EP O3: How a $500K Loss Lead to Blogging, & Green Cards

The last episode in our three part series sharing how we ended up in Raleigh, fell in love, and found a way to permanently stay.

It has been an incredible 14 year journey filled with many highs and terrible lows.

We share how we lost $500K in assets, started blogging, got invited to The White House, and got awarded Green Cards.

This episode dives deep into our past real estate disaster that happened right here in Raleigh during the GFC, how we ended up losing everything, including two properties, our jobs, our savings, and ended up in serious credit card debt which forced us to move back to Australia and live with our parents.

But, this tragedy did lead us to travel blogging, which led us to the White House, and, eventually getting green cards last year.

Recording this episode brought back so many tough memories but powerful life lessons! We’ve been able to use those lessons to help get us through the current COVID crisis.

EP:03 WHAT WE TALK ABOUT

• Leaving Raleigh for the first time end of 2006
• Moving to Mooloolaba on Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Aus, but getting itchy feet for Raleigh again
• Deciding to invest in Real Estate in Raleigh. Flew over for 2 weeks to investigate whilst 6 months pregnant.
• Deciding to go back to teaching with VIF/ Participate to live in Raleigh again.
• All about the real estate and GFC disaster. How we lost 2 properties worth $500k, donated $50k to stock market, and ended up in $30k credit card debt.
• Discovered travel blogging. How we got started.
• Lost teaching job due to GFC so decided to move back to Australia to rebuild our life and build yTravel blog
• Traveled around Australia for 18 months building our blog
• How we were invited to the White House and our embarrassing “You’re a spammer” original reply
• How we discovered the 01 Visa opportunity, which gave us permission to return to the USA and lead us to a Green Card
• Lessons learned from our financial disaster during GFC and how it’s helped us get through the challenges of COVID 

resources

• Sunshine Coast Queensland
• I want to know your secret
• How to start a travel blog
• 10 years of travel blogging: the highs and lows + lessons learned
• How we overcame $30,000 in credit card debt
• Our 18 month road trip around Australia
• Our visit to the White House
• How to get an O1 visa for the USA
• How extraordinary travel blogging got us a green card
• 3 Principles to Creating your Dream Life

In the first three episodes of our This is Raleigh podcast, we’re diving deep into our story of how ended up in Raleigh in 2004, moved back and forth several times since, and eventually got a green card to live permanently.

• Episode 1: Moving to Raleigh for the first time.
• Episode 2: Why we love living in Raleigh

Video podcast

For those who may prefer watching a video of us podcasting, we filmed that for you too, which you’ll find on YouTube each week.

Comment: How has a negative experience turned into something powerful and purposeful for you before? What questions do you have for us? Who would you like us to interview on the podcast?