- - Why leaving the US for Europe changed these Americans’ outlook on life

Maureen O'Hare, CNNJanuary 17, 2026 at 8:00 AM

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Kate Raidt and her son Bodie, left, moved from the US to Ulm, Germany in 2024. - Courtesy Kate Raidt

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In our travel news roundup this week: how airlines make sure your pilot is sober, what really happens inside a Turkish bath, and why there’s a worldwide dash to secure second passports.

Starting over in Germany and Sweden

Dual citizenship — the ability to be a citizen of more than one country — has long been the dream of many travelers and expats. Right now, a global rush for second passports is intensifying as countries around the world tighten requirements. For those who obtain the right to live abroad, whether by citizenship or visa, the move can be transformative.

Kate Raidt moved with her son from Atlanta to Germany a year and a half ago and went through the “long and challenging process” of getting a visa. It was all worth it, she says, as the relocation’s gone “way better than anyone could have imagined.”

She now lives in the southern city of Ulm, close to the natural beauty of the Danube River and the Bavarian Alps, and is enjoying a new outdoorsy lifestyle. It’s done wonders for her mental and physical health, she says.

In 2022, San Diego woman Arabella Carey Adolfsson moved to a Swedish island with her husband, a Swede. The winters “can be quite brutal,” she tells CNN, and she misses her family back home. “There was a huge slice of my life that was taken away and I still haven’t figured out what to replace it with.”

The big thing she’s learned is that a mental reset is key to adapting to a new country. “It’s a matter of reworking the program in your head that you were used to running,” she says, “and running a new program.”

Dry January

Rise and shine: Daytime revelers at Seoul Morning Coffee Club. - Director Keun

Thinking of cutting back on the booze for 2026? It’ll make you less likely to get into a spot of bother on a plane, for one thing. There’s one common theme when it comes to in-flight passenger incidents, a criminology professor tells CNN: “Alcohol. Alcohol. Alcohol.”

The aviation industry is in agreement that drunk airline passengers are a problem. The big headscratcher is how to fix it. Banning bad apples? Limiting drinks at the airport? We took a look at this complex debate.

It’s not just cockeyed customers who can cause trouble in the skies; pickled pilots are also a cause for concern. While it’s rare for commercial crews to attempt to fly under the influence, a string of incidents in recent years has brought the issue to the forefront. Read our story about the precautions airlines take to make sure your pilot is sober.

Alcohol-free carousing is a growing movement among younger people and it’s taking the global party scene in an unexpected direction. From South Korea to Paris, revelers are now enjoying sober raves, dancing at daybreak in wholesome venues such as bakeries and coffee shops.

Inside a Turkish bath

Men lie on a heated marble slab in a hamam in Istanbul. - Yasin Akgul/AFP/Getty Images

Hamams, or Turkish baths, are a social ritual in Turkey dating back more than a thousand years, but what really goes on inside these temples of steam and soap?

A warm, tranquil world where you can be washed clean by an attendant is a return to childhood, even to the womb. Here’s why fans say it leaves them feeling brand new.

The Finnish tradition of sauna (sweating it out in a wooden box) has also spread beyond Scandinavia and is a growing wellness trend worldwide.

Going from the hot sauna to a cold plunge is the most challenging bit of the sauna experience, but if you love going au naturel all year round, may we recommend our roundup of the best nude beaches in the US?

Don’t go disrobing without knowing the etiquette, though: here’s our 21st-century guide to taking off your clothes.

Americans moving to the English Cotswolds

Drawn by historic homes, seclusion and a slower pace of life, a growing number of Americans are settling in England’s Cotswolds — swapping US life for village routines, honey-colored cottages and quiet comfort.

In case you missed it

A first look inside an ancient Roman home.

History buffs can now virtually tour a former aristocratic residence that’s more than 2,000 years old.

The world’s most powerful passports of 2026.

The lucky citizens of this country can visit more than 190 destinations visa-free.

A NASA mission. A cell outage. A city on edge.

What do you remember from the week that was?

Young people are traveling the world for free.

And they’re risking everything to do it.

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