Probably the best thing about living here in Germany is the fact that a person can drive a minimum of two hours and end up in another country. It’s like a dream come true. Strasbourg, France is a couple hours away, so is Austria and Switzerland. Poland and Czech Republic are not too far to drive to either.
I did the bulk of my traveling within the first year of my arrival here since I wasn’t working yet. I went to Rome with a couple of girlfriends who were my age and married with deployed husbands as well. We flew instead of driving on this trip because it was so cheap and worth not driving the 7 hours or so it would take. I think at the time the flight was 35 Euro round trip. You’d pay more for gas. There are several European airlines that offer some really awesome deals. They’re no frills and some have baggage restrictions, like lower weights allowances or you pay extra. We drove about an hour and a half to this little airport in Baden Baden (a town in Germany well known for its spas and casinos) and only spent 10 Euro to park for 4 days which is very cheap. This airline no longer flies out of this airport unfortunately.
We drove to Basel, Switzerland to take part in the Fasching festivities there. What a memorable experience. One friend drove, the other navigated. I was along for the ride. The friend that navigated got directions from the internet. She didn’t realize that the route she chose was straight through the mountains. It was snowing at the time. I was terrified. Even though I was born and bred in Connecticut, I hate driving in the snow. So, here we are, three girls driving along narrow, snowy mountain roads in the middle of the night. In Basel, the Fasching kick-off parade starts at 4:00 am. I don’t know why.
At one point, we had to pull over to try and put chains on the tires. We were not prepared and didn’t practice this seemingly impossible feat before this trip. It was freezing and snowing and my two friends were outside, sometimes lying on the road trying to figure out how to put these things on. I stood outside watching for awhile and then figured since I wasn’t actually doing anything but watch, I sat back in the car. A few cars passed us that didn’t have chains on and my friends didn’t have any luck getting them on our car, so we just gave up and continue on our way, driving very slowly. It was a long, stressful trip. Worth it, I guess, but I wouldn’t want to do it again.
My mother, stepfather and stepdaughter came to visit last summer. We reserved a mini van for our travels but for some reason my husband came home with a huge Mercedes. I was skeptical, but this thing was plenty big, comfortable and quite fancy. We were on the road for practically two weeks. We drove to several places in Germany, and to Salzburg, Austria, and the mountains of Italy. We all saw places we’ve never seen, but all that driving takes its toll. It was exhausting and GPS’s don’t always work the way you want them too. We were happy to get back to our apartment and just relax and see a few local sights. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to experience another culture and I’m so happy they were able to live in our world for a little while. They were here during the World Cup, so they were caught up in the spirit of that too.
I highly recommend getting away and checking out something new, even if it’s not that far for you. Broaden your horizens. Traveling here in Europe has made me realize how little traveling I’ve done in the USA. I don’t know why that is. Maybe it just takes a little taste of travel to make you realize how big the world really is and how much of it you haven’t seen.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
"Konigstrasse"
Sorry for the brief absence, but my husband recently returned from deployment, so we were busy catching up. The weather has finally acted a bit more normal this past weekend, rainy, so what better thing to do than to go shopping. It was actually my husband Jim’s idea to go to downtown. This is surprising. Usually it takes a bit of prodding on my part, then nagging, and finally whining. None of this happened this weekend, however. He must have been REALLY bored and thought it might be a good opportunity to earn a few brownie points.
Normally we would take public transportation because it’s a royal pain to drive there. Traffic is horrendous, but not so bad on Saturdays. Plus, after two years, I can proudly say that I can finally drive there, park in a parking garage and drive home without getting lost. A friend showed me this particular route and parking garage. I am prone to getting lost.
Downtown Stuttgart is shopper heaven, especially on “Konigstrasse” which is this several mile long pedestrian zone of shops, department stores, café’s and restaurants. I did mention a few blog entries ago that most stores are closed on Sundays. These establishments close around 7:00 pm on Saturdays, except for the restaurants and on certain occasions like the Holiday season and during the World Cup, when it would behoove these places to stay open longer because there are thousands of people visiting Germany at this time.
Not much shopping was done actually. We basically window shopped and looked for a place to eat lunch. It was still pretty crowded even though the weather was pretty cruddy. Weather is not a factor when going places in Germany. They have a saying here, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. In other words, be prepared and dress accordingly.
We ran into a former colleague of my husband’s who happens to live a block or two from where we were shopping. I always think it’s so cool to run into people you know in a when you’re in foreign country. I saw someone I work with too. “Konigstrasse” (King’s street) is such a big place and the city is so international; it just never ceases to amaze me to run into someone like that. This former co-worker and his wife live in a beautiful penthouse right in the heart of the shopping district. Yes, a penthouse, huge.
Jim and I both said we would be broke, lushes, and overweight if we lived in that area. There are so many awesome clubs, bars, restaurants and shopping in that location. Luckily, it’s a bit inconvenient for us to go there frequently. If we are going there to meet friends and we know drinking will be involved, we always take the public transportation, which means taking a bus to the train station to the next town over, then hopping the train. It’s very easy and fairly cheap unless you miss the last train back, which is around midnight. It costs us about 40 Euro for a taxi home, which is about $50.00. Well worth the piece of mind. Drinking and driving is not tolerated here at all, and it's worse if you’re in the military because it affects your career as well if you're arrested on a DUI.
All in all, it was a pretty decent day. Funny thing is we ended up eating lunch at McDonald’s (FYI- I think that McDonald’s food in Europe is much less greasy) and then we stopped at Starbuck’s for a mocha cappuccino for the ride home.
Normally we would take public transportation because it’s a royal pain to drive there. Traffic is horrendous, but not so bad on Saturdays. Plus, after two years, I can proudly say that I can finally drive there, park in a parking garage and drive home without getting lost. A friend showed me this particular route and parking garage. I am prone to getting lost.
Downtown Stuttgart is shopper heaven, especially on “Konigstrasse” which is this several mile long pedestrian zone of shops, department stores, café’s and restaurants. I did mention a few blog entries ago that most stores are closed on Sundays. These establishments close around 7:00 pm on Saturdays, except for the restaurants and on certain occasions like the Holiday season and during the World Cup, when it would behoove these places to stay open longer because there are thousands of people visiting Germany at this time.
Not much shopping was done actually. We basically window shopped and looked for a place to eat lunch. It was still pretty crowded even though the weather was pretty cruddy. Weather is not a factor when going places in Germany. They have a saying here, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. In other words, be prepared and dress accordingly.
We ran into a former colleague of my husband’s who happens to live a block or two from where we were shopping. I always think it’s so cool to run into people you know in a when you’re in foreign country. I saw someone I work with too. “Konigstrasse” (King’s street) is such a big place and the city is so international; it just never ceases to amaze me to run into someone like that. This former co-worker and his wife live in a beautiful penthouse right in the heart of the shopping district. Yes, a penthouse, huge.
Jim and I both said we would be broke, lushes, and overweight if we lived in that area. There are so many awesome clubs, bars, restaurants and shopping in that location. Luckily, it’s a bit inconvenient for us to go there frequently. If we are going there to meet friends and we know drinking will be involved, we always take the public transportation, which means taking a bus to the train station to the next town over, then hopping the train. It’s very easy and fairly cheap unless you miss the last train back, which is around midnight. It costs us about 40 Euro for a taxi home, which is about $50.00. Well worth the piece of mind. Drinking and driving is not tolerated here at all, and it's worse if you’re in the military because it affects your career as well if you're arrested on a DUI.
All in all, it was a pretty decent day. Funny thing is we ended up eating lunch at McDonald’s (FYI- I think that McDonald’s food in Europe is much less greasy) and then we stopped at Starbuck’s for a mocha cappuccino for the ride home.
A friend of mine sent me a quick pic and email from Kuwait today. Guess where he was? Starbuck's. So much for international living.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Transportation
I thought I already wrote about this topic, but I guess not. I must have THOUGHT about writing about it. This is what happens when you get old.
The transportation here in Germany is something you notice immediately; namely the different modes of transportation.
First and foremost, you notice the size of the cars. Since space is such a factor here, there is not a centimeter to spare. Parking spots are just big enough for your car to squeeze into and no more, especially if you’re driving a bigger American car. My husband drives a Dodge Ram which barely fits down the street, never mind in your average European parking spot. It was quite the novelty in our little town when we first arrived here, especially when I drove it on occasion. I had to drive it when a friend and I were going to see the musical “Mama Mia” and had to park with the buses! It wasn’t going to fit in the parking garage. God forbid if you’re claustrophobic and you park in a “parkhaus”. I’m not claustrophobic, but often feel that way driving in one of those to park. You can barely squeeze in and out.
Most cars here are small; often tiny and I think, quite humorous. I’ve seen transportation here that I have never seen before in my life. East German cars, the Trabant or “Trabi’s are hysterical. Their frames are actually wood and they’re tiny. They remind me of ducks. Smart cars are everywhere. You can fit two of them, one behind the other, in one parking spot. Hopefully if you opt to do this, you know the person you’re sharing your spot with. I know they were all the rage in the States last year and people were paying crazy prices for them. They’re not cheap here either, about 30,000 Euro. I don’t get it. Mini Coopers are plentiful here too; another tiny car, not much bigger than a “pregnant roller-skate”, as my father would say. Certain cars that are unable to at least drive the minimum autobahn speed limit are forbidden on the autobahn. If you can’t get out of the way, you’d better stay off the road.
You will see stuff on the road that amazes you. I laughed hysterically when I saw a four wheeler ATV on the highway. It wasn’t the autobahn, but similar, something like Route 32. It just surprised me that this was perfectly legal. Motorcycles are very popular here as well as scooters. The scooters are often outfitted with what looks like to me, armor. Picture a shield with a roof attached; very funny. And the sound they make; reminds me of a time in Martha’s Vineyard….I’ve seen 3 wheeled trucks, itty-bitty ones, more like a scooter with a truck bed. These vehicles don’t go very fast but they are legal. They drive to the side of the road so you just have to pass them. Large and small tractors are always driving down the road often pulling a trailer of some sort and horse and carriages are common as well. That really blew my mind the first time I saw it. I still run to the window to look if I hear them. It’s just so neat. They don’t usually drive on main roads, but it’s normal to see them driving through town.
Perhaps the most noticeable thing about the transportation here is the beautiful cars and the absence of junkers. OMG! Beautiful, new Mercedes Benz’s, BMW’s, VW’s, Alfa Romeo’s, Porsche’s, and Audi’s are everywhere. Keep in mind that driving these higher end vehicles here are like driving a Ford or Chevy in the states.
I saw a Porsche minivan for the very first time here. They’re actually fairly common. Very rarely do you see a clunker or even older car, unless it’s a classic. Why? The German motor vehicle requirements are much stricter. No rust or rot here, no sir! Another reason may be that older cars are quickly purchased by Eastern European countries; Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, etc. and sold there. It’s what they can generally afford, I guess. We’re actually driving our second BMW. I’m sure by German standards it’s considered a “clunker”. It’s a 1994, but in very good condition. It passed inspection and the body looks newer than it is. Hey, why not? I’ll never own one back home.
The transportation here in Germany is something you notice immediately; namely the different modes of transportation.
First and foremost, you notice the size of the cars. Since space is such a factor here, there is not a centimeter to spare. Parking spots are just big enough for your car to squeeze into and no more, especially if you’re driving a bigger American car. My husband drives a Dodge Ram which barely fits down the street, never mind in your average European parking spot. It was quite the novelty in our little town when we first arrived here, especially when I drove it on occasion. I had to drive it when a friend and I were going to see the musical “Mama Mia” and had to park with the buses! It wasn’t going to fit in the parking garage. God forbid if you’re claustrophobic and you park in a “parkhaus”. I’m not claustrophobic, but often feel that way driving in one of those to park. You can barely squeeze in and out.
Most cars here are small; often tiny and I think, quite humorous. I’ve seen transportation here that I have never seen before in my life. East German cars, the Trabant or “Trabi’s are hysterical. Their frames are actually wood and they’re tiny. They remind me of ducks. Smart cars are everywhere. You can fit two of them, one behind the other, in one parking spot. Hopefully if you opt to do this, you know the person you’re sharing your spot with. I know they were all the rage in the States last year and people were paying crazy prices for them. They’re not cheap here either, about 30,000 Euro. I don’t get it. Mini Coopers are plentiful here too; another tiny car, not much bigger than a “pregnant roller-skate”, as my father would say. Certain cars that are unable to at least drive the minimum autobahn speed limit are forbidden on the autobahn. If you can’t get out of the way, you’d better stay off the road.
You will see stuff on the road that amazes you. I laughed hysterically when I saw a four wheeler ATV on the highway. It wasn’t the autobahn, but similar, something like Route 32. It just surprised me that this was perfectly legal. Motorcycles are very popular here as well as scooters. The scooters are often outfitted with what looks like to me, armor. Picture a shield with a roof attached; very funny. And the sound they make; reminds me of a time in Martha’s Vineyard….I’ve seen 3 wheeled trucks, itty-bitty ones, more like a scooter with a truck bed. These vehicles don’t go very fast but they are legal. They drive to the side of the road so you just have to pass them. Large and small tractors are always driving down the road often pulling a trailer of some sort and horse and carriages are common as well. That really blew my mind the first time I saw it. I still run to the window to look if I hear them. It’s just so neat. They don’t usually drive on main roads, but it’s normal to see them driving through town.
Perhaps the most noticeable thing about the transportation here is the beautiful cars and the absence of junkers. OMG! Beautiful, new Mercedes Benz’s, BMW’s, VW’s, Alfa Romeo’s, Porsche’s, and Audi’s are everywhere. Keep in mind that driving these higher end vehicles here are like driving a Ford or Chevy in the states.
I saw a Porsche minivan for the very first time here. They’re actually fairly common. Very rarely do you see a clunker or even older car, unless it’s a classic. Why? The German motor vehicle requirements are much stricter. No rust or rot here, no sir! Another reason may be that older cars are quickly purchased by Eastern European countries; Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, etc. and sold there. It’s what they can generally afford, I guess. We’re actually driving our second BMW. I’m sure by German standards it’s considered a “clunker”. It’s a 1994, but in very good condition. It passed inspection and the body looks newer than it is. Hey, why not? I’ll never own one back home.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Automation
I saw the coolest thing the other day. I believe I’ve mentioned that the German lifestyle is very efficient. They have to make the most of the little space that they have, therefore they’re forced to be organized. Everything seems to be automated.
There are companies online that you order DVD’s from and they’re mailed to you. I use this service; however, I saw a variation of this here in Germany that amazed me. You go to this particular website, reserve your movie at least an hour before you want it, then go pick it up. No big deal you say, but it is. In the next town over from mine, there’s a shop that is fully automated. You scan your membership card and the door opens. You then swipe your card and make your choices: are you selecting a movie or picking it up? You select pick up and your DVD is ejected like from an ATM machine. Way cool.
You add whatever dollar amount you want to your membership account and it’s deducted as you rent your movies. And it’s cheap. If you bring back the movie within two hours, it will only cost you one Euro. Three or more hours are two Euros ($2.63). I was quite impressed. I’ve never seen anything like this in the states, but maybe I’m just out of the loop.
Another thing that is automated and I think is pretty darn nifty is a day at the spa. At one of the spas I went to, you get this watch band type thing when you enter. You use this to lock and unlock your locker (the face scans somehow) and you charge “the extras” like tanning, massages or lunch on this thing. When you leave, everything that was scanned on it is calculated and added to your hourly rate. It also tracks your time. Pretty wild. (Spas here are a whole other wild experience another story for some other time.)
Most of the bigger nightclubs are the same deal; automated. When you enter, you are given a card which you use when purchasing drinks. Buy a drink, it’s added to your card and you pay when you leave. You swipe your card when you’re leaving and pay using the machine. I would think this practice might be kind of risky, what if a person doesn’t have the money or a credit card? You don’t leave. There’s a turnstile that will let you out when you’ve paid your debt. Not sure what happens to those who can’t pay; probably a visit from the polizei (police). Guess you’d better make sure you know how much those drinks are. There’s also the hole punch system for drinks too; anything to make things easier.
While we’re on the subject of drinking and bars, I wanted to mention one more thing. I am used to “pay as you order” when it comes to drinking in most bars that I’ve been to in the States, however, that is often not the case here in Germany or maybe it’s a European thing. I’ve experienced that you pay when you leave, not for each drink as you order it. It took me awhile to get used to that. I’m not talking about in a busy nightclub, but in a not so busy smaller pub. Maybe they’re more trustworthy. Or they figure you’ll be back.
There are companies online that you order DVD’s from and they’re mailed to you. I use this service; however, I saw a variation of this here in Germany that amazed me. You go to this particular website, reserve your movie at least an hour before you want it, then go pick it up. No big deal you say, but it is. In the next town over from mine, there’s a shop that is fully automated. You scan your membership card and the door opens. You then swipe your card and make your choices: are you selecting a movie or picking it up? You select pick up and your DVD is ejected like from an ATM machine. Way cool.
You add whatever dollar amount you want to your membership account and it’s deducted as you rent your movies. And it’s cheap. If you bring back the movie within two hours, it will only cost you one Euro. Three or more hours are two Euros ($2.63). I was quite impressed. I’ve never seen anything like this in the states, but maybe I’m just out of the loop.
Another thing that is automated and I think is pretty darn nifty is a day at the spa. At one of the spas I went to, you get this watch band type thing when you enter. You use this to lock and unlock your locker (the face scans somehow) and you charge “the extras” like tanning, massages or lunch on this thing. When you leave, everything that was scanned on it is calculated and added to your hourly rate. It also tracks your time. Pretty wild. (Spas here are a whole other wild experience another story for some other time.)
Most of the bigger nightclubs are the same deal; automated. When you enter, you are given a card which you use when purchasing drinks. Buy a drink, it’s added to your card and you pay when you leave. You swipe your card when you’re leaving and pay using the machine. I would think this practice might be kind of risky, what if a person doesn’t have the money or a credit card? You don’t leave. There’s a turnstile that will let you out when you’ve paid your debt. Not sure what happens to those who can’t pay; probably a visit from the polizei (police). Guess you’d better make sure you know how much those drinks are. There’s also the hole punch system for drinks too; anything to make things easier.
While we’re on the subject of drinking and bars, I wanted to mention one more thing. I am used to “pay as you order” when it comes to drinking in most bars that I’ve been to in the States, however, that is often not the case here in Germany or maybe it’s a European thing. I’ve experienced that you pay when you leave, not for each drink as you order it. It took me awhile to get used to that. I’m not talking about in a busy nightclub, but in a not so busy smaller pub. Maybe they’re more trustworthy. Or they figure you’ll be back.
Monday, February 19, 2007
"Rose Monday"
Rose Monday is another Fasching holiday. If I wasn’t so lazy, I’d research it and find out the history, but all I know is that it’s part of the whole Fasching celebration. I wrote in a previous blog entry that Fasching is like Mardi Gras on steroids, in which there are parades and parties from late January to March. I chose not to indulge in the Fasching activities this year, my liver couldn’t take it. Did it all two years in a row; that was enough, although I love a good parade. I ran smack dab into one today. Actually, it had just ended in a town that I was driving through. I didn’t know it was happening today then I hit the traffic. It wasn’t too bad though. It so happened that today is an American holiday as well.
I should have known better since I heard drumming sounds this morning from the streets outside my apartment. I looked out my third floor window to see about 15 4 to5 year- old cowboys, ballerinas and a Hawaiian girl parading down the street banging on drums and shaking bells and other noise makers. Their teachers were dressed up too. It was quite cute. It was another one of those “you don’t see that everyday” moments. I’ve had quite a few of those here.
Further down the street I saw a couple of teenagers dressed up in their “Hexen” costumes. Again, “Hexe” is witch and there’s ton’s of these Hexen clubs all over Germany. Basically, they participate in parades by generally harassing the crowd by being noisy, throwing confetti, trying to scare people, marking them with ink, etc. It’s all great fun. Nothing satanic about it. Each group has their own distinct costume and wooden mask. Some to the masks are scary looking and some are comical. Some are downright creepy. Guggamusik groups participate in the parades too. That’s my favorite. They’re like party-marching bands. They too have their own unique costumes and masks. My favorite group, Bruggaklopfer-Neuhausen, changed their costumes last year. Originally they were cave-man looking furry costumes, now they’re dressed like matadors and the women wear Spanish type dresses. Really cool and very expensive, especially the masks. Everything is hand made. Their website is www.bruggklopfer.de. Check it out. If you click on “Bruggisound” you can hear a few of their songs. There’s one that you’ll recognize. It seems like so much fun to be involved in something like that. A lot of travel and partying involved. I’m sure they practice quite a bit too. They’re really good. I am an admitted groupie :) and have seen them perform on several occasions. I even hired them to entertain at my employee Holiday party for two years. It’s a big one; several hundred people attend and most of them have never heard nor seen this “Guggamusik”. The cameras were flashing. There was other entertainment as well.
We have been fortunate to have integrated quite well with the locals and so have been exposed to many cultural scenes and events that we probably wouldn’t have if we avoided meeting people and getting involved. It has a much more fun and enlightening experience because of this. It amazes me that there are some people who either live on the base and don’t venture off that often or live off the base, like we do, but stay in or only socialize with other Americans. I just don’t get it. Make the most of your situation for God’s sake! And, as the immortal words in a song by the band “Incubus” say, “Never let life pass you by”. Amen to that.
I should have known better since I heard drumming sounds this morning from the streets outside my apartment. I looked out my third floor window to see about 15 4 to5 year- old cowboys, ballerinas and a Hawaiian girl parading down the street banging on drums and shaking bells and other noise makers. Their teachers were dressed up too. It was quite cute. It was another one of those “you don’t see that everyday” moments. I’ve had quite a few of those here.
Further down the street I saw a couple of teenagers dressed up in their “Hexen” costumes. Again, “Hexe” is witch and there’s ton’s of these Hexen clubs all over Germany. Basically, they participate in parades by generally harassing the crowd by being noisy, throwing confetti, trying to scare people, marking them with ink, etc. It’s all great fun. Nothing satanic about it. Each group has their own distinct costume and wooden mask. Some to the masks are scary looking and some are comical. Some are downright creepy. Guggamusik groups participate in the parades too. That’s my favorite. They’re like party-marching bands. They too have their own unique costumes and masks. My favorite group, Bruggaklopfer-Neuhausen, changed their costumes last year. Originally they were cave-man looking furry costumes, now they’re dressed like matadors and the women wear Spanish type dresses. Really cool and very expensive, especially the masks. Everything is hand made. Their website is www.bruggklopfer.de. Check it out. If you click on “Bruggisound” you can hear a few of their songs. There’s one that you’ll recognize. It seems like so much fun to be involved in something like that. A lot of travel and partying involved. I’m sure they practice quite a bit too. They’re really good. I am an admitted groupie :) and have seen them perform on several occasions. I even hired them to entertain at my employee Holiday party for two years. It’s a big one; several hundred people attend and most of them have never heard nor seen this “Guggamusik”. The cameras were flashing. There was other entertainment as well.
We have been fortunate to have integrated quite well with the locals and so have been exposed to many cultural scenes and events that we probably wouldn’t have if we avoided meeting people and getting involved. It has a much more fun and enlightening experience because of this. It amazes me that there are some people who either live on the base and don’t venture off that often or live off the base, like we do, but stay in or only socialize with other Americans. I just don’t get it. Make the most of your situation for God’s sake! And, as the immortal words in a song by the band “Incubus” say, “Never let life pass you by”. Amen to that.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Samstag (Saturday)
I’m a great procrastinator; however, I’m quite proud of myself today for getting out of the house before noon. Getting out, meaning throwing some clothes on, brushing my hair and walking two buildings down to the bakery and back. It may not sound like much, but this is big happenings for someone who several years ago would never be seen in public having just crawled out of bed. Times have changed. Necessity and cravings for baked goods prevailed. I’m still procrastinating, hence my writing and online surfing during the day. I usually do this at night. I promised myself I would get something done in the house today, but what usually happens is that I look around me, get overwhelmed, and then do nothing. I do something other than what I need to do. I’m a list maker, which is my little “trick” to feel like I accomplished something by crossing it off the list. But I know it’s a “trick” so it doesn’t usually work.
I hate cleaning or organizing when my husband is around. I don’t know why, but I don’t think I’m alone in this. It’s probably because he’s a take charge kind of guy and I’ll have to do what I say I’m going to do. Darn him! On the list is defrosting the refrigerator. I have mentioned before that I hate the refrigerators here. They’re too small. My freezer drawers are covered in ice and you can barely open them, never mind put anything in them. It’s an undesirable, daunting task, but this has been going on for far too long….but the sun is shining.
Even if it’s raining people are still walking about, which is why you don’t see many overweight German’s, they’re much more active as a whole. It still amazes me to sporadically run into 10 or 15 people while walking in the woods, even if they’re just walking to a Hutte, a restaurant or bier garten in the middle of the woods. You can order something to eat and have a beer and be on your way. I love it. My husband loves it too, the getting active part. He hates to sit around on the weekends and will chomp at the bit to get out walking or biking and it’s something that we can do together. I’m less apt to go walking by myself, but I will now thanks to my trip to the bakery.
I hate cleaning or organizing when my husband is around. I don’t know why, but I don’t think I’m alone in this. It’s probably because he’s a take charge kind of guy and I’ll have to do what I say I’m going to do. Darn him! On the list is defrosting the refrigerator. I have mentioned before that I hate the refrigerators here. They’re too small. My freezer drawers are covered in ice and you can barely open them, never mind put anything in them. It’s an undesirable, daunting task, but this has been going on for far too long….but the sun is shining.
Even if it’s raining people are still walking about, which is why you don’t see many overweight German’s, they’re much more active as a whole. It still amazes me to sporadically run into 10 or 15 people while walking in the woods, even if they’re just walking to a Hutte, a restaurant or bier garten in the middle of the woods. You can order something to eat and have a beer and be on your way. I love it. My husband loves it too, the getting active part. He hates to sit around on the weekends and will chomp at the bit to get out walking or biking and it’s something that we can do together. I’m less apt to go walking by myself, but I will now thanks to my trip to the bakery.
By the way, this was published at 1:20 in the afternoon, which would be 5:20 am your time. I'm not sure what time you see on the blog site.
Have a wunderbar (wonderful) Saturday! Must defrost now…
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The phone call
I'm still feeling under the weather, but the blog must go on! Feeling uninspired, usually the words just flow out of me, so today’s blog may end up fairly short. We’ll see.
Ah, inspiration! I was going to talk about transportation, but my husband just called, which brought another idea to mind; one of the many challenges of being a military spouse: the phone call when you’re husband is deployed.
I try to keep a list of things I want to ask him or bring up when he calls during the long deployments so I wouldn’t forget. I never know when he’ll call and I can’t call him. Things come up over the course of time, and I would think of things that I want to discuss, but have a memory like a sieve, so it’s better I write things down. He hasn’t been gone that long this trip, but it doesn’t matter; immediately after hanging up the phone I’m wondering if I forgot to tell him something. I hate that.
It’s worse when he’s been deployed for longer periods of time to horrible places. The fears and questions are even more prevalent. Think marriage is struggle? Try this on for size. I have to determine what to bring up and what not to when he calls when I haven’t seen my husband in 6 months. Do I make a decision about something and hope that it’s the right one or do I ask him now while I have him on the phone? When is a good time to discuss something that’s been weighing on my heart and mind? While he’s busy watching his back? Do I let something eat at me for another three months or do I burden him with it on the phone when he has to deal with God knows what the next day? And…if I do decide that I want to discuss/share/vent during a particular phone call, will that be the last time I talk to him, ever? Talk about having to make a heavy decision sometimes…
I will say it’s taken me awhile to figure that out. Not discussing usually outweighs discussing given the circumstances, which means discussing when he is home; when he’s glad to be finally home and comfortable and adjusting to the routine of everyday life. Is it a good time to vent then? It’s not so easy.
Yes, we military wives know to a point what we are in for, but you’re never quite prepared for all of it. So many things come up that you never thought would and you never really know how strong you are until you suddenly realize that you’re coping. You don’t know how, but you are. It get’s tiring though. I’m tired of having to be strong all the time, but you just have to. No one else will do it for you.
He’ll be home next week. This was a short trip this time. Short is better of course, but all deployments are the same. A military spouse never really get’s used to it. We become more experienced with it, figure out what we need to do to cope, but never really get used to it.
Furthermore, one more super thing about deployments…we’ve been married for 3 years and this is the 3rd Valentine’s Day that we’ve been apart! Bottom line, deployments will happen, it's their job, deal with it. There's always next year!
Ah, inspiration! I was going to talk about transportation, but my husband just called, which brought another idea to mind; one of the many challenges of being a military spouse: the phone call when you’re husband is deployed.
I try to keep a list of things I want to ask him or bring up when he calls during the long deployments so I wouldn’t forget. I never know when he’ll call and I can’t call him. Things come up over the course of time, and I would think of things that I want to discuss, but have a memory like a sieve, so it’s better I write things down. He hasn’t been gone that long this trip, but it doesn’t matter; immediately after hanging up the phone I’m wondering if I forgot to tell him something. I hate that.
It’s worse when he’s been deployed for longer periods of time to horrible places. The fears and questions are even more prevalent. Think marriage is struggle? Try this on for size. I have to determine what to bring up and what not to when he calls when I haven’t seen my husband in 6 months. Do I make a decision about something and hope that it’s the right one or do I ask him now while I have him on the phone? When is a good time to discuss something that’s been weighing on my heart and mind? While he’s busy watching his back? Do I let something eat at me for another three months or do I burden him with it on the phone when he has to deal with God knows what the next day? And…if I do decide that I want to discuss/share/vent during a particular phone call, will that be the last time I talk to him, ever? Talk about having to make a heavy decision sometimes…
I will say it’s taken me awhile to figure that out. Not discussing usually outweighs discussing given the circumstances, which means discussing when he is home; when he’s glad to be finally home and comfortable and adjusting to the routine of everyday life. Is it a good time to vent then? It’s not so easy.
Yes, we military wives know to a point what we are in for, but you’re never quite prepared for all of it. So many things come up that you never thought would and you never really know how strong you are until you suddenly realize that you’re coping. You don’t know how, but you are. It get’s tiring though. I’m tired of having to be strong all the time, but you just have to. No one else will do it for you.
He’ll be home next week. This was a short trip this time. Short is better of course, but all deployments are the same. A military spouse never really get’s used to it. We become more experienced with it, figure out what we need to do to cope, but never really get used to it.
Furthermore, one more super thing about deployments…we’ve been married for 3 years and this is the 3rd Valentine’s Day that we’ve been apart! Bottom line, deployments will happen, it's their job, deal with it. There's always next year!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The World Cup
I just received a video tape of the Super Bowl in the mail. Of course, I know who won, but that’s not the point. It’s the whole Super Bowl experience. It’s an American pastime and unfortunately one that we pretty much miss out on here. Besides an excuse to party, part of the fun is the entertaining commercials. I haven’t watched it yet, so I don’t know if they were any good this year.
Here in Europe this summer, I had the opportunity to experience a WORLDWIDE sports event, the World Cup (Soccer aka football in the UK and “Fussball” in Germany). I feel very fortunate that we happened to be living here during this time, when Germany was hosting the games. I think it only happens every 4 years. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I am not a huge sports fan, but you could not help but caught up in the events. Everyday life revolved around these games. It was amazing. Every town, from the smallest to the largest, rallied together to experience this. Tents and large screens were set up in city centers, market squares, firehouses, wherever large crowds could meet (of course food and beverages were available as well :) and hundreds to thousands of people gathered to watch. Downtown Stuttgart was a madhouse (Stuttgart is the largest urban city closest to me; it houses an airport and a main train station). A few hours before each game was aired, it would start to get crowded with fans, especially if Germany was playing. People wore their countries’ colors and some wore crazy costumes and everyone was waving a flag. There was hardly any traffic because everyone was somewhere watching the games. All was quiet except for the roar of the crowds or TV’s blaring in everyone’s house.
People planned their lives around these games. Huge corporations shut down when Germany was playing for 3rd place (Daimler Chrysler). We’re talking about letting 30,000 people stay home for the day. It was insane. Since the games were being played in Germany, I think it brought the country some much needed pride. It was nice to see just about everyone displaying a German flag on their car or out of their house or apartment window. I felt pride for them and it gave us an opportunity to feel like we were part of the community. Of course we routed for Germany (after USA was out of the running) and it gave us a little something more in common; something we could relate to with our host country.
I was sad when it was over. It was a very exciting time. I’ve never experienced something so large scale like that; something so passionate. Yes, the Super Bowl can be just as exciting on a national level, but it is not something the whole world cares about. I do get homesick during the Super Bowl though. I miss the commradery and the parties and having nachos and beer!
Here in Europe this summer, I had the opportunity to experience a WORLDWIDE sports event, the World Cup (Soccer aka football in the UK and “Fussball” in Germany). I feel very fortunate that we happened to be living here during this time, when Germany was hosting the games. I think it only happens every 4 years. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I am not a huge sports fan, but you could not help but caught up in the events. Everyday life revolved around these games. It was amazing. Every town, from the smallest to the largest, rallied together to experience this. Tents and large screens were set up in city centers, market squares, firehouses, wherever large crowds could meet (of course food and beverages were available as well :) and hundreds to thousands of people gathered to watch. Downtown Stuttgart was a madhouse (Stuttgart is the largest urban city closest to me; it houses an airport and a main train station). A few hours before each game was aired, it would start to get crowded with fans, especially if Germany was playing. People wore their countries’ colors and some wore crazy costumes and everyone was waving a flag. There was hardly any traffic because everyone was somewhere watching the games. All was quiet except for the roar of the crowds or TV’s blaring in everyone’s house.
People planned their lives around these games. Huge corporations shut down when Germany was playing for 3rd place (Daimler Chrysler). We’re talking about letting 30,000 people stay home for the day. It was insane. Since the games were being played in Germany, I think it brought the country some much needed pride. It was nice to see just about everyone displaying a German flag on their car or out of their house or apartment window. I felt pride for them and it gave us an opportunity to feel like we were part of the community. Of course we routed for Germany (after USA was out of the running) and it gave us a little something more in common; something we could relate to with our host country.
I was sad when it was over. It was a very exciting time. I’ve never experienced something so large scale like that; something so passionate. Yes, the Super Bowl can be just as exciting on a national level, but it is not something the whole world cares about. I do get homesick during the Super Bowl though. I miss the commradery and the parties and having nachos and beer!
Monday, February 12, 2007
A shell on the sidewalk
I’ve been sick with a cold since Saturday but I dragged myself out of the house for about 20 minutes just to get some air. I walked down the street and on my way back I found a shell on the edge of the sidewalk. It was one of those snail shells. I found myself wondering how the hell it got there. Shells are usually associated with water. There is a pond several miles away, but still, how did it get there? Did some snail decide to do some wandering or maybe someone picked it up while they were out walking and it fell out of their pocket. I just found it really strange and it got me thinking about where I normally find shells, in or by the ocean. This brought me to start compiling a list in my head of things I miss from home in Connecticut. These are in no particular order, just the order they come to mind.
1) First and foremost, the ocean. God, I miss salt water and everything associated with it, the smells, the sound, the treasures you find, and…
2) Seafood. They serve seafood here in Southern Germany, but nothing like good old New England seafood. I have yet to eat lobster here; it’s not normally on the menu. If it is, it’s pretty expensive and nothing like we’re used to. The salmon is wonderful here as well as the steamed mussels. Where they get them and how fresh they are, I don’t know. Everything tastes fresh. Great fish markets here too, but there isn’t an ocean anywhere near here. It’s a mystery. I just really miss lobster and steamers dripping with butter.
3) Dunkin’ Donuts, Bess Eaton or Krispie Kreme bakeries. The bakeries rock here. This is the best bread I have ever had and there are bakeries everywhere, but every once in awhile I just miss donuts. The only donuts I’ve seen here are called “Berliners” (there’s some historical story to the name, but I can’t remember it right now and my husband, Mr. History himself, is deployed for a few weeks). Basically, they’re granulated sugar coated jelly donuts, typically strawberry or raspberry. That’s it, no crème filled, assorted jelly filled, chocolate filled donuts at all. I guess that’s for the best.
4) Music selection on the radio. Yes, you can hear top 40, hip hop, classic rock, classical and traditional German music on the radio, all of which I like, but no Motown, blues, funk or much alternative. I did find a college station which plays more alternative, but it’s often too alternative if you know what I mean. I usually listen to this great classic rock station which plays an awesome assortment of classic rock, anything from Frank Zappa to an obscure Janis Joplin tune to Nirvana, so I kind of get my fill there. Not enough though and I was never one to down load music, I guess I’m just lazy. I did finally buy an MP3 player, but never opened the package! I guess I’m archaic.
5) Available parking. Parking is a challenge here. As I’ve previously mentioned, Germans are planners and let me tell you, there are barely inches to spare. You will feel quite claustrophobic in the parking garages here especially if you own a big, American car. Most European cars are much smaller, thus parking spots are small too. Even for the small cars. There is no extra space here in Germany. Every square inch of it is accounted for and has its purpose and the same goes for parking spots on the street. I have not and will never be able to master parallel parking; it’s just not in my genes, so I will often search for an alternative space. We live in a third floor apt and have to park on the street which drives me crazy. I can’t wait to have a driveway again someday!
6) No language barrier. After living here 2+ years, I’ve kind of learned to tune things out. It’s exhausting and frustrating trying to learn and understand all the time. I understand enough of the language to carry on a conversation, ask what I want, answer questions, and get around, but it’s frustrating not understanding everything. It’s a bummer turning on the radio to the news and maybe getting a slight gist of what they’re talking about. I often feel very out of touch with the world. Plus there’s dialect here too, which I don’t understand at all.
7) Obviously, my family and friends. Yes, they’re only a phone call away, but with a 6 hour time difference, which is a bummer if you really want to talk to someone but its 3:00 am on the East Coast. I have refrained from waking people up.
8) Concerts! I was a concert queen back home. Love concerts and music and would go to at least a half dozen a year, especially with the conveniently located Arena at the Mohegan Sun. The concert scene here in Germany is much less convenient and plentiful. There are a few arenas close to me, but I’ve found I’ve gone to more shows in the smaller venues, which are actually better. Again, the problem is the variety isn’t here or the frequency. This is Europe and more European stars will naturally tour here and the big, mainstream pop stars—Madonna, Snoop Dog, Justin Timberlake, Pink (she tours here in Germany all the time), Bon Jovi, etc. NIN will be here next month and you have your hair bands (80’s music is huge here), but like I said above, not enough alternative or blues around. You will find obscure concerts here like DIO, Ted Nugent (both of which I’ve seen in a small setting which was great) Ah-Ha, Simply Red, Genesis (huge here), Dire Straits, Bryan Adams (also huge here), etc. It’s just different. I guess I was just spoiled with the convenience and variety back home.
9) American TV! AFN (Armed Forces Network) is available to us, but you have to buy the decoder and a satellite and we just never did it. We have “Premiere”, which is German which has about 6 movie channels that we watch and CNN. Everything else is in German. You can change the language on some of the movies, some of the time. There is a Series channel which has aired “Lost”, “Desperate Housewives”, “Sopranos” and “Medium”. Other series air on other channels which unfortunately are only in German. These series are aired sporadically and I honestly can’t say if they’re up to date or they’re showing last season because I’m so out of the loop! I have no idea what season of “Lost” we’re on now and “Desperate Housewives” is now MIA. We do on occasion rent series, however, it turns into a two-day, all night marathon which is not good during the week, but we’re so deprived! I recently rented the first season of “Grey’s Anatomy” just to see what the fuss is about and I’m now hooked. What season is being aired now? And the Superbowl….my Dad taped it for me. It is aired on AFN, sans commercials (something to do with AFN being owned by the government). Since there’s a time difference, it didn’t start here until midnight!
That’s it for now. I can easily add to the list, but this is getting long enough. I did want to mention that although I miss many things from back home, I have now discovered many wonderful things here that I will miss when we return to the states. That will be another list for another time.
1) First and foremost, the ocean. God, I miss salt water and everything associated with it, the smells, the sound, the treasures you find, and…
2) Seafood. They serve seafood here in Southern Germany, but nothing like good old New England seafood. I have yet to eat lobster here; it’s not normally on the menu. If it is, it’s pretty expensive and nothing like we’re used to. The salmon is wonderful here as well as the steamed mussels. Where they get them and how fresh they are, I don’t know. Everything tastes fresh. Great fish markets here too, but there isn’t an ocean anywhere near here. It’s a mystery. I just really miss lobster and steamers dripping with butter.
3) Dunkin’ Donuts, Bess Eaton or Krispie Kreme bakeries. The bakeries rock here. This is the best bread I have ever had and there are bakeries everywhere, but every once in awhile I just miss donuts. The only donuts I’ve seen here are called “Berliners” (there’s some historical story to the name, but I can’t remember it right now and my husband, Mr. History himself, is deployed for a few weeks). Basically, they’re granulated sugar coated jelly donuts, typically strawberry or raspberry. That’s it, no crème filled, assorted jelly filled, chocolate filled donuts at all. I guess that’s for the best.
4) Music selection on the radio. Yes, you can hear top 40, hip hop, classic rock, classical and traditional German music on the radio, all of which I like, but no Motown, blues, funk or much alternative. I did find a college station which plays more alternative, but it’s often too alternative if you know what I mean. I usually listen to this great classic rock station which plays an awesome assortment of classic rock, anything from Frank Zappa to an obscure Janis Joplin tune to Nirvana, so I kind of get my fill there. Not enough though and I was never one to down load music, I guess I’m just lazy. I did finally buy an MP3 player, but never opened the package! I guess I’m archaic.
5) Available parking. Parking is a challenge here. As I’ve previously mentioned, Germans are planners and let me tell you, there are barely inches to spare. You will feel quite claustrophobic in the parking garages here especially if you own a big, American car. Most European cars are much smaller, thus parking spots are small too. Even for the small cars. There is no extra space here in Germany. Every square inch of it is accounted for and has its purpose and the same goes for parking spots on the street. I have not and will never be able to master parallel parking; it’s just not in my genes, so I will often search for an alternative space. We live in a third floor apt and have to park on the street which drives me crazy. I can’t wait to have a driveway again someday!
6) No language barrier. After living here 2+ years, I’ve kind of learned to tune things out. It’s exhausting and frustrating trying to learn and understand all the time. I understand enough of the language to carry on a conversation, ask what I want, answer questions, and get around, but it’s frustrating not understanding everything. It’s a bummer turning on the radio to the news and maybe getting a slight gist of what they’re talking about. I often feel very out of touch with the world. Plus there’s dialect here too, which I don’t understand at all.
7) Obviously, my family and friends. Yes, they’re only a phone call away, but with a 6 hour time difference, which is a bummer if you really want to talk to someone but its 3:00 am on the East Coast. I have refrained from waking people up.
8) Concerts! I was a concert queen back home. Love concerts and music and would go to at least a half dozen a year, especially with the conveniently located Arena at the Mohegan Sun. The concert scene here in Germany is much less convenient and plentiful. There are a few arenas close to me, but I’ve found I’ve gone to more shows in the smaller venues, which are actually better. Again, the problem is the variety isn’t here or the frequency. This is Europe and more European stars will naturally tour here and the big, mainstream pop stars—Madonna, Snoop Dog, Justin Timberlake, Pink (she tours here in Germany all the time), Bon Jovi, etc. NIN will be here next month and you have your hair bands (80’s music is huge here), but like I said above, not enough alternative or blues around. You will find obscure concerts here like DIO, Ted Nugent (both of which I’ve seen in a small setting which was great) Ah-Ha, Simply Red, Genesis (huge here), Dire Straits, Bryan Adams (also huge here), etc. It’s just different. I guess I was just spoiled with the convenience and variety back home.
9) American TV! AFN (Armed Forces Network) is available to us, but you have to buy the decoder and a satellite and we just never did it. We have “Premiere”, which is German which has about 6 movie channels that we watch and CNN. Everything else is in German. You can change the language on some of the movies, some of the time. There is a Series channel which has aired “Lost”, “Desperate Housewives”, “Sopranos” and “Medium”. Other series air on other channels which unfortunately are only in German. These series are aired sporadically and I honestly can’t say if they’re up to date or they’re showing last season because I’m so out of the loop! I have no idea what season of “Lost” we’re on now and “Desperate Housewives” is now MIA. We do on occasion rent series, however, it turns into a two-day, all night marathon which is not good during the week, but we’re so deprived! I recently rented the first season of “Grey’s Anatomy” just to see what the fuss is about and I’m now hooked. What season is being aired now? And the Superbowl….my Dad taped it for me. It is aired on AFN, sans commercials (something to do with AFN being owned by the government). Since there’s a time difference, it didn’t start here until midnight!
That’s it for now. I can easily add to the list, but this is getting long enough. I did want to mention that although I miss many things from back home, I have now discovered many wonderful things here that I will miss when we return to the states. That will be another list for another time.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Alles gut zum Geburtstag! Happy Birthday!
A friend of mine has a birthday tomorrow, which prompted me to write about this subject today. Once again, there seems to be cultural differences, this time when celebrating birthdays here in Germany.
One such difference that I have observed is that folks here aren’t so gift orientated when it comes to birthdays. The focus is more on the celebration. It’s interesting to me that Germans usually celebrate the day before the actual birthday so that when midnight comes around, the birthday is toasted. They may also party the next day too, but the partying the day before the birthday is a new concept for me. I think our (Americans) thinking is if you’re lucky and your birthday happens to fall on a Friday or Saturday, you celebrate on that Friday or Saturday or whatever day that’s convenient, but the focus has never been on the day before your actual birthday. Of course there are exceptions and I’m sure certain family traditions, but I think the norm is to celebrate on your special day.
Another occurrence that was different to me was entertainment. Many Germans create some sort of skit or gag, or recite a poem or story during the birthday celebration. A friend of mine threw her husband a huge 40th birthday party last summer. It was held under tents in the middle of a field in town. She went all out: ton’s of food, a beverage trailer; the works. Her husband happens to be in a band that plays covers as well as traditional German music. The trumpets, drums and acoustic guitars entertained us while we ate. Followed by the skit, four people dressed as TUV inspectors entered the tent. TUV is the German version of Motor vehicle inspection. You have to pass this before you can renew your car registration. They made the birthday boy stand on a table and proceeded to treat him like a car being inspected. They incorporated the getting old concept with an old car…aging parts, dim headlights, etc. It was a hilarious skit. At the end they presented him a vanity plate with his name and birthday on it.
Birthday gifts are often more or less presented as entertainment and/or gags as well. Another friend of mine’s brother works with metal. I think he does auto body work. He presented his brother a car door with all his friends’ signatures and birthday messages on it. He also gave him a metal birthday card. Really! It was welded shut and the birthday boy had to figure out how to open it. I think he ended up using some sort of metal cutters (Ok, I’m sure they’re called something else, but I’m at a loss when it comes to naming tools, sorry). When he finally got it open he discovered a gift certificate for the local Italian restaurant here in town. Several people at the party chipped in for it. Group gifts are more common here it seems and pretty unique and clever. Germans seem to put a lot of thought into what they do. They’re planners.
I was present at yet another birthday gathering and the gag gift that was presented had to be opened outside in the street. It was a decent sized barrel filled with saw dust, metal shavings, condoms and a gift certificate to that same restaurant. Crazy and unique. I loved it.
One such difference that I have observed is that folks here aren’t so gift orientated when it comes to birthdays. The focus is more on the celebration. It’s interesting to me that Germans usually celebrate the day before the actual birthday so that when midnight comes around, the birthday is toasted. They may also party the next day too, but the partying the day before the birthday is a new concept for me. I think our (Americans) thinking is if you’re lucky and your birthday happens to fall on a Friday or Saturday, you celebrate on that Friday or Saturday or whatever day that’s convenient, but the focus has never been on the day before your actual birthday. Of course there are exceptions and I’m sure certain family traditions, but I think the norm is to celebrate on your special day.
Another occurrence that was different to me was entertainment. Many Germans create some sort of skit or gag, or recite a poem or story during the birthday celebration. A friend of mine threw her husband a huge 40th birthday party last summer. It was held under tents in the middle of a field in town. She went all out: ton’s of food, a beverage trailer; the works. Her husband happens to be in a band that plays covers as well as traditional German music. The trumpets, drums and acoustic guitars entertained us while we ate. Followed by the skit, four people dressed as TUV inspectors entered the tent. TUV is the German version of Motor vehicle inspection. You have to pass this before you can renew your car registration. They made the birthday boy stand on a table and proceeded to treat him like a car being inspected. They incorporated the getting old concept with an old car…aging parts, dim headlights, etc. It was a hilarious skit. At the end they presented him a vanity plate with his name and birthday on it.
Birthday gifts are often more or less presented as entertainment and/or gags as well. Another friend of mine’s brother works with metal. I think he does auto body work. He presented his brother a car door with all his friends’ signatures and birthday messages on it. He also gave him a metal birthday card. Really! It was welded shut and the birthday boy had to figure out how to open it. I think he ended up using some sort of metal cutters (Ok, I’m sure they’re called something else, but I’m at a loss when it comes to naming tools, sorry). When he finally got it open he discovered a gift certificate for the local Italian restaurant here in town. Several people at the party chipped in for it. Group gifts are more common here it seems and pretty unique and clever. Germans seem to put a lot of thought into what they do. They’re planners.
I was present at yet another birthday gathering and the gag gift that was presented had to be opened outside in the street. It was a decent sized barrel filled with saw dust, metal shavings, condoms and a gift certificate to that same restaurant. Crazy and unique. I loved it.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
I have now seen and heard it all...
I am constantly surprised by the cultural differences that I encounter, however, this tops them all. I am in complete and utter shock.
Lutz, a good German friend of mine recently had leg surgery and has been in the hospital since Monday so I wanted to visit him today. I called another friend to make sure he was still in the hospital before I took the 40 minute ride to the visit him. My friend said yes, Lutz was still there and if I go visit him bring him some beer!! I yelled into the phone, “What??!!!”
You can drink beer in the hospitals in Germany. I know, this is insane, but it’s true. Perhaps you can do this other European countries too; I’m not sure, but definitely in Germany. I couldn’t believe it. My other friend said he brought Lutz a bottle of wine when he visited him. I’m in shock. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! So, my little bag of goodies containing what you’d normally bring to someone in the hospital; a snack, a magazine, a plant (which I had to take home because it was a plant with dirt, not flowers and the dirt might be, uh, dirty) also contained 3 bottles of beer. You can consume alcoholic beverages while bedridden, but can’t have a plant in your room, go figure. Why stop there? He could save himself the effort and just consume the beer intravenously. He’s got one hooked up already.
When I expressed my shock to Lutz, his reaction was that in his experience, it is a perfectly normal thing to be able to drink beer in a hospital here. Normally you can purchase beer in the hospital cafeteria, but this hospital was only selling non-alcoholic beer. Lutz said he wasn’t sick so it’s acceptable for him to drink a beer or two. Ok, you can’t tie one on, they draw the line there, but as long as you’re not “sick”, I guess meaning internally, there’s no problem. I have a problem with this. He is bed ridden and in a hospital, but not sick. You used to be able to smoke in the hospitals, can you imagine?
In my opinion, Germany is very strict on certain things, but obviously much more lenient with others. They have the attitude, hey, you’re a grown up, your call, but it’s not our fault if you make the wrong decision. You’re responsible for your own actions. That’s the general attitude about a lot of things. I think we in the USA got away from that reasoning and now it’s getting out of hand, with everyone suing everyone for the smallest reasons. We’re missing out on a lot because of it. Maybe we should get back to being responsible for ourselves instead of placing the blame on everyone else. This is just my personal opinion.
Getting back to the beer, as I said, I have now seen and heard it all. This takes the cake. Hey, maybe hospital cafeterias will be the new hip place to hang out, unwind, and down a few with your friends.
It wouldn’t surprise me.
Lutz, a good German friend of mine recently had leg surgery and has been in the hospital since Monday so I wanted to visit him today. I called another friend to make sure he was still in the hospital before I took the 40 minute ride to the visit him. My friend said yes, Lutz was still there and if I go visit him bring him some beer!! I yelled into the phone, “What??!!!”
You can drink beer in the hospitals in Germany. I know, this is insane, but it’s true. Perhaps you can do this other European countries too; I’m not sure, but definitely in Germany. I couldn’t believe it. My other friend said he brought Lutz a bottle of wine when he visited him. I’m in shock. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! So, my little bag of goodies containing what you’d normally bring to someone in the hospital; a snack, a magazine, a plant (which I had to take home because it was a plant with dirt, not flowers and the dirt might be, uh, dirty) also contained 3 bottles of beer. You can consume alcoholic beverages while bedridden, but can’t have a plant in your room, go figure. Why stop there? He could save himself the effort and just consume the beer intravenously. He’s got one hooked up already.
When I expressed my shock to Lutz, his reaction was that in his experience, it is a perfectly normal thing to be able to drink beer in a hospital here. Normally you can purchase beer in the hospital cafeteria, but this hospital was only selling non-alcoholic beer. Lutz said he wasn’t sick so it’s acceptable for him to drink a beer or two. Ok, you can’t tie one on, they draw the line there, but as long as you’re not “sick”, I guess meaning internally, there’s no problem. I have a problem with this. He is bed ridden and in a hospital, but not sick. You used to be able to smoke in the hospitals, can you imagine?
In my opinion, Germany is very strict on certain things, but obviously much more lenient with others. They have the attitude, hey, you’re a grown up, your call, but it’s not our fault if you make the wrong decision. You’re responsible for your own actions. That’s the general attitude about a lot of things. I think we in the USA got away from that reasoning and now it’s getting out of hand, with everyone suing everyone for the smallest reasons. We’re missing out on a lot because of it. Maybe we should get back to being responsible for ourselves instead of placing the blame on everyone else. This is just my personal opinion.
Getting back to the beer, as I said, I have now seen and heard it all. This takes the cake. Hey, maybe hospital cafeterias will be the new hip place to hang out, unwind, and down a few with your friends.
It wouldn’t surprise me.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Let's talk about hair...
After having lived here in Germany for about 2 weeks, I went on my first road trip to another country, Czech Republic. There’s this wonderful little town called Kalovy Vary, infamous for its crystal and pottery sales and its mineral springs. It boasts natural mineral springs and most of the hotels are spa hotels. It’s very lovely. It’s also where I first spotted someone with purple hair.
Ok, it was more like red/purple hair and it didn’t belong to a young punk rocker, this hair belonged to a 50-year old woman, maybe someone’s mother or grandmother. In Europe, color is king and it is considered very stylish. I was doing the staring this time (refer to blog dated 30 January 07). I couldn’t believe it. I was thinking, “Is this normal?” Apparently, it is. Having lived here now for over 2 years, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is very normal. Piercings are more main-stream here as well. It is nothing to see a middle aged woman with her nose pierced. It’s just very common. So are earrings on men of all ages.
Side note: Yes, I’ve had my nose pierced for over a year now. I would never had considered it a few years ago, back in the states, but like I said, it’s so common here that it grew on me and I started to think it looked cool, even classy. My husband was dead set against it, but then gave in and surprised me and had a girlfriend take me to have it done as a Christmas present in 2005. I was nervous about what my family would think, but as it turned out, they didn’t even notice until I couldn’t stand it anymore and pointed it out. Hmm…
Anyway, back to the hair. Another surprising observation that I made was the fact that men pay as much attention to their hair here as the women. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, although I’m sure a few of you alpha male types would beg to differ. It’s just DIFFERENT. I first noticed it on one of my first public transportation journeys and I was sitting behind this young man who was in his late teens or maybe early 20’s. His hair was perfect. Highlighted, texturized and sticking up in all the right directions. He had to have spent an hour on it. Again, I stared. Culture shock strikes again. So then I started paying attention to this new discovery. It was not limited to the young hipsters, but to us older 30 and 40 something’s. One of my best German friends here is a hairdresser. Her husband’s hair is highlighted and cut more often than my own. It pays to know someone. And pay, you will. It costs about 75 to 85 euros and up for a highlight, cut and blow dry, which amounts to $97.00 to $110.00 dollars based on the exchange rate at this time. I guess that’s the going rate in the states now too, I don’t know. I do know it’s more than I want to dish out too often.
The craziest hairdo I’ve seen thus far was when I was driving home from work several months ago and this girl was waiting to cross the street to a bus stop. The sides of her hair were shaved short and had this tiger stripe color thing going on with a bright multicolored mohawk, a tall one at that. She also had sections of hair framing her face, also brightly colored. I was stopped at a red light so I could watch this spectacle cross the street without driving off the road. It was amazing. I looked around to see if other people noticed her as well; you never know, it could be something common and I just never noticed before. The Germans were staring too. It was a jaw dropper, talk to yourself (Oh my God) sighting. Haven’t seen anything as extreme since then, however, I did find out that there’s a girl that works where I do (who also has pretty wild hair) and happens to belong to a newly formed roller derby club. They wear fishnet stockings and try to knock each other down. Gotta love this place.
Ok, it was more like red/purple hair and it didn’t belong to a young punk rocker, this hair belonged to a 50-year old woman, maybe someone’s mother or grandmother. In Europe, color is king and it is considered very stylish. I was doing the staring this time (refer to blog dated 30 January 07). I couldn’t believe it. I was thinking, “Is this normal?” Apparently, it is. Having lived here now for over 2 years, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is very normal. Piercings are more main-stream here as well. It is nothing to see a middle aged woman with her nose pierced. It’s just very common. So are earrings on men of all ages.
Side note: Yes, I’ve had my nose pierced for over a year now. I would never had considered it a few years ago, back in the states, but like I said, it’s so common here that it grew on me and I started to think it looked cool, even classy. My husband was dead set against it, but then gave in and surprised me and had a girlfriend take me to have it done as a Christmas present in 2005. I was nervous about what my family would think, but as it turned out, they didn’t even notice until I couldn’t stand it anymore and pointed it out. Hmm…
Anyway, back to the hair. Another surprising observation that I made was the fact that men pay as much attention to their hair here as the women. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, although I’m sure a few of you alpha male types would beg to differ. It’s just DIFFERENT. I first noticed it on one of my first public transportation journeys and I was sitting behind this young man who was in his late teens or maybe early 20’s. His hair was perfect. Highlighted, texturized and sticking up in all the right directions. He had to have spent an hour on it. Again, I stared. Culture shock strikes again. So then I started paying attention to this new discovery. It was not limited to the young hipsters, but to us older 30 and 40 something’s. One of my best German friends here is a hairdresser. Her husband’s hair is highlighted and cut more often than my own. It pays to know someone. And pay, you will. It costs about 75 to 85 euros and up for a highlight, cut and blow dry, which amounts to $97.00 to $110.00 dollars based on the exchange rate at this time. I guess that’s the going rate in the states now too, I don’t know. I do know it’s more than I want to dish out too often.
The craziest hairdo I’ve seen thus far was when I was driving home from work several months ago and this girl was waiting to cross the street to a bus stop. The sides of her hair were shaved short and had this tiger stripe color thing going on with a bright multicolored mohawk, a tall one at that. She also had sections of hair framing her face, also brightly colored. I was stopped at a red light so I could watch this spectacle cross the street without driving off the road. It was amazing. I looked around to see if other people noticed her as well; you never know, it could be something common and I just never noticed before. The Germans were staring too. It was a jaw dropper, talk to yourself (Oh my God) sighting. Haven’t seen anything as extreme since then, however, I did find out that there’s a girl that works where I do (who also has pretty wild hair) and happens to belong to a newly formed roller derby club. They wear fishnet stockings and try to knock each other down. Gotta love this place.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
The Land of Convenience
Let’s face it; in the United States, we live in the land of convenience. We can have whatever we want, whenever we want it, given we have the means to purchase it. I never realized this until I moved here and was faced with…gasp…such INCONVENIENCE.
Oh yes, the horror of it…I was unable to purchase my favorite eye cream, immediately. I ran out of bread on a Sunday. I cannot find for the life of me, my favorite style of Levis (unless I want to pay 65 euros for them). No Taco Bell at 1:00 am, no shopping for shoes on a rainy Sunday. I can shop online for anything but then I’d have to wait. I’ve learned to wait.
It’s almost funny what we take for granted. Think about it, even Wal-Mart in Lisbon is open 24 hours, isn’t it? You can buy just about anything there. Incidentally, Wal-Mart in this area in Germany CLOSED. Can you imagine? It just wasn’t popular enough. It didn’t catch on. There are similar chains here, one such is called REAL. It’s like Super Wal-Mart, although I can’t imagine too many folks buying in bulk here. You really don’t need a store like that, because shopping, well, food shopping is different here. The refrigerators are half the size of what we’re used to in the US, so people shop for meals and staples to last a couple of days at a time; Another thing to get used to. Besides, there’s zillions of “convenience stores”. They are like small grocery stores, but in their center aisles you will find anything from electric guitars (this was at Christmas time) to lamps, clothing, etc. It’s crazy. Unfortunately, their shopping hours are just as lame as all the rest.
But oh, the inconvenience of it all! It took me a year to get over the fact that just about everything is closed on Sunday. Some restaurants are open, but not all, and no stores. Nothing. Unless you can buy it on the military base, you’re out of luck. Part of the inconvenience problem is that the military bases don’t carry every brand of everything, so you just might have to settle for something else. I know it’s unimaginable, but true.
There are a few occasions that shops in town are open on Sunday. For example, if there’s a fest going on in a "dorf" (town or village), as a “treat” the shops in that area might open that Sunday. During the holiday season, the bigger shopping districts are open all weekend and later at night, but this is just hearsay. I didn’t witness this myself. The real kicker is that it’s only been during the past 5 or so years that shopping could be done on Sat.! In most small town shops, they stay open to 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday. I don’t understand this. The malls, I am happy to say, are open later, 7:00 or 8:00 pm, but they’re so crowded because this is the only time one can really spend some time shopping, so I try to avoid them. Malls are open during the week, but only until 7 or 8 pm.
Oh yes, the horror of it…I was unable to purchase my favorite eye cream, immediately. I ran out of bread on a Sunday. I cannot find for the life of me, my favorite style of Levis (unless I want to pay 65 euros for them). No Taco Bell at 1:00 am, no shopping for shoes on a rainy Sunday. I can shop online for anything but then I’d have to wait. I’ve learned to wait.
It’s almost funny what we take for granted. Think about it, even Wal-Mart in Lisbon is open 24 hours, isn’t it? You can buy just about anything there. Incidentally, Wal-Mart in this area in Germany CLOSED. Can you imagine? It just wasn’t popular enough. It didn’t catch on. There are similar chains here, one such is called REAL. It’s like Super Wal-Mart, although I can’t imagine too many folks buying in bulk here. You really don’t need a store like that, because shopping, well, food shopping is different here. The refrigerators are half the size of what we’re used to in the US, so people shop for meals and staples to last a couple of days at a time; Another thing to get used to. Besides, there’s zillions of “convenience stores”. They are like small grocery stores, but in their center aisles you will find anything from electric guitars (this was at Christmas time) to lamps, clothing, etc. It’s crazy. Unfortunately, their shopping hours are just as lame as all the rest.
But oh, the inconvenience of it all! It took me a year to get over the fact that just about everything is closed on Sunday. Some restaurants are open, but not all, and no stores. Nothing. Unless you can buy it on the military base, you’re out of luck. Part of the inconvenience problem is that the military bases don’t carry every brand of everything, so you just might have to settle for something else. I know it’s unimaginable, but true.
There are a few occasions that shops in town are open on Sunday. For example, if there’s a fest going on in a "dorf" (town or village), as a “treat” the shops in that area might open that Sunday. During the holiday season, the bigger shopping districts are open all weekend and later at night, but this is just hearsay. I didn’t witness this myself. The real kicker is that it’s only been during the past 5 or so years that shopping could be done on Sat.! In most small town shops, they stay open to 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday. I don’t understand this. The malls, I am happy to say, are open later, 7:00 or 8:00 pm, but they’re so crowded because this is the only time one can really spend some time shopping, so I try to avoid them. Malls are open during the week, but only until 7 or 8 pm.
What prompted me to write about shopping today was that a big, brand new shopping center opened today on one of the bases here. People were lined up at 7:00 am waiting for it to open. I find this pathetic, but that's just me. This resulted in the closing of all of the "convenient" shopping I had available to me on the base that I work on. I just can't win.
Oh well, it’s amazing what we can endure.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Essen- To eat
I must tell you, you really haven’t had a proper dining experience until you’ve been to a restaurant in Europe. It truly is an experience.
Germans take their eating very seriously. Service, no matter where you are, whether it’s a small, home town restaurant or an upscale restaurant, is awesome. Just be prepared to spend some time there. Two to three hours is not unheard of. If you try to rush, you might be in and out in an hour, but don’t count on it. It’s meant to be a relaxing and savory experience. You never feel rushed, if anything, you might start feeling antsy or think they’re ignoring you when you want to ask for the check. They’re just doing what they normally do, letting you take your time. This does take getting used to and now that I’m used to it, I’d rather take my time then be rushed when it comes to eating out.
Presentation is everything. You can buy a croissant and a coffee at just about any gas station and you will be given a cup AND a saucer, a cookie or biscuit and maybe even a doily. I swear it’s true. Restaurants at the Autohof’s (rest stops) are even impressive. Most of them have buffet-type services and you can purchase a variety of food: roast pork, vegetables, wurst (sausages), pasta, fish, sandwiches, etc. And it’s all good. Not fried or greasy and cooked right. Any beverage you can think of is available for purchase as well, including alcoholic beverages. Dear God, I’ve seen beer in vending machines in Germany. And let me set the record straight…they DO NOT serve warm beer here. Some will drink it warm if the situation is desperate, but it’s neither necessary nor preferred. As a beer lover, I was horrified by the stories I heard prior to coming here. You can sleep well now.
German food itself is pretty simple. Pork is king. Breaded and fried, roasted, ham, ham-hocks, baked…you name it. It’s the “THE white meat”, not the “Other white meat” here. Chicken is less popular than turkey. Turkey cutlets are favored. Potatoes are big too. No matter where you go, there will always be potato salad and rost kartoffelen (roasted potatoes), or brat kartoffelen (fried potatoes); very good. And then there’s the wurst, which are sausages that come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. I like most of them and they’re a staple in the German diet; normally served on a roll- A hard roll, nothing flimsy about it. Speaking of bread, ah, the bread and bakeries here…that’s a whole other topic in itself.
Let’s just say that the average newcomer to Germany gains at least 15 lbs in their first year here, and for good reason. You want to try everything…eat and drink everything at least once. Unfortunately, some of the beers here are like drinking a loaf of bread!
Bon appetite!
Germans take their eating very seriously. Service, no matter where you are, whether it’s a small, home town restaurant or an upscale restaurant, is awesome. Just be prepared to spend some time there. Two to three hours is not unheard of. If you try to rush, you might be in and out in an hour, but don’t count on it. It’s meant to be a relaxing and savory experience. You never feel rushed, if anything, you might start feeling antsy or think they’re ignoring you when you want to ask for the check. They’re just doing what they normally do, letting you take your time. This does take getting used to and now that I’m used to it, I’d rather take my time then be rushed when it comes to eating out.
Presentation is everything. You can buy a croissant and a coffee at just about any gas station and you will be given a cup AND a saucer, a cookie or biscuit and maybe even a doily. I swear it’s true. Restaurants at the Autohof’s (rest stops) are even impressive. Most of them have buffet-type services and you can purchase a variety of food: roast pork, vegetables, wurst (sausages), pasta, fish, sandwiches, etc. And it’s all good. Not fried or greasy and cooked right. Any beverage you can think of is available for purchase as well, including alcoholic beverages. Dear God, I’ve seen beer in vending machines in Germany. And let me set the record straight…they DO NOT serve warm beer here. Some will drink it warm if the situation is desperate, but it’s neither necessary nor preferred. As a beer lover, I was horrified by the stories I heard prior to coming here. You can sleep well now.
German food itself is pretty simple. Pork is king. Breaded and fried, roasted, ham, ham-hocks, baked…you name it. It’s the “THE white meat”, not the “Other white meat” here. Chicken is less popular than turkey. Turkey cutlets are favored. Potatoes are big too. No matter where you go, there will always be potato salad and rost kartoffelen (roasted potatoes), or brat kartoffelen (fried potatoes); very good. And then there’s the wurst, which are sausages that come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. I like most of them and they’re a staple in the German diet; normally served on a roll- A hard roll, nothing flimsy about it. Speaking of bread, ah, the bread and bakeries here…that’s a whole other topic in itself.
Let’s just say that the average newcomer to Germany gains at least 15 lbs in their first year here, and for good reason. You want to try everything…eat and drink everything at least once. Unfortunately, some of the beers here are like drinking a loaf of bread!
Bon appetite!
Sunday, February 4, 2007
"Outta sight, Outta mind"...Part 2-People
Here’s another example of the “Outta sight, Outta mind" phenomenon. This one relates to people: Friends, family, acquaintances that you have lost touch with for one reason or another. Either you’re no longer in the same postal district or some life changing occurrence has caused you to no longer have as much in common and therefore, not as much interest, I guess. Or it could be just plain laziness.
I hate losing touch with people. I am a firm believer in fate. I believe that every single person that comes into your life leaves you with something. They’ve come into your life for a reason. It could be to remind you of something, teach you something, or just touch a part of you in a way that stays with you. I like thinking about that when I’ve met someone, which resulted in some sort of memorable experience or feeling. And when they’re no longer a part of my life for whatever reason, I mourn that loss.
I am also one of those people that believe it takes two people to maintain a friendship, just like anything else, it requires effort from both sides and I do get hurt when I feel like I’m the one making all the effort. I decide that’s it, I quit, I’m tired of making all the attempts to keep in touch…but then I’ll give it the old college try, one more time. Why? Because I don’t want to let it go, I don’t want to mourn another loss like that.
I will admit I’m guilty of neglect too. There’ have been times where I experienced that loss of interest because of the distance apart or because I felt we just didn’t have as much in common. Another reason was accountability. There was a time when I was experiencing something in my life that I felt a very good friend of mine couldn’t relate to and would judge me for so I avoided that conflict by cutting her out. I regret that to this day and now there have been attempts to rekindle that friendship, even after all these years. It worked; we have been keeping in touch on a regular basis, even though I’m a few time zones away.
The thought that I really wanted to share about “Outta sight, Outta mind” today was that there are certain people in our lives that we don’t expect to let us down , but they do. Friends that you really thought would keep in touch with you and really attempt to keep you a part of their lives sometimes don’t. This really surprised me, but it’s true. Maybe some people are just not good at the long distance thing. I live in another country. Or as I said before, maybe it’s laziness. I don’t want to sound like I’m playing the blame game, like I said, I have been just as guilty, but when it came to certain friendships that I really didn’t want to lose, I had to just accept that sometimes you just have to be disappointed. With age comes wisdom and with that comes certain harsh realities that you know are there, but you are reluctant to acknowledge. Those friendships are still there, but different. I feel the loss, but have made peace with it. It’s sort of like, yep, OK. It is what it is, I accept it.
Ce la Vie, such is life…….
I hate losing touch with people. I am a firm believer in fate. I believe that every single person that comes into your life leaves you with something. They’ve come into your life for a reason. It could be to remind you of something, teach you something, or just touch a part of you in a way that stays with you. I like thinking about that when I’ve met someone, which resulted in some sort of memorable experience or feeling. And when they’re no longer a part of my life for whatever reason, I mourn that loss.
I am also one of those people that believe it takes two people to maintain a friendship, just like anything else, it requires effort from both sides and I do get hurt when I feel like I’m the one making all the effort. I decide that’s it, I quit, I’m tired of making all the attempts to keep in touch…but then I’ll give it the old college try, one more time. Why? Because I don’t want to let it go, I don’t want to mourn another loss like that.
I will admit I’m guilty of neglect too. There’ have been times where I experienced that loss of interest because of the distance apart or because I felt we just didn’t have as much in common. Another reason was accountability. There was a time when I was experiencing something in my life that I felt a very good friend of mine couldn’t relate to and would judge me for so I avoided that conflict by cutting her out. I regret that to this day and now there have been attempts to rekindle that friendship, even after all these years. It worked; we have been keeping in touch on a regular basis, even though I’m a few time zones away.
The thought that I really wanted to share about “Outta sight, Outta mind” today was that there are certain people in our lives that we don’t expect to let us down , but they do. Friends that you really thought would keep in touch with you and really attempt to keep you a part of their lives sometimes don’t. This really surprised me, but it’s true. Maybe some people are just not good at the long distance thing. I live in another country. Or as I said before, maybe it’s laziness. I don’t want to sound like I’m playing the blame game, like I said, I have been just as guilty, but when it came to certain friendships that I really didn’t want to lose, I had to just accept that sometimes you just have to be disappointed. With age comes wisdom and with that comes certain harsh realities that you know are there, but you are reluctant to acknowledge. Those friendships are still there, but different. I feel the loss, but have made peace with it. It’s sort of like, yep, OK. It is what it is, I accept it.
Ce la Vie, such is life…….
Thursday, February 1, 2007
"Outta sight, Outta mind"........Part 1
A few things came to mind when this title popped into my head yesterday. I'll talk about the first today.
I work on a military base in Stuttgart, Germany and was just leaving work when I drove around the corner to exit the exit gate when I noticed that the cars in front of me were pulling over and stopping. I didn't understand why or what was going on. There wasn't an ambulance or firetruck zooming up from the rear. My radio was on, but I could hear the faint sound of trumpets.
Every day at 5:00 pm, the American flag is lowered. During this time, two songs are played, the first is called "To the Colors" to which people are to stop and stand at attention. The second song is "Retreat" and at this time those standing at attention in uniform or not, salute. A passenger in the car behind me got out of his car and was saluting. In the 2+ years that I've lived here in Germany, this is the first time I happened to be in the right place at the right time to witness this. For some reason it seemed more profound to see people stop driving and get out of their cars to do this. I've been walking on base when the lowering of the flag occurred and have seen people stop where they were and stand at attention saluting the flag, but never driving in a car. It really hit home to me.
Even we who are immersed in the military culture on a daily basis sometimes experience the "Outta sight, outta mind" phenomenon. It's moments like yesterday evening that bring it all back and remind us of our American pride and of why we're there doing what we're doing, and for whom we're doing it for. Those who make sacrifices everyday can still forget because we're so involved in our day to day lives. We too are far removed at times from the everyday horror that others face, and at other times, we are much too close. I am filled with pride to make my little contribution to our country. Thank you to my husband Jim for all that you do and to the thousands of others who sacrifice to make a difference. And to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice...
It also reminded me how much I've changed. I'm simply a different person since I've been living here. I am changed and have been enlightened. I realized this for the first time when I went back home to CT after having lived here for about a year and endured all that I have. It hit me, that the mindset is, mine included, if it's not in your face, it doesn't directly affect you, it affects someone else. Life is safer that way, less intrusive, less disturbing. I didn't realize this until I stepped out of the box and experienced another life. It hit home that there's a whole other world out there, not just the one I have lived in, far from the maddening crowd. I really had an epiphany. I was blown away. I still feel this way. I have been opened up, exposed and humbled.
God Bless America.
I work on a military base in Stuttgart, Germany and was just leaving work when I drove around the corner to exit the exit gate when I noticed that the cars in front of me were pulling over and stopping. I didn't understand why or what was going on. There wasn't an ambulance or firetruck zooming up from the rear. My radio was on, but I could hear the faint sound of trumpets.
Every day at 5:00 pm, the American flag is lowered. During this time, two songs are played, the first is called "To the Colors" to which people are to stop and stand at attention. The second song is "Retreat" and at this time those standing at attention in uniform or not, salute. A passenger in the car behind me got out of his car and was saluting. In the 2+ years that I've lived here in Germany, this is the first time I happened to be in the right place at the right time to witness this. For some reason it seemed more profound to see people stop driving and get out of their cars to do this. I've been walking on base when the lowering of the flag occurred and have seen people stop where they were and stand at attention saluting the flag, but never driving in a car. It really hit home to me.
Even we who are immersed in the military culture on a daily basis sometimes experience the "Outta sight, outta mind" phenomenon. It's moments like yesterday evening that bring it all back and remind us of our American pride and of why we're there doing what we're doing, and for whom we're doing it for. Those who make sacrifices everyday can still forget because we're so involved in our day to day lives. We too are far removed at times from the everyday horror that others face, and at other times, we are much too close. I am filled with pride to make my little contribution to our country. Thank you to my husband Jim for all that you do and to the thousands of others who sacrifice to make a difference. And to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice...
It also reminded me how much I've changed. I'm simply a different person since I've been living here. I am changed and have been enlightened. I realized this for the first time when I went back home to CT after having lived here for about a year and endured all that I have. It hit me, that the mindset is, mine included, if it's not in your face, it doesn't directly affect you, it affects someone else. Life is safer that way, less intrusive, less disturbing. I didn't realize this until I stepped out of the box and experienced another life. It hit home that there's a whole other world out there, not just the one I have lived in, far from the maddening crowd. I really had an epiphany. I was blown away. I still feel this way. I have been opened up, exposed and humbled.
God Bless America.
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