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 […]
Pīrāgi – A Taste of Latvian Christmas
In less than 10 days Christmas will be celebrated all around the world. But, if you visited an average Latvian house this week, you would see little that points to the fact. You might find an Advent wreath, but will likely see no signs of a Christmas tree or any other decorations. You see, Latvians decorate […]
Birdy Talks: 2 ⅔ Years
Last time I took stock of Birdy’s language progress almost 6 months ago. It may not sound like much but a half year makes a world of difference for a budding speaker! The language balance If you asked me which language is currently Birdy’s strongest – German or Latvian – I couldn’t tell. I’m often surprised […]
What Does Guilt Have to do with Parenting?
Is it just me or is parenting often laced with feelings of self-doubt, guilt, and constant worrying? Both times, from the first signs of pregnancy, I began to rewind my mental tape of the preceding weeks. Did I drink a glass of wine too many? Did I eat a raw steak or unpasteurized cheese? Did I skip on […]
The Duvet Conundrum
Do you sleep under a duvet? And, assuming that the answer is yes, have you ever thought of this habit as an acquired skill? Yep, me neither. Until recently. From the day we brought a few days old Birdy home from the hospital, she was sleeping in sleeping bags. After all, blankets for babies were […]
6 months, 26 weeks, 184 days – vol. 2
Two years ago, when Birdy turned half a year old I wrote: No matter how I count it – 6 months, 26 weeks, 184 days, or 4416 hours – it feels like a lifetime ago and just yesterday at the same time. Those words feel just as true today when Bamm-Bamm marks his first half a year. He’s […]
Breastfeeding in Germany
At a first glance, breastfeeding in Germany should be a breeze. Every mother is entitled to a midwife who visits her at home for the first 8 weeks postpartum. If you wish, she can consult you as long as you continue breastfeeding. And, if there are breastfeeding issues that the midwife hasn’t been able to […]
Why I Don’t Read Parenting Books
Around 13 years ago, when I first started studying sociology, it didn’t take me long to figure out one thing: I don’t like grand theories. Sure, they can be useful when you’re trying to explain how the society functions as a whole, but they always overgeneralize and tell you very little about how people think and […]