It’s less than a month until we leave. So… what happens to this blog while we’re living abroad?
Short answer: I’m not disappearing.
Slightly longer answer: things might look a little bit different.
A few people have asked if I’ll keep posting. Yes! Absolutely!!!
I love writing too much to stop. I feel like I need it to help me process and remember. Life feels different once it’s been translated into words and photos. So that part of this space isn’t going anywhere.
However… the rhythm may shift for a while. I expect I’ll post a bit less frequently, especially when we’re in transit or finding our footing somewhere new. And, for the foreseeable future, my content will skew very travel-heavy. I still want to chat about frugal things, for example, but all of that will be filtered through the lens of train tickets, apartments, navigating grocery stores (in unfamiliar languages!!), and figuring out how daily life works somewhere else. Happy Things Friday posts will definitely remain a weekly fixture (they’re my favourite posts to write), but most of my Happy Things will have a European twist.
I’m aware this could get old for some readers quickly. There will still be normal life stuff—food, parenting ups and downs, and mild existential pondering—but it will all be happening under the umbrella of living in a foreign country.
In terms of keeping up with my blog friends, I’ll be with you in spirit—even if I’m not always in the comment section. I plan to keep reading every post, but I’ll be dialing back my commenting quite a bit. I feel a little guilty about that, but something has to give if I want to really lean into this experience, and commenting is one place where I’m giving myself permission to step back for a season. Please know I’ll be cheering you on from afar. (I won’t be completely absent and will continue to engage with the comments flowing through my own blog, and will be active with friends on WhatsApp and via e-mail!)
For anything non-travel related, I’ll be leaning more into Patreon. I continue to share multiple free posts there each month, so if upgrading isn’t in your budget, there’s still free content waiting for you.
I’m also hoping/tentatively planning to still host the Cool Bloggers Walking Club in April, which feels like a great way to stay connected while I’m far away!
That’s all for now and I promise regular updates and recaps.
Happy Monday, friends!!
- What do you enjoy reading about when someone is traveling—day-to-day life, logistics, reflections, or the big adventures? I’ll probably cover all of the above, but I’m curious!
- Is there anything you particularly hope I’ll keep sharing while we’re abroad? I’m open to suggestions.
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Keep sharing whatever you want! I’m interested in the logistics and costs of what you’ll be doing. As someone who doesn’t travel, I marvel at how people can navigate such situations. And your fun things, and how you’re managing to feed the kids,.. all of it is good.
Gah. Feeding the kids! I was just thinking today about how to balance travelling with cooking from scratch. I’m sure it will even out and we’ll get into a rhythm, but I am definitely nervous about that!
The travel heavy content sounds fun to me! I love the everyday logistics. Grocery stores, weird products, tiny apartments, figuring out buses and trains. Looking forward to these posts!
What country are you most nervous about?
Probably Austria. We don’t have connections there (unlike Helsinki), and English is not the first language for most people (unlike Wales). I’m a bit nervous about our roadtrip, too, but that’s when we’ll get to Switzerland and I need to e-mail you soon and sort out how we can meet up <3
Hmm, that’s a good question. I think what I MOST enjoy are the bits that really let me get a feel for the particular person’s trip/experience. I like to hear those fun, personal details about what someone thought or said about something, a delicious snack stop, how much everyone’s feet hurt after you couldn’t figure out the bus route and walked an hour home instead, etc. I prefer this “most” over maybe more traditional travel blogging that just covers the logistics of a destination or the history of an attraction, etc., though I definitely don’t mind some of that mixed in, too! I think of course many ‘real/paid’ travel bloggers or writers online are more approaching it from like a “here’s what you need to know if you travel to this place” standpoint, which is definitely helpful if their main goal is to get clicks from people researching a trip. (And that type of content IS super helpful for people planning trips!!) I just mean since I know you personally, I’m obviously not JUST reading your posts to get travel tips- I adore those inside glimpses to your experience! And of course, great photos, but I know there will be no shortage of those to look forward to. 🙂
Noted!
There will be lots of details… haha. I am nothing if not an oversharer 😉
Yes, I agree with Kae- the little details about everyday life are fun to read about, and will be even more fun while you’re in a foreign country. However, everything will be interesting! We want to hear all about the big adventures as well. I soooo glad you’ll still be blogging (although I wasn’t really worried about that- I figured you would be).
Yup. The blog will not be going anywhere, just maybe a little more radio silence here and there while we catch our bearings.
I am hoping you’ll tell us EVERYTHING, Elisabeth! No pressure. 😉 One of the things I am most looking forward to is how you live a “normal” life while traveling. So I will love to read about how you grocery shop and make meals, how you do your laundry, how you get the kids to do their math, how you find time for yourself. I’m really excited for you and I know you will post when you can and I’m here to read when you do!
I am ALSO INTERESTED IN HOW WE WILL LIVE NORMAL LIFE, SUZANNE. I am feeling a bit stressed about all of that to be honest, but this is very much a jump and assume the net will appear sort of thing.
It will, Elisabeth! I trust that it will appear! And I am also assuming that normal life will be “normal for living in Europe” life and not “normal for living in home as we always have” life. I get the anticipatory anxiety (because you don’t and can’t KNOW!) and I also feel confident it’s going to be fantastic.
I’d be interested in save/splurge type of posts, highs and lows, those personal stories that show us your experience and what you’ll remember in your own memories down the road.
So excited for you!!
I think I’ll cover all those things very naturally. I know there WILL be highs and lows, and we will definitely look to save in many ways but, also, this feels like once-in-a-lifetime, so I want to splurge where it seems meaningful. Which reminds me, I NEED TO BOOK TICKETS for some things that sell out in London ASAP.
It’s about to get real!!! I’m so excited for your trip.
I think that what I like in a travel post is the same thing that I like in a non travel blog post…just a nice conversation about what you’ve been up to and neat things that you’ve seen.
Birchie, you win as the queen of blog comments. I love that you find my posts conversational and I will aim to give you what you are looking for 🙂
I am here for all of your travel writing! I’m hoping you’ll share your impressions and feelings, everything you did and saw, and what you ate. Anything you want to share will be lovely. I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures, both here and on Patreon.
You’re so sweet, Michelle! I tend to go over and above with sharing details, so be careful what you wish for, haha!
I think it makes total sense to dial back your posts as you want to really live it up and soak it all in. I’m excited to live vicariously through you. I’ll be interested to see what you see, and I think it’ll be great to learn about the difference in cultures or how things are done- what they eat or offer at the grocery store, what places close early or how people socialize, etc. It’ll be such an adventure.
This reminds me of when Curly, Mini, my dad, and I travelled to Glasgow where Curly was competing in World Championships of Irish dancing. I went to the grocery store and could not find the eggs. I was so confused. The store clerk pointed them out to me, but I was like, Well, how can I buy eggs that haven’t been refrigerated? Different than how we do it, but eye opening.
There will be A LOT to adjust to, but it will be fun and it will be fun to document it!
Yes, eggs are stored out in most parts of the world!
Yay! I am so excited to read along your journey and CBWC while you;re away sounds amazing.
It will be so fun to do these walks in Europe AND I REALLY want to do some walk-and-talks! We can be on different continents but walking together. How cool!
It’s fun to see normal everyday things in other places instead of the big fancy monumental things that everyone visits and photographs: what houses look like, what people wear, what’s growing in their yards, grocery stores, just regular stuff.
I know you don’t need to deal with this now but Patreon still won’t load for me. Sigh. This is really disappointing when you are about to rely on it for your more lengthy communications.
Jana, send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a copy of all the Patreon posts. I have no idea what’s going on, but it’s working for others. Do you have the app? I’m still not 100% sure what e-mail address for you is working, so once you e-mail me I’ll respond to that address with all the recent posts and can continue to send them your way. I know that doesn’t help in terms of commenting and getting involved in that way, but at least you won’t miss content?
I’m here for all of it! The little details, the pictures, the ups and downs of life abroad, etc. And please do not feel guilty about not commenting. You need to make the most of this time outside of Canada! I can’t wait to follow alongside you!
Thanks, friend.
I’ve ramped back commenting quite a bit in the last year, but will kick that into overdrive while away! I want to stay present in everyone’s lives, but commenting can be such a nuisance on the go and… well, I will only get to do this once!
Looking forward to seeing how your adventures unfold!
I totally understand if you go in a bit of a different vein or pace while you are traveling! It can be difficult to keep up with your normal routine when you are on the move, and you definitely want to live in the present and not worry as much about the extraneous stuff. I find blogging can sometimes be overwhelming, while other times it helps me feel connected to my regular life, but it does ebb and flow!
Yes! Balance will be key and I’m aiming for that. At the very least I can write about the struggle for balance, right?? Haha.
Less than a month! Ahh!!!! How are you feeling about it all?! Hopefully it’s more excitement than overwhelm.
Honestly I think if your blogging and commenting habits didn’t change during such a cool once in a lifetime experience it would be surprising! Show up here and in comments as you want and don’t worry about us all! Whatever you share and however much you comment will be great and everyone will be cheering you on from afar regardless of how present you are here.
I’m excited and overwhelmed and also in a bit of denial? It just doesn’t feel real that we will BE THERE this time next month.
What a sweet, thoughtful comment and perspective. Thanks for this <3
Take all the time you need! I will surely be following along, gladly, and reading whatever you reflect on. It will be wonderful and scary but mostly wonderful. I truly cannot wait and wish you only the best!
Thanks, friend! You are such an inspiring adventurer and I can’t wait to read about your upcoming trips, too!
I am so excited to follow along on your adventure! You do what feels good to YOU and soak up every moment of this experience. I love your travel posts, so I’m looking forward to reading whenever you have time to update the blog. 🙂
Yay!!! There will DEFINITELY be blog posts 🙂
You must be getting so excited (and maybe a little anxious, but mostly excited). I’ll definitely be here to follow along with whatever you want to share. I think it’ll be interesting to learn about things that are different from home or things that you didn’t expect. It’s so wonderful that you’ll be able to “dip your toes” into so many different cultural European experiences. I am sure it’ll feel different to live there, not just to visit.
Nervous, excited and basically ALL THE FEELINGS, San.
I feel like you are the SuperWoman of blogging, so I have no doubt you’ll be able to still engage and share your day-to-day stuff! (which is my fave)
You are too kind!
There will be lots of daily minutiae shared ❤️