kirsty’s favourite.. Read More

Expat telephone trees. Who is at the top of yours?

With Europe and the US opening up, but Australia shutting down who are the expats who will make it home for Christmas? Also we talk International Schooling, when do you decide where your children will finish their schooling? How soon is too soon? Kirsty’s three favourite things: Australian Story – A Balancing Act Catch of the decade Feel Good Nikki’s favourite things Snowpiercer The Bold Type Day X – New.. Read More

Will Expats Get Home For Christmas?

How do you keep your medical records up to date when you travel? Have you registered your Covid vaccine in your home country. Nikki’s decluttering, Kirsty’s rowing on her brand new water rower. Nikki is reading – The Mindful Way Through Depression – Freeing yourself from Chronic unhappiness. She’s also dowloaded “Insight Timer” a meditation app. Favourite things for Kirsty Motherland You can’t ask that Baby Surgeons Favourite things for.. Read More

Once an expat, always an expat? Or are you turfed out of the group when you return home?

Okay, let’s get the down low on digital vaccine passports. When and how will they work? What’s your small world story? For Nikki it’s her new apartment in Copenhagen, for Kirsty it’s all about the egg cups in Libya. Our favourite things for the week: Kirsty 1000 hour eyebrow mascara The Power of Being Yourself – with Travis Boak (podcast) Julia Roberts movies Nikki Mare of Easttown – HBO Max.. Read More

Are digital vaccine passports the answer? What’s your “it’s a small world” story?

Kirsty opened a can of worms in the Two Fat Expats Facebook group with a question (that with hindsight) was always going to be problematic. “How do we make International Schools more accountable?” So how do we? We discuss in today’s episode what makes a great school. Is accrediation important? How do you measure the success of a school and what types of International schools are available? Nikki wants to.. Read More

How do you pick the right International School for you?

In our four fat questions we discuss what will happen to the expats who cannot be vaccinated, those who are highly allergic, is this the end of their expat experience? We talk about the most successful moving stories, and is there a cap on how many times you can reinvent yourself in the expat world. Our Favourite things Nikki The One – Netflix Queen of the South – Netflix Conference.. Read More

No Jab No Job? – Expat Vaccination

Our anonymous question this week is all about staying together when you’re physically miles apart. How do you turn those “admin” phone calls into conversations that will brighten your day rather than leave you feeling flat and discombobulated. Our anonymous Fatterati member feels like her phone calls with her partner have become more like reporting in. We call in the experts and offer our own tips. Kirsty’s husband G has.. Read More

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Two Fat Expats

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