At the time of recording this episode, we had not released a podcast episode or posted ANYTHING on Taking Route for a solid nine months. Denise, Melissa, and Alicia certainly didn’t intend to go dark for so long, but we just so happened to all go through pretty intense seasons of life all at the same time. So, for this episode, we thought it might be a good idea to catch up with you guys and discuss something fun, something hard, and something hopeful we’ve each experienced over the last several months. We think you’ll all be able to relate and hopefully glean some truth to apply to your own life (or save for later when the hard season comes). 

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Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

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A quick Google search of “culture stress” will inform you there are phases to this phenomenon. One source summarizes it with the following four phases: fun, flight, fight, and fit. It’s important for you to know that EVERYONE experiences cultural stress to some degree while living in a foreign context. Knowing this fact and being aware of the phases of culture stress will help you recognize it more quickly, which then allows you to be better prepared, which also means you do not have to self-diagnose yourself as being a complete basket case. It will look different for each of us, but in this episode of It’s Tea Time Somewhere, we’ll be sharing stories of what each of these phases have looked like for us over the years. 

Mentioned in this Episode:

How McDonald’s Helped Me Recognize the 4 Phases of Culture Stress by Alicia Boyce   Is It Time to Go Home? (And How Do I Know?) by Denise James

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There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Are you thinking about moving to another country and wondering if you’re cut out for the expat life? If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode ASAP! If you’re a current expat, you’ll still want to listen because who among us has not continued to question if we’re cut out for this life? 😅🥴🤪

In this episode, we’ll discuss reasons NOT to move to another country—while also acknowledging how none of us were truly “ready” for the life we stepped into. The opportunity to CHOOSE to live outside your passport country is a great privilege. It’s an invitation to learn and grow, and it seems crazy to say anything but, “absolutely yes,” in response. However, before you buy a one way ticket and sell all your things, consider this episode an Expat Preparedness Manual we give you to assist in the decision-making process. 

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

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There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

In this episode, we’re celebrating the latest release of Liturgies and Laments for the Sojourner: Volume One, co-authored by Heather Fallis, Tamika Rybinski, and our very own Alicia Boyce. This book is the perfect companion for anyone who finds themselves living the life of a foreigner. It’s also a great resource for friends and family to reference when they want to pray more specifically for the sojourners they love. Denise, Melissa, and Alicia each discuss a couple of the prayers from the book that have resonated with them, and pair it with a personal story of why the prayer is so relatable. It’s so evident these prayers were written from a place of personal experience—you’ll feel like the authors have pulled the words straight from your own heart and mind. So, join us for another tea time chat and get yourself a copy of this Liturgies and Laments for the Sojourner if you don’t have it already!

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

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There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Most of us are probably familiar with the book, “Where There Is No Doctor.” It’s a medical manual available in more than 85 languages and provides practical, easily understood information on how to diagnose, treat, and prevent common injuries and illnesses. Of course, nowadays, folks are more likely to consult Google, WebMD, or send a quick WhatsApp message to their doctor friend to gather necessary information.

“Why not make an appointment and visit a doctor in town,” one might ask. Well, depending on where you live in the world, the solution may not be so simple. Having a medical emergency or getting really sick while living in a foreign context can feel very intimidating and scary. There’s often a language barrier to hurdle, and sometimes quality medical care is a long drive or plane ride away.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing some of our crazy “how did this happen??” medical stories, along with a few stories that really made us lean into our faith in the Lord.

A quick note: we want to acknowledge that some medical stories turn out much differently for people while living abroad. We want to hold space for those who’ve experienced loss while living in a foreign context and/or have needed to return to their passport country indefinitely because of a medical diagnosis. While we didn’t dive into that category of medical stories for this episode, it is a topic we’d like to cover in the future.

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

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There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Get monthly curated resources monthly via our newsletter.

Connect with Denise

Connect with Melissa 

Connect with Alicia 

In this episode, we’re doing our second round of “ask us anything.” We didn’t have time to cover all the questions, but we do discuss boundaries, hosting guests, our expat marriages, advice for our first year selves, emotional/mental health, and the most interesting gifts we received from our host culture friends. We also give some rapid-fire answers to questions about books, music, recipes and what we would buy if money and luggage weight weren’t an issue. Oh, and how good is your Victorian slang? Let’s find out via a pop quiz!

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

_______

There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Get monthly curated resources monthly via our newsletter.

Connect with Denise

Connect with Melissa 

Connect with Alicia 

We thought it might be time to do another Christmas episode since our last one was in the Year of Our Lord 2020. This time, we’re taking a look at the story of the birth of Jesus from Mary’s perspective. At first glance, we might not feel like we can relate to MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS THE MESSIAH. But we know she was a sojourner—an expat, if you will. So for this episode of It’s Tea Time Somewhere, Denise and Alicia will share four reflections about Mary’s experience which we, as expats, can find relatable. While Mary did know some of what was to come from the baby in her womb, there were many things she likely did not know in advance. 

And a Christmas episode would not be complete without listening to the angelic voice of Melissa. You won’t want to miss her new song she’s written and recorded just for the Taking Route community! While this song is not specific to Christmas, it pairs nicely with the experience of Mary uprooting herself and her child and moving to several locations. Your TCKs will especially enjoy this one. Also, have your tissues ready because they lyrics will tug on your heartstrings. 

P.S. Be sure to check out our show notes before listening to this episode. We have some questions for you to reflect on and “ponder in your heart” (in keeping with the Mary theme of this episode). It’s not necessary to answer these questions ahead of time, but it might enrich your listening experience.

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

_______

There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Get monthly curated resources monthly via our newsletter.

Connect with Denise

Connect with Melissa 

Connect with Alicia 

We don’t claim to be experts in this department, by any means, but we do have some experience with raising TCKs. You can treat this episode like a buffet line—take what you like, pass on the things you don’t. As Melissa said in this episode, “You’re smart parents. I’m sure you can figure out which ones to do and which ones to don’t."

Ultimately, we hope you feel encouraged after listening to this episode. God has given these children to you and you are the best person for them. No one knows them like you do.

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

_______

There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Get monthly curated resources monthly via our newsletter.

Connect with Denise

Connect with Melissa 

Connect with Alicia 

It’s been awhile since we’ve gathered for some tea time chatter, so we thought we’d spend an entire episode sharing stories from our life lately. For starters, we’ll be talking about ghost fish, roach infestations, and dengue. But we’ll also be talking about tattoos, hermit crabs, and what to do when life hands you a fish in a bag. Pour yourself a warm beverage because we’ve got a lot of catching up to do!

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

_______

There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Get monthly curated resources monthly via our newsletter.

Connect with Denise

Connect with Melissa 

Connect with Alicia 

What is rest? What does it look like—especially for those of us whose personal lives blend right into our work/ministry lives? How can we tell if we’re just exhausted or if we’ve tipped over into burnout or depression? These are a few of the questions we discuss in this second segment of “do’s and don’ts.” Don’t forget to check out our show notes for this episode for additional resources when it comes to rest.

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

_______

There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Get monthly curated resources monthly via our newsletter.

Connect with Denise

Connect with Melissa 

Connect with Alicia 

We’re doing a little series of “dos and don’ts” for the next few episodes. And we’re starting off with home assignments (aka: furlough, home leave, going back for a visit, etc.) Returning to your passport country holds wonderful opportunities to connect with family, friends, and our home culture. It also has a lot of stressful elements. On this episode, Alicia, Melissa, and Denise talk about going back on home assignment and they share a few do’s and don’ts based off personal experiences. So go ahead and make yourself some tea or coffee and get comfy. Get ready to take some notes so you’ll be prepared for your next trip back to your homeland.

Check out our show notes for links to all the things we talked about in this episode.

_______

There are so many ways to get involved in our community.

Join us on Instagram. 

Interact with other expats on our private Facebook group. 

Search for expat articles on our blog.

Get monthly curated resources monthly via our newsletter.

Connect with Denise

Connect with Melissa 

Connect with Alicia