Kalina shares how she went from being too afraid to speak up at university to actively pushing herself to say yes to presentations at work.

So how did she get past the fear of making mistakes? A simple answer: dare to speak.

We also discuss the strange similarities that come with working and presenting in a language that isn’t your own and why it's worth getting uncomfortable in order to grow. 

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This episode was edited by Eilomusic. 

But life outside of university still felt different.

In this episode, she talks about the gap between studying in German and actually living it day to day, especially in social settings. This is part one of her story - she has now been living in Germany for over eight years.

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I used to think it was simple: a place, or a person, or a feeling. But that’s changed.

Home, for me, isn’t one thing anymore. It’s scattered across people, places, and different versions of me.

And that’s what this episode is about: what home has become for me, and how it keeps changing.

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From a frying pan that sparked a full-blown German-language showdown to the challenges of his first months in Berlin, he shares the laughs, the struggles, and the lessons that come with being thrown in the deep end.

Along the way, he’s grown, learned, and now Berlin feels like home - a place he could imagine staying for a longer time than planned. 

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I share how I got to Germany as a student on scholarships: from two weeks in Berlin with students from around the world to three months living with a host family in the Bavarian Alps.

These experiences shaped my life, and if you’ve ever dreamed of living in Germany but a school exchange was too expensive, there are other opportunities out there. 

Here are the links to the two scholarship programs I talk about: 

Goethe Institut: https://www.goethe.de/ins/nz/en/spr/unt/ver/sti.html 

SAGSE (Scholarships for Australian German Student Exchange): https://www.sagse.org.au/ 

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Because it wasn’t one big decision, it was actually a lot of small moments along the way that led me here.

One of the biggest was a ski season I did just after school, living alone in a tiny village in the Alps - it was fun, chaotic and a bit crazy at times. 

But it also ended up being my first real home away from home.

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In this episode, Australian engineer Jadon shares how he applied for jobs across multiple European countries from Sydney, hoping to land anywhere that would get him to Europe and eventually ended up in Berlin.

We talk about the differences between life in Sydney and Berlin, the culture shocks that come with living in Germany and the slightly awkward moment of running into a colleague in a German sauna.

Nearly three years later, Berlin has become a place Jadon now calls home - even though Australia will always be home too.

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Six years after moving to Germany, I’m looking back at the things I’d do differently if I could start again: from being more confident with the language to trusting my instincts and celebrating the small wins. I'll cover a few honest reflections for anyone navigating life abroad. 

*I mention this crazy word in the podcast "Schokogugelhupf" - for any non-German speakers wondering what it is (or anyone like me who didn't know the word existed until recently) it is a delicious chocolate cake with a hole in the middle :) 

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But it took me a while to realize, that it’s not about finding the place where you feel most at home, it’s the people you meet and connect with along the way who can actually make a place truly feel like home. 

In this episode, I share my journey of finding my people in Germany and open up about the reality of it not happening overnight. I share details about meeting my best friend, shared circles and the moment that made me feel like I belonged here. 

If you’re looking for connection in a new place, this might give you a few ideas to start and a gentle reminder to invest in your people, it pays off. 

Here are some online communities worth joining: Girl Gone International & bbacommunity.

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.lifeabroad).

Persistence. One semester at a time.

Luisa shares how she kept going through her degree in German. From re-reading complicated texts, surviving presentations, and telling herself that if she could do one semester, she could do the next. She opens up about language fatigue and the strategy she uses when her mind needs a break.

This episode is a reminder that showing up, again and again, is how progress happens.

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell).

In this episode, I reflect on my 2016 timeline versus the reality of building a life abroad - the slower pace, the different timelines, the shifting expectations, and what it’s taught me about patience and trying to let go of where I thought I would be now. 

If you’ve ever moved abroad, felt behind, or questioned your timeline compared to life back home, this episode is for you.

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell).

Luisa did exactly that! She moved from Colombia to Germany and in this episode, she shares what those first days were really like. A mix of uncertainty and doubt about whether it would all work out, but also the excitement of a new adventure and the surprising freedom of being completely on her own.

If you have a story about life abroad in Germany, or know someone whose journey we should hear, get in touch!

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell).

In this episode, I talk about what it felt like to slowly forget the parts of me that existed before the move - and how, at a point where I was questioning a lot of things in my life, I stumbled back into something familiar that brought me back to myself. Not because it fixed everything, but because it asked nothing of me.

This is an episode about anchors, identity, and why sometimes the most important thing isn’t learning something new. It’s actually remembering what was already yours and reconnecting with that. 

If you have a story about life abroad in Germany or know someone you’d like to hear on the podcast, feel free to get in touch!

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell).

Alex is back this episode to get real, sharing the notes she wrote along the way, the lessons that stuck, and what it truly means to find your footing when the adrenaline fades.

If you have a story about life abroad in Germany or know someone you’d like to hear on the podcast, feel free to get in touch!

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell).

I’ve had plenty of those moments during my years here.

In this episode, I share what those seasons looked like for me, how being far from home can amplify everything, and a reminder that feeling unsure is normal - and you’re not alone in it.

If there’s something you’d love to hear me talk about in a future episode, I’d really love to hear your ideas: feel free to share them in the comments.

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell). 

Alex chose the unknown. She boarded a plane in Sydney with nothing but a summer job and a gut feeling that her life had to change.

From ski seasons in Austria to working in Germany and traveling across Europe, she shares why taking the leap was necessary. And the surprising freedom she discovered in those messy, courageous beginnings.

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell). 

This was never the plan - life abroad was meant to last one year, and somehow it turned into five. In this episode, I’m sharing how that happened, what surprised me, and what building a new home as an adult really looks like when you do it far from where you grew up.

I’m still learning how to navigate life abroad myself and that’s exactly why this podcast exists: a space for honest conversations and the reminder that you’re not alone while trying to make sense of it all.

If this resonates, stick around and make yourself at home - there’s so much more to explore! 

Join the conversation on Instagram (@homeawayfromhome_podcast) or TikTok (@tanna.nankivell).