Member Spotlight: Meet Jr, An Australian Photographer Living In Germany

Meet Jr!

Jr moved to Munich in the summer of 2020 after travelling around Europe for his work as a Photographer. The Australian native is a super active person and an avid traveller and storyteller, which pairs very well with his line of work! Jr is always on the go, if he’s in Munich you’ll be sure to find him exploring the city and surrounding areas - in fact, all the photos of Munich in this post are taken by him. He’s been an amazing member of the LifeX community in Munich!

What’s your favourite thing about Munich?

Every time you walk around a corner it’s just so beautiful, the buildings, the colours, the food, the overall vibrance during the day. There are no ugly or dodgy parts of Munich; it's just beautiful from start to finish. I also love how green it is, there are parks everywhere, trees everywhere; I mean where else in central Europe can you go surfing in the city and see people riding their bikes with a surfboard rack. Lastly, the central location, if you looked at a map of Europe and put a dot in the middle it would be Munich or Zurich. I can be in the alps in 40 minutes or I can easily visit beautiful lakes, forests, Italy, or Switzerland. 

What will we catch you doing on the weekend?

It depends on the season! Bavaria is super pretty and there are lots of things to see around here, so if I’m not travelling I’ll be checking out the lakes and hikes. In the summer, I love to visit Italy and Greece, in the winter it’s probably going to be Austria and the Alps, or Switzerland.

What’s your favourite celebration or festival?

In Australia, it’s Australia Day, it’s the equivalent of 4th of July (in the US), it’s a big party where everyone just celebrates being Australian. People make Eskys (drink coolers) with an engine and drive around to give people drinks. In Germany, it’s the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas markets) everything there is handmade, the drinks, the food, you can buy gingerbread hearts and put someone’s name on it. You can drink mulled wine and sit by the fire - to me that is what Christmas was intended to be. Australia and North America seem to have lost sight of Christmas a bit, it’s now about gifts and having ‘more’. Here in Germany, it’s about having some wine by the fire with family and friends. I look forward to Christmas in Germany.

Do you have a favourite restaurant in Munich?

There is a place called Wagners which is a vegan food and juice bar which is right on the river, you can sit there, people watch, and enjoy some healthy food.

Are you learning anything new?

I’m slowly learning German using an app and I start proper classes next month. It’s hard because coming from Australia we have an informal way of speaking and in Germany, there is a correct way to say everything (masculine vs feminine, formal vs informal) and people aren’t afraid to correct you.

Do you have any pet peeves?

Slow walkers, especially if they are walking in the bike lane. People not indicating when driving. In Australia whenever you change lanes or turn you indicate it - it’s the law. Here in Germany you see a lot of people not doing it, especially on the autobahn.

Any funny facts about you to share?

I’m planning to get a tattoo in a few weeks of the symbol for no speed limit from the sign on the autobahn. So I don’t have it yet but I will soon! I’m waiting for the swimming season to be over then I’ll get it done.



Do you have any tips for remote working?

Eating well and physical movement. If you’re eating pizza, burgers, and take out all the time it can really make your mood go down. I think if you plan to cook one good meal a day it can be really nice and something to look forward to. Whether it’s a walk in the morning or a bike in the evening, it can make a big difference to break up the day. Also having separate spaces for working/living/sleeping so you don’t blur the lines.

If you’re interested in joining the LifeX community, check our available homes and sign up to chat with our team who will help you find the best home for you! We have homes (and more amazing members like Jr) in Munich, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, London, and Vienna!