Use My Expertise to Move Overseas With Confidence

I’ve always been fascinated with the concept of travel. As a child, I devoured books on Ancient Egypt and collected maps and encyclopedias. When my parents took me to the Epcot Center World Showcase, I loved immersing myself in each “country,” pretending that instead of an Orlando, Florida parking lot, I was in a Moroccan bazaar, Japanese temple, or a busy Italian street.

I fantasized about what it would be like to be a traveler in far off places, just like the ones I saw in the pages of National Geographic. But I mostly explored in my imagination, reading history books and poring over my mom’s photo albums, filled with famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower and Venice canals (my grandparents worked for PanAm and my mom tagged along).

One day, I thought to myself, I would be on one of those planes.

When I was finally old enough to travel on my own, I spent summers surfing the east coast of the U.S. and winters in Mexico or Puerto Rico.

Lack of money never held me back. Everything I made from odd jobs I saved, and learned to travel on a shoestring budget.

As I inched closer to adulthood, though, uncertainty set in. Who would I be when I “grew up?” What would I do for work and where would I live? All I knew is that I wanted a job that would let me travel.

In college, my first idea was to study Hospitality Management, so I could work in hotels. But fate led me in another direction…

The Turning Point

In 2001, I applied for a Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarship with the Rotary Foundation. A year later, I was living with locals in Costa Rica, as part of an immersion, community service, and language program.

As my plane touched down on the first day, I felt anxious. Had I made a huge mistake? But fear and uncertainty soon turned to excitement as I experienced the joys of expat life for the first time.

I quickly felt at home in Costa Rica, studying Spanish by day and sharing meals with my host family by night. I got involved with the local community, volunteered at an orphanage, and gave talks (in Spanish!) at Rotary luncheons.

Weekends were reserved for adventure. I explored the country by bus, boat, and puddle jumper plane, surfed the Pacific, and biked the beaches of Puerto Viejo.

When my scholarship ended, I couldn’t bear the thought of returning to “normal” life in Orlando. So, I lobbied my university to let me study abroad in Australia.

I enrolled at Griffith University on the Gold Coast in February 2003. And one class—International Human Resources Management—changed my life forever.

It was there that I learned about the Curve of Cultural Adaptation—the emotional and psychological process you endure when experiencing culture shock in a new country.

I realized it was the process I was going through myself as a study abroad student. In the years to come, I’d use these same concepts to help my clients transition to living abroad.

How I Launched My Relocation Business

When it came time to start my career, rather than taking a corporate job, I took a chance selling real estate in Costa Rica.

One year turned into seven, living in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, helping people invest in real estate in Central America.

After fielding numerous questions about what to do after moving abroad, I recognized a need for guided relocation services. So in 2011, I founded Orbis Relocation, through which I’ve helped more than 1,000 people move to 37 countries.

Most relocation companies cater to large corporations or specific towns, but I wanted to help regular people achieve their dreams of moving anywhere in the world. My clients were grateful to have someone there to make the process easy and straightforward, saving them hours searching for answers online.

Along the way, I realized there was a growing need to combat misinformation on the internet. I took on a new mission to publish reliable tips and advice for how to move overseas, “slow travel” the world, or become a digital nomad.

What I Do Today

In 2018, I launched a YouTube channel and blog called Traveling with Kristin. The following year, I started a podcast called Badass Digital Nomads. In 2021, I wrote my first book, Digital Nomads For Dummies, and created a program called Ready to Relocate. This is my signature eight-step framework for moving to another country. It takes you through the process, step by step, of planning and budgeting for your move, choosing a destination… and making it happen. I cover all the logistics, from calculating your cost of living and forwarding your mail, to finding housing, and opening a bank account.

My program also prepares you for what happens after your move. What should you do in your first few months abroad? What should you expect during your first year? How do you vote from overseas, pay taxes, and apply for permanent residency?

For those who aren’t quite ready to take the leap, my monthly articles in these pages will cover a variety of travel and living abroad advice on topics like working remotely… living like a local… and the best places to live or retire overseas.

My goal is to help you put your overseas plans into action. I’ll provide a framework and encouragement to help you live your best life, whether that’s at a French vineyard, Fijian beach, or the Panama Canal.

You can also live a perpetual slowtravel lifestyle, migrating with the seasons or as you desire. Technology and affordability have opened the world to more people than ever before.

As it did for me, living in foreign cultures can help you discover more about who you are and what you want to do in the world. There are infinite paths in life… and I’m excited to see where your journey leads you.