The Best Cocktail Bars in Tbilisi
Finding the best cocktail bars in Tbilisi turned out not to be an easy challenge. Georgia is all about wine, wine, wine, and it’s only recently that their craft beer scene has really gotten going. So when…
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…
What It’s Really Like to Hike Svaneti
I’m pacing the three-meter length of the shoebox Northface store in Tbilisi, occasionally bouncing on the balls of my feet to fake like I know what I’m doing. The sales girl smiles at me encouragingly, but it’s…
What Happened in Tbilisi
You know how when you show up in a new place, with no friends, no job, no place to stay, you have the chance to reinvent yourself entirely? No one knows anything about you – this is…
(My) Ultimate Kiev Restaurant Guide
When people ask me why I decided to return to Kiev, I rattle off a list of things. The friendly Ukrainian people, my supportive school, the creative energy. And the food. The Kiev restaurant scene is unbelievable…
On Leaving Ukraine
I knew it was time to leave Ukraine when they knocked down the cigarette stands across the street. It’s not that I smoke cigarettes, but that was my go-to place for late night chocolate. I had established…
My Weird Reverse Culture Shock After Ukraine
It’s been a long time since I’ve chilled out in the US. In the last two years, I’ve only spent about a week back home. So when I packed up my life in Ukraine and prepared for…
Ukraine Travel FAQ – Everything You Need to Know About Traveling in Ukraine
Awesome, you travel baller you. You’ve decided to visit Ukraine, one of the most underrated countries in Europe! Or, at the very least, you’re thinking about it. Or — maybe you’re just wondering if it’s possible. It’s possible,…
5 Things to Know Before Teaching English Abroad
Oh man, the dreams we have before embarking on expat life, the ideas we have before teaching English abroad! Visions of motivated students delighted with every inspired lesson, eager to listen to the wisdom you drop. Relaxing sunset…
A Lonely Girl’s Guide to a Weekend in Kharkiv
As soon as I stepped off the train in Kharkiv, my blood pressure kicked up a notch. I’m not somebody who typically gets anxiety while traveling, but as I followed the crowd down the platform towards what…
