• 27 Lessons from a 5 Year Expat

    Five years an expat! A milestone, perhaps. The sapphire anniversary. A longer commitment than any job, city, or relationship has ever gotten out of me. And yet it feels…. Normal. Perhaps that’s what I should have expected,…

  • Kyiv Expat Life: April 2020 Round Up

    Canceled plans. That was the theme of April in Kyiv. No more IATEFL Ukraine, where I was going to get listed on the same program as Scott Thornbury. Goodbye to that long-awaited visit to Minsk. So much…

  • Moving Back to Kyiv. Again.

    I know they say be careful what you wish for, but it wasn’t like I wished to be back here. I just made a joke, that’s all.  It wasn’t even a particularly good one. About a year…

  • Kyiv Cocktail Delivery in 2020

    I miss going out for a drink. I miss watching cocktails get made and pretending like I know anything at all about drinks. I miss my bartenders. With the COVID quarantine, bars in Kyiv have been shut…

  • Kyiv Expat Life: March 2020 Round Up

    March came at us fast – and not easily. At the beginning of the month, I felt like I was finally getting back into the swing of things, emerging from Ukrainian winter hibernation, exploring the city on…

  • Kyiv Expat Life: February 2020 Round Up

    Just by looking at this blog, someone could assume my life only involves epic train trips, road tripping through Eastern Europe, and an exorbitant number of cocktails. However, only one of those things is true. As my…

  • How to Choose Your Next Expat Home

    The snow pants were presenting a problem. As was my Little Red Riding Hood pea coat, my cozy and fluffy sweater shawl, and my snow boots. Leaving Kyiv and moving to Tbilisi in the middle of winter meant…

  • The Best Bars in Kyiv

    When people ask me what I miss about Kyiv, I say my friends – including my bartenders. I think my mom cringes at this, but I promise it’s not a confession of alcoholism. What I love about…

  • (My) Ultimate Kiev Restaurant Guide

    When people ask me why I decided to return to Kiev, I rattle off a list of things. The friendly Ukrainian people, my supportive school, the creative energy. And the food. The Kiev restaurant scene is unbelievable…