Today Flo and I went to Santa Monica Beach with some friends to just hang out and enjoy the sun. I jokingly asked Flo the following “Did you ever dream of living in Los Angeles, hanging out on the Beach on a lazy Sunday, having an amazing job at a great company, awesome friends and just a wonderful life?”. He for sure said No and it was one of those moments again where it just hits me: We freaking made our dreams come true!

I was never really someone who believed in the saying “Live your dreams”. Sure, I had big dreams myself, but I was never optimistic enough to really think they might ever come true. But with that chance the Greencard win gave us, I kinda grew out of this “It will never happen anyways”-attitude and just started trying. And as you see know, that endless trying, hardwork and heartbreak brought me to where I am today: To Los Angeles, where I am living a life long dream.

Flo and I always say that we don’t feel like we really did that big of a step. That we don’t feel like we really moved to a foreign country with a foreign language to completely start over. Sometimes I really have to pinch and remind myself where I lived, what I have achieved in one year and what else is still to come. It makes me very proud, very happy and also feel like I should remind you all again to not forget your dreams. Follow them as long as it takes, don’t give up, be strong and never stop believing in them. Dreams do come true! And in real life they feel way better than they do in your imagination!

Today was Flos and my second wedding anniversary. Looking back two years to that point when we just had won the Greencard and decided to get married in a little rush to make this dream come true, made today very special for us. Because today, two years later, we live what we always dreamed of and already achieved so much together in our new home the US.

The weather is amazing right now, so we decided to drive down to Laguna Beach and enjoy the sun. We took a nice walk at the beach, had a late all-american lunch and browsed through a few shops in Laguna. Enjoying little things like just driving to the beach, walking through the cold water with naked feet and just being amazed by California’s beauty made this day very special.

Marriage was just the beginning of our US journey, which we now fully live and enjoy! Saying yes to each other two years ago was also saying yes to our American Dream. And we both don’t regret either of these decisions!

I have to admit that Flo and I watch way too many german TV shows about people emigrating to foreign countries. Sadly most of them are super naive and think that moving to a new country means that you won’t have to work as much as you did in Germany. That actually makes me so mad. I hope none of you lucky Greencard winners who are about to move to our new home country, thinks that! Because let me tell you that: Moving here means work! And not only work to earn money!

Besides working for a living – which actually is a lot over here, because living is really expensive – you have to work on yourself in so many different ways: You have to work on the language, you have to work on your social skills and you have to work on your attitude! Because moving to a new country does not only mean joy. Don’t get me wrong: I love living here, I love our new life and I don’t regret that step at all. But I had to be brave in so many situations and that normally is so not me!

Sometimes Flo and I feel like little children or maybe people who study at nights after they did their day job. Moving abroad means being a student non-stop. I would say at least for a year! Sometimes it’s nice to learn new stuff, sometimes it’s surprising, but sometimes it’s also hard! But it also is a huge adventure! One you should appreciate! Even if it means a lot of work!