A great perk about living abroad as an expat in Belgrade is the ability to easily see the rest of Europe, in many cases, with just a 2-3 hour flight. I’m grateful to be located 20 minutes away from the main international airport.
Here’s a recap of what I was up to in the first half of 2024 – the highlights, lowlights, and the travels in between. Let’s get into it.
Travels
Rome: I started the year off with a trip to Italy’s capital, the land of pizza, pasta, and gelato with its ancient history and breathtaking historical sights and landscapes.
I checked out this food & wine tasting experience at Rimessa Roscioli, recommended to me by a fellow expat friend I met in Belgrade. Go hungry and thirsty. I also did this triple-threat tour of the Vatican, Basilica, and Sistine Chapel. The Vatican is absolutely insane, as was this entire tour. What was even more insane was how hungry I was afterwards.
Other special and random moments include catching sunset on the Spanish Steps and a rooftop bar, enjoying yummy pasta for lunch at an unassuming restaurant, and seeing a tarot reader for the 1st time (who ended up being creepily right about things by the way).
Vienna: I visited Vienna once before but was looking to get away for a weekend, and well, Vienna is only a 5 hour trip by car from Belgrade. I tried to visit places I had not yet been like Prater Park. 6 year old Emily was alive and well here, and she loved every second of it.
This trip was less about going from museum to museum and more about the art of noticing. People watching on a park bench and feeling the sun on my face. Laying in the grass and gazing at the clouds. Eating Sacher cake in bed (usually an absolute no-no for me, but I made an exception this time). These moments made my heart feel full, like I was living life to its fullest.
Amsterdam & Budapest: Like Vienna, I had also been to both of these cities a few times before. The only difference was that this time, I got to enjoy it with my mother and some family friends of ours. We made sure to get our fair share of tasty food (chimney cakes anyone?) and visit the tulips at Keukenhof. It was their first time in Europe, and I was so glad to experience it with them.
Lisbon & Porto: Honestly, I think this trip deserves a post of its own. I now understand why there’s such a hype about Portugal, and boy did it live up to it. Visit, and you will fall in love over and over again with everything…or your money back guaranteed.
It’s hard to pick a favorite moment, but here are some: Ladies and gentlemen, the hilly streets of Lisbon are no joke. Taking a tuk-tuk tour was a great way to get to them without perishing from exhaustion. A beach day in Cascais. It was hot, but the water was ice cold (What? I saw a 60 year old woman swimming, so if she could do it, then so could I).
Lastly, watching sunset at Jardim do Morro. It was overwhelmingly beautiful to be there and watch people vibe to the music together. There was just something special in the air that day. Remember what I said about falling in love? Yep, I fell in love with that, and it brought tears to my eyes. Corny but true.
Highs
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- Got back into boxing training consistently. It’s not about violence and punching things. It’s about discipline and perseverance. Like the great Muhammad Ali said, “Suffer now, and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
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- Went to a Red Star basketball game. For the Serbs who are reading this, I am in no way saying I’m a Red Star fan. I am Switzerland. I am neutral. P.S. – Go Warriors! Dub Nation!
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- Sold my home in LA.
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- Mom came to Belgrade!
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- Leaving my soul on the dance floor at a gay bar in Belgrade. If Rihanna’s “We Found Love” would’ve started to play, I’m 100% sure I would’ve reached a state of Nirvana.
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- Bought my dream car *Hint: she’s manual, has 4 wheel drive, and goes really fast*
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- The little things. It’s always the little things for me.
Lows
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- Lost my only set of car keys in a mall in Belgrade, which had my whole life in it. This day had me questioning my life choices, like picking up a bad vice or perhaps moving my entire life abroad. *insert nervous laugh here*
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- Battled an identity crisis. Yep, that was fun, and you can read more about that here.
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- International Women’s Day, and it ended in the men’s restroom. Don’t ask.
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- Family members struggling with me being so far away. There is a guilt that I think every expat experiences when it comes to the relationships back home. It’s not easy, but I know why I choose to stay, and I feel that makes things a bit easier.
Th-th-th that’s all folks! Leave a comment or get in touch below. And remember, Nemoj samo da postojiš. Živi. Don’t just exist. Live.