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Archives for October 2014

LIAL Reader Survey 2014

Written by: Amanda // Category: Blogging

I mentioned a few posts ago that I am changing Living in Another Language to be a more travel-focused blog. My hope is to encourage, inspire, and help answer questions to those that are interested in life abroad. My readers (hey that's you) are very important to me, and I want to hear from you about what you're interested in. I've been weighing my options and reading the comments on my blog, and I think the best thing for me to do right now is to have a reader survey! 99% of the survey questions below are multiple choice, so it'll take you about two and thirty seconds flat  (I did not test this) to complete the form, and I will be eternally grateful! As I see my readership grow, it's harder to know where you all are from, what your ... Read More

Queens Park, Invercargill

Written by: Amanda // Category: New Zealand

We celebrated a three day weekend this past week, and Derik and I enjoyed soaking up the free time. Instead of doing something epic like we very much wanted to, we decided to save the money (hey, Christmas is only like 50 something days away) and take it slow. Derik found a couple of used surfboards for sale in Invercargill, so we took a trip down south to pick them up. Saturday was absolutely perfect weather-wise, but wouldn't you know it, it was also the day a nasty migraine came to visit me.  I was basically dying in the car the whole way to Invercargill (three hour drive), and immediately after grabbing the boards, we paid for a small cabin in a Top 10 campsite so I could go lay down in a pitch black room. Sucky way to spend a ... Read More

The 5 Types of Travel Bloggers

Written by: Amanda // Category: Blogging, Travel, Travel Blogging

Travel blogging is a tricky industry. I'm realizing there's no cut-and-dry way to travel blog, except for the fact that it's important you get pretty pictures and information out there for readers to wanderlust at. There are solo travelers, couple travelers, and family travelers. There are those that do it for fun and some that do it as a living. But one of my favorite things to figure out while discovering new travel bloggers, is learning what their travel blogging lifestyle is. This can be tricky, especially since the internet allows us to paint pictures of ourselves in basically whatever way we want. Here are the 5 types of travel bloggers I have discovered in my ventures with blogging. In no way, shape, or form are these true ... Read More

The Lunar Eclipse

Written by: Amanda // Category: New Zealand, Photography, Photojournalism

I meant to write this post shortly after October 8th, but time got away from me. October 8th was a significant day for two reasons, one being the lunar eclipse (blood moon) that happened late in the evening (my time) or maybe early morning yours. The second significance? It was my 26th birthday. I was actually pretty bummed during the day because I thought my husband forgot my birthday, and I didn't have a single person to go out and celebrate with. But no, I was being overdramatic for nothing, because he came home with chocolates, beautiful brown orchids (seriously they're so pretty), and a dinner reservation at a local Thai restaurant. My day immediately did a 180 degree turn, and I thoroughly enjoyed rest of my birthday with ... Read More

10 Tips to Improve Your Photography

Written by: Amanda // Category: Photography, Photography Tutorial

Alt title: How to rock the socks off of whatever you take pictures with. Disclaimer: I can’t tell you how to be an instantly awesome photographer. It doesn’t happen overnight (unless your born with it, which some people naturally are). Just like any art form, you’ve got to learn it, study it, practice it. You can’t just expect to point your shutter at something and win ‘photo of the year’ on National Geographic. I don’t have a super long history with photography (and am not a professional), I've just been working on my skills long enough to know there are little tricks you can use to help improve your photography instantly. Yes, instantly. You just need to know what they are and how to use them! Nowadays, with the technology ... Read More

Minus 5 Ice Bar, Queenstown

Written by: Amanda // Category: New Zealand

You never know what you'll stumble into while taking a walk around town. During our first trip to Queenstown we thoroughly enjoyed three days in the self-proclaimed 'adventure capital of the world,' and spent most of our time outdoors. That is, until we found the Minus 5 Ice Bar located right along Lake Esplanade, one of the most picturesque parts of the town. Sure it may have been dead winter outside with a temperature of 14 degrees (F), but that didn't stop us from giving this icy adventure a go! We donned the coats and hats we were given at the door and headed into the bar. Side note, they had us put the coats OVER the coats we already had on, so we pretty much looked like overstuffed sausages the whole time. Oh well, we can just ... Read More

Rain Boots or Wellies?

Written by: Amanda // Category: Product, Review, Sp

Gumboots or Galoshes? Why are there so many names for a simple pair of boots made of rubber? This is one of the many things I think about on a daily basis. I have a weird mind. I'm also quickly discovering that some of the words I learned growing up mean completely different things on the opposite side of the world. For example: pissed actually means drunk here. And just don't ever mention a fanny pack, because that refers to the female anatomy. Not that we use fanny pack in our day to day language as Americans... Anyway. A few months ago I received this gorgeous dress and wellies from JoulesUSA. I most certainly am not a fashion blogger, and I hate being on the other side of the camera. After checking out the company's ... Read More

What Travel Means To Me

Written by: Amanda // Category: Expat Living, Travel

It means... ...I get to discover different ways people do life. ...I no longer have control over my environment. ...I end up accidentally acting like a fool multiple times a week. ...happiness is not by acquiring things, but by making memories. ...being outside my comfort zone 24/7. ...I treasure the familiar so much more than I used to. ...the world is bigger than I could ever possibly imagine. ...I have the opportunity to make friends from all corners of the world. ...I will constantly be learning and growing. ...wanderlust will always be a part of my life. ... Read More

Sandfly Bay, Otago Peninsula

Written by: Amanda // Category: New Zealand

If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now. New Zealand is the perfect country to go out for a nice Sunday drive. Every 10 minutes of driving you'll stumble upon a different scenic view, and each view is more amazing than the last! Last month Derik and I went out for our weekly drive down random side-roads, and stumbled upon an absolute treasure of a beach. Sandfly Bay is a popular location in Dunedin, but being newbies to the area, we had no idea. Sandfly Bay is known for its yellow-eyed penguins that live in the sand dunes off the beach during the day and come out at night to feed. Also there are numerous seals and sea lions that drop by each day to sun themselves on the warm sand. We've visited the beach a couple times just because ... Read More

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2020 has been a year has it not? As much as I love 2020 has been a year has it not? As much as I love social media, I found myself taking a break as the things we were all going through made social media so insignificant to me. 

In January/February I had a miscarriage. It was a horrible way to start the year, and little did I know it was just the beginning of it all. 

Even with the loss, hardship of moving back to the US in the middle of a global pandemic, and navigating our new lives here, we were given many blessings. The greatest of those was finding out I was pregnant again in March.

It’s a scary time to be pregnant right now, especially after a miscarriage, because doctors visits are very minimal. Also, Derik was never able to come to a single visit. I was terrified something would happen and I would be told bad news and have to face that alone. But God was gracious to us. 

We kept our special little secret to ourselves, and it wasn’t until our third trimester before we told immediate family and close friends. My pregnancy was very private for me, and a special time to bond closely with the babe growing inside me.

Our sweet little girl arrived November 30, and yes I had to deliver with a mask on, but she is perfect and I truly feel our family is complete. 💕🌈
 
“When a rainbow appears, it doesn’t mean the storm never happened or that we are not still dealing with its aftermath. It means something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy, and hope.”
I am in love. As I’m sure every other plant/mons I am in love. As I’m sure every other plant/monstera collector is when you get to behold such a beauty in real life. If there were ever #plantgoals, this is it. 

Since moving from Germany, it has been a long and slow process getting our life back to normal. All of our belongings have yet to arrive so we’ve literally been camping in our house on an air bed and camping chairs for two months. 😂 All that to say, having to start my plant collection over again here stateside has been so much fun! I will miss the plant prices if Germany, but the selection here blows my mind. Anyone else obsessed? We’ve lived here for almost 8 weeks now and I already have 11 plants 😂😬😬😬. I don’t have a bed or a couch, but by golly I have greenery. 😂🤦🏼‍♀️🌱
Oh my heart. I’ve been trying to figure out the Oh my heart.

I’ve been trying to figure out the words to say about our time in Germany, but my fingers can’t seem to type out how to express my love, gratefulness, thankfulness, sadness, and heartbreak I feel about leaving. Every country we’ve lived in has taught us something and has given us so many beautiful memories, as well as opened our eyes a little more to different cultures and ways of living.

But Germany was special. The first time we stepped foot into Germany was in 2015, and we loved it so much we stayed the extent of our travel visa (3 months). I was able to visit again in 2016, and then we officially packed everything and moved in 2017. Germany has always had my heart: the people, the festivals, the food, wine and beer, the immaculate home landscaping, and even all the rules that every resident is just expected to follow to a tee (like recycling every tiny scrap of trash). Our family grew from two to three while in Germany. Bringing our daughter into the world, and raising her for a year and a half in a different culture, will be one of the most beautiful memories of my life.

Our move was impacted by the COVID pandemic, and it took three long months of delays, red tape, and countless phone calls to get everything together so we could actually get on a plane and have our stuff packed and shipped to our new home. 
I am breathing a sigh of relief to know all the stress of everything is over and our new adventure can begin. I am mourning the loss of leaving Germany. I am in a weird transition right now trying to grasp it all, but here we are jumping into new things head first! We are back in the US for a while, in the beautiful state of Tennessee, and look forward to many new memories, travels, friends, and being able to spend time with family! 
Photos from my sweet and talented friend @juliejayphotos
I feel like I failed hard this year at Christmas m I feel like I failed hard this year at Christmas markets. We went to a total of ONE market, which is exactly 19 less than I told myself I would go to this year to make up for not going to any the year before 🤦🏼‍♀️(I was 40 weeks pregnant and not feeling crowds). I will say, it was a great one and the weather was so nice, we stayed out until the market shut down.

If there’s one thing I will miss most about Germany when it is our time to move, will be the sheer enthusiasm this country has for Christmas, and I’m not talking about consumerism. Food, laughter, friends, family, music, dancing: celebration. Also, Germany shuts down for not only one day, but THREE. Stores are closed, mail is not delivered, people aren’t out and about. Everyone is home enjoying time with family, and I love it. However, I may have gone into full blown panic mode Christmas Eve when I realized I had a total of 8 diapers to get us through until the 27th. 👀
We spent Thanksgiving back in North America: Whist We spent Thanksgiving back in North America: Whistler, Canada! A 10 hour flight from Germany , and I can’t say this one was better than the one we took over the summer on our trip to Alaska, but we survived! Entertaining a 11 month old for that long is much harder than a 6 month old, especially when they aren’t into sleeping on the plane AT ALL. 🤪

Whistler was beautiful despite the lack of snow, and we enjoyed our time with family, the delicious food, and as much sightseeing as one could do with a jet-lagged baby. 
This was actually my first trip to Canada ever, (unless you want to count the move my parents took up to Alaska from Arkansas when I was two. 😂🤷‍♀️ ) and I loved it! We would really like to take a big Canadian road trip someday and explore more of the country! 😍😍🇨🇦
Being a mama may mean I don’t always have time t Being a mama may mean I don’t always have time to put myself together, but I would rather spend the extra moments making special memories with our daughter that she can cherish forever. I doubt that she will look at this picture and see a tired, messy haired mama that’s barely had time to wash her face nevermind carefully apply makeup, but am hoping she will see a mama that never tires of carrying and cuddling her, or sharing new experiences with her. 💕
Oh Switzerland, you beaut.🇨🇭 We spent a coup Oh Switzerland, you beaut.🇨🇭 We spent a couple days enjoying the beautiful weather in the land of chocolate, cheese, mountains, and cows with bells 😍😍🤩. If you remember, we visited the same area  a month shy of two years ago but but the weather was quite the opposite! I’d have to say though, when you visit such a majestic and beautiful area, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, you’re going to be in awe and love it anyway!
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