Amanda Gonser moved to the Basque country in northern Spain to teach English for one year in 2008. She fell in love with the rich culture, amazing people, delicious pintxos, and gorgeous landscape so much that she stayed another year and yet another until she found a Basque man and got hitched.

Before moving to Europe, Amanda lived in Washington, Phoenix, Baltimore, and New York City, and travelled every chance she got. Thinking her first year in Europe might be her only one, she started a travel marathon around the continent that she has yet to complete. She has been to many European countries – some more than once – but her love for interacting with people of different cultures and seeing new places has never left her.