It seems to me that lately, every time I turn on the news, I’m confronted by stories of hurricanes and floods, earthquakes and … Such natural catastrophes bring about destruction and hardship for thousands if not millions of people. Takes years to overcome. But among the images of destruction there are also stories of people […]
Growing up Away from Home
Today, exactly 10 years ago, I landed in Hamburg ready to start my German adventure. I was following a dream of studying abroad and, if I’m being completely honest, also chasing the ghost of a boy I fancied myself to be in love with. I moved into a shared flat in downtown Bremen and dived into […]
Our Favourite Multilingualism Resources
I’m a complete nerd (or is it a geek?) about keeping things organised. I love, love, love lists. So I suppose it’s only natural that, when I started looking into resources about multilingualism, I was fighting the urge to organise the multiple sources in a nice, easy to overview manner. And then I realised: why bother […]
Trilingual Baby’s First Words
Do you know what your first words were? According to the little book that was given to every parent upon the birth of a baby in Soviet Latvia for noting memorable milestones, my first words were mom (mama), dad (tata), and poo (kaka). To be honest, I found my choice of a third word a […]
Social Media, Privacy, and Responsibility
There is one thing you won’t find on this blog, its Facebook or Instagram accounts: photos showing our children’s faces. There are so many sweet and funny photos that would ideally complement many of my posts but I am consciously choosing not to use this wonderful material. Why am I saying no to likes and shares, rainbows and […]
Weathering the G20 Summit in Hamburg
A few weeks ago Hamburg hosted the G20 Summit, welcoming leaders of the world’s biggest economic powers. The city fathers had promised that the summit will have little impact on the daily life of the city. Unsurprisingly, the reality turned out quite different. G20 Summit days in Hamburg On the sunny Thursday morning, as I […]
As Time Goes By
Ever since I started my first diary around the age of 10 – a little blue book adorned with dolphins and complete with a lock – writing has been my refuge. My way of making sense of myself and the world around me, of venting frustrations, celebrating good times and, eventually, also sharing my stories with […]
Our Family Staycation in Hamburg
Living in Germany, May has become my favourite month of the year. And no, it’s not only because it’s when I met my husband, got married, or when our son was born. In northern Germany, May encompasses more holidays than any other month of the year. Between Labour Day, Ascension Day, and Pentecost, we have a […]
A New Twist on a Famous Scientist
Many of us are familiar with Marie Curie, the famous two-time Nobel Laureate, but our children may not understand the obstacles she overcame to achieve her scientific breakthroughs. One children’s book is telling Marie’s story in a new way—painting her as a superhero. Marie Curie and the Power of Persistence Marie Curie and the Power […]
Forks in the Road
Eight years ago I was sitting and trying to make a decision about spending the first weekend of May. Should I go to a friend’s 30th birthday party in Berlin? Or should I go to Kiel to attend the wedding of another friend? It really wasn’t easy to decide as I wanted to be in […]