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
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