On our most ambitious day yet, we took it upon ourselves to visit 6 Berlin Christmas Markets in one day–even trekking all the way to Spandau.

Week three of Berlin Christmas Markets led us to a realisation: we couldn’t visit all 73 markets without boucing around Berlin like pinballs, and even then it would be impossible.

We took a day trip from Berlin to Potsdam to visit the Christmas Markets and the first, especially, was a real stunner (in a castle!).

The first batch of Berlin Christmas Markets had us in 4 different neighborhoods, each with a vibe of its own. This was the one thing that surprised me especially: that each of the markets we visited had their own distinct personality and felt perfect for the spots they were held in.

Berlin – a city with 73 Christmas Markets all piled into the last two months of 2019. We created a rating scale based on the four most important parts.

With summer in full swing and a little time on my hands, I booked an impromptu train to Dresden to see what all the fuss was about. History? Check. Culture? Check. Old buildings? Check…well kinda. Most of the city was bombed flat in WWII, but it’s all being rebuilt.

The last time I wrote a blog post was right at the beginning of the year. And maybe it’s only been six months since but so much has changed that it feels like a lifetime ago. So, while I have a quick minute in the lull of the summer months, I thought I would update you with what’s new in my life overseas (which you may have guessed by the title).

Politics and the rest of the world aside, what a year 2017 has been. For me it’s been stock full of adventures and new experience, so I’d like to reflect a bit. On my first full year out of school, my thoughts on living in a whole different country, and on travel. So follow along with the help of my favorite 29 photos that I’ve taken this year.

The following post is a photo essay of my trip to Zermatt and hike of the Matterhorn. This is an edited (and somewhat lengthened) version of what I posted to Instagram. I’ve also included a short itinerary and list of recommendations at the end if you’re interested.

Last week I passed the 90 day mark–I’ve been here for over three months, and it feels like I arrived just yesterday. My sense of time has come a bit off the rails, it seems, because even January feels as though it was just yesterday as well.

But now it’s September; summer is winding down to a close, and the sweltering heat is finally sinking to a more manageable level. My initial stay is up, I could’ve flown back to the U.S. at the end of last week if I wanted to, but honestly, life seems so much better here.