Episodes
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Tom 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
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Sonographer 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 Friends and Personal Growth
-Middle East Travel
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Follow @AbuDhabiMichelle on TikTok
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Super 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) teaching jobs
-The American Education system versus the French Education system
-Why Leila and her husband moved to Abu Dhabi
-Teaching university students abroad
-Starting a family, having babies, healthcare system in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
-Nursery Schools, Primary and Secondary education from a mom's perspective
-Mom and French communities to connect with
Connect with us on instagram @PopAbroad
Follow Michelle on TikTok @AbudhabiMichelle
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We 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 this episode we discuss:
-Finding English Teaching Jobs in Saudi Arabia, China and UAE
-Tourist VS Work Visas
-Accommodation Types in Saudi
-Health Insurance
-Comparing teacher salaries in the UAE, Saudi and China
-Teaching English to adults
-Islam and Culture
-Learning Arabic
Follow Jordell on Instagram
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Follow AbudhabiMichelle on TikTok
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Quitney 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 Insurance
-Fun Activities
-All about the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates
-Finding Friends
Follow Pop Abroad on Instagram
Follow AbudhabiMichelle on TikTok
Email [email protected] to connect or to join the show!
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Stephanie 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 Download
Timeout Abu Dhabi
The National News
Best Bites UAE
Connect with Stephanie on Instagram
Follow Pop Abroad on Instagram
Follow AbuDhabiMichelle on TikTok
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Shalyn 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 insta @popabroad
Follow me on tiktok @abudhabimichelle
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Elizabeth 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 hobbies to have in Abu Dhabi (Mad Rollers Roller Skating Community)
-Working with different cultures
Want to connect?
Follow us on insta @popabroad
Follow Lizzie @dizzielizzielou
Email us [email protected]
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Ellen 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 life
-Longterm Living in the UAE
-Real Estate Abroad
-Healthcare, banking
-Hobbies in Abu Dhabi
-Communities in Abu Dhabi (internations, girlgoneinternational)
Want to connect?
Follow our instagram @popabroad
Follow Ellen @ellamaddy
Email us [email protected]
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Lan 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 connect?
Follow us on instagram @popabroad
Follow Lan Ly on instagram @livingwithlanly
Follow @dotonherway for all things food, family and lifestyle in Abu Dhabi Facebook group Empowering Expat Teachers
Email [email protected] to join the show!
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Originally 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 (public relations officer) that is the go-to person at companies here that will help you smoothly transition at your new job
-Getting your visa, Emirates ID, bank account
-Car renting and buying
-Being American and loving credit card travel hacking
-American taxes as an expat
Want to connect?
Follow on instagram @popabroad
Follow Priya on insta @priyakan
Email [email protected] to join the show!
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Anne 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 offline events last year. More than just a network for people who are traveling, the mission of GGI is to create a community of women who support and empower each other to live anywhere, belong everywhere, and make a home wherever they are. In addition to publishing an e-zine that celebrates the lives that women are living overseas, their all-volunteer staff is focused on hosting real-world events to spark the connections that build community. In essence, they make the online and community collide in a meaningful way.
To learn more about Girl Gone International and read the latest issue of their e-zine, or to find a chapter near you, visit them on the web at https://www.girlgoneinternational.com. You can also check them out on social media: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected] Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
Instagram: girlgoneinternational -
Stephany 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 part of Global Shapers, Stephany's had a hand in driving the local community's mission of inspiring people under the age of 30 to work together to address local, regional and global challenges. Members in the local Hubs self-organize to create projects that address the needs of their community. Projects are as wide-ranging as their members are diverse - in expertise, education, income and race - and they are all united by a desire to bring about change.
Read all about Stephany's projects, including her "first passion," Phoenix Risen, on her website here. Or check in with her on social media: To learn more about Global Shapers and to find a Hub near you, visit them on the web at https://www.globalshapers.org/. You can also follow them on social media here: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected]. Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
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Few 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-parent recommendations, advice, and community-building activities such as educational talks, spa days, holiday parties, charity fundraisers, and family meet-ups, as well as their signature weekly "Parent Coffee Mornings." Many parents cite Shanghai Mamas as their key source to find their niche in the city, make lifelong friends, and manage the day to day confusion of living and parenting in Shanghai!
To learn more about Shanghai Mamas visit them on the web at shanghaimamas.org. You can also follow them on social media here: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected] Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
WeChat: "Shanghai Mamas Org" -
LinkedIn 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 discover LinkedIn Local, which is the longest-running campaign on the platform. Conceived as a way to help people bring their online connections into the real world in over 90 countries. Through offline events it helps people learn about "the person behind the profile" and build deeper, lasting relationships. Getting involved can be an incredibly powerful way to jump-start a person's professional network, as Tamar discovered when hers quickly "quadrupled" after she joined!
To learn more about LinkedIn Local and to find a chapter near you, visit them on the web at https://linkednlocal.com/. You can also follow them on social media here: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected]. Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
Website:linkednlocal.com -
Originally 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 valuable than an MBA program. Now, as the Lead of WeWork Labs in Shanghai and Co-director of the local Startup Grind chapter, she pays that support forward by helping new entrepreneurs navigate the local startup ecosystem and find success.
To learn more about Startup Grind and to find a chapter near you, visit them on the web at https://www.startupgrind.com. You can also follow them on social media here: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected] Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
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With 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 approach when it comes to local chapters - especially chapters in China - they do provide a platform for their activities. This provides communities with visibility for their offline events, as well as operational infrastructure; and the company's values offer a framework that they can operate within. For people on the ground, this means that chapters are organized with the aim of empowering members to help others before they help themselves, and to make real friendships instead of just making contacts.
To learn more about Startup Grind and to find a chapter near you, visit them on the web at https://www.startupgrind.com. You can also follow them on social media here: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected]. Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
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A 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 making the world a better place!
To learn more about Rotary International and to find a chapter near you, visit their website: https://www.rotary.org/en. You can also follow them on social media here: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected]. Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
WeChat: "Rotary" Website: rotary.org -
Shannon 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 communities that will help you plug-in to the local scene no matter where you are on the planet!
Learn more about Podcast Brunch Club, search for a chapter near you, and check out their Listening Lists here: https://podcastbrunchclub.com/. To get a taste of what a typical meet-up is like, you can listen in to the PBC Beijing chapter's meet-up where they discussed the "Understanding China" listening list over on Migratory Patterns, or in the PBC Podcast feed here. Follow PBC on all of the platforms: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected]. Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
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Australian 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 community members get fit, but it has provided pathways to personal and professional development for the volunteers, many of whom have gone on to open chapters in new cities when they move.
To learn more about FitFam and to find a group near you, visit them on the web at https://www.wefitfam.com. You can also follow them on social media here: Stay in touch and send us comments, suggestions or interview recommendations; we're on Instagram at @PopAbroad, or you can reach out by email: [email protected] Please take a moment to "Like" us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Google or wherever you get your podcasts... and subscribe!
WeChat: "FitFamChina" - Show more
