How I Finally Hacked Spelling my Name in German
When I lived in Latvia, I never needed to spell my name. While not very common as a last name, “Ieviņa” is the…
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Coronavirus Chronicles: Week 2
“The last time our kids left the flat was last Saturday. And yet neither of them has complained about it,” I pondered out loud to my husband. “I wonder what it says about them.”
Coronavirus Chronicles: Week 1
We’re wrapping up the first week of Hamburg’s five-week plan of increasingly stricter social distancing measures for fighting the spread of Coronavirus. As…
The Best Thing about Postpartum Care in Germany
I’ve written a whole series about prenatal care in Germany on this blog but haven’t said a single thing about postpartum care. I’d…
Fun German Christmas Songs for Kids
German Christmas carols like Stille Nacht (Silent Night), O Tannenbaum, or O du fröhliche are renowned across the world. Well over a hundred…
Štovēti kāposti – Latvian Christmas Sauerkraut Recipe
A Latvian Christmas would be incomplete without the smell and the taste of štovēti kāposti. Usually served alongside boiled potatoes and pork roast, this…
10 Fun Facts About Malaysia for Kids
When I first met my husband over a decade ago, all I knew about Malaysia was that it is a former British colony…
What do Kids Need to Know Before Starting School in Germany?
What should a 6-year-old be able to do to before starting school in Germany? This list of 22 skills just might surprise you.
Are you European? And what does it even mean?
What does it mean: to be European? And do we really need a single clear-cut European identity? Perhaps the answers are less complicated than we think.
Bamm-Bamm Talks: 2,5 Years
When I last took stock of our son’s language skills at 20 months – almost a year ago – we were expecting a…
About
Welcome to Let the Journey Begin, a little corner of the internet that's sustained by tea, chocolate, and the power of procrastination! Enjoy reading and click here if you want to find out more about me and the blog. Ilze Ieviņa
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Language MattersAll posts
Bamm-Bamm Talks: 2,5 Years
When I last took stock of our son’s language skills at 20 months – almost a year ago – we were expecting a…
Spotlight on LatviaAll posts
Celebrating Midsummer in Latvia
Have you ever experienced the magic of the shortest night of the year? Some of my warmest memories are of celebrating midsummer in…
Štovēti kāposti – Latvian Christmas Sauerkraut Recipe
A Latvian Christmas would be incomplete without the smell and the taste of štovēti kāposti. Usually served alongside boiled potatoes and pork roast, this…
Birch Sap: the Springtime Superdrink
In Latvia, where I come from, foraging is a national sport. In summer we flock to meadows and forests to pick blueberries and…
Brilliant Latvian Women You’ve Probably Never Heard About
Do you know any famous Latvians? Are any of them female? Chances are that, unless you come from Latvia or have ties to…
Life in GermanyAll posts
Starting School in a Pandemic
Starting school is a huge milestone, one our 6-year-old has been excited about for months. Yet, as it happens, this big event of…
Fun German Christmas Songs for Kids
German Christmas carols like Stille Nacht (Silent Night), O Tannenbaum, or O du fröhliche are renowned across the world. Well over a hundred…
What do Kids Need to Know Before Starting School in Germany?
What should a 6-year-old be able to do to before starting school in Germany? This list of 22 skills just might surprise you.
Prenatal Care in Germany Part 3: Preparing for Birth
Welcome to the third and final part of my prenatal care in Germany mini-series! Part one was about visits at the gynaecologist’s office and part two was…
Prenatal Care in Germany Part 2: the Midwife
The first part of the prenatal care in Germany series covered everything related to going to the gynaecologist: appointments, ultrasounds, and tests, trimester…
Prenatal Care in Germany Part 1: at the Doctor’s Office
When I decided that I should write down my experiences and observations about the prenatal care system in Germany I naively thought that…