Pop Abroad
29 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingExpats from all backgrounds and industries share stories of their move from their home countries to the United Arab Emirates, specifically Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Teacher, Traveler and Homeowner in Dubai | Tom Streppel
April 25, 2023 15:34 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBTom Streppel, a teacher originally from the Netherlands has lived in Spain, China, Malaysia and now Dubai where he has purchased his first piece of property. On this episode we chat: -Working in China compared to the UAE -Getting paid in Euro and local currency -How and why to buy an apartment in Dubai (deposit, location and contracts) -Making friends and finding your social circle in Dubai -Clothing and dressing modestly in the UAE and Middle East -Weather in Dubai and Abu Dhabi F...
From South Africa to Working in Healthcare in Abu Dhabi | Adrienne Katombela
March 21, 2023 15:17 - 40 minutes - 37.8 MBSonographer and Radiographer Adrienne Katombela has been working in healthcare for over a decade. She has always wanted to live abroad so she made the move from Johannesburg, South Africa to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She studied radiography and ultrasound in postgrad at the University of Johannesburg. In this episode we discuss: -Contracts and Finding a Job -Housing -Benefits of Working in Healthcare Abroad -Tax Free UAE -Work Environments at Different Hospitals -Finding Frien...
French Language Teacher in Abu Dhabi | Leila Sammou
March 14, 2023 15:20 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBSuper mom and super teacher, Leila Sammou has been working abroad for a decade in Morocco, USA and now the UAE. She has made Abu Dhabi her home and has grown her family from two to four since her move to the Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She is a language teacher by trade and speaks multiple languages, loves traveling, music and more. On this episode we chat: -French as a foreign language abroad -Working as a translator and teacher -Resources to find language (Spanish, German, French) ...
University English Instructor in Saudi Arabia | Jordell Bynum
February 21, 2023 12:59 - 51 minutes - 47.7 MBWe are changing it up for this special episode. Saudi Arabia, or the Kingdom is a neighbor of the United Arab Emirates and are often confused but for this episode we wanted to give you some information on this country and how it compares to the UAE. Jordell Bynum, originally from North Carolina USA, Jordell has taught English in Shanghai, China, Miami, USA, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and now in Saudi Arabia. He has a passion for learning and understanding new cultures and languages. In th...
American Elementary School Teacher in Abu Dhabi | Quitney Price
February 14, 2023 08:17 - 44 minutes - 41.2 MBQuitney Price, from Hawaii USA has been a teacher in Hawaii, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. She has degrees in Education and is currently teaching the 5th grade at an American international (private) school in Abu Dhabi. In this episode we chat -Applying to schools abroad -The Attestation Process (#1 thing you need to do after getting the job offer) -4.5 Day Work Week and UAE Laws -School Curriculums -Teacher Salaries in the UAE -Housing -Vacation Time -Medical/Dental/Vision ...
British Diplomat in Abu Dhabi | Stephanie Shaw
February 07, 2023 12:24 - 53 minutes - 50 MBStephanie Shaw, originally from Liverpool, is on her third posting on behalf of the British Civil Service here in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Her first posting was in Beijing, China then Delhi, India and now Stephy calls Abu Dhabi home. In this podcast episode we discuss: -Her First Post (Job Role) in Beijing -Salaries as a Civil Servant -Apartment Hunting in Abu Dhabi -Communities & Mental Health Abroad Privilee -Learning Arabic -Driving in Abu Dhabi -Adopting a Pet Abroad -Best UAE Apps to ...
University & Guidance Counselor in Dubai | Shalyn Tharayil
January 31, 2023 15:59 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBShalyn Tharayil from California, USA has worked in university and guidance counseling in a high school setting since 2014. She has been a counselor in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and now Dubai In this episode we discuss: -Working at an international or private school abroad -Types of counselors abroad -Websites to find a job in counseling abroad -Salaries -Savings abroad -American taxes -Self-care in Dubai -Shalyn's TikTok supporting students Want to connect? Follow us on in...
Nursing in Abu Dhabi | Elizabeth Craig
January 24, 2023 17:31 - 46 minutes - 43.2 MBElizabeth Craig, has worked as a nurse for many years. Most of her nursing career has been with the NHS in the UK but due to her love of travel, Lizzie has made the move to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to work at one of the more reputable hospitals. In this episode we discuss -Nursing recruitment process in the UK and Ireland -Nurse contracts & benefits -Accommodation -Communities in Abu Dhabi -Feeling homesick and lonely -Fostering cats and helping Reem Island Cats -Active hobbi...
Working in Hospitality in Abu Dhabi | Ellen Aichelmann
January 17, 2023 12:27 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBEllen Aichelmann, originally from Germany has worked in hospitality since 2009. She has worked in London, China and now Abu Dhabi. Starting at the Kempinski hotel group and now working for Hong-Kong based luxury hotel brand, the Rosewood, Ellen studied hospitality in Switzerland and has since navigated her way around the world working in sales & marketing. In this episode we discuss; -Finding a job in hospitality -Navigating salaries abroad -How expensive Abu Dhabi can be -China VS UAE...
American Middle School Math Teacher in Abu Dhabi | Lan Ly
January 10, 2023 12:55 - 54 minutes - 50.9 MBLan Ly, a Vietnamese-American born and raised in Ft. Worth, Texas has made the leap to move to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to teach middle school math. Abu Dhabi is Lan's first home abroad and it has been a wild ride. In this episode we discuss -Her move from Texas USA to Abu Dhabi -What credentials are needed to teach in Abu Dhabi -Resources to find a teaching job in the UAE - The perks of teaching in Abu Dhabi -American taxes abroad -Falling in love abroad Want to con...
From NYC to Working in Global Health in Abu Dhabi | Priya Kanayson
January 03, 2023 13:46 - 57 minutes - 53 MBOriginally from California, Priya Kanayson, a Manager at one of the first Global Health Institutes in the United Arab Emirates shares her journey from her life working and living in New York City to her new home, Abu Dhabi. An NYU graduate, Priya lived and worked in NYC for 9 years after deciding to make the move to the Middle East. In this episode we discuss -Her move from NYC to Abu Dhabi -Job platforms for the global health industry -Negotiating contracts and salary ranges -The PRO ...
Community 13: Girl Gone International | Anne Scott
December 24, 2019 09:00 - 46 minutes - 64.2 MBAnne Scott was a digital nomad before the term existed; a "Digital Nomad 1.0" she likes to say. One day in 2010 she looked up and realized that she'd lived in 10 countries in 10 years and that she felt at home on the road. She founded Girl Gone International (GGI) to help her connect with other women who were navigating life while living outside of their home countries. Today, GGI has several hundred thousand members in nearly 200 cities around the world who hosted more than 3,000 free offli...
Community 14: Girl Gone International | Anne Scott
December 24, 2019 09:00 - 46 minutes - 64.2 MBAnne Scott was a digital nomad before the term existed; a "Digital Nomad 1.0" she likes to say. One day in 2010 she looked up and realized that she'd lived in 10 countries in 10 years and that she felt at home on the road. She founded Girl Gone International (GGI) to help her connect with other women who were navigating life while living outside of their home countries. Today, GGI has several hundred thousand members in nearly 200 cities around the world who hosted more than 3,000 free offli...
Community 13: Global Shapers | Stephany Zoo
December 17, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 33.8 MBStephany Zoo is one of the young people working on supporting economic and entrepreneurial development in Africa. She's on the ground bridging the gaps between the people and the forces driving African economies and China. Currently splitting her time between Nairobi, Cape Town and China, she is the outgoing Curator of the Global Shapers Shanghai II Hub, a multi-stakeholder community born out the World Economic Forum which boasts almost 9,000 "Shapers" in 400 Hubs across 150 countries. As a ...
Community 12: Global Shapers | Stephany Zoo
December 17, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 33.8 MBStephany Zoo is one of the young people working on supporting economic and entrepreneurial development in Africa. She's on the ground bridging the gaps between the people and the forces driving African economies and China. Currently splitting her time between Nairobi, Cape Town and China, she is the outgoing Curator of the Global Shapers Shanghai II Hub, a multi-stakeholder community born out the World Economic Forum which boasts almost 9,000 "Shapers" in 400 Hubs across 150 countries. As a ...
Community 11: Shanghai Mamas | Melanie Ham
December 10, 2019 09:00 - 37 minutes - 51.3 MBFew things are more frightening to migrants than giving birth outside of their home country. This is what led Melanie Ham and a few other mothers in Shanghai in the mid-2000s, to connect and build community. What began as a small clutch of expat women with babies and toddlers looking for companionship and reassurance, has exploded into Shanghai Mamas, a diverse city-wide organization with over 17,000 parents and multiple events per day. Their members connect online and offline for parent-to-...
Community 12: Shanghai Mamas | Melanie Ham
December 10, 2019 09:00 - 37 minutes - 51.3 MBFew things are more frightening to migrants than giving birth outside of their home country. This is what led Melanie Ham and a few other mothers in Shanghai in the mid-2000s, to connect and build community. What began as a small clutch of expat women with babies and toddlers looking for companionship and reassurance, has exploded into Shanghai Mamas, a diverse city-wide organization with over 17,000 parents and multiple events per day. Their members connect online and offline for parent-to-...
Community 11: Qmmunity | Gabby Gabriel
December 03, 2019 09:00 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBWhen Gabby Gabriel arrived in Shanghai, she couldn't find any other LGBTQ people to hang out with. Even in China's most socially progressive, outward-looking city, life for queer people is difficult. Conservatism still rules in the wider culture, so many are forced to live either closeted or very cautiously. Faced with the need to make friends and armed with a recognition of the growing queer population's rising economic influence, she has devised a social enterprise solution to not just her...
Community 10: LinkedIn Local | Tamar Hela
November 26, 2019 09:00 - 41 minutes - 57.4 MBLinkedIn Local: a community to bring online connections offline with chapters in over 600 cities. Co-President of the Shanghai chapter of LinkedIn Local, Tamar Hela has been living overseas since she was 23. After studying in Spain and starting her own business, she spent time as a digital nomad, eventually making a swing back to her home in California where she switched to teaching and then made the move over to China. A training session on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile led her to d...
Community 9: Startup Grind, Part 2 | Rebecca Liang
November 19, 2019 10:52 - 31 minutes - 43.2 MBOriginally from Hefei, China, Rebecca Liang migrated to Shanghai where she became an entrepreneur. And then her company failed spectacularly. She was jobless, homeless and went through a bad breakup. Rebecca walks us through the story of her first venture, how it seemed like a cant-miss opportunity, and then how, in the aftermath, the Startup Grind community, along with the entrepreneurs that she worked with in her subsequent job at WeWork, gave her support and mentorship that was more valua...
Community 8: Startup Grind, Part 1 | Sabrina Benioudren
November 12, 2019 09:00 - 27 minutes - 38.3 MBWith a presence in 600 cities across 125 countries, and boasting over 2 million members, for entrepreneurs in the tech space, or anyone who is interested in the tech industry, Google-supported Startup Grind is a great way to no only meet like-minded people, but to help get plugged in to the local startup ecosystem wherever you are. Sabrina Benioudren, founder of the student chapter at Renmin University, and Co-director of the Beijing chapter, says that while Google takes a mostly hands-off a...
Community 7: Rotary International | Rita Malvone
November 05, 2019 09:00 - 47 minutes - 65.5 MBA global community that gives back to communities through volunteering and fundraising projects. Rita Malvone is one of those folks. For people like her who want to dig deeper into the place where they live and who want to give back, Rotary Club has just what you're looking for. As Rita explains, people who get involved in Rotary's service projects find their lives enriched in incredibly fulfilling ways, AND that they're a part of a global network of like-minded people who are committed to m...
Community 6: Podcast Brunch Club | Shannon Martin
October 29, 2019 09:00 - 37 minutes - 51.2 MBShannon Martin has been living abroad for years. Ever since she convinced her employer to let her work remotely and she fell in love with the #ExpatLife in Spain, she's never felt the pull to go back "home." Today she's a successful content manager and PR pro who is also the organizer of the Shanghai branch of Podcast Brunch Club, a global community for people who love on-demand audio. "It's like book club, but for podcasts!" PBC is probably one of the most open, welcoming and easy-to-join c...
Community 5: FitFam | Vy Vu
October 22, 2019 09:00 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MBAustralian Vy Vu set up FitFam, "A free fitness community that is accessible to all." They offer free workout classes to people of all fitness levels taught by volunteer instructors, and the idea has taken off. FitFam classes are now taught at 35 locations across the city, along with multiple locations in another 9 cities in 7 countries and regions. She discusses how she has built and runs what has now become a multinational non-profit, and how its founding principles have not only helped co...
Community 4: InterNations | Catalina Calin
October 15, 2019 09:00 - 27 minutes - 23.6 MBOne of the largest expat-focused organizations in the world, InterNations often serves as a "landing pad" for young professionals when they move to a new city abroad. This week, Romanian-born Catalina Calin, local ambassador in Shanghai (one of the 420+ cities worldwide with a local chapter), talks about how a local community of volunteers sharing their knowledge and experience with new arrivals can help to alleviate loneliness and demystify the acclimation process. To learn more about the ...
Community 3: IPWS | Amanda Argentieri
October 08, 2019 09:00 - 31 minutes - 43.1 MBAre you in China and want to develop yourself professionally? Where do you turn for mentoring? Who can call out the pitfalls and obstacles as you try to advance your career? Amanda Argentieri, President of the International Professional Women's Society (IPWS) talks about her work leading a volunteer-run platform for dynamic women with diverse professional backgrounds to help them connect through events that build networks, foster personal growth, and enable professional development. To lear...
Community 2: Lean In | Roberta Basso
October 01, 2019 09:00 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MBThis week we're discussing women in leadership with Roberta Basso, International Manager for Lean In China. She traces her path from Southern Italy to the Netherlands to China to Dubai, where she found herself as the only woman on a team of engineers in the industrial sector, and then again in the software industry. So how do you find your way as an expat when you're a minority (foreigner) within a minority (a woman), dealing prejudice and assimilation issues? She talks about the tools that ...
Community 1: SASS.C (Sweat & Social Sisters) | Kelly Olver
September 24, 2019 09:00 - 38 minutes - 35.9 MBDo you like sweating and being social? South African-born and New Zealand-raised Kelly Olver shares her story of being an ex-flight attendant gym rat who has created a fitness community for women in Shanghai, called SASS.C. The idea came about as she searched for a way to combine her passion for staying in shape with her desire to find spaces where women could connect with each other. The results have been lots of sweaty empowering fun! To learn more about SASS.C and see what they're up to,...
Welcome to Pop Abroad!
September 20, 2019 10:41 - 2 minutes - 3.07 MBSo you've made the leap. You're living overseas; living the dream. Now what? Once the honeymoon period ends, and friends back home stop being excited and impressed by your courageous leap to find your fortune in a foreign land, things start to get real. How do you build a life overseas? How do you thrive? Michelle Ibarra, APAC & Oceania Community Manager for Girl Gone International, interviews the women who are killing it overseas to learn how they did it. Season 1 is all about community- wh...