The Places We Call Home podcast
When I moved to the United States for the first time, I had no idea how much it would stretch me, soften me, undo me, and rebuild me.
I’ve relocated six times now, and every move has taught me something about courage, belonging, and the quiet work of creating a life from scratch.
The Places We Call Home is the podcast I wish I had during those early years — a place for expat and immigrant women who are navigating homesickness, culture shock, loneliness, friendship, identity, and the long, tender process of starting over in the USA.
I created this space for women like us — women who have left the familiar behind and are learning how to belong again. Here, we talk honestly about the emotional side of moving abroad: the friendships that don’t work out, the moments you feel invisible, the ache for home, the joy of small wins, and the surprising ways we grow when we’re pushed into a new life.
You’ll hear real stories from global women who have rebuilt their lives across borders, as well as my own reflections on what it means to be an expat woman in America — the challenges, the reinvention, the resilience, and the unexpected beauty of it all.
If you’re trying to make friends in the U.S., if you’re wrestling with identity, if you’re rebuilding your confidence, or if you’re simply trying to understand who you are in this new place, this podcast will sit with you in that journey. You’re not behind. You’re not alone. You’re becoming — and you’re doing it with more courage than you realize.
Subscribe to The Places We Call Home on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Take me with you on your walks, your commutes, your quiet evenings, and those moments when the ache of “elsewhere” feels a little too loud.
This is your space. Your story matters here.
Episodes
61 episodes
#61. 3 Things That Happen the Moment You Move Abroad (That No One Talks About)
A grounded conversation on cultural roots, status loss, and the courage it takes to build a life that actually fits you.In this episode, we get into the real, unpolished truth of what happens when you move abroad and suddenly find your ...
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47:47
#60. 3 Signs The Connections You're Making Abroad Aren't Right For You — And What To Do Next
For expat and immigrant women who feel drained, unseen, or lonely in your new friendships abroad.Are the connections you’re making abroad actually right for you, or are they slowly draining you? In this solo episode of Places We Call Hom...
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7:00
#59. How One Man Started With Nothing, Overcame Fear, Homesickness, Loneliness, And Built His American Dream
What does it really mean to start over in a country where no one knows your story?Ghirmay is a US citizen. He arrived over 18 years ago with no English, no family, and no way to return home. His journey is a true immigrant story o...
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23:45
#58. He Walked 2,000 Miles And Found Family, Belonging, Homesickness, And A New Life Abroad
What would make you walk 2,000 miles, three times?For Tim Scott, it came down to one thing: getting back to his family in Mexico and to his sick daughter, no matter what it cost him. This isn’t a movie plot. It’s one American man's real ...
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30:59
#57. Expat Identity Shifts — When Moving Abroad Breaks (and Remakes) Who You Are
Moving abroad changes you in ways you don’t always see coming. In this episode, I’m trying to make sense of it — the quiet identity shifts, the emotional realities of life abroad, and what it feels like to build a life in a p...
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11:29
#56. Connecting, Keeping Friends And The Identity Shift Every Expat Woman Faces After Moving Abroad
In this episode, I sit down with Patricia Boes — co‑founder and CEO of Unlimit Me — a woman who has quietly built a life of impact while navigating her own big move across the world. Patricia left Australia, rebuilt her ident...
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40:27
#55. Who Am I Now? Identity shifts Every Expat Woman Feels After Moving To The USA
In this short minisode, is about the quiet identity shifts so many expat women experience after moving to the USA. From homesickness and cultural differences to the unexpected ways we grow, this episode reflects on who we were befor...
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8:23
#54. 10 Tips for A Happier Holiday Season In USA For Expat And Immigrant Women
What if this holiday season didn’t leave you overwhelmed, overspending, or quietly homesick?Yolanda explores how you, expat and immigrant woman, can create a cozy, joyful holiday season that actually feels like yours — even while living ...
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8:42
#53. How Expat Women Redefine The Holidays in the USA—Family, Traditions, Belonging
What does Christmas look like when your life stretches across many countries?If you’re an expat or immigrant woman navigating the holidays in the USA, this episode offers something deeper than tips—it offers recognition.You’ll hea...
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9:08
#52. What Does Home Mean at Christmas When You’ve Built a Life Abroad? Expats / Immigrants
Have you created your dream expat life abroad?Life as an expat is no joke! Moving to the USA can mean new opportunities, growth, and the inevitable personal changes for the better. For you. Here is why you should not expect t...
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22:46
#51. Feeling Foreign And A Little Lost? Here's How To Steady Yourself Expat / Immigrant
Have you immigrated away from your home, feeling foreign and a little lost?The first months abroad can feel like a whirlwind—joy, then the crash, then the ache of missing home. In this episode, host Yolanda revisits her inter...
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16:54
#50. Navigating American Holiday Overwhelm And Loneliness As An Expat Or Immigrant Woman
How to protect your identity, set boundaries, and create meaningful traditions when creating a new life in the USA.You’re not imagining it. For expat / immigrant women in the USA, the holidays often bring a unique mix of homesickness, cu...
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13:27
#49. Less Lonely, More Connected—A Guide To The Holidays for Immigrant / Expat Women
How do you avoid isolation and create connection, community, and belonging during the Christmas holidays?The holidays can be a season of joy but for immigrant and expat women, it can feel like an extra layer of homesickness and longing. ...
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10:00
#48. Why Holiday Loneliness Hits Expats Harder Than Anyone Else — 4 Tips To Build Belonging
Feeling the dread of holiday loneliness because you live abroad? Host Yolanda is being honest. The holidays bring a much needed moment of rest, togetherness, community, fun and festive food. But if you live abroad without family and...
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8:12
#47. 6 Signs You Overlooked The Emotional Costs Of Relocating Under Pressure -- What Expats And Immigrants Need To Know
What would you do if you had three days to leave mum, dad, friends, career ... even the home you just built—Knowing you may never return?This is part 2 with Anna and Sergey. He had 72 hours to make his escape for freedom. They chose to m...
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19:15
#46. 5 Signs You’re Outgrowing the Expat Life — & How To Transition Smoothly”?
Expat woman, ever wondered if resilience means holding on… or knowing when to let go of a life that no longer fits?Pushing through homesickness, cultural differences, and corporate challenges becomes second nature. But sometimes resilien...
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10:31
#45. Does Your Move To The USA Feel Lonely? You’re Missing One Crucial Element
How do you rebuild an entire life from zero—no job, no family, no network—after fleeing a country you can never return to?If you’re an expat woman trying to feel grounded, connected, or at home in the USA, this episode reveals the real e...
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20:43
#44. Why You’re Missing Intention in Your Expat Friendship Journey & How to Fix It
When you’ve tried the meetups, the coffee chats, the parent groups, the playground conversations… and still feel unseenThis episode is for every expat and immigrant woman who has ever wondered, “Is it me?” It’s not y...
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11:59
#43. How Emotional Healing Helped This Russian Expat Woman Build a Life She Loves in America
re you an expat woman struggling to make real friendships in America, feeling out of place, or wondering if you need to change who you are just to belong?Dasha moved to the USA from Russia for love. She landed in Lubbock, Texas. In this ...
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25:45
#42. Part 2. Immigrants And Expats — Do This To Make Friends In The USA . . . It Actually Works
Done with shallow interactions or unsure how to build real connection? You’re not alone. How do you become part of the social circle when you keep getting the cold shoulder, where friendship isn’t spontaneous, and emotional sa...
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8:03
#41. Immigrants And Expats — Do This To Make Friends In The USA . . . It Actually Works
Wondering where to find the kind of female friendships that actually feed your soul?You’re not wrong for craving more than surface-level connection. We're talking about loneliness, cultural shifts, and the quiet ache of being unknown in ...
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10:25
#40. How to Move Abroad Without Letting Fear Control You — What Most Expat Women Aren’t Told
What if I fail? What if I don’t belong? Are these questions keeping you from moving abroad for the life you dream of?This episode is your expat woman’s masterclass on moving abroad without letting fear win. Host Yolanda share...
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10:35
#39. Feeling Foreign Abroad? Want To Succeed But Don't Know How? This Expat Woman Did
Hands up if you want to stay stuck in a job you hate, with dreams unfulfilled! No soul wants that. We want to succeed. We want adventure, to be seen, heard, felt. We want purpose, love. And most of all, we want to be remembered.&nbs...
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17:56
#38. Why Does Starting Over Hurt So Much? The Emotional Toll of Relocating And How To Grow Through Homesickness
Why does starting over hurt so much when you move abroad? Dive into the emotional truth behind relocation and how expat women can turn that pain into personal growth, confidence, and belonging.If you’ve ever relocated, battle...
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8:21
#37 Feeling Lost Abroad? Here's One Thing To Help Expat Women Heal Homesickness, Culture Shock & Isolation
Feeling lost, lonely, or disconnected after moving abroad?Yolanda sits down with Samira Kawar—a trailblazing immigrant woman from Jordan who arrived in the U.S. in 1968 and built a life of legacy, leadership, and belonging.If you’...
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14:40