

Dating Beyond Borders
Marina Iakovleva
Welcome to the Dating Beyond Borders Podcast!
I’m Marina, the creator behind the Dating Beyond Borders YouTube channel, where I’ve spent the past 10 years exploring how culture shapes love and connection. Now, I’m bringing that same passion to the podcast world!
Each week, I sit down with guests from around the globe to dive into the ways culture influences relationships, identity, and the way we connect. From dating norms to cross-cultural misunderstandings, no topic is off-limits.
Let’s break down barriers. One culture at a time.
I’m Marina, the creator behind the Dating Beyond Borders YouTube channel, where I’ve spent the past 10 years exploring how culture shapes love and connection. Now, I’m bringing that same passion to the podcast world!
Each week, I sit down with guests from around the globe to dive into the ways culture influences relationships, identity, and the way we connect. From dating norms to cross-cultural misunderstandings, no topic is off-limits.
Let’s break down barriers. One culture at a time.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 18, 2025 • 13min
(Mini Pod) How are Brits and Brazilians DIFFERENT?
I chat to Freddy, a Brit from London who has been living in São Paulo, Brazil for many years with his Brazilian wife Gabi. We get into lifestyle differences, how Brits vs Brazilians different in communication styles, and what surprised Freddy the most about Brazil.Say hi to Freddy: https://www.instagram.com/parada1nglesa/Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://datingbeyondborders.eo.page/newsletterSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders

Nov 12, 2025 • 1h 5min
Ep. 86 - From Nigeria to the Netherlands: Love, Identity, and Finding Home
This week I chat with Rosie, a Nigerian-British travel journalist raised in the Netherlands. We dive into what it’s like to grow up with a complicated identity, travel for a living, and navigate the messy, unpredictable world of finding love on the road.Rosie Bell is a travel journalist who has written for over 30 publications, including BBC Travel, Forbes, WIRED, and Condé Nast Traveler. She has taught more than 1,500 aspiring travel journalists via her online courses, and she is the founder of Press Trip Pros, a matchmaking platform connecting travel journalists and travel content creators with organizers of press trips.Say hi to Rosie: https://www.instagram.com/thebeachbell/Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://www.dating-beyond-borders.comSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders

Nov 6, 2025 • 1h 2min
Ep. 85 - Truth About Living in Switzerland: Bünzli Mentality, Rules, and the Price of Perfection (Ft. Mike Casa)
This week I chat with Mike, a Swiss-Italian stand-up comedian, about life in Switzerland: the good, the bad, and the perfectly organized. We dive into the Swiss mentality, what it’s like trying to make friends and date in such a reserved culture, the country’s love of rules (and when it goes too far), and whether Switzerland is a place he truly loves… or one that sometimes feels a bit too confining. We also get into how Swiss-Italian culture differs from the rest of the country.Say hi to Mike: https://www.instagram.com/mikecasacomedy/Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://www.dating-beyond-borders.comSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders

Oct 31, 2025 • 1h 12min
Ep. 84 - From Russia to Portugal: Is Lisbon Still Worth it in 2025?
In this episode, I chat with Galina, a Russian content creator who moved to Portugal seven years ago — from Bragança to Lisbon. We dive into what it was like growing up and dating in Russia, how the Russian and Portuguese mentalities differ, and whether Lisbon is still worth living in as prices continue to rise.Say hi to Galina: https://www.instagram.com/gala__daily/Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://www.dating-beyond-borders.comSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders

Oct 28, 2025 • 13min
(Mini Pod) Why the Swedish Approach is so Different.. and Frustrating!
Get our FREE guide to dating in 6 European countries HERE: https://tinyurl.com/2rp2tt6uI talk to Cecilia, a Swedish-Finnish woman who has had enough of the Swedish dating scene. We dive into the Swedish approach. Why Swedish men are famously passive in their approach, why Swedes expect to hook up sooner rather than later, and the laziness that has ensued from this.Say hi to Cecilia: / missgelinder Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Say hi on Instagram: / datingbeyondborders Dating Beyond Borders channel: / datingbeyondborders

Oct 21, 2025 • 58min
Ep. 83 -Why I left Canada for Bulgaria... and Was it WORTH IT? (Ft. Alina Macleod)
I chat with Alina, a Ukrainian-Canadian travel creator, who recently made a bold move: relocating from Canada to Bulgaria. A few years ago, she told me she wanted to move to Sofia, and now she’s done it! We talk about what it’s really like to start over abroad, whether moving to Bulgaria was worth it, the biggest challenges of expat life, and if she misses Canada.🎙️ Tune in for an honest look at life in Bulgaria as a foreigner, cultural adjustments, and what it takes to build a new home from scratch.Say hi to Alina: https://www.instagram.com/alinamcleod/Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://www.dating-beyond-borders.comSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders

Oct 9, 2025 • 10min
(Mini Pod) How is Polish vs American Mentality DIFFERENT!?
In this snippet, Edward, an American who has moved to Poland for love, and I chat about his experience with Polish people: from American vs Polish customer service, to the difference in hospitality, to the way Polish people make friends, to one of the things he really appreciates about living in Krakow.Say hi to Edward: https://www.instagram.com/xofyls/Dating Beyond Borders is a Youtube channel that focuses on highlighting the cultural differences that come into play while dating people from other countries. Videos out every Thursday - hit the bell button to receive notifications! 🔔Follow DBB on Social Media! Facebook: https://bit.ly/2K6uezQInstagram: https://bit.ly/313MSO9TikTok: https://bit.ly/3D6Cha0Website: https://dating-beyond-borders.com

Oct 2, 2025 • 1h 29min
Ep. 82 - From Brazil to Sweden: I Moved Abroad for Love (& Do I regret it?)
In this episode, I talk with Ana, a Brazilian who moved to Sweden for love. We dive into her story of meeting her partner on Tinder, navigating a long-distance relationship, and what she’s learned about herself since moving abroad. Ana also shares the cultural differences she’s experienced in Sweden and offers tips for anyone feeling stuck in their dating life back home—especially if you want to approach love more strategically.Say hi to Ana: https://www.instagram.com/ana.marcalEach week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://www.dating-beyond-borders.comSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders

Sep 29, 2025 • 9min
(Mini Pod) Why is South Korea's Birthrate the LOWEST in the World?
In this snippet I chat to David, the host of the Korean Pizza Club podcast about the scary phenomenon taking over Korea -- the incredibly low birthrate which is highly impacting the country. We dive into this, and the changing dating scene in the Korea.Check out David's Podcast about Korea: https://www.instagram.com/koreanpizzaclub/Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://www.dating-beyond-borders.comSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders

Sep 24, 2025 • 40min
Dating in the US vs. Europe: The Unspoken Differences (Spain, Germany, France, Belgium)
How is dating in Europe and the US different? In this episode, I have 3 creators from different parts of Europe who are living in the US, and one American who is living in Europe talk about the biggest differences, from the commitment to the gender roles -- and everything in between.Say hi to Ana: https://www.instagram.com/_anagildersleeve/Say hi to Feli: https://www.instagram.com/felifromgermany/Say hi to Lucile: https://www.instagram.com/lucilehr/Say hi to Colby: https://www.instagram.com/colbypgrey/Each week I will interview guests from all around the world on the topics of culture, connection and of course, dating. The goal is to go as deep as possible and to really understand where we all come from and how much culture influences our life.Want to join the mailing list? https://www.dating-beyond-borders.comSay hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingbeyondbordersDating Beyond Borders channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/datingbeyondborders


