This is how our visit to THE official Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland came to be: Me: “Hey Erin. Did you know the official Santa Claus Village is in Finland? Husband Erin: “WAIT, WHAT?!” Me: “Yeah, you can meet the real Santa and it’s at the Arctic Circle! There’s even a train called the Santa
12 Hardest Things About Living Abroad
You hear so much about the benefits of living abroad. Personal growth, new languages, new cultures, the traveling, the people… And although ALL of this is true (and MORE!), living abroad is definitely not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some really tough obstacles that require time and effort to overcome. Moments where you feel
Surviving Europe is on House Hunters International
Our big TV break is finally here. Well, at least our 30 minutes of fame, which is just as exciting… We’re going to be on HGTV’s House Hunters International! For anyone that’s been following us, we’ve made it our mission to inspire others to invest in a life of travel. Even to take it a step
Almabtrieb in Austria: A Cow Parade in the Alps
One of the very best parts about living abroad is not all the glamorous destinations or life changing experiences . It’s getting the chance to become familiar with a culture that’s so different than your own. Austria’s Almabtrieb or Cattle Parade is the perfect example. When I first read about this traditional Austrian festival, I
How to Plan a Last Minute Trip to Munich Oktoberfest
When you first think of Oktoberfest you think amazing chaos, people from all over the world, lederhosen, pretzels and so much beer. Well that’s all very true. But with Oktoberfest also comes pre-planning, booking tables (almost a year in advance), paying huge hotel/hostel rates and securing that perfect outfit for the occasion. But what we’ve
Adventures in Slovenia: Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle
We’ve been to Slovenia before. We’ve wandered around its capital, rowed through the turquoise waters of Lake Bled. We knew just how enchanting this country could be. But what we didn’t know is that we’d missed 2 of the most enchanting sites of all: Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. Since we couldn’t miss out on either one, we
21 Tips for a Successful Europe Road Trip
Seeing new places. Going off the beaten path. Discovering the unexpected. All from the comfort and convenience of your car! You can be spontaneous. Stop every time you see something awesome. Rock out to great music. And take in beautiful and diverse scenery without a care in the world… Road Trips were always our thing
5 Days in Bratislava: Our Guide to the Capital of Slovakia
Have you ever fallen in love with a city so unexpectedly? So suddenly? One that you discovered almost accidentally? Bratislava was that city for me. Our decision to visit Bratislava was completely spontaneous. We bought tickets to a music festival that was taking place there, and figured we’d stay for 5 days. Enough time to explore
48 Hours Discovering the Best of Ljubljana and Lake Bled
Ljubljana, Slovenia. A city we knew so little about before we booked our trip. And one we could barely pronounce, for that matter! (it’s pronounced Loo-blee-yana in case you were wondering) But that completely changed when we decided that seeing Erin’s favorite band in concert (Garbage) was the perfect excuse to hop in the car and go
Moving Abroad: Buying Tickets that Changed Our Life
During our move abroad, I kept a journal. There were so many feelings I’d never felt before. New emotions that I was experiencing for very the first time. I wanted to remember exactly how I felt throughout the decision and preparation process. As we were buying tickets for our flight, packing up our apartment, saying goodbye.