I’ve tried it all: short trips, long trips, try-to-do-nothing trips, do-absolutely-everything trips, 48-hour trips, squeeze-it-in-with-a-business-trip trips. Whew! Visiting home comes in all shapes and sizes, and I can confirm that waking up to a “your flight is ready for check-in” email when you've barely got home from the airport is the-absolute-worst trip. So how do... Continue Reading →
I initially sought out German platforms to help improve my German skills. For me, this was the most practical and convenient way to integrate language learning into my everyday life. If you've not yet tried it, I can highly recommend this. I would find one account that I could relate to, and then scroll through... Continue Reading →
It's only natural that you want to know more about the person behind the blog posts - I'm exactly the same! After years of sharing my experience of living in Frankfurt and being in touch with so many of you, I've put together your FAQs, so that the answers are all in once place 😊... Continue Reading →
Moving abroad is challenging, but moving abroad during a pandemic adds a whole new level to the experience! I have often thought about how different things would be if I had moved abroad within the last year; how I met new people then and how I would go about meeting new people now. After collecting... Continue Reading →
Having moved from London to Frankfurt, I never felt the need to adapt to the fast pace of my new location. In fact, I adjusted to taking it slow in this small city. I was no longer rushing to be the first on the tube, trying to beat the lunch time rush at M&S, and... Continue Reading →
I missed so many things from home when I first moved abroad; things that I never even used to think twice about. And despite all the new benefits, including walking to work and having Frankfurt's skyline practically on my doorstep, there was nothing more annoying than not being able to buy the deodorant that I'd... Continue Reading →
There's something special about friends coming to visit you abroad. Catching up in 'real life', rather than through a screen, becomes ever-more appreciated and I love being able to share snippets of my (not so new) life in another city. As well as the hours on end of talking, when my visitor first arrives, and... Continue Reading →
Before moving, I told myself that I'd live in Germany for a minimum of three years. I gathered that three years would give me enough time to really improve my language skills, become familiar with Frankfurt and build strong relationships with those around me. What I didn't consider, is that after three years of giving... Continue Reading →
I love living abroad and it's one of the best choices I've ever made but every now and again I get this 'ugh' feeling. This frustration with the abnormalities of living abroad. I asked a few international friends what they sometimes find difficult about living abroad and we pretty much agreed on the same points.... Continue Reading →
As most of us do at this time of year, I have been looking back on the last 12 months. I've been wondering where the time has gone, how the changes have happened so quickly and what's to come for the new year. We plan, think about how far we've come and how much further... Continue Reading →
I hadn't thought twice about the fact that I didn't even know of any German furniture stores before I moved into my unfurnished apartment. I'd assumed I would buy everything from Ikea however, it turned out that Ikea is great for some items but not so good for others. I found myself having to look... Continue Reading →
The stare I received as I quickly tried to get to the other side of the road in Germany in 2012 was so piercing that I've not forgotten it until this day. And it took a few of these unwelcoming stares for me to realises that I was being frowned upon for crossing the road... Continue Reading →
"Zusammen oder getrennt?" Together or separate asks the waiter/ess as you finish a meal with friends and request to pay the bill. If you're wondering what is meant by this, in Germany you are literally asked if you want to split the bill between the table or if one individual will be covering everyone. Honestly, I think... Continue Reading →
After being asked about what it's like to be a woman of colour in Frankfurt, specifically a black woman, and if I have experienced any racism, I've decided to share my experiences with you. I always start by saying that I don't work in a strictly German environment, in fact, due to the nature of... Continue Reading →
How often do you rely on other people? When at work, playing sports, or for some friendly advice? I reckon it’s more than we realise but for those times when we do actually need someone, whatever it may be for, we generally know exactly who to go to and why they’d be the best person... Continue Reading →
"What!? How can an apartment not come with a kitchen?" Is the exact reaction I had when I first found out that German apartments do not necessarily come with a kitchen. I mean, really, how is that even possible? It's like the bathroom coming without anywhere to wash, or like a friend of mine said,... Continue Reading →
Alisa Jordan Writes 