I can’t believe it has been six months since we left Atlanta and landed in the Frankfurt airport. It has simultaneously flown by and felt like we’ve lived here forever, while also feeling like no time has passed at all. Since arriving, we’ve been to 9 different countries and 20 cities. We’ve met a lot of people, had a few visitors, and drank tons of wine. With 2.5 years left, we can’t wait to see what other adventures are ahead. For now, here is a new FAQ post, answering questions from you, our friends and family, on our six months abroad.
Q. Tell me about flying with your pups!
A. It was so crazy stressful, but they survived and now they are thriving in Germany. I think when we lived in the bigger city and were around Germans all the time, they knew something was different (the language is so different), but now they’re living blissfully. They absolutely love having more space. Moving from our tiny ATL apartment to our house in Germany was really exciting for them. Read more about our actual flight experience in this blog post.
Q. What do you do with the pups when you travel?
A. Since there are so many Americans with dogs over here, there’s a KMC Pet Sitters Facebook group. For our weekend trips it’s been really easy to find someone to pet sit. For our longer trips, we leave them at an awesome dog kennel. It’s a family-owned dog kennel, and each dog or dog family has their own indoor and outdoor area. It’s never easy to leave our dogs, but it’s nice to know they’re always in good hands.
Q. When are you coming back to visit?
A. We’ll be back in March for a wedding! We want to see everyone, but we’ll also be busy doing things for that wedding.
Q. When can I come visit?
A. Now!!! We have plenty of guest rooms and love having visitors! We’re also a short drive/train ride away from tons of cute cities in Germany and super cute towns in France. Paris is only a 2 hour train ride away, Austria and Switzerland are 4 hours away, Belgium is super close, and we’re a short flight away from everywhere else. Come visit!
Q. How are you liking it and where do you live again?
A. We live in Ramstein-Miesenbach, the village next to the Ramstein Air Force Base. It is about 10 minutes from Landstuhl, and up on the hill is Landstuhl Army Base, where the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is located (where Timmer works). About 20 minutes to the east on the A6 autobahn is the city of Kaiserslautern. The general area is referred to as the KMC ( Kaiserslautern Military Community), as there are several other smaller military installations around. About an hour and 20 minutes northeast is the city of Frankfurt. The French border is about 45 minutes to the west and south. We absolutely love it! It has been such an amazing six months and we love how easy it is to travel everywhere.
Q. Did you find a job over there?
A. No, I haven’t. At first I tried really hard to find a job, but I’m not fluent enough in German to find a job in the community. I didn’t want to find a job on base because of their mediocre vacation days. Timmer gets at least one four day weekend a month, and we want to take advantage of our time here by traveling as much as we can! Honestly, the first five months of being a stay at home dog mom were absolutely amazing. But now I’m starting to get a little antsy, so I found a volunteer lead position with the Red Cross and am starting to get involved with the Officers’ Spouses Group. I’m really excited about these two new opportunities! I’m also considering a job as an at home travel agent.
Q. Have you made more friends?
A. Kind of. It’s been way harder than it seems to make friends because we don’t have kids. But I think I may have found my people with this spouses group! Cross your fingers for me.
Q. Have you found a yoga studio that you like?
A. No not really. I do miss the boutique workout studios in Atlanta, but there isn’t anything similar here. There are a few yoga studios that teach a few classes in English and I need to try those out. We got a Peloton bike and I actually really enjoy their yoga classes!
Q. Have you guys learned German?
A. We can definitely get by at restaurants, but we can’t hold a full conversation with a stranger. Timmer is focusing on learning German, but I’ve actually switched gears and am trying to learn French! We go over to France enough on the weekends, plus a lot of other places speak French (Morocco and Luxembourg) that learning French will probably pay off.
Q. What else do you do in your free time?
A. I’ve been reading a lot! Add me as a friend so we can share book recs on GoodReads. Before a trip, I spend a few days researching things to do in that city. After a trip, I spend a few days writing the blog post or posts. I try to write while the memories are still fresh and it takes a lot longer than you’d think to write, edit and add photos, proofread and publish. I also catch up on the Bachelor and my Bravo TV shows, ride the bike, walk the dogs, take French lessons, and think up fancy things for me and Timmer to cook for dinner.
Q. What is your favorite trip you’ve gone on so far?
A. I’ve loved them all, but Marrakech was the most unique. I also love every small town in France that we’ve been to!
Q. Where are you going next?
A. Porto, Portugal is next and then we’re going to Milan!
Thanks for following along on our adventures!! We’re so thankful for your love and support.
