The Moment the Honeymoon Ends: Living Europe Beyond the Postcard

When the tourist glow fades and routine takes the stage, real life steps forward and proves why the move was worth it.

Those first weeks after moving to Europe feel like a windfall. No matter how many times I’d traveled to Europe prior to moving here from the United States - for vacation or for business - it felt very different in the early weeks of living here than it does now, two years later.

As a tourist, there’s a sense of awe. Terraces glow. Every espresso seems ci…