Some people seem to glow in this lifestyle, no matter the posting, the upheaval, or the uncertainty. Giulia is one of those people. With multiple relocations, drawdowns, representational roles, motherhood across continents, and an evolving career, she has not only navigated diplomatic life… she has thrived in it.

In this episode, we explore the “magic formula” behind how she does it:

- How Giulia maintained her sense of identity while supporting a partner’s career

- How she navigates raising children across borders.

- The boundaries and daily practices, rituals, and choices that keep her grounded, confident, and connected

-AND most importantly what her one magic ingredient is to thrive in this lifestyle

This episode is a warm, honest look into what it really takes to flourish as a diplomatic spouse.

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

Moving to a new country can make you feel like you’ve been dropped into someone else’s life overnight. In those early months, everything is unfamiliar and yet, one of the biggest determinants of your wellbeing is also the hardest to prioritise: friendship.

As adults, making friends isn’t effortless anymore. It takes energy, vulnerability and timing. And when you’re settling into a new posting, it can feel both essential and overwhelming.

In this episode, we explore:

-Why adult friendships feel harder to build — especially when your identity is in transition

-The role of community in grounding you emotionally during those first few months abroad

-Why finding “your people” matters for your sense of belonging, confidence, and stability

-What stops us from prioritising friendships even when we’re craving connection

-How to build friendships that feel genuine, supportive, and long-lasting.

This episode is an honest look at the emotional reality of starting over and a guide to finding the people who make your new country feel like a life, not just a location.

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, this question can bubble under the surface for a long time and pops up every now and again. How much longer can we keep doing this? Whether it’s the desire to stay in one place, return home, or finally prioritise stability, knowing when “enough is enough” can feel impossibly complex.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why deciding to stay, move, or go home is such an emotional and layered choice
• The internal conflicts between loyalty, love, identity, and personal wellbeing
• Reflection prompts to help you explore what you actually want
• Practical tools to help you find confidence and peace in your decision - whatever it may be

This is about tuning in. It’s about finding the courage to ask honest questions, trust your intuition, and define what a sustainable and fulfilling life looks like for you and your family.

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

One of the hardest parts of diplomatic life is the distance it creates - not just from places, but from people. As you move from posting to posting, the friendships and family ties that once felt effortless suddenly require intention, creativity, and emotional resilience.

In this episode, we explore:

- Why communication patterns shift when you move abroad and how to adapt with compassion

- How to nurture the friendships that mean the most—without pressure or guilt

- What to do when you can’t make every wedding, birthday, or family event

This is all about giving yourself grace and compassion and just knowing that you're doing the best you possibly can.

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, 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

As summer travel wraps up and school schedules kick in, September often feels like the real New Year for families. It’s a chance to reset, find your new routines, and reclaim a sense of independence in a life that’s often dictated by someone else’s posting, schedule, or demands.

In this conversation, we unpack:

• Why September feels like a natural reset in diplomatic life
• How to create routines and new habits that give you more space for you
• Different tools on how we can change the way we see ourselves to feel more empowered, motivated and actually have more success wherever you are in the world

This isn’t about perfection or rigid schedules it’s about building habits and routines that support your independence, your family, and your well-being, no matter where your posting takes you.

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