Hello, and welcome to my blog! My name is Anja Meier and I’m so excited to introduce myself to you all. As you’ll be aware, my blog is called hemmapilgerweg.com. Why, you ask? Well, you’ll need some context for that. “Hemma pilgerweg” is German and translates to “Hemma pilgrimage” in English. You can read all about the Hemma pilgrimage here. The reason this is so relevant to me is because I am German and I travelled, like a pilgrim, to find my home. Plus, there were lots of pilgrims in my family if you go back many generations – that’s how they ended up in Germany! So I thought it would be quite fitting.
I mentioned finding my home above. Well, the place that I now call home is the United States, and Tarrytown in particular. Growing up in Germany, I always had a fascination with the United States. The movies, the music, the culture – it all intrigued me. When I was 18, I decided to take a gap year before starting college and backpack through the U.S. with my best friend. It was an incredible experience that opened my eyes to a new world. I fell in love with the people, the food, and the landscape. It was then that I knew I had to come back someday.
After finishing college and working in Germany for a few years, I decided to take the plunge and move to the U.S. I was fortunate enough to get a job with a marketing agency in New York City and I jumped at the opportunity. The move was a bit of a culture shock at first, but I quickly adapted to the fast-paced lifestyle of the city. I loved the energy and the diversity of the people.
However, after a few years in the city, I started to feel burnt out. The constant noise, the crowds, and the rush hour commute were taking a toll on me. Prior to moving, I did a lot of research and a lot of people said they felt the same – they loved the hustle and bustle of the city at first but it soon became too much. Personally, I found myself yearning for the peace and quiet I had back in Germany. But I knew that I wasn’t ready to move back to Deutschland, as the U.S. now felt like home. So, instead, I did some research and discovered a beautiful village called Tarrytown, about an hour from NYC. It’s in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County and it’s a beautiful village located on the bank of the Hudson River. It gave me the peace and quiet I yearned for without removing me completely from NYC.
It’s since I’ve been here that I decided to start my blog. My mind has been clearer since I’ve been away from the city and I’ve had a lot more time to explore my hobbies. The blog is a way for me to share my love of home decor, cooking, and simple living with others who share my passion.
Through my blog, I’ve been able to tap into my German heritage and explore it even further. This has been a really interesting process for me, researching my ancestry and the pilgrims from in my family. As such, I’ve also been able to incorporate my heritage into my home; for example, I love to decorate my home with traditional German textiles and incorporate German recipes into my cooking.
On my blog, I will share my experiences and insights about minimalism, sustainable living, and German culture. I also plan to share my favorite recipes, DIY projects, and travel tips. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I’m excited to (hopefully!) build a community of readers and friends that I can connect with along the way.
Moving to the U.S. was a big leap for me, but it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve been able to pursue my passion for blogging and create a life that is meaningful to me in a place that has truly become my home. I look forward to sharing more about my journey and my passion for home and simple living with you all through my blog. I hope you’ll join me along the way and find inspiration in my story. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me! Vielen Dank!