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Germans in California

My Life During the Covid-19 Pandemic

May 9, 2020 by Cornelia Leave a Comment

In times of Social Distancing & Sheltering in Place!

How have you been holding up during these weeks of sheltering in place?

I have to admit, it wasn’t such an easy transition for me at first, even though I thought I had the least of changes compared to anyone else in my family. Finally, after a few weeks in, I realized that what was slowly getting to me was the lack of a routine that would keep me sane and rooted. 

At the start of the Covid-19 restrictions around the second week of March when sheltering in place became the new normal, I found myself in the kitchen almost 24/7. It was overwhelming perhaps also frustrating, but someone in my family was almost always on the edge of starvation!

When I wasn’t cooking, I was ‘hunting’ for food and toilet paper (!) at the local stores – an activity that could easily cause mere anxiety given the feeling of scarcity it emitted when looking at empty shelves that used to be full of pasta, rice, beans, flour and more. It was a picture I had never imagined I would encounter in the United States.

Back at home, apart from being the cook on call, I also turned into the family hairstylist, accidental school counselor, and I tried my luck at Ayurvedic cooking, since the family decided that vegan is the way to go now.

And…at the end of the day, I just longed for the now seemingly simple days of pre-Covid-19 that had regular hours for work and school and daily school drop off and pick up times were planned for ahead of time. Even spending hours at soccer training and driving to all kinds of other school events, and the fact of never really being home just sounded so inviting now!

Battling to turn into a somewhat exhausted, tense superwoman overnight, I realized I needed to reclaim some balance in my life. So I implemented some changes to bring order into this whole new chaos and the benefits and results have been rewarding, not only for myself but for the whole family.

Now my new routine includes daily yoga sessions, happening online, that even induce my husband sometimes to participate, although reluctantly. Meditation practice is as much part of the new routine as some scheduled family time, where we all try to meet up together once a day after working, learning, and socializing on Zoom all day long. (You need to give these eyes a break sometimes!). And, I managed that everyone in the family understood that the restaurant called “kitchen” is not always open. That was challenging!  

But, what can I say, I’ve started to like my new day’s schedule now. I see new possibilities in situations that before just made me feel stressed out. Therefore, our family is more relaxed and laughter finds its way even into some tense situations.

Needless to say… the sudden change of lifestyle introduced by the Covid-19 pandemic had been a bit more challenging than I initially anticipated. In fact, I am still in the midst of fully comprehending and coming to terms with how the world around us has changed so suddenly from one day to the other.

However, this new situation has also opened up a path of immense appreciation, of witnessing life around me with much more gratitude. It opened up paths for positive changes in my life that I was too busy to see before or felt I had no time to implement.

Well, now there is plenty of time! For contemplation, self-reflection, working on future dreams, and generally becoming a better human being.

I hope we all find a way to embrace the changes that these unprecedented times have brought upon us; changes not only among our families, and communities but also to humanity as a whole. 

If nothing at all, I wish for us to have become more tolerant and hope that- as we are experiencing and living through this pandemic together as one humankind – we internalize that “we are all in this together”, no matter what skin color, religion or what country we are from. 

To celebrate life, human diversity, and our beautiful planet earth that stands up for us every day, I invite you to get inspired by the incredibly beautiful and meditative footage of the movie “BARAKA”, a movie that has a special place in our home.

Enjoy. Stay healthy! We are all in this together!

(Video of the trailer below or try https://documentarylovers.com/film/baraka/ )

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZs0gQed9tMTIRxubXYPy-eDlvWQBKo-d

Images: ©CaliforniaGermans – grocery store, ©Pixabay – Yoga image, Calm image

Filed Under: Life in California, News Tagged With: Covid-19, Expatlife, Expats, Germans in California, Life in California, Pandemic, shelter in place, social distancing

Pit Stop in Malta

August 23, 2019 by Anne-Kathrin Leave a Comment

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PIT STOP IN MALTA

Those of you who had the chance to listen to my journey on audio on my friend’s podcast know that I had a pit stop before my final destination Germany.  When I made the decision at the beginning of 2018 to leave the US, I already had a destination in mind: the Mediterranean island of Malta. [Read more…] about Pit Stop in Malta

Filed Under: Expat Stories, News Tagged With: Germans in California, Leaving California, Life in California, Moving from California to Europe

My Story of Life as an Expat in a Nutshell

July 5, 2019 by Anne-Kathrin 1 Comment

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MY STORY OF LIFE AS AN EXPAT IN A NUTSHELL

Now that the cat is out of the bag, I would like to offer you a deeper look into why I left the United States and reveal where I first ended up before moving back to Germany.  But instead of writing you a novel, I would like to switch things up this time and present my story in a nutshell to you in the form of audio.

A few months ago, while I was already living in Europe but not in Germany yet, one of my dear friends, who has visited me twice while living in the States,  asked me if I would like to be a guest on his podcast and talk about my experience as an expat. I loved the idea and agreed to record an episode together with him.   [Read more…] about My Story of Life as an Expat in a Nutshell

Filed Under: Expat Stories, News Tagged With: Expats in California, Germans in California, Germans in Los Angeles, Germans in Orange County, Life in the United States

It’s Time to Flip the Script…

June 7, 2019 by Anne-Kathrin Leave a Comment

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IT’S TIME TO FLIP THE SCRIPT…

My dear readers, yet again I owe you an apology and explanation.  A lot has happened over the past eight months, but things are finally starting to settle down.  I usually don’t describe myself as a person who is willing to settle easily. But at some point, even I need a break and feel home at one place. At least for a little while.

So today, I am sharing some news with you.  Not sure if I should call them news though since that entails the word ‘new’, which doesn’t quite fit my situation anymore.  I have to admit, I lived in hiding from you the past several months. Not because I am ashamed of my actions, but because I needed time to process.   [Read more…] about It’s Time to Flip the Script…

Filed Under: Expat Stories, News Tagged With: Expats in the US, Germans in California, Germans in Los Angeles, Germans in Orange County, Goodbye California

Finding Her Muse in the City of Angels – Maria Loewenstein, Austrian born Artist & Author (Interview)

April 26, 2019 by Cornelia Leave a Comment

This month’s XPAT Spotlight Interview features multitalented artist Maria Loewenstein, who was born into the household of two music and art lovers in Vienna, Austria. After her parents built a house on a property they had bought in Klosterneuburg, the family of six exchanged busy city life for a quieter one in the outskirts of Vienna. Appreciation for art in all its forms and variations established then has remained an integral part of her life since childhood. Little did she know then, that she would become a multimedia artist in a city that’s full of inspiration: Los Angeles.

Maria, how has your childhood in Austria impacted your life, now far away from your original home?

Being raised in a suburb always left me wanting more, even though there was no lack of culture and diversity in our lives. Every weekend our parents bribed us with a promised McDonalds happy meal, which included a toy, to join them for Sunday mass followed by an art exhibit in Vienna and the occasional classical concert or play for children. It goes without saying that this might have been the main reason that turned the four of us into artists/musicians and awakened our adventurous side. [Read more…] about Finding Her Muse in the City of Angels – Maria Loewenstein, Austrian born Artist & Author (Interview)

Filed Under: News, XPAT Spotlight Tagged With: California Germans, Expat interview, Expatlife, Expats in California, Germans in California, LA artist, Life in California, Maria Loewenstein, Xpat Spotlight

Bringing the Purity of German Sausage Making to California – Carina & David of YouBite (Interview)

March 29, 2019 by Cornelia Leave a Comment

XPAT Spotlight interview with Carina and David Mohr, owners of the German butcher shop YouBite in Camarillo. Their traditional German Bratwursts and a variety of smoked products are all handcrafted and made according to German family recipes. Produced with the help of German machinery, which they imported to the USA – it can’t get more German than that!

Carina and David, both settled in California after having traveled the world. For Carina, life abroad is nothing new. Born and mostly raised in Cologne, she got already an early taste of living abroad when she was ten years old. Her parents moved the family for 5 years to Pune in India, where they opened a Turkey Farm. For David, however, who was born in Bonn and later lived between Cologne and Bonn, settling abroad is a new, exciting adventure.

What made you decide to leave Germany and move to California?  [Read more…] about Bringing the Purity of German Sausage Making to California – Carina & David of YouBite (Interview)

Filed Under: News, XPAT Spotlight Tagged With: Carina Mohr, David Mohr, Expat interview, Expats in California, food, Germans in California, Life in California, Xpat Spotlight, YouBite

Born an Expat. Always an Expat. – Tania Stappard, Voice Over Talent & Future Life Coach (Interview)

February 22, 2019 by Cornelia Leave a Comment

XPAT Spotlight – Interview with Tania Stappard, who has been living the expat-life since childhood. Born to expat parents she learned early on to juggle two cultures and different ways of life.

At Boarding School, Baden-Baden

Tania Stappard was born to German parents, who raised her in Paris, France . Her mom was from Hamburg and her dad was from Munich (North meets South, this was a cultural experience in itself). Tania’s father, a diplomat, saw her mother, an actress, on stage in Munich and fell in love with her and “kidnapped” her to Paris. Growing up in Paris, Tania attended a German school in Paris (DSP) and spent the last four years in boarding school at the Pädagogium in Baden-Baden. After the Abitur, she moved to L.A. with her sister and spent her twenties in West Hollywood. Later, when she started a family of her own she moved to Santa Monica and now lives in Ventura County, about 37 miles from L.A.

Tania, what made you decide to move to California? [Read more…] about Born an Expat. Always an Expat. – Tania Stappard, Voice Over Talent & Future Life Coach (Interview)

Filed Under: News, XPAT Spotlight Tagged With: coaching, Expat interview, Expats in California, film, Germans in California, Life in California, media, Tania Stappard, voice-over talent, Xpat Spotlight

Cherishing Her Love for Two Countries While Helping Fellow Expats – Barbara Kempen (Interview)

January 25, 2019 by Cornelia 2 Comments

Barbara KempenXPAT Spotlight – Interview with Barbara Kempen, business owner, and nature lover, who manages to combine the two cultures she loves in her daily work while helping fellow expats. 

Born in Cologne, Germany, Barbara Kempen has moved to Los Angeles about 30 years ago. She arrived in L.A. as a young student and was fascinated by the magic of the American dream. She decided to stay, raise a family and start a business of her own. She knows life in Los Angeles inside out and can tell you a story or two on what it takes to make it or break it here in California. 

What made you leave Germany and choose California as your new home?

I was 24 years old when I finished my Diplom Kauffrau (similar to MBA) at the University in Cologne. As I was very young I wanted to gain some work experience abroad. During that year I worked for Lufthansa in Marketing and Controlling in Los Angeles and met my ex-husband. Instead of returning to Germany I started a career in the fashion industry and was a successful fabric sourcing specialist for several LA companies and often traveled abroad. [Read more…] about Cherishing Her Love for Two Countries While Helping Fellow Expats – Barbara Kempen (Interview)

Filed Under: News, XPAT Spotlight Tagged With: Barbara Kempen, Expat interview, Expatlife, Expats in California, Germans in California, health insurance, Xpat Spotlight

Reflecting on Christmas in Germany

January 11, 2019 by Anne-Kathrin Leave a Comment

 

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REFLECTING ON CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY

Happy New Year, dear readers!  I hope you had wonderful holidays and enjoyed good food and company!  I just got back a few days ago from my vacation in Germany. While it was amazing to see many friends and family after more than three years, I am so happy to be surrounded by sunshine again.  

Let me tell you, from the 16 days I was in my homeland, at least 14 of them were covered by grey clouds.  At least my mood was full of sunshine as I was excited to relax and also spend some great quality time with people that are very close to me.   And even though I keep saying that I don’t see myself living in Germany again, it is always hard leaving family and friends behind when it’s time to go back home. [Read more…] about Reflecting on Christmas in Germany

Filed Under: Culture, Expat Stories, News Tagged With: Christmas in Germany, Christmas time in Germany, German Christmas, German Traditions, Germans in California

The Desire for Adventure Across the Pond made Rita Reiff leave Berlin for California (Interview)

December 28, 2018 by Cornelia Leave a Comment

Rita Reiff GASA

XPAT Spotlight – Interview with Rita Reiff, an integral part of the German speaking community of Southern California.

Rita, originally from Berlin, is a well-known member of the German community in Southern California. German speaking families with children especially appreciate her engagement as president of GASA, the local German American School Association. As an indispensable part of the German community in Southern California, Rita Reiff was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz) in 2014.

Together with her husband, Rita came to the United States as a young woman. They courageously left everything in Germany behind, ready to live the American Dream! [Read more…] about The Desire for Adventure Across the Pond made Rita Reiff leave Berlin for California (Interview)

Filed Under: News, XPAT Spotlight Tagged With: Expat interview, Expatlife, Expats in California, Germans in California, Rita Reiff, Xpat Spotlight

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