Moving abroad isn’t just an adventure—it’s a full-on identity shift. In this episode, we (Emma & Celina) unpack what it’s really like to leave home and start fresh in a new country. As two-time Paris expats we share our personal stories of navigating life in a foreign country - Emma also reflects on her time living in Dubai as a teenager.
We dive into the realities of the adjustment period, the unexpected challenges, and the moments that made us feel like locals. If you’ve ever moved abroad—or dream of doing it—this one’s for you. We share some laughs, lessons, and plenty of stories that will make you feel a little less alone in your expat journey.
In this episode, we dive into an honest and heartfelt conversation about death. Celina shares how her worries have been heightened recently about losing loved ones and saying goodbye to the world, while Emma offers her perspective as they unpack their evolving views on the topic. Together, they reflect on recent losses in their families, how they’ve coped, and the ways these experiences have shaped their understanding of life and death. It’s a thoughtful exploration of a topic that touches us all.
In this episode, we share the story behind renaming our community and podcast to "Pretend". We also dive into the ebb and flow of friendships as life takes us on different journeys. Finally, we explore how we want to carry the community that we found while abroad back home, and the bittersweet reality of returning to find that things and people have changed.
In this episode, we explore the bittersweet reality of having your heart split between two places after living abroad. From the joy of building a life in a new city to the challenges of returning home, we discuss the emotional tug-of-war between two worlds. Join us as we share personal stories, reflections on belonging, and how to embrace the beauty and complexity of feeling connected to two places at once.
If you have ever spent time living abroad, you'll know that it can be difficult to settle back in to life at home afterwards. You'll also probably know the feeling of having your heart in two places. In this episode, we discuss the adjustment period, reverse culture shock, moving back in with parents, and trying to make a new life in your old home. Sometimes we get addicted to that thrill of moving somewhere new - but what if we just focus on being in our home towns for a moment...
Welcome to our very first long distance poddy! Emma has moved back to Melbourne, Australia, while Celina continues life in Paris for now. On this episode we chat about whats been happening since our last podcast (4 months ago!).
On this episode, we have some big news... Emma made the decision to quit Au Pairing and LEAVE Paris. We discuss how this choice came about, mental health while abroad, the process of actually quitting Au Pairing, and everything else that comes with making the big decision to end an experience abroad!!
Dealing with feelings of heartbreak is sooo tough... especially when you're living abroad and away from your usual support system and comforts. On this episode we discuss how difficult these feelings can be, our own personal experiences, and types of heartbreak other than just romantic heartbreak.
Hey Pretend Parisiens!
This week we decided to have a casual catch up chat. We talked about how life in Paris has been looking recently - what we have been up to and what we have planned. We also delved into the topic of temporary friendships, deciding what to do after a year abroad, and Emma chats a little about dating while in a temporary home.
In this episode we talk about how it felt initially arriving in the bustling city of Paris. It was exciting, overwhelming, and a little daunting at times. We give our tips for the main things to focus on during your first days and weeks after arriving somewhere new, to start feeling more at ease and settled.
It's summer time in Paris! On this episode, we talked about what it's like in this city during this period of time. We also discuss what we've been up to, our mindset recently, and whether we are feeling happy with our decision to continue our time abroad.
On this episode, we go over the emotions that come with building up to the big goodbye to family and friends before moving abroad. This can be scary and sad (or not at all for some people), but we think it's an important aspect of moving as you never know when you'll get time with those special people again! If you have already said your goodbyes or you're about to this episode should be especially relatable.
There are so many things to do and think about in the lead up to moving abroad, and a big one is... Packing! How do you even begin to pack up your life for an entire year (or more)?! In this episode, we discuss our mindset for both times that we packed to move abroad, and give advice for what we think are the most important things to consider bringing for your Au Pair / overseas experience.
On this episode we chatted with our great friend Live about her time spent living in Paris. Live originally moved to Paris in 2016 to be an Au Pair and spent a year loving this vibrant city, then she moved back at the start of 2023 to do a semester of exchange at a french university and found life to be pretty different. We discussed these differences between her two experiences, the emotions of returning home / moving abroad, the expectations you hold for a city after already living there, going through breakups while isolated, and much more. We loved this chat and we hope that you do too!
Contact us:
Instagram: @pretendparisiennes
Email: pretendparisiennes@gmail.com
@celina.driscoll and @emmaheepseriksen
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Ph: +33 6 48 74 57 63
Join us, Celina and Emma, as we detail our journey of a year as au pairs in the enchanting city of Paris. In this episode, we share our most memorable highlights, discuss the challenges we faced, and delve into the valuable lessons we learned along the way. From cultural immersion to personal growth, we offer valuable insights for anyone considering (or currently living) an experience abroad, as we reflect on our year in Paris.
Contact us:
Instagram: @pretendparisiennes
Email: pretendparisiennes@gmail.com
@celina.driscoll and @emmaheepseriksen
Powered by EuroPair Services
Website: www.europairservices.com
Instagram: @europairservices
Facebook: EuroPair Services
Ph: +33 6 48 74 57 63
Travelling and living abroad obviously comes with a lot of culture shock, especially in a big city like Paris. On this episode, we discuss the most surprising and noteworthy differences we have noticed during our daily lives in Paris that we are still adjusting to.
Contact us:
Instagram: @pretendparisiennes
Email: pretendparisiennes@gmail.com
@celina.driscoll and @emmaheepseriksen
Powered by EuroPair Services
Website: www.europairservices.com
Instagram: @europairservices
Facebook: EuroPair Services
Ph: +33 6 48 74 57 63
Going through difficulties is a part of life, but the tough feelings associated with them can be particularly hard to handle when you are away from home. Being abroad means you don't have your typical close group of people around which means you have to deep dive into your feelings and cope with them (mainly) on your own. In this episode, we open up about some of our lowest lows (break-ups, sickness, grief, FOMO, etc.) and offer some ideas on how to get through these periods.
Contact us:
Instagram: @pretendparisiennes
Email: pretendparisiennes@gmail.com
@celina.driscoll and @emmaheepseriksen
Powered by EuroPair Services
Website: www.europairservices.com
Instagram: @europairservices
Facebook: EuroPair Services
Ph: +33 6 48 74 57 63
It's a strange feeling coming to the end of a year living abroad. Normally, we head back to our hometown and pick things up where they left off. However, it can be weird to return to what once was 'normality' after such a life changing experience. Or what if you decide you actually want to extend that year into two... or indefinitely?! On this episode we talk all about what it was like going home after living overseas, trying to fit back into our old lives, the tough decision of staying or leaving, and what it's like to decide to extend your stay in a foreign city for more than just that one year!
Contact us:
Instagram: @pretendparisiennes
Email: pretendparisiennes@gmail.com
@celina.driscoll and @emmaheepseriksen
Powered by EuroPair Services
Website: www.europairservices.com
Instagram: @europairservices
Facebook: EuroPair Services
Ph: +33 6 48 74 57 63
On this episode we chatted with Juju, Celina's 10 year old host kid! We covered the topics of growing up in Paris, having an Au Pair, and being bilingual. Tune in to hear the magical point of view of this bright little girl who has had Au Pairs for 8 years and was born and raised in Paris!
Contact us:
Instagram: @pretendparisiennes
Email: pretendparisiennes@gmail.com
