Transplants - Conversations With Women Thriving Abroad #14 Leaving home twice and finding herself as a mom | Olga Kudrick | Lithuania → USA
7 snips
Dec 9, 2025 Join Olga Kudrick, a Lithuanian expat and creator of The Messy Mom Chronicles, as she shares her incredible journey from Lithuania to London and then to the U.S. She reflects on her challenging early days in London, including housing instability and cultural shocks. Olga discusses the heart-wrenching decision to relocate again, the emotional toll of leaving her home, and how therapy helped her navigate these transitions. Hear her insights on building community for mothers and the joys and challenges of raising a mixed-heritage daughter.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Communal Childhood Shapes Family Values
- Olga's childhood in Lithuania was outdoorsy and communal, often sharing a three-bedroom flat with extended family.
- That upbringing shaped her value of family togetherness and a fondness for outdoor, imaginative play.
Identity Is Blurred By Shared Soviet Past
- Olga grew up speaking Russian and felt a blended identity across Lithuania, Russia, and Ukraine before recent conflicts.
- The war made national distinctions painful because her relatives in Ukraine still speak Russian and suffered directly.
Arriving With £400 And Sleeping In A Kitchen
- Olga took a 36-hour bus from Lithuania to London with £400 and slept on a mattress in a kitchen while she looked for work.
- After flatmates pushed her out, a stranger helped her with money and a safer flat share, marking a brutal early survival period.