travel

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).

Road Trip to Provence with a Toddler: Itinerary and Hotels

Road Trip to Provence with a Toddler: Itinerary and Hotels

During quarantine it was impossible to turn work ‘off’. We weren’t ‘working from home’ we were ‘living at work’. Calls/whats app texts/emails/messages at all hours of the day. That is when we decided : we need to take a break. Turn work off and spend quality time together.

2.5 weeks spend on a road trip driving down to the South of France. Here the our itinerary from our travels.

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.

The Pros & Cons of a Road Trip Through Europe with a Baby

The Pros & Cons of a Road Trip Through Europe with a Baby

With our combined parental leave we decided to do a 23 day road trip through Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia & Austria.

Yes, a 23 day road trip with a 3 month old.

You have no idea how many times people told us “you are so BRAVE for traveling with an infant!”, and I am here to tell you… this was the BEST time to travel with a baby!

Obviously traveling with a baby will never be as easy as traveling before having one, but that should never stop you from continuing to travel and experiencing the world!

Here are some pros & cons to road tripping through Europe with a baby!

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!