Doors are closed! Expat Life School will turn into a DIY course early 2024. Stay tuned.
Join Expat Life School and create a thriving life anywhere in just 4 months.
Have you just moved abroad as a solo expat and are you still looking to shape your new life there? Or do you find expat life more challenging than you expected, as you struggle to feel at home or you feel like life abroad is not meeting your expectations? And don't really know how to start & what to change?
From finding friends to grounding yourself when frustration runs high, and from dealing with an uncertain future to feeling at home - Expat Life School gives you all the tools to create your best life abroad as a solo expat. That expat life you dreamed of is possible!
✅ 3 hours of video content
✅ 5 thematic group sessions
✅ workbook, exercises & visualisations
✅ 4 months in a private community of like-minded globetrotters (16 October 2023 - 16 February 2024)
"This course offers something for everyone"
- Simone L.
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Expat life is more challenging than you had expected. You're enjoying all the new experiences, but if you're really honest, living abroad takes a lot of processing and leaves you tired.
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You've just moved abroad and with the endless opportunities and the overwhelming newness, you don't know where to start to build a new life that is truly matching who you are.
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Your screen time has gone through the roof because you try to stay connected with your friends & family back home - while also trying to build a new social circle locally. You feel like you're living two lives.
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You had all these expectations of life abroad (the travel! the language learning! the new hobbies!) but now that you're there you're not meeting any of them, leaving you feel disappointed in yourself.
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It's hard to share your struggles with your inner circle back home because they don't really understand what it's like to live abroad - they think you're constantly living the dream.
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Before your move you couldn't wait for your new life abroad to start, but now that you're there, you can't stop thinking about your home country. Why can't you enjoy where you are?
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Because you don't speak the language so well yet you struggle expressing yourself, making you feel insecure and lonely. It's like you can't show your true self there.
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You've made some connections but miss having your true friends around. Sometimes the weekends feel like a black hole, and you're not sure how to fill your time. You often find yourself mindlessly scrolling on your phone.
Do you recognise this as an expat?
I know how you feel... Even though so many aspects of my life abroad were amazing, I oftentimes also felt lost, insecure or overwhelmed when I lived abroad
Expat life can be amazing... But you can also feel lost in it.
I definitely did in my 7+ years abroad.
Every time that I moved abroad, the first few months were fantastic, full of new adventures.
But I also struggled feeling grounded as I was overwhelmedwith so much paperwork, building a new life, I was off exploring the country every weekend and also trying to maintain my relationships back home 🤯
Later, as the novelty wore off, I sometimes questioned if I made the right move going there. I was frustrated that my family & friends back home weren't part of my life and always felt like I was living two lives. My own private life also felt halted (as I moved for my job and prioritised exploring the host country in my free time) whereas all my friends were moving on 💍
Plus, moving abroad gave me high hopes - this time things would be totally different. I would exercise 5 times a week, hike every weekend, be a rockstar at work. But as the months went by and the rut kicked in, I realised I was back in my old patterns, disappointing myself.
And as the overwhelm slowed down, more headspace appeared and with it, more space for the downsides of living abroad. I asked myself if I should make another move again, but that would also mean a change of country, job and friends. I struggled taking decisions when I didn't know how they would pan out.
Living abroad wasn't always a smooth ride: frustration, loneliness, insecurity, distraction and restlessness were part of it too for me.
Now imagine how expat life can also be...
You live abroad but despite the demanding and exciting circumstances, you feel grounded. You wake up feeling calm and happy, looking forward to what the new day will bring.
Your head is more quiet and is no longer talking you into moving (home) again. The stream of doubts about the endless choices you can make has stopped. You're not numbing yourself with endless scrolling anymore.
You've accepted your new reality and the fact that you are kind of split between two worlds (the new and the home country). When you end a Facetime call with your family, you notice that you miss them but then happily continue your day. You have a strong local social network to fall back on. You truly feel at home in your new place.
You know that your longer term future could take place anywhere from Argentina to Indonesia, but you have a relaxed posture towards the unknown and have learned to attach less to your own expectations.
You have a clear sense of direction and don't let yourself easily distract from your goals. You're ready to handle whatever comes your way and feel like you're back in the driver seat of your expat life.
"What felt like a fragmented life scattered across countries, now feels like a coherent story - your unique story."
Sounds good right? Expat Life School will help you get there!
I believe the only way to create a life abroad you love, is to first focus on you - and not the host country. Many expats have an outward orientation, which is very understandable: after all, you often only have to respond to expat life, which comes with so much newness. The orientation is therefore outwards. However, the consequence may be that a few months down the line you are living a life that's not meeting your needs or aligned with you and your dreams. Leaving you tired, lonely, frustrated or restless.
To thrive abroad in a lasting way, I firmly believe you need to work from the inside out: you first need to have an inward orientation. Start with who you are, what you need and what you want - and then make subsequent changes from there. This is the most effective way to live an expat life you love, no matter where you'll move to in the future. And Expat Life School will help you take the right steps.
"Everything you need to know as an expat or as an expat moving back home. Expat Life School will help you to let go of the stress and to enjoy your international experience to the fullest!"
- Lisa H.
Expat Life School helps you to thrive, anywhere
With Expat Life School you will get all the tools you need to feel at home, engage more in the local culture, maintain your relationships, define your dreams, remain confident & excited towards your life abroad and so much more. Everything you need to start thriving.
But always with the same starting point: you. An inward focus first, so you can make the right changes externally.
But there is more to it. Because expat life can feel lonely, Expat Life School comes with a welcoming community of like-minded souls for you to connect with. Together we'll go on this journey and dive deeper into the course topics during the group sessions. Expat Life School is like a life line you can always lean on to reassess where you are and determine where you're going, while being supported by your own global tribe.
✅ 3 hours of video content (37 videos!) full of inspiration, knowledge and tips (value €299)
✅ A work book, exercises and visualisations (€99)
✅ 5 thematic group sessions via Zoom with Q&A's and group coaching to make sure you get all the support you need (€149)
✅ 4 months in a welcoming online community of fellow globetrotters to connect and find real understanding with (€99)
✅ A bonus masterclass on overcoming cultural differences by Coco Hofs (€99).
I was once that tired, frustrated, restless expat...
I really know what you're going through - I spent over 7 years abroad and it wasn't always easy. Cultural differences, having to rely on myself again & again, personal challenges like grief, and work frustrations often left me wondering if I made the right decision moving there.
Yes, I was also loving my life abroad and all the exciting things I got to do... But I also often felt tired, alone, frustrated, misunderstood and disoriented.
Everything changed when I started focusing on myself first. Not in an egocentric way, but in a self-discovery way. Who was I really and what did I bring with me abroad, in terms of patterns, beliefs, triggers, needs, dreams and emotional luggage?
The more I got to know myself on that inner deeper level, the better I was able to make changes in the outside world, which eventually got me to lead a fantastic expat life. I moved back home, quit my diplomacy career and got retrained as a coach.
And when I combined my personal experience of having lived abroad with the tools & insights I learned in my coaching training, I really started thriving!
And I wish the same to you. I wish every expat a life abroad that's fulfilling, energy-giving, exciting and grounding. That's why I collected my most valuable lessons, exercises and tips - so you can start thriving abroad too.
I've coached dozens of expats in Expat Life School before. Are you my next success story?
"What is so great about this course is the diverse community of people who come together to share their experiences, successes and struggles in a safe space. Amanda coaches from personal experience of navigating new places and people - and has excellent exercises to help with finding your ‘home’ and feeling at home, wherever you are in the world or on your journey."
- Sarah Brown
Join Expat Life School and use my 7 pillars to learn how you can feel grounded, connected and confident wherever you are - and be ready to handle whatever comes your way.
After completing Expat Life School you will have...
This is what you'll learn in the modules
Module 1: Starting over
You will learn about embracing your new identity, the phases of expat life, dealing with expectations and how to stay relaxed when everything around you is moving. We will do mindset work and you will dive into the parts of yourself you are bringing along.
Module 2: Coloring in your new life
Moving abroad means a fresh new start where anything seems possible. How can you make the most use of this vibe? In this module you will set priorities, dream a bit bigger, stay close to your goals on a daily basis and learn how to deal with obstacles. I'll teach you the method that was a game changer for me.
Module 3: Feeling at home
Feeling comfortable and at home is a basic requirement for a thriving life. You will identify your needs and energy boosts & leaks, get tips on how to create a home, and learn how to engage more in the local culture.
Module 4: Dealing with the home front
Let's not forget about the people back home. How do you balance your life abroad and your life back home? How to deal with the home front who really doesn't understand your new life? And what if you don't feel at home there anymore?
Module 5: Relationships
Expat life can affect your relationships & friendships. Learn how your introvert/extravert personality is impacting how you build new relationships, and get tips on how to find new friends, how to brace your relationship for impact and what to do when you're single.
Module 6: When things get tough
The tough get going! Let's build your resilience and find your inner peace despite the turbulence. Learn what to do in case of isolation & loneliness, lethargy & depression, and a crisis. Stay grounded and feel empowered again.
Module 7: What about the future?
You will learn to feel more relaxed towards the unknown, to switch your approach from 'temporary' to 'permanent but loose', and to say goodbye in a profound way when it's time to move again.
A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions
This is why Expat Life School is unique
Not your average expat course
Whereas most courses on expat life treat topics like tax, finding rentals and how to make friends - the conditions of expat life - this course is all about YOU. Expat life school focuses on how you can thrive in your expat life, making you the center piece of attention.
You can do this course anywhere, anytime
Expat life school is not focused on a specific region or country. And as you can take this course online, you can follow it anywhere and anytime - whether you’ve just moved to Argentina, have been living in Indonesia for years, or are getting ready for your move to Berlin.
A mix of personal development and personal experiences
You will not only get my tools and knowledge as a life coach for expats, but I will also share concrete tips and stories from my own 7+ years’ experience of living abroad. I really know what you’re going through.
This course puts you into action
You won't just be watching videos - I’ve created some powerful exercises for you so you can really get to know yourself, plus visualisations for you to go a bit deeper!
A welcoming online community of like-minded expats
Connect with other expats in the online community (specifically created for this course!), and share your struggles and questions with your peers. They are going through the same process as you and you can find real understanding.
Dive even deeper in live sessions
Expat life school is not just a course - it's a 4-month programme that comes with 5(!) live sessions. Together with the rest of the group you’ll dive deeper into the course topics and have the opportunity to ask me (or the community) anything related to expat life and personal development.
Cinthya M.
"ELS and Amanda surprised me greatly. To be honest, at first I was more curious than motivated. Being from Nicaragua and living in Spain, I was not in a good mindset at the time. As the course progressed, especially with the group live sessions with Amanda, I felt a great comfort knowing that I could speak and share in the ELS community. I was not afraid to share my experience and especially the way Amanda led the group, giving us tips and guidance so that we could share without feeling forced, and improve our quality of life by taking control of it, was a radical change for me.
Overall, I highly recommend ELS if you want to invest in yourself. As humans, we need this type of education around the world. Amanda has a natural talent for this kind of work. I feel confident and also like to share more in this community. Thank you for your hard work Amanda!"
Melissa F.
"This course came just at the right moment! I'm trying to figure out how to combine my business with long travels/expat life. Amanda has such a vibrant energy! She really knows how to help you find the best version of yourself! It was contagious and made me step up my game!
I loved the build up in the course. It has all the stages of expat life, from start to finish. It really gives you everything you need to feel at home within you as an expat. But also when you are currently back home like I am. Through videos and exercises I digged deeper within myself, my mindset and were able to make changes that align with my future. In a live session, Amanda answered my questions and encouraged me to look at other possibilities, gave me some exercises and here I am. I took a month off and just started travelling Vietnam. Finally giving myself permission to combine my business with travelling. So thankful for this course and for Amanda's way of coaching!"
Simone L.
"I met Amanda during a yoga retreat in Thailand in 2016. Since then, I've been following her journey, from working as a diplomat in Brazil, to settling back in The Netherlands, and her career swop to expat coach. I've been living in Australia since 2017 and this still comes with its challenges. Therefore, I was very curious to Expat Life School.
I'm very impressed by the content. Amanda discusses a wide range of topics. The videos are short and easy to listen to (for instance on the go or during your lunch break). Amanda has a calm and clear voice, and shares a wealth of knowledge and experiences. She gives many examples and useful exercises. Some exercises were so powerful to me, that I will keep coming backto them.
Above all, I really enjoyed Amanda's approach of sympathy for ourselves, kindness and acceptance. This course offers something for everyone."
This is how the course works
Expat life School is an online programme and consists of 3 hours of video content, a work book, an online community and 5 live group Zoom sessions.
Step 1. After you purchase Expat Life School, you'll get a confirmation email and access to the course platform (there's already a video & exercise waiting for you!).
Step 2. You will get full access to the course and to the community on the official starting date (16 October). On this day we will also have our kick-off session.
Step 3. You can watch the online content at your own pace. The other 4 group sessions and the bonus masterclass will take place in the following 4 months: 8 November, 29 November, 13 December, 10 January 2024, 5 February 2024.
Is Expat Life School the right course for you?
✅ Yes, if you're an expat living abroad and have that nagging feeling that your life could be better. Maybe you struggle with staying grounded while everything is moving, feel like you could use some guidance on setting goals or just want to learn from people who've been through the same thing.
✅ Yes, if you're about to move abroad and want to make sure you have all the tools to create your best life.
✅ Yes, if you're an expat who has returned home and is struggling with rebuilding a life. The tools in this course will help you too.
✅ Yes, if you're technically not an expat but perhaps a digital nomad or just someone who is always abroad. If you feel understood here, you are very welcome!
❌ No, if you're just looking for practical tips on things of expat life that are not about you (tax, finding rentals, insurance, etc).
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When are the group sessions?The group sessions will take place on: - Monday 16 October - Wednesday 8 November - Wednesday 13 December - Wednesday 10 January 2024 - Monday 5 February 2024 All at 20.00 CET
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What are the group sessions like?The group sessions are the place & time for you to grow, open up, connect with others and realise you are all going through the same process. So what are they like? They're going to be a mix of me going a bit deeper on some of the course topics (plus time for any questions you may have about them), an exercise and/or visualisation, hot seat coaching, and each will have Q&A time (for any of your questions on personal development or expat life). You'll be able to post your questions in the online community in advance, so even if you can't make the session, your question will still be answered. All the sessions (and bonuses) are recorded and you will receive a replay afterwards. These are the dates of the group sessions: - Monday 16 October - Wednesday 8 November - Wednesday 13 December - Wednesday 10 January 2024 - Monday 5 February 2024 All at 20.00 CET
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Can you tell me more about the online community?Absolutely. When I lived abroad, I felt like my inner circle back home didn't really understand me. We were often going through the same things, but for me there was an additional complex layer of being abroad at play, something they never had to deal with. I missed connecting with like-minded people who instantly knew what I meant when I spoke about my expat struggles. That's why I decided to create an online community around the course. A safe space for you to share not only about the course content, but also about other aspects of your life abroad. Your struggles, celebrations, questions. It's a place for you to feel welcome and to connect with like-minded, globetrotting souls across the world. The online community will be hosted in a special Instagram account. I'll join in on the conversations and share extra tips and inspiration around the course topics there. Can't wait to connect!
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For how long will I have access to the course?For a year! So you can do it entirely at your own pace and go back to certain videos as much as you want.
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I would love to join, but I don't have time nowThat's ok, you'll have access to the course for a year! The video content is available whenever you want to start. Besides, as I know that expats run a busy life, the videos are short & concise - ideal for you to watch (or listen to) during lunch, on the plane or while you're on your way to work. The community period will last for 4 months and if you can't join the group sessions, no worries: you'll get a replay of every session.
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I'm not an expat, can I still join?Absolutely! This course is made for expats and all other types of globetrotters who want to start working on their personal development. Even if you don't live abroad but like to travel and hang out with international people, you are very welcome. The course content is valuable to anyone ready to create a thriving life.
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I'm a man - can I join?Yes! The group is gender diverse.
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How do I know if the course is a right fit for me?You're never really sure if a course is the right match beforehand. If my words here resonate with you, I think you can trust your intuition. And did you know you have a guarantee of getting your money back if you really don't like the course? So you've got nothing left to loose, really!
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Will you give the course another time?Yes - but not in this format! I'm turning Expat Life School into an evergreen course so I can focus on materialising other ideas, starting early 2024. You will be able to purchase Expat Life School as a video course and get access to the nearly 40 videos, but it won't come with group sessions, a private community and extra support/content throughout the 4 months. So if you want to experience Expat Life School fully... Sign up now!
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What is the price?€499.
Expat Life School helps you to thrive, anywhere
With Expat Life School you will get all the tools you need to feel at home, engage more in the local culture, maintain your relationships, define your dreams, remain confident & excited towards your life abroad and so much more. Everything you need to start thriving.
But always with the same starting point: you. An inward focus first, so you can make the right changes externally.
But there is more to it. Because expat life can feel lonely, Expat Life School comes with a welcoming community of like-minded souls for you to connect with. Together we'll go on this journey and dive deeper into the course topics during the group sessions. Expat Life School is like a life line you can always lean on to reassess where you are and determine where you're going, while being supported by your own global tribe.
✅ 3 hours of video content (37 videos!) full of inspiration, knowledge and tips
✅ A work book, exercises and visualisations
✅ 5 thematic group sessions via Zoom with Q&A's and group coaching to make sure you get all the support you need
✅ 4 months in a welcoming online community of fellow globetrotters to connect and find real understanding with (16 October - 16 February)
✅ bonus masterclass by Coco Hofs on overcoming cultural differences