Welcome To

A Stranger, A Suitcase & A Story

A podcast about migration, ambition, and finding your place in a foreign land.

Brought to you by Southern Crossings.

Listen on:

Have you ever felt like a stranger in a place where you look like you belong? Or carried more than just luggage when you moved to a new country? Behind every journey of migration lies a suitcase full of emotional baggage, untold stories, and personal discoveries.

This is the podcast where we unpack those stories - one journey at a time.

What We're About

Hosted by Anton van der Walt and Ben Liebenberg - two friends who emigrated from South Africa to Australia - A Stranger, A Suitcase & A Story is a podcast about migration, identity, and belonging.

It’s about leaving home, building a new life on unfamiliar soil, and figuring out what you carry with you… and what you leave behind.

Both Anton and Ben now call Australia home. Having navigated the challenges of settling into a new country, they are passionate about sharing real migration stories from people who, like them, made the life-changing decision to start over in a different part of the world.

Why we started this podcast

Our journey began with a simple conversation about what it really means to belong. Sitting together in Australia, reflecting on our own experiences of leaving South Africa behind, we realised how many shared struggles, lessons, and unexpected moments we’d encountered along the way.

We created A Stranger, A Suitcase & A Story as a space to share migration experiences - whether dramatic, difficult, hopeful, or joyful. It’s a place to offer comfort, connection, and celebrate the courage it takes to leave everything familiar and build a new life in Australia, or anywhere else in the world.

Inspired by Sting’s Englishman in New York, we understood that even when you blend in, it’s still possible to feel like a foreigner. That feeling of being a stranger isn’t just about geography - it’s about identity.

What you'll hear

Each episode invites you into the personal migration story of someone who has made the leap to a new country. Some are stories of families, others of individuals chasing opportunity. Some come with hardship, while others highlight unexpected ease.

We talk about:

What they packed in their suitcase - literally and emotionally
What they left behind
What they’ve discovered in their new home, like Australia
How they’ve redefined belonging and identity in a foreign land

This is more than migration. It’s about starting over, building resilience, and finding belonging - whether you’re in Australia or anywhere your journey takes you.

Join Us

Whether you’re an immigrant yourself, thinking about starting over, or simply curious about life beyond the familiar, this podcast is for you.

We believe everyone has a suitcase. And every suitcase carries a story worth telling.

Pull up a seat, unpack with us, and be part of the journey - one story at a time.

Listen Now

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcast

Listen on Amazon Music

Listen on Youtube

Watch Now

Watch the latest episode on YouTube and subscribe to the channel.

Our Partner

We’re proud to partner with Southern Crossings, a corporate and business network of South Africans in Australia who share a desire to contribute to Australia’s growth and success.