an American in Germany
Hi! I’m Celeste.
I’m originally from the U.S. – born and raised in central Illinois. Now, I live in the southwest corner of Germany, in the beautiful city of Konstanz.
I met my English husband, Sam, while living in Boston, Massachusetts. He followed his academic career first to Norway in 2017, then to Germany in 2020. I happily came along for the ride.
Education and Career
My path has been neither straight nor conventional, but it’s definitely been interesting (and fun!). I completed my bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology and then shifted gears entirely, diving into two master’s programs to study the anthropology of dance in Latin America. I learned Spanish (and some Quechua), and conducted original research on salsa and other dance in Latin America and among the Latin American diaspora. I was convinced I would pursue these studies into a PhD and become an academic. But life had other plans.
When I wasn’t accepted into a PhD program, I got a job in medical education administration and began working in restaurants on the side. At the time, it seemed the sensible thing to do, since I didn’t have much money left over after my loan payments and rent. Quickly, picking up a few shifts turned into a full blown career in wine. I left administration to learn from some of the top wine professionals in Boston (and later Oslo) and pursued a few exams through the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).
More than ten years later, I’ve switched careers again. I now teach and work (in research administration) at the University of Konstanz. But my interests in biology, Latin America and wine have never waned – and I use them more often than you might think. My course, Academic Writing as Critical Thinking attracts students from all disciplines, so my diverse background has allowed me to teach a wide range of students much more effectively.
Wine and Plant-based living
My blog, Plants & Plonk, was born from a desire to fill the gap in wine pairing options for vegans and plant-based lifestyles. Throughout all my work in wine, seldom did I ever come across wine resources devoted to those who choose to not eat animals. So, I’m trying to make my small contribution to that end.
Plants & Plonk has been on hiatus since 2022, but I hope to bring it back soon!
celeste radosevich 