Berlin expat Natalie smiles over her computer in a cafe in Berlin

Meet Natalie, a Berlin expat and blogger from California, USA

Name: Natalie

Pronoun(s): She/Her

Nationality: American

Hometown: Los Angeles, California 

Current location: Berlin, Germany

Occupation: Copywriter

Berlin expat Natalie smiling while wearing a two-piece black dress in the trendy Berlin neighborhood Kreuzberg. Natalie has short curly hair and black, plastic frame glasses.
Strolling through Kreuzberg, a trendy and historical neighborhood in East Berlin

Hi, I’m Natalie!

I’m a writer and blogger from California now living in Berlin.

I did study abroad in Berlin in 2016 and quickly realized I needed much more time in the city, so I spent my next couple of years in college planning how to make that happen. Three years later I moved- this time with a job as a copywriter, my cat, and my boyfriend.

Since I was a kid I’ve loved documenting my travels, mainly to national parks, and historic sites. I did this through scrapbooking, postcard journaling, and collecting mementos- if it was semi-nostalgic I was all over it!

As I continued to travel more as an adult, I became motivated to write about my travels in a way I could more easily share. Now, I have my blog natalieetc.com, where I write about all things Berlin, food, travel advice, and personal inspiration. 🙂

Education Background

Berlin expat Natalie smiling while on a walk around her neighborhood in Berlin. Natalie has short curly hair and black, plastic frame glasses. She's wearing a blue and white flower patterned dress.
Walking around my local Berlin neighborhood

If you studied abroad, would you recommend the experience? 

I would 100% recommend studying abroad if you have the opportunity! I had such a lovely semester in Berlin, and I think it’s a great city for young people. Plus, I was in a great location to see other parts of Europe too! I’ll never forget the €9 plane ticket I scored to Venice. 

If you can’t study abroad, keep an eye out for experiences later in life. Living abroad and constantly being outside your comfort zone sounds scary, but learning about yourself in a new country and growing your confidence is really rewarding.

What advice would you give someone who isn’t interested in attending a traditional college or university, but knows they want to travel? 


Whether you’ve attended college or not, think about what realistically makes sense for you!

If you’re interested in simply taking a brief trip, look up itineraries made by people who have traveled to the places you’re interested in. Create a folder in your bookmarks to better organize information about these locations.

If you have a small budget or want to get a more local perspective you can do part time work at a hostel or farm with WWOOF in exchange for room and board. If you want to immerse yourself in the language, look into countries that have language learning opportunities like language school visas. If you’d rather have the planning taken care of for you and are interested in group travel look into programs like EF Ultimate Break or Contiki. There are so many possibilities! In the meantime watch some films, visit a local restaurant, or make the food of the country you’re interested in visiting to get you extra excited for the trip. Or message me on Instagram! I’m always down to answer a few travel Qs – especially about life in Berlin or being a Berlin expat!

Professional Background

Berlin expat Natalie smiling while on a walk around Venice, Italy. Natalie has short curly hair and black, plastic frame glasses. She's wearing a sleeveless white, long-sleeve summer top and gray jean skirt.
Escaping the crowds in Venice, Italy

Did you ever feel unsure of your career path?

Definitely, but most of my issues with my career are purely mental battles that I need to overcome.

There are a lot of writers and bloggers who write about similar things to me and it can be difficult to find my voice, and it’s easy to feel like I’m not talented or entertaining enough

I’ve never been unsure about writing as a whole though, I know I really enjoy it, and I feel so satisfied when my thoughts can transform into something that interests and helps people.

Do your future career goals involve living abroad or traveling for work?

Yes! The dream is to become a full-time travel writer, although I’m not sure where my home base would be. I’d love to focus my writing career on personal travels and even traveling for the purpose of writing about it. I’m currently a copywriter for an international education and travel company so I’m on my way! 🙂

Curious about working for English-speaking clients while living and working in Berlin? Check out Claire’s feature! Fearless Friday No. 20 – Claire, Blogger and Berlin Freelancer Visa Holder – The Millennial Abroad

On Lifestyle

Berlin expat Natalie smiling while on a rooftop overlooking the Berlin skyline. Natalie has short curly hair and black, plastic frame glasses. She's wearing a cozy brown sweater for fall and long black skirt with white polka dots.
Rooftop view of the Berlin skyline

Do you speak a second language? More than one other language?

I do! I speak English, and advanced Spanish. I’m also learning German, and plan to start learning another language in a few years once I’m more comfortable with German. For now practicing German takes up enough time.

Learning German is important if you live in Germany, even if you’re crazy busy like Christina, a Canadian living in Munich! Check out her feature for more about her story: Fearless Friday No. 14 – Christina from Happy to Wander – The Millennial Abroad

If you could go back in time and participate in a travel experience you didn’t know was available to you at the time (for example – you’d au pair, teach in another country, volunteer in a certain nonprofit, etc) what would it be?

If I had the time to study abroad twice I would’ve loved to study in another country, especially a Spanish speaking one to improve my Spanish. Certain volunteer programs like WWOOF are really interesting too, and I think I would have really enjoyed spending a summer volunteering. I’ve also been introduced to modern day van life this past year, and that might be something I try in the future, even if just for a few months.

Berlin expat Natalie smiling standing under a huge maple tree during autumn in Berlin. Natalie has short curly hair and black, plastic frame glasses. She's wearing a black maxi dress with a leopard print skirt and a oversize pink cardigan.
Enjoying Berlin’s autumn weather

Do you prefer fast or slow travel? Why?

A balance of both is probably my favorite. The longer I’m in a place the more comfortable I feel with relaxing and taking my time.

A perfect day in a new place for me probably consists of an early-ish and fast-paced start to the day, an afternoon nap, and a relaxed and carefree evening out.

I love getting to experience both the morning coffee rush and evening drinks in a city.

I prefer traveling slowly when it comes to getting from one place to another though; I typically opt for taking the walking or public transit route when available and practical.

One last question

Natalie smiling while visiting Joshua Tree National Park in her hoe state of California. Natalie has short curly hair and black, plastic frame glasses. She's wearing a black sweater and standing in front of palm trees.
Day Trip to Joshua Tree National Park, located in my home state California

What advice would you give to a young personwho knows they want to travel but aren’t sure where that fits in with the rest of their lives?

There is never going to be the perfect time for anything, new responsibilities will continue to show up and demand time from you, so don’t let them stop you from living the life you want.

I’d also recommend making a plan! I’m a big planner before trips happen so that I can ultimately relax and enjoy myself when I’m actually on the trip. Decide where you want to go, how long you think you can go, the best time to visit (look into off season times, decent weather, make sure things are open, etc), decide what you want to do there, and create a spreadsheet to sort out costs and how long you need to save up.

You deserve to live the life you want. Turn your dreams into reality by taking the time to figure out how to make it happen.

Berlin expat Natalie smiling while riding the U-Bahn in Berlin. Natalie has short curly hair and black, plastic frame glasses a red, sleeveless top and a mask with a little blue and red flowers pattern.
Riding the U-Bahn, before public transit in Berlin required FFP2 masks

***

Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited

Thank you for reading Fearless Friday No. 23 – Natalie, Berlin Expat and Copywriter!

If you connected with Natalie’s organized and practical approach to travel and life, want to learn more about what it’s like to be a Berlin expat, and/or get the inside scoop on the best places to visit in Berlin (especially brunch spots) then be sure to subscribe to her blog to get your free guide to the FIFTY (yes, 5-0) best brunch spots in 10 different Berlin neighborhoods). Natalie invites you to connect with her on the following platforms.

Blog: https://www.natalieetc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalie_etc/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@natalie_etc?

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/NatalieEtc/

A new edition of 52 Weeks of Fearless: A Friday Feature Series is posted every Friday evening, France time (CET). If you enjoy reading and want to keep up-to-date with the latest posts, please subscribe and follow @themillennialabroad to support and be the first to receive weekly blog posts and a monthly newsletter recapping the month’s posts and latest in Strasbourg and travel news.

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Five women profiled for the 52 Weeks of Fearless feature series
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2 Comments

    1. Author

      There is such a lovely group of you expats in Germany! It’s been so fun discovering all of these little blogger alcoves during this project 🙂

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