Living in Germany: Six Months in the Making

Abby captured this photo in our backyard

Is it almost August, already? I think back to last January and it seems as though we were just packing up our belongings and boarding a plane for Germany. But then again, a lot has happened since then and I often find myself needing to slow down and smell the roses.

I'm currently sitting in a McCafe in Saarbrucken, Germany. I've just gotten off a bus from the city and country of Luxembourg where I spent a final day and evening with my twin sister, Abby, before giving her a somewhat tearful goodbye this morning. I have a two hour "layover" before my train to Heidelberg, and then another hour until my train home. It was a wonderful month with my sister. We have been best friends since birth and been through almost every major and minor life event together and everything in between except for the last two years when she went to grad school in Saint Louis and I stayed in Indianapolis and now Germany. Now she is moving to Denver and I will move back to Indy; we are not sure when the next time will be that we actually live in the same city. So for her to spend a month here with me before starting her job and moving to Denver was amazing. It's the most time we have spent together since we went to Costa Rica two years ago after undergrad graduation. Anyways, it was fun to play "twins" for a month; we even bought the exact same shirt (color and all) yesterday.

Yes- we actually danced on stage!

For my own memory's sake, in the last six months, I've quit my job, moved to Germany, visited about 15-20 new cities and countries, met Derek's German family (now mine), finished planning a wedding, got an internship, returned to the USA for four weeks, went to Florida for a week and married my best friend, returned to Germany and spent four days in Sicily before picking up my sister for a month-long stay where we spent two nights in Munich, four days in Switzerland and enjoyed many wonderful dinners, festivals and glasses of wine. Derek and I have been on many adventures- we've skied in the German Alps, biked around the backstreets of Paris, and even slow-danced on stage at a wine fest to German folk music. We've had our share of adventure, but we're not finished yet!

To start with, we are in the process of acquiring my residence permit so I don't feel illegal. To clarify: I am not here illegally; I'm still on a tourist allowance. But I'll feel better once I have my paper saying that I can stay. Currently, we are having our marriage license translated into an international paper- a costly venture. 

I am also extremely excited to welcome my parents to Deutschland and Europe for a 1.5 week visit in September. It's their first time out of the country, so I look forward to making it a wonderful experience for them and I have no doubt that it will be anything but great! We are going to London for a night then visiting the University of Evansville sister college of Harlaxton Manor near Grantham, England. (My dad works at UE). Then it's back to Germany for a few days before heading to Munich and Salzburg for a long weekend. I'm packing the itinerary full!

The two largest trips that Derek and I have declared as "must-haves" during the rest of our time here are Rome and Sevilla, Spain. As an engineer, Derek is greatly looking forward to the architectural history of the Roman capital. And since I spent four amazing months in Sevilla while in college, I want to share the city with Derek. And eat some delicious paella while at it.

What I've Learned So Far

• It's OK to not be on the go constantly. Although it seems like we are, I've learned that during the week while Derek is at work, it's alright that I'm not constantly up to something. I learned this during my first month of arriving.
• You can get anywhere by public transit.
• Bringing our cat to Germany was the best decision ever!
• I can drink a liter of beer if I must.
• America needs more vacation days. They have a minimum of 24 in Germany.
• Not everything will go your way, but just roll with the punches. It's not the end of the world.
• Germany enjoys all genres and ages of music. I've heard more American oldies here than I've ever heard in America. 
• Bread is a staple to every diet and enjoying it with coffee at any part of the day is completely acceptable.
• If beer and wine are cheaper than water, why order water?
• The German language is very difficult to learn, but I need to try harder.
• I eat way more sausages then I ever thought possible.

What I Know for Sure

• Kaffee und kuchen is a tradition we are bringing home.
• If you don't put yourself out there, what's the point? ( I love this quote from a favorite movie, We Bought A Zoo, "All it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage")
• I'm losing (somewhat) my fear of spiders! (thanks to our furry child)
• With a smile on your face and kindness in your voice, you can get through almost any uncomfortable or difficult situation.
• I am so lucky to have this amazing experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything and I still can't figure out why we have been so blessed.

What's Left on My Never-Ending List

• Become conversational in German
• Brush up my Spanish while I'm at it
• Visit Rome, Spain, and the rest of Europe
• Tour a winery
• Visit Berlin and northern Germany
• Hike the Melibokus (the highest mountain in our backyard)
• Go on a natural adventure- camping, whitewater rafting, paragliding, etc.
• Race for the Cure in Frankfurt in September
• Learn to drive the BMW (this may be a stretch)
• Pick grapes at the vineyards for the wine harvest
• Tour the family bakery in Oberstenfeld
• Gain more experience to add to my resume for my future career
• Read some books that make me think
• Cook Thanksgiving dinner for our German friends

And the list goes on....

Have an idea? Let me know! Leave a comment in the section below or email me at: courtney.logel@gmail.com
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