We’re Germaine and Saidah—Black American empty nesters who traded a conventional life in the United States for slow travel, hotel living, and life abroad.
Travel Check Ins goes beyond beautiful destinations. We share honest conversations about what it costs, how it feels, what surprised us, and whether living abroad actually delivers the freedom people imagine.
Expect real-life experiences from Africa, Asia, South America, and beyond—along with cost-of-living breakdowns, cultural commentary, points-and-miles strategies, retirement considerations, and the financial decisions behind our lifestyle.
We have lived in Kenya, spent hundreds of nights in hotels, and learned that creating a life abroad requires more than inspiration. It requires clarity, adaptability, and a willingness to question the traditional American dream.
Subscribe as we explore where—and how—we want to live next.
📍 Or start with our Travel Check Ins resources below
Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
How We Choose the Countries We Live In (Our Criteria) https://youtu.be/c8R7oByfp0c
2 hours ago | [YT] | 0
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
We've actually lived in five different countries.
Tomorrow we're answering a harder question than:
“Which country did you like?”
We're answering:
Which ones would we actually LIVE IN again?
1 day ago (edited) | [YT] | 2
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
🔴 Maybe money isn’t actually what’s stopping most people from moving abroad…
Half of you said the hardest part is simply not knowing where to start.
Let’s get more specific.
If you seriously wanted to move abroad within the next 12 months, which ONE thing would you need help figuring out first?
1 day ago | [YT] | 0
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
We Moved to Thailand. Is $2,000 a Month Really Enough For Us to Live in Bangkok? Find our here 👉🏾 https://youtu.be/bRHVbl6nBvs
1 day ago | [YT] | 20
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
Living abroad has actually made us appreciate SOME things about America more—not less. What's something about America you don't think people fully appreciate until they leave?
2 days ago | [YT] | 3
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
🔴 What if the hardest part of moving abroad isn’t money at all? What is it really?
2 days ago | [YT] | 3
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
We stayed at WINK DA NANG CENTER VIETNAM in Da Nang Vietnam! Here’s what we got for our money and what we paid. https://youtu.be/0OgKHHgK65A
2 days ago | [YT] | 18
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
How to Make Money While Traveling
https://youtu.be/XIpMtPp2BdE
You don’t need to be rich to travel.
You need income that isn’t chained to one location.
A lot of people keep saying, “I’d love to travel like that, but I have bills.”
So do we.
We didn’t magically escape adulthood. We simply started building income streams that could travel with us.
And no, I’m not talking about becoming an influencer, quitting your job tomorrow, or making $20,000 a month online.
I’m talking about practical ways to create income while still living your life.
Because if your entire plan is:
“I’ll travel when I retire.”
“I’ll travel when I have more money.”
“I’ll travel when everything is perfect.”
You may be waiting a very long time.
The better question is:
How can I start building income NOW that gives me more freedom later?
That’s exactly what we’re talking about in our newest video:
👉🏾 How to Make Money While Traveling
https://youtu.be/XIpMtPp2BdE
Some of you don’t need another travel hack.
You need a different income strategy. 👀
4 days ago | [YT] | 43
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
💡If America suddenly became 30% cheaper tomorrow, would you still want to leave?
4 days ago | [YT] | 3
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Saidah & Germaine’s Travel Check Ins
We talk plenty about what America gets wrong.
Tomorrow we're flipping the conversation.
What does America do BETTER than almost anywhere you've traveled?
5 days ago | [YT] | 3
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