27 Lessons from a 5 Year Expat
Five years an expat! A milestone, perhaps. The sapphire anniversary. A longer commitment than any job, city, or relationship has ever gotten out of me. And yet it feels…. Normal. Perhaps that’s what I should have expected,…
Please, DON’T Teach English to Travel
US and British citizens, this is mostly for you. I know that you’re bored at home, you’re looking for adventure, and you’re trying to figure out how to use the skills you already have to ditch your…
Kyiv Expat Life: April 2020 Round Up
Canceled plans. That was the theme of April in Kyiv. No more IATEFL Ukraine, where I was going to get listed on the same program as Scott Thornbury. Goodbye to that long-awaited visit to Minsk. So much…
Moving Back to Kyiv. Again.
I know they say be careful what you wish for, but it wasn’t like I wished to be back here. I just made a joke, that’s all. It wasn’t even a particularly good one. About a year…
Kyiv Expat Life: March 2020 Round Up
March came at us fast – and not easily. At the beginning of the month, I felt like I was finally getting back into the swing of things, emerging from Ukrainian winter hibernation, exploring the city on…
Kyiv Expat Life: February 2020 Round Up
Just by looking at this blog, someone could assume my life only involves epic train trips, road tripping through Eastern Europe, and an exorbitant number of cocktails. However, only one of those things is true. As my…
My Lost Year as a Moscow Expat
I think a lot about the ‘right way’ to be an expat. If I were to construct the picture of a ‘good expat,’ they would be someone who speaks the language, has relationships with local businesses, gets…
How to Get a Russian Work Visa for US Citizens
Getting a work visa for any country is (not without justification) an exercise in jumping through hoops, as is getting a Russian visa in general. So when I decided to apply for jobs in Moscow, I was…
The Only Thing I’ve Learned This Year
It’s my expat anniversary! Three years ago, I boarded a plane headed for Tokyo, where I’d spend a night before going on to Singapore. I don’t remember which airline I flew, though it was definitely not United…
How to Choose Your Next Expat Home
The snow pants were presenting a problem. As was my Little Red Riding Hood pea coat, my cozy and fluffy sweater shawl, and my snow boots. Leaving Kyiv and moving to Tbilisi in the middle of winter meant…
