Roland and Renata Lechner, expats from Munich, recently arrived in Simpsonville, South Carolina to begin a three year stay during Roland’s contract with BMW. While Roland hails from Salzburg, Austria, Renata is from Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  Read on to learn about their U.S. experiences, half a world away from their original homes.

What are the best things about moving to Upstate SC?
We enjoy South Carolina’s weather, which goes right along with the opportunity to cook good steaks outside on our grill.  It is also interesting to watch the chipmunks and squirrels in our neighborhood.

What is the hardest part of moving to Upstate SC?
The hardest part of our transition was living out of two suitcases for two months while moving.

What has been the biggest difference you have seen between here and your home country?
One of the biggest differences is in our home’s construction. We hate drywall! I (Roland) never understood how a car could drive through a wall and into a house in American movies.  Now I see how lightweight the walls really are.
It has also been a difficult adjustment that we always need a car to go out.  We can’t go anywhere on foot or by bike.

How are you handling the language and cultural challenges?
The most challenging times are when we have to face a thick Southern accent when ordering in a restaurant. I (Renata) think the language here is much easier than when I was transitioning to German!
Wetzel helped us find a place to live here and told us about cultural difficulties we might face – and we have faced those struggles.  We both currently have language tutors from Wetzel.

Besides family, what things are you missing most from home?
We miss our friends, and the Englischer Garten park in Munich.  We also miss walking and cycling.

What are your goals during this expat contract?
We hope to do some extensive traveling, including a coast-to-coast road trip. We definitely want to visit Hawaii. We both would love to make some good friends while we’re here.  And I (Roland) would like to play in a band.

What is your favorite restaurant in Greenville, South Carolina?
Actually, our favorite place to eat is our own backyard.  We can buy some great steaks here!  Other than that, we recommend Uncle Berto’s Burritos at Five Forks and Lemongrass on Main Street in Greenville.

What is your best recommendation for a day trip so far?
Take a drive to Charleston, or go hiking at Paris Mountain.

What have you learned about yourselves through this experience?
Living here, I (Roland) have learned that I have an aversion to DIY (Do It Yourself) Stores.

What has been your most unusual experience?
As you can see from our snapshot, we enjoy SCUBA diving.  Recently, I (Renata) was thrilled when the UPS man delivered a new wetsuit that I had ordered off the internet.  While I was trying it on, the doorbell rang again, so I went to the door in my wetsuit.  The man there proceeded to try to sell me $300 worth of bulk frozen meat.  The idea of standing in my wetsuit talking to a salesman about more meat than I could possibly store in my freezer was a bit too surreal for me.

What advice can you give to other expats who may come to Upstate SC?
BRING YOUR OWN FACIAL TISSUES! Like the drywall, American Kleenex are too fragile and flimsy. Bring your own Tempo packs. Before you come, practice using American measurements - find out how tall you are in inches, work on the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversions, clothing sizes, and teach family members how to use Skype for cheap internet phone calls. When you first arrive, be open-minded and drive around a lot to try to learn your way.