Culture shock hits some people hard, while others don't experience much of it. Boy did I experience it! I remember around month 3 being in the bathroom getting ready, being so upset b/c i couldn't understand anything, I was scared to drive, I just "hated" it. I blurted out to Paul "Why can't everyone just be normal and speak English?!" His response... "Well, that's very American of you, Katie. Maybe the reason is b/c you are in GERMANY and it's THEIR language". It was then I decided this was going to be an amazing assignment or the worst; it all depended on me and my attitude. To experience another culture, you really have to open your mind, step outside your comfort zone and have patience. You cannot enjoy any place if you are stuck in the "American way" mentality.
So I started forcing myself out more, driving more in the surrounding communities, shopping on the economy, getting the food sale papers in German and teaching myself a few words every week. Though I cannot speak many words (enough to find a bathroom, order a couple food items and give a greeting), I can read enough to get by and that's ok with me!
There are many things I will miss about Germany and Europe: traveling, bakeries, round-a-bouts, driving, cheap,fresh and organic produce, countrysides and rolling hills, small towns, Christmas Markets and churches, Ryanair, T€di, Salvatore's salad dressing, cheap and AMAZING WINE, and walking my kids to/from school everyday. I will expand upon a few of these things.
TRAVELING
Paul and I decided we wanted to travel extensively while we were here. 1- b/c it is a super central location for everything- SEE
2- ugh it's EUROPE! 3- b/c we didn't want to be "those" families that sit at home, on base, week after week, wondering what happened to the last 3 years and have no experience to talk about when get older! So, we made plans to travel, made lists of places to see and saved for each trip! With this duty station, here are a list of places we have been. Paul in ( ) denotes his lucky and awesome work trips or Katie with her girl's trips!
- Brussels and Brugge, Belgium
- Zandvoort, Holland
- Paris (one more trip planned April 2014)&Metz, France (along with small shopping towns on the borders)
- (many places in) Germany including Berlin (planned for March 2014)
- Venice, Italy
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Olympia, Greece
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, Spain (Katie)
- Doolin, Tralee, Castleisland, Dingle, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Portmagee, Ballinskelligs, Kenmare, Killarney and Killarney Nat'l Park all in Ireland
- Israel (Paul)
- Poland (Paul)
- Seychelles Island (Paul)
- London, England (Paul)
- Prague, Czech Republic (planned for Feb 2014)
- Lithuania/Estonia (Paul)
- And hopefully I can get to Amsterdam, too before we leave!
BAKERIES
 |
| German Bäckeri- Barbarossa |
And I understand why now- b/c they are DELISH! Bakeries here (Germany, France, Belgium that I have experienced) produce some of the best breads and pastries I've ever tasted! Particularly France! Their macaroons are TO DIE FOR and I'm not talking about coconut things, I'm talking about delectable, sweet, little sandwich cookie things with a slightly crunchy outer shell and then the entire thing just melts in your mouth!
 |
| Best French Bakery- Paul |
And everything is so cheap! Fresh pretzels (big ones) are 29 euro cents which is about 35¢, fresh loaves of bread are about $1, pasties range from 30¢ to $3 depending on what it is and how large. Coffee here is robust, clean and simply the best I've ever had, too!
ROUND-A-BOUTS and DRIVING
When you do see this sign or a sign like this with numbers and lines thru it, that means there is NO SPEED LIMIT. Cars will fly by you like you are sitting still when you are actually doing 80 MPH! I am not one of those who enjoys toying with death via a car accident, so I usually cruise at about 130-140 KPH. "Other people", I won't name names (**Paul**) like to try giving me a heart attack whenever possible! There might be visible claw marks in his car... Memories of some terrifying moments... I'm only kidding about the claw marks... Not about the moments ;)
Round-a-bouts are amazing! No stop lights, barely any wait time and you just go with the flow! So much more efficient than a light or stop sign!!!
Looks scary, but it's VERY EASY to navigate, unless you visit Paris and decide to drive the Arc de Triomphe round-a-bout... Then you have 5 lanes to navigate thru with tons of cars and double decker buses. Saw it, never want to do it.
COUNTRY SIDES AND ROLLING HILLS
And if you think that is nice, just google Mosel Valley, Germany. There is the "wine" road that goes through all of the wineries here. The hillsides are covered with vineyards for miles and miles along with castles and cute little towns! Really amazing!
Christmas Markets in Germany/France are unbelievable! Words can't even describe how awesome they are! Christmas in the States feel so commercialized and fake, whereas, Christmas here feels like tradition and magic! The only way to understand it is to experience it!!!
 |
| Trier, Germany |
 |
| Brugge, Belgium |
 |
| Strasbourg, France |
RYANAIR, T€DI & CHEAP WINE
I paired all of these together b/c they are all super inexpensive, but awesome! RyanAir is an airline company that is usually really cheap! I'm talking €13 each way trip to Ireland cheap (during non peak season). Or how about a €12 per person RT ticket to Scotland during non peak season? Yes please! You can travel cheap if you know how! Pack light- mind the carry-on restriction sizes, they are strict. It isn't a normal carry-on size! If you have to take a bag, buy the extra bag AT THE TIME YOU BUY YOUR TICKET! It's €50 then. Or else at the counter it could be as high at €150! Wear some items with a Roofus Roo Travel Vest. Yes it looks silly, but seriously I bought one and saved on my check bag fees b/c I was able to use a small carry-on and this vest :)
T€di is like an amazing dollar store, except with way cooler stuff! I get wrapping paper there for 55 euro cents (about 73¢) :) I get earring and jewelry for myself and my kids for 50 euro cents to €2 and if you look you can find really cute stuff! They have school supplies for cheap and even some nice, big artwork in big, heavy, pretty frames (for around €20-€40)!
Wine... Mmmmmm. I'll say it again...
There are so many wines I've tried, I couldn't name them all, but almost any wine here is great! And the best part is- unlike in the States where "cheap" wine tastes like garbage- you can get amazing wine for around €2-€4, thats like $3-$5!!!!! Yes PLEASE! I am trying create a stock pile for our return to the States since I have seen friends posting about $15-$30 bottles tasting like garbage :/ Paul thinks I am crazy, but I don't care! It is so nice to cook a nice meal while listening to some piano music and drinking my wine! It's calming, soothing, just makes me feel at ease. Or just downing a bottle during homework makes it better, too! JUST KIDDING! I don't do that :)
WALKING MY KIDS TO/FROM SCHOOL
I added this to my list b/c I just don't know if i am going to be able to do this at our next base. I imagine there is a busing system since there is no DoD school on base. Right now, we live 2 blocks from school. It takes me 5-6 min to walk them there. It's nice to walk with them as they hop, dance and sing every morning and then we talk about their day on their way home. Hopefully, we get this opportunity at our next base, but if not, I am going to miss it!
 |
| Our favorite Fall tree/ October 2013 |
I am excited about "going home", but at the same time hopeful about another overseas assignment... Maybe next time Japan? :)
Loves to all,
Katie <3
No comments:
Post a Comment