Available Worldwide

Dec 30 2024 91 ep. 30 mins 11

Available Worldwide Podcast artwork

An interview-style podcast by, for, and about the accompanying partners of the US Foreign Service. In each episode, we’ll talk to diplomatic spouses who have discovered superpowers they never knew they had and found success in unlikely places. We highlight voices that will inspire and encourage you as you explore what it means to be “available worldwide.”
Hosted by Lauren Steed and Stephanie Anderson

foreign service, diplomacy, diplomat, trailing spouse, EFM, expat, abroad, expats, world, nomad, stories, personal stories, interview,

Business Society & Culture Education

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Revisiting 2024. What's coming in 2025?

Dec 30 2024 6 mins

Lauren and Steph catch up on some of the exciting things that happened in the Available Worldwide community in 2024 and invite you to share your story of transformations on our podcast in 2025. Is this your year?

Jenn Evans | Bloom Counseling

Dec 20 2024 29 mins

Jenn is a licensed therapist who was looking for a therapist at her challenging first post abroad. When she struggled to find the help she needed, it inspired her to start her own practice -- Bloom Counseling.In this interview, I chat with Jenn about how accompanying partners can build better self-care practices by finding out what works for them, remembering what they love, and pu

From FSO to EFM | Elizabeth Streett

Dec 11 2024 34 mins

Elizabeth Streett did everything right: going to college and becoming a diplomat. She met all the criteria for what anyone would see as successful. But success didn't really end up being what she sought, and it turns out that was the wrong word to use anyway. After discovering that life as a diplomat didn't have the room for the kinds of joy that she wanted to prioritize in life, s

From Math PhD to Thriller Author | Matthew Becker

Nov 26 2024 46 mins

After rave reviews of his debut novel, EFM Matthew Becker has two more books coming soon. In this episode, find out how an academic mathematician with a past work in missile tracking and COVID test kit distribution analysis became an EFM and followed a secret dream to become an author. Like most avid readers, Matthew believed he could write something pretty decent. Unlike the rest

Laura Jennings | LVL-Up CSO & Co-Founder

Nov 05 2024 26 mins

Laura Jennings has navigated her share of twists, turns, and transitions, from starting her career in publishing to successful stints in marketing and communications. She's a passionate and accomplished business developer, having built a portable Pilates business and taken it to five posts. Now as Chief Strategy Officer at LVL-Up Strategies, she continues to advocate for EFM career

Amy Parker | Nonprofit Fundraising & Strategy

Oct 23 2024 41 mins

When there's an EFM who has turned what seems to be a location-dependent career into something globally portable, you know you'll eventually meet them here on Available Worldwide. In this episode, Amy shares what it was like to unexpectedly dine with some global power-players, how she made the tough decision to quit a portable job without the guarantee of something new, and what th

Melissa Dokurno, Esq. | Building Skills to Thrive

Oct 08 2024 28 mins

Charting Her Own Course: Building the Right Skills to Thrive at PostMelissa Dokurno's career has taken quite a few twists and turns since her spouse joined the Foreign Service, and even before he was officially on board. While they've both made sacrifices for each other's careers, they've kept their family strong even when physically separated.In this interview, Melissa tells the s

Janelle Meyer | Global Village Tutors

Sep 24 2024 48 mins

In this episode, Lauren meets yet another life trajectory twin, Janelle Meyer, who went to college with dreams of being a graphic designer, but who eventually came back to her true calling, work helping students succeed. Janelle is a special educator with a real passion for using brain-based methods to help children learn to read and succeed in school. This episode covers her journ

Purvi Gandhi Irwin | Design Technology Consultant

Sep 07 2024 35 mins

Purvi Gandhi Irwin works in a job that didn't exist when she entered her career field as a preservation project architect. She's a design tech consultant working with 3D modeling software and was recently hired by Overseas Building Operations (OBO). In our interview, Purvi shares questionable choices in high school, how her career has evolved, her special connection to the bathroom

Summer Break 2024

Jul 30 2024 4 mins

We're on summer break! We just wanted to share a quick update about how you can get involved in the next season of episodes AND how to stay connected to the Available Worldwide community. Apply to be a guest: https://availableworldwide.net/contact/Join the Available Worldwide Network: https://availableworldwide.net/available-worldwide-network/You'll hear from us again in September!