An Interview With Melissa Llarena

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 ma