Podcast episode 5 - No Map, No Plan, No Problem: Jett Morris on Embracing the Unknown
From Jamaica to the U.S., Korea, and Italy, Jett shares her journey of adaptation, adventure, and finding home in new places
This is the fifth episode of the Finding Home Elsewhere Podcast (!), where we get into the emotional, cultural, and logistical chaos of moving abroad—whether for work, adventure, or just a much-needed reset—and what it actually takes to feel at home somewhere new. These are casual, unfiltered conversations where people share what the experience was really like, in their own words, on their own terms.
I had planned a larger release of these, but then came the eye surgery, then we’re moving this month, and, well, everything else life threw in. My ever-patient wife and editor has also been just as busy with it all - but there’s more to come!
Every guest has their own take on adapting - whether it’s stumbling through language barriers, embracing (or resisting) cultural challenges, or figuring out where the adventure ends… or if it ever really does.
Jett Morris
In this episode, I talk with Jett Morris, an Air Force member whose journey starts in Jamaica, then to the U.S., to Korea, and now to Italy. She shares how she navigated cultural shifts—from adapting to American life as a teenager to being an outsider in Korea and adjusting to Italy’s ways of doing business.
Though she calls herself introverted, Jett seems to push her limits, embracing Korean culture, taking spontaneous European road trips, and even conquering her fear of heights. Her approach to life isn’t about seeking adventure—it’s about not letting hesitation stop her from experiencing something new.
It was a great talk.
From Jamaica to the US to Korea to Italy
Jett moved from Jamaica to the U.S. in her late teens and quickly had to adjust to new social norms and education systems. She described how this experience helped her to adapt to new places later in life. Then, after two years of persistence, she joined the Air Force, landing her first assignment in Korea—a country she knew little about but quickly grew to love.
In Korea, she embraced the culture, built some meaningful connections, and says she’d wish that she’d had more time there. Now in Italy, Jett faces a different kind of adjustment, navigating unpredictable store hours, power outages, and Italian bureaucracy alongside her husband, whom she met in Korea. Through it all, they continue carving out their own adventures.
Although Jett said it took her a long time, one of the things I was most impressed by was how quickly she seemed to be at home in a new place.
Jett’s philosophy seems clear: you don’t have to feel fearless to take the leap - you just have to be willing to go anyway.
on American high school
“Academically, it was easy - I had already learned in Jamaica what they were teaching in 11th and 12th grade. But socially? That was a whole other thing.”
“In Jamaica, if someone’s staring, it means they have a problem with you. In America, people just stare. My dad warned me about that, and I had to unlearn my instinct to take it personally.”
on Military Life
“It took two years of trying before I actually got in. My first assignment? Korea. I knew nothing about it, but I went in with an open mind. That’s the only way to do it.”
“Every time I move, it’s like resetting everything—routine, expectations, even parts of myself. But you either fight it or adapt. And I choose to adapt.”
adjustments, joys, challenges
(On tech-forward culture): “I could go into a restaurant, sit at my own table, and order from a tablet. No need to talk to anyone. As an introvert, that was heaven.”
(On feeling at home): “When restaurant owners started recognizing me—‘Jett! You want your usual?’—that’s when I knew Korea had become home.”
Italy’s way of doing business
(On store hours): “They take a midday break, fine. But sometimes they just don’t open back up. No warning, no sign—just… closed.”
(On power outages): “I had the washing machine, dryer, and TV on—and suddenly, total blackout. Thought I hadn’t paid my bill. Turns out, old Italian homes just can’t handle that much electricity at once.”
Love, Marriage, and Travel
(On realizing she wanted to marry her husband): “I was eating at a restaurant in Italy, thinking—he would love this place. That’s when it hit me. I wanted him there, always.”
Jett approach to adapting is simple: treat each place as a blank slate and embrace the unknown—whether that means creating a home or just waking up, getting in the car, and seeing where the road leads.
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About the podcast
Each podcast episode explores the highs, lows, and everything in between about moving between countries—adapting, building community, and redefining home. I started doing this series because I realized I spent so much time thinking about all of this when I was moving, but I didn’t hear a lot of other people talking about it.
So I asked. And I’ve had some amazing answers from amazing guests.
I also write about culture, food, and the everyday surprises of life abroad—the strange, the unexpected, and the small, ordinary moments that make a place feel like home. Sometimes they’re funny. Sometimes they’re just confusing, like maybe the store hours in Italy.
If you’re enjoying this, check out the other podcasts below and consider subscribing or sharing it—it really helps keep this project going.
Questions, comments, suggestions? Drop them in the comments! Tell your friends - or tell strangers - tell anybody, really.
Send this to strange people. Be a strange person yourself!
Thanks for listening!
Talk soon,
Keith
P.S. Have you moved to a new country? I’d love to hear your story! Drop me a message or comment below.
Catch Up on Previous Episodes !
Finding Home Elsewhere
Finding Home Elsewhere
Finding Home Elsewhere
