One of biggest occupants of my pandemic pause is Jetztpat, a fully-fledged company I co-founded with two fellow expats. We support foreigners living in Germany with navigating their way through the bureaucracy—from visas to taxes and everything in between. Go check us out!
All articles filed in Expat Life
6 Important Ways You Can Make a Difference from Abroad
Between Coronavirus, racial injustice, protests, and the lack of clear leadership from the current administration, I think the last few weeks have left many Americans wondering how to make a difference from abroad. As my own answer to that question, I created an initiative—Stimulate Change. It calls on Americans abroad to donate their U.S. government…
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An Open Letter to American Expats
This is a travel blog. But it’s also a blog for expats—specifically (since it’s my own area of expertise), American expats. I don’t know about you, but over the past several weeks, I’ve been struggling with my identity as an American, the feeling of being (physically) distanced from issues I care about, and the helplessness…
Read MoreTrace the Roots: A Talk on Intercultural Communication
Back in January I presented Trace the Roots, a Creative Mornings talk exploring the benefits and challenges of working across cultures. How do you plan meetings in New York? Pitch ideas in Berlin? Pay for client dinners in Japan? I’ve learned quite a few lessons living abroad—but the most valuable was that different cultures have…
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Cozy English bookstores in Berlin
If you’re on one of those new-fangled Kindle gadgets, this post is not for you. I’m an old school book lover, and lucky for me, Germany is old school in just about everything. (See exhibit A: cash-based society) If you’re into stocking up on ye auld paperbacks, here are some of my favorite cozy English…
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JUMP Bikes: The Uber of Cycling
If you’ve been to Berlin recently, you’ve likely spotted little fleets of bright red bikes on every corner. Fairly new to the Berlin bike scene, JUMP Bikes are a great way to get around this highly bike-friendly city. And they’re not just limited to Berlin. Cities across Germany, Portugal, the U.K., and now the U.S.…
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Applying for a German EU Blue Card, Pt. II
If you’re reading this, it’s because you’re in the process of applying for a German EU Blue Card! Congratulations! Where you are in this process determines whether you should continue reading this post, or pop back to Part I. Part I covers the part of your German EU Blue Card application that happens in your…
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Applying for a German EU Blue Card, Pt. I
A German EU Blue Card is an amazing work and residence permit. It works as a kind of fast-track to permanent residency for non EU-nationals. If you’re moving to Germany, here’s what you need to know about applying for a German EU Blue Card. The first part of this post is just about the steps…
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The Big List of Berlin Date Night Ideas
Berlin is a busy city. And if you live here, chances are high you’ll be busy too. Tim and I both have crazy jobs that take us away from home (and each other) for the bulk of the week. So last year we decided to institute a weekly date night. We reasoned it wouldn’t just…
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A Complete Checklist for your German Settlement Permit
If you want the Gods of Process and Bureaucracy to smile upon you as you submit for German settlement permit application (or really any application in Germany, ever), my advice is simple. The more organized your application, the easier your appointments will go. Have everything neatly ordered, clipped together, and marked so that the processor…
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Up and Gone 