We’ll be bringing our dog with us on our Schengen Shuffle journey. It’s a complex string of logistics to coordinate. But she’s part of our family and she’s definitely coming with us, whatever it takes.

After decades of dreaming about living abroad and endlessly researching the many ways to go about doing so, my husband and I are now taking step after step towards making it a reality. And somehow, the closer we get, the clearer it becomes that in order to do The Schengen Shuffle we have to make peace with a world of uncertainty.

Technically, that was three strikes. But I wasn’t out yet. Even though my family was relieved every time I backed out of taking the leap to move abroad, the dream still hadn’t died.

As my husband and I prepare to take the leap abroad that I’ve dreamt of for more years of my life than not, we’ve been lightening our load.

Everybody is on their own unique path as they navigate the nuances of shuffling in and out of the Schengen Zone. That’s why we’re opening up submissions for other shufflers to share their insights and firsthand accounts.

We’re so glad you found The Schengen Shuffle. We’ve spent years researching how to shuffle and will be sharing our findings, unforgettable memories, and yes, even the inevitable mistakes made along the way. It’s all part of the adventure!