• 6 Surprises About Raising Expat Kids in Barcelona

    Moving abroad to Barcelona can be incredible with kids, but not without its surprises along the way too! Life abroad as an expat family really does give you an entirely new perspective into the world. And raising expat kids in Barcelona has had its fair share of surprises for my husband and I along the way. When we made the decision to move to Barcelona with our young children, we dreamed about the new adventures they would have and broader perspective they would gain into the world around them! However….(and I say that with a giggle) there have also been some rather….unexpected experiences…

  • The Truth About Being an Expat with Three Kids

    On an afternoon in early November, my husband and I stood face to face slightly shivering from both nerves and from the autumn chill in the air. Friends and family joined us, but for that moment it seemed Tony and I were the only ones there.  Bright-eyed and giddy, a few less wrinkles back then for me, a bit more hair for him. As we read our vows to one another, our promises for what life together would look like, there were tears through smiles. I read aloud my dreams of starting a family together….. putting an extra emphasis on having “many children”…..and received…

  • 5 American Conveniences Expats Will Miss…

    We’re at the heart of summer here in Barcelona which means twelve straight days of literally NO rain, city-chic farmers tans and bottomless pitchers of fruity sangria.  It also equals sizzling Spanish streets, sleeping with fans blaring and endless hours swimming however possible (open sea, public pool, cool bathtub – whatever it takes!).  And due to the sweltering temps, a mass exodus in the month of August also occurs.  The city practically shuts down with most stores and restaurants locking their doors until early September and many streets eerily quiet. This is Spain’s summer “holiday” month.  Which, for the record, I still have a hard time…

  • Why We Chose to Move Abroad – The Expat Chronicle Story

    Nine months ago my husband Tony and I started wondering. Asking questions. Dreaming.  Believing. Our third daughter, London Olivia (no, she was not conceived in London and yes, we have been asked that more times than you can imagine!) was five months old, barely crawling, when we fell in love with the idea of moving abroad. Our Background Story We weren’t unhappy in New Jersey where we were both born and raised, where both of our families all lived and where we knew our three children would have a great upbringing. But we also had that itch.  The kind of itch that doesn’t…