I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve started to write this post. Everything is still a bit of a blur, there’s a lot of uncertainty and we don’t really know exactly what’s going to happen but we’re moving!
And when I say we’re moving I really do mean we’re moving as we’re packing our bags and are relocating to Berlin!
This life-changing move wasn’t actually planned and we’ve only just decided that this is what we’re doing so everything is completely up in the air at the moment and we honestly have no idea what’s going to happen.
Some of you have already seen that our house was up for sale on Rightmove a while ago and we were actually in the process of buying a new house.
We’d not really planned on moving house at all but the most amazing house in the best location came up for sale and was an opportunity we couldn’t resist.
Obviously, it was in need of total renovation, it was slightly larger than our house now and had soooo much potential. Needless to say, we’re devastated that we now aren’t able to proceed with it.
There’s obviously a big difference between buying a new home and moving to another country and as I said it’s not even something we’d planned on doing but after last week’s referendum result we feel like we’re left with no other option.
I know that people often don’t think that their votes will make any difference but for us, the result has completely thrown our lives upside down. Jan and I both don’t have British passports and although we’re obviously not going to get thrown out of the country immediately (or possibly ever) it does have a huge impact on our lives.
We’re really sad that our time in the UK has come to an end but given the uncertainty, we felt forced into making this decision. We’ve loved living here, we love our house and we would have loved to renovate the next one but I guess that all good things have to come to an end and if I’m completely honest we also no longer feel that we’re welcome here.
You can ask us as many questions as you like about what’s happening next, but the honest truth is that we just don’t know. It’s been less than a week since we decided that this is what we’re doing so there’s still a lot to sort!
Here are a few answers to some of the questions we’ve been getting.
Why Berlin?
We visited Berlin a couple of years ago and loved it. It’s totally mad to choose a country and city based on a 4-day trip a couple of years ago but it seemed an as good choice as any!
Did we consider other cities and countries?
Yep, we’d considered Singapore, New Zealand, Chicago, and Zurich.
When will all of this be happening?
As soon as possible. As we’re already in the process of selling our house and we estimate we’ll be moving around the middle to end of August.
Will we still be blogging?
Yes. Or at least that’s the plan. At the moment we’re trying to sort somewhere to live (we’ve started to look at apartments online, but have no idea about areas) and will definitely be in a rented apartment to start with. The ultimate plan (assuming we like living in Berlin) is to buy somewhere.
How are we feeling?
A bit crap. It’s been a weird mix of emotions but the overall feeling is sadness.
What will we miss about the UK?
We’re lucky to have some amazing friends who we’ll miss like mad. Other than that it’s really only weird little things like shopping on Sundays and browsing through John Lewis.
As you can probably tell, we don’t really know what we’re doing and I hope you bear with us until we manage to get our lives sorted. I don’t mean for this to sound totally miserable. Yes, it’s not what we’d planned or how we’d envisaged our lives for the next few years, but we are excited about starting a new adventure.
If we’re posting a bit less than usual, it’s because we now have to find somewhere to live, plan our move to another country, find jobs and completely sort our lives in the space of a couple of weeks. Even when we’re not blogging here, we’ll definitely be sharing updates on Facebook and Instagram.
If you have any moving tips or any tips about living in Berlin we’d love to hear them!
If you like this project, you will love these ones, too!
Kate says
Hello!
Enjoyed reading your economical trick re stopping the gap between skirting and floorboard (older blog). The photo looks as though you didn’t remove the backing from the Stormguard Extra Thick draught excluder when inserting it. Is that correct?
Best wishes
Kate
Sutton Coldfield
Christine says
We did a mixture of both, Kate! Where the gap was large we remove the backing to stick it into place and where the gap was really small we didn’t bother and just squashed the strip into the gap with a filling knife.
Cx
Louise Ericsäter says
Oyye! What happened here, totally missed this on the vacation. Sad for the house, but maybe the new owners will be as good as you are. I am glad to hear that you have landed a bit and feel excited about moving back to Germany. Transitions are so much tougher to deal with when they feel forced. I felt really sad when I heard about brexit, although Swedish and not so directly related it just feels like one more step towards the next war. I know, it does sound dramatic but this long peace is an exception to the rule, and there is so much tension everywhere when people learn what it is like living in a global economy… People here in Sweden is talking about a collapsed economy, not enough money for healthcare, police or schools and it just now really starting to affect the life of the average family. Problem is there is no acceptance for having a lower standard of life, and the reasons behind this are so complex that it is easier to let one group take the fall. Support for our nationaldemocrats was 35% two years ago, before the large wave of immigration and before the head of police in public has said they do not have resources to police trafficking and before cancer-patients over 70 started to get denied treatments. If I was religious I would pray for Germany to remain stable and sane. Pegida frightens me more than Le Pen in that way. Anyway… I hope you get to buy a new fixer-upper very soon =)
Christine says
Yep, scary times in the world at the moment no matter where you live. I have to admit that I’m almost avoiding watching the news – it’s all just too depressing.
We’re definitely sad to be leaving. It still all feels a bit unrealistic but now that we’ve found an apartment and have started packing it’s really starting to sink in. I, of course, hope that Germany stays stable and think that it’s sad that in times where we should all be sticking together more than ever the UK would rather leave the EU. Nothing is perfect, I guess we just all have to make the most of the time we have.
I can’t wait to find a fixer upper soon! I’ve already seen the most amazing apartments and houses (obviously way out of budget) and I’m sure we’ll manage to get settled soon.
Thanks for your kind words, Louise!
Cx
anna says
whaaaaaaat???? are you serious??? I need more time to digest this…
anna says
I dodn’t realise you were not British?? I’m from Poland and our family doesn’t feel.welcome here either… But since we bought our perfect house and our kids were vorn here I cannot see myself anywhere else.. :/ Good luck to you , hope yourvdecision will beva good one xxx
Christine says
It’s sad times and I totally understand why you would want to stay. To be fair no one would know that we’re not English so we’ve not really been made to feel unwelcome – it’s more of a feeling.
Thanks for your wishes, Anna!
Cx
Rich says
I hope the move goes well for you Christine.
Plan B could always be a tiny house in New Zealand :)
Christine says
Thanks, Rich! New Zealand is soooo tempting – maybe we’ll still make it over one of these days!
Cx
Sam says
Best of luck to you both, I hope everything works out. We’re looking at moving to another country as well, or even just Scotland with the hopes it will declare independence. We’re English but gay, my concern is once certain people are done blaming the foreigners, it’ll be the gays and the freaks next.
The silver lining is it gives you reason for a huge adventure, I hope to read about it in the future!
Christine says
Thank you, Sam! I guess it’s always easier for people to blame someone else for their problems and even easier if you choose to blame minorities. It’s so sad to hear that other people are now also unsure of what their future holds (no matter what nationality, sex, minority, etc they are). The times we live in are scarier than I’d like but we’re definitely looking forward to our next adventure! Good luck with what ever you choose to do!
cx
Suzy says
Thank you so much for your blog. It’s inspired me and given me guidance with my own project. I am very sorry to hear that you’re leaving the UK and I hope all goes well for you in Berlin. With your positive attitude and perseverance I am sure you will be successful wherever you are.
Please, please don’t think that the majority of people in the UK don’t want you here. The vote was not carried by a majority of the population and was not solely about immigration. It is, however, incredibly sad that a few bigots and opportunists persuaded a lot of people who are not racist or xenophobic (though they are perhaps naive or not very thoughtful) to vote Leave based on lies, and equally sad that some have been persuaded that immigrants are somehow to blame for their problems in life. Whatever the eventual outcome, I think we will look back on this as a sorry and shameful episode in our history.
Anyway, I have only today put test patches of Peelaway on my mantels and it’s thanks to you that I knew to use it! Your blog is brilliant. I wish you all the very very best in your new adventure!
Christine says
Thank you so much for your kind words about our blog, Suzy!
I totally appreciate that not everyone is against us being here and as for feeling less welcome it’s more the government that’s making us feel unsure. It’s always easier to blame others for your problems, so in a weird way I can understand why people have voted for change.
I’m so glad to hear that we’ve been able to help you with some of your projects! Good luck & thanks for the encouragement!
Cx
Carolina says
I’ve been reading your lovely blog for a while now, it even inspired my husband and I to invest in a small and old but with tons of potential house in our city in Chile, and we are slowly progressing in our renovation as well.
We’ve been following the news and, been all this far away from Europe, we neved thought that the referéndum would have such quick and profound implications in tons of plans of families like yours.
I guess life sometimes put things upside down and plans get stripped down, but you can always find some good and bright in new challenges.
We wish you guys a good relocation, and we’ll be waiting for new posts about the next lovely place you’ll transform into your home.
Christine says
Wow, it’s amazing to hear that we inspired you to take on a project! Our lives have definitely been turned upside down but you’re totally right about it being an exciting opportunity for us, too. We’re already excited to see what happens next and are looking forward to starting a new life and new renovation in a new location!
Good luck with your renovation, Carolina!
Cx
Dawn says
It’s really sad that you don’t feel welcome here anymore. Damn Brexit and the bleak future we now face! I’ve enjoyed reading your blog so much and often dip into your past projects for help and inspiration. Best of luck with your future plans and I look forward to reading about your new life and home. Xx
Christine says
Thank you for your kind words, Dawn! Yes it’s sad and it’s not what we wanted but we are now getting excited about moving to Berlin. I can’t wait to see (and share) what happens next.
Cx
Georgina says
This is exactly why Brexit has made me so angry. Even if people can stay, they don’t feel welcome and frankly I am ashamed of my country for making people feel like that. I am so sad your lives have been changed so much by this.
Berlin is a gorgeous city though, and I’m sure you will be very happy there. I look forward to reading your adventures there!
Christine says
Oh, Georgina! It’s definitely a challenging time for everyone. It’s a sad situation and although we may now not feel like it’s a country where we would want to stay, we have loved living here. Hopefully everything will improve soon!
Thanks for your support!
Cx
Mum of won says
Best of luck in Berlin! As a German native happily living in the south of England, I am a little perplexed as to citing the referendum result as a reason to ‘jump ship’ from the UK. The government have made it clear that existing residents will not face removal and, assuming you are both tax payers, then you have nothing to worry about. I’m sure you will enjoy a new life in Berlin, it’s scruffiness has a certain charm and there are good green spaces throughout! Charlottenburg is a great area. Enjoy!
Christine says
It’s nice to hear that you’re still happy living in England and that not everyone is as panicked by it as us! For us, Brexit is the only reason we’re leaving. We just feel to insecure and too uncertain as to what the future will hold. We may well be able to stay in the UK but we don’t want to live in a country where the majority of people don’t want us here. There are also huge financial implications for us and for us it feels like the right choice to go now. Totally looking forward to discovering Berlin and starting something new!
Cx
caitlin says
Wow, as a long-time follower who wasn’t even aware that you weren’t “British”, I’m speechless. I’m sure it is completely discombobulating to be moving on in such short notice, but it will be, as you say, a great new adventure. Berlin…totally exciting. As for Brexit, what a sad, sad commentary on the times we live in. Of course, my greatest fear as an Amercian is that we follow up by electing our own bombastic fool and I have no where else to go! Best of luck to you. -Caitlin
Christine says
Yep, America definitely has a few political choices to worry about, too! Everything is still sinking in at the moment and we now have so much to sort that it’s all just a bit of a blur! Moving to Berlin is definitely going to be exciting and we’re already looking forward to facing new challenges and renovating a new home.
Thanks for the kind words of support, Caitlin!
Cx
Maura says
Oh, no, the addition! The decking! The loft!
*Shakes fist at Brexit*
It’s been so much fun and inspiration, following your blog. We’re renovating a 1970s family home here in the US, and as I’m sure you know I need all the encouragement I can get.
Oh well, I’ll have to let it go and get excited for your new adventures!
Try to sell to an enterprising DIY/blogging couple, OK? (Haha, wink wink, just kidding)
– Maura
Christine says
I know, Maura! We would have really loved to stay and carry on renovating things but I guess that life just sometimes doesn’t quite go as planned.
We’re definitely excited about starting a new adventure and hopefully we’ll be able to share our “amazing Berlin apartment renovations” with you soon!
Cx
Emmeline says
Congratulations on your news, sad to hear you are leaving the UK but I wish you the best of luck. I am french but live in England and feel most welcome even after the brexit vote. If they had voted to stay in the eu with such a small majority I asume you would have stayed put in uk?
Christine says
Thank you, Emmeline! It’s going to be an exciting few months! Yes, we would have stayed if the vote had been to remain.
Cx
Jessica@CapeofDreams says
Good luck in your move! I know it is bittersweet, but good things can be found everywhere. I am certain you will land in a good place and look forward to following your journey.
Christine says
Thank you, Jessica! Glad to hear that you’ll be sticking around for our new adventures. It’s definitely going to be an interesting few months!
Cx
Laura says
I’m so sorry you feel like you have to move and I’m so sad that you don’t feel welcome here. I’m gutted over the Brexit result and wish it could be different. You are so welcome here, its a tiny, tiny minority who seem to feel otherwise. I’ve loved reading your blog, I’m renovating my own little Victorian terrace and came across your blog when googling how to restore a fireplace. It has given me lots of inspiration (even to start my own house renovation blog which lasted all of, ooh, two posts!) and help, especially on sanding floors! It’s sad you won’t get to finish your house but hopefully you’ll find a fantastic place in Berlin to do up, it’ll be a new adventure. I’m jealous of the move to Berlin though, I’ve never been but am absolutely desperate to visit, I hope the move works out fantastically for you.
Laura
Christine says
Thank you so much, Laura! It’s sad but exciting at the same time. Yes, we would have liked to finish our house and yes, we would have liked to stay in the UK a while longer but we also looking forward to a new adventure now that we’re starting to get used to the idea of leaving.
I love that we were able to help you with some of your DIY projects and I’m flattered that we even inspired you to start you own blog.
It’ll be exciting to see what happens next and I can’t wait to get stuck into a new house renovation project!
Cx
Ann says
Best of luck and all happiness to you both! I’ve loved your blog and look forward to reading about your future remodeling adventures in a new setting. I found your blog just a few months ago and read every post from the beginning in two days – what a great binge! Wishing you the best from sunny Southern California!
Christine says
Thank you for your comment, Ann – we really appreciate it! Love that you found your way over to us and the thought of you binge reading our blog made me laugh!
Looking forward to sharing more house updates from Berlin!
Cx
Amy Platt says
Hi C + J,
I’m absolutely gutted to hear this news! I’ve been an avid reader of ‘LHOTC’ for years and feel like I know you guys so well even through a blog only platform. I’m so sorry you want to leave the UK. I won’t bring politics into it but want to say you are very welcome here in the UK however I can understand your head leading you away to Germany. They are exceptionally efficient in everything they do and their bratwurst are AMAZING!
You have inspired me to renovate my own Victorian home and to start my own blog (currently figuring that bit out). I just wanted to say thank you really for motivating and inspiring many homeowners like myself and I hope you won’t stay quiet for too long. I’ll be checking in on your exciting updates and want to wish you all the very best for the next chapter in your lives.
Lots of love,
Amy
Christine says
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Amy! We’re already getting excited about bratwurst and schnitzel. ;)
It’s amazing to hear that we inspired you to renovate your own home! We’re so flattered and grateful that we were able to help in a virtual way. It’s definitely going to be exciting and we can’t wait to share our updates. Hopefully, we’ll find somewhere to live and renovate, soon!
Cx
susan says
As much as I hate to say it, living in the US and all, I think you were wise not to choose Chicago. Considering the current political insanity I’m not sure how things are going to end up here. I hope you find a great place in Berlin and look forward to more posts from y’all.
Christine says
Thanks, Susan! It’s definitely an interesting time in politics all over the world. Chicago would have definitely been an adventure but Berlin for us is a much easier and far safer option. Now that we’ve made up our minds I can’t wait to get moving. I can’t wait to share how we get on!
Cx
Stacey @ Dohiy.com says
Brexit broke our hearts. I completely get it. Best wishes for a smooth transition, and look forward to your future posts. xx
Christine says
Thanks, Stacey! I’m sure it’ll all be fine in the end. Having said that I just received the first quote for moving. Yikes! :)
Cx
Kelley says
Be safe❤️ Truth be told, Brexit is a part of the NWO… A plan by the elite, not the people.
I totally understand if you don’t post this.
Christine says
Thanks, Kelly! We’ll do our best.
Cx
deirdre says
I’m so sad to hear that you’re leaving – I was so looking forward to seeing your kitchen, bathroom & loft renovations. I read your blog regularly & am in awe of your patience & attention to detail!
However, like everyone else, I hope you continue to blog (as its one of my favs!) and look forward to seeing Berlin’s influence!
Deirdre (Dublin, Ireland)
Christine says
Thank you so much, Deirdre! I’m sad that we won’t get to finish our house, too. We had so many grand plans (and had already chosen the kitchen) but it will be exciting to start from scratch somewhere else. I’d not thought about how living somewhere else will influence our style but I guess it totally will. Can’t wait to see what happens!
Cx
Rae Batcheler says
Im really saddened youre leaving I have followed your house blog for ages and have found it completey fascinating… I hope it stays up on the web?
The UK is changing everything changes Im sure we will continue to be a welcoming nation….but I understand why you feel uncertain here..not knowing one way or another….
Id considerd moving to France to renovate, there are so MANY wonderful projects there, or spain just for the amazing climate…. now sadly resigned to never going…until the dust settles no one knows what will happen…
I thought the post before about The Netherlands was a good idea!
Good luck with the relocation and the big adventure feeloing settled is a big part of making a place you can call home where you can lay your hat and be happy… I pray that you both will find that special corner in the earth that excites you makes you feel safe and welcome and that the perfect project is right around the corner…..The Little House On the Corner ….will miss you… its nooks and crannies, its walls ceilings, details, are filled with so much of your love and attention… I hope it also finds a family that loves it as you did…and continues to renovate it further….even though we wont see it.. :(
Happiness is what life is about , I will look forward to your new project.. sending you both so much love..for your new exciting big adventure. x
Christine says
Thank you, Rae! The blog will definitely stay up and we are planning to keep blogging – hopefully about our renovation adventures in Berlin!
We have been made very welcome here and have loved our time in the UK. It’s been an amazing experience, we’ve met some fantastic & kind people and have learned how to do more renovation work that we’d ever thought possible. I wouldn’t change a thing, it just feels like now is the right time to take the next step.
Thank you for your kind words, Rae – it really means a lot to us!
Cx
Lins @ Boo & Maddie says
Oh Christine, I’ve read this with tears in my eyes but am also so incredibly excited for you too – what a new and wonderful adventure and as you said, it was never your plan to stay here forever anyway so what better time. I can’t wait to see what’s next in your journey and live vicariously through you. Thank you so much for inspiring me to tackle these projects, yours is one of the first blogs I came across when I decided to start blogging and when we bought the house and has always been my reference point.
I’ve never been to Berlin but have had so many wonderful things about it so I know you’ll absolutely love it and the world (for the most part) is our oyster after all. Whilst we’ll always have the house, I always told Pete that he mustn’t rule out a temporary post somewhere else in the world because I’d love to spend a couple of years somewhere else before returning.
I can’t wait to follow your next chapter and wish you all the very best with these exciting times ahead Xxx
PS, where are you from if you don’t mind me asking?
Christine says
Thank you so much, Lins! You kind words really mean a lot and I’m actually tearing up reading all of the kind comments today. You’re right, it is an adventure and it really does feel like it’s the right thing to do. Our time in the UK was our temporary post in another country and it’s definitely something we’d recommend doing. We ended up staying much longer than we’d anticipated and have loved living here. We’re already looking forward to sharing what happens next!
We’re actually both German, so choosing Germany is not quite as random as it seems. Having said that we’re both from the complete other side of Germany and have only been to Berlin once on holiday for a few days, so this still might be a bit of a random decision to make. We chose Berlin because it seemed most multicultural. We also figured that we can always move somewhere else if we don’t like it… :)
Cx
Arati Devasher says
So sad! I’ve loved your posts and hope you will continue blogging. Best wishes for your new venture!
Christine says
Thank you, Arati! We’ll definitely keep blogging. We’ve still got to live somewhere and I can’t imagine ever buying a home that’s not in need of a bit of TLC! :)
Cx
Sarah Pedersen says
Wow! What an exciting adventure! Just a shame you’re being forced to go before you were maybe ready. I empathise. We are an immigrant family too and being forced to explore our options. We love the UK – it’s where we met, got married, started a family, bought our first house – but don’t like where things are headed. :( Looking forward to following your new life. All the best wishes to you. (P.s. I thought you were British, although wondered about Jan’s name!)
Christine says
Thank you so much, Sarah! It’s definitely a challenging time for a lot of people but life would just be too easy without the odd obstacle in the way! We’ve loved living here, too. This is also our first house and we’ve been lucky to make some amazing friends. Leaving will be sad (partly because I was excited about the new house) but it’s definitely going to be an exciting adventure, too.
Cx
PS. You wouldn’t really know we’re not English. We’ve been here for a while. Jan still has a bit of an accent but I’ve completely morphed into a Northerner ;)
Lizzie says
I’m sorry that you feel like you’re not welcome. I am a born an bred Londoner living and working in London and London loves you. We feel so angry that the rest of England, which is less cosmopolitan, colourful, diverse and culturally rich is so narrow minded as to vote for Brexit. I wish you the best of luck but please don’t assume that all of us Brits feel the same
Christine says
Being made welcome is really only part of the reason we’ve decided to leave. We have met some amazing and kind people over the years we’ve lived here. It’s really more the government that has made us start to question how welcome we are here. Part of the reason we’ve chosen to move to Berlin is because it’s so cosmopolitan!
We really don’t assume that everyone feels the same and honestly, I’d rather people voted for something I don’t agree with than not vote at all.
It’s not all bad – we have a new adventure to look forward to and the UK is still only a quick flight away!
Thanks for your support, Lizzie!
Cx
Maaike says
I’m in complete shock! The referendum has also deeply affected us (we are EU citizens living and working in Northern Ireland) and I am very worried about the future (I am self-employed and all my clients are in the EU). Your blog is such an inspiration, I’m so sorry you can’t finish the house (nor the other one). I’m also slightly worried about your move.. we lived in Germany in 2013-2014 and did not like it at all. Of course it’s a very subjective experience, but of all the countries I’ve lived in (6) it was my least favourite. Berlin is a great city, so hopefully you’ll have a better experience (we lived in a small town). I would definitely recommend visiting Germany again before you move. Living in a country is so different from going on holiday – but you probably know that already ;-). I wish you all the best and I look forward to reading about your new adventures! Good luck with sorting everything out, I know international moves are a big hassle… but also an adventure :-)
Christine says
So are we Maaike! I completely agree with you about choosing a place to live based on a holiday – it’s totally mad. The reason we chose Berlin (admittedly based on our very short experience) is because it seems like a very multicultural and open city. We’ll definitely have to go again before we move just to sort little things like where to live ;) so it will be interesting to see if we still feel like it’s somewhere we would want to live.
I’m not saying that we’ll stay in Germany forever either, but at the moment it seems like it would be a good fit for us.
I’ll be interesting to see how the next few weeks and months work out. We are excited to start something new but it’s a bit frightening, too!
Thanks for your kind words of support!
Cx
Maaike says
If you’re not 100% sure yet about Berlin, might I suggest you consider Amsterdam :-) Also very open, multicultural and lovely Dutch people ;-) And everyone speaks English (my biggest shock in Germany was the unwillingness of people to try to speak English). And amaaaaazing houses of course!
Christine says
We’ll see what happens. We did consider moving to the Netherlands (I lived in Den Haag for a while and loved it), but for work reasons Germany seems like an easier option at the moment. We were actually meant to be visiting Amsterdam at the end of August… amazing how quickly things can change ;)
Cx
Hanna says
Sorry to barge in here like this, but I’d like to try and explain the reluctance of Germans to speak English to Maaike: English only became a regular subject for all school types in West Germany in the mid- to late sixties and in the former GDR, it replaced Russian in schools only after the reunification – so a lot of people may never have learnt it. In the regions near France, pupils often start with French as their first foreign language for obvious reasons. And even those people who have been taught English as their first foreign language may have left school aged 15 or 16 and never had any contact with the language afterwards. As you, Maaike, have lived in Germany yourself, you probably know that, for example, all movies are dubbed over here. I’m really sorry you didn’t feel welcome here and I very much hope Christine’s and Jan’s experience is going to be different, but please try to understand that it’s not necessarily “unwillingness” if people seem to refuse to talk English. Christine, I wish you and your husband all the best.
Christine says
We’re excited about moving to Berlin because it’s such a multicultural and cosmopolitan city. We both speak German so we’ll be fine, but I do always think it’s important to learn the language of the country you’re living in.
Thank you for your wishes, Hanna!
Cx
Maaike says
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. As I already said, it’s a personal experience and it depends on many factors if you enjoy living in a certain place. I do think that Germany is a very nice place to live if you are German – that may sound weird, but I think it has many great things you can enjoy much more if you are part of the culture and understand the system. I do speak German by the way ;-) and I learned the language in every country I lived in, which I enjoyed very much! I believe all experiences, good or bad, make you a richer person. Berlin should be a great place to live, I’m sure you’ll be happy there :-)
Christine says
You weren’t being disrespectful, Maaike! It’s always good to know what to expect and I love to hear about as many experiences as possible – both good and bad! It’s always going to be difficult moving to another city and country and we’re really not expecting everything to be easy. It’s definitely going to be exciting and challenging but we hope and think that it’s the right thing for us to do at the moment. Who knows what will happen and where we’ll eventually end up!
Cx
Carin says
Christine, I’m so sorry to hear you’ll be leaving the country based on the referendum, but as a Swede in the UK I totally get it- I have been going through so many weird emotions myself that not even my husband fully gets as he has a British passport. He reckons we’ve always got Ireland to fall back on should it all go to hell over here. Best of luck to you both in Berlin. Even though I’m really sad for your reasons for leaving, I do wish you all the best and can’t wait to see how you get on. xxxx
Christine says
Thank you, Carin! It’s definitely a weird mix of emotions that we’re experiencing at the moment, too. We were never planning on staying in the UK permanently, so for us it feels right to take the next step now. Weirdly we both instantly felt better as soon as we made the decision to leave. Not because of actually leaving, but because we knew what was happening next and because we felt like we had a bit of control back in our lives.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens next and there’s obviously loads to sort, but we are excited about taking the next step.
I can’t wait to see how we get on either, Carin!
Cx
Lucy Caitlyn says
WOW! Huge changes! I do understand to some extent. I have a British Passport, was born here and family British since William the Conquerer BUT I do not feel comfortable either.
I’m severely disabled and feel a burden, Lucy is not my birth name I changed it because my original name “Vashti” did not fit and I was tired of explaining how to say it, where I come from ext.
I don’t fb or instagram but will watch for you here.
Good Luck.
Christine says
Thank you so much, Lucy! There are a lot of things that have contributed to our decision and a bit part of it are also financial implications. We’ve loved living here and have always been made to feel welcome by the people we’ve met. It’s a shame when anyone feels like they have to change to fit in (love your original name!) but I do understand the reasoning behind it.
We’ll definitely still be blogging here and would love to buy somewhere to renovate in Berlin – so watch this space!
Cx
Tania says
How truly awful. I’m a British Londoner and I feel utter despair that people voted the way they have. This is not the country I loved either. Good luck with your new adventure.
Christine says
Thank you, Tania! We made the decision last week, so have had a bit of time to get our head around things. Although it is sad that our time in the UK has come to a bit of an abrupt end, we’re now starting to get excited about the new adventure ahead of us. I guess that things happen for a reason and it’ll be amazing to explore a new city, meet new people and renovate a new home! I’ve already been looking at amazing apartments and can’t wait to share our new adventure as it unfolds.
Cx
Claire says
I am so sad to read this post. I have enjoyed all your jolly blogs and found them so useful for my own house-renovating experience. I totally understand your decision, but the sentence that made me saddest was that you no longer feel welcome here. Please don’t think that the general majority of Brits are racist bigots-we’re really not and I’m as saddened as you by the outcome of the vote. I wish you all the best for the future and look forward to more posts. I don’t know what will become of this country but hopefully all the hatred and xenophobia will stop and the disgusting people responsible will be duly prosecuted. It’s the 21st century and there is no place for such small-minded hatred. Best of luck and hopefully you’ll find what you’re looking for in Germany. X
Christine says
Ohh thanks, Claire! I should really say that we’ve met the most generous, amazing and kind people in our time here who have all made us feel very welcome – it’s part of the reason that we’ve loved living here. It’s not the individual people that have started to make us question how welcome we are, it’s more of a general and political situation where there’s an obvious divide between “us” and “them”. We’d never planned on staying in the UK forever (I don’t think we’ll stay in Germany forever either) and it just feels like the right time to make the move. It’s all a bit of an emotional mess at the moment but we can’t wait to take the next step and find somewhere to live! ;)
Thank you for your comment – it really means a lot.
Cx
Kerrie says
Wow, I’m in Australia so while I’m shaking my head in confusion about the whole ‘leave EU’ situation, its literally quite distant from me. I can’t imagine how you are feeling but I support your right to do what you need to do, and wish you nothing but the best. Hope the blog continues and you find somewhere you feel welcome.
Christine says
Thanks, Kerrie! I’m honestly not even sure how we’re feeling ourselves at the moment. It’s all a bit of a chaotic blur but it’ll also be great to start a new adventure. We’re definitely still trying to get our head around things but for us, it’s the right time to take the next step.
We’ll definitely keep blogging and have already been looking for somewhere to live and renovate!
Cx
TB says
So sorry that you don’t feel welcome any more and that this is the driver for your move. As a staunch remainer, I don’t understand what is happening in this country any more. We at fixing up a Victorian semi slowly and your blog was much comfort. Good luck, and much happiness to you both.
Christine says
Thank you for your kind words. There are a lot of reasons for us deciding to move. Yes, the Brexit situation is our main motivation but we’d never planned on staying here forever and it’s just forced us into making the move earlier than we would have liked. I didn’t mean for this post to sound miserable. It is sad, but it’s also an adventure. We’ve loved living here and have been made very welcome by everyone. I guess it’s just the right time to move on.
We’ll still be blogging and sharing our home improvement adventures – we’ll just hopefully be renovating an amazing apartment with super high ceilings and period features in Berlin instead. :)
Cx
Mike says
I’m very sad to see you leave. I loved reading your posts and seeing the house progress. It was inspiration for me to do more at home.
The reason you’ve given for leaving is the Brexit vote. That was a vote against being part of an EU political union, nothing more. The UK is a welcoming place to live. Don’t believe the scaremongering that some of the press has thrown around. Us “foreigners” have always been welcome here and always will be.
If you’ve made up your mind then good luck. Looking forward to seeing kleineHaus on das Corner. Com soon…
Christine says
Thank you, Mike! That’s so kind of you!
I totally understand that it wasn’t a vote against us and that most people are still happy for us to be here. We’d never planned on staying in the UK forever, so it just felt like the right time to make the move. It will be exciting to start something new and I’ve already been getting carried away looking at fantastic apartments (that are way out of our budget) in Berlin. We can’t wait to share what happens next and start renovating our next home.
Cx