Tamala Malerk

Germany

Writer and Editor at Stars and Stripes

7th grade Social Studies and English Language Arts Teacher

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Articles

Talking “Twilight” with AFN Europe

3 days ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Professional microphone and sound mixer in radio station studio (forestrun (123RF)) Twice a month, members of our writing/editing team go on air with AFN Europe to discuss an article (or two) they wrote. This month, I had the opportunity to visit with AFN’s Dom Ingram and not only talk about an article, but one of my favorite book and film franchises of all time: The Twilight Series.
10 Days in Ireland: Limerick and Galway

1 week ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Main high street in Galway City, Ireland (Von Michaella - Adobe Stock) I’ve put together a comprehensive 10-day itinerary for you based on my own Ireland trip featuring things to do, where we ate and where we stayed. If a day doesn’t include a breakfast or dinner suggestion, it’s either because I got coffee from the local Starbucks or I simply forgot the name of the restaurant and searching of Google Maps proved fruitless.
10 Days in Ireland: Kilkenny and County Cork

1 week ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Kilkenny Castle, Ireland (Von Aleena - Adobe Stock) I’ve put together a comprehensive 10-day itinerary for you based on my own Ireland trip featuring things to do, where we ate and where we stayed. If a day doesn’t include a breakfast or dinner suggestion, it’s either because I got coffee from the local Starbucks or I simply forgot the name of the restaurant and searching of Google Maps proved fruitless.
10 Days in Ireland: Killarney and Dingle

1 week ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Hilly and beach area in Gap of Dunloe area (Tamala Malerk) I’ve put together a comprehensive 10-day itinerary for you based on my own Ireland trip featuring things to do, where we ate and where we stayed. If a day doesn’t include a breakfast or dinner suggestion, it’s either because I got coffee from the local Starbucks or I simply forgot the name of the restaurant and searching of Google Maps proved fruitless.
A brief history of Knights Templar in France

1 week ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Knights Templar in France (von Gustavo - Adobe Stock) The Knights Templar is a group of popular, but secretive, historical figures. You may have heard about them for the first time in a high school history course, or maybe they caught your attention in famous films such as “Kingdom of Heaven” or “The Da Vinci Code.” The Knights Templar are fascinating, and you can still visit some of their strongholds on your next trip to France.
Travel back in time in Scotland

1 week ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Stirling Castle in Scotland, a historic fortress with stone walls, towers, and scenic countryside. (IRINA SCHMIDT - Adobe Stock) Has all of this talk about the past made you wish you could experience it? Well, in Scotland, you can! Stirling Castle is one of the largest castles in Scotland. The castle dates back to the 1300s. However, a lot of it was built in the 1400s and 1500s. There is so much to see at the castle.
Interview with 2025 AFI Ramstein Air Base Spouse of the Year, Hailey Smart

1 week ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year logo (Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year ) “Be the positivity you want to see in the world”— Hailey Smart Since 2008, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) has honored military spouses all over the world and from each military branch with the Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY) award. The award recognizes military spouse contributions that help the military community.
Bicycling around the KMC

2 weeks ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Bicycling around the KMC (von U. J. Alexander - Adobe Stock) An Easy Loop Around Ramstein There is a German saying about there not being bad weather, rather only bad clothing. However, it is nice that it seems to finally be warming up and I no longer want to just hide in my house and binge watch Netflix under a blanket.
“Twilight” locations in Italy

2 weeks ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Small town Volterra in Tuscany, Italy on a sunny day (miradrozdowski (123RF)) As a 30-something woman, I may have been way too excited to hear that an animated series based on the latest “Twilight” book, “Midnight Sun” was coming to Netflix (though sadly, at the time of writing, no release date has been announced).
A weekend in Milan

3 weeks ago | europe.stripes.com | Tamala Malerk

Milan Cathedral, Duomo di Milano, Italy. (Boris Stroujko - Adobe Stock) Milan, located about a four-hour drive (or five-hour train ride) from Aviano Air Base, and roughly two and a half hours (by train or car) from USAG Italy bases in Vicenza, is perfect for a weekend getaway. There is so much to experience there: Historical sites, museums, fashion, shops, great food and coffee.