Does the degree really matter when it comes to dating? And how much does education, career path, or “professional compatibility” influence attraction and long-term potential?

In this episode of our Dating Series, we dive into one of the most debated topics in modern dating: education, ambition, and whether being on the same “level” actually matters. We talk about age gaps, life stages, admiration-based attraction, and why sometimes dating someone older, younger, or from a completely different field can feel exciting… or deeply misaligned.

We share personal stories, unfiltered opinions, and the questions many of us quietly ask ourselves:

Do I need to admire my partner professionally?

Can different life rhythms really work?

Is it about the degree, or about mindset, curiosity, and growth?

As always, this conversation reflects where we were at that moment in our lives — honest, evolving, and very real. Some thoughts might change, some might stay, but that’s part of the journey.

This episode is part of our Dating Series, where we explore dating, relationships, and personal choices as an essential part of building our lives as young women abroad — alongside career, professional connections, and integration. Who we choose to date shapes how we grow, what we learn, and how we see ourselves.

Enjoy the episode, question your assumptions, and keep climbing! ⭐️

Dating often brings us to one of the hardest questions: what do we accept, and where do we draw the line?

In this episode, we dive into the delicate balance between accepting a partner as they are and knowing when something simply doesn’t work for you.

We talk openly about personal experiences, dating “characters,” and the moments when it’s easy to confuse cultural differences with personal red flags. Together, we reflect on how living abroad sharpens this confusion even more, especially when you’re still learning what’s cultural, what’s personal, and what’s simply not for you.

This episode explores:

• The difference between acceptance and trying to change someone
• How to define your non-negotiables without guilt
• Why not every habit, interest, or lifestyle choice needs to be shared in a relationship
• The importance of having different people for different parts of your life
• How dating teaches you things about yourself that friendships or career never could

This conversation is honest, reflective, sometimes funny, and very real: about learning where your boundaries are, what you can live with, and what you shouldn’t try to “fix.”

This episode is part of our Dating Series, dedicated to our experiences around dating and relationships. As we talk about building our lives as young women abroad, personal life is just as important as career, professional connections, and integration. Dating, relationships, and the way we navigate them shape how we grow, what we learn, and who we become.

Enjoy the episode — and take a moment to reflect on your own non-negotiables 🤍

This episode is part of our Dating Series — a series dedicated to our dating experiences, because as we talk about building our lives as young women abroad, our personal life is just as important as our career, professional connections, and integration. Dating, relationships, and the way we navigate them are a big part of how we grow, what we learn, and who we become.

In this episode, we dive into expectations in dating, especially when dating abroad and navigating cultural differences in Austria. Tal interviews Elena about her dating journey as a Russian woman who moved to Vienna, and together we unpack how culture, upbringing, and personal values shape what we look for in relationships.

We talk about:

✨ the contrast between progressive career views and more traditional dating preferences

✨ what Austrian and European men often expect when dating foreign women

✨ how stereotypes, fantasies, and “the Russian girl image” influence dating dynamics

✨ emotional depth, effort, and what actually sustains a connection (vs. surface-level attraction)

✨ red flags like men who want the idea of someone, but not the emotional work behind it

✨ why consistency matters more than fireworks

✨ how our roles in relationships evolve as we grow more independent abroad

Elena also shares stories about three “main characters” of her Austrian dating experience — Mr. L.A. 🌴, Mr. Technician 🔨, and Mr. Cheese 🧀 — and what each of these connections taught her about needs, expectations, and emotional compatibility.

We reflect on how cultural background shapes dating styles, how quickly things can burn out, why slow and stable is underrated, and why not every exciting start leads to a meaningful relationship.

This is just the beginning of our Dating Series, and trust us, there is so much more to uncover 🤭