Armchair Expat

In this episode, guest Andrew Guck shares his remarkable journey from upstate New York to building a life in southern France, where he’s lived for over a decade. What began with a casual interest in French class—and a long-lost crush—eventually led to a love story, a spontaneous elopement, and a bold move abroad.

Andrew opens up about the cultural differences he encountered, especially the French approac...

In this episode, I'm joined by Matt and Dawn — better known as The Unretirees — who traded their big-city grind for a brand-new life on Portugal’s Silver Coast. We talk about how they sold almost everything they owned, why the pandemic was a turning point, and what made Portugal the obvious choice (spoiler: fast-track citizenship and serious beach vibes helped).

We get into the real talk about integratio...

In this episode of the Armchair Expat podcast, Shannon chats with Thea Duncan, the founder of Doing Italy. The conversation explores Thea's journey to Italy, her love for the culture, and how she helps others navigate the process of moving to Italy. Thea shares her experiences with intuition, the impact of COVID-19 on her career, and practical advice for those looking to relocate to Italy, including visa options and c...

What if your next big move—whether it’s across the world or deep within—wasn’t about figuring it out, but about feeling it through?

In this episode, Shannon sits down with Nicolle Merrilyne, a Certified Intuitive Energy Healer, Medium, and Meditation Teacher who recently left California to follow her intuition—and her spirit guides—all the way to Spain.

Together, they explore how grounding,...

What if your birth chart could tell you where in the world you're meant to thrive?

In this episode of Armchair Expat, Shannon chats with world traveling professional relocation astrology specialist Helena Woods about the weird, sometimes woo-woo, and yet wildly accurate world of astrocartography— otherwise known as the “astrology of place”.

They dive into why where you are m...

In this episode, Cepee shares how a restless career path and a big leap abroad led her to create She Hit Refresh—a thriving community for women over 30 ready to reinvent their lives overseas. We dive into the highs and lows of her expat story, what it really takes to start over in a new country, and why community is the secret ingredient to a successful transition. Plus, Cepee shares inspiring refresh stories from wom...

Welcome to the very first episode of Armchair Expat. In this kickoff conversation, host Shannon Acton chats with Jen Barnett about her journey from Alabama to Mérida, Mexico—and how she turned her relocation experience into a powerful resource for others through her platform, Expatsi.

Jen opens up about the political motivations behind her move, the surprises and challenges of settling into a new country...

What really happens when you leave everything familiar behind and start over in a new country?

Armchair Expat is a podcast about moving abroad, living overseas, and building a life you love on your own terms. Hosted by Shannon Acton of @BargainHomesAbroad, each episode features real stories from people who have relocated internationally—whether for work, retirement, lifestyle, or love.

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