About

The ExpatCast is the podcast where expats share stories about fitting in, standing out, and every mishap on their journey to feeling at home abroad. Listen along for up-to-date tips & resources as well as honest takes on the best and worse of expat life.

Episodes are roughly 35 minutes long and are released once a week on Thursdays. Each week, a new expat - typically one from the German-speaking world - comes on the show to share their experience, wisdom, and qualms with life abroad.

Since its launch in 2018, The Expat Cast has enjoyed many cool moments, like hosting a live podcast event, hitting 50,000 downloads, and interviewing some of Nicole's personal expat heroes.

 

Top Episodes

Some of the most listened to episodes include...

  • Learning German with Jenny - tips on how best to learn German from a Deutsch als Fremdsprache, or German as a Foreign Language, teacher

  • Moving Abroad or Running Away? with Aspen from AspenAbroad - an honest discussion about if moving abroad is an elaborate form of avoidance or not

  • Expat Role Models - this Season 4 finale shares stories about listeners' role models

  • American Football in Germany with Nick from NALF - we learn about the German (American) Football League by a professional athelete (and YouTuber) who plays for the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns

  • Ask the Expat with Stacey - answers to listener's questions about moving, visas, friendship, and more

 

Nicole's Favorite Episodes

There are many great interviews with phenomenal guests to choose from, but some of Nicole's personal favorite episodes are...

  • How To Show Up with Sundae - a discussion of whether to make a grand gesture to compensate for missing the mundane moments with loved ones back home

  • Snacks and Toilets with Jenny - Nicole and her friend Jenny talk about their favorite and least favorite German snacks as well as the Snacks they miss from the US, then discuss the odd toilets they've encountered in their travels

  • Being Queer in Germany with Meg - we hear one person's experience moving from the Deep South in the US to southern Germany to be with her wife

  • American Shame with Gabe and American Pride with Zoe - a two-episode call and response with two US-Americans who came to very different conclusions about their feelings about their nationality after moving abroad

  • Becoming Bilingual with Casey - just thinking about all the mistranslations and misunderstandings mentioned in this episode makes me laugh (and cringe)

If you're new to the show, check out this blog post for a Starter Kit of recommended episodes.

About the Host

Nicole Palazzo

The Expat Cast is hosted by Nicole, an American living in Freiburg, Germany. Nicole decided to start the podcast in order to create a community for herself and others feeling similarly stressed but blessed in their life abroad.

Since moving abroad in 2017, Nicole has leaned in to many aspects of German life. She visits multiple bakeries per week, can open a beer bottle with a lighter, and regularly repeats the phrase, "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing" as she bikes to work through sun, rain, or snow.

She's a librarian by day and a podcaster by night. Her favorite activities include asking strangers slightly invasive questions about their personal lives and frolicking about in nature, be that via hiking, running, traveling, or taking a scenic nap.