• This is something for all my American readers: On July 2 you can learn how to prepare the perfect July 4th snack at Snack-a-Vaganza on youtube. The event is organized by d.a.i Tübingen.
• On July 2 you can also check out the Tour of Hope. The live stream will bring the work of DJ Jens Herzberg, mainly House and Techno, from the rooftop terrace of Stuttgart Library directly into your living room (or where ever you might be :-)) You can follow the event here youtube.de/stadtbibliothekstuttgartyt
• Between July 14 and 18 you can join the nature film festival Natur Vision online. You can dive into a variation of topics while watching “Beauty and the Bees”, “Bikes vs. Cars” or “Chicks on Boards” to name just a few.
• Between July 21 and 25 the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart will also be celebrated online. The festival pass (18 Euro) allows you to watch current feature films, short films and documentaries from all over India for five days at home.
• Meet other English speakers around the globe virtually on July 12 at Stammtisch Transatlantik.
• The book club of DAZ (Deutsch Amerikanische Zentrum) will meet online on Zoom on July 22 in order to discuss “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” by Ocean Vuong.

But it is summer and of course we don’t want to sit at home in front of a computer all day. So: Get out there! 😀

• All the public outdoor pools of Stuttgart and the area are open now. You have to buy your ticket online in advance. In order to avoid the crowds you might consider going in the morning.
• In my last post on the blog I have pointed out 4 fun outings for families with toddlers. In this article I share my 3 favorite short walks and a highlight of Stuttgart with you.
• Any hikers here? Check out the hikes in the area of Leinfelden-Echterdingen! The city has published two hiking guide books in English which you can download free of charge: Refreshing Walks and Idyllic Recreation at Siebenmühlental. Don’t be astonished when you check out the cover of the first guide book and think the lady on the picture looks familiar – I am the co-author 🙂
• Another great hiking trail is Herzog-Jäger-Pfad at Waldenbuch. You find a virtual map here.

Have a great July in Stuttgart (or anywhere in the world :-)) and stay safe and healthy!

PS: Please note, this post contains links to fun activities. I did not get paid to mention them or link to them. The selection of events provided here is based on my personal research.

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A big THANK YOU to the sponsors of Living in Stuttgart! Without their support it would not be possible to run this source of information for the International community in Stuttgart. You can support this blog by giving theses companies a visit and considering benefiting from their services.

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So that’s why this post about events this June in Stuttgart is still a Corona edition where I point out mainly online events or things to do where you don’t have contact with many people.

• June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Of course things will be different this year as there can’t be parades or parties but CSD Stuttgart has still organized a lot of great events, most of them online of course.
• The public outdoor pools in Stuttgart are now open! In order to purchase a ticket you have to sign in here and then buy the e-ticket here. You have to select the bath you want to go to and one of the two time frames (morning or afternoon). You have to bring a negative Corona test or show proof that you are fully vaccinated or recovered.
• The local tour provider “Stuttgarter Stäffele Tour” now offers an City Quest Tour in English where you discover Stuttgart by yourself/with friends while solving exciting challenges.
• The Wilhelma, our local zoo, has opened its gates again. You can enjoy all the outdoor attractions with a Corona-Schnelltest/Rapid Test that is not older than 24 hours. Please book your ticket online in advance.
• Filmtage Tübingen celebrates Cine Latino online between June 3 and 16.
• Take part in the fun social media event of “Das Stuttgarter Ballet Jung”, the young branch of the famous Stuttgart ballett. Film yourself performing to a song that was especially produced for this online event. Then write to expressyourself@staatstheater-stuttgart.de and you will get an upload link for your video. Hand it in before June 6 and become part of a fun music video.
• On June 7 the New English American Theatre NEAT will perform Sunflower Skeleton by Allen Ginsberg online on youtube.
• It is virtuell board game night on June 17!
• Do you want to try watercolor painting? Then join the free workshop of vhs international on June 18 via Zoom.
• Stuttgart Expats will organize a Scavenger Hunt on June 19.
• On June 23 you can join the online discussion #Love is Love! LGBTQ+ which is focusing on the challenges of adolescence LGBTQ+ youth.
• The book club of DAZ (Deutsch Amerikanisches Zentrum) will discuss Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu on June 24.

Have a great June and stay safe and healthy!

PS: Please note, this post contains links to fun activities. I did not get paid to mention them or link to them. The selection of events provided here is based on my personal research.

VIP Sponsors

A big THANK YOU to the sponsors of Living in Stuttgart! Without their support it would not be possible to run this source of information for the International community in Stuttgart. You can support this blog by giving theses companies a visit and considering benefiting from their services.

The post What’s up this June in Stuttgart – Corona edition appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.

• The New English American Theater will perform the one-act play  True Dylan which is based on a interview with the musician on youtube on May 3.
• Join the virtuell lecture “Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the U.S”, organized by DAZ on May 4.
• The beloved Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film can only take place online this year from May 4 to 9. Next to films and games one additional offer is the ITFS VR Hub, which will bring the Festival feeling to a digital Schlossplatz.
• On May 7 you can join a multimedia exploration of popular literature and film with d.a.i.-teacher Scott Stelle. This month’s topic: the thin borderline between the law through works of fiction, true crime and film.
• On May 11 you can join an online presentation and discussion about guns and gun control in the US.
• Calling all book lovers: On May 14 you can participate in the virtuell book discussion about Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, a fictionalized story of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes and the death of their son Hamnet.
• d.a.i. Tübingen organizes a virtuell boardgame night on May 20.
• The DAZ book club meets virtually on May 20 to discuss “The Undocumented Americans” by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio.

VIP Sponsors

A big THANK YOU to the sponsors of Living in Stuttgart! Without their support it would not be possible to run this source of information for the International community in Stuttgart. You can support this blog by giving theses companies a visit and considering benefiting from their services.

The post What’s up this May in Stuttgart – still a Corona edition… appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.

• On April 1 Stuttgart Ballet offers Beethoven-Ballette as video-on-Demand. It will stay online until April 5.
• Every Thursday between 1:15 pm and 1:45 pm you can pimp your lunch break with a virtual Lunchkonzert, performed by the musicians of Staatsorchester Stuttgart.
• If you follow my blog for a while, you know that I am a huge fan of Escape/Exit Games! D.a.i. Tübingen offers an online one in English on April 8.
• Calling all book lovers! You like reading books and discussing them afterwards? Then you can join the online Book Discussion on April 9, organized by d.a.i Tübingen. This month’s topic:James Baldwin, Go Tell it on the Mountain.
• Join English-speaking people from all over the world who meet once a month for good and casual conversation at Stammtisch Transatlantik, organized by DAZ on April 12.
• On April 12, the theatre group NEAT will present the virtual play “Dolores“ by Edward Allan Baker on youtube.
• You like boardgames? Than you might want to join the virtual boardgame night of d.a.i on April 15!
• A very special modern ballet project can be watched online on April 16. Eric Gauthier, creative head of Gauthier Dance at Theaterhaus Stuttgart, and altogether 64 artists (!) have come up with “The Dying Swan Project”. At 16 locations in Stuttgart the team has shot dance videos that will take your breath away. The virtual premier takes place on April 16 on the youtube channel of Theaterhaus Stuttgart and on Eric Gautier’s Intagram account.
• On April 22 it is Earth Day. You can celebrate this special day by joining this online event, a transatlantic dialogue between a top ranger of the Yosemite National Park, established in 1890, and a senior staff member of the Black Forest National Park, established in 2014.
• For more virtual events offered by local businesses you can check out my series fun online courses and events.
• You find inspiration for you next hike or walk in the Stuttgart area in my series Hikes and excursions in and around Stuttgart.

Have a great April! Stay save and healthy.

The post What’s up in Stuttgart this April – Corona-edition appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.

I LOVE spending time in the woods. I used to go to the forest by myself when I had stress at work or didn’t feel good. Now, as a mom, I take the little one out there nearly every day. Did you know that the air in the forest can stimulate our immune system? And that spending time in the forest reduces our stress level? That is scientifically proven and quite awesome, don’t you think?! 🙂

Some of you know that I am not only a blogger and journalist but that I am also a forest bathing coach and author of hiking books (in German tough…). And this spring I think it is time for all of us to get out there, to find our energy and raise our good mood! We really need it after such a long, hard and lonely winter.

On April 18 I will guide an English Forest Bathing course in Stuttgart-Degerloch. Meeting point is Haus des Waldes. The course will start at 2 pm and we will be in the woods for 4 hours. I will talk about the forest air and all the positive effects the forest has on us humans (it is really fascinating, guys!:-)). If you want to find out more or book the course visit vhs-stuttgart.de. Of course, it depends on the covid situation in April, if the course can run or not.

If you speak German and are interested in a Forest Bathing (“Waldbaden”) course: I offer courses in German on April 11 in Leinfelden-Echterdingen and on April 17 in Stuttgart Degerloch. And – new new new 🙂 – I will start an online based course on Mach 28. This one will be unaffected by any future lockdowns. It will run for four weeks with one virtual group meeting every Sunday where I tell you all about forest bathing and introduce you to the different techniques. Then you can decided yourself when you want to go to the forest. In the next online meeting we will talk about your experiences and I will introduce you to the next set of techniques. This course will be held in German only at the moment but if you are interested in a future online based forest bathing course in English, drop me an email to mel@living-in-stuttgart.com!

“What is forest bathing?” you ask now? Let me explain…

What is Forest Bathing?

The term forest bathing stems from the Japanese term “Shinrin Yoku” which translates to “bathing in the forest air.” Japanese scientists have studied the forest air and its healthy benefits for humans for the last 30 years and they came to some very interesting findings. How Terpenes, aromatic organic compounds that are released by trees when they are attached by predators effect our immune system for example. Or that being in the forest can reduce our stress level significantly. Or how just looking at a green scenery can reduce pain…. I could go on forever because there are so many fascinating findings. I will talk more about them in my courses.

The main idea of forest bathing is that you go into the woods and benefit from its positive effects on you. You benefit from the healthy forest air by just being in the woods already. If you want to focus on stress reduction, there are several techniques that help you do so. From focusing on your senses to walking slowly on the forest floor to becoming creative in and with the forest. You will be stunned by how much simple exercises effect your wellbeing and your level of energy.

The best part about forest bathing: It is super simple and sooo efficient. If you want to try it for yourself already you can do the following:

• Go into the nearest forest. Did you know that 24 percent of Stuttgart is covered with forest?! You should have one close to where you live, too.
• Leave the trail. For me, this is the most important step. It is that easy to dive into a new world, away from the stress and worries of everyday life. A few meters away from the trail you feel like you’re in the wilderness already.
• Find a place in the forest where you feel comfortable and sit down. Maybe on a tree trunk or simply on the ground.
• Close your eyes.
• Listen. Smell. Feel. Be.
• There is so much you can focus on. The sound of the birds. The smell of the forest air (healthy Terpenes, remember?! :-)), the wind on your cheeks. Focus on whatever feels good for you in this moment. For me, this is pure meditation.
• When you’re ready, open your eyes again and sit a bit longer in the forest. How do you feel now? Calmer than before? How is your mind? More relaxed?
• If you feel a positive effect of this mini forest bath already, start planing your next trip to the forest. The more often you can include it in your weekly routines, the bigger the effects on your immune system and stress level.

Let me know what you think of forest bathing! Have you heard of it before? Have you already tried it? And if you feel like it, visit one of my courses 🙂 It would be nice to meet you in the woods of Stuttgart or virtually! 🙂

More information
urbantreehugger.de (only in German)

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I LOVE Exit Games (or “escape the room games” how some call them)! My friends and me have played quite a few with ExitGames Stuttgart already. And when Corona hit us and meeting friends in real life wasn’t an option anymore, I was very excited when I found out that they offer Online Exit Games now! And the best: you can play them in English.

ExitGames Stuttgart offers two Online Exit Games at the moment: “Lockdown” and “Diamonds are forever”. I have played both and liked both equally 🙂

At Lockdown you have to solve the mystery about Nicolas Maison, who tried to escape the limitations of the lockdown with some friends and rented a vacation home for the weekend. A weekend trip, he should not return home from …

And at Diamonds are forever you slip into the roles of detectives and investigate in the case of stolen diamonds.

Both Online Exit Games are well designed and the clues and puzzles are challenging and intelligent.

If you haven’t tried an Online Exit Game yet, here comes some details:

• You can play this browser-based game with friends from different locations at once, using Skype, Hangouts, WhatsApp or any other suitable platform.
• You can play whenever you want, you are not fixed on a certain date.
• You can play for as long as you need to solve the case (whereas there are hints you can read when you get stuck at some point). Most people need between 90 and 120 minutes.
• It is a lot of fun! 🙂

And here comes a little special for all of you who want to try an Online Exit Game in the next weeks:

All those who book the Online Escape Game “Lockdown” between February 1 and March 31, 2021, will receive a 10% discount by using the promotional code 100289941

Please note: The promotional voucher is not redeemable in combination with other discounts. A cash payment is not possible.

To see all posts concerning things to do during the lockdown, check out the tag fun online courses and events

The post Things to do during the lockdown: play an Online Exit Game with your friends appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.

Here comes another post for new moms or moms-to-be: If you follow my blog for a while already you might remember Josette from an Expat Interview I did with her a while back in 2020. Josette is an instructor for baby massage classes and also added other newborn classes and even Hypnobirthing to her portfolio.

When Covid hit us all she started to move her services online. Nowadays she has clients in Stuttgart but also America, Argentina, Greece, UAE, UK and still counting.

Her driving force has always been the fact that she once was a lonely mama, in a new country with zero family and knowledge of the German language. So she knows where many of you stand at the moment.
Here is an overview over online courses offered by Josette:

• Hypnobirthing
• Newborn cares
• Newborn Nurture
• Baby massage
• Pre- recorded Baby massage

The fear of birthing can be present in most, however the fear of the unknown of birthing in a new or foreign place can have an impact on the mind, body, soul, baby and bonding process post birth. Therefore learning the techniques and tools through hypnobirthing leaves one feeling positive, full of knowledge, confident and empowered.
Post birth courses enable you to feel confident and empowered in caring for your newborn through loving and nurturing touch. Learning all about settling holds and soothing techniques, mindfulness when looking after your baby, the power of touch and how this can deepen and strengthen your bond and trusting  instincts. After all, “you are your baby’s first teacher”

Always remember: “You are capable and brave and significant and truly magnificent” Josette

Pop over to Josette’s website for a closer look: www.thelittlenestlingplace.com

To see all posts concerning things to do during the lockdown, check out the tag fun online courses and events

The post Things to do during the lockdown: online Hypnobirthing and newborn classes appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.

Still looking for fun online courses to fill the lockdown with something meaningful? volkshochschule stuttgart, one of the largest centers for adult education in Germany, has moved many of their English courses online, too.

Here comes a little overview over some fun online courses of vhs stuttgart:

• Online Start-up Bootcamp (09.03.-16.05.2021): Do you have a business idea that you want to bring to the marketplace?
  In this course, you will find a forum to share ideas and turn them into a viable business.
• Talking about… Slow Food (18.03.2021): Healthy food is important to you? Let’s talk about the organization “Slow Food”! This online talk will start with an inspiring presentation and continue with a Q&A session.
• Chocolate Easter Eggs (27.03.2021): In this class you will learn how to prepare a delicious chocolate egg with coconut filled shell and also chocolate trufles.
• Brazilian Cooking Class: Brigadeiros (22.07.2021): Brigadeiro is a traditional Brazilian sweet made with condensed milk. In this class, we you will learn how to prepare three different versions: traditional chocolate, nuts and coconut.
• And for all of you who speak Italian: Stoccarda chiama…una demografa italiana (26.02.2021): In questo incontro conosceremo la dott.ssa Angela Paparusso, demografa ed esperta di migrazione e integrazione. Nel suo dialogo illustrerà il lavoro di demografo.
• Moreover, vhs stuttgart now offers many of their language classes online and they have introduced some new languages, too, like Albanian and Guaranì. With over 35 languages they are now the biggest language school in Baden-Württemberg!

To see all posts concerning things to do during the lockdown, check out the tag fun online courses and events

The post Things to do during the lockdown: enjoy online courses of vhs stuttgart appeared first on Living in Stuttgart.