Homesick??  For all of us corona has impacted our lives dramatically!  And for some of us that are not living near “home” that impact has been coupled with severe bouts of homesickness.  The kind of homesickness that comes from not only the fact that many of your loved ones are far away but also the kind that comes from the knowledge that you unequivocally are unable to travel to see them!

Of course being homesick is no excuse to crawl in a ball and be miserable (forever). We also don’t associate being homesick with being a negative thing. It means you long for a sense of comfort, and comfort, especially in these times of uncertainty is priceless. Whether you are an international living here in Frankfurt or a German that has moved from another city or perhaps you’ve always lived Here, honestly it does not matter, we all have places here in Frankfurt that remind us of home. It could be a smell, a place, a sound or just a feeling.

With this in mind, we have come together with an amazing brand Dreilettercode (read her poignant interview) to take you on a journey through Frankfurt to find “places that feel like home”. Some are obvious, others not so much!  Also, please allow yourself to fully indulge your imagination.

We also are so excited to be running a competition with Dreilettercode to win one of her 925 silver chain bracelets over on our instagram. To find out all the details head here.

Miami Marina:  Westhafen Pier

Lesser known than its famous cousin, Osthafen, Westhafen is a quieter piece of riverside delight! It’s like running along side the marina in Miami with the super boats we dream about along with the very cool flats. All it’s missing is the beach and the sound of the waves. There are a few places to grab a bite to eat or get a drink. We also recommended taking a stroll along the railway bridge, it’s fantastic (if you like that kind of thing!)

China: Bethmannpark

Located just off Berger Straße, this hidden beauty is perfect for a nice little stroll all year round. We recommended popping into Mellow Yellow for a takeaway coffee and then heading over to this gem. Just outside the China Gardens you will find all sorts of wild flowers, roses and little paths to walk along. If you’re up for doing a little reading then we recommend finding yourself a bench to perch on.

Inside the Chinese gardens are Koi fish, statues, waterfalls and beautiful little paths to walk on. It’s a little Chinese paradise. Ok take this with a pinch of salt as neither of us has actually been to mainland China!

Barcelona: Hafenpark

Barcelona is the skateboarding capital of the world!  For a taste of this, head across any morning of the weekend and watch as many ply their trade and risk their limbs! Right next to the ECB, you can enjoy a coffee from Oosten, art from Kunstverein Familie Montez, a walk along the river and some good old people watching.

Italy:  Gelato

Nothing says Italy like Gelato and there’s plenty of that here in Frankfurt. For the best ice spots here in Frankfurt, take a read of our favourite Ice cream spots in the city.

Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Namaqualand:  Palmengarten

Homesick, well Palmengarten is like a whole heap of therapy for the bargain price of €7. You nuts not to try it!! Honestly, there is beauty and peace to be found all year round, each season brings you something different than the others! 

Think:

• The wildflowers that flood the Atacama Desert in Chile every 5-7 years
• Or the Namaqualand wildflowers
• The famous Mexican cacti
• Rainforests in Brazil

Good to know:

• over the coming weeks we will be featuring different individuals who will be sharing their ‘homesick anecdotes ’ along with all the things that bring them comfort whilst living away from home.
• Feel free to email us and share any of your homesick
• Finally a quick reminder to head over to our instagram page and participate in our giveaway

Fitting in! Let’s talk about it!

I’m sure many of you have seen me lay my entire life out on instagram.  Well that is, if you follow me on my personal instagram account, @kellyekardt I’ve been very open about my struggles here in Frankfurt. My struggles with learning the language and adjusting to a German environment. Yeah, ok at times I was probably just being a big old baby and a bit self-conscience, but some of these things seemed very big to me at the time. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that has felt or is still feeling this way.

Moving to a new country is hard. It’s exciting, but hard.  Learning a new language is hard.  Empowering but hard. Making new friends is hard. Fun but hard. And as you get older all this becomes even more difficult (ah the joys of being young and naive). With this in mind, if you moved to Frankfurt with your family you’re not just having to deal with your own struggles but your kids too. Double hard!  Now let me just clarify here, it’s not just in Germany, moving to a foreign country when you are the foreigner is hard. Of course I can only talk from my own experiences.

I moved to London when I was 28 years old. That was difficult too and I even spoke the same language. It was more a cultural thing, I think. I wasn’t British. The British pride themselves on being British. Now here I am 39 years old living in Frankfurt, Germany. And I’m now trying to wrap my mind around how Germans act and more importantly how they communicate.  Learning the language is probably a good first step to take if you want to communicate and try fitting in. hahaha just saying.

Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is this, does speaking the language make you feel more apart or more accepted within the German society?  Or do you still feel like an outsider?  Each society has its own way of communicating within itself, and as an expat or a non-german can you understand the inner workings of German communication? Personally, I think what it comes down to is forming a community around you. Yes it’s very important to learn the language for communication sake, but it’s about finding people you can connect with regardless of who they are.

When I put out on instagram that I was struggling to find my place here, people were quite shocked. I get it.  The Frankfurt Edit has given Janice and I so many amazing opportunities to explore the real Frankfurt as English speaking women. Undoubtedly we have been very lucky!  However I think perhaps we’ve been catered too because we have this website. But what about for others just trying to navigate their way through this city without any help. Hopefully that’s what we are here for.  Importantly just know, I feel you.  It’s ok to not feel apart, it’s ok not to feel grounded and it’s ok to feel a little lost. Unfortunately it’s all part of the journey my friends.

When I have days that all I want to do is cry, I remind myself that I am on a big adventure and even on big exciting adventures you have your off days. Let it happen and then remember, you got this.

What are some ways to help cope with the loneliness and fitting in as an expat or non-german?

• Take a language course, you should meet some nice people. I did!
• There are several Facebook groups catering to expats and their interests, join one that you feel is right for you.
• Come to an English Yoga Meet Up session with Solveig. After the yoga class Solveig has a nice tea and biscuit time so you can have a chat and meet people.
• Join the Frankfurt Newcomers Network. They have several events you can come to.
• If it weren’t for this bloody pandemic, I would say let’s all meet up at a Bam Bam Session, but at the moment that is not happening.
• I would highly encourage you to find an English speaking therapist, this does help. (We are hoping to put a list together soon)
• If you are looking for an unconventional therapist please check out Stefanie Wegmann. She does do sessions in English as well. I would just email her and request an English session.

If you’ve been struggling with your new adventure, just know we get you, we feel you, but we also know it’s a process and it just takes time. It will get better, easier and then one day you’ll wake up and feel right at home. Also, if you have any suggestions or businesses you feel benefit with this topic please get in touch, we will share them.

To summarise, fitting in is not straight forward and perhaps it’s not even the goal!  All we can truly hope for is finding those who support and colour our beautiful life journey!

Finally, now that we’re allowed to start meeting up a bit, we hope to form a little group where we can all build a community together. Let’s meet up soon.

lots of love,

Kelly

So we are finally stepping out of ‘lockdown’ and we are all beyond excited to resume ‘normal life’. But, what is normal life?  Life has certainly changed since this pandemic swept across the globe.  The world completely shut down, a reality that 6 months ago might have seemed more fitting for a Hollywood blockbuster.

The question now, how do we go back?  Can we go back?

Can we go back to:

• sneezing without judgment
• Hugging without fear
• international travel
• Maskless faces (we talking literally here)
• And pain free soft hands

For the minute probably not, but I feel that whilst ‘old normal’ seems a million miles away perhaps we can create a ‘new normal’. A new normal where we take a moment to reflect, learn and most importantly adapt.  If nature has taught us anything it’s that those who adapt are the ones who survive.

What is the ‘new normal’?

Well, that is yet to be fully determined! Beside the small awkward dance we do when meeting our friends trying to decide whether the elbow bump, bow or just a nod is the most appropriate greeting.  Below are a few of the things that are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Masks

So I currently have a difficult relationship with my mask, I swear sometimes I think it’s trying to suffocate me ????.  However having said that, it’s mandatory and as such I will endeavour to wear it with as much style as I can muster!  Check out Kelly’s tips for wearing a mask with style.

Schools

Schools are back in session – kinda!  Can I get an amen or a wooooohooo!  I’m not sure about you, but I’m probably going to need therapy to deal with the whole home schooling debacle!

However excitement aside, schools reopening come with a host of new rules.  Social distancing and masks are just two of them, god if they asked me to send them in a hazmat suit I would.  This means, tag with no touching, classes with no sharing and school strategies with segregation at the forefront and focus.  What characterises kindness and affection will need to be be relearned.  Body language will dominate over facial expression and listening and hearing will be king.

Travel

Perhaps long distance travel may need to be on the back burner for a while, but we are lucky enough to be on mainland Europe with plenty of closer to home getaways.  Now is the opportunity to explore places you always meant to visit near you but were always too busy trying to find somewhere ‘exotic’.  Frankfurt has some great boutique hotels so a staycation while someone watches your kids for the night might be on the cards!

So whilst we all begin to tackle this new normal, it’s sometimes comforting to revisit some of our old favourite things to see and do.

‘These are a few of my favourite things’

• Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels – head over to Konstablerwache Market for some amazing apple strudel, unfortunately we can’t remember the exact vendor so just try them all!
• Doorbells and sleigh bells – no sleigh bells for the moment, however, ring the bell for Club Michel
• And schnitzel with noodles – Apfelwein Solzer serves up a mean Frankfurter Schnitzel
• Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings – finally for a little silver moon linings… head over to Bernhard Knaus Fine Art and see the wonderful initiative Silver Linings, which serves to support up and coming young artists being financially affected by the Corona Pandemic

I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad

Starting today, face masks are mandatory in Frankfurt when in a shop and on public transportation.  I know what you’re thinking… but unfortunately life as we knew it doesn’t exist anymore and we are going to have to adapt to this new way of life.  But it doesn’t have to be all bad.  Yes ok, this whole mask thing is going to take a bit of time to get use too, but think of it this way, it’s the new fashion accessory, you can now express yourself with your mask!!!!  Not bad, right????

I understand a mask is not necessarily something we are familiar with. I have had many questions about which mask to purchase and how to wear them. It’s not necessary for you to wear a medical mask, unless you are at high-risk, ill or a medical professional. I am personally not wearing a medical mask as I want to leave these for those that actually need them.

Types of Masks

1. N95 Mask – is the most effective mask. It can block out 95 percent of tiny particles
2. Medical Mask – Medical masks come in a few varieties and are less effective than N95s but can still filter from 60 to 80 percent of small particles under lab conditions.
3. Homemade Mask – these can work really well. As long as they are made well they can block out tiny particles as well.
4. Homemade with filter – these masks are made with an opening in the fabric for a filter. These filters are removable and additional filters can be purchased at many pharmacies. Many people are using a coffee filter instead of a filter from the pharmacy and this works just fine too.

I am personally using a homemade mask without a filter. I just wash my mask when needed. Also a good way to disinfect your mask is to iron it with heat. Please do not burn your mask folks!

The reason for us wearing a mask is to protect others. A mask helps keep our spit and air molecules from going on to someone near us. It’s a courtesy.

Information about wearing a mask: 

• Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
• Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks.
• To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

Information from WHO.

Below is a short video showing you how to wear a mask with elastic and with fabric straps. I hope you find this helpful.

Be kind, stay healthy and stay safe!

So you’re stuck at home… with the kids and your husband and all your pets. Fun times!!!! Yay!!!! But actually it can be fun. The coronavirus is not something to be taken lightly, but we also all have to keep on living and keep our cool for ourselves and our families. Let’s take this horrible situation and turn it into a fun one. Here are some suggestions for the boredom that may occur while hibernating at home.

10 great ideas for you and the kids:

1. Netflix and Chill – there are so many amazing series out there at the moment. Why not use this time to binge!
2. Board games – maybe it’s time to dust off all those old board games and get competitive with the fam. Nothing like a barrel of laughs! I highly recommend a game of twister.
3. Learn some German! – there couldn’t be a better way to learn the German language then to be stuck inside. Make it fun with flashcards, games and watching a funny German series. Check out Kelly’s post about her German learning experience. She gives great tips for learning German.
4. Get active with Nintendo Switch – ok if you have one.  We are saving up for one and boy do I wish we had it now. They have the best dance competition games and workout games. They are super fun and great for the whole family. If you don’t have one then just put on some music and dance! Simple.
5. Karaoke – get a few bottles of wine and start a singing. Loads and loads of fun!
6. Read a book – never under estimate a good book.
7. Baking Competition – why not stage your own cooking show! Have a baker or two teams baking each other and have one person as the judge. Loads of fun and you have goodies to eat afterwards.
8. Get Crafty – There are loads of great craft ideas on the internet. Why not set up a craft station at the kitchen table and get creative as a family.
9. Make a movie -write a funny script as a family and act it out. And film it on your iPhone. Once you’re done edit it in InShot and viola you have a film. I’m sure you’ll all be laughing hysterically watching it. Good ole family fun!
10. Just play – sometimes I think as adult we have to re-teach ourselves how to play. It’s so very important for our health, mind, body and soul. And if you have kids, they’ll love you for it. Build a city with lego, become a pirate on a pirate ship or solve a mystery. Let your kids guide you in their imaginary world. If you don’t have kids, but you have a roommate or a partner, you can play too.

If you have any more ideas for keeping yourself and your family occupied please share!

Learning German in Germany

Hi guys, Kelly here or should I say, Hallo, Kelly hier. Wie geht’s?

Right, so let’s jump right in and talk about learning German! Yeah… easier said then done. Whilst it hasn’t been an easy experience it’s something that had to be done. I started learning German years ago back in London. There I took a few intensive courses at the Goethe Institute and actually got quite good at speaking German.  However,  I then had a horrible teacher in my next class and that ruined it for me!  I stopped learning and never looked back.

Fast forward 10 years and now here I am living in Frankfurt, Germany.  Speaking German?  Well, is a must!  Moving here I was told otherwise, but that my friends, is a little trick they use to get you to Frankfurt haha! Just kidding!

My husband is German and most of our close friends are German too so I’ve been around the language for quite some time. My husband has been very consistent and only speaks German to our daughter. So I guess you could say I was used to hearing the language, but only the very basics!

Language Schools I chose

My intensive German learning experience began at Language & Progress on Sandweg. I loved the fact it was literally two doors down from my flat. It was great. Also, I passed the very first course A1.1 and went straight into A1.2.  At Language & Process I had two teachers.  One taught Monday and Tuesdays whilst the other did Wednesday and Thursdays. They do it this way so you can get a feel for different teaching methods and accents. I truly learned a lot at this school and loved my class. I took two classes at this school and then I had to take a break for the summer holidays to be with my daughter.

After the summer holidays unfortunately the school didn’t have a place for me so I had to look for a new school. One of the teachers at Language Progress had suggested Akzente Sprachschule on Große Friedberger Straße. I called and tried to get a place but they were fully booked and I was put on the waiting list. Luckily I got a place at this school after all and I have to say I am so glad I did!!!!

Class Structuring

My class class was scheduled to meet Monday to Friday 9:15 – 12:15 but as a class we changed it to Monday to Thursday, 8:30 – 12:30pm. This was much better as by Friday all of us were done! I’m not going to lie, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Akzente but it was hard.

My teacher Ella was patient, funny and all around just a great teacher. She truly cared for us her students and wanted us to learn the language. In this class we spoke a lot and that’s what I felt I was missing in my last class at the other school, speaking. Also, this class was smaller so we had the opportunity to speak more. We had about 12 of us in total where at Language & Progress we had 20!

I wasn’t Alone

Also we had a WhatsApp group chat that I didn’t have at the other school and this made such a difference. We could ask each other questions, let the others know if we were going to be absent and also discuss our homework. After a while we really started to get to know each other and starting joking around in the chat too which was really needed as the class itself was hard. I now knew I wasn’t alone in my frustration of learning the language.

Students in my course came from all over. Bulgaria, Russia, Moldava, Iran, Morocco, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, Brazil and the US. Some of the students in my class came to Frankfurt alone to start a better life for themselves. In some of these countries, the political environment is not that of a healthy one so many were left with no jobs. Some of my fellow students were teachers, architects, in finance, but left that all behind for a chance to have a better life here. I have the upmost respect for every single one of my fellow students. We all have our struggles, but some have come a long way to live a good life.

Final Step, The Leben in Deutschland Course

I completed my B1 course and passed my B1 Prüfung, yay!!!! All the worry and hard work paid off! I also completed the Leben in Deutschland course and prüfung but am yet to receive my results. Saying that, I’ll let you know as soon as I get them! But to be honest I think I did very well on the test as I found it super interesting.

I learned a lot about the history of German, German politics, German laws (Gesetz), insurances (Versicherungs, the Germans love these), and German society. While taking this course I learned too about the similarities and differences between German politics and my government (USA). We also went on a few field trips to the Goethe Haus, Seckenberg Museum, and the WeltKulturen Museum. We were given a tour in German which was super interesting and very helpful with our German learning.

I was truly sad to see this class end, but have been very happy to have my freedom back.

Was it worth it?

So here I am a free woman. Is my German better? Yes absolutely!!!! I can understand almost everything, I read well, and I’m speaking much much better. Do I feel like I have totally integrated? Absolutely not! I still have a very very long way to go with the German language and with feeling like Frankfurt is my home.

For now I have decided to take a break and relearn a few things.  I need to review my German vocabulary, speak more, read more, watch more German telly and definitely need to listen to more German podcasts. Having said that, I will continue on to the B2 course in the future.  In a years time perhaps, until then I’m afraid I have a lot more work to do.

Why Learn German?

To summarise, I urge you to learn German if you are going to stay living in Germany, especially Frankfurt. It helps you with everyday living. And at some point will help you integrate and make more friends. You will need a lot of patience. But I encourage you to learn with an open mind and try to have fun with it. They say once you stop caring about getting it all wrong then you can actually start learning.

Find a school that suits you and your needs. If you can’t dedicate loads of time to it then I suggest a private teacher or learning online, there are several evening courses as well.

Tips For Learning German

• Check out Herr Professor, a great podcast for learning and speaking quickly.
• Use Duolingo or any app for language learning. Apps are great for when you are commuting. In my experience, learning through ever form possible is key.
• Listen to HR Radio in the mornings for the news,
• watch Tatort on Sunday evenings,
• listen to German hip hop or music radio,
• read simple German kids books. Do everything to surround yourself with the language.
• And make your friends speak German with you!!!! This is key!

Resources

1. HR Info – news can download the app on your phone
2. Short Stories in German by Olly Richards and Alex Rawlings
3. Tatort, also The Voice Germany is great for learning.
4. Herr Professor
5. Read magazines!
6. Flash cards
7. Language Apps

If you have any questions about courses, schools or tips, give me a shout! Also happy to meet up and have a chat in German or maybe we form a small German conversational group??!!!

Good luck!

Language & Progress
Sandweg 12
069 27 24 74 10
[email protected]

Akzente Sprachschule
Große Friedberger Str. 44-46
069 / 66 12 43 14
[email protected]

‘I wish’ by Ingrid Godon

The ‘I wish’ exhibition by Ingrid Godon is currently exhibiting at the Museum Angewandte Kunst.  Ingrid Godon, is yet another incredible woman making her mark in the art world. 

A brief introduction to Ingrid Godon

Born in Belgium, Godon was passionate about drawing from a very young age.  Whilst conventional school work felt cumbersome, drawing came naturally to her, much like a duck to water.  After being mentored by a teacher for a year she finally decided to drop out of art school and hone her skill through practice not theory. With her books for adults and children now having been published in over 40 countries it’s comforting to see that for everyone some things come more easily than others.

Also, it’s inspiring for anyone with an absolute passion to realise that whilst not everything may come easily, hard work, perseverance and dedication regardless of circumstance and what society dictates, leaves you free to forge your own destiny.

What to expect

Museum Angewandte Kunst have once again transformed their entire museum to embody, be and live an exhibit.  They have created an open house, an open house to encourage wishes, to encourage open mindedness and to encourage reflection.  Finally, they have created a nurturing space for the many wishes whispered within its walls to grow and perhaps go on and change the world.

‘I wish’ is so much more than a frivolous past time many may perceive the act of wishing to be.  Here, the exhibit invites you to look deeper, reflect and perhaps see something bigger than yourself.  For instance The Creative Space is an area designed to initiate conversations, to question and create an anonymous space to express. I felt almost voyeuristic at times, a feeling that I was seeing someone’s inner most secrets and thoughts not only whilst looking at the images on the walls but when reading the words that accompanied them.

Throughout the exhibition El Barrio together with d.o.o.r. Oona Kastner und Dirk Raulf and other incredible musicians will transform the architecture of the museum into an orchestra, catapulting the exhibit to another level.

The Intention?

Is a wish purely for good? Or should it be a purely selfish indulgence?? 

Take for example ‘My one and only wish’ the enormity of the decision did not escape me, no Genies here I’m afraid.  So, with this in mind, what would you wish for?  World peace?  A new car?  To have the perfect body?  Those you love never to experience illness? A pet velociraptor?

We leave you to decide….

Finally, with International Women’s day just around the corner we are delighted by the amount of airtime women and their contributions to art are currently getting here in Frankfurt.  Firstly the launch of Fantastic Women at the Schirn in the middle of the month and now the exhibition by Ingrid Godon at Angewandte Kunst.  Women living their truths and inspiring others to live theirs!

Exhibition Highlights

• performance by YACHT
• Wednesday 11th the Kinley Boys are in the house – hello cocktails
• performances by El Barrio for the duration of the exhibition.  Detailed performance schedule here
• sound 48H silence.  A 48 hour continuous performance by 12 musicians on the final week end of the exhibition

Good to know:

• exhibition runs until the 15th March 2020
• for advance tickets click here