In the first episode of The Unlisted, I sit down with my friend Gulden, who moved from Kazakhstan to the Netherlands in search of a place where she might feel a greater sense of belonging. Since graduating, she has navigated visa deadlines, precarious employment, an employer who ghosted her, and seven jobs in five years.

In the past five years, Gulden has faced many hardships but has also stayed very resilient and adapted to how she responds to uncertain periods of life. One important step was to stop tying her self-worth to her job. And community—specifically communal living—helped with that.

We talk about:

• Growing up with expectations and leaving home behind
• The pressures of building a life as an immigrant
• Visa uncertainty and career survival
• A job offer that disappeared after she had already resigne
• Why unemployment felt different the second time around
• Living in a community home with 14 people, nine chickens, and a reminder that life is bigger than work

On paper, Gulden's story might look like a series of job changes. Beneath the surface is a story about resilience, friendship, community, and finding belonging beyond employment.

About The Unlisted

Unlisted is a podcast about the parts of our working lives that don't make it onto a CV.