Today we’d like to introduce you to Carl Hill Jr.
Hi Carl, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
A decade of living and working abroad has provided me with a wide range of skills, experiences, knowledge, and awareness that has helped me thrive in different areas over the course of my career.
As a Director of International Studies in Taiwan, I led a team of more than 20 teachers and administrators from seven different countries in both English and Mandarin Chinese. I also recruited more than 100 students and graduates from my alma mater, DePauw University, to live and work abroad in Taiwan.
As a Head Teacher at a private high school in Taiwan, along with my team, I built an international program that not only offered students a new and diverse way of interacting in English but was also a bridge to helping students study abroad and preparing teachers to be the best possible advocates for students and their passions.
As a Bar & Art Gallery owner in Taiwan during a pandemic, I created a safe space for expats and people all over the island to come share ideas, passions, feelings and just unwind and feel comfortable. In addition, I managed all finances and social media management for the company.
As a Podcast Host in Taiwan and now Austin, I connect and connect with people from all over the world. Sharing stories that are uplifting, encouraging, heartwarming, and revolutionary.
As a travel planner, I’ve helped to send nearly one thousand travelers to surprise destinations across America via plane, train, and car.
I have been fortunate enough to travel to over 50 countries and experience and interact with several different cultures and groups of people. This has helped me tremendously in my personal and professional life, providing me with the insight needed to continue to grow toward being a more effective and efficient mentor and leader.
All of these experiences led to opening my dream location on the island of Taiwan, Arts & Crafts bar & gallery. The first and only 100% black-owned bar on the island. As this dream came to fruition so did the realization that I must continue moving forward, learning, and growing.
I am eager to continue to build and expand my career and excited to use all of the skills I have gained and things I have learned together to work with small businesses and partners in Austin!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have certainly been challenges along the way. I ended up in Taiwan by being accidentally placed in a Mandarin-speaking course the first semester of my freshman year. I argued all the way up to the President of the University, to no avail, only to end up absolutely loving the class from the very first day. That led to me studying abroad in Beijing for six months and then moving to Taiwan. Adjusting to living abroad was tough. I knew the language, but not nearly as well to thrive as I did three years into living on the island and fully immersing myself into and with the culture and people. Adapting to the culture was difficult, building lasting/strong bonds and friendships was hard because many people who came to work at the island didn’t stay for as long as I ended up staying. With the Arts & Crafts bar, I opened it only six months BEFORE the pandemic happened. Once it hit, I essentially lost everything, and for a year and a half until our contract ended, I had to pivot, get creative, and learn to not only thrive in this environment while far away from friends and family, but hone, utilize, and grow my other skills to make ends meat, and continue to grow and build as a person. This led to me learning many new talents and skills that I had been “putting off to the side” for so long. This included launching my Youtube site, expanding my Podcast and its audience, in addition to selling clean-crafted wine and partnering with amazing people in Austin as well!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a proud Podcaster. I’ve been Podcasting for nearly 9 years, before the podcast boom. I have two podcasts, but I’m known mostly for The Black Expat Podcast. The Black Expat Podcast aims to highlight the ups and downs of the expat experience. It touches on travel, current events, jobs, friendships, family, mental health and the overall expat experience. The goal is not only to provide others with information that I wasn’t able to gain before my experiences but also provide a space for expats worldwide to have their voices, stories, and experiences shared. We as people have far more in common than we think.
Through interviews with other expats and people all over the world, I’ve learned of the many paths that can be taken when deciding whether or not to become expats. My hope is that The Black Expat Podcast reaches those seeking interesting stories and perspectives, good laughs, and information and knowledge presented in an entertaining way.
My second podcast is Envelope to Exploration. Envelope to Exploration will give you a behind-the-scenes look at Pack Up + Go through interviews with members of our Team, hotel and activity partners, and past travelers! Our goal is to provide you with interesting information, travel inspiration, and a healthy dose of wanderlust through bite-size episodes that can be listened to in 20 minutes or under.
I am most known as The Black Expat of The Black Expat Podcast. An expat that helped and hired more than 200 people from America and many other countries to live, work, teach, and thrive in Taiwan while also traveling to more than 50 countries during my time in Taiwan. The fact that not only did I move to another country directly after graduating college during a recession, but I also built a leadership team at two private high schools in Taiwan while hiring from my alma mater, traveling to 50 countries, starting my own travel company and bar, is what I feel sets me apart from others. I truly embodied the expat experience but also showed what more it could be. It’s more than just teaching & traveling. You can build a life abroad with the right mindset and the right people. I’m most proud of my family for supporting me 100% of the way and giving me the confidence to continue chasing and living my dreams. The Black Expat Podcast embodies the spirit of my life and my family, and the fact that I still continue to podcast after all the years is my biggest accomplishment.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My mentors have more times than not been my peers. I learn so much from sharing my experience, and learning from the experiences of others and being open to learning and growing from others. I’ve found mentors from seeking those who are very different from me in very different fields, who are working/building but also very established and focused in what they are doing. I find value in hearing a perspective that’s the polar opposite of mine and having my ideas and thoughts challenged in a respectful way. Seeking an adviser who is different from me professionally has worked very well for me, kept me on my toes, and helped me to continue to grow as an individual.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/theblackexpat
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carljunior.cj/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHRr6r1faaY
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-112705680
