Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Whats New


Random: Protests at Bayer concerning the Bayer/Monsanto merger

Too early: Christmas is all around. In the absence of Halloween and Thanksgiving, we started getting Christmas catalogs in September

Eating: Roasted Red Pepper soup

Bad: Someone is poisoning hamburger and putting it out in the forest. So far 4 dogs have been poisoned.

Enjoying: Rain and mochas

Good: Pumpkins


 




 




 


 


Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Fall Again: Thoughts on a YEAR

I've been thinking a lot about this post. What on Earth can I write about that covers all of the different experiences, feelings, ups, downs, overs and outs of this past year? It's pretty much impossible.

 The different obstacles and responsibilities that come from moving internationally are immense, you either sink or swim... seriously, it is that simple.  My number of "sinks" is still growing, but I am swimming more often these days.

Just last week I was gassing up the car and I went in to pay ( there is no pay at the pump here), after conversing in German for a bit the woman behind the counter asked me a question I didn't understand, so I politely told her that I am learning German and asked if she spoke English. She kindly responded "ja" and went onto to remark how great it was that I was using and learning German, and my trying was always appreciated. This hit me pretty hard, in a good way. It took a year but this was the first time I have received positive reinforcement from a German about my language skills. That little bit of kindness reminded me that yes, I am still learning and sound ridiculous most of the time, but hey, that's much better than not trying at all, and the more I try (in all areas of life) the better I will become.

Some other random observations via Zach is the enormous difference in the corporate world in Germany vs the USA.  Everything from meetings, to how to socialize at lunch are different. He still has some days where he comes home absolutely exhausted, just having given an hour technical presentation all in German, or been in a long meeting where he was the only non-German.This has taken some getting used to on his part, and he takes it all in stride.  Zach isn't just "swimming" in his new role, he is flippin' Michael Phelps.

The Pros: Scenery, cheap alcohol, close proximity to Paris (and other cool places), driving fast, bratwurst, rain (I love rain),

The Cons: The smoking I hate hate HATE it, grumpy people, parking, short winter days, 8 hrs time difference from home, paperwork, our family can't come over for dinner

So here is another year to keeping our head above water, making new friends, and experiencing new places, feeling like an idiot a little less often, and of course, eating ridiculous amounts of ridiculously fattening food.


Prost!


















Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Girls trip to Paris

It was grand! Paris is just the best, and even better with your best bud. We drove together, which means we were thrown into the rather scary world of Paris traffic, but we laughed the entire way through.


Adventures:

Listening to the most beautiful male voice we have ever heard singing at an early morning service at Notre Dame.

Eating crepes, profiteroles, lemon sorbet, and much, much more

Learned that eating salmon and scrambled eggs on toast is the messiest thing you will ever do

Watched the Eiffel Tower do it's sparkly dance

Road the metro like a pro

Drank maybe one too many glasses of wine

Shopping

Talked about what our Paris "vacation home" would look like

Reading in the park

Learned what we needed to know about our pepper spray, so we were ready for anything

Visited a French outdoor antique market

Tried to speak high school french

Stayed up way past our bedtimes talking, just because we could...