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…
How to Get a Russian Work Visa for US Citizens
Getting a work visa for any country is (not without justification) an exercise in jumping through hoops, as is getting a Russian visa in general. So when I decided to apply for jobs in Moscow, I was…
The Only Thing I’ve Learned This Year
It’s my expat anniversary! Three years ago, I boarded a plane headed for Tokyo, where I’d spend a night before going on to Singapore. I don’t remember which airline I flew, though it was definitely not United…
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…
5 Things to Know Before Teaching English Abroad
Oh man, the dreams we have before embarking on expat life, the ideas we have before teaching English abroad! Visions of motivated students delighted with every inspired lesson, eager to listen to the wisdom you drop. Relaxing sunset…
10 Hidden Truths about Teaching English Abroad
When I chose to do a CELTA, I anticipated learning a lot about teaching – and I did. I learned to minimize my Teacher Talk Time, how to breakdown new vocabulary for students, and that I would…
How I Survived Teaching with Depression
Oh hello. Well, this is a bit awkward. I mean, I know I’m the one who brought this up, but depression is still something not talked about. Except, we’re going to talk about it today. First, talking…
5 Reasons to Get a CELTA to Teach English Abroad
In 2012, I hit early retirement. If only. Wait, what I mean is, I was hanging out with my aunt down in Florida, having just quit my job without any plan for further action. Everything I owned…
