Why I Started an Expat YouTube Channel

It has now been one full year, since I took my blog onto YouTube and not only shared more of my experiences of being an expat in Denmark with others, but also my face! Starting an expat YouTube channel can be somewhat of a scary thing. Here is why I chose to do it!

Reaching my Audience

When I started my WordPress version of My New Danish Life, I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to target people living in Denmark. I was a person in Denmark, after all, but I knew I couldn’t speak to all of them at first. I wanted to see if what I had to say was even interesting to Danes and other expats like me living in Denmark, so I decided to make a YouTube channel. After all, almost everyone has been on YouTube at least once in their life, but not everyone had been on my blog. I had a much better chance of finding my “tribe” on YouTube. That is, if I could pull it off.

Making Content

I was so lucky that I had became friends with someone who was an expat in another country, and she was also new to this whole YouTube thing. It was through this friendship, that I got ideas of what to do with video topics, and she and I started to bounce ideas off of each other, as well as share what we were learning about YouTube. The ideas started coming, and it seemed very natural for me to be in front of a camera. I think that all of my years as a teacher were really good practice for a budding YouTuber. My editing skills, however, would grow with time, but creating content was fun. I simply just talked about my life and topics that were important to me as an expat. It all started out as me giving advice. Then, it merged into me showing what my life in Denmark was like.

YouTube Explosion

I don’t think anyone anticipated it to become as popular so fast like it did. I was completely shocked. I was just a little over two months into putting out videos at least once a week, and BAM! I had a video go viral. This was my “10 Things Not To Do In Denmark” video, and to my surprise, the comments were mostly from Danish people. To be quite honest, I wasn’t targeting Danes. That has, of course, changed since the video went viral. I now make videos where I speak just to my Danish audience…in Danish than I ever anticipated doing. It is funny how my YouTube channel has somewhat taken on a mind of its own. I was really just targeting other foreigners who were moving to or living in Denmark. I had belonged to a few different Facebook groups of foreigners in Denmark, and after hearing some of there questions and concerns, I thought that it would really help a lot of these people if they had one place to get all of this information. That is when I decided to put it all in my blog and YouTube channel, and that is what I have continued to do once a week for a year!

Helping Others Integrate to Denmark

I have to say that Denmark isn’t an easy country to move to. On the outside, it looks a lot like other European countries/cities, but it isn’t. Also, there are many people who hear about Denmark on the TV and have certain expectations about it. I have to say that everyone has their own experiences when moving here, and I wouldn’t say that my experiences were the best. Maybe, that is why I write about them. It isn’t to complain. It is more to let others know that it is okay to feel frustrated or confused or unsure of things when being new to Denmark. I hope that through my stories and experiences, they can learn how they can better integrate into Danish society. I know that it has helped me feel better about where I am and who I am when I can share it with others. There are many helpful Danes out there, who really make this process worthwhile. 

Being Real

Being on YouTube versus writing on my blog is very different. I have to say that writing blog posts is much easier for me. I love to write! It is actually a passion of mine that helps me get to my “happy place”. I say all that I feel in my blog posts, but that isn’t quite the same on my YouTube channel. I think that is because YouTube is much more interactive. I can get thousands of people commenting on videos, but not many will comment on my blog posts. I don’t know why that it. It seems that on my YouTube channel, I can’t say something as basic as “I hate Danish winters” without people getting all upset and leaving book-length comments about how wrong I am. On the other hand, I can write that something on my blog like “The Danish winters are the black hole that suck the very life out of me each year, and the only way to survive them is to fly to a warmer, sunnier destination for at least a week to avoid complete insanity” and have no one even bat an eyelash. I think that is funny. Maybe, that is why I am so comfortable with “writing” my thoughts and feelings, since I don’t have to defend them so often. It is very therapeutic to write my feelings down, so I am so glad that I have my blog for that. 

This doesn’t mean that I’m fake on my YouTube channel. I am very REAL there, too. I just might not share all of my secrets. I guess that will just give my viewers something to read about! 😉 I hope they take my hints when I tell them to check out blog posts. It is because I want them to hear the whole story, and sometimes, that won’t happen on YouTube.

One Year on YouTube Review

So…now it has been one full year of making videos about my expat life on YouTube, and I have to say that I feel so blessed for all the great people who have “found me”. I never anticipated that after one full year, I would have over 8000 subscribers, a video that has had over 300,000 views, and so much support on Facebook, Instagram and, of course, my blog!! Thanks for being so encouraging! You all have really made it so worth-while. 

I have also made some really great connections. I have given a speech at an expat fair, worked with companies to promote products and locations, and met so many wonderful people living in Denmark and also in the YouTube community. If you told me a year ago that I would be in this position, I wouldn’t believe you! It is truly a blessing!!

Advice to Those Wanting to Start an Expat YouTube Channel

If you are an expat out there and want to start your own YouTube channel, GO FOR IT! It is a great way to put yourself out there to the world and make yourself be a bit more connected to your new country. I have a few tips for you:

1. Reach out to other expat bloggers/Youtubers that live in your country or in other countries who are also expats. It is great to have a tribe of people who do the same thing, because though you may have similar channels, you have different life experiences, and it is so important to have support when telling your story.

2. Speak your truth. Don’t worry about fitting into a cookie cutter form to do what “everyone else is doing”. I can guarantee that you won’t like how it feels and your audience will be able to tell. Tell stories that give you some form of happiness and that you enjoy making. Stick to why you wanted to do this in the first place, and go with your gut!

3. Don’t worry about having lots of followers or likes. It is good to set goals for yourself, but don’t get so wrapped up in getting a certain number of followers or likes by a certain date. To be honest, making good videos that will help other people is a pretty great reward, and if you love what you are doing, there will be those out there who will love to watch. Focus on the following of people/subscribers that you do get. They are the ones who matter.

4. Don’t compare yourself to others. There are plenty of people out there who make fantastic videos. Their editing skills are fantastic, and they are wonderful with a camera. You might just be trying to figure it all out, and you feel a bit sad that you can’t be where they are. This is not a great attitude to have. Don’t compare yourself to others. There are so many people who have blogs or YouTube channels these days. They are all out there telling their stories, so don’t hate when they succeed!! Focus on your content and your channel! What others have or do shouldn’t affect your channel or your happiness for doing what you’re doing.

5. Ask for help and mingle. There are so many great people out there who probably know more than you do. Be a little humble and ask for help. Also, don’t forget to return the favor and/or pay it forward. When you are about to celebrate your one-year anniversary on YouTube, there will be those who will look to you for help. Share what you know! This is how tribes are made, and a blog or YouTube tribe is not only a very resourceful and helpful group to be in, but it is also a place where you can feel normal. They know what you are going through, and they can probably lend some advice to get you through some rough patches. 

6. Have fun until you don’t. I have to admit that there are times when I had to take breaks from YouTube. There is no shame in it. If you are a one-woman show, like I am, you have to wear many hats to get the job done. Don’t kill yourself in trying to stick to a schedule when everything else around you is falling apart. Do what you can if if makes you happy, and be sure to take breaks to make sure you keep your sanity.

Plans for the Next Year

I have to admit that I am at a crossroads in my YouTube life cycle. I love the interactions I have had with people on YouTube. It has been so much fun over the past year, but life is busy right now. Don’t get me wrong! It is hard for me to imagine a life where I am not on YouTube, but I really do think that a longer break is in order. I would like to focus more on my blog over the next few months, since I have quite a lot of great content that will be coming out this April through September. I can’t wait to get started on that and share it with you!! 

Life just gets busy from time to time, and something has to give. I don’t want to be “okay” videos just to stay on a schedule. I want to make “great” videos, so I am taking my time. Time is in short supply these days with my college classes and family life. I will get back to it when I have more time!! I promise.

I really hope that my viewers stick around, and follow me on the blog!! I have many more plans for videos for this year, but time just isn’t on my side. If only I had the power to freeze time to get my YouTube schedule on track!! 😉 Life as a full-time student and full-time mom and full-time blogger/YouTuber is much more than I ever thought it would be, but I am loving all the great experiences I have had and hope to continue to have.

Has YouTube changed Me?

I would definitely answer YES to this!! YouTube has really changed me as a person, and I feel that it has helped me feel that there are more options for me in Denmark than what I originally thought. I was very dependent on my husband when I moved here, and I am able to see that now. I have lived many years here with a blindfold on, and I am ready to be more open to how I can learn more about what it is like to live as a Dane. 

I know I talk a lot about it in my videos and blog posts, but sometimes, I feel that the longer I live here, the more I just don’t know!! I think that is because there is always something new to learn, and I am more willing to discover these things than I was ever before. I think YouTube has really helped me come out of my shell in many ways! 

Living in a small, rural town is not the common life of an expat in Denmark, but there are many of us out here! I love being able to represent those like me who chose to live a slower, quieter life in DK. I also think it is funny how my life is quite foreign to those Danes who live in bigger towns, not just expats. YouTube has really helped to connect me to sides of Denmark that I would have never known existed, and it is within all of the comments that I have received from so many Danes who have made that possible. Denmark may be small, but it is filled with so many cultural differences. I really want to say thank you to those who have commented on my videos to show me the many sides of Denmark.

As you can see, giving up YouTube would be like giving up a part of my journey that has helped to transform me, and I don’t think I am ready to let that go just yet. So… I guess you are stuck with me, YouTube! 😉

Did I Answer Your Question?

Why did I start an expat channel on YouTube? 

Originally, the answer to this question was very easy. I joined to get people connected to my blog! Has this happened? Yes!! I am so very grateful for all of you who have supported me on both YouTube and my blog!! It is because of you that I create this content, so THANKS!! But…if you were to ask me, “why do you still do it?”, I would have to say because I love the interactions and connections and knowledge that I have gained from it all. It has turned out to be such a fantastic experience, and I know that if you are someone who is looking to create a channel for similar reasons, there is no time like the present to start! 

Have you subscribed to my YouTube channel? If not, you can find it here!! I’d love to have you along for the journey!! See you on YouTube!

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