May 3, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

Getting rid of stuff for free

As you’ve probably noticed lately, our mindset about clearing the stuff and junk out of our house that we haven’t been using at all in the last 6-10 years has really clarified. If you’d talked to us a few months ago, you would have found out that we had dreams of getting rid of our clutter — but now we’ve actually begun to enjoy it. And sometimes even feel passionate about... read more

Mar 28, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

So you want to move to Germany… Driving A Car

When people think of Germany, a lot of them think of driving on the Autobahn without a care in the world, as fast as their car will take them. Unfortunately, that dream isn’t quite as realistic anymore thanks to trucks, traffic and speed restrictions in a lot of places. But let’s just say it’s possible all over Germany — so you’ll be wanting to get a license so you can drive... read more

Mar 19, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

So you want to move to Germany… Walking & Bicycling

Unlike many places in the US, Germany and Europe in generally built to allow people to get from point A to point B without using a car. They may not always walk there, but instead use bikes or even public transport — but for the most part, people do a whole lot more walking over here. And they also sometimes just walk…wait for it – I promise it’s going to blow you way… because... read more

Mar 6, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

10 Things that Distinguish Americans from Others

Being an expat in Germany… What is that like? In a lot of ways, it’s similar to being a foreigner in any country, even if you’re just visiting. Except when you’re an expat, the visit lasts a whole lot longer; whether it be months, years or even decades. Some decide they never want to leave. Others want to leave and time gets away from them, so they stay a while longer than expected.... read more

Mar 5, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

So you want to move to Germany… Public Transport

Imagine this if you can… You move to a new country and some of the first things you buy are a washing machine and a kitchen (a topic I will later get into), but not a car. And you don’t move your car over with you either. But you’ve grown up in a place where it was always necessary to have a car and people rarely walk or bicycle anywhere, because it would just take forever since most... read more

Feb 28, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

So you want to move to Germany… Housing

Last week, I went into a long discussion about the legalities of moving to Germany as a foreigner and how to go about getting a visa. So today, I’m going to assume you’re allowed to be here, and jump right into finding a place to live. When Stefan got his first internship here and even when we moved over here, the rental market for apartments was extremely competitive in and around Frankfurt.... read more

Feb 20, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

So you want to move to Germany… Visas & Permits

Over the last few years, I have gotten more and more emails from people who want to move to Germany or other places in Europe but would appreciate a bit of advice before they take the leap. From singles to entire families, there are a wide range of folks who want to  experience the culture, take some language classes, and take an adventure into an unknown world. Some may be considering participating in a... read more

Feb 15, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

Debunking Myths about Germany: Trachten

I’ll bet that one of the first thing that comes to a foreigners mind when they think of Germany is people wearing funny outfits and Lederhosen. After living here for over 10 years, I can assure you that most people across Germany never wear those sorts of clothing…but when you visit Bavaria, especially lower Bavaria and Munich, you are almost certain to see a few people on the street in... read more

Feb 13, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

Creamy Sausage & Potato Soup

About two weeks ago, I picked up a 5 kilo sack of potatoes for something absurd like 99 cents. I have been eating a few of them for lunch…and we’ve also made Bratkartoffeln with them. But there are still a lot of them left. So it was time to figure out something more extreme to do with them. I don’t know how it possible, but I have never made potato soup. It’s not that I don’t... read more

Jan 26, 2012 Posted by Tiffany

Things I Enjoy About Germany

There was quite a bit of discussion on Tuesday after I shared my “what I don’t like about Hessen” post…and apparently I got a lot of people thinking that I absolutely detest living here and should leave as soon as possible. Let me state for the record that although living over here has certainly had its ups and downs, I am happy living here and there are certainly some great perks... read more