Ep 39: Living Globally and Re-defining Your Identity: A Conversation with Author Mariam Navaid Ottimofiore on designing the layers of your life as a globally mobile family

House of Peregrine

Mickelle sits down with author and Peregrine Mariam Navaid Ottimofiore, a globally mobile economist turned author who has lived in 10 countries across four continents. Mariam shares her extraordinary journey, from her childhood in Pakistan, Bahrain, and the United States to her current home in Cascais, Portugal. Together, they explore her experiences navigating cultures, languages, and the challenges of raising three multicultural children while building a career that bridges continents and identities.

The conversation highlights Mariam’s evolution from corporate economist to writer and advocate for globally mobile communities. She shares the deeply personal emotions tied to expat life, from the guilt of leaving loved ones behind to the growth that comes with embracing the unknown. Her latest novel, The Guilty Can't Say Goodbye, delves into these themes, telling the fictional stories of three women in Portugal navigating guilt and cultural complexities while discovering resilience.

Throughout, Mariam and Mickelle reflect on adaptation, linguistic empathy, and the transformative power of a "messy mobile life." Mariam offers insights on cultural identity, designing a life by choice, and finding joy in the unexpected. Whether you’re an expat, a TCK, or someone redefining home, this episode will inspire you to embrace life’s beauty and complexity.

Key Moments:

1. The Journey of a Third Culture Kid - Mariam’s global childhood and how being bilingual shaped her adaptability.
2. Raising a Multicultural Family - Her marriage to a German-Italian partner, raising children across continents, and the enrichment and challenges of cultural fusion.
3. Exploring Guilt in Expat Life - Insights from The Guilty Can't Say Goodbye, examining guilt and identity through the lens of three women in Portugal.
4. Finding Growth in the Messy Middle - How expat life reshapes identity and the value of embracing each new country’s

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