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 […]
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Everything You Need to Know when Visiting Hamburg
There are cities which you grow fond of as you get to know them and cities that you fall in love with at first sight. From the moment I first set my foot in Hamburg over a decade ago, I knew it was my kind of a city. Little did I know that one day I […]
Our Trilingual Family: the Building Blocks
In our little multicultural and trilingual family we use three languages on a daily basis – German, Latvian, and English. Here’s how we manage this language mix in our day-to-day lives To begin with, we are applying the method known as OPOL – one parent, one language: Birdy and Bamm-Bamm hear Latvian from me and German […]
- About Latvia
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10 Fun Facts about Latvia for Kids
How much do you know about Latvia, the small country by the Baltic Sea? Learn about this fascinating little country through these 10 fun facts about Latvia and explore more through the suggested activities. 1. Latvia’s flag is one of the oldest in the world Even though the state of Latvia was only founded in 1918, […]
The Easter Chocolate Extravaganza
Twice a year German kids are showered in chocolate candy of all shapes and sizes. The first time is on the 6th December when Nikolaus fills their shoes with tasty treats. The second is on Easter Sunday when they go searching for eggs, cute little baskets in hand. And while in my childhood Easter egg hunting meant scouring […]
Learning Latvian: the Best Resources for Kids
Speaking a small language has its perks but, as most Latvian parents living abroad will agree, finding books and other resources is not among them. Fortunately for us, the Internet can make learning Latvian a little easier and a lot more fun. Read on for a collection of useful webpages, mobile apps, book stores that deliver […]
6 Animated Heroines I Want My Daughter to Know
Like many kids I grew up watching Disney’s animated movies. I loved the bookish Belle, the hard working Cinderella, the free-spirited Pocahontas. But my favourite was the fellow redhead Ariel who dreamed of exploring a world different than hers. Almost two decades later, there are even more animated heroines to choose from to entertain, inspire, and perhaps […]
An Unexpected Writing Gig
Just before Christmas I received an interesting offer. It was from the popular travel media startup The Culture Trip asking if I’d be interested in a writing gig. Basically, I’d need to write some fun travel and culture themed articles about Hamburg. I’m now around halftime of my contract and I certainly don’t regret saying yes to the […]
Cool Products for Kids Made in Latvia
Have you ever heard of Latvia as a top producer of great quality children’s items? No? Then it’s high time to correct that as the small Baltic country has a lot of innovative companies creating awesome stuff for kids. From unique toys to beautiful clothes, here’s a selection of some of my favourite companies. Most […]
Top 5 Posts of 2016
As per tradition, a new year shall be started by a look back at the year before. In this spirit, let me present to you the best posts from Let the Journey Begin in 2016! The Best Posts of 2016 #5 Pīrāgi – A Taste of Latvian Christmas Before Christmas, I wrote about Latvian traditions and shared […]