In the Beginning: Bureaucracy and Visas
Getting accepted into a music conservatory in Germany was a huge accomplishment. I had found an apartment, unpacked my suitcase, opened a bank account, bought a bike and a mattress (huge purchases considering my budget), and got my Meldebestätigung, a…
5 German Christmas Traditions You Will Want To Try Out This Year
Living in Germany as an expat, the holidays seem to hit pretty hard. Among all the warm lights and smells of cinnamon, the distance from family can be felt more than ever. Traditions surrounding the holidays are different, foreign, and…
Sweets or Something Sour? Our Halloween in Germany
Now that both of our kids can walk and put up with some degree of shenanigans, we decided to do the full Halloween thing this year. Halloween is a holiday that was non-existent in Germany 20 years ago and has…
In the Beginning: Why Germany?
So…why did I chose Germany anyway? During my Junior year of college, I participated in a study abroad program in Freiburg, Germany, located in the Black Forest. The city and the location were quite dreamy, to say the least! I…
You Do WHAT With Your Garbage?! 40 Ways That European and American Homes Differ
Ever wondered about what it’s like to actually live, not just vacation, in Europe? Ever checked out details on an AirBnB rental or watched House Hunters International and been curious about more details? Besides a higher price tag, a reputation…
8 Brutal Daily Reminders That You’re Living in a Country Once Ravaged by World Wars
In a lot of ways, daily life in Germany is comparable to life in the States. Living standards are similar, the basics are readily accessible, status quo exists, and people love to complain about the weather. Then, when you least…
Why Zakopane is Not Only Poland’s Winter Capital – 48 hours with Family
Zakopane, meaning “buried” (i.e. in snow) in Polish, is located in Southern Poland near the Slovakian border and was the destination of our mini family vacation last week. We booked an AirBnB apartment with mountain view in Zakopane for a…
Not Germany’s Ugliest City – A Traveler’s Eye View of Neumünster
Expat life and the traveling mind go hand in hand. We’ve already traveled and experienced something new, and then have probably caught the travel bug (assuming the move was voluntary). Expat life is however, not always about travel – it’s…
What July 4th Means to Me as an American Not Even Living in America
For the first several years of living abroad, I didn’t really think about the 4th of July much. It comes at a time of year when most are preoccupied with planning for summer and wrapping up tasks before said fun…
In the Beginning: A Taste of Asia, Europe, and Things to Come
My first time abroad was actually also the first time out of the Midwest, and boy was it a shocker! My family didn’t really go on vacations besides out East to my Aunt’s house in Pennsylvania, so I hadn’t seen…
