Fleeing Cartels, a 25-Year Age Gap, and Moving to Mexico Sight-Unseen | Tom & Jenn Kan
About this episode
What happens when a chronic over-thinker from Texas marries a deadpan Australian who casually travels the world with zero plan?
Today on Whereabouts Tales, we sit down with Tom and Jenn Kan to unpack a global love story that defies logic, borders, and a 25-year age gap. After their lives secretly orbited each other through impossible coincidences, they finally collided. We explore their chaotic journey of living abroad, including the sudden cartel violence and bombing that forced them to flee Ecuador, and why they decided to rebuild their lives in Merida, Mexico, completely sight-unseen.
If you have ever romanticized the expat lifestyle, Tom and Jenn deliver a masterclass in adapting to the unknown—from navigating feudal landlord systems to realizing that home isn't a coordinate, it's the person you choose to brave the chaos with.
In this episode, we cover:
The "illegal" meeting and navigating a 25-year age gap.
Tom’s experience growing up between Chinese and Australian cultures.
The impossible transatlantic coincidences that connected their pasts.
Why Jenn decided she was going to marry Tom before they were even dating.
The cartel prison break and bomb that forced them to evacuate Ecuador.
Culture shock in Mexico: Feudal landlords vs. Cardboard American houses.
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Connect with Jenn Kan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenngrayugc
Podcast (Masks Down - Living with ADHD & Autism):
Connect with Tom Kan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomkanugc
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