In 2016 I asked my employer if I could relocate from London to Frankfurt on a temporary basis. My request was declined as it was thought that I should be in the London office. I was grateful that it was at least considered, but I was itching to move abroad, so I relocated to Frankfurt... Continue Reading →
5 years in Frankfurt – and thriving
Remember this photo? 25 year-old me, a big hug and an even bigger smile. Heathrow airport, 11th August 2016. Ahh!! Where has the time gone? I moved to Germany to live out my dream, I've just turned 30 and I'm now celebrating 5 years in Frankfurt. It's all going on! My relocation has been one... Continue Reading →
FAQs about Alisa Jordan
It's only natural that you want to know more about the person behind the blog posts - I'm exactly the same! After years of sharing my experience of living in Frankfurt and being in touch with so many of you, I've put together your FAQs, so that the answers are all in once place 😊... Continue Reading →
3 tips for meeting new people during a pandemic
Moving abroad is challenging, but moving abroad during a pandemic adds a whole new level to the experience! I have often thought about how different things would be if I had moved abroad within the last year; how I met new people then and how I would go about meeting new people now. After collecting... Continue Reading →
Adapting to different paces in different places
Having moved from London to Frankfurt, I never felt the need to adapt to the fast pace of my new location. In fact, I adjusted to taking it slow in this small city. I was no longer rushing to be the first on the tube, trying to beat the lunch time rush at M&S, and... Continue Reading →
Having a friend from home who also lives abroad
I was so excited when I found out that my friend, Emily, who I’ve known since I was a teenager in London, was about to relocate to Rome. She was about to have a life-changing experience, and I couldn’t wait for her to start the journey. Almost one year later, I booked a flight to... Continue Reading →
Life post-Corona lockdown
One week into the corona lockdown in Germany and I was struggling. In fact, I just couldn't wait for lockdown to be over. After eight weeks of being at home, the restrictions have been eased and I feel absolutely no excitement. Like nada. Zero relief. Different countries are at different stages One reason for the... Continue Reading →
Missing things from home when you live abroad
I missed so many things from home when I first moved abroad; things that I never even used to think twice about. And despite all the new benefits, including walking to work and having Frankfurt's skyline practically on my doorstep, there was nothing more annoying than not being able to buy the deodorant that I'd... Continue Reading →
Sharing your life abroad with friends from home
There's something special about friends coming to visit you abroad. Catching up in 'real life', rather than through a screen, becomes ever-more appreciated and I love being able to share snippets of my (not so new) life in another city. As well as the hours on end of talking, when my visitor first arrives, and... Continue Reading →
Three years of living in Germany!
Before moving, I told myself that I'd live in Germany for a minimum of three years. I gathered that three years would give me enough time to really improve my language skills, become familiar with Frankfurt and build strong relationships with those around me. What I didn't consider, is that after three years of giving... Continue Reading →
It’s ok to say ‘no’ to moving abroad
Two of my friends in London (who don't know each other) were recently offered the opportunity to move abroad as part of their career. My friend Jay* was offered a job in her dream country, Taiwan**, a place that she had actually lived before and that she knew she would thoroughly enjoy. My other friend... Continue Reading →
Spending time alone vs socialising as an expat
An issue I’ve had as I’ve become more independent during my time abroad (and probably with age) is that enjoying my own company and happily making plans with myself can sometimes mean that I don’t socialise as much as I feel I could. I guess this isn’t the worst problem in the world as I... Continue Reading →
How to decide where to move abroad
When travelling, I often consider if I would ever want to live in the place I'm holidaying in, and it got me thinking about what makes me answer with either 'yes' or 'no.' I already had a personal connection to Germany before moving here from the UK, but if I wanted to relocate again, then... Continue Reading →
The 5 hardest things about living abroad
I love living abroad and it's one of the best choices I've ever made but every now and again I get this 'ugh' feeling. This frustration with the abnormalities of living abroad. I asked a few international friends what they sometimes find difficult about living abroad and we pretty much agreed on the same points.... Continue Reading →
The four phases of culture shock
It creeps up on you when you least expect it and pushes you out of your depth as you try to comprehend these abnormalities that are actually now normalities. In fact, you're the abnormal one now. Culture shock. Two and half years into my expat journey and as much as I have embraced the German... Continue Reading →
Things to do in Frankfurt in the winter
The second half of winter is usually pretty quiet and if you're anything like me you'll almost hibernate until it finally begins to get warm again. But as much as I love being at home, I just can't stay indoors all the time. So here's 5 things to do in Frankfurt in the winter: 1.... Continue Reading →