Last spring before school year's end, my supervisor suggested I blog our year abroad in Germany. I am totally new to this, but thought it might be interesting to document our year here. Finding a starting point is the hardest part.... I hope!
My husband, Thomas, who is almost fully "Americanized" after living in the States for over 10 years, grew up about 4 kilometers from our rental house. It has helped our situation immensely since we already knew a handful of people who still abide here. He too is adjusting to being a German in Germany!
So..... after being here about 8 weeks now, we have become accustomed to life here and are enjoying the simple things in life. We are learning how to live like the folks here in our small village of Eystrup, Germany. Our town has about 3,500 Einwohner, or residents. The cows, pigs, sheep, horses and roosters outnumber those of us with 2 legs!
Before our arrival, many Eystrupers were well aware that we were on our way. For instance, when I visited the bookstore here for the first time, they knew my name and where we were living.... oh and my brother-in-law chose one of them to be his queen at the Schuetzen festival in 1970 something.... Wow!! We also have a Munich license plate which is also easily recognizable here, so I have heard the phrase, "Oh, you are the ones that have the Munich "Kennzeichnen".... ja, das ist uns.... the Americans. I also get a few funny looks when I open my mouth to speak German with a hint of Southern twang (okay, a lot of Southern twang!). They understand me though and are afraid to ask too many questions. Germans don't tend to pry, so I just smile and say Tschuss!!! (bye bye!)
Since we have been here, we purchased our daughters new German style bikes with fancy headlights, baskets for carrying things and bells that signal pedestrians to move off the bike path. These two bikes cost about as much as my very first car... and that is NO joke! It is a biker's dream here. The paths lead you through the fields and wind through the tiny towns and along the Weser River.
I will end tonight with one funny memory from an afternoon at the pool in a neighboring town. We have learned that our German friends aren't quite as modest as we Americans. Girls 5 or 6 and under often swim topless, and boys and girls alike lay out on their beach towels in their birthday suits. Oh, and the bigger boys also pull their swimtrunks down to reveal their little hineys before going down the large, curvy slide... this so they slip and slide better. I have to remind Hannah often that it's not polite to stare.
So..... Sarah says to Hannah, "Hey, let's go over and play in the sand."
Hannah: "But those "necked" kids are playing over there."
Sarah: "So what. Let's go!"
I think it's safe to say that at least one of our children is getting Germanized!
More to come......
My husband, Thomas, who is almost fully "Americanized" after living in the States for over 10 years, grew up about 4 kilometers from our rental house. It has helped our situation immensely since we already knew a handful of people who still abide here. He too is adjusting to being a German in Germany!
So..... after being here about 8 weeks now, we have become accustomed to life here and are enjoying the simple things in life. We are learning how to live like the folks here in our small village of Eystrup, Germany. Our town has about 3,500 Einwohner, or residents. The cows, pigs, sheep, horses and roosters outnumber those of us with 2 legs!
Before our arrival, many Eystrupers were well aware that we were on our way. For instance, when I visited the bookstore here for the first time, they knew my name and where we were living.... oh and my brother-in-law chose one of them to be his queen at the Schuetzen festival in 1970 something.... Wow!! We also have a Munich license plate which is also easily recognizable here, so I have heard the phrase, "Oh, you are the ones that have the Munich "Kennzeichnen".... ja, das ist uns.... the Americans. I also get a few funny looks when I open my mouth to speak German with a hint of Southern twang (okay, a lot of Southern twang!). They understand me though and are afraid to ask too many questions. Germans don't tend to pry, so I just smile and say Tschuss!!! (bye bye!)
Since we have been here, we purchased our daughters new German style bikes with fancy headlights, baskets for carrying things and bells that signal pedestrians to move off the bike path. These two bikes cost about as much as my very first car... and that is NO joke! It is a biker's dream here. The paths lead you through the fields and wind through the tiny towns and along the Weser River.
I will end tonight with one funny memory from an afternoon at the pool in a neighboring town. We have learned that our German friends aren't quite as modest as we Americans. Girls 5 or 6 and under often swim topless, and boys and girls alike lay out on their beach towels in their birthday suits. Oh, and the bigger boys also pull their swimtrunks down to reveal their little hineys before going down the large, curvy slide... this so they slip and slide better. I have to remind Hannah often that it's not polite to stare.
So..... Sarah says to Hannah, "Hey, let's go over and play in the sand."
Hannah: "But those "necked" kids are playing over there."
Sarah: "So what. Let's go!"
I think it's safe to say that at least one of our children is getting Germanized!
More to come......
