Meet Maddalena : dating as an expat

Meet Maddalena : dating as an expat

From Meet the Expats by Meet the Expats

April 22, 2026 · 23 min · Season 5 · Episode 22

About this episode

Maddalena discusses her expat journey and how it has influenced her approach to dating and relationships.

Meet Maddalena, an Italian relationship and dating coach now living in London, whose expat journey took her from a small town in Southern Italy to Dublin, Rome, and eventually London. In this episode, Maddalena shares how living abroad transformed not only her life, but also her approach to love, dating, and emotional connection. Dublin became her turning point. What started as an exciting new chapter quickly turned into a deeper personal journey. Away from her support system, Maddalena began noticing repeating patterns in her relationships — idealising partners, confusing chemistry with compatibility, and unconsciously building emotional barriers to protect herself. “ When you are abroad you build a barrier unconsciously… this barrier makes you feel stronger and independent, but at the same time it blocks intimacy. ” Through self-reflection, journaling, and learning to lower those emotional walls, Maddalena began to understand how expat life can amplify existing patterns. Loneliness, independence, and uncertainty often create a push-and-pull dynamic: wanting connection while simultaneously keeping people at a distance. She also shares powerful insights into common expat dating…

People in this episode

Guest: Maddalena

Topics covered

  • expat life
  • dating
  • relationships
  • emotional connection
  • self-reflection
  • loneliness

Keywords

  • expat dating
  • relationship coach
  • emotional barriers
  • intimacy
  • self-reflection

Mentioned in this episode

Places: London, Dublin, Rome, Southern Italy

More episodes of Meet the Expats

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Meet the Expats podcast page.