Hallo!! (as the German greeting goes...)

I suppose I should begin with a bit of background information here. I'm a native of Hickory, North Carolina, and my husband is from Palestine. We met while in college, and fourteen years, three houses, and two children later we've landed in Berlin, Germany. In August 2011, we moved here from the quiet North Carolina city of Hickory for my husband's career, and we are continually attempting to adapt and learn how to "thrive" in this new world. While I'm beginning this blog eight months into our life in Berlin, I'll  reflect now and then on stories and experiences from when we first arrived, and from our trip to Palestine in September. We're attempting to "swim with it" as the title suggests, and to learn and grow from our experiences here. I look forward to sharing our life in Berlin with you!