Michelle Obama opens up to close friend Melinda Gates about her 'strange' newfound freedom after moving out of the White House

Michelle Obama has opened up to 'close friend' Melinda Gates about her transition out of the White House as she recalled the newfound sense of freedom she felt. 

The former First Lady, 60, and the ex-wife of Microsoft billionaire Bill, 68, showcased their tight bond as the pair discussed Michelle's exit from the presidential home in a recent episode of Melinda's podcast Moments That Make Us. 

Melinda, 59, gushed over her pal and said she was 'lucky' to have her in her life before the mom-of-two noted that it was 'strange' to hear her doorbell ring after she left the White House. 

Michelle confessed that although it was 'odd' to be at a home other than the President's Palace, she found that it felt 'good' to wave goodbye to her time as an official. 

She explained that after she and her husband - former President Barack Obama - decided to stay in Washington, D.C., despite not living in the White House for the sake of their daughters - Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23.

Michelle Obama has opened up to 'close friend' Melinda Gates about her transition out of the White House as she recalled the newfound sense of freedom she felt 

The former First Lady, 60, and the ex-wife of Microsoft billionaire Bill, 68, showcased their tight bond as the pair discussed Michelle's exit from the presidential home in a recent episode of Melinda's podcast Moments That Make Us 

Melinda celebrated Michelle's appearance on the podcast in a new set of photos, which she shared to her Instagram account. 

The two pals embraced and grinned from ear-to-ear for the snapshots. 

Melinda looked as chic as ever as she donned a white and blue midi dress that was cinched in at the waist with a belt. 

Meanwhile, Michelle looked gorgeous in green as she sported a sleeveless utility-style dress and a pair of black sandals. 

The former wife of the Microsoft billionaire captioned the snap: 'I'm lucky to call Michelle Obama a friend, and I had so much fun talking with her as part of my Moments That Make Us series.

'She shared what it felt like to transition out of the White House, how knitting reminds her of the importance of small actions, and why she makes a point to cultivate new friendships. I can't wait for you to watch our conversation.' 

And it seemed that Michelle felt right at home while chatting to Melinda as she didn't hold back when it came to her departure. 

She revealed: 'The day after we left the White House, first of all it felt good and strange because we still lived in D.C. We made the decision to stay in Washington, D.C., because the girls were in school and their lives were in D.C. 

Melinda gushed over her pal and said she was 'lucky' to have her in her life before the mom-of-two noted that it was 'strange' to hear her doorbell ring after she left the White House

And it seemed that Michelle felt right at home while chatting to Melinda as she didn't hold back when it came to her exit out of the White House

'I mean we had successfully transitioned them and raised them in D.C, they had lived in the White House longer than they had lived anywhere so I didn't want to make a transition for them just for another year or so and I knew when Malia would want to come home for breaks she'd want to come home to her friends so we stayed in D.C.' 

In addition to detailing the reasoning behind wanting to stay in D.C, Michelle lifted the lid on the family's final helicopter ride in Air Force One. 

'It was strange, you take the final helicopter ride, our very last ride on Air Force. We took a quick vacation to Palm Springs, so the day after we were out of D.C, we were in another place so it felt like we were on vacation but then when we came back to our new home, it was odd,' she added. 

Michelle confessed that it was difficult for them to adjust to life on a different street and a newfound sense of freedom - admitting that it was weird to hear her doorbell ring for the first time in years. 

She said: 'It was odd coming down a different street and parking through a different set of barricades - because we still had barricades, we still had secret service - but I had a front door that I could open where people would walk up to visit and ring the doorbell and our dogs didn't know what a doorbell was. 

'So it was just the freedom of opening my own door, walking down to my own kitchen, opening up my back door on my own without calling Secret Service and being able to sit in the warm sun on a porch and listen to neighborhood sounds and other neighborhood dogs.' 

Michelle added that it was a 'huge' deal to return to some sense of normalcy. 

She explained that after she and her husband and the former President Barack Obama decided to stay in Washington, D.C. 

Further in the clip, Michelle revealed that she and Barack were teaching their daughters how to be 'stand-up young people on their own'

She admitted that once they left they White House, the family then realized how 'sheltered' they had been. 

'We really realized how much of a cocoon we had lived in and what a sheltered way we lived in the White House. 

'It was a wonderful eight years but it was so abnormal and I think that first day being at a new home in a in a real community with neighbors and all of that felt refreshing to me,' she explained. 

Further in the clip, Michelle revealed that she and Barack were teaching their daughters how to be 'stand-up young people on their own.'

She explained that when raising her children, she often thought about how 'to turn those two little people into valued and valuable humans in the world.'

She added: 'I never felt my job was to create mini-mes, or create people who were going to live out some brokenness in me or fill some hole or to be my friend. As my girls joke, I always said — my favorite line was, "I'm not one of your little friends." 

And while she said that she tried her best to raise her children to be great women, she added that her daughters always knew they were under a microscope

'There were some lines drawn. I had to raise them to be stand-up young people on their own, especially as the daughters of a former president. But people are quick to cut a kid off if you don't show up right and you've got a name behind you. You have to come correct.' 

And while she said that she tried her best to raise her children to be great women, she added that her daughters always knew they were under a microscope. 

Michelle added: 'They are watched. They had to learn how to balance the unwanted attention, but do it politely. To build their own lives in the spotlight and not be eaten up by it. 

'Well those girls had to be smart and confident and independent straight away — even when they were living in a house with butlers and maids and florists. 

'But I was raising them thinking, "You're not going to live here, and with me, forever. So I've got to hand you your life soon and let you manage it."'

The Obama family moved into the White House in 2009 and left in 2017 as Barack had served two terms as President. 

When they moved in, their daughters were eight and 10. Throughout their time there, Malia and Sasha attended the private Sidwell Friends School through high school graduation.