"Ich bin ein Berliner."

...As quoted by JFK during a speech he made in 1963 while visiting West Berlin just 22 months after the Soviets constructed the Berlin wall. The quote translates to, "I am a Berliner." Funnily enough, it also translates to, "I am a jelly doughnut," as "Berliner" is the term used for jelly doughnuts in the northern and western regions of Germany. I'm pretty sure he meant the first one, though...

The infamous Brandenburg Gate


Anyways, Matt and I traveled to Berlin, the capital of Germany last weekend. For those of you who are unfamiliar with German geography, Berlin is located in the eastern part of the country. We traveled there by train -- a 7-hour train to be exact. *Commence gasps from those who were completely unaware that Germany is so large* (This used to be me, as well) Yes, 7 hours. The train takes a little longer than driving because of the round-about path through some other larger towns, but I still think it would take about 5 1/2 hours to drive it. So it is indeed pretty far from Munich. The train ride wasn't so bad, despite the group of 30-ish Germans sneering and giggling at Matt's "Dein Spiegel," a German children's magazine. (Really?? You're going to laugh at us for trying to learn your language? Whatever...)

We arrived late Thursday evening and stayed until late Sunday afternoon. Berlin is pretty inexpensive when compared to Munich. Our hotel was a bargain (60 USD a night for a 4-star hotel!!) and our meals were relatively inexpensive. On our first full day in the nation's capital (feels funny to say that and not be talking about D.C...), we started with a walking tour of the city. The weather was gorgeous all weekend, but it was freezing. We bundled up and the interesting historical facts (and some humor) made the tour fly by. Our guide showed us some of the most notable sites in this very remarkable city. She made a statement that I really think describes Berlin's character perfectly (paraphrasing here a bit): "You may say Berlin is a beautiful city, and I won't agree with you. I won't disagree with you, but I won't agree with you. Berlin is not really beautiful, but it is a city of contrasts." This couldn't be more true. It's not a beautiful city like Paris or Munich, but it is beautiful in it's own way. There are some buildings whose original structures date back to the 1200s, and there are stark examples of Communist architecture from the 1950s. But that's the beauty of Berlin. What incredible history this city has. The tour touched on many points in Berlin's history, and not just WWII or the great West/East divide. For example, did you know that Berlin was the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia? Or that in the 1600s, nearly 15,000 persecuted Huguenots from France sought asylum here? Or that Napoleon (yes, THAT Napoleon) marched here in 1806, but allowed Berlin to independently govern themselves? Pretty interesting stuff. Of course, we are most interested in the WWII and Berlin Wall historical periods. Much of Hitler's rise to power and subsequent fall unfolded right here. We saw the buildings where he and his highest appointed leaders had their offices. We stood facing the steps where he stood to give some of his most famous speeches. We stood on the sidewalk above the bunker where he killed himself (now completely filled in and sealed to prevent any Neo-Nazi shrines). It's all pretty surreal.

One of the museums on "Museum Island"


You can still see bullet holes from WWII in these pillars...crazy






There is a really fantastic "museum" (more of just tons of boards with facts, quotes, and some documentation) called The Topography of Terror. It outlines Hitler's rise to power, how he maintained power through terror and fear, and the effects. It was so fascinating. I think we spent about 90 minutes there reading everything, but we honestly could have spent almost twice as much time. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about this time period and I always am interested in learning more. The only way to avoid repeating history is to learn about it.

We also saw remnants of the Berlin Wall, of course, and some of the other notable sites related to that time period, as well. There isn't much of it that still stands today, just a small piece near the Topography of Terror exhibit and a larger stretch on the east side of the city. The stretch near the Topography exhibit was left in tact as it lines the street that was basically the Nazi headquarters in Berlin (that same building is a tax office today, go figure). The stretch in the eastern part of the city is known as the "East Side Gallery," where artists have graffiti-ed works onto small sections. Some of the artwork is just plain bizarre (in my 100% un-artistic point of view), but some of it is really cool and really makes you think. It was also "fun" to be able to translate the ones with German phrases on them (bonus of learning a new language!).









As many of you may know, the Berlin Wall was erected by the Soviets as a way to prevent Germans residing in the Marxist-Leninist German Democratic Republic in the East from escaping to the West, which was controlled by the Americans, French, and British. On Sunday, we visited the DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik) Museum, which is an interactive museum that attempts to show daily life in East Germany during this period. It was pretty cool. We got to see a Trabi, the infamous, super basic and inexpensive automobile of this era. We also read about education, employment, media, shopping, home life, travel, etc. It was a really interesting perspective. It also made it easier to understand why some people who lived through this period often refer to these times as "the good old days." At first, that statement sounds appalling. These people were trapped by the GDR. Every aspect of their lives were restricted in some way. I mean, 136 individuals died trying to escape to West Germany. But on the other hand, everyone had jobs, homes, and other resources. When the wall came down, unemployment in Germany skyrocketed. I certainly don't think that anyone actually wanted to keep the wall up and the GDR in place, but for some, there were benefits during this period. It's just another point of view that really makes you think.

These plaques are throughout the city marking where the wall once stood (Mauer is the German word for wall)


Checkpoint Charlie, one of the checkpoints that you had to pass through when traveling between the East and the West


A section of the wall that is still standing. It's protected by a fence now because too many people were chipping off parts of it to take with them


A Trabi that you can rent by the hour


On Sunday, we also enjoyed a bit of modern Berlin by visiting the Reichstag building, where Germany's "parliament" meets (think Congress in D.C.). The building itself (or parts of it, rather) has been standing since the very late 1800s. It suffered a great deal of damage from a fire in 1933. When the Nazi regime took over, the building was abandoned, as Hitler was able to (legally) orchestrate the transfer of all government power to himself. After WWII, Germany was split up by the Allied forces, so naturally, there was still no need for a German parliament. Consequently, the Reichstag sat damaged and unused until German reunification in 1990. The Reunification ceremony was actually held at the Reichstag building. With the re-installment of a unified German democracy, the building underwent reconstruction, which was completed in 1999. The current building showcases both old and new features -- the most exceptional new feature being the huge glass dome on the roof. For free, visitors can enter the building and walk along the ramp inside the dome. We did just that and it was awesome. A great way to see the entire city of Berlin on our final day of the trip.

The Reichstag (unfortunately, the dome is not visible from this photo. You can Google it if you're interested)


While we enjoyed more than our fair share of history in Berlin, this city is more than it's past. It's present is certainly interesting, as well. It's a much more diverse city than Munich, for sure. We particularly enjoyed many of the different cuisines offered. Munich tends to have more "watered down" versions. We did enjoy one German dinner at a place called "Maultaschen Manufaktur." They specialize in unique ravioli from Schwabia, which is a region located in the southwest part of Germany. "Maul" translates to "mouth," but specifically an animal mouth and "Tasche" is used for "bag," "pocket," and food with stuff inside, i.e. raviolis, pastry dough with filling, etc. They were delicious! We also had currywurst one day for lunch, which is a special sausage with a curry-spiced sauce. Currywurst is popular in Munich, as well, but as Berlin is "known" for it, we had to try it here, as well. We also enjoyed a dinner at a Spanish tapas place and a lunch at a California-inspired burrito joint. That place was seriously awesome! For one breakfast, we discovered a cute cafe that was opened by a woman originally from Seattle. Matt had a bomb bagel and I had some delicious granola and yogurt. We even returned the following day to try some of the American desserts. Check out the cake sampler we ordered... Delicious!

Yummy breakfast


Currywurst at Curry 36


Cake, cake, cake!!


Gratuitous "Matt with beer" pic (hat hair)


We boarded the train on Sunday afternoon and made the (very long) 7 hour journey back to Munich. We were home and in bed before midnight. It was a fantastic weekend, but we were exhausted and glad to be back in our warm beds.

Next up, Vienna in one week!!

Cheers,
Matt and Kristin

P.S. Goal for future travels: Make sure to capture at least one photo with BOTH of us in it haha

Kann ich probieren?

Can I try?

I had to use this phrase several times on Sunday afternoon when I attended a Weinmesse (wine fair) with the girls. This was my first event like this, as I've never been to one in the States either. It was held at an event center a little bit outside of Munich. It was huge. There were tons of different wineries there, most from Germany and Austria, but also a few from Italy and even one from South Africa! We had a coupon for discounted entry, so we each paid 5 Euros to drink as much wine as we wanted, basically. We spent the entire afternoon going from one vendor's stand to another, trying various wines and learning more about them from the vineyard salespeople. I tried to understand as much of the German as possible, but my friends had to translate for me at times. We tasted a lot of great wines and some not so good ones, too. Two of my friends and I also decided to place an order for 12 bottles together (4 for each of us). I wasn't planning on buying a lot of wine, but I really like the ones that we tried at this stand and so I decided to go for it. They were all reasonably priced, so no buyer's remorse here! We stayed for a little over 3 hours. It was so much fun!

While listening to the salespeople at the fair, I picked up a few more German words, like "süffig," which translates to "light and sweet" or "pleasant to the taste" (per my online dictionary). At the time, my friends mentioned that there wasn't a great English translation for this word, as it mostly used to describe wine as being easy to drink. Learning more and more German really makes me think a lot about the differences between German and English and how interesting the development and use of different languages really is. For example, German is a really efficient language, in my opinion. They have individual words for lots of things that we use several words to describe in English. One example is "Dachlawine," which literally translates to "roof avalanche." "Dach" is the German word for roof and "Lawine" is the German word for avalanche. Now in English, we would probably just describe it as "snow falling off of the roof." But since Germans have one specific word for this situation, they can simply say, "Vorsicht: Dachlawine!" In English, we would have to say "Watch out for the snow falling off of the roof," which is a lot longer. It doesn't make much of a difference in that instance, but when you are having a conversation and there are hundreds of words like this, you really realize how much more "efficient" German is as a language. In English, I think we tend to be more descriptive about things. We also have just about 10-15 synonyms for every words, whereas I feel like Germans use a lot of the same words over and over. (Keep in mind I've only been learning German for a few months, so my observation is based on somewhat limited knowledge) But we have discussed these differences with our German friends, who speak great English and German, and they tend to agree. It's just a really fascinating difference, in my opinion.

Anyways... While we were enjoying the wine, Matt went with two of the girls' boyfriends to a bar for a few drinks. Yes, we left the boys at home. It seemed to be a great girls' day idea and I don't think they were too disappointed. We all met up later that evening for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

Nothing much new here other than that. We're going to Berlin tomorrow night and we'll be there until Monday. We're looking forward to lots of interesting history and some different food, as Berlin is a little more of the typical metropolitan city when compared to Munich. Should be fun! I'll report back next week...

Until then,
Kristin and Matt

...And now the worst things about being Expats

Don't get me wrong, we are really enjoying are experience in Munich. Just take a look at my post from last week if you don't believe me! But it's not all butterflies and rainbows over here. There are definitely some difficult days. Here's a list of our biggest challenges.

5. The unexpected. As I mentioned in the positive things list, we are planners. So the constant unexpected situations we are faced with can be stressful for us. Will Matt like his job? Will our German friends like us? Will we ever learn German? Will my doctor be able to speak English to me? Will I be able to communicate with the guy that's coming to inspect our heater? Will Kristin get a job? etc. etc., the list goes on. We can't always predict how things are going to work out. And that is unsettling. Plus, just when you are getting comfortable with things, another new challenge presents itself. When I travel back to the States now, it literally feels like I can breathe and just relax and not be anxious about anything.

4. Never really feeling like we're "at home." This one is a bit hard to explain I guess. We really have settled into our apartment, but I sometimes still feel like we're just visiting. Even though we will be here for at least two years, I still always think of this situation as temporary. Also, although we have bought tons of our own furniture and decorated with lots of photos, we haven't painted the walls and fully made this apartment our own. I painted some of the walls in our apartment in Conshohocken, but I was annoyed when I had to paint them back and I knew I wouldn't feel like doing that here. So we just have all white walls, which is pretty boring. I also am hesitant to put tons of holes in the walls (the walls are different here and the few things we have put up we're a bit challenging haha). Again, this kind of adds to the feeling of the apartment not being truly ours. Also, I really miss our old couch haha. Silly, I know. But it's funny how the little things really matter.

Additionally, it's really strange to live in a country where you aren't actually from. I think that living in a different city in America isn't really the same thing because at least you still share with everyone the fact that you are all from the same country. But it's super weird to not have that underlying similarity with the people you see everyday. I feel like we will always be "the Americans." Not like I'm ashamed to be American; it's just bizarre to always be identified by what makes you an outsider, so to speak. Again, it's not really a huge problem, it's just a weird feeling that can add to the homesickness that I feel from time to time.

3. Not being fluent in the language. There's a reason for the title of this blog being "We Wish We Spoke German." Like, we really do. All the time. I get really anxious in situations when I think the other person might not speak English. I always feel so stupid when I can't communicate. I realize that I will never see most of these people ever again, but I really hate feeling unintelligent. It's embarrassing. The language barrier can also make everyday, easy tasks difficult. We have to translate the mail we receive from our bank, our Internet provider, our building manager, etc. It gets old, and fast. There is also always a feeling of self-doubt, and what if we missed something important? And while our friends all speak fantastic English (seriously), I still feel the presence of the language barrier sometimes. Certain sayings and "deeper" comments sometimes get lost in translation. It doesn't prevent us from building really great relationships, but I can't help but think that these relationships will never be like the ones we have with our friends back in the States.

2. Missing friends and family. Speaking of those friends... It's really difficult to be away from all of the people you love so much. It is easy to feel isolated and alone from time to time. Although we lived away from our families when we were in Philly, we still managed to see them at least once every two months or so. Going so long without spending time with people is really hard. The time differences also makes it difficult to frequently communicate with everyone. I used to be able to call people on my way home from work for a quick chat, but I've lost that convenience now. It's also difficult to be away from our nephews, as these are such fun times in their lives. We always feel like we're missing important moments and events. As for our friends, we're missing some really important moments in their lives. We're invited to 5 weddings this year. 5! Unfortunately, I don't know if we will be able to make it to a single one. And they are all people that I would call my "best" friends. It really will be difficult to miss these, but what can we do? The flights are just so expensive. From time to time, I worry -- will our most important relationships suffer from this decision we made to live in another country? In the end, I think that the people that care the most will understand and that it won't be such a big deal. I hope so, anyways.

1. Unemployment. (for me, not Matt, obviously) This is by far the major "black cloud" ominously floating over this, otherwise wonderful, experience. It has been a continuous struggle for me, and I know that Matt feels terribly about it, as well. Don't get me wrong -- I can find ways to keep myself busy. And fortunately, we can afford for me not to work, which is not the case for a lot of people, I know. So I consider myself fortunate. But I've worked so hard in school and at my former job, and it's really difficult to not be able to continue on that path. I'd like to have my days be a little more fulfilling. Although I didn't start applying for jobs until November, I have applied for quite a few, most of which I am over-qualified for -- except for that tiny problem that, oh yeah, I'm not fluent in German. This is a much bigger obstacle than we had predicted. Although there are plenty of large, international companies located here in Munich, they still want you to be able to speak German. It makes sense, especially for the Big 4 companies like PwC, which are client-serving industries. Of course the client would want to speak their native language! But I still thought that maybe I could find SOMETHING where my native English skills would be beneficial. Another problem is that most well-educated Germans speak pretty good English. And German. So how can I compete with that? I am still applying for jobs and Munich Re has been exploring possibilities for me, as well, but I am not that optimistic anymore. I'm trying to let go of control and not get down on myself about it, but that isn't always easy. We received some disheartening news about one lead last week and since then, have re-adjusted our expectations. I will just have to continue to find ways to keep myself busy during the week. Fortunately, Matt doesn't work long hours and doesn't have to travel for work, so it's not so bad. I just try to focus on the positives instead of the frustrations.

So those are the downsides of this experience. Nothing is ever perfect, and living abroad certainly is not an exception. It would be a lie if we told you we are 100% happy all of the time. But in moments of distress when we are dealing with these issues, we just focus on the positives and then it is clear that we made the right choice to try this out. We never regret our decision to come and as I mentioned in the positive list, these challenges only make us stronger as individuals, as well as a couple. And that's the best part.

Cheers,
Kristin and Matt

A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock n Roll

As different as things can be here in Germany, sometimes it is surprising just how much of our American culture has made it over here. When I'm at the gym, I often can watch shows like "Scrubs" and "Two and a Half Men" in German. I've also seen an episode or two of "How I Met Your Mother" and I know that "Grey's Anatomy" is popular, as well. They are all dubbed over in German, which still weirds me out. Much of the music that is on the top of the charts in America is also popular here in Germany, although they definitely don't have the affinity for rap that we do. The Hollywood blockbusters can usually be found in Munich, as well, in both German and English. Despite all of the overlap, I couldn't believe it when our friends (an American wife, German husband) invited us to a country-western themed bar in the southern part of the city. Could this place really exist in Munich? I don't think a country western bar could stay in business in Philadelphia, let alone Munich, Germany. I know none of my German friends can stand country music, and I would expect most Germans to share a similar view. So we took a chance on the "Oklahoma Saloon" and joined our friends there for some live music on Saturday night.

And... We were both very pleasantly surprised! I was shocked when we entered the bar. It was a small place with cheesy country and western memorabilia plastering the walls. There was everything from old guns, to a miniature Conestoga wagon, to a large Confederate flag. The doors that led back to the restrooms were even swinging doors just like you would expect in any reputable saloon! Most of the other people in attendance were Germans, and many were decked out in their best western wear -- hats, plaid shirts, etc. No cowboy boots in sight though! haha Most of them were older, so I guess not many young Germans are into country music. A band called "Westworld Company" played a set from 9 PM until a little after midnight (including two short breaks). There were four bandmates, and all of them were German except the bassist who was originally from Dallas (but he spoke perfect German so he must have moved here a long time ago). They played a really great mix of both classic country and some rock and roll. We heard Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, CCR, Alabama, and even some Jimmy Buffet and Hendrix. And of course they played the German favorite, "Country Roads" by John Denver. I have absolutely no idea how this song became so popular in Germany, but seriously, they all know all of the words. It's really strange. Anyways, it really was a great set, and all of the songs stayed true to the country western theme. Some of the other attendees even did some dancing. No line dancing, though -- that's scheduled for later this month! haha

I'm not sure when we'll make it back to the Oklahoma Saloon but we definitely had a great night listening to some live music. Almost felt like we were back in Nashville! We took a few pics while they were playing so you can see for yourself. Another great weekend in Munich!











Here's a link to the bar's site, if you're interested: http://www.oklahoma-saloon.com/

Cheers,
Kristin and Matt

The Top 10 Things about being Expats

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. Hope this one makes up for it...

I think a lot of people, especially our American friends and family, often wonder why we would ever want to pick up everything and move to a foreign country. I think that some people see the benefits, but I still believe there are many that just don't get it. Below, we've compiled a list of the 10 best things about living abroad.

10. Living in a beautiful city. Although we lived in Philly, we never really lived together right downtown. Munich is our opportunity to get to live right in the middle of a beautiful city. Although it is much smaller than cities like New York and Chicago, it still offers benefits like walking everywhere, fantastic public transportation, stores, restaurants, and cafes right outside our door, outdoor markets with fresh produce and other goods, beautiful parks just a stroll away, art museums and more. Every Saturday evening, we have the chance to try a new and different restaurant. On Sunday mornings, we can go to our favorite cafe for cappuccino or waffles. In the summer, we spend Sunday afternoons reading on a blanket in the English Garden. Matt also now has a 20 minute bus ride to work as opposed to a 75 minute drive to work. The beauty of Munich is that although it is a city, it feels more like a village. The unique and sometimes old-fashioned architecture certainly helps. But it's more than that. There are Sunday afternoons when we go for a stroll and it feels like hardly anyone even lives here. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but it's a nice break from the hustle and bustle during the week. While I am certain we will thoroughly enjoy suburban life in a few years, for now, it's really nice to experience something that is very different.

9. Every day is an adventure. Like, seriously. Life as an expat is never ordinary or boring. While moving and settling in during the first few weeks was the most adventurous part of this journey, it seems like we are dealing with challenges, both big and small, almost every single day. From figuring out the complicated recycling rules to communicating with the German-speaking employee at the local bakery, there's never a dull moment. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but mostly, it's fun working together to figure things out. And it's often hilarious. I think it helps that we can laugh together about our difficulties.

8. Learning a new language. This one is definitely a good thing and a bad thing. Of course, it can be very difficult to live in a country where you are not fluent in the native language. But it can also be fun to acquire a new skill. Although we aren't fluent yet, we definitely have covered a lot of ground. We can read most of the signs, easy books, say what we need to say (even if we have the vocabulary of six-year-olds), and recognize a good amount of the words when our friends speak and we watch German television. That being said, it is definitely difficult to follow the conversation in its entirety, and we are often wondering what the heck was just said to us. So we can't comfortably converse yet. And this is frustrating and definitely a feeling we are not used to. But it's also a constant process of discovery. And it's really interesting to compare two languages that are as different as German and English. It almost feels like a game sometimes, which can be fun. Although I don't think I will use my German skills much once we return to America (Matt will be able to use them when communicating with the German employees, which will be often), I still am proud that I am acquiring a new skill that is somewhat unique.

7. Learning new things. All the time. Along with learning a new language, we're learning all kinds of things -- about Germany, Europeans, traveling, different perspectives, unique customs and traditions, and most importantly, ourselves. Since most of our friends are German, they often have different interests and knowledge about different subjects. I find myself constantly learning new facts and information from them. Additionally, experiencing new things (see #5) and gaining new perspectives (#6) really makes you think about prior beliefs that you once held and things that you once (and maybe still) do. Some of our views haven't changed at all, and some have been transformed completely. I believe that the more you learn about the world, the more you appreciate it and the other people that share it, which really is a beautiful thing.

6. Gaining new perspectives. This is inevitable when you are living in a foreign country. Although some expats try to block out the foreign culture and keep their own traditions and customs, we believe in embracing (for the most part) the locals' way of doing things. After all, why would we want to simply transport our American life to Germany? We would be cheating ourselves out of having this new and different experience. When you start doing things a different way, you start to realize that there are reasons why the locals choose these methods. For example, before we moved here, I swore up and down that I would not ride a bike. Even if Matt bought me one, I wouldn't ride it. I thought it was silly when I could just hop on the subway to get wherever I needed to go. But after I started riding it more often, I realized that I really enjoy it (when the weather is at least moderate!). It feels great to be moving and to enjoy the fresh air when you are trying to get somewhere. However, I do maintain that I will not ride my bike in the winter. It's just too cold and I am a wimp.

5. Experiencing new things. Obviously, when you live in a different country, or even a different city, you are probably experiencing new things on a daily basis. But I'm referring here to the unique and more special experiences that we've had over the past few months. For example, how many Americans have been to a German ice hockey game? Or an Icelandic band's concert? Or prepared a traditional Bavarian breakfast with friends? Or celebrated New Years with German friends, including participating in all of the unusual German traditions? These experiences and memories are so dear to us and they are stories that we will be able to tell for years to come.

4. Getting out of your comfort zone and becoming a stronger person. I admit this one is very difficult for me. I'm a planner -- I like planning things, having a plan, sticking to the plan. I also enjoy routine and knowing what to expect. So being in a foreign country and not speaking the language makes it difficult to always do that. I sometimes find myself becoming anxious in situations that would be a piece of cake if I were back in America. And sometimes, this is difficult and stressful. But I truly believe that you can only become a stronger person if you put yourself out there and challenge yourself. I don't think either of us have ever challenged ourselves like this experience challenges us. And I think that we are stronger individuals because of it.

3. Making new friends. I know that this can be difficult for many expats, but we were so lucky to have such a great group from the very start. There is a large group of young people that work at Matt's company in the "trainee program," which is designed for young people coming straight from college. Matt had met some of them over the various programs that he participated in over the past year. We've met even more of them during our time here in Munich. They are all super smart, friendly, outgoing, and welcoming people. From the beginning, they have included us in everything. I think at the beginning, they invited us to be nice, and now I think they really have adopted us into their group. Matt gets drinks with the guys about once a week, and I am often participating in girls' nights, where one of us hosts a dinner at our apartment. Although we miss our friends from home so much (sometimes it hurts), it helps to not feel so alone. They also keep us very busy! While I'm not sure if all of these relationships will last, I think a few people will definitely be life-long friends.

2. Strengthening our relationship as a married couple. Not to get cheesy here, but this experience really has brought us even closer together, even if I thought we were as close as possible before we moved here. Since we are so far away from friends and family, we rely on each other for just about everything, even more so than when we were living in the States. Overcoming obstacles and difficulties together creates a stronger bond every single day. We've heard so many stories of couples fighting constantly when they lived abroad, and it's certainly not surprising that moving to another country can put stress on a relationship. But I think we've done a really great job of working together and appreciating each other, whether we're dealing with a stressful situation or enjoying a trip to a new destination.

1. Traveling. A lot. We love to travel. Yes, it can be expensive and tiring at times (more so than a beach vacation, anyways); however, the opportunity to see new places and have new experiences is simply invaluable. You realize there is so much else out there than what you see every day in your own "bubble." There are so many truly beautiful places in the world. We feel so fortunate to have seen even a tiny fraction of them. We will have these memories forever.

Although living abroad is not for everyone, we are definitely happy with our decision to try it for a few years. But don't worry, we'll be back before you know it!

Cheers,
Kristin and Matt