Americans abroad get a lot of crap, but do we really deserve it? This week on Packing Up & Peacing Out, Lili and Taylor discuss the realities of being Americans abroad when everyone thinks we are too loud and or too ignorant. This topic can get interesting, especially given the news and realities happening in the US, and Taylor and Lili don’t hold back what they really think about it.

Also, Diane and Kelly pop in for another segment of Call Your Mother!

Whether you're an American considering a move abroad, already living overseas, or just curious about the expat experience, this episode offers honest insights into navigating the world with one of the most recognizable (and sometimes controversial) passports.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

Ever wondered what happens when a British girl swaps rainy Manchester for sunny Australia? This week, we're exploring life in Oz as an Au Pair dealing with a breakup.

Join Taylor and Lili as they welcome their special guest Emma from @EmmaNicoleTravels - from navigating the au pair life (spoiler: it's not always the dream job Instagram makes it look like) to experiencing the rollercoaster of dating and heartbreak in a foreign country, Emma's story will have you laughing, nodding, and maybe booking a one-way ticket Down Under.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The REAL tea about being an au pair abroad

• What dating looks like when you're a British expat in Australia (and how to survive a gut-wrenching breakup thousands of miles from home)

• Behind-the-scenes insights into building a travel brand from scratch and monetizing social media

• The unexpected foods Emma misses from the UK

• Updates from Taylor's Prague life and Lili's London adventures

Whether you're dreaming of moving abroad, curious about the au pair experience, or just love hearing stories from fellow expats, this episode delivers the unfiltered reality of building a life in another hemisphere.

Follow Emma: https://www.instagram.com/emmanicoletravels/

https://www.tiktok.com/@emmanicoletravels

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Not everyone is cut out for immigrant or expat life, and your personality might be the deciding factor between thriving abroad or… booking the next flight home?

In this episode, Taylor and Lili tackle the question everyone's too afraid to ask: "Is my personality actually suited for living in another country?" Lili confesses to how she used to care WAY too much, while Taylor reveals how a year in Prague transformed her in unexpected ways.

You'll discover:

• Which personality types struggle abroad (and which ones thrive)

• The brutal reality of the "loud American" stereotype

• How celebrating birthdays, job hunting, and making friends tests every aspect of your character

• The personality traits that help for surviving your first year

• Whether introverts or extroverts have an easier time

Before you sell everything and buy that one-way ticket, listen to this episode and ask yourself: "Am I really built for this life, or am I just having a quarter-life crisis?"

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

So you want to move abroad but haven't gone all the way... with a visa application yet? Don't worry, the first time is always a little awkward, but we're here to help you through it!

Welcome to this week's episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out where Taylor and Lili are getting intimate with the topic everyone's curious about but afraid to ask: how to get that very first visa to live abroad.

In this episode, we're breaking down the 5 best "starter visas" for people looking to make their first international move. From the commitment-light fling of a Working Holiday to the long-term relationship of a Partner Visa, we're covering all your options for legally shacking up in a foreign country.

You'll learn about:

• Student Visas: The classic "I'm just here to learn" approach that works in almost every country (and might lead to something more serious!)

• Working Holiday Visas: The casual summer romance of visas- fun, exciting, but with a definite expiration date (typically for those 18-30)

• Partner Visas: When your relationship status literally determines your visa status- Taylor shares her hilarious story of the foreign police randomly showing up to verify her relationship was "real" (awkward!)

• Digital Nomad/Freelance Visas: For the independent types who don't want to be tied down to one employer (but still need to prove you can support yourself)

• Cultural Exchange Visas: The "live with the locals" experience, perfect for au pairs and those on a budget (but expect some curfews and house rules!)

Whether you're dreaming of Prague's cobblestone streets, London's busy pubs, or a beach in Bali, this episode will help you understand which visa might be your ticket to that first international adventure. Remember, everyone was a visa virgin once, even us!

Check out this comprehensive guide to digital nomad and freelance visas in Europe: https://wherecani.live/digital-nomads-the-self-employed-and-visas-in-europe/

Going to Grad School in Europe- Simplifying the Application Process: https://www.arichwomansworld.com/blog/how-to-simplify-your-grad-school-applications-for-the-uk-amp-europe

Working Holiday in Australia Guide: https://www.arichwomansworld.com/blog/working-holiday-visa-australia-guide

Have you already lost your visa virginity on one of these pathways? We'd love to hear your story! Message us on Instagram to potentially be featured on a future episode.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Tags: first time visas, how to move abroad, expat visas for Americans, working holiday visa, digital nomad visa, student visa abroad, partner visa experience, cultural exchange programs, legal ways to move overseas, visa options for expats

Ever scrolled past those Instagram posts of people working poolside in Bali and wondered if it's actually achievable? This week, we're pulling back the curtain on the digital nomad lifestyle with someone who's mastered it!

Join Taylor and Lili as they interview Paige Copeland, founder of Becoming Solo and digital nomad extraordinaire. After hitting rock bottom, Paige completely transformed her life by embracing location independence—and now helps others do the same through her thriving business organizing group trips for solo travelers.

In this eye-opening conversation, you'll discover:

• The raw, unfiltered story of how Paige's lowest moment became the catalyst for her digital nomad journey

• The surprising challenges of the laptop lifestyle that Instagram doesn't show you

• How Paige turned her passion for solo travel into a successful business venture

• The practical steps to transition from a traditional career to location independence

• Why solo travel is genuinely transformative (and not just a trendy hashtag)

• Whether Paige would ever consider moving back to the UK after years of global living

Whether you're dreaming of escaping the 9-5, curious about building a location-independent business, or simply fascinated by alternative lifestyles, this episode delivers honest insights and actionable advice from someone who's living the reality—not just the highlight reel.

Follow Paige

Follow Becoming Solo

Join a Becoming Solo Trip

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star review! Your support helps more people discover our podcast.

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

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Tags: digital nomad lifestyle, location independent work, solo travel for women, travel creator, travel entrepreneur, digital nomad income, starting travel business, remote work abroad, female digital nomads, group travel business, expat entrepreneurs

Remember that first day of kindergarten when making friends was as simple as sharing a crayon? Fast forward to moving abroad as an adult, and suddenly you're back to square one… except this time, your mom isn't there to give you a reassuring hug before she leaves!

In this episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out, Taylor and Lili tackle one of the biggest challenges of expat life: building meaningful friendships from scratch in a foreign country. From awkward language barriers to navigating cultural differences in social norms, we're sharing our unfiltered experiences of friend-dating abroad.

You'll hear about:

• Lili's wild story of how a potential "friend" turned into her dedicated internet troll (and the red flags she missed)

• Taylor's close call with befriending a certain type of "supporter" and Lili's similar experience

• Our honest review of expat meetups, language exchanges, apps, and sports clubs—what actually worked and what wasn’t for us

• The surprising places we found our closest friends abroad

• Timeline for turning acquaintances into genuine friends when you're starting from zero

Whether you've just landed in a new country or you're still struggling to find your people years into expat life, this episode delivers practical strategies and relatable stories to help you build the support system you need abroad.

Have your own friendship abroad story to share? DM us on Instagram @packuppeaceout we may feature it in an upcoming episode!

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Tags: making friends abroad, expat friendships, building community overseas, expat loneliness, social life abroad, American expats, friend dating, immigrant friendships, international friendships, expat social groups, overcoming loneliness abroad, friendship apps for expats

Ever dreamt of falling in love with a frenchie? Welp, what happens when the red wine and cigarettes of it all fades, and you need to do some french bureaucracy… tragique!

This episode of Packing Up & Peacing Out with Lili and Taylor is our first ever guest episode and we’re so excited to be joined by Celina of @celinaacotedeparis. Celina’s story is a whirlwind that started with a stint in Paris, a stint in London, and now living outside of Paris (where the real Parisiens live) with her logterm french partner.

Since Taylor and Lili are both in international relationships, but having very different stories, we wanted to ask Celina about her experience. We get into the first meeting and romantic story, how paperwork can get in the way, what its like having French in laws, and why in the end they are just guys. Whether you're an expat already dating internationally, dreaming of finding love abroad, or just curious about cross-cultural relationships, this episode delivers the honest conversation about dating abroad that guidebooks never mention!

Listen now for the dish on dating Europeans we all wish we'd had before moving abroad!

Follow Celina on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@celinaacotedeparis On Insta: https://www.instagram.com/celinaacotedeparis

Her Site: https://celinatolbert.com/

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

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"But how will you live there if you don't speak the language?!" Every expat or immigrant has heard this question… and in this episode, we're tackling it head-on!

Join Lili and Taylor as they dive into the real struggles and surprising wins of navigating life in countries where English isn't the primary language. Lili reveals her humbling experience living in Spain despite years of classroom Spanish (spoiler: she could barely order a beer), while Taylor shares her Czech Republic journey and whether learning Czech is worth the effort.

In this episode:

• The honest truth about whether you NEED to learn the local language to thrive abroad

• How language barriers impact your ability to build authentic friendships

• Our tried-and-tested language learning methods that actually work for busy adults

• The unexpected emotional impact of not understanding conversations around you

• Practical tips for surviving daily life when you're still learning (grocery shopping, doctor visits, bureaucracy)

Whether you're considering a move to a non-English speaking country or already struggling with language immersion, this episode delivers actionable strategies and real talk about what it's actually like on the ground.

Listen now for the language learning advice we wish we'd had before moving abroad!

Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/packuppeaceout/

Follow Lili: https://www.instagram.com/arichwomansworld

Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylortakesprague

Tags: language learning abroad, expat language barriers, living in non-English countries, learning Czech, Spanish for expats, language immersion, American expats in Europe, language learning apps, cultural adaptation, moving abroad, expat dating, language learning tips, immigrant problems