In diplomatic life, there’s often a third presence in every relationship - the job. It doesn’t clock out at 5 p.m., it joins you at dinner, shapes your weekends, and sometimes even decides your plans for you. From last-minute crises to work dinners and representational housing, the boundaries between personal and professional life can blur until they almost disappear.

In this episode, we explore:

• How to navigate the constant presence of your partner’s work in your relationship
• What to do when official duties clash with personal plans
• How to manage feelings of frustration, disappointment, or invisibility
• Practical ways to set boundaries, communicate needs, and reconnect as a couple outside of the job
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This is about learning to live with it in a way that honours both partners, keeps connection alive, and protects your relationship from becoming a posting casualty.

ASK your questions on our anonymous link: https://tally.so/r/nP7zO5

🎧 Connect with your hosts:

Anna – Instagram: @notjustaspouse | notjustaspouse.com | anna@notjustaspouse.com

Emma – Instagram: @thezestielife | emma@zestie.org | zestie.carrd.co

In diplomatic life, money often sits quietly in the background, tied up in allowances, benefits, and hard to reach systems that can leave one partner holding all the control. But financial dependency isn’t just about income; it’s about access, autonomy, and feeling empowered to make choices for yourself.

In this conversation, we explore:

• What financial dependency really looks like for diplomatic spouses
• Why transparency and shared decision-making around money matter
• How to build systems that support fairness- joint accounts, personal spending, savings, and emergency funds
• Ways to create confidence and independence around finances, even when your own income isn’t the main one

This is about awareness, equality, and reclaiming your sense of power and security in a life that often revolves around someone else’s posting.

ASK your questions on our anonymous link: https://tally.so/r/nP7zO5

🎧 Connect with your hosts:

Anna – Instagram: @notjustaspouse | notjustaspouse.com | anna@notjustaspouse.com

Emma – Instagram: @thezestielife | emma@zestie.org | zestie.carrd.co

In diplomatic life, your social world often starts with your partner’s role: embassy events, official receptions, and colleagues who quickly become your default circle. But what happens when your friendships feel more like extensions of your partner’s career than your own? And how do you build a social life that feels like yours in a world where everything is transient and dependent on someone else’s posting?

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why so much of your social network flows through your partner’s role
• The emotional toll of relying on embassy circles as your main source of connection
• Building friendships beyond the diplomatic bubble

This is about embracing the embassy community AND finding balance, independence, and friendships that feel authentic inside and outside of embassy life.

ASK your questions on our anonymous link; https://tally.so/r/nP7zO5

🎧 Connect with your hosts:

Anna – Instagram: @notjustaspouse | notjustaspouse.com | anna@notjustaspouse.com

Emma – Instagram: @thezestielife | emma@zestie.org | zestie.carrd.co