Wandering is in our DNA
Envisioning our lives in Bucharest, summer shenanigans, blog updates and photos!
“If we consider how long mankind spent as wanderers, close to two million years, compared to how long we have lived in towns and villages, less than 20,000 years, it’s no wonder we feel like taking a trip every so often just for the fun of it. Wandering is in our DNA, much like the human fascination with fire.”
— Craig Storti, Why Travel Matters
Life Lately
We had family in town the weekend before last. It was fun showing everyone around Georgetown, getting ice cream and spending time with our little niece. I can’t believe it’s officially summer! We went to another baseball game and even visited our community pool for the first time.
It’s been about five months since we left London, and we’re now truly only about four months away from the big move to Bucharest. It’s funny to think that next summer our lives may revolve around the American embassy pool—an unexpected but delightful feature of the compound there.
We’re really beginning to envision our lives in Bucharest now. I have about 20 or 30 restaurants and places saved in my Google Maps that I’d like to try. I’ve found a cute coworking space, a beautiful swimming facility and some delicious-looking burger joints and restaurants with traditional Romanian food, all close to home.
Andrew and I are also starting to research what kind of vehicle we’d like to get. We’ve been told not to buy used cars in Romania because there’s really not much of a vetting process and you’re liable to purchase a lemon with a battered and bruised accident history. So new it is!
We’ve been put in touch with the current occupant of our future apartment—which is so incredibly lucky. This means we’ll be able to get a much better idea of what the apartment looks like, any quirks, etc. before we arrive on the ground. We’ve been told it’s the best unit in the entire building, but I have a sneaking suspicion they tell that to everyone… We’ll see. :-) The only photos we have now are from 2005 though, so some newer pictures will be amazing and help us plan out which furniture we’d like to pull from storage and ship over.
On the Blog
Last week I finally published my new digital download! I’ve been working on this for months and it’s so nice to finally be finished. “Hidden Italy! The Modern Traveler’s Guide to Wine Windows in Florence” is available for download on my website. Within the next couple weeks it will be available as an eBook and as a paperback! Can’t wait to share more when that time comes.
Expat Observations of the Week
On my Instagram this week, I noted how Americans (women especially) seem hypersensitive to being perceived as rude. They’ll go out of their way to ask permission to take things (like an unused chair at the public pool) or to ask permission to order (like in a line at a food counter). I never remember experiencing this in London.
I realize they’re just being polite, but I find it somewhat annoying when women ask permission to do things we really ought to just do.
From Instagram
You guys really seemed to enjoy this photo I shared of my sister and I as kids. Quite the throwback. This picture was taken in the Glamour Shots of our local mall in the early 90s.
That’s all for now! Feel free to comment on anything I mentioned or whatever has been on your mind.
Cheers,
Michelle
@AmericanExpatAbroad