Fun fact. We’ve technically been in this new apartment in Germany for roughly two months, and it was only yesterday that we figured out how to register and pay for electricity. 🤦♀️ Good news, we can backdate it. 😆 I say technically back in Germany because we arrived from Ecuador and almost immediately left forContinue reading “The European Shwits are Back!”
Author Archives: The Shwits
Shane + Whitney = The Shwits. Cheesy? Yes. Is our cat ashamed of us? Probably. We're an American couple that has lived abroad for 9+ years. The Shwits is our diary of expat life, travel, and occasionally science. Enjoy!
Ecuador Reflections
It seems like both yesterday and a thousand years ago we were packing our bags for Ecuador. Now that we’re back in Germany, I wanted to reflect on our experience living there. Without a doubt, we are different people now than when we arrived, in a good way! So, here we go. First, this soundsContinue reading “Ecuador Reflections”
Rainbow Mountain, Peru
This place is literally otherworldly! On the last of our three full days in Cusco, we scheduled a tour to Rainbow Mountain, or la Montaña de Siete Colores (the mountain of seven colors). For the record, we were exhausted by this point! The nice thing about staying in Cusco is that it’s central for variousContinue reading “Rainbow Mountain, Peru”
Machu Picchu, Peru
Hi again! This will be short since we are a mere 10 days away from moving back to Germany (🤯). And, let’s face it, there is so much information on the logistics of getting to Machu Picchu that I don’t need to go into the details. So, this post is all about the pictures! IContinue reading “Machu Picchu, Peru”
ATV Rides in Cusco, Peru
I like to think that, within reason, anything you can do, I can do. Maybe not better, but I’ll surely give it a go! Well, friends. Not this time. Driving an ATV is not for me, and you know what? I’m ok with it. I’ve gone a bit rogue with my blog-time continuum. My lastContinue reading “ATV Rides in Cusco, Peru”
Hiking to Quilotoa Crater Lake, Ecuador
It’s hard to believe, but by the time you’re reading this, we will officially have less than a month left in Ecuador! Two+ years here have simultaneously flown by and gone slowly, but that’s for another post. I’ve been to Quilotoa before when my friend Mary Beth visited, but it was only a day trip.Continue reading “Hiking to Quilotoa Crater Lake, Ecuador”
Las Islas Galápagos: Budget, Logistics, and Other Useful Stuff
Or, in other words, the “Shit I’d Wished I’d Known” post. Don’t get me wrong, our trip to the Galapagos was fantastic! However, there are definitely some things that, had I known beforehand, we might have done differently. Also, “the Galapagos is so expensive!” is a common phrase but slightly misleading. So, if you’re thinkingContinue reading “Las Islas Galápagos: Budget, Logistics, and Other Useful Stuff”
Las Islas Galápagos: Isla Isabela
The second half of our Galapagos adventure was spent on Isabela Island, which is larger in size but much smaller in population. For reference, the number of permanent residents on Santa Cruz Island, where we spend the first half of the trip, is ~15,000 versus ~2,000 on Isabela. If we had it to do overContinue reading “Las Islas Galápagos: Isla Isabela”
The Shwits 