New Years Eve Traditions Celebrated Around the World
Ringing in the new year is always highly anticipated but not all countries celebrate in the same way! Learn the superstitions and traditions that are embraced around the world. Depending on which part of the world you come from, New Years Eve is celebrated with different – even crazy or hilarious – traditions! From superstitious underwear, good luck dances, and stuffing a particular food into one’s mouth at midnight, countries all over the globe have their own take on what will surely bring great fortune and happiness in the coming year. New Years Eve means something different to everyone. Some feel somber about…
How to Celebrate Halloween in Barcelona As an Expat
Our expat family’s tips for enjoying the spookiest night of the year even while living abroad. If you don’t already know, Halloween is my favorite!! That crisp chill in the air, the rustling of freshly fallen leaves at your feet and the smell of a crackling outdoor fire nearby. So when we moved to Barcelona to become expats and realized Halloween isn’t that big of a deal, I panicked! How would we recreate a holiday that is growing enormously in the states but is overshadowed in Spain by Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead on November 1)? Before becoming expats, Halloween in…
30 Ways to Enjoy Barcelona with Kids of Any Age
Congratulations! You’ve finally made the decision to stop talking about that family trip to Barcelona and just do it. Now the fun of planning and organizing travel details begins. And if you happen to be traveling with little ones, the question of how to enjoy Barcelona with kids often follows. While this is truly a fabulous city to visit filled with rich culture, inspiring history, amazing architecture and delicious food you’ll want to have some creative ways to keep the little ones entertained. They simply won’t be moved by the Barcelona Cathedral the same way you are. Our three children are 8, 6…
Host an Amazing Thanksgiving While Living Abroad
American Expats Can Still Celebrate an Amazing Thanksgiving While Living Away from Home After two years of tackling our favorite holiday here in Spain, Halloween, we’ve really got it figured out. (See previous article Why Halloween in Barcelona is Amazing) . But how in the world do you host an amazing Thanksgiving while living abroad? The food, the football, the family. All a bit foreign here! While our family back home are basting birds, cozying up to Thanksgiving Day parades on TV and putting finishing touches on apple pie, it’s just another normal day here in Spain! We can’t NOT celebrate it. No…
Perfect Gifts for Travel Lovers in 2020
Practical (and Covid-safe) gift options plus stocking stuffers for the travel lover on your holiday list this year. Is it just me or are you also in shock that the holiday season is practically upon us? While it may seem premature to start writing out your shopping list, online purchasing makes it easier than ever to get ahead of the holiday game. And if you happen to have a travel lover on your list, you’ll need enough time to think of something really unique! But what in the world do you get the person that has seen so much of the world already?…
Best Cures for Expat Homesickness
Since our family’s relocation from America to Spain, certain seasons bring about a slight tinge of…expat homesickness. In the Fall, I long for apple cider, candy corns, roasting marshmallows and the crackle of the fire pit. In the winter, I miss the first gentle snowfall and rosy red noses on my children’s faces. It’s during these times that I think of our old life in New Jersey. Being an expat living in an unfamiliar part of the world will do that to a person! Every expat goes through it at one time or another, usually around their second or third year in a…
6 Barcelona Holidays You’ve Never Heard Of
Before moving to Barcelona, I used to think Americans holidayed more than any other culture. Always a party, always a get together, always some reason to celebrate! And while that is certainly true and one of my favorite things about being American, the Spanish are in a whole different category when it comes to holidays or festivals. It seems like every two weeks our children are off from school for one holiday or another. Most of which I had never heard of before living here. It was so confusing the first year of our expat assignment. Who are we celebrating? Why are we…
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…
