Blue Socks

Here I am taking my sweet ol' time to post again.  I now speak daily with my two most diligent blog followers, so the need to update doesn't seem as urgent.  Randy would disagree. He has already expressed that he is upset that I have hung out with him several times and he only was mentioned in passing in one of the last posts.  I offered to dedicate a whole post to him and our adventures, he declined, but I knew he secretly wanted me to write that detailed account.

Where to begin?  I'm busy.  I've started the job.  I like the job.  Bret has moved in.  He has started his job.  He mildly likes his job.  UB and AK host great meals.   And Copper is still fat.  I'm sure I left out numerous happenings, that is just a start though.  Seriously, I really like my job.  At first I was not too happy with the idea of being in the front office, but I'm having a lot of fun and I feel like I really fit in there.  I've expressed a lot of interest in other positions and it appears that my bosses are taking these inquiries seriously.  Maybe after my introductory 90 days I'll have the chance to start something new (if there is something available).  My uniform still hasn't come in so I'm stuck wearing my clothes everyday.  Although I thought I would enjoy this, it's such a hassle to pick something out.  Who would have thought that I'd enjoy another scarfed outfit?  Not me.

I'm still learning my way around Indianapolis.  I'm so thankful for my newly acquired smart phone that directs me wherever I'd like to go with only a few minor hiccups.  Without the smartie I'd be stuck driving back to the house to google map everything and that's just not going to work.  I haven't converted completely though.  I only turn on the internet when I absolutely have to.  That makes me loyal to my EnV2 still, right?  Anyway, I'm happy right now, even if my life isn't nearly how I pictured it.  Things have really fallen into place for me and I'm grateful for that.

P.S. As I'm finishing typing this I just realized I didn't explain the title.  Basically, I wore blue socks with my black suit to work today.  Tomorrow I'll turn on the lights while I dress.

Cooking my way through boredom

I'm lying in wait for the Sheraton to call and tell me when I can begin my new glamorous front desk career, so while twiddling my thumbs I decided to fill my time with cooking and baking.  I know that the boys are thrilled to have something aside from fried egg sandwiches and cereal.  I'm no where close to being a good cook, but it keeps me busy and it sure is fun to pretend.

For my rookie roomie intro meal I made them pulled pork on ciabatta rolls with homemade garlic potato wedges.  They are real meat and potato guys so I'm going to stick with some good ol classic meals.  I bought the ingredients to prepare portobello pizzas but I think they are too traditional to try that just yet, so maybe for my lunch instead.  Then I'll be on to trying a new recipe I found for pumpkin muffins.  

Update

I know it's been almost a full month since my last post.  I've had way too many things going on and although I have had a few open hours to sit down and blog, it seemed like too much of a task.  So to pick up where I left off......

My last weeks in Freiburg were amazing.  I took a day trip by myself to Basel Switzerland where I exited the train and walked the streets with zero direction.  It was a fun day with lots and lots of walking.  Surprisingly, I didn't feel lost, maybe just misdirected a few times.  Then a road trip with Marcel for a week long of birthday celebrating that included a Dortmund match, a couple nights in Hamburg, Hannover zoo, and a night in our favorite guest house in Sinsheim.  It all concluded with a tearful goodbye in the Stuttgart airport.  I couldn't have asked for a better end to my European adventure. 

In my two weeks back in the states I've acquired the necessities; lodging and a job (pending drug test).  Everything is falling into place.  I accepted a position at the Sheraton at Keystone at the Crossing as a front desk agent.  I was so ready to be finished with front desk, but this property seems like a great fit and the whole HR department is aware that I'm eager to advance and go into a supervisory role.  Not to mention, it's a great location and only about a 15 minute drive from the townhouse.  Apart from the job I've landed two great roommates and an amazing little four legged friend.  Copper, Chris's dog, is the best and we've become exclusive cuddle buddies.  Don't tell Chris, but I think he likes me better. 

Being back has been great.  I've had the chance to reconnect with a lot of friends that I thought had forgotten about me.  It feels so amazing to get phone calls and texts, it's like I'm the functioning social person I used to be.  Just this week I spent a night in Bloomington with Kassy, met Alex for dinner (she lives ten minutes from me!), lunch with Rachel, had Randy over for some drinks, and tonight Bret and I will go to comedy club downtown to see Jerrod Carmichael.  Although I miss a lot of things about Germany, one person especially, it's a relief to be near my friends and family. 

It was a hard decision to come home, but I think it was the right one. 

Pac(wo)Man

What do you do when something is too overwhelming?  Procrastinate with a post.

At this very moment I am attempting to pack up the last 15 months of my life.  Everything was going great until I came upon the stein full of momentos from the last year.  I had my hands full with everything imaginable;  a wine cork from Spain, a match box from my first road trip with Marcel, the stolen butterfly from my last shift at Edelweiss, a Service Credit Union chapstick, an impromptu door opener from my first weekend in Freiburg, a set of pictures from Berlin, a gel pen Danielle's mom sent in a Christmas package, and many other insignificant significant things, when I dropped them all and had to sit down for a minute.  I didn't realize all of these little things would have such an impact on me. 

Ok, obviously this is a really emotional time for me.  But really, why didn't someone warn me?  And why didn't someone tell me that 3 suitcases was definitely not going to be enough.  Do you know that it costs 36 euro to ship anything 5kg and under to the U.S.? 

One suitcase to go.  Wish me luck.

 

We've hooked one!!

Moments ago Stefanie came into my room and said the girl she has been talking with wants to come on Monday the 17th.  One less week of frustration!

Childcare is for suckers

Well I guess it is time to make my future plans "official" by posting them on the blog.  I apologize that I didn't get on here sooner and update all of my diligent followers (Mom, Bret, Randy, and Grandma) with my situation.  Although it crossed my mind many times, it was hard to put into words what was happening.  For all of those who haven't been contacted by my ecstatic mother, I'll give you the short version.  I'm not fit to watch children for an extended period of time.  Sure, babysitting is nice and fun, but living with one?  I didn't exactly bite off more than I could chew, but I took a huge bite of something I had never had before and it didn't go over so well.  I'm not happy doing a job like this and as much as it kills me to give up and come home, I'm doing it.  I considered sticking it out and staying for a few months or trying to finish the year, but the more I considered this option the more that I realized that this position doesn't benefit my career in any way.  There is no motivation for me to grin and bear it so why should I?  I had the talk with my host mom and explained the situation.  She was understanding and we agreed to work together to find a replacement for my move out date in 2 weeks.  This seems impossible but we've actually been in contact with 2 different girls who are seriously considering it.  Crazy, crazy women.

So within the month I will be landing in Chicago being greeted by the ugliness of the beginning of the long winter.  As much as I would like this to be true, moving home isn't going to be an instant fix all.  I can already see my growing frustration with the job search, my surroundings, and my lack of Marcel.  I think the last being the most depressing and draining.  We've done the whole long distance thing through our entire relationship, but now we are stepping up to the big leagues with different time zones and an ocean of separation.  I've accepted that it's going to be hard, really hard.  I'm hoping that my realistic outlook will prepare me for the heartache to come.  Feel free to donate to the "Fly a Marcel Foundation".

Once home my plan is to get a job serving at a fine establishment, such as Bobs, and save some money so that I can pay off some old debts and have an opportunity to relocate with more career options.  I keep telling myself I will only be home for a couple months, but to be honest, it's probably going to be 6 months to a year.  Luckily, I still have my Hyatt connection and I plan on using that diligently during my job search.  It's funny because during my last weeks at Edelweiss I thought I was so excited for a break from the hospitality field, but I'm eager to get back into it.  I know it and I know how to handle the situations that come along with it.  It's much easier to calm down a furious old man than an irrational child.  Even though most people turn into the latter when their towels aren't replaced in a timely fashion.

My last weeks in Freiburg will be bittersweet.  I'm more than excited to be done with this job, but leaving my boyfriend is another story.  To say our farewell, as well as to celebrate my birthday, we are taking a trip to Hamburg.  It's not all pleasure though.  Marcel has another conference there he wants to attend, so we will piggyback some fun time on the back of that.  It will be refreshing to take a solo trip with him and get in some good memories before we part ways for an undetermined amount of time.  As much as I want to use one, I'm going to avoid all cliches and just go with what I'm really feeling......I hope everything works out.

So...we have an American....

So here we are.  I have been in Freiburg for 5 days and I won't lie, it has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me.  It was easy to romanticize the move, but actually living it is little more difficult.  When I was coming here for the weekend to visit I had no cares.  I didn't mind that no one could understand me and the issue of having friends here was nonexistent because my little wedge of America was always on the horizon.  Although I feel really dumb saying that, it is true, Garmisch and the Abrams were a slice of comfort.  I'm not exactly sure when my attitude shifted from the thought that this was another holiday to this is my life now.  Marcel says it was about 10 minutes outside of Freiburg, I think it was when he was talking to the girl who had rented his flat while he was doing his internship.  As the conversation carried on my thoughts were something along the lines of "Wow, I don't understand any of this.  I don't know German.  I don't know any German.  What the f*ck am I doing here?".  
I would gauge my emotions this week on the same level as a hormone ridden pregnant woman, minus the whole pregnancy bit.  I'm crying one minute, laughing the next, and it's all out of my control.  Don't misinterpret any of this though.  I'm so happy to be here, it just took me getting here to actually realize what a hard move it was going to be.  I'm not letting myself form any opinions for a couple weeks.  It's too soon to decide how I really feel and to be fair, nothing bad has happened.  I'm just overwhelmed at the thought of everything that is now on my plate.  I start the job tomorrow morning and move into the flat in the afternoon.  Opinion forming will begin approximately at 8:30am.

Now on to the 5 days of holiday.  Despite the previous paragraphs, I have been having a good time.  The first night Marcel could sense the oncoming depression and decided to take me to a special dinner at a little place called Kullman's Diner.  It is Germany's take on "American" food.  The menu featured burgers, wings, caesar salad, curly fries, milk shakes, Snapple, and many other dishes you could find at any bar or diner.  Not that I needed a burger and fries to feel at home, but it was a great change from the norm.  Don't you worry, we did order German beer.  The evening ended with both of us sinking into well deserved food comas.  The following night Marcel's roommates returned home from holidays and several of his friends came over to celebrate everyone being together again.  Honestly, I was dreading the evening in with the Germans.  I was worried that speaking English wouldn't be their top priority and I would be the awkward girl sitting in the corner laughing just because everyone else was.  Again, this was never something that bothered me before, but this is my life now, so I have a different outlook, I suppose.  Although I was nervous, the night was a lot of fun and I had some great conversations with his friends.  It was one of those times where you envision the worst scenario and then the exact opposite occurs.  Tonight we are meeting the same friends to play a game they ordered online called The War on Terror.  They said they were excited for me to explain some of the cards, should be an interesting evening in the war zone.

I'm now a member of the Freiburg English Club.  I attended my first meeting last night at a cozy little Italian restaurant about a 30 minute walk from Marcel's flat.  I was nervous, so I made sure to arrive about 15 minutes early to drink a beer and get settled in.  Of course I had nothing to be nervous about.  I met with the group on the alternative week, they usually meet every other week on Tuesday, so it was a smaller group, but conversation was plenty.  I was the only American in attendance followed by a New Zealander, four Australians, one UK, two Germans, and the lone South American man who arrived minutes before we were leaving the restaurant.  The old man from New Zealand introduced himself to me and I followed with the usual pleasantries.  He seemed more than excited when he exclaimed "So, we have an American!! I can tell that much!".  Maybe it was my midwestern accent?  It was refreshing to speak English freely without wondering if I was being understood properly.  They may not be the usual group of people I would pick to spend time with, but I think I will make it a priority to attend the dinners.

I will end this post with some wise words that Mom relayed to me minutes ago...
"Starting a new job is never fun. I always figure if I have found the bathroom it was a good day."
Tomorrow should be a breeze.

Good Luck from Brussels

Lake Garda was a fabulous time.  Although Marcel, Marcel, and I really only had one full day on the beach, we made the best of our short vaca in Italy.  We made it to the small town with no problems except that in a lapse of judgement, I didn't write down the name of the campground that was recommended to us.  As helpful as a GPS address is, they are pretty pointless when there are campgrounds every 10 feet.  We randomly made a decision and decided to stay at..........??  And I can't remember the name of that one either, but it was a nice place.  We set up camp near the beach and then the relaxation began.  It was a really nice getaway with beautiful weather.  Just what we all needed. 

My last day of work was yesterday, so the rest of the week is full of packing, out processing, party machen, and goodbyes.  It's a bittersweet separation.  I'm happy that the 13 months is over though.  It's time to start something new.  Now on to the next year of my life.  

My last day was surprisingly easy.  I only had one guest that me want to rip my hair out.  That is seriously a record.  And I managed to make a huge fool of myself.  That's pretty common practice though.  Corinne found a small butterfly pin in Market Station and being the kind person that she is, she offered it to me.  In celebration of my last day, I pinned it to my vest and went on with my day.  It attracted a lot of attention and I was happy to say it was a gift for my last day of service.  It wasn't until a small woman came up to the desk, looking worried, and asking about her good luck charm from Brussels, that I began to worry.  I sheepishly pointed to the cute little guy pinned to my vest and as my face turned a dark shade of red, asked her if this was what she was talking about.  It was.  I was mortified, to say the least.  She was very thankful that I handed it over and came back moments later to give it to me and as many times as I denied the gift she still insisted.  I'm not the proud owner of a good luck butterfly pin from Brussels.  Thank you, lady.

I'm off to more productive things with my day.  More updates soon to come.

It Wasn't Made For Clumsies

It was another busy weekend in Garmisch.  On Friday night Marcel, Rachel, Basti (Rachel's man friend), and I went up to Munich to watch Germany and Macedonia battle it out on the basketball court.    Although I have never been to a professional game this was awfully similar to a smaller college game.  The game was held in Munich's Olympiahalle, which according to Wikipedia, seats between 12,000 and 14,000 people.  The fans politely applauded for every player's name until the man, Dirk, was announced and then they went crazy.  I couldn't help but feel sorry for the rest of the team who didn't receive near the recognition.  After watching the game start, I could understand why.  I'm not in any position to judge any ones talent, but it wasn't the best basketball playing I have seen.  During half time there was a laser light show followed by a cheer performance by what I'm assuming was an area all star squad.  It was nothing like the cheerleaders for the NFL, NBA, or even college sports.  They were wearing uniforms that weren't revealing and their dances weren't provocative.  Rachel and I were more than curious about the type of food the arena would serve.  Would it be nachos and cheap hotdogs?  Nope, it was the usual German fanfare of currywurst, bratwurst, fries, beer, and pretzels.  I was still delighted with the selection, of course.  The game was fun, the food good, and the company better. 

On Saturday Marcel and I traveled to Nürnberg to watch the locals play against Augsburg.  As usual, it rained the entire morning when we were exploring the city.  To our luck it cleared up in the afternoon just before the match began and we were able to enjoy the game without rain coats and umbrellas.  Nürnberg was a cute city that I wish we could have spent more time in.   I've heard the Christmas markets are something I shouldn't miss, so hopefully I can make a return trip this winter.

Sunday was a productive lazy day.  Christina, Marcel, and I gorged on brunch and mimosas at the resort.  It was way too much food, but I'm not complaining, it was delicious and filling. Way too filling.  To burn off our late morning indulgence we decided to go for a nice hike through the Partnachlamm Gorge.  The weather was perfect, it was sunny and hovering between 60 and 70 degrees, or 15 and 20C.  I'm trying to convert my brain to Celsius.  Wish me luck.  So, during our hike we managed to only get sprayed by the water a couple times, except for when Marcel thought he was being sooo funny and threw a hand full of water in my face.  He redeemed himself by showing concern for me while I was walking near the edge of the pathway by saying "This wasn't made for clumsies, walk behind me".  I'm not sure if it was an insult to my coordination or a sincere concern for my well being.  I think I'll be ignorant and choose the latter.

It's official, the last day of work is September 12th.

Later Gator

I'm finished with graves!

Forever!







Well, at this hotel.

Dirndl Heaven

This past weekend the girls and I did a little train hopping and found ourselves in Straubing, a small Bavarian town, to celebrate something.  That something we are still unsure of, but with the help of our dirndl and the big beers we accomplished it.  Corinne studied abroad in Australia and collected a couple German friends, Patrick, Martin and Matthias, so when they extended an invitation to her for a weekend in Straubing that features the second largest beer fest in Bavaria following just behind the oh so well known Oktoberfest, we couldn't turn it down.  We stayed at Patrick's childhood home and the hospitality his family extended was amazing.  His mom brought us snacks, made us coffee, fixed our dirndl, and did just about everything humanly possible to make us comfortable in her home.  His always smiling and quiet dad was very interested in the group of giggling American girls.  He speaks zero English, but he always planted himself in whatever room we were in and had Patrick be the interpretor while he asked us questions about America and our experiences in Germany.  I think Patrick was slightly embarrassed by his overbearing family, we didn't mind a bit though.  The home atmosphere and escape from the Abrams was more than enough to make the weekend a great time. 

The fest was your average county fair. Subtract the animal barns and replace them with beer tents and wine stands and you've got Gäubodenvolksfest.  Unfortunately, I couldn't take myself away from the tent long enough to enjoy the great food and treat stands, but I did manage to fit in a ride.  After prying my hands from the bars, I was reminded why I'm not a huge fan of swirling and twirling.  You can always bring on the roller coasters and mile high plunges, but after a liter of beer no one needs to put their body through that.  We spent the better part of the day dancing and singing to our tent's band, Bergratzn (translates to mountain rats), and before we knew it the fest was closing down for the night.  We still can't figure out where the 8 hours went.  8 hours?!  I know.

Although the weekend went too quickly, I was ready for Marcel's arrival on Sunday night.  He's been here for 4 days now and I'm loving every minute of it.  Well, except when he woke me up from my mid day nap this afternoon.  I don't wish that fate upon anybody.....

But seriously, it's great to have him around.  This weekend we will go to Nürnberg for a football (soccer) match and some quick sightseeing.  We wanted to extend our time there to get in a visit to the zoo, but responsibility is high and funds are tight at the moment.  So instead of making faces at the monkeys all day, we'll either play at Lake Eibsee or maybe hike the Partnach gorge.  Not a bad alternative, if you ask me.

It's my last series of greaves, so it's back to the ol game called "pretending to be productive".  It really is the final countdown.

One Year Later

One year ago today I was in "the packing room" with heaps of my things piled around me wondering how I was ever going to pack for one year.  I was overwhelmed and nervous at the big step I was taking.  Now after being in Garmisch for one year I'm beginning to get the same overwhelmed feeling thinking about my move to Freiburg. You would think after being in Germany for one year a move across the country wouldn't be such a big deal.  It's going to be completely different and I'm truly excited for that.  I appreciate my American safety net and support system, but the thought of figuring things out on my own and actually being in German culture every day is more appealing to me.  Working for the government and being on a military installation was definitely a good stepping stone and eased me into what I'm about to do.  I've already located an English speaking club that meets every week, a volleyball club, and hopefully a good German school.  Now if I can't make friends through at least one of these activities we'll have some serious worrying to do....

Marcel's family has spent the weekend in Freiburg visiting him.  It's their first time to the city to see what he has been up to for the last year.  I'm not going to lie, I was a little jealous.  I miss the days when Mom would come down to Bloomington (Or when Bret and Mom came to St. Louis...minus the 100 degree weather).  It was so great to share a part of my life that she doesn't get to see every day.  I could tell Marcel shared the same excitement and I'm really happy for him.  I did learn that his family calls me Jenny and even after Marcel told them I really don't like to be called that, they still insist on it.

It's a beautiful day in Garmisch and I don't want to waste any more of it blogging on my balcony fighting off the bees.  Happy Sunday :-)

Confessions of a Front Desk Attendant

Yesterday I began to compile a list of things that guests do that drive me crazy.  I'm positive I'm leaving out hundreds of offenses, this at least scratches the surface though.

• Allowing your children to sit on the front desk...when they aren't wearing pants.
• Allowing your children to do anything and/or everything while you pretend you don't see them.
• Asking for a room with a view.  We're in the valley.  There are mountains ALL AROUND US. This also happened in Bloomington.  Would you like a view of the highway? Or the Waste Management bins?
• Making a joke about upgrading you to a suite free of charge.
• Charging up to the front desk without me acknowledging and calling you over.
• Dismissing the line and then charging up to the front desk.
• Charging up to the front desk, laying some papers down, looking at me, and not saying a word.  Talk.  I can't read your mind
• Staring at me when you can't figure out which credit card to use/how that charge got on your bill/why your wife married you.
• Trying to check in at 10am.
• Wearing your swimsuit up to the front desk.
• Getting mad at me because of a policy.  I just work here. 
• Watching me run your credit card and then disputing the charge.
• Referencing your $300 bar bill and telling me you rarely ever drink anymore, but it's vacation.
• Insisting the conference bill should be covered by someone else.
• Asking to use the front desk phone to make personal calls....to the states.
• Asking me to google hotels in Munich/Salzburg/Timbuktu.
• Having a mild heart attack because you left a key in the room/car/pool/god knows where.
• Not making eye contact.  Talking on your cell phone and whispering goes right along with this.
• Complaining about how much the Army/Air Force sucks.  Hmmm is there a draft in place?
• Bringing your dirty towels up to the desk and asking for clean ones.  Yes, one moment.  I keep the clean linen right underneath my computer.
• Ahhh you're from South Bend, IN?  Germany is a little different, right?
• So, you're a military wife.......??

Things I absolutely love

• Putting your child on a leash

Ok, like I said, there are many, many, many more things that I absolutely can't stand, but for your sake and for my sanity, I will stop here.

Another confession.  I think I'm going to discontinue the blog once my time in Garmisch ends.  It's not that I don't like relaying stories and updating people, but it's a lot of effort and time.  We'll see though.  Maybe my new life adventure will be so exciting I will feel compelled to continue with the blog and all will be well again.

Ahh piss on it...

Friends and family, I have decided what to do with the next year of my life, I will be moving to Freiburg to be an au pair.  It was more difficult to make this decision than I ever thought it would be.  I will be leaving my American safety net and actually be emerged completely in German culture and life.  I have also been doing some research and found several German language schools I'm interested in.  Hopefully after some time and hard work I can be a functioning member of the German speaking society.  Luckily, Stefanie, my host, lived in London for most of her adult life, so she can speak English with me and also help with my studies.  I'm excited to be back in a classroom, but I know that will fade after the first session.  The thought of studying is always fun until your actually doing it.  I already warned Marcel about how frustrated, annoyed, and whiny I'm going to act when I have to study.  For some reason he didn't seem that surprised...
So, just to give you the run down on what I know right now.  I move to Freiburg on September 16th.  I will be staying with Stefanie and her daughter, Iysha, in my own bedroom off of the main entrance.  I also have a private bathroom just down the hall.  The flat is located just a couple minutes from the city center and is really nice.  When I met Stafanie there it was disorganized and cluttered.  Her excuse was that she was in between cleaning ladies, so I'm really hoping that whole situation has been worked out.  The best news is that her phone plan allows for free calls to U.S. land lines AND she has extremely fast internet for her job as an at home IT consultant.  This makes me more than happy.  I can finally skype with all of you guys with video, no disconnection or distortion.  It's great! So, with my job as the au pair I will be responsible for taking the daughter to and from school, light babysitting, some housework, some meals, yada yada yada.  Stefanie seemed really laid back and flexible about everything, so I'm pretty positive it will be an easy going environment.  I should have more details about the job within the next couple of weeks.  I'll update as information becomes available.
More great news.  Marcel got an internship in Garmisch at a children's hospital working on the administration side of things.  He'll be here for just under a month and I can't wait for it.  We've already decided we can't act like we are on vacation while he's here.  We tend to eat out every night and enjoy too many beers when he's around, so after his last visit I felt like I gained 20 pounds.  His internship ends around the same time my contract does so it will be so nice to have him help me pack and move my things.
Our trip to Lake Constance was great, as always.  It rained the whole weekend.  Despite the weather we had a great time.  On our last day we visited Insel Mainau, an island with botanical gardens covering every inch.  The highlight of the island wasn't the beautiful butterfly house, it was when Marcel got stung by an angry bee.  "Yen what is it!?!?" as a huge yellow jacket is hanging from his neck with his stinger in.  I flicked the bee away and watched his neck turn more red and swollen than it should have.  I kept assuring him that it didn't look that bad and I casually asked if he was allergic to bees.  Luckily, he isn't.  It wasn't until it started to calm down that I told him it actually looked terrifying, but I didn't want to freak him out.  Anyway, the real highlight of the trip was our convertible smart car.  I'm in love with these cars now.  They're so little!  The weather only permitted us to take the top down a couple times.  I was thankful for that because the car already draws enough attention, no need to look like a douche bag with the top down for 5 minutes in between the rain showers.  For our entire trip we spent $37 on gas.  37! 

Have I mentioned I'm coming home for Christmas? EEEEK!  I have the best Mother ever.  Not only does she send me great cards and care packages, but she is getting me flights as my Christmas present :-)

Oh and the title of the blog is a short shout out to Daddio Martinez.  Love you, Dad!

If it's not a tick bite, it's a descended filling.

A new week a different set of problems. Today I ventured out into Garmisch to visit a one Dr. Zwink.  Dentist by day, compulsive coffee drinker, or cocaine user, by night.  I had this throbbing feeling that one of my fillings had fallen out or was on the verge of it, so I had Marcel call a dentist a fellow co-worker had referred to me and set up a same day appointment.  Normally I would have let the problem fester a few more days, but I had graves and then the Marcello arrival and didn't want anything to mess with my groove.  Dr. Zwink was the most energetic little old man I had ever met.  He buzzed around the office laughing and asking about my troublesome tooth.  He took an x-ray and made me hold it up to the window while we examined it together.  We discovered nothing wrong (except exceptional roots and "silent" wisdom teeth) and as a team we diagnosed my descended filling as just a sensitive tooth.  Apparently just one tooth can be sensitive, and it can happen over night.  When all was said and done his assistant put a sealant on my molars and handed me a tube of sensitive tooth paste.  I greeted the receptionist on my way out where he informed me that I owed nothing today.  Nothing?  Is this man crazy?  An x-ray in the states would have cost me more than what I hold in my bank account, but that isn't saying much.  I left the office with a smile on my face.

No, I did not take this picture.

On to another topic of medical concern; the pharmacy.  In Germany their pharmacies are called apothekes.  They are like a smaller version of CVS, minus the food, batteries, liquor, candy, household appliances, etc.  So basically they just carry the medicine.  Instead of picking out the items you want and heading to the counter, you are greeted by the pharmacist who asks how they can help you.  They diagnose your problem and find the best solution they can offer without a prescription.  For instance, when I had a UTI I explained my discomfort and minutes later she returned with a box of an herbal supplement and told me this would help with the symptoms until I could get a prescription for the antibiotic.  Everything is located behind the counter, except a few items, like cough drops, tissues, and other versatile items.  I have found the pharmacists are friendly and not nearly as stressed looking as the ones at Wal-mart or Walgreens.  They look like they actually enjoy their jobs, not like they want to murder someone.  It might have something to do with the slower pace and the  abundance of pharmacies in one small area.  I pass three on my way to work and that's only one side of Garmisch. They are easily accessed and widespread, so they aren't going at full speed the entire day and wearing themselves out.  They also aren't as computerized as we are.  In the states you have a regular pharmacy where your prescriptions are logged into the computer.  It is impossible to get a prescription medication without that little piece of paper.  With that being said, there is an illegal birth control ring festering in the Abrams.  The girls use the German medical system to their advantage to get birth control without a prescription.  Simply show an empty pack and explain you lost the paper.  The pharmacist will then give you a disappointed look and hand over the new supply.  That's it.  Easy peasy.

Next is the eye doctor.  I wonder what kind of surprises this visit will hold for me.  I know it can't be any worse than the gynecologist or any better than the dentist.  Somewhere in the middle with little to no surprises would be perfectly ok.

Instant Success

The Bee Trap

I have a spare forty-five minutes before I head to the resort for a babysitting gig, so instead of silently sipping coffee on my balcony I will take a few moments to update you on my new posh lifestyle.   Having the single (double occupancy) room has been a godsend.  I've been sleeping great and enjoying every minute in the new digs.  In the divorce I did lose the coffee maker.  It was a crushing blow that was softened when a neighbor sold me his unused machine a day before he headed on to this next chapter of his life, the Philipines (be happy I'm in Germany, Mom).  As happy as I was, I ruined the sweet deal by getting to eager and forgetting to check it's voltage.  Yes, I blew it up during my first pot of coffee in 243.  Luckily, my night in shining armor, Marcel, found a a retro style coffee maker on e-bay that will be arriving next week.  I think I can survive on instant coffee for five more days.  Despite the coffee disaster I have made the new room feel at home and have started a little garden on the balcony that includes a cactus, basil, and a new beautiful red flowering plant that I just bought today.  The new flower really adds an element to the balcony.  Not just because of it's beauty, but because it attracts bees like none other.  Good thing I'm not allergic.

Marcel arrives on Wednesday for a nine day stint in Garmisch.  It worked out perfectly that I have the first four days off.  We will be vacationing at Lake Contance, the third largest lake in Central Europe.  Marcel did all of the research and secured all of our travel plans while I sat idly by answering calls from anxious military wives making reservations and yelling at their kids in the background.  I would have switched roles in a heartbeat.  I'm really excited for our weekend getaway and know that Marcel will only pick the best things for us to do and see.  He's already put in a request for the iced animal crackers from the grocery store on base.  I suppose he is worth the $2.50.

I recently lost an important member to my bike family, the light.  He fell off in front of the train station and despite my cries and waves to the oncoming car it didn't move over.  I saw him blown to pieces and couldn't do a thing about it.  The car started to slow down when it saw me throw my hands in the air, then it realized that it had crushed a prized possession of mine and it took off.  It was an emotional morning, but I couldn't help but laugh about it.  It was the night before that I had finally secured the back light, so it's only natural that the front one would break.  Oh, and my mud flap fell off the week before.  I like to pretend I've got this whole bike thing figured out, but I really have no idea what I'm doing.  We'll see what happens this week.

Things at work have been going really well lately.  Live I've said before, it's the first time I actually feel completely trained on what I'm doing every day.  The other day I was scheduled as the front desk POC (point of contact) and I was really enjoying having all of that authority.  Especially because there are several new people in our department who had no idea that I really just make up about half of the things I do and say at work.  It was a fun shift, but I prefer to keep the responsibility to the minimum while I'm there.  Some people place way too much weight on these jobs and the stress is not worth it.  Front desk is definitely one of those positions that wears you down, so I prefer to be as unattached as possible.  I know Mom wants me to extend my time here in Garmisch, but I'm not sure if I can deal with one more request for a mountain view. 

Ok, I'm off to resort to earn some extra dough.  More updates to come later!

Looking in from the balcony door.

Standing in front of the fridge by the door.

Soon. I promise.

There have been at least three occasions where I have logged in and started to update the blog.  On each occasion I stopped short and deleted the post with a promise to return.  It's overwhelming to sit down and catalog life sometimes!  So with that being said, I promise to update within the next four days.  Thanks for being patient!

Ohh Ess Ahhhh

Life has been pretty uneventful since my return to Garmisch.  I was lucky enough to get some time off this past weekend and used the days to go see Marcel.  As always the time went too fast and I found myself wondering how bad it would be if I just didn't show up to work on Monday.  Of course that didn't happen but the idea was intriguing.  While I was in Freiburg I met with a family who is searching for an au pair.  Stefanie, the mom, was really sweet and despite her case of scatter brain, seemed to be a really fun and laid back person.  She extended an offer to me so now it's just up to me to decide what I will do with it.  They live in a really nice part of the city with a beautiful terrace, trees in the sidewalk, fast internet, and only a short walk to the city center.  I wasn't able to meet her daughter, which kind of unnerves me a little bit, but from what the old au pair said she is a really sweet little girl.  It's my only option at the moment and it's looking pretty good. 

At the top of the castle

While I was in Freiburg Marcel and I did our usual eating and drinking tour of the city.  I'm really glad he loves food just as much as I do.  On Saturday we were going for a "walk", which was actually a hike up a little mountain.  I wore the exact opposite type of shoes that I should have.  Surprisingly I complained very little :-) As a result of our hike I acquired a little friend.  A tick.  Tuesday morning in Garmisch I discovered the little booger and almost broke through the shower door in my moment of panic.  Somehow I finished my shower and rushed to my room where I woke up Danielle and demanded her to do something about it.  In our girly paranoia we woke up TJ across the hall who is the outdoorsy type.  He came over with his little man first aid kit and went to work.  We got the tick out and I followed up with an appointment at the German military clinic in a neighboring town.  Marcel warned me that the ticks in the Black Forest are more likely to contain certain diseases, so better safe than sorry.  Of course I wore my skinny jeans and when I was talking to the two women doctors in their office (not examining room) I had to drop trou and show them the bite.  So they decided to just give me the vaccine for some sort of disease and I went into another room where I got a shot of god knows what and was told to come back in 7 days for the booster.  I didn't sign anything.  Didn't show an ID.  Nothing.  BUT it was free.
My room move is coming along slowly but surely.  It's a process that is being made way more difficult than it has to be.  Hopefully by the end of this week I will be all settled in.  I cannot wait to have my own space again.  The good news is that even though I'll be solo, I will have all of my good friends in the same hall.  No more trekking back and forth across the Abrams.  The balcony is definitely a bonus too and with the beautiful weather forecast ahead the sunning will be optimal. 
Garmisch hosted the BMW fest this weekend.  I don't think I've ever seen so many motorcycles in my life.  Traffic sucked and the town was bustling with activity.  Friday night I was able to get in on some of the action with a live band and plenty of big beers to go around.  Almost the entire Abrams was in attendance making it a fun time to be a little less intoxicated than everyone else.  I saw plenty of embarrassing things I couldn't wait to tell my friends the next day.  And by tell, I meant make fun of for.

The girls and I at BMW Fest....and Corey's maß

What's Next?

Returning to Garmisch was difficult for me this time.  I left all of the most important people to me along with any means of easy communication with them and returned to a weekend of grave shifts.  Not only do I only see a few hours of daylight when I work these shifts, I don't have the opportunity to do anything fun or spend any time with my friends.  I was slightly depressed and wishing I could be back home where things were a little bit easier.  Now that my graves are over I've snapped out of my mini depression and feel one hundred times better.  Of course I still miss my friends and family at home, but now I at least have my every day activities and schedule back where I can be a functioning member of Abrams society.
I've recently decided to switch rooms to live with another girl who works at the front desk.  The biggest perk to this new room is that the new roommate, Whitney, lives with her German boyfriend in his flat in Garmisch, so I will basically have my own room, complete with a balcony.  The downside to all of this positive news is that I have to move out of this room and go through my first divorce.  Danielle and I have acquired everything in the room together, either by splitting the costs or making deals with departing employees to get free goods.  Surprisingly, she has been very understanding about the whole "split" and I hope that good attitude transfers when moving day comes and we have to decide who gets what.  My biggest fear is losing the coffee pot.  Wish me luck.
My job search is still up in the air.  A couple days ago I found an English teaching job in Freiburg for a very well known language instruction company, Berlitz.  I'm eager to apply, but before I can do anything I have to rewrite my resume to the European format, which is called a CV or Curriculum Vitae.  This news sent my head whirling.  As soon as I accepted this job I discarded all notions of my life after the end of my contract and haven't even considered looking at my resume, let alone updating it.  To add to the overwhelming pressure of making my perfect CV there are a hand full of other documents I have to fill out and then if by chance I do get the job I am able to apply for my visa.  So many questions and so many papers to fill out.  I haven't abandoned hope on the au pair business though.  It would certainly make my life a lot easier to just move into someone's house and not have to worry about finding a flat, but au pairs don't make the best money either.  There are way too many things to consider.  For now I'll just drink my coffee and worry about my upcoming separation.

Burger Nation

There is so much for me to comment on so forigve me while I go through the motions of our ten day American extravaganza that included four states and countless hours in the GA.  The timeline might be a bit scrambled - even though I just returned last night my mind is a little jumbled.

#1 Voted Burger

The second visit to the states was much better than my first go round.  Not only did I not see the inside of a hospital, I was able to share my American life with Marcel.  I'm pretty sure he was impressed by the larger than life size of our vehicles, fridges, and personalities.  Maybe impressed isn't the right word, but he did enjoy it.  One of the biggest differences he noticed was how everyone talks to one another whether they have any connection or not.  We are an informal culture based on fake interactions of hellos, half smiles, and how are yous.  Marcel and Alex both agreed that in Germany you wouldn't stop and have a superficial conversation with the person next to you in line at the store.  They may have been out of their element but both guys certainly did impress me with their ability to take in something a little different than what they are used to.  And yes, I'm talking about the beer.  They embraced Budweiser for the first couple days, but once they discovered that Aldi sold German beer (at a reasonable price) that became their go to.  During a fire at Jordan's Marcel opted to have a  Bud Light and the concern on Alex' face was noteworthy.  He was worried he had lost Marcel to the world of light beer.  Next time he'll have his priorities straight.  Another staple of the trip was the burger.  Over the days I lost track of how many burgers the guys ate.  Between fast food and the real burger joints we visited their numbers were really up there.  Don't worry, I got the final decision and their favorite goes to Redamaks with Nicks in Bloomington at a close second.  If the food didn't win over Marcel, I'm not sure what did.  My favorite comment he made was in reference to the chili cheese fries at Redamaks - they were really "special" to him.  Either way, we ate way too much. 

Kassy's apartment before going out

St. Louis was a sixteen hour adventure.  Due to traffic and accidents we spent a better part of the day traveling.  Once we arrived we didn't have much time to do more than say a quick hello to the legendary Keith Keys and drop our bags in the room.  The Arch was our first stop.  We debated on going to the top, but in all reality it is doubtful they'll be in St. Louis again so it was a no brainer.  We rode the little egg up and took in the views of the river and the city.  The Arch really is a beautiful monument, I'm glad we took the time to enjoy it.  After our touristy moment we walked to a nearby pub for much needed food and drinks while we watched Dirk struggle during the Maverick's/Heat game.  We walked back to the hotel in the cooling night to find a little cheese and cracker platter sent up to our room - not quite VIP status, but it's a step in the right direction.  I still can't get over how miserable St. Louis is during the summer.  I don't know how I made it those couple weeks with broken AC in the top floor apartment.

Peering out of the Arch window

Luckily, we spent the next day in the air conditioned Galleria Mall so the Germans could get in some shopping.  They were amazed at the price of just about everything.  On top of cheaper prices the Euro is stronger than the dollar so they were getting a double whammy deal.  I really envied them with the exchange rate in their favor.  It makes me wonder when will I get my monetary break...

Oinks in New Buffalo

   Bloomington was the highlight of the trip for me.  The city has so many positive memories associated with it, I can't help but be happy when my mind wanders there.  This visit was no exception.  It was a thin slice of my entire last summer; lounging around with Kassy and Randy all day then hitting it hard at night at some of our favorite bars.  The 15 cent beer special blew Marcel and Alex away.  They couldn't believe it was possible to do that and they did take advantage of it.  During the day Randy and I gave a campus driving tour to the foreigners and ended it with some shopping on Kirkwood and a long island with the infamous Kilroys breadsticks.  A nap followed shortly after, of course.  That night we went to Nicks for dinner, the Maverick's game, and to play Sink the Biz, an IU tradition.  Before we left Nicks to continue our night elsewhere some students started the Who? Who? Who? Hoosiers! cheer at Nicks.  It was the perfect example of University spirit for Marcel and Alex.  University is so different in Germany, it doesn't appear to have the same social aspect as American college.  So, the rest of the night was more fun than we could handle.  Randy buffaloed me several times, I iced him in the most awesome way possible, and Marcel swept the foosball table (I think he actually only played one game).  Oh, and I forgot the international dart game - my fellow citizens failed me while Germany took away the W (!!!CORRECTION!!!! USA won the game.  Oops!).  The following morning we had big plans to get breakfast at Runcible Spoon, but sleep was priority and we managed to stop at Dagwoods on our way out of town.  Another half day was spent in the car headed towards northern Indiana for a cookout at Dad's.

Our first visit with Dad occurred on Sunday; a day after our arrival.  Seeing Dad was great, although I wish I could have had a lot more time with him.  Marcel was nervous for the big meeting with Bret and Dad and despite his worrying, he did an awesome job and they loved him.  Dad's recovery still amazes and impresses me.  Sometimes I think he has even more energy than he did before the accident.  He kept us laughing the whole visit and managed to feed Alex half of his steak and shrimp lunch at Christo's.  I'll say it again, I'm a lucky girl.

Snapshot at the wedding

A quick walk out to the lighthouse in Michigan City

Saturday night we had the big Miller-Dhoore wedding.  Katey was the first of the girls to get married and I actually got a little choked up watching the ceremony.  She looked absolutely beautiful.  I was disappointed I couldn't be in the wedding.  I've been waiting to give that speech since 7th grade, but with the last minute decision to even attend the wedding I completely understand and was just happy to be a part of her special day.  We ate, drank, and danced right through the reception and somehow found ourselves at The Still for the nightcap where I saw more people than I had hoped to.  Marcel and Alex got the real feel for our townie bar and I'm pretty sure they had a great time viewing some of the fine people of the greater New Carlisle area.  Marcel loved it and commented that it was just like Wal-Mart.  He got a good viewing of some of the fine specimens that frequent Wal-Mart and I recently introduced him to peopleofwalmart.com.  I think he's found a new hobby.

Amy and I playing at the bean

Monday wad dedicated to a quick view of Chicago and a Cubs game.  We woke up way too early to catch the train. When an east bound train passed through they laughed and stared for a bit.   I should have warned the guys that the Southshore is nothing like the train system in Germany.  Chicago was a new thing for both Alex and Marcel.  There are just not cities like that in Europe so they were easily overwhelmed and impressed by the tall buildings.  We first visited the Willis Tower (Sears Tower) which now has a glass bottom observation deck that lets you walk out of the building a few feet.  It was a really cool experience to stand and look down 103 stories beneath your feet.  We made sure to get a foot pic and moved on to our next stop, Giordanos for the famous stuffed pizza.  Again, the guys laughed at the look and size of the pizza, but they loved it and ate every last bite.  We did some more touristy action which included the bean and Navy Pier.  Before we knew it it was time to head to Wrigleyville for the game.  We made the smart decision to wait until rush hour to take the taxi, so it took us about a half hour to go not far at all and we arrived just as the game was starting.  Allyson and Tara met us there along with Marcel's friend, Kevin, that he met while working at the Goethe institute.  Seeing as how they had never watched or been to a baseball game I was really looking forward to explaining the rules to the guys, but Kevin took that role - boys will be boys.

Cubs Game

The trip was way too short.  The travel back to Germany wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be, but jet lag really did take it's toll.  I just have a weekend of graves and hopefully after that my schedule will be back to normal.  I don't know when I'll see Marcel again, but I'm sure it won't be soon enough.
So it's back to the daily Edelweiss grind.....

P.S. I miss Mom.

Confessional

With all I've got on my mind these days I'm finding it awfully hard to sleep.  I'm excited and in super plan mode for the trip back to the states.  Not only am I anxious to show the guys a really good time, I cannot wait to be back in St. Louis and Bloomington for some short visits with the cities I love - and to see all of the Btown lifers, of course.  I'm also beyond ready to visit with the family.  I've never missed home quite like I have in the past couple weeks.  It's been on my mind more recently than it had been in the first nine months I was here.  It was a difficult three weeks to spend in Indiana, but it put me so much closer to all of the great people in my life and now spending time with them sounds absolutely perfect.  So, I have finally admitted it.  I miss home.

I recently discovered that I had exhausted all of my accrued leave time.  Reeeeally exhausted it.  Like, I'm in the negatives.  I had to get "special permission" to even come home this time and after submitting a couple leave requests for trips later in the summer I found out they would continually get denied until I had accrued enough to make up for my debt and then some.  That news really hurt all of my travel plans and sets me back quite a bit.  There is so much I want to see and do that will just have to wait.  On the bright side, I can still take short three to four days trips, I just have to make sure they fall on two pay periods.  I called Marcel and explained the news to him with my best whiny voice and his first response was "Is it ok if I laugh?".  He basically told me it wasn't the end of the world that I have to wait a couple months to take big trips.  I guess he's right, but I still want to complain about it.  Also some really sad news since I've returned, Andrew and Richard, two of my really good friends here, were fired and will also be departing Germany within the next week.  It all started with a stolen Indian statue from one of the local bars.  After a little run in with the military police the boys returned it and shared a laugh with the bar that it was stolen from.  About a month later they were both called into HR and told their contracts were being terminated.  No explanation, just done.  It's obvious why they are being sent home, but at the same time it doesn't seem quite fair.  The goodbyes will definitely be hard.

With only a couple days until the flight home I'm reeling with excitement and preparation. After Marcel arrives tomorrow I think my anxiousness will drop a few notches though.  It's been far too long.  Unfortunately, I have to work while he's here.  I attempted to get someone to cover some shifts, but I actually really need to work as many hours as possible to get back on track.  Blah to responsibility.  Come Friday night at 7pm I will be a free woman for eleven days.  Midwest, here we come.

'Merica.

Supersize Me

Being back in Garmisch feels amazing.  It was definitely time to come back.  Dad was doing great, I had exhausted my monetary resources, and I was tired of driving the vantastic.  I needed some physical movement in my life.  Even though Dad was progressing quickly I had trouble saying goodbye to him on Sunday night.  I found myself wanting to stay longer and longer.  I was postponing the inevitable despite laundry and packing to be done before my morning flight.  It was hard to say goodbye, but knowing that I can see him in 3 weeks made it a little more bearable.  I hate to know that I am missing out on his recovery (and jokes).

The luster of my return trip in June faded while I was home for the past 3 weeks though.  I had more of Northern Indiana than I cared to receive.  Don't get me wrong, I love home, my family, and my friends, but I have gotten accustomed to a different lifestyle, and although this lifestyle isn't always perfect, it's what I prefer at the moment.  I missed my bike, I hated driving, I rarely walked, everyone moved on to bigger and better things, I ate too much fast food, and I realized (again) how fat we can really be.  I was at McDonalds, I'll admit, getting my dollar menu fix, when I noticed there was not one person in the entire store that was fit or just slightly overweight - they were all obese.  The children and the adults all looked like they could be contestants on The Biggest Loser.  I don't blame it on them either, well, kind of.  I understand food is expensive and unfortunately, the fast food industry makes it very easy to eat cheap at the cost of your health.

Ok, enough of that.  While I was home I was lucky enough to spend a huge amount of time with my siblings.  I always knew I could count on Deborah to help me out or be there if I needed her.  It's too bad that it took Dad's accident to bring Deb and I closer, but I'm glad that it did.  There was also an ungodly amount of inside jokes that developed between Bret and I during the two hour commute to and from the hospital.  I don't think I have laughed that hard in a long time.  In the previous post I said I was lucky to have two awesome dads.  I'm also extremely lucky to have such a great brother and sister. And did I mention all of my friends and family?  Thanks to all of you for being so supportive while we were all struggling.

So, being back here has been a relief even though I'm missing my family big time.  Being in the same time zone as Marcel has also been so much more convenient.  Talk about a headache trying to coordinate calls between both of our schedules.  I think my next big purchase will be a smart phone with an actual plan, not prepaid, so that I can have a Skype connection.  We'll see.  I had my first shift last night which ran an extra 45 minutes and I felt completely lost with all of the updates I had missed while I was on leave, but it was really okay.  It feels good to be back and I'm looking forward to the next couple weeks of the usual Edelweiss nonsense.

Baby, I'm back! Al Pacino!

I had a severe tongue lashing from Randy a few nights ago in response to my lack of blogging.  He explained that he doesn't like asking the overused "Sooo, what have you been up to?" and prefers to just know what is going on in my life so he can go straight to jokes.  Always with the jokes, that one.  With a promise not to disappoint him with my newest update I am drawing a serious blank and will take the random route.

Before arriving stateside I had the pleasure of meeting Marcel's family.  Boy let me tell you, hand signals and facial expressions sure do go a long way.   Even though there were more than a few awkward interactions with his parents, who don't speak English, the weekend was great and I can definitely say I would like to return for some more real time German fun.  I also was able to meet some of his other friends and managed to not embarrass myself...until the bike ride home.  I have already met some of Marcel’s friends, but on this night I was meeting THE best friend, Marcel, or Marcel the great, as I call him.  The three of us rode bikes to another friend’s house where we barbecued and drank beer into the late night hours.  On the ride home I was trying my hardest to focus and not let off how intoxicated I really was.  In a moment of weakness, aka laughing, I lost control, nailed a curb, and found myself lying on the sidewalk fighting off two Marcels trying to help me up.  Of course I insisted that I was ok and made them get back on their bikes and ride home.  I think my ego was more hurt than my cut hands or knees.  We got plenty of laughs from it the next morning and Marcel has yet another reason to make fun of his crazy American girlfriend.  The visit was short and sweet.  The flight out of Hannover on Sunday morning approached much quicker than I hoped.  I not only was dreading leaving Marcel, but dreading having to face what was going on at home. 

I have never had to deal with anything significant while away from home.  Hearing the news of Dad's accident was crushing.  It was easily the hardest week of my life.  Communication was difficult and being away from my iPod or computer left me anxious that I would miss something important.  Every text or incoming call on Skype terrified me, but I got through it, and with the awesome support and constant updates from my sister the week quickly came to an end and I was on the airplane headed towards beautiful Indiana before I knew it.  When deciding when to book my flight I wrestled with what day to leave.  Of course I wanted to see Marcel and I'm really happy with myself for waiting until Sunday, even when all I wanted was my Mom's hug and Bret's jokes.  Marcel's comfort and assurance really helped me prepare myself for what was to come.  Having lost one of my Dads four years ago, I was not ready to lose another and feared the worst. 

But here we are today.  Dad just checked into the rehab hospital and will start his intensive recovery tomorrow.  It's amazing how much has happened in the last twenty-two days.  He's come so far in just the last three; I can't imagine what he'll do over the next couple weeks.  As soon as that breathing tube was out he was cracking jokes and had the whole burn unit pulling for him.  Today one of the occupational therapists was in tears when she found out they were discharging him already.  He's an ornery one, but you can't help but love him.  His attitude and work ethic are impressive.  I'm pretty sure he can do anything he puts his mind to.  I'm just worried for those poor nurses.....

I'm a lucky girl to have had the opportunity to grow up with these two amazing men in my life.  I miss Ed more than ever, but I'm so thankful that Dad and I can share so much more together.  I love you, Daddio.

Seven more days in Indiana.  What will I do?  Seeing Kassy is next on my list!  I was lucky enough to spend a great Saturday night with Allyson, Amy, Katy, Kurt, and Tim at Vegas Baby.  Things got a little out of hand, per usual, and I had quite the little hangover on Sunday morning.  Nothing a little macaroni and cheese breakfast won't cure though.  It was so amazing to spend some time with my friends.  I've missed them way too much.  Now we just have the visit in June to anticipate.  The two Germs will make the trip a little more interesting and I'm really looking forward to their reactions to American life. 

That's all for now. 

Cheese Please

My short stint in Freiburg was not only an amazing getaway, but another reminder of how ready I am for the next section of my life.  I really do love my job and if it weren't for the previously mentioned unsatisfactory housing they provide us with extending would be an easier decision.  One of my bosses stopped me the other day and told me that they want me to stay and all I need to do is send an e-mail and an extension would be in the works, so it's an option.  This is really flattering and something to consider, but I definitely want to be closer to Marcel and on to a new set of challenges.  Welp, I have some time to figure things out.  I have a feeling September is going to be here sooner rather than later and I'll have to decide the next year of my life.  I think I liked it better when I just had to decide which classes to register for each semester and the rest was cake.  Oh how I miss Bloomington.

So Freiburg was short but sweet.  I managed to stay up for just over 24 hours between my grave shift and my commute to "the nicest city in Germany".  Surprisingly I was quite pleasant after Marcel picked me up at the train station.  He wanted to get a coffee and the thought of yet another cup of the stuff was not appealing so we got an afternoon beer and enjoyed the sun outside of a cafe.  I did need some sleep and only allowed myself a 45 minute nap when we got back to his flat.  He's too good to me. He gave me an extra 15 minutes and a great homemade dinner of spinach and cheese stuffed cannelloni.  You should have seen us attempting to use a pastry bag to fill the noodles, we resembled toddlers playing with Play-Doh.  By the time the filling was gone we were covered in the stuff and laughing at how ridiculous of an idea the pastry bag was.  Dinner was delicious.  I then slept.

The next days were full of our usual coffee stops and a trip to the zoo.  Freiburg doesn't really have a zoo so we substituted with the nature park outside of the city that had all sorts of fun farm animals.  Marcel had his first close encounter with a goat and frantically asked me over and over if it was ok.  I managed to snap a good 15 pictures of this little billy goat scratching his newly incoming horns on Marcel's arm.  The scenario brought me back to when Bill and Cathy (the two goats "I had to have", named after my grandparents, of course) had the 3 little guys on the day of Mom's Mary Kay party.  Thinking of Lucky standing on the kitchen counter and peeing all over the place while being watched by 10 women still makes me laugh.  I was so lucky to grow up on the farm and have the opportunity to witness so many neat things that many people won't see in their lifetime.  So anyway, coffee, zoo's, and now cheese, are Marcel and I's favorite things.  We stopped at a small cafe on the way home for another cup of coffee and a snack.  An appetizer plate of cheese arrived minutes after he went inside to order and it was fantastic.  My stomach wasn't happy with my choice to gorge on more milk product than is necessary in a week period and I made sure to tell Marcel I wouldn't be eating cheese for a while.  Don't worry though, at dinner I totally forgot my cheese boycott and ordered the quatro formaggi pizza.  He just laughed and said "Ohhh Yen" and went on to help himself to a bite.  Most of the trip is a blur, but I have Easter weekend in Bielefeld to meet the family to look forward to.  I'm sure I'll create some lasting memories during my stay.  Mostly awkward and embarrassing, I'm sure, but those are always the best.

Lindsey and her parents left Garmisch this morning.  I was so glad they decided to stop in for a couple days to see me.  It's always nice to see people from home.  I was really eager on Sunday while I was waiting for the phone call from Lindsey saying that they had arrived.  I called Mom to share my excitement and let her know how much I missed her. I think it was the idea of having parental figures around that got me so worked up.  It's like in college when a friend's parents visit everyone is engulfed in a flurry of anticipation.  You get to relax and have a little bit of home with you, even if it's not your own.  A short tour of Garmisch was given, we sampled my most frequented restaurants and pubs, and even made a day out of Lake Eibsee and the Zugspitze.  I had a fun time showing them around Garmisch and getting in some quality time with fellow Northern Indiana-ers.  It was sad to see them go and I really hope I will have more visitors soon. In other Garmisch related news, Christina's return has been great.  Her room is huge, roommate nice, and they have acquired an attractive floral velvet couch that I can't get enough of.  Now we just need to plan our first trip together and all will be back to normal.  It was hard enough for us to remain alive during our short stays in Munich, I can only imagine the trouble that will arise while traveling outside of Bavaria.

Backseat Driving

"Fixing" the van.

Florence came and went. It was more fun than I anticipated and the countless stories will bore anyone who wasn't there to experience it first hand.  Something I must share though is how much fun it is to turn a regular nine passenger van into a giggle fest between five 20 something girls.  We took the middle row of seats in the van and turned them around (We = Corinne and I coerced Andrew and Richard to do it) so that we could get maximum play time during the drive.  I felt bad for the boys who were up front navigating and being the adults, but it felt awfully good to just drink my beer and be carefree for the entire car ride there.   On the way to Florence we stopped at an Army base in Vicenza where a Taco Bell was conveniently located and this is also where we all ate ourselves into a food coma.  I wanted to order everything on that menu.  Don't worry, I limited myself to 2 items and a drink.  As excited as I was to eat it, it wasn't as great as I had built it up to be.  I think the most disappointing thing was the missing Lipton raspberry iced tea.  This is by far the best thing Tbell has to offer and one of my must haves.  I even used to stop at Tbell on my drive home from Bloomington and order one medium raspberry iced tea to go.  Yet another thing I'm going to have to do while back in Indiana.  Ok, so back to Florence.  Another great part of the trip was when a spilled water bottle left a tampon box damaged which left the tampons in a pile on the hostel floor.  As many times as we told Andrew that they weren't string cheese he kept falling for the disguise.  Maybe we should have put them away, or Andrew should have consumed a little less of the Italian wine. 

Ponte Vecchio Bridge.

It's a toss up.  Anyway, we ate, we drank, we partied, we wined, we dined, we impersonated those darn silly Italians to no end, and yada, yada, yada it was a great trip with the usual great people.  Being back in Italy also felt really good, although I didn't remember any of the Italian I had scraped together from my summer in Torino.  It was pretty nonexistent then, so I wasn't surprised that it didn't come rushing back to me.  I did fall back in love with the skinny streets lined with gelato shops and pizzerias.  It's hard to say if I like Germany or Italy better.  It's like Mom used to say to Bret and I when we'd start the "who do you love more" debate, I love them both the same, but different.  Germany is the perfect little child who is neat, punctual, level headed, and despite this over practicality, an amazingly fun time.  Oh, and concerned about the environment, of course.   While Italy is the one with clothes scattered haphazardly around his room, a three day old bowl of cereal perched on the night stand, and a backlog of chores to be completed.  Somehow you can't help but love her anyway. I suppose Germany does hold an extra special place in my heart, but you can't let the favorite child know that.

Rest stop fun.

I've been running and trying to work out on a regular basis.  Surprisingly, I've really stuck with it this time and actually look forward to my work outs.  The other morning I was stirred from my slumber by the usual drunken talking in the hallway and couldn't get back to sleep, so I found myself in the gym at 5am watching MTV while starting up my run on the treadmill.  A couple minutes later, Neil, the recruiter for Edelweiss strolls in and we chat for a minute about how funny it is that I'm awake so early.  We then focus on our own workouts and zone each other out.  Several minutes later the music video cuts to a commercial.  It's not just any commercial though.  It's one where you text a specific number and get naked pictures or whatever else those ads promise in return for your first born child.  Except in Europe these commercials are a little bit more provocative.  Ok, they are full on porn.  After the first one played I was elated to see it come to an end.  Then another one came on, and another one, then they began playing on repeat.  Neil and I both pretended it wasn't happening and continued on. Luckily, I had my earphones in and couldn't hear the commentary, but I knew he could hear it and that's all that mattered.  5am, alone in the gym with a 55 year old Irish man, watching porn.  Easily one of the most awkward and embarrassing moments of my life.  When the music videos returned I sighed with relief.  But wait, there's more!  The ads returned within 5 minutes and we were back to both awkwardly pretending they weren't on TV.  I could have just stopped the treadmill and changed the channel but for some reason that seemed even worse than enduring the humiliation of watching porn with the man who hired me.  

I'm in the middle of another bout of grave shifts.  After my last one on Saturday night I will be heading to Munich to get a share ride to Freiburg to visit Marcel.  The long nights are much more bearable knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I will be traveling on next to no sleep, but it's well worth it to see Marcel for a couple days and to get away from the Abrams.  I'm not claiming to be an adult, nor do I ever want to, but I'm not cut out to live in dorm style housing anymore.  I like my privacy and I need it.  The Abrams are quite possibly the loudest place in the world with no place to escape to be on your own.  It's really not that bad, I just miss The Hamptons where I had a choice if I wanted to spend time with my roommates or not.  It was so easy to just close my door and shut them out for a couple hours while I got in some me time.  Only six more months of being a freshman in college.  Speaking of the end of my contract, I think it is well known that I won't be returning to the states right away.  My fate isn't quite determined yet, but I am keeping an eye open for other job opportunities in Germany.  I will keep the masses posted if anything significant happens.

If you plan to live in a foreign country for a year, it's inevitable that you will need to prepare yourself for the social and cultural differences, i.e. the commercials.   Who would think that a German gynecologist visit could be that different from an American one?  Not me.  Picture the most awkward experience of your life.  And that's what it is like to see the gynecologist in Germany.  I'll spare the details for individual conversations, but until then I just cant decide which is worse; the German gyno, or watching porn with the man who hired me.   Yet another one of life's unanswered questions.

My favorite statue of all time, Perseus.

The one and only.