Living in Another Language

a travel & adventure blog

  • About
  • Blog
  • Destinations
    • Asia
      • Bali
      • Borneo
      • Japan
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Belgium
      • Croatia
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • Fiji
      • New Caledonia
      • New Zealand
    • North America
      • Alaska
      • Hawaii
      • Texas
    • Cruises
  • Reviews
    • Accommodations
    • Tours
    • Locations
    • Products
  • Photography
    • Tutorials
    • Photojournalism
  • Travel
    • Guides
    • Travel Tips
    • Expenses
    • Travel Blogging
  • Work With Us

Step Into My Life

Written by: Amanda // Category: South Korea, Weird Wednesday

First of all, I can't believe it's already Wednesday (not that I'm complaining). I've seriously been up to my eyeballs in blog design, and am super excited for the ladies I've been working with to finally show off their custom made new looks! I didn't realize that design would be such a huge endeavor, but you all have been good to me. The Suitcase Designs is becoming a very prevalent part of my work life! In other news, I owe you some blog posts. I know lately I've been slacking on my blogging responsibilities, and you've been waiting patiently for new travel posts (especially about a certain vacation). I spent the first two weeks after my trip to Borneo trying to catch up in emails, comments, sponsor duties, and just normal life stuff ... Read More

Weird Wednesday (7/17)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Weird Wednesday

It's been a while since I've done a Weird Wednesday post, so since it's Wednesday and I have a serious case of writer's block going on...I thought I'd give it a go. Although I love this country I am currently residing in, sometimes I get rather frustrated with a few things. The top of my list would be the language barrier. My husband and I have learned in the 19 months we've been here that there are quite a few things that get lost in translation. I'm feverishly studying up on my Korean through Rosetta Stone (who am I kidding it's been three weeks since I've done a lesson), trying my best to bridge the ginormous gap in our communication with the world around us. I am constantly impressed with the way Koreans try very hard to learn ... Read More

Weird Wednesday 6/12 + Sponsor Spotlight {june} pt.2

Written by: Amanda // Category: Sponsors, Uncategorized, Weird Wednesday

Oh Korea. I still can't believe I'm surprised on a daily basis by what you throw my way. You'd think by now I'd be used to you and your strange lifestyle. But I'm not. The other day we went out for ribs. Yes...we found ribs in Korea! Trust me, they're nothing like back home. Instead of BBQ sauce they season them with (I swear by it) pure red pepper powder. Not only do you end up sneezing, gasping for breath, and have a serious case of lizard tongue, but you're crying like a baby while eating them. It was easy to get past the spicy part. That's not strange for Korea. The strange part was the glove. At first I didn't understand why the restaurant was called Michael Jackson's. The name of the restaurant sounds like it should be a dance ... Read More

Weird Wednesday (5/30)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Weird Wednesday

Sometimes Korea surprises me. I find all sorts of cool things that I never would have dreamed on finding the the US. Tuesday was no acceptation. First I must mention that I'm a little bit of a kid at heart. I love popsicles, ice skating, and playing on exercise equipment. Well, I was given one of these the other day and I'd have to say it's one of the coolest things I've come across! Yes my friends. That IS a chocolate milk straw. It changes regular milk into delicious chocolate milk as you sip! No stirring needed. The little chocolate balls are small and light, reminding me a little of cereal. They devolve as you drink, and are gone just as you finish the glass! How nifty. I wish I knew what company makes these and where to buy ... Read More

Weird Wednesday (05/22)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Weird Wednesday

I know it's been a while since I've done a Weird Wednesday post. Trust me, even after being here for a year I still come across tons of strange incidents and things that have raised my eyebrows...on a daily basis. Today's Weird Wednesday is short and sweet...I've been trying to catch up with the hundreds of photos I took this weekend on our hiking/camping trip. Alright. Get a load of this. I know I live in Asia, where anime is pretty much the king of all entertainment, but I believe this is taking it a little too far. First of all, trucks of any sort are hard to find here in South Korea. When I finally do see one, it's like seeing a Ferrari back home. "Oh! Check out that truck!" "Look it's a truck!" pathetic I know. Trust me, you'd do ... Read More

Weird Wednesday (4/23)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Food, Weird Wednesday

This morning I was imessaging my sister, and we got on the topic of bathrooms. It wasn't until I started mentioning things about my current bathroom that I realized how strange it actually is. First of all, there's no bathtub. We were lucky enough to have one in our last apartment...but no matter how much scrubbing you'd do it just never seemed clean. I never took a bath in it...I have a weird thing with bathtubs needing to be spotless before I sit in them. Second? No shower curtain, or lip to keep the water in the 'shower area.' Actually, the whole entire bathroom is one giant shower. Check it out: Cleaning the bathroom is quite simple...it literally involves using the shower hose and spraying water everywhere. I then use a squeegee ... Read More

Of ‘Weird Wednesdays’ and liebster awards

Written by: Amanda // Category: Awards, Weird Wednesday

Today's Weird Wednesday post comes to you from my current city: Okpo. I was minding my own business and walking down the sidewalk, when I noticed this posted on the window. It's no small secret that Koreans like to party. With soju. The thing that gets me is that they like to do this every night a lot. I'm always curious to know how they deal with the hangovers with working for a full 12-14 hours the next day. Maybe this is my answer? If I ever get to the point that'll never happen where I feel the need to see if Haejangguk soup actually works, I'll let you know. Second topic? Leibster Awards!  Patricia over at her adorable little blog The DIY Frenchie awarded the 'Liebster' to me.  Liebster is a German word meaning ... Read More

Weird Wednesday (03/27)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Weird Wednesday

We all know taxi drivers are among some of the craziest, daredevil drivers in the world. Their main focus is to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible...unless you have a sneaky driver that's trying to get the most out of your money. I don't need to remind you of the ridiculous way that Koreans drive. Not only do they disregard all traffic rules, but they're fully absorbed it their portable devices. Gigantic smart phones, gps units, and yes...a portable television. Check out our taxi driver from the other night. He as watching the news while he brought us home. Check out other 'Weird Wednesdays' here! ... Read More

Weird Wednesday (03/06)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Japan, Weird Wednesday

Every country has things that foreigners would consider 'weird,' yet to them it's every day life. A couple weeks ago, Derik and I were able to make a very short visit to Japan. We were greeted with all sorts of 'first world' architecture, cars, technology, and ideas. Although it did have a somewhat familiar 'asian' feel...Japan is quite different than Korea. We stared in wide-eyed wonder (the all-too-familiar 'newbie' way) at all the dressed up people, the yummy food, and the subway system. Yes, the subway system. Derik and I have grown quite accustomed to the subways here in Korea, and feel fairly comfortable navigating them. I'd even go as far as saying we've pretty much mastered the Seoul Metro (the World's second largest subway, only ... Read More

Next Page »

Currently on Instagram

Our adventures may be few and far between nowadays Our adventures may be few and far between nowadays, but the ones we get to take are oh so sweet. 

My daughters are now 2.5 years and 6 months old. Life never slows down, but only gets faster with each day we’re blessed to live. Social media may not be a part of my life how it used to be, and instead I’m working on living life intentionally each day as we raise our girls during these crazy times. 💕
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. 💕
  • About
  • Design
  • Work With Us
  • Contact

© Living in Another Language 2012-2019. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Site design by Alpine Lane.