When given the choice to move abroad, one of the first things we often ask ourselves is “What about my family?” For many of us, family is one of our top priorities in life. Especially when they begin to extend and there are engagements, weddings, pregnancies, and unfortunately sometimes funerals too. We often feel as though…
Tag: Frankfurt expat
Spending time alone vs socialising as an expat
An issue I’ve had as I’ve become more independent during my time abroad (and probably with age) is that enjoying my own company and happily making plans with myself can sometimes mean that I don’t socialise as much as I feel I could. I guess this isn’t the worst problem in the world as I…
Vegetarian restaurants in Frankfurt
I love eating out in Frankfurt because, despite the typical meat-heavy German cuisine, there are some delicious vegetarian options for those of us who prefer to eat meat free. After trying out quite a few places, here are my favourite vegetarian & vegan breakfast, lunch and dinner spots for the next time you’re feeling hungry….
A summer weekend in Frankfurt- Things to do
Whether you are new to Frankfurt, looking for something to do or are having guests for the weekend, it’s always good to get recommendations from a local. Here are my top suggestions for a summer weekend in Frankfurt. Enjoy! Friday Morning: Breakfast @ Elaine’s deli A scenic walk along the River Main – Start at Willy…
The 5 hardest things about living abroad
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….
The four phases of culture shock
It creeps up on you when you least expect it and pushes you out of your depth as you try to comprehend these abnormalities that are actually now normalities. In fact, you’re the abnormal one now. Culture shock. Two and half years into my expat journey and as much as I have embraced the German…
Living away from your family
Living away from your family can be hard. Whether it’s a different city, a different country or a different continent, the thousands of kilometres between us and our families can make them feel very unreachable. Being able to get to your siblings’, parents’ and grandparents’ homes in less than an hour really does seem like…
Expat New Year Resolutions
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…
Being a woman of colour in Frankfurt
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…
Frankfurt: a convenient city
No long commutes and no overcrowding are the two main things I love about living in Frankfurt. Life here is a bit slower than in my home city London, which does of course has many specialities, but I love I no longer feeling like a sardine when I walk around the city and I never…
The German obsession with cake & ice-cream
Imagine being hungry, like really hungry and instead of offering you a nice, filling, savoury meal, someone asks you if you want slice of cake. Noooo, I don’t want cake, I’m starving, I want real food! I recently went to a cafe with a group of friends (German and non-German) and given that it was…
How to keep fit without getting tied into a long-term gym contract
If you aren’t too sure how long you’ll be staying in your new expat home, then you probably won’t want to commit to a one or two-year gym contract just to keep fit and you’d rather go with something short-term. It’s easy to let exercise slip when monthly gym payments aren’t being debited from your…
Sick leave in Germany
Being sick is a weak excuse in the London office. Unless everyone can see that you have dragged yourself to work that morning, are looking extra rough, tried to act as if you’re not ill, but still ended up nearly fainting at your desk, you’re either completely faking it, exaggerating or running out of annual…
When life abroad becomes home and home becomes life abroad
Spending some time back home after living abroad for nearly two years (and hardly visiting London) has made me realise that life abroad doesn’t always feel foreign. At some point the tables start to turn… It wasn’t Christmas, it wasn’t my birthday, it was just the first ‘normal’ week I’d spent working in London since…
The lack of customer service in Germany
Essential organisation is required for the brutal 3 minute procedure of having your food practically chucked at you after being scanned, whilst you’re expected to pack, swipe your points card, sign after using your debit card (because apparently a PIN just isn’t good enough) and then maybe you’ll get a “tschüß” if you’re lucky as…
Struggling to accept that ‘small talk’ and ‘awkward’ situations don’t exist in German
Germans are so direct that the term ‘small talk’ doesn’t even exist in their language. Why? It’s just not something they do. Regardless of whether it’s a touchy subject or not, Germans jump straight to the point in conversation, rather than beating around the bush and facing confrontation as indirectly as possible, as do the…
