About

Two countries, one butterfly.

Schmetterling is German for butterfly. Something that starts out as one thing, turns into another, and somehow belongs to both. That is pretty much what living between two countries feels like.

Hi, I'm Jochen

I'm German, and I live in the Blue Mountains with three bilingual kids and two very noisy chickens. The kids switch between German and English without thinking about it. The chickens stick to one language, and they use it loudly.

Why both identities matter

Moving to another country doesn't mean swapping one identity for the other. You don't stop being German when you land in Australia, and you don't turn Australian overnight either. You end up somewhere in between, and that is a perfectly good place to be.

For me, keeping both alive matters most because of the kids. German connects them to their grandparents, their relatives and half of where they come from. Australia is home. I don't want them to have to choose between the two, and I don't want to either.

That doesn't happen by itself. A language you don't use fades, and so do traditions nobody keeps up. So we use it, we keep them up, and we pick the best of both sides.

Back home, at least once a year

I'm back in Germany at least once a year, for work, family and friends. Each trip is a reminder that both places keep changing, and that staying connected to one while living in the other takes a bit of effort.

What you'll find here

Practical guides and observations for Germans and Australians with a foot in both countries: life for Germans in Australia, what Germans should know about Australia before moving, what Australians should know about Germany, and the many small differences between the two.

Spotted a mistake, or have a question I should answer? Get in touch.