169: Stories of an Expat Mom - Jenna Davis: From Canada to Dusseldorf

Unimaginable Wellness For New Moms Who Are Founders, Entrepreneurs, Creators

Have you ever fantasized about relocating your family and yourself to Europe? What about Australia? Or are you the mom who is being whisked away abroad because your partner was just granted a VISA? This is for you, my fellow globetrotter!

Today, we have Jenna Davis, who relocated to Germany for a boy, got married, and now has two children. Originally from Canada, Jenna has gone from ex-pat to immigrant in Dusseldorf, Germany. In this conversation, we discuss what you can do in a foreign country (launch an online business, get a Ph.D., etc.), how ex-pats bring a unique perspective to foreign countries, and how you too can make this work assignment the perfect time to reset your own professional identity.

When Jenna came to Germany, her yoga pants and her messy bun didn’t quite fit in with Dusseldorf’s excess of Prada shoes and Gucci bags. Moving to Düsseldorf was like that first day of Kindergarten… 24/7. She didn’t know anyone and the Germans looked at her funny. This is also when she turned her career in marketing and tourism into something bigger. And what started as a small local ex-pat blog in Düsseldorf has now grown into an expert-led online relocation course, a YouTube channel with more than 40K subscribers, and multiple Facebook communities growing strong.

At the end of the day, the most important takeaway we can learn from all this is that life is too short. What if the thing you’ve been wanting to do is actually going to be the best decision you will ever make? Hopefully, this episode will inspire you to take a leap as well!

In this episode, you will hear:

• Life expectations before having kids vs. being in a whole different place decades later
• Expat vs. being an immigrant
• How living in a new country can change you?
• European vs. North American lifestyles
• Living in a place where you don’t know the language
• Giving birth in a foreign country and what that was like for Jenna
• German healthcare vs. Canadian maternity healthcare insurance
• A funny chat about pelvis floors because you need to laugh
• What is the unique perspective of being an ex-pat or foreigner in a new country?
• Marketing to travel blogger to expert of a specific area
• What if you go on an ex-pat assignment with your family? How can you use that time to advance or experiment with your own career?
• Raising kids in a different culture
• What if you are scared to launch your own business?
• Pros and cons of being a mom with a flexible business
• Ways to start exploring whether self-employment is right for you and your family
• How to launch a business in a foreign country?
• Does fear ever go away from being in a new country or being a business owner?
• What if you want to relocate to Germany? First steps for families

SHARE this episode with a mom who daydreams or is packing up for a foreign country.

Similar episodes:

How To Turn Life’s Silliness Into Your Brand Featuring Squidinki Co-Founder Max Mendez, Episode 136

The SECRET to SUCCESS Behind Australia’s Chocolatier Rebecca Knights, Episode 135

Supporting Resources:

Website: www.lifeinduesseldorf.com & www.lifeingermany.com

Instagram: @lifeingermany_

Twitter: @lifeindus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifeindus, https://www.facebook.com/lifeindus, https://www.facebook.com/lifeingermanyofficial

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