Episode 57: Expanding Horizons: From Singapore to the World

[00:00:00]

Rachel: Welcome to Truly Ex Pat podcast. I'm Rachel.

Paula: and I'm Paula and we're so excited to introduce our brand new format.

Rachel: That's right. Uh, what started as a podcast focus on expat life in Singapore is now expanding worldwide.

Paula: But that's not all. We'll continue to dive into the big topics that expats face.

Rachel: We have got something exciting brewing, which we'll delve into later on in this podcast.

Rachel: No matter where you are in your expat journey, we're here to inform, inspire and connect. 

So let's get started.

Paula: So welcome back, Rachel.

Rachel: Yeah, and you too.

Paula: Yeah, so I think, um, this is a little different to what we normally do. We're just here to have a chat.

Paula: Um, and we're about to tell you all about this, all, we've got so many exciting things. I'm just rattling on now because I've got so many exciting things to tell. And the first thing I guess [00:01:00] we want to talk about is this year is a little different.

Rachel: Yes, we decided that although we love Singapore, um, it's not the only country in the world that does. Have a lot of expat postings. There are so many other lovely countries and most expats do end up in these other countries and we thought it would be fun to have a focus, perhaps, on other places and how it works there.

Paula: Yeah, and I think because we get a lot of, uh, interest from other countries and they ask us a lot of questions, a lot of people want to come on to the podcast and we've unfortunately had to say no in the past.

Paula: This year we're going to say yes. So we're bringing on a whole lot of international guests onto the podcast. And because we've both been. Expats in so many different countries have lots of connections in different countries. So it's exciting I'm really I'm actually really pumped because although a lot of the Podcasts [00:02:00] we've done in the last year is all specific to Singapore We are now, 

Rachel: branching out.

Paula: Yeah, we're branching out because we what excites me is there's a lot of subjects that we can relate to everywhere in the world,

Rachel: Yeah. 

Paula: things like

Rachel: Retirement.

Paula: Yeah

Rachel: Most of our friends are looking at retiring, soon, if it's in the next 10, 15 years. Or, you know, it could be less than that.

Rachel: And what it's like to, to retire in a different country, perhaps after being so far away, you don't feel so connected to your home country. And perhaps you just want something similar to see. Singapore or Asia or, or perhaps Europe or, you know, so,

Paula: So we've got a lot of guests, right, that are coming on to talk about them, them, themselves retiring in these certain countries. We also have repatriation.

Rachel: Yeah, we have repatriation. And also we have, I mean, it's not all happiness, is it? [00:03:00] Um, we have , people who might be facing divorce in other countries and how to manage that, uh, financial side of that.

Paula: Yeah, so they're kind of things that are kind of abroad, you know, like that can be anywhere in the world But there are also heaps of exciting stuff, right?

Paula: So we're talking to people who are actually living in certain countries from New York to Madeira Um, what it's like to live in those particular countries and questions we may have for them.

Rachel: Yeah. Even Mexico.

Paula: Yeah, we've got, I mean, we've got so many exciting places, uh, and, and you know what, if, if you know of a place that you think you'd like to chat about, happy for you to reach out.

Paula: I'm happy to have a conversation and we'll ask you all the questions that we think we need you to know when you first move to a place. But again, if you've got questions for us, for those people, throw them in, you know, send us in, in. And let us know.

Rachel: Yeah.[00:04:00]

Paula: That's, I mean, that's really exciting. But then we have something even more exciting.

Paula: Um, we are going to launch. 

Rachel: a new podcast. 

Paula: So if you haven't already got sick of listening to our voices, then this is where you need to be. If you like to travel, because I think by now people know that Rachel and I love to travel. And we've been both in the industry for a little while. or, Rachel longer than me.

Paula: That it's now time to talk about travel. So we're going to, I'm not going to tell you too much because it's a little bit of a secret, but there's, there's a lot of stuff happening in that space. But also Rachel, what do you want to tell everyone?

Rachel: Well, I just started. a new venture. Uh, I am now officially a travel advisor.

Paula: Yeah.

Rachel: So, uh, it's something I have done a lot of in my past, the last [00:05:00] 25 years in the travel industry. And now I've sort of just branched out on my own and, um, yeah, and I'm booking all these wonderful people's itineraries.

Rachel: It's just doing amazing things for my brain. I'm like, all of these amazing places that they're going and, um, and I can get them off the beaten track on

Paula: So tell me though, um, , what is a travel advisor for someone who doesn't know?

Rachel: Okay. So I guess you could say the easiest way to describe me as a travel agent, um, I curate a travel path for you to go from, A to B.

Rachel: But, uh, there's lots of stops in between and I organize all of that. So how you get somewhere, if you want something quite, uh, elaborate, or if you want something simple, I can,, organize it for you. And the reason why you would pick [00:06:00] me is that, If you don't have,, time to book your travel or perhaps you aren't feeling inspired about the place where you want to go and you want to include these places, um, or if you just don't know how to book, there are certain places like Japan who have a different language and it's hard to get into those places.

Rachel: I can help with all of those types of

Rachel: trip, Or maybe it's just your bucket list trip and you want to go to Antarctica. Those sort of things. I can, I can facilitate that all. Um, and match it with flights. And, yeah, get you some good deals. And some, uh, advice. Good advice. That's

Rachel: So exciting!

Rachel: Very exciting. I'm really loving it. It's been really fantastic.

Paula: Um, and I guess from my perspective, I've started, uh, I think most people know I already have a travel blog called Truly Expat Travel and um, [00:07:00] content, so, but now I'm doing, I'm a, I'm a tour agent, which is different.

Paula: So I'm taking groups of solo female out into the big bad world and doing some tours. So I took my first one.

Rachel: Yes. How did that go?

Paula: It was awesome. We went to Sri Lanka, 12 days in Sri Lanka with some fabulous, fabulous women. And I have not laughed so much as I had those first 12 days. I mean, it was a learning curve, but I think I just, I just love it.

Paula: I absolutely love it. So I think. Between the two of us, we have got some really exciting stuff going on together and also separately. Um, so watch this space, 

Rachel: yeah.

Paula: So, I think that's why we wanted to come on, tell you what our new things are happening. Um, and if you want to get in contact with us, we'll put it in the show notes.

Paula: So, if you would rather, um, someone Book everything for you and [00:08:00] make life easy, then honestly, message Rach because she's um, a gun at that sort of stuff and if you want to go on a tour, then, and if you're a female, you don't have to be single, but if you're a female, solo female traveler, or you feel like you would like to travel the world with some like minded women, then contact me.

Rachel: Yay! So exciting!

Paula: is exciting. 

Rachel: So thanks

Rachel: for sticking with us, and, um, we hope you're just as excited about the next\ year that that we are. Yeah,

Paula: Yeah. So come along on the journey and um, join in our, journey with us.

Paula: So yeah. Thanks for that. See you later.

Rachel: Cheers, bye. Truly expatters and those listeners who love to follow our content. These new changes will come into effect in April. So sit tight, enjoy our Singapore content while it lasts. And then we'll go on to international stuff. Enjoy the [00:09:00] ride. Thanks, bye.