gipsylife » about

european at heart.

Born and raised in Germany I spent my tweens living in Vancouver, Miami and Cologne before making London and the UK my home for fifteen years. True to my gipsy nature I spent most of my professional life in the airline and travel industries, where my jobs ranged from flight attendant to IT project manager to corporate sales. There is much about Europe that I miss: my friends and family, the cafes and social life, the proximity to so many interesting and diverse countries and cultures, the lifestyle that is about being rather than having. I often think of America as a teenager after a strong growth spurt, filled with energy, potential and hormonal confusion, while Europe is the old man who sits back with a cigar and glass of red wine, reminiscing with a twinkle in his eye on the life that has etched itself deeply into the ridges of his face. I seem to have always derived a lot of comfort from the wisdom and experiences of his tales.

home in the Pacific Northwest.

It is fair to say that my heart is responsible for the major relocations in my life. At first I fell in love with Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest, then with an Englishman from London, but it is my American husband who truly swept me off my feet. We actually met online just before he was relocated to the UK. He said he knew me from the first moment he laid his eyes on my dating profile. We got married in the lovely city of Bath on my 42nd birthday. In 2005 we returned to his native New England, so that we could live closer to his young son. What followed was a troubled transition, burdened by homesickness and loneliness, and despite great jobs and beautiful homes we never quite settled in New England the way we had hoped. This is where my longstanding dream of returning to the Pacific Northwest kept making its appearances. And so, after much heartfelt and thorough deliberation, we made a decision and in September 2008 I moved to Washington State, just south of the Canadian border and therefore very close to my friends in Vancouver. My husband, who shares my love for this area, will join me once his son finishes high school. This was not an easy decision but we know that it is the right thing to do – for us, for his son, and at this point in our lives. Luckily my husband travels a lot to the west coast on business so that we see each other fairly frequently; this is the part that we are figuring out as we go along. Although I still miss Europe and probably always will, my heart is firmly rooted in the Pacific Northwest. This is home.

a fresh start.

I love where I live now, my new hometown offers so much for the kind of lifestyle we enjoy: a beautiful location by the ocean, quirky shops and cafes, close-by trails for walking and cycling, open and friendly people, a cozy and modern apartment, a thirty minute drive to the Canadian border. Professionally I have returned to my roots and found a great job as a hotel supervisor of a charming inn. However, working full-time in the US has its own challenges because personal space is valued much less over here and it stinks to get only two weeks of vacation time per year. Alas, it is what it is and I am trying to make the best of it. Mostly this fresh start goes a lot deeper than I could have ever imagined, it has triggered a lot of soul searching and a desire to push through boundaries and see what’s on the other side. Keep watching this space!

why gipsy life?

This blog started out as a diet journal with the name the diet monster in June 2005, but it quickly evolved into a chronicle of the emotional wanderings of this somewhat restless soul. I have often been called a gipsy because I have moved around so much, both physically and professionally. And I use gipsy with an *i* because I thought that’s how you spell it! Which is just as well as the domain gypsylife was not available. This blog is where I offer ~ often very personal ~ glimpses into my private life. Sometimes it is my very public free therapist! Often times it is the place where I make wonderful connections and meet amazing people. All the times it is simply the place where I tell my story, in pictures and words. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Thank you so much for reading this and for visiting my blog! I love listening to your comments and receiving your emails, your words are always welcome!

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