Newsflash! On April 10, I became an official permanent resident of Germany! If you’re the holder of an EU Blue Card, you know that one of this visa’s top benefits is the early eligibility to switch from employment-dependent residence permit to permanent residency. So, here’s how to get your German settlement permit. Blue Card holders in Germany who…
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Like any aspect of an expat experience, working abroad comes with its own set of culture shock. German work culture, in general, is quite different from anything in the States, but what I found more surprising were more the differences in approach to work and employment between the U.S. and Germany. For those Americans considering…
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Today marks the start of my fourth year living in Germany: this bureaucracy-crazed, rule-abiding, frankly-opinionated country. I learned so much in my three years here—and, if the expat stats don’t lie, this year should kick off a phase of feeling more at home. I’ve collected the info I’m supposed to need, my language skills are…
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Today marks my 33rd month in Germany. It may seem a little odd to count time in months if you aren’t the parent of a toddler, but as an expat, tracking the time of your residency makes by months more sense. With my particular visa, the EU Blue Card, I’m eligible to apply for German…
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Today marks my 33rd month in Germany. It may seem a little odd to count time in months if you aren’t the parent of a toddler, but as an expat, tracking the time of your residency makes by months more sense. With my particular visa, I’m eligible to apply for German permanent residency with my…
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Moving abroad is both exhilarating and also terrifying. What to take? What to leave? How long should you plan on staying? How can you meet people overseas? What will it be like? I figured there’s no one better to give advice on moving overseas that those of us who have already done it—so I asked…
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For me, watching soccer in Germany is like making new friends. Whenever you’re trying to establish a friendship, there comes a point that requires you to show something real. Something deep. Whether that’s admitting an obsession with astrology or sharing a love of trashy sitcoms, it’s a make-or-break moment that will either settle you deep…
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There are days when I wake up, and I am so damn grateful to have this expat life. Living abroad means days are full of surprises and new experiences, delicious foods and castles (yes castles!) just sitting there on the side of the road. But there are other days when nothing seems to go right,…
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There are days when I wake up, and I am so damn grateful to have this expat life. Living abroad means days are full of surprises and new experiences, delicious foods and castles (yes castles!) just sitting there on the side of the road. But there are other days when nothing seems to go right,…
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Eye of the Storm — Berlin, Germany Prompt via The Daily Post The last few weeks have been a nonstop whirlwind of travel (a 12-day advertising shoot in Vancouver, posts to come!), the subsequent scramble for post-production, 80+ hour work weeks, and the most welcome and blissful start of the Berlin summer. With so much…
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Up and Gone 