November 30, 2015

Our Week in Pictures

 

 

love from Germany~

 

November 28, 2015

We decided to check out our first Christmas Market on Thanksgiving Day. We thought the outing would be a good distraction and a fun way to recreate a Thanksgiving dinner. Perhaps, we would find a turkey leg amongst the many culinary options and call it good!

Since Glühwein (mulled wine) is one of the warm treats served at the Christmas Markets, we decided to take the bus to downtown Kaiserslautern for our first festive experience. We both wanted to partake and not have the concern of driving home. The day before, we talked to the checkout lady at our village market and learned that we needed to purchase a Tages-Karte for our family. It was our understanding that this ticket would give us an out and back ride. Danny studied the bus route and plotted our course. We were ready…or so we thought.

On Thanksgiving day, we walked up the street to the bus stop and caught the bus into Kaiserslautern.

The ride was smooth. We all enjoyed looking out the window at the passing villages and we made it to the Market. So far, so good.

Walking into the Christmas Market on the cobble stone streets felt like we were going back in time. The boys loved the kids rides. We snacked on a Nutella crepe…E licked the leftover chocolate right off the plate! We sipped on our first Glühwein of the season and walked by the festive stalls.

  

 

A little later, we ate pizzas cooked in outdoor wood ovens and shared a Käse-Griller im Baguette (a super long hotdog with cheese filling in a small baguette so that it hangs out both sides). As time slipped by, the temperatures dropped and the market filled with crowds creating a good time to exit and head home.

The hubby had a Bus App on his phone that directed us to a bus stop a short walk away to return home. According to the App, we were minutes away from the arrival of our bus. We hightailed it over to the bus stop and waited…and waited…and waited some more. As I kept the boys somewhat distracted, hubby tried to ask for help. Most of the folks seemed as confused as we were as he tried to ask questions. The language barrier wasn’t helping. Slowly, confusion and frustration set in.

Here are snippets of an incredibly, long story…

spending more than three hours trying to get home

waiting three different times for buses that never showed

standing at six bus stops

more hot drinks

running around a grassy knoll to get some of the boys’ energy out

whining children

whining wife

hopping on a bus because it said IKEA and we knew where THAT was

half of our family crossing a scary, busy, four lane road while the other half looked for a crosswalk thus missing our last bus connection by minutes. This led to a family argument alongside said scary, busy, four lane road.

taking shelter from the cold in a small quick shop, trying to linger as long as possible without being asked to leave

a pseudo dinner of gold fish crackers (that we bought at the quick shop) and a Cliff Bar

bloody finger from playing with a branch that had thorns as we waited another hour for a connection

walking home from our village bus stop exhausted.

My gratitude for making it home pulsed through every vein in my body. THANK YOU JESUS!!! We were hungry, cold, a little bloody and grumpy but we were HOME. I relished the immediate warmth of our apartment, the comfort of a familiar space and food from our own fridge. It wasn’t lost on me that this place, where we have only lived for less than two weeks, brought comfort.

I took pictures at the start of our day. Once the confusion kicked in, out went the picture taking. I think thats valuable to remember when we see pictures on Facebook. Its easier to catch the fun moments. Its rare to see pictures of the hard. That doesn’t mean those moments aren’t there too. Thankfully, there are many more Christmas markets to help balance the scales and get me out of my comfort zone once more.

**Lessons Learned**

1. Check with the bus driver on our outbound trip to find out where we are to catch the bus home.
2. Carry my German translation book in my purse at all times.
3. Pack more snacks!

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

When we first became parents, every little thing about caring for a newborn baby seemed new and fresh. That feeling is back as we navigate living in a new country! Here are ten observations and lessons learned from our first week.

1. Experiencing jet lag alongside your kids is an adventure in and of itself. I’m still tired.
2. We are SO grateful our kitty is with us. She is a little piece of home and a dear companion to all of us, especially for our oldest. 
3. The checkout lady at the village market is so kind. She is a mother of four and understands the challenges of shopping with kids…”No, we are not getting that.” (Candy is still found near the checkout lanes). She is trying to teach me German. I’m motivated to learn some beginning phrases so I can chat with her.
4. I have not seen a flat sheet on a bed. The boys have a fitted sheet with a comforter. We have an additional bedspread on top that brings together our two individual mattresses, fitted sheets and comforters. Kids can make their beds in a snap! No excuses.
5. Heated towel rails are in the bathrooms of our apartment to heat our towels before using them and dry them afterwards. I forgot to turn ours on this morning during my shower. What was I thinking??
6. Cars move FAST through our village. Sometimes it feels like we are walking alongside an interstate as we walk down the sidewalk. I instruct the boys to stand against the stone walls or wooden fences as cars speed by. Its a little scary at times.
7. Many songs are played in English. I don’t know why this surprises me so much but it does. As we ate dinner at IKEA, we listened to Christmas carols in English and the familiarity was comforting.
8. There are different speed limits on the Autobahn. Sometimes, it changes from 40 km to 80 km to 100 km within a short distance. Driving involves a lot of mental math conversions. Hopefully, someday, I will think in kilometers!
9. I’m amazed to still see flowers growing in this cold weather. I’m inwardly cheering them on as their burst of color add such beauty to the landscape.  
10. Being the foreigner gives you empathy for other foreigners. Its both lonely and hard to have even the most common, basic things be so different than what you are use to. A smile and a kind word go a long way.

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”         Hebrews 13:2

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Rest and time spent out in nature and/or with family seems to be encouraged here on Sundays. Though we were told to be prepared for shops to be closed on Sunday, we were still surprised to find out that even IKEA is closed! We thought they just meant grocery stores. Also, excessive noise is prohibited from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday afternoons and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays. During these times, noise levels must be kept down as much as possible. If anyone knows our family, the word “quiet” is not typically one of the descriptive words used when we come to mind. Its okay…we know! The typical noise level of our two, active boys is far from quiet.

In an effort to respect the quiet hours and not get fined, we ventured out this afternoon in our car to explore where we may want to live more “permanently” during our time here. There are four possible schools that we are considering for our boys. We decided to drive to the surrounding villages of one, which is closer to hubby’s work, to see if we could envision ourselves fitting in amongst the folks.

After exiting the Autobahn, we drove into the country and found ourselves surrounded by lush fields of green with sheep running through the pastures. Something about this simple scene made my spirits soar. From the security of my car window, I gazed out to the narrow, village streets lined with German homes. I was picturing myself walking with the boys (okay…running) and imagining us living amongst the people. As we drove out of one, quaint village and into another, I began to pray. Asking that He may provide us a home to dwell here in the beauty. That His people may become our people. Whispers spoken in my heart…

We relied mostly on Google maps as we drove. This worked well until we realized we were driving in circles in one of the villages. We decided to rebel against the automated voice and go our own way. Suddenly, we began to ascend higher and higher into the countryside. We stopped to reorientate ourselves and then drove down an extremely steep road. At one point, our car felt like we were at such a steep angle that we were going to flip. We began to shout as if we were on a rollercoaster. I was holding on to the dash for dear life. Our youngest awoke from his nap to our boisterous screams and laughter and joined in. And then it was done…the craziness subsided again.

(Here’s our view at the top of the street. The steepest part was near the bottom. Click on the photo for a better look.)

Thats what life feels like right now…a rollercoaster. Moving to another continent, uprooting ourselves from so many comforts we knew and learning to do life in another country is definitely a new experience for us. With it, comes the highs of adventures, the lows of fear and the speed of a ride that seems somewhat surreal. Interestingly, I was never a fan of rollercoasters growing up. There was safety in my familiars. I’ve come to realize this past week how much I still prefer that feeling of safety.

Yet, I got on the ride with all my hopes, dreams and fears and buckled myself in. We have taken off. As we seek some safety nets, I desire to ride this adventure with my eyes wide open. I’m thankful this country values quiet. It allows me time to reflect and take it all in.