Today we’re going to be discussing a bit of a sensitive, if not taboo topic…. being laid off. Layoffs are an unfortunate and oftentimes confidence-crushing circumstance for an individual to be in. But then, when you take a global pandemic, the uncertainty of the economy, and on top of that losing your job… I can’t imagine the stress, panic, and fear that so many people have experienced around the world over the couple of years. I feel super grateful that my friend Kait has agreed to open up about her experience of being laid off during COVID. Kait is an HR professional, specializing in employee experiences, culture and belonging, particularly on a global level. She’s also an avid hiker, coffee lover, entrepreneur, and a van enthusiast all rolled up into one, which we'll explore during the episode. I hope this episode is helpful who might find themselves in an unfortunate circumstance of being laid off. Kait shares key pieces of advice and what you should do if you were ever to find yourself in this situation.

Moe is a former running buddy of mine and a Content Strategist from Toronto who recently made the move across the pond (aka the Atlantic ocean) to London for work, all during a global pandemic! She’ll be discussing her experience and the challenges of making a move like this during an unprecedented global situation.

Andie is a mom of 5 whose children’s therapist said Andie was the most interesting person she had ever met. She’s not sure if that was a compliment or not, but what she loves to do in the world the most is travel planning and be a Virtual Assistant. She has become such a nerd about budget travel that she made her own course about it. But what makes Andie and her family truly special, is that they are nomadic! Meaning, they have travelled to and lived in 14 different countries across 4 continents! Currently, they reside in Tbilisi, Georgia, but it was quite the adventure to get there, and unfortunately their move coincided with a global pandemic. We’re going to deep dive into that story today.

In mid 2020, during the height of the global pandemic, Emily welcomed her first child. A beautiful baby boy named Enzo. Today we’ll be chatting about her experience of being pregnant, having a baby during COVID, as well as the challenges she faced not being able to see her family due to country border lockdown restrictions for almost a year.

Although 2020 was a year for the history books, if there’s one thing we can all agree on and have witnessed during the pandemic, it’s that love is not cancelled. Today on the podcast, I am excited to welcome Kate, who has her own special story of love and navigating the pandemic. Like many brides that year, a wave of fear, stress, and unpredictability washed over them. Could a wedding actually happen? If so, how? Today we’re going to chat through Kate’s experience, how she overcame the challenges of pulling off her wedding in Spain in 2020 during the height of a global pandemic.

Well, it's been a while! Hello again. It's been 2 years since the start of the global pandemic for SARS COVID 19 - and I'm finally ready to start again. I feel inspired to share stories about women abroad, and so I'm starting up again with a short series that I'm calling, the COVID chapters. What I hope to achieve with this series is to share stories of hope, of happiness, joy, and triumph, that despite the dark times around the world... there were still good things that happened. Special stories that deserved to be shared alongside the bad. So i'm using this as my own personal time capsule, and I hope that you will join me in listening in on this short series.

"Keep researching, and reading, but don’t get in that wormhole of getting stuck before you get started. Embrace the idea of learning out loud." - Elise Darma

"Remember, money will always return but time doesn’t" - Alison Westfall, Stepabroad

On Episode 4, I interview my Mom to unpack where I get my inspiration and bravery to live abroad. She shares her story where you'll quickly learn why my move to Spain in 2018 was nothing compared to that of an international move in the late 70's.

On Episode 3, I sit down once again with Elaisha Jade but this time, we are chatting from my apartment in Barcelona as I have officially moved to Spain! We talk about my transition, the ups as well as the downs and not so glamorous moments of living abroad.

On Episode 2, I sit down with Hailey and Mauricio also known as the Adventure Travel Couple on Instagram. In 2017, they decided to leave their jobs to travel the world for a year. The plan? 27 countries in 12 months. In this episode, we’ll uncover just how they prepared for their massive life adventure.

For the first episode of the LOKATE Travel podcast, one of my best friends and fellow travel blogger Elaisha Jade joins me to discuss the importance of travel and the profound impact it can have on your life. From amazing experiences, to life lessons, meeting new people and learning languages - travel can bring so much to your life. Full disclosure: a bottle of bubbly may or may not have been consumed during the recording of this podcast