Nomadic Diaries: Mastering Global Transitions
Where Global Living Transforms Lives Imagine a life where every border crossed becomes a doorway to personal transformation! Welcome to Nomadic Diaries, the podcast that turns international adventures into extraordinary personal journeys. We're not just telling travel stories. We're uncovering the raw, unfiltered experiences of expats and global nomads who have transformed uncertainty into opportunity. Each episode dives deep into the hearts and minds of extraordinary individuals who've turned geographical transitions into powerful paths of self-discovery. Are you an expat feeling lost between worlds? A digital nomad seeking more than just scenic backdrops? This podcast is your compass. We explore the real-life challenges and insights of international living, sharing genuine stories, practical strategies, and life-changing wisdom from those who've navigated the complex terrain of global mobility. Nomadic Diaries is more than just a podcast – it's a platform for connection, understanding, and personal growth. We believe that living abroad isn't about collecting stamps in a passport, but about expanding the boundaries of who you can become. Join us as we explore how stepping outside your comfort zone can be the most profound journey of personal growth you'll ever undertake. Your global adventure starts here – where every mile traveled is a mile of transformation.
Episodes
Daniel Yalowitz
Daniel Yalowitz psychologist, professor and intercultural mentor came to talk to Nomadic Diaries about his story as a cornerstone of the intercultural field for nearly four decades. Daniel brought to this episode the generosity and warmth that have made him a mentor to so many of us who have navigated life across cultures.
His favorite words all start with a C. Curiosity. Creativity. Collaboration. Communication. Col...
Nina Aziz Justin has lived in five countries, worked across forty-seven of them, and spent the better part of five decades asking the question that so many of us quietly carry: where on earth do I actually belong?
She is a serial entrepreneur, cultural chameleon, and self-described "rat in the lab" of her own life experiments, Nina has channelled all of that lived complexity into her memoir, The Home Within: A Nonlinear, ...
Flor Bretón García was born in Venezuela and left her homeland at 22 — which means she's now lived outside her home country longer than she lived in it. Lawyer. Educator. Cross-cultural consultant. Mother of three adult TCKs. President of FIGT. And a woman who, after receiving her 598th job rejection, sat down on a Friday night and wrote an article that stopped LinkedIn in its tracks.
In this conversation, Flor and Doreen unpac...
Adrienne Belaire grew up on Aramco compounds in Saudi Arabia from first grade through high school, a world full of sunshine, small communities, and the particular freedom of a life lived between cultures. She is a wife, mother, potter, and artist who, after navigating her own sometimes turbulent repatriation to the United States, made a quietly remarkable decision: to go back again. She returned to Saudi Arabia as an adult gav...
About Lisa Liang
Lisa Liang, known formally as Elizabeth, with a Z - is an intercultural storytelling coach, solo performer, and TCK who grew up across Central America, Southeast Asia, and the United States. She has spent decades helping globally mobile people do one of the hardest things there is: turn a life lived between worlds into a story that actually lands. She works with memoir writers, keynote speakers, and anyone who has...
About Pia
Pia Mailhot-Leichter is a self-described "recovering nomad" who has lived in more places than most people visit, from Manhattan to Sri Lanka, London to France, and eventually dropping anchor in Copenhagen after decades of following the nomadic pull. Born to a French-Canadian mother and a New York City father, she grew up crossing cultures before she had words for it, and spent years searching for belonging befor...
About Daniela
Daniela Draugelis didn't just study cultural intelligence, she lived it before she even had a name for it. Born in Argentina to a Lithuanian immigrant family (her father fled Europe as a war refugee), she grew up speaking Lithuanian at home, celebrating cultural traditions on weekends, and navigating between worlds long before anyone called it "code-switching." Twenty-plus years of globally mobile life ...
Dr. Joy Wiggins
Meet Dr. Joy Wiggins, we chatted about Raising Kids to Boardroomsshe is a cultural agility expert, former professor, and single mum who packed up her life in Texas and moved to Lisbon, Portugal with her teenage daughter Ruby. She's spent decades living and working across cultures, from Germany to China to Jordan, she also now helps globally mobile women build careers and lives that don't fit neatly inside ...
What if the hardest part of moving abroad isn't finding a house, but finding yourself?
In this episode, Doreen Cumberford sits down with Vivian Chiona, founder of Expat Nest, an online counselling platform offering psychological support in nine languages to expats, repats, and global nomads worldwide.
Vivian brings warmth, wisdom, and 12 years of experience helping internationally mobile people navigate the emotional terrain th...
What does it really take to build a life across cultures? In this episode, intercultural trainer Kathy Ellis joins Doreen for an honest conversation about the messy, beautiful reality of cross-cultural living. From her small-town Midwest roots to seven countries, multiple languages, and decades helping others navigate global transitions, Kathy brings both personal experience and professional expertise to the table.
In this conversat...
Today on Nomadic Diaries, I sat down with Peter Levitan, former Saatchi & Saatchi executive and serial entrepreneur, to talk about navigating international assignments, adapting to new cultures, and the challenges of returning home after working abroad. Peter shared invaluable insights on building trust, learning cultural nuances, and the importance of empathy in global business.
Peter was one of the few Americans hand-picked t...
In this heartfelt farewell to the Nomadic Diaries podcast, Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks co-host reflect on a remarkable 10-month journey exploring the expansive topic of belonging. Together, they look back over 30 episodes, key guest moments, personal transformations, and the evolution of the conversations. The hosts revisit why belonging matters, share moving stories from the series, and discuss how the podcast impa...
Show Notes
Welcome back to Nomadic Diaries for part two of our conversation with Ruth Van Reken, the influential voice behind "Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds." Joined by Megan Norton-Newbanks and your host Doreen Cumberford, Ruth dives deep into cross-cultural identity, belonging, and generational perspectives.
Key Topics Discussed
- Navigating the "Where Are You From?" Question
- Ruth shares practi...
Episode Overview
In this enlightening episode of Nomadic Diaries, Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks welcome renowned author and expert Ruth Van Reken, whose work on third culture kids (TCKs) has impacted countless lives globally. The conversation centers on belonging, identity, and the often-complex emotional terrain of those who grow up between cultures.
What You'll Hear
1. Ruth’s Origin Story and Journey
- Ruth’s pe...
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You can map the move. You cannot map the metamorphosis. Nomadic Diaries explores the interior journey of expat life — the belonging, the identity shifts, the repatriation, and everything that travels with you that can't be packed in a suitcase. This episode may be part of our Re-Entry Series (30 episodes on coming home) or The Belonging Project (29 episodes ...
In this engaging episode of Nomadic Diaries, Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks welcome Caz Stuart, an accomplished documentary filmmaker, to discuss the art of storytelling, belonging, and community - both on and off camera. Caz explores her nomadic journey from Europe to San Miguel, Mexico, weaving in her extensive career experiences, particularly in making hard-hitting documentaries on social issues for UK television.
Th...
In this heartfelt episode of Nomadic Diaries, Doreen Cumberford opens up about the challenges and transformations of expat life, drawing from her own 15 years as an accompanying spouse in Saudi Arabia. She reads an excerpt from her book, "Life in the Camel Lane," diving into the core themes of home, identity, and the elusive sense of belonging for global nomads. Listeners are invited to reflect on adaptation, cultural tra...
In this episode, Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks sit down with Sa-Eun Park, also known as San Shine, a belonging coach and spiritual entrepreneur based in Incheon, Korea. San shares her powerful story of growing up cross-culturally—moving from Korea to Saudi Arabia, then Austria, and later, the U.S.—and how these experiences shaped her journey with belonging, identity, and self-acceptance.
Key Topics & Takeaways
- T...
In this heartfelt episode, Doreen and Megan sit down with Dr. Jemina Watstein, an internationally experienced visual art educator who specializes in working with third culture kids (TCKs) and international families. Together, they explore the deep connection between art, identity, healing, and belonging - especially for people who’ve lived globally mobile lives.
What You’ll Hear:
- Jemina’s Background:
Jamina shares her journey...
In this heartfelt and insightful episode, hosts Doreen Cumberford and Megan Norton-Newbanks welcome Stephen Toole for a rich conversation about the challenges and triumphs surrounding belonging and transition for Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and their families. Stephen draws from his decades of teaching and counseling experience across the globe, sharing practical advice and personal anecdotes about fostering community, supporting chi...
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