OUR BACKSTORY: How we were living abroad in SPAIN, MOROCCO, & DENMARK for 12 years with 3 kids!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- You guys have been asking us for years and today we are finally answering your burning questions... well... some of them...
We'll share how to move abroad, raise kids abroad and what brought us back to the US after 12 years.
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I’m not necessarily a person who believes in “soul mates,” but you two are the closest thing I’ve ever seen to soul mates. I love your story.
Ashley McDonald 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I don’t know them but they are my favorite couple. I love how they love one another.
Yes!!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This video literally gave me goosebumps....I'm so thankful I found your channel,I've learned so much already and look forward to your journey ahead...
@@kellyvanschyndel5810 Agreed. I stumbled across this the other day-- totally enjoying this wonderful family experience and knowledge.
I just teared up when Jack looked at you and said "you're still the same person that took my breath away". What you have is pure gold...everything else is just tinsel.
Omg yes that was beautiful
The way Jack loves you is just soo amazing!!! He looks at you like you are the breath he needs to survive 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Yes 😍
And you always want to appreciate a man like Jack, because they are one in a million.
Love hearing your back story. Need a part 2!!
Yes he seems very dependent.
I can't even describe how inspirational this video and your story is to me. Thank you for sparking something inside of me. In midst of this pandemic, I feel my dreams are restricted. But seeing how motivated you guys are is a shining light on a hill. Thank you so much - you guys do more than you know.
Yes. I feel the same way too. My live felt so full then I started to “live” and enjoy and then the pandemic came along and it’s become all uncertain again. But this story has charged me up to keep dreaming and visualising to live the life I want!
The fussel kids be like: what do you mean you only speak English ?!!?!! Then curse in Arabic then apologize in danish ❤️❤️😂😂😂
A warm greeting to you from a subscriber in Denmark! So interesting to hear what your point of view of Denmark is - and I am very happy to hear that all you had a great time living here 👍🏼🇩🇰😁
I’ve been to Denmark 2x and had worked for a Danish company for 20 years. I love the Danish culture and their sense of humor is so dry and very funny! The people are practical, intelligent and self sufficient. Love hugge (sp) and love to say SKOLL!!
I adore you two!! Your energy, humor, and sincereness come shining through. When Jack said "And that's the day she was sentenced." I cried with laughter. Binge watching your videos like my life depends on it! Loved hearing your story, thank you for sharing.
You’re so welcome Kristie!
As someone who has had their fair share of overseas living... (80 countries and counting) over a 25-year period, your video brought back many memories for me as a foreigner, living in a foreign land. I'm home now and very settled. I literally unpacked my boxes for the last time 2 years ago 😎and living in one place is definitely still a novel idea! My home country was a foreign land to me. But living in cosmopolitan London is akin to living overseas anyway. I'm definitely still enjoying getting to know the country of my birth again 🙏 but just a little piece of me resides everywhere that I have resided and I like to think it will always be that way
What did I learn?...love and passion clearly makes you more attractive as you age. 💕
💯💯
Would love to hear about how you guys shifted from non-profit work to interior design and marketing
Hmmmmm.....you have the perfect cover for assasins! We love you even though you are trained killers with impeccable taste. I think air b n b is a great idea! I would also like to see you design wallpaper or bedding..etc!
😂😂😂😂😂👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
😂 😂 😂 except I cant even kill an 🐜 😂
Yes a. Home decor line!
The former elderly owner (90’s) of our Florida cottage bought a mobile home for his grandson (60’s) so he could care for him and the acreage. We may put a barn there one day, but right now it is an Airbnb. The income (meager due to covid) is to help us renovate here. The best thing is all the people we meet from so many places! Even US regions bring differences. It is an adventure!
Too too funny! 🤣🤣🤣
Your " condensed" story is amazing!!
My eyes and ears are glued to your pictures and memories. Yes!! I am going along on TH-cam with you on your journey!!
I would like to know more about the work you did over seas and how it transitioned into real estate and design.I can guess the inspiration you saw crafted your aesthetic but did you study design or was it a school of experience or both? Sorry if I missed the video on the answer to this question if it already exist 😊
Loved this video. Love your story. Would love to hear about your experiences, culture shock etc in each country.
This is an amazing, incredibly inspiring life journey. What a beautiful way to raise kids and teach them about the world. Finally your love story, this bond the two of you have is just a pleasure to observe.
Wishing you lots of new adventures!
When you're 12 weeks pregnant and hormonal and you run across an amazing gal, with a amazing family and then they share their family's story. Long story longer I just laughed, cried, almost wet my pants and cried again. Thanks for sharing 💜 from TX.
As a world traveler myself, I found this fascinating. I would love to here more about how your travels influenced your design style. Like a Moroccan inspired video, danish modern etc
I loved hearing more about your times living overseas. I’m living in Germany (from Australia). What was originally going to be a 1 year stay has turned into almost 5 years (so far) plus two kids along the way. You guys are such an inspiration - no one else I know has lived overseas so I love hearing stories and insight from people who have. I’m so glad I found your channel a couple of months ago. I’m currently on my second maternity leave and trying to make our apartment more of a place I love being in. I’ve been binge-watching a lot of your older videos! I would love to see a detailed video on your time in Denmark.
Virtually everyone I know has lived and worked overseas. You need to have deeper conversations with the people around you.
What a wonderful story. I can relate so much to it with your kids. My father had the same adventurous mindset and took us for 4vyears to Algeria and we traveled all over Europe. It was life changing and I appreciate so much to have been exposed to it. I never learned Arabic but did study in a french school. What a wonderful story is yours!!
Cannot love this video enough!!! And the personal style of you two have incredibly transformed and become so chic after living abroad for so many years!
I did not know your backstory. I've been following you two for a few months ago. Can i just say Jack you are so much better looking now. You guys are too cute. I love your enthusiasm and you passion for each other > Thanks for sharing. You've lived more lifetimes than most could ever dream of. How awesome for your children to learn about all of these countries and to speak these different languages.
You all are fearless! Love to hear more stories in 10-15 minute snippets. You are an adorable couple that God blessed with an awesome family. Love the banter between you the two of you. Can't wait to see what you do next.
Thank you for this video. I don’t why but it has truly inspired me to dream big. My husband and I started our family whilst living overseas over a span of 8yrs. You both are beautiful ppl, may God bless your family.
Thank you so much for sharing your abbreviated history! You guys are so funny and naughty--I love it. How did you decide to settle in Georgia? I want my living room to look like yours! I'm in love!
I vote for a whole video on your time in Copenhagen, when and how you segued from non-profit work to design, how you afforded to live there, how you afforded to buy a home in states and would like to know how you both transitioned into different/new careers...did either of you have to go back to school? How did you get into marketing, real estate, and design? I'm always interested to learn the logistics, people's processes while they're working toward achieving their goals and dreams, especially if you are parents having to support a family as you're doing it (I have not figured out how to make major geographic or career changes while maintaining uninterrupted income as a single parent). This was a great video and thank you for sharing your story with us!
You two are so cute! Love your story!
My parents are from Turkey and came to Germany end of the 60ies/beginning of the 70ies and stayed. So I grew up bilingual and learned english, french and spanish in school. I love learning new languages and visiting new countries.
This is how I pictured my life. It never happened but I LOVE your story. You guys fit together so well. Thank you for sharing.
This is so beautiful! Love how you laugh together.
What a life. I am 66 and love your show. Thanks for sharing your history. Amazing !
Why am I feeling so happy to be so excited about the anticipation of what the future brings for you two!??? ❤️ Positively adore you two!
Whatever the future brings,I'm happy to be able to virtually enjoy it with you guys🤗 y'all are hilarious btw😆
My husband and I enjoy you two. 💕
Hey Jack and Valentina, it’s only been 3weeks and you guys have become my new family!! Watching this video was beautiful and emotional all at the same time! Thank you for sharing your back story! Loved it!
You 2 need to write a book about your living in so many places. It could be a series where each book is a different country and/or house/apartment. And really talk about all the day-to-day living without and with kiddos. Wow!!!! That would be a series I would definitely buy and enjoy. Plus it could be so valuable for those young families who want to do just what you did 💜💙💚💛🧡
Thank you so much for your inspiration, optimism and enthusiasm during this time of restrictions. I lived in France, taught in China, lived in the Canadian Arctic because of this deep sense of adventure. When my daughter was 10, we spent a few months in South Africa (sabbatical from my teaching job in Canada), an adventure I believe has left a life-long impression on her. Thank you for reminding us that we will be able to travel again, to taste such amazing food, and see wonderful sights, and meet like-minded people. 'Love your approach to life.
Not sure how you can watch this and not cry- What a BEAUTIFUL STORY! I am so grateful that we get to somehow follow your journey. “We’re not nearly as cool as you thought we were”- You’re right! You two are even cooler!!!!!Cooler than being a spy or anything like that, you’ve built a family upon a strong foundation, amazing memories, special moments and as you mentioned, lived through hardships together that only made you stronger. Love you both!
Thanks so much!
I absolutely loved this video! ❤️ This may be one of my favourite videos ever on YT. I totally understand what you mean about traveling, learning, living loving and embracing other cultures and helping out wherever we are planted for a season 🥰 I grew up in the Middle East and got to travel to a few Countries and loved every moment of my time experiencing other cultures, and so this video really spoke to my heart. Thank you for sharing your journey with us, and I wish you only the best wherever life takes you, and would love to meet you both someday! 🤗 Till then, will continue to watch you guys here and would love to hear more about your experiences in the Countries you’ve travelled to 🥰 Lots of love from across the World, Esther ☺️
❤️❤️❤️ That’s so cool! Middle East is on our dream destination list!
House of Valentina I just feel you will love it! 🥰 And they will love you guys too! 🤗
The word “storybook” came to mind when I watched this video. Your joined ambitions, amazing love for each other, the tremendous love you show your children, and the work you’ve done in foreign countries all reflects your compassion and love not only for each other and your family but also for mankind. Simply beautiful.
You two crack me up. But seriously, your relationship is awe inspiring. Loved hearing about your adventures and most of all I'd like to hear more about Denmark. It seemed to really make an impact on your lives and I'd like to know what was it about Denmark that really stood out. The architecture, the people, the way of life? A combination of a things?
Hope to hear more and thank you so much for making us feel like family.
Hello from a french Moroccan born and raised in morocco i just binged all your channel. Love it
Visiting and living in other countries is the spice of life! I'm so fortunate to have lived a summer in Barcelona. I would love to hear about design in each of these countries; the Moroccan style, the Spanish style, the Danish style, including customs and foods. What a great story. Love watching your channel!
Very rich experience and admirable that you took the opportunity to see the other side of the world not as tourists but as altruists to help others with your children which I’m sure also learned from the experience to become great people just like you.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This made me cry, it was so beautiful. Hope that some day Europe will let Americans come back.
They can’t get rid of us forever!!
Oh my goodness you are an amazing couple. Your adventurous get up and go is admirable. I’d live to see more vids on living in Morocco, Spain, Denmark. How did you adapt moving from warm climate to cold climate. Your experiences living abroad. How were you and your family received. Love you all. Tfs
They better, our family lives in Belgium.
I love your family as well
Given the fact that most americans outright refusing to wear mask in this time of pandemic, Im glad that my country ( Japan ) is still banning travelers from the US.
My father was in the Army so we moved every three years. We lived in goeppingen Germany the first year, then the last year in Heidelberg Germany. Loved it so much but really missed our family In Alabama. I will say going to castles and volks marches on weekends was the best! And talk about the best place to be for Christmas! Pure magic!
What a exciting life you have had, your children are very lucky 🌸
I think you are both a lovely couple! I love your house, I’m a huge fan of black and white interiors
I would love to know more about how you found employment abroad! This is my dream!
I’m from Romania and my first trip abroad was in the US as a student. And I knew then that I want to live in another country. I went to the US 2 more times after that and that feeling was stronger every time. Now I live in Canada 🙂, I do go home to visit and I fell that I made the right choice.
Your story is lovely! Thank you for sharing it with us. Your kids are so lucky to have seen so much already and have these experiences.
This is such a lovely video. Thank you for sharing your life adventures with us. You should definitely do a video on your experience in Denmark.
I love all the design elements that you teach from do's & don'ts to design inspirations, etc. And please don't stop making those vidoes. But this video?! Please incorporate more videos like this. You guys made me feel like a friend sitting in your living room chitchating about love, life, dreams and aspiration. 😍🥰
Oh I so love you guys! You have giving me the courage to sell our home and try somewhere different for awhile!
Oh my goodness. What a life to live. Your children are blessed to have experienced the world as they have. I could curl up by the fire with a cup of anything and listen to your stories all day long. Thanks so much for sharing your stories with us. You’ve inspired me.
I was hooked by your incredible design and lifestyle videos, now getting to know more about you has made me even more of a fan! Knowing that you worked in the nonprofit world on causes close to your heart shows me just how centered and grounded you two truly are. Thank you for all you do.
This was a fun watch. I am a Hungarian speaker from Romania and currently living in Marrakech, Morocco (oh! an American citizen). About to start Moroccan Arabic on Wednesday, inchalla. Love listening to travelers and love your designer style! Thanks for this post.
AMAZING, JUST AMAZING...I can not even imagine, such bravery, this is such a great story... this is the best thing you could ever do, this video.. shows such a incrediable value you both have for life...love❤
Such a beautiful journey. Thank you for sharing it with us.
As a couple that has lived a lot like this between several countries with 3 kids and can pat ourselves on the back, kudos, well done you guys!!!
I've been watching this channel for long time, but after this video I subscribed and I love your history. As I did moved with my 10 year old daughter from south America to Atlanta and thank the Lord for the new life!
wow, what an exiting, colorfol life you had abroad 👌🏻 Greatest enrichment in life, discovering other countries & cultures, especially living there and even learing the language 👌🏻 !! I never been to Danmark, visited Spain & Morocco several times, unfortunately never lived there. I ❤️ Tangier, Asilah & Granada ~ Thank you, gracias, shukran for sharing your beautiful story ❤️
Wonderful story!! We too moved from Miami To France and love every minute of it. What a World!!!
I'm a Los Angeles girl living in Western Austria. I can't say my life was quite as adventurous as yours but I do count myself as blessed as well. I do find it hard living abroad sometimes. I want to be more like you - don't know if I ever will be but I guess that's okay. xoxo
You two are amazing! And your story brought tears to my eyes. Valentina, when I was 5 yrs old I was into decorating and rearranging my space and it is such a deep rooted passion of mine in continued throughout my life. I went to school for nursing and worked covid ICU as an RN. Through all the turmoil and devastation coming home to my house, my space, my personnel work of art, I could loose myself and decompress from work in DIY projects around my home. Thank you for all the inspiration. I cant wait to see what is on the horizon for you and your family.
I love your story Valentina! Very inspiring. Especially the part of taking your kids. My husband is Egyptian and I lived there for a while. But we felt it would be easier to travel if he got his us passport so we’ve been in Ohio for 6 years, where my parents live.
I am a nurse an I have always wanted to do that but I have been worried bc of not knowing what kind of work I would find or my husband that would make enough money to do all that. We also love Denmark, and want to visit. My sister in law in from Morocco and her and my husbands brother live in Antwerp. I feel better about having kids and traveling after seeing you do it 💕
Hello, hello, a new subscriber here. I am only few years younger than you are and have a similar life story. I lived in Switzerland, Germany, New Zealand. I live in Canada now and I am originally from Prague. Although I entered the second half of my life already, the journey is not over. There are few other countries where I would love to live in (such as Iceland or Greenland). As you said in your video: Dream big! There are no borders. Everything is just in our mind and imagination. Good luck to you with everything! You are fun to watch.
I went to England once, just once and it’s all I dream about.
Omg ive been 3 times and its all i dream of
Where did you go? We looooved the cotswalds!
I went on business stayed in Darlington, one weekend we went to Liverpool for football, then the next day we went to Durham Cathedral and Priory Church.
I stumbled on your youtube video last night looking for decor ideas... After watching one of your videos I immediately subscribed. I absolutely love all of the videos Ive watched so far but especially this one. Thank you for sharing a little bit about your background... It's warm, personal and it really helps the us, your viewers connect with you even more especially to see where your inspiration on the design ideas that you share. I look forward to watching more youtube videos of you and your family. You guys are inspiring, funny, goofy, educational and just overall a positive loving influence. Love to hear more of your adventures.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you subscribed.
Great video! I would love to learn more about your time in Copenhagen. I’m fascinated by Scandinavian culture and their design aesthetic.
This video made me realize that I have been anchored in Canada, visited our property in Montenegro regularly( wasn’t that a bit of the Montenegrin coastline that you showed?) and am regularly drawn to Fort Myers, Winkler Rd. You made me remember. Thank you kids.
Hello...I’m Janis from Louisville, Kentucky. I could listen to you two all day long...It blows my mind to think of all the places you’ve been and everything you’ve experienced. You are a phenomenal couple. Thank you so much for sharing your lives with us. I would love to hear more about Copenhagen and how your family adapted to living there. What did you eat? How did you decorate where you lived? What was your favorite thing about being there? I’m having the best time learning from you....Can’t wait to see what’s next! Sending love from Kentucky...Janis❤️
Thank you for sharing parts of your life with your audience. I enjoyed this video and I love your senses of humour. In the late 1990s, my husband and I moved to The Netherlands with a 3 year old and a 5 year old and we took every opportunity that we could, during our 3 years there, to travel in Europe. Like you, we have so many stories to share and so many memories to cherish. Moving back to Ontario, Canada felt good at that time, but we have since moved to beautiful British Columbia. We are now waiting for this pandemic to subside a bit more, so that we can pack our suitcases and explore more of what the world has to offer. I love your design ideas and I am applying some as I try to find the right look for our small, but 'perfect for us' condo.
I am so emotional watching and hearing your beautiful backstory ! I've been dreaming to go travel to Morocco for YEARS now , and you both keep pushing me closer to go!! I also am so inspired by you Valentina. I've always been drawn to interior design, and at first it was just a hobby I enjoyed doing, putting my space together, creating something out of nothing. I think quarantine has got a lot of people reflecting on their careers, aspirations, or life as a whole. After working as a RN for a few years now, and although I do enjoy it, and it is so humbling caring for people in their most vulnerable state; I am not passionate about it. I think it's so important to find things you are passionate about, and love waking up to do every day. Anyway, I discovered your channel a few months back when Quarantine started back in March, and I look forward to your videos every week. Thank you for sharing your love for design and travel with the world !!
I just found you guys about 2 weeks ago and have been binge watching all your videos. This video however, made me so happy and touched my heart!! What amazing people you are! You have led an amazing adventurous life and given your kids so many experiences!! You are inspiring and just lovely!!!! ❤️
OMG...I was waiting for this vid... Was crying by the end of video. ❤❤❤❤
Thank you for inspiring us to pursue our dreams....alright now
COPENHAGEN WEEK!!!
Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. I was blessed with a Norwegian mother, and we lived in Norway for about 2 years (non consecutively) when I was growing up. With my own three sons, each of them has been a Rotary exchange student for a year living with a host family and going to regular high school abroad (Spain, Chile, and Taiwan). I hope you will encourage your friends/subscribers to consider Rotary exchange as a wonderful, inexpensive way to start seeing the world.
I’m a new follower. I found your channel just yesterday and have been binge watching your videos. I love your story and you two are adorable.
Edit: I just rewatched this and would love to hear more about your time in Copenhagen and what you learned while living there and what creative lessons you brought with you when you moved back to the U.S.
This is the best video ever! I'm so glad you linked this one on your most recent vid.
Awesome picture choices and clip choices to tell your story. Truly wonderful, God is good.
Yes, yes, yes, to all the video possibilities you mentioned! Y’all’s story is something I would like to hear more of. What a life y’all have lived, and the experiences and memories you have given your children!
My husband is 10 years older than me, we met and married within a 3 month span ( I was 20, he 30). We had our first child one year later. My oldest (we have 3) asked me one time why I couldn’t be more fun like Dad, why I didn’t dance around and play with them the way he did. When Jack said he was just young at heart, it reminded me so much of my husband, that spirit, that fun side, so I guess that’s one of many reasons the 10 years between us never mattered! Oh, my answer to my daughter? When we had kids, one of us had to become an adult!
Hahah
You two are made for one another! Thank you for sharing your journey, aspirations and dreams with us! What a beautifully fascinating story!
We lived as expats in several countries as well, and it was the most memorable and amazing part of our lives
@@TutsiJagger 💙💛😍💙❤💚
Just stumbled upon your channel recently & watched your story. It really resonated with me in that I am the same age as Valentina & I met my husband (6y older than me) when I was 19. It was ❤️ at first sight & we were married two years later. For the past 21 years we have lived abroad mostly. Now that our daughter is growing up, it is exciting to think about what our lives might look like as a couple again & imagine new adventures in new countries.
LOVE your story! You deserve GREAT things. Authentic, genuinely nice, people with such talent and creativity. I would start pitching a TV show - you guys are winners! Thanks for sharing! :)
You guys make me laugh. So cute together. Would love to hear more in depth of your story, what did you love or not love about these places, things you learned etc
“My glasses 🤓 are fogging up”.
You’re killing me!!😂😂😂😂😂😂❤️🔥
Love the inclusivity of your audience. You two are hysterical.
The ending just made me tear up, you guys are a really sweet couple. And now I understand why your style is so much inclined to Scandinavian and Morrocan 😁 and also the purpose of this channel.
Hello from London.! Loved hearing your travel stories. We also have travelled around the world with our children but never lived abroad,. This was so fearless and I loved getting to know you. Lots more travel stories please.
I'm curious what was in the small container of things that you knew you couldn't get in Morocco,
‘You guys are our tribe!’ Thank you, that was lovely. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Dreaming BIG! I’m almost 74 ... hmmm, a challenge!
I’m 63 and married to a great man for 25 years. It has been wonderful watching this channel. Lots of inspiration. We are at the point of looking at our options for the second part of our lives. Thanks for sharing your history and your future dreams (more like goals). We will continue to watch.
Such a cool backstory! Thank you for sharing it with us! Keep the videos of the two of you coming! Your incredible joy, chemistry and delightful repartee is irresistible! I hope that your big plans include Valentina designing furniture, home decor and furnishings!
You never know where life will take you. I never thought I would leave NYC but here I am in Italy for the last 24years
This was honestly beautiful and so cool to hear about!
Yours is my favorite you tube channel. Everything you share is great.
Oh WOW! Just wow! My admiration for the two of you just multiplied by the thousands. What an amazing love story, and life journey that I wish continues for many, many more years! Multilingual children too! 🙏🏻🥂🍷❤️
This is awesome. Thank you for sharing. No better education than travel and learning about other places, countries, and people.
I knew there was something more special than your charming personalities that I was attracted to. Your children are blessed. I also like your style Valentina mixing French country with Scandinavian design.
I adore your chemistry. Your both blessed to have it. Your banter is adorable. Your channel has given me so many wonderful ideas. I’m currently making my own painting. Thank you for all your inspiration.
I can’t wait for the Copenhagen video 😭💙
You gave your kids such a rich upbringing
YES!! Do a video on your time in Copenhagen!
So great to get the backstory of your life abroad. I found your channel a few weeks ago and you have quickly had a profound influence on my design style. Loving every video. Please some to San Antonio, TX!!!