From Northern Virginia to Geneva & Amsterdam with Jordynn McKnight
SEASON 7 EPISODE 22 |Flourish in the Foreign - Black Women Living & Thriving Abroad
Jordynn McKnight is a creative director living in Amsterdam. She shares her path from growing up in Northern Virginia in a creative, curiosity-driven family to studying abroad in Milan and completing a master’s in interactive media that included work in the Dominican Republic.
Meet Jordynn
I’m a Creative Director and multidisciplinary designer and researcher, originally from the U.S. and now living in Amsterdam, where I work as a creative consultant at a tech company shaping digital and in-person experiences. Beyond that, I’m deeply community-driven—I host a book club, a cookbook supper society that brings home chefs together through food, and design and facilitate visioning workshops along with my sister. I’m also a studio ceramicist creating small-batch pottery and a former travel startup founder, so much of my life revolves around making, storytelling, and intentionality.
Connect with Jordynn
Website: https://www.jordynnmcknight.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordynnm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/santanaleana
What resources (books, blogs, services, apps) did you utilize to help you go abroad & thrive abroad?
Defining A Decade
When in French: Love in a Second Language
Facebook groups (housing, GGI, Americans in the NL)
Youtube
Bowery Boys podcast
Reddit
What wellness practices/mindset shifts have you adopted to support your wellness, sustainability, and longevity abroad?
creating and ritualistically using affirmations + gratitude; envisioning positive outcomes to future scenarios and talking about it to water; work-life balance; third places/community
What is the motto (affirmation, prayer, poem, song lyrics, etc.) that you live by?
Two things can be true: speak life; I attract people, opportunities, experiences, abundance, all positive that overflows to my friends and family.
What's something you wish people would ask you about your life abroad?
Tradeoffs, what you still source from the US, More discussions (vs. one-sided opinions) around the demographics of people NOT making it/thriving abroad from my home country
This Episode Covers:
Roots in Virginia
School and Study Abroad Path
New York to Geneva Leap
Finding Community Fast
Choosing Amsterdam Next
European Work Life Balance
Learning Languages Abroad
Aging and Where to Settle
Wellness Through Rituals
Dating and Feeling Seen
Migration as Wellness
Episode Credits:
Christine Job-Creator & Host
Zachary Higgs-Theme Music
Subscribe to the Substack:https://christinejob.substack.com/
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