Expat-Repat : After 6 years in Germany, Qualities I Want To Take Home

Expat-Repat : After 6 years in Germany, Qualities I Want To Take Home

After 6 years as an expat living in Germany - I wanted to list down some qualities that I love about German life that I hope to take home with us (and not forget once we’ve re-settled into American life).

Life as an Expat Family in Germany during a Global Pandemic

Life as an Expat Family in Germany during a Global Pandemic

2020 - what a year, eh? A global pandemic is not easy on anyone, but it posed some interested struggles on expat families.

Expat families typically have to rely on each other more than others - that is the nature of being an expat. You are an outsider navigating an unknown country so your spouse/family become even more important.

But this year of being in literal lockdown / quarantine in our tiny Nuremberg apartment away from relatives definitely made us stronger (and crazier) as a family.

15 Months of Parental Leave as an Expat in Germany: How to Make the Most of Every Month

15 Months of Parental Leave as an Expat in Germany: How to Make the Most of Every Month

Living in Germany as an expat can sometimes feel.. lonely… and then spending a year out of work on maternity leave can feel even more alienating. Don’t get me wrong - I am grateful for my year of maternity leave. But - I loved my job, I loved working with my team, I loved working out at Crossfit every morning. And all of that came to a halt, and I was home alone every day with my (adorable) little baby girl.

Between Andrew and I, I am the more ‘social-needy’ one in the relationship. I love being around people, making new friends & working on projects in a group. So I was honestly worried that I would be jealous and spiteful when Andrew would come home from work telling me about his day.

So here are some of the ways I navigated through those fears, and made some of the most amazing memories (and friends) on that year off.

An Alpine Cheese Festival in Switzerland!

An Alpine Cheese Festival in Switzerland!

Our second day in Switzerland somehow magically fell on the same exact day as an Alpine Cheese Festival (Alpkäsefest) on the top of the Grosse Scheidegg mountain in Grindewald, Switzerland. It was surrounded by blue skies and lazy cows grazing the hilly green grass. My dreams were literally coming true.

Berlin, Germany | Travel Guide

Berlin, Germany | Travel Guide

Historic, fun, quirky, and sometimes a little bit odd. That’s Berlin. Since living in Germany I’ve visited Berlin 3 times and each time was very different than the last. Because we live in “small town Nuremberg”, going to Berlin was like a visit to “the BIG CITY”. So many more restaurant options, so many new cocktail bars to try, and oh-so-many interesting shops to see!

Here are a few of my personal favorite bits of Berlin

San Sebastian, Spain: Beautiful Beaches & Learning to Skateboard

San Sebastian, Spain: Beautiful Beaches & Learning to Skateboard

In each new city we travel to, we attempt to 'do what the locals do'. Which meant eating pintxos in San Sebastian, but also attempting a new skill... skateboarding.  Lets just say I will not quit my day job. 

San Sebastian, Spain: How to do Pintxos like a pro.

San Sebastian, Spain: How to do Pintxos like a pro.

While most people think of Tapas for Spanish traditional cuisine, in the Basque region of Northern Spain, Pintxos (pronounced peen-chos) are their claim to fame. 

Pintxos were traditionally a slice of baguette bread stacked with any type of food. To hold it in place, a cocktail stick or 'pintxo' was used. Now, Pintxos are open to much more than just that - and some are like little works of art. 

24 Hours in Saint-Émilion, France

24 Hours in Saint-Émilion, France

After our stay in Le Croisic, we took our tiny little rental car and drove down to Saint-Émilion. It took just about 4 hours, which was the longest stretch during our week road trip through France & Spain. Saint-Émilion is just outside of Bordeaux, and some would say even more beautiful than Bordeaux! It is also a famed wine town known for its Grand Cru wine.

We actually only had less than 24 hours in this beautiful little town, as it was a quick stop on our way to Biarritz. So we tried to fit in as much as possible!