Interview with an Expat: Sascha (Luxembourg)

Freezing in her recent girls’ trip to Prague!

Here’s a pic of us when we were children in our university’s a capella group:

She was our Beyoncé and if you met her she would be yours, too (listen to her latest release here). Of course her fierce, go-getter attitude took her far, and now she and her husband traded in the Seattle skyline for the romantic cobblestone streets of Luxembourg. How she got there and how she makes the most of it, well, I’ll leave it up to her to tell you. She is sage and sassy, so don’t miss her advice at the end! I loved soaking up every word!

*answers have been edited for length and clarity

1. Why Luxembourg? 
 A lot of reasons! 🙂
1. Diversity. Luxembourg has a very large expat community. In fact, expats make up about 45% of the total workforce here. We wanted to move somewhere that would challenge us culturally, but move us out of the hustle and bustle of a larger city like Seattle or Paris. We also enjoy being forced to speak French and German on a daily basis– we are pushed out of our comfort zone more often.
2. Location. Luxembourg is smack in the middle of France, Belgium & Germany, so getting around by train/plane/car is very easy. My husband and I love to travel on the weekends and being centrally located is an added bonus.
3. Career. After graduating college, I went through a sort of identity crisis… It had been a dream of mine to live abroad since I was a child, but I wasn’t sure of how to navigate opportunities to do so. After a ton of soul searching and job-hopping (I know, so millennial of me), my close friend introduced me to Amazon! The rest is history. After one year with the company, my husband and I were given the opportunity to move to Amazon’s EU Headquarters which is located in Luxembourg.

2. What was your greatest fear/hesitation before moving?
Leaving my family behind. They took it very hard when I broke the news, although I’m not sure you can properly prepare for an announcement like that. Haha! I was also nervous that some of my friendships would die, but things have been great in that regard! I already have a few weeks marked off in 2019 where my friends from the states have decided to visit! Same goes for Christmas and the New Year, this year. 🙂

3. What things do you look forward to most during the week?
Waking up in the morning, looking out my window, and seeing the Casemates du Bock in all it’s majesty. It’s surreal to me that I live in such a beautiful country. I also look forward to grocery shopping… I know it’s so weird, but it’s a fun experience ordering cheeses and meats in French and having people understand me. Haha!

4. Where do you hope this experience will take you?
All around Europe! I’m hoping my husband and I can travel most of Europe within 5-7 years. After that, we plan to move to Asia! We both have large families in Korea and want to retire there.

5. Any advice for those looking to move abroad?
1. The timing will never be perfect. Life will not wait for you to make a decision when you’re ready, so just do it and don’t look back.

2. Do your research and manage your expectations accordingly! Every country is different.The lifestyle, the language, the culture, the food, the people, the money, the social norms, etc. It may sound straightforward and redundant to read this as advice, but you’d be surprised how many people need to be reminded of this over and over again. Don’t go somewhere new expecting the world to be the same as the one you’ve always known it. Be open minded. If you can’t do that, choose a country that is more similar to yours so you’re not mad when you get there (or stay home pls). LOL

One of the adorable puppies Sascha had to learn about the costs of relocation for.

3. Budget, budget, budget! My husband and I started saving for our international move as soon as we got married, and we are so grateful we did. Moving internationally is E X P E N S I V E, especially the longer you wait (if you have kids, pets, assets, etc). Try to find a company that will give you a solid relocation package to help with expenses, if possible. If not, do some serious research about the cost of living in your country, its tax structure, its transportation, its HOUSING MARKET**** (this was a nightmare for us), and anything else that you may not think of right off the bat. A lot of relocation related costs require YUGE deposits and a ton of middle men to get things going.

4. Unless you’re being paid to travel to all of the most beautiful destinations all over the world every single day (please call me if you are, because I want to join you), don’t get caught up in the idea of Europe on social media.Yes, there are breathtaking places to see and experience here, but you still are working, paying bills, and living life like you would back home. Every country has its issues, and no place is perfect. If you plan to travel a bunch, make sure you have the budget, the time, and a job that will allow you to do it!

5. Learn the language. Life will be much easier.

6. Make friends and join groups! If you are starting fresh, look for your country’s expat community on Facebook. People share experiences with businesses, give food recommendations, and sell furniture for cheap!!!

7. Enjoy the experience, live in the moment, and take a shit ton of photos.

Thank you for coming to my TEDtalks. <3

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Follow along with Sascha’s Luxembourg’s life here: @lost.sasch