About Me

Hello!  I am Amanda and the author of this blog - what used to be a compilation of my travel stories and funny sidenotes of living abroad for four years in the Basque Country.  From trips to my impressions of the differences and similarities of the different cultures I experienced, I loved writing, taking photos and trying to capture the essence of the life there with everyone across the pond.

Now back in the USA, I have brought home a boy, and am on a whole new journey.  I have begun to see my old country with new eyes which  makes it that much more exciting in this new place we call home - Portland, Oregon.  The blog has morphed into a look into our life and anecdotes as we settle into our new country.

After growing up and graduating from high school in Kelso, WA I headed to Arizona State University where I studied Marking and International Business.  Soon after I moved to NYC to work for a year and a half.  By complete chance, while working in the Big Apple I stumbled upon a job in Hondarribia, Basque Country (in the north of Spain) and took the big leap across the ocean to a completely new country.  Now I have jumped back, ready to appreciate my stomping ground in a new way.  

On the day of my move to the Basque Country, my mom told me my horoscope in the newspaper said: Stray from your familiar clan to have a conversation with someone of a completely different world view. You still won't agree, you'll have to stretch your mind just to understand - and that's the whole point.  From that, I took my time abroad to learn about different cultures and to try and appreciate them for what they are.  Now, with a bit of a different viewpoint, I am back and still looking to stretch my mind.

Feel free to contact me via a comment on the blog or at amanda.gonser@gmail.com. Happy reading!