Being the child of immigrants can complicate your sense of place and identity. Zainab Ali explores her identity in relation to the places she has lived and where her roots…
Berlin: The Ultimate Queer Travel Destination (Complete with 90s Bay Area Vibes)
It was 1992 when I first moved to San Francisco, but the late 80s were alive and (not so) well in the Castro and Mission Districts, where the Gay Stuff™…
I Spent My 20s as a Touring Musician; Here’s the Most Important Thing I Learned About Self-Care
The most frustrating statement uttered about my life in the music world usually happens right when I’ve just gotten back into town: “Oh my gosh, you just got back from…
Know Before You Go: Greece’s Financial Crisis
The locals still benefit from your patronage. Image by Flickr user Atli Haroarson. Greece easily ticks off all the boxes for a fantastic vacation spot — gorgeous islands, rich culture,…
Camping, Condoms, Dirndls: 7 Oktoberfest Tips for Newbies
Samantha (center) and her flat mates at Oktoberfest! Image courtesy of Samantha Marangell. The trip started out as chaotic as it would end, complete with sleeping on floors, missed connections,…
America vs Germany
When I came to the United States last year I thought for some reason I would go back to the Western World and everything would be more or less the…
3rd License to Freedom
How I passed my Commercial Driving License (Truck License)… again… I have no problems with most test or exam situations. I have done many at school and university and usually…
Historic Berlin: Ich bin ein Berliner
Travel to Berlin was a dream to me. I don’t know why inside of me I have this will to discover Germany’s mysteries, but I do. It is very hard…
“Ich bin ein Berliner”
When JFK visited Berlin in 1963 he famously proclaimed, “Ich bin ein Berliner!” to show his support for the city and all of West Germany two years after the Berlin…
In my blood
It’s been six months since I left Germany, and I’m stunned. Not only has it been six months- I’ve also officially lived in Colorado longer than I lived in the…
Breztels and Katrin
Maybe it’s recent beer talk amongst friends, or rehearsing the Brahms’ Requiem (complete with German pronunciation lessons), or maybe just a nostalgic desire to cuddle up with a dear friend,…
A simultaneous “auf Wiedersehen” and “Guten tag”
Dear world: Ugh, I’m moving again. As explained in my recent post for GoGirl’s one-year anniversary, the fickle nature of government contracts and work visas has resulted in my partner…
Die Wurstmarkt
One of the best things about living in Germany, thus far, has been the sheer volume of festivals happening around town. The joke amongst the Americans in the area is…
What a long, strange trip it’s been…
In some ways, it feels like nothing has changed. Three weeks ago, my partner and I moved from our furnished apartment in Nanzdietschweiler to a new, unfurnished, beautiful little apartment…
An American in Deutschland
I had to laugh when I saw Beth’s post earlier this week about the Big American Family. For the past couple of weeks, in spite of everything else that’s going…