Welcome to the very first episode of All Over the Map!

What happens when two friends decide to pack up their lives, leave everything familiar behind, and start over in different countries? And what happens when they decide to document the whole messy, exciting, terrifying experience along the way?

In our inaugural episode, we're taking you back to April, when we sat down to record our very first conversation for this podcast. Jess had just sold her house in Virginia and was preparing to move her family to Sweden, while Mindy was making plans for a new chapter in Austria. Neither of us knew exactly what was waiting on the other side of these decisions, but we knew our lives were about to change in some pretty extraordinary ways.

Consider this episode our introduction, the who, what, where, when, and most importantly, the why behind All Over the Map.

We're getting candid about the decisions that brought us to this point, including our very personal reasons for leaving the United States, the fears that come with uprooting our families, and the complicated emotions of saying goodbye to a life we've spent years building. We talk about what we're most excited about, what keeps us awake at night, and the strange experience of feeling both completely certain about a decision and absolutely terrified to follow through with it.

Because as exciting as the idea of starting over in Europe might sound, the reality involves a whole lot more than beautiful scenery, international adventures, and romantic notions of a different life. There are relationships to leave behind, identities to reconsider, logistics to navigate, and plenty of moments when we wonder what on earth we've gotten ourselves into.

This is where our story begins, before the moves, before the new routines, and before we have any idea how things will actually turn out.

We're inviting you along for the journey, not because we have all the answers, but because we're curious about what happens when we give ourselves permission to imagine a different kind of life and then find the courage to actually pursue it.

Welcome to All Over the Map. We're so glad you're here.

Come Along for the Journey

Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments, travel adventures, honest conversations, and updates from our lives abroad.

Instagram: @all_over_the_map_pod

Our website: All Over the Map

If you enjoy the conversation, we'd love for you to follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and join us as we figure out where life takes us next.


Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör Jessica Buchanan and Mindy Schlechter. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Jessica Buchanan and Mindy Schlechter och inte av, eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.