Valerie's Adventures

The Pros and Cons of German Life

Tuesday, December 11, 2012 Valerie 1

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<b><u>Pros</u></b></div>
- German toilets have a big flush and a little flush<br />
- you can take your dog into stores and restaurants (some may see this as a con, but I think it's a pro!)<br />
- 500g (17oz) of organic yogurt costs 89¢<br />
- it's okay, just park on the sidewalk! <br />
- Christmas markets...need I say more?  <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Cons</u></b></span></div>
- no toilet seat covers <br />
- if you sit outside at a café, you WILL breathe second-hand cigarette smoke<br />
- closets aren't built into a room, you have to buy a wardrobe <br />
- Germans eat fast...I'm always the last one done, even when I scarf my food<br />
- dishwashers and washing machines take 2.5 hours for one cycle <br />
- it doesn't matter which direction you walk or which way the wind is blowing, somehow the snow will always be in your face <br />
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<u><b>Interesting Observations</b></u></div>
- there are large pieces of land divided into little garden areas on the outskirts of cities for people who don't have a yard at their apartment/townhouse<br />
- for some reason, Germans are fascinated by squirrels<br />
- the clouds move faster here...seriously<br />
- most cars have hatchbacks instead of real trunks<br />
- everyone takes their shoes off upon entering a house <br />
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<b><u>What I Miss About Home</u></b></div>
- Trader Joe's and Target<br />
- carpeted houses <br />
- being able to explain myself completely<br />
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When you first arrive in Germany, it's easy to notice all the little 
differences.  But so what if the toilet paper is a different size, you 
have to buy a new plug for your laptop charger, and the grocery store is
 closed on Sunday?  I've learned that all in all, the Germans are not so different from Americans.  Sure, most Germans would disagree with my views on politics, health, religion, and the War on Terrorism, but they are regular people just like everyone else.  Some people are happy in life and laugh a lot, smile at you on the train, or greet you when you walk into a store.  Others hate what they do and scowl as you walk past them on the street.  Germans have good days and bad days, they have various hobbies and interests, they have differing views on the way the world should work, and they sometimes complain about the rising cost of gas and electricity.<br />
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We like to generalize and throw people into specific categories.  We lump groups together and say, "Oh, you're one of <i>them</i>."  Germans do the same thing.  They have pre-conceived notions about Americans and what life is like for us.  It seems that they are fascinated by American culture, but at the same time resent it's influence on their own.  And Americans have their opinions about Germans too.  I find myself saying, "the Germans think that" or "the Germans do it this way."  But people are people.  Everyone has their own personality, their own worldview.  At the end of the day, Germans are just regular people, trying to make the most out of life like everyone else.<br />
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I have really enjoyed the past 2.5 months here in Germany.  For various reasons, I have always been enthralled with the country, and that has only increased as I've spent more time here.  I can't say exactly why, but I like it here.  Of course there are days when I feel like a complete loser because I don't understand what people are saying.  But then there come other days when I feel like I'm finally starting to understand the language.  It's a learning process and the bottom line is that I need to come back to Germany as soon as I can in January.  So as I leave to head home for Christmas, I say to Deutschland, "Bis bald und auf Wiedersehen!"

The Pros and Cons of German Life

Pros - German toilets have a big flush and a little flush - you can take your dog into stores and restaurants (some may see this as a con...

Final Weeked in Germany

Monday, December 10, 2012 Valerie 3

This past weekend was bittersweet.  Yes, I am excited about coming home for Christmas and seeing my parents!  But I'm also really sad to leave Germany.  I think it's because I'm not exactly sure <i>when</i> I'm coming back yet.  I'm sad to leave my family here, and I'm sad to leave to snow.  But more than that, I think I'm sad that this season of my life is over.  Since June I have basically been a wandering nomad, traveling from place to place, living out of a suitcase.  Not having a place of my own or a steady source of income has been difficult, but at the same time, it's been an incredible adventure!  Knowing that I'll have to return to "the real world" is kind of a bummer...<br />
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That being said, I enjoyed my final two Weihnachtsmärkte over the weekend.  The first one being in Hof, of course!  Hof is a small city, but they have the "Hofer Weihnachtswelt" open daily in the Altstadt.  Although I didn't make any purchases at this one, I still found it to be beautiful.  I have really started to feel like Hof is "home" for me, and living with my cousin has been such a blessing.  I like Hof mostly because it is large enough to have everything you need, but not so large that you get lost on the streets.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hofer Weihnachtswelt</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in the Hofer Altstadt</td></tr>
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On Saturday, Jeanette and Helmut took me to Plauen, which is about a 30 min. drive away from Hof in the state of Sachsen (Hof is in Bayern).  Although the Weihnachtsmarkt in Plauen is open everyday in December, they have a special weekend once a year with a more traditional market.  Throughout a series of old buildings in Plauen, people set up booths to sell homemade items.  The rooms go on and on with everything from paintings to liqueur, hand-carved woodwork to hand-stitched beanies.  Some rooms are connected to each other and some are not.  Some are downstairs and some are upstairs.  It is kind of hard to explain without seeing it in person, and to be honest, I didn't understand it myself until we were actually there.  But because these are private sellers, not businesses, it is a special weekend to go. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLqm5L72kVLxMHuXJo7EuB9P8sDA9Gm0-HNJAbaiWEoEuO1Xm1IER7L3eqpgc6wEcEs-0B8fIzSO00bHVBdsQ_BURoumuecb47ph9feiuyYWy-gedOwXByARTBgpdI3dSRm2Y0lRElBWA/s1600/PC080511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLqm5L72kVLxMHuXJo7EuB9P8sDA9Gm0-HNJAbaiWEoEuO1Xm1IER7L3eqpgc6wEcEs-0B8fIzSO00bHVBdsQ_BURoumuecb47ph9feiuyYWy-gedOwXByARTBgpdI3dSRm2Y0lRElBWA/s320/PC080511.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of people were packed into all the rooms!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City Hall and plaza in Plauen</td></tr>
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The only problem we had on Saturday was that it was SO cold!  I had on my leggings underneath my jeans, thick socks, snow boots, long-sleeve shirt, jacket, then a thick jacket, scarf, beanie, then my hood, and thick gloves....but by the end of the day all three of us couldn't feel our toes.  Once again, I ate too many sweets, but it was my last weekend in Germany, so I had to enjoy it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWZWnvqwZzf3jgU2IioqTGSngFyou6CVmgcXknziKOH6h9fGokcD_PSEVrfgJX6FFmHSpIRzSjR3fi33XPHFWn4-c1RQSWCcgRbxnKMrPZju4CzLJz0Pso_7G1bW_uRPF8pj_DlL68bc1/s1600/PC080521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWZWnvqwZzf3jgU2IioqTGSngFyou6CVmgcXknziKOH6h9fGokcD_PSEVrfgJX6FFmHSpIRzSjR3fi33XPHFWn4-c1RQSWCcgRbxnKMrPZju4CzLJz0Pso_7G1bW_uRPF8pj_DlL68bc1/s320/PC080521.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinking an Eierpunsch with Jeanette...I thought it would be like spiked eggnog, but I was wrong</td></tr>
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Final Weeked in Germany

This past weekend was bittersweet. Yes, I am excited about coming home for Christmas and seeing my parents! But I'm also really sad to...

Deutsche Sprache, Schwere Sprache

Friday, December 07, 2012 Valerie 0

The Germans have a saying about their own language: "deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache."  It literally means "German language, difficult language."  Even the Germans know that their language is not the easiest, and I'm sure that most of them would jump at the chance to only have one article like in English.  When we refer to something, we simple say "the"...THE city, THE people, THE house, THE food.  But in German, it could be "der," "die," "das," "den," "dem," or "des."  And it all depends on if THE noun is nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive.  In other words, is it the subject, indirect object, direct object, or possession?  (Unfortunately, Germans don't really know these grammar references, and simply know what sounds correct or incorrect, just like us in English....when's the last time you diagrammed a sentence?)  For example:<br />
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<i><u>Der</u> Hund schläft noch</i><i></i>.<br />
The dog is still sleeping.<br />
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<i>Er will <u>den</u> Hund haben.</i><br />
He wants to have the dog.<i> </i><br />
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<i>Ich sitze neben <u>dem</u> Hund.</i><br />
I'm sitting next to the dog.<br />
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After 2.5 months in Germany, I still can't get it right.  But I'm developing a better "sense" for whether I am using the correct article or not.  Most of the time, I know that I'm saying something wrong, but I'm not sure how to fix it.  Thankfully, many Germans repeat what I say in the <b>correct</b> way, and that's how I'm learning.<br />
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I can honestly say that my German is <i>viel besser</i> than when I first arrived.  If you hear a certain word enough times, a light bulb finally goes off in your head as to what it means.  Or you don't know how to say a certain phrase until you hear someone else say it in the proper context.  One thing I've struggled with over and over again is saying, "as old as I am" or "the same age as me."  Time and time again I've said, "<i>wie alt als ich</i>" instead of "<i>so alt wie ich</i>."  A slight difference, but Germans look at you like you're stupid when you say the first one.<br />
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But on the other hand, some words are easy to understand and remember, because of their similarity to English words: <i>akzeptieren, praktisch, reguliert, populär, </i>etc.  And although the grammar makes no sense to me whatsoever, vocabulary is very logical.  For example:<br />
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<i>Arzt</i> = doctor<br />
<i>Tierarzt</i> = veterinarian (literally "animal doctor")<br />
<i>Zahnarzt </i>= dentist (literally "tooth doctor")<br />
<i>Frauenarzt </i>= gynaecologist (literally "women doctor")<br />
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I am by no means fluent.  In fact, I have a loooooong way to go.  But I can say that I have achieved my first goal!  When I came to Germany, I wanted to reach the point that it would be easier for a German to speak to me in German rather than English.  Although I might not be able to explain myself fully or come up with witty answers for people, at least they know that I can understand what is being said.  It's a little more difficult with groups when multiple people are talking <i>schnell</i>.  But I am still able to add my two cents or respond to a question.  And best of all, I don't have to be afraid to walk down the street, sit next to someone on the train, or ask someone a question at the grocery store.  For me, this is a great accomplishment!  There is still a lot for me to learn, but I think I have a good start on tackling this <i>schwere Sprache</i>!

Deutsche Sprache, Schwere Sprache

The Germans have a saying about their own language: "deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache." It literally means "German language...

Erzgebirge at Christmas

Wednesday, December 05, 2012 Valerie 0

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOESLu9zS3QNWbGHhMROfeQ7Vg14bKcpaLDqmoEOIhCN145hz-OJbmOnEya3lcsJZV9QzHRP1kA2p6Wj7Rj_sFD-pi2rinHwIuH_lzQ0qoxTAV317ZLvkpiCuWLgItJ1l4afMkGw2s29GT/s1600/PC030442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOESLu9zS3QNWbGHhMROfeQ7Vg14bKcpaLDqmoEOIhCN145hz-OJbmOnEya3lcsJZV9QzHRP1kA2p6Wj7Rj_sFD-pi2rinHwIuH_lzQ0qoxTAV317ZLvkpiCuWLgItJ1l4afMkGw2s29GT/s200/PC030442.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We drove past New America!</td></tr>
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On Monday, I set out on an adventure with Helmut's brother-in-law, who is also named Helmut.  Although of German descent, Helmut Schmelz (<u>not</u> Helmut Haas) was born and raised in the Czech Republic before moving to Germany as a teenager.  We drove to his hometown called <i>Nové Zvolaní</i>, which just on the other side of the border to Sachsen, so it only took us an hour and a half to get there.<br />
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After parking the car, Helmut took me on a <i>Winterwandern</i> on a hill through the snow (knee-deep!). He led the way and I followed his footsteps exactly.  It was quite the workout, because I was sweating profusely by the time we got to the top of the hill!  He had brought along sandwiches, apples, and hot tea for us to eat while we enjoyed the breathtaking view.  Once I cooled off, it was time to come back down.  The snow in the forest was so beautiful and freshly laid--nothing had disturbed it.  And we could not have picked a more perfect day with the sun illuminating God's creation.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter Hike</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5oqko_X2g1AHH-khkVNQV7jYD9ptJqFXGI6vhrS6sS92lR0KCwIbHy1ynCprJvytUwNtjWsWH-ekwRf5tY074ITvPXDB8WjzMAwSH4gAZ8BXtj92S2EdNLj5_SbXA5D353WYeu1FD-T8/s1600/PC030455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5oqko_X2g1AHH-khkVNQV7jYD9ptJqFXGI6vhrS6sS92lR0KCwIbHy1ynCprJvytUwNtjWsWH-ekwRf5tY074ITvPXDB8WjzMAwSH4gAZ8BXtj92S2EdNLj5_SbXA5D353WYeu1FD-T8/s320/PC030455.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the top!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkkwkU_RpGrCiWPDDs2KZy9NzXq0OMnEkb_70I2p5p2oYxrxH9sxniUL5Nml1TZt-f95K4y0hCkDcav4xeu2pmQrlqkUr41VhPAkHSd2wF7eMwzq1644oNkkA7P4jl2J7r6pYL5o-aySR/s1600/PC030456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkkwkU_RpGrCiWPDDs2KZy9NzXq0OMnEkb_70I2p5p2oYxrxH9sxniUL5Nml1TZt-f95K4y0hCkDcav4xeu2pmQrlqkUr41VhPAkHSd2wF7eMwzq1644oNkkA7P4jl2J7r6pYL5o-aySR/s320/PC030456.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whoops, didn't mean to fall off that rock!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcRindo_UauZ14HAzKLwcdI6c7rMFeRuQXHhyphenhyphenrMYrua9c1mGOMOuU2hvqmamf-GidObHV766BCteMfZ-FCQIv_SsExSLoUuBTAWLi7TXNeezP2EbK_UcNzMeR_ePSsUFUbXajiFZIUpHB/s1600/PC030453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcRindo_UauZ14HAzKLwcdI6c7rMFeRuQXHhyphenhyphenrMYrua9c1mGOMOuU2hvqmamf-GidObHV766BCteMfZ-FCQIv_SsExSLoUuBTAWLi7TXNeezP2EbK_UcNzMeR_ePSsUFUbXajiFZIUpHB/s320/PC030453.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of our path heading down the hill...</td></tr>
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After our hike, we drove back over to Germany in the region known as <i>Erzgebirge</i>.  This grouping of hills makes a natural border between Germany and the Czech Republic.  <i>Erz</i> means "ore" and <i>Gebirge</i> means "mountain range."  According to Helmut, the region is full of natural minerals like silver, tin, and even uranium.  In fact, when the Soviet Union took over the area after WWII, they used the uranium from the Erzgebirge for its atomic bomb project.  Throughout history, there has been an ebb and flow in mining.  In the periods when mining jobs were unavailable, the people of the Erzgebirge region had to take up other skills, and thus turned to woodworking.<br />
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If you have ever seen a wooden half-circle with candles that the Germans place in their windows at Christmastime, it comes from this region.  Technically it is called a <i>Schwibbogen</i>, and they are all over Germany now during the advent season.  The traditional design features two <i>Bergmänner</i> (miners), one woodcarver, and one lacemaker.  But today, you can find all sorts of motifs, as well as interchangeable scenes.  But let me tell you, those things are expensive!  Almost all of the modern-day Schwibbögen have electric lights instead of candles, and the normal size will put you out about €100.  But every store in every town in the Erzgebirge region has these Schwibbögen for sale, along with other wooden decorations.<br />
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Once it started getting dark, we drove to the town of Annaberg, which has a beautiful <i>Weihnachtsmarkt</i>.  I liked it better than Würzburg or Nürnberg, because it was smaller and felt less commercialized.  Once again, the stands at this Christmas market were selling completely different items than the ones I've already been to.  Most of them had wood or metal decorations, of course, because of the region.  But my favorite part was trying something new to drink.  Since being in Germany, I've already had my fair share of <i>Glühwein</i>, a warm, mulled wine with cinnamon and spices.  But in Annaberg, I had my first <i>Glühbier</i>!  Even Helmut had never heard of Glühbier before!  It was literally a warm, sweet, magenta-colored beer, and it tasted so good!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusrhjqJZeqM982wWBSh5EK5VjOrf0m7N_bxcVFpa9tiXPAUKhTT6_srw58aw2NyGAXLQ7N36cNnKxBEYyTsJydUUqZs-zRAimDWY4gyeYuK76kcN2OSiVSHPuahIdV_xsfmrcL2Ipzds3/s1600/PC030467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusrhjqJZeqM982wWBSh5EK5VjOrf0m7N_bxcVFpa9tiXPAUKhTT6_srw58aw2NyGAXLQ7N36cNnKxBEYyTsJydUUqZs-zRAimDWY4gyeYuK76kcN2OSiVSHPuahIdV_xsfmrcL2Ipzds3/s320/PC030467.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weihnachtsmarkt in Annaberg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAootlIInYrYvGsywTWR1VZafXp5Wji26nX0j2aSutEfYEUBS2l4yr9xyBMCP2IIQdYZSq6VFK3R3deNnZ5k-D3PJNQA2sD_Q4yP19_tBnyMxCnPzl86llIIxe4Fx7cwg6aDwUT-v1nS7k/s1600/PC030493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAootlIInYrYvGsywTWR1VZafXp5Wji26nX0j2aSutEfYEUBS2l4yr9xyBMCP2IIQdYZSq6VFK3R3deNnZ5k-D3PJNQA2sD_Q4yP19_tBnyMxCnPzl86llIIxe4Fx7cwg6aDwUT-v1nS7k/s320/PC030493.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinking my Glühbier!</td></tr>
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We got in the car at 6pm to head home after a long day (we started at 8:15am).  But unfortunately, we got lost along the way in some small towns.  When we finally made it to the Autobahn, the oil was empty and we had to pull off at a gas station to fill it.  It took us twice as long to get home, but after 3 hours, we finally made it!  But all-in-all, it was a beautiful, interesting, educational, adventurous day!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizI7RXIf70I7JwyXiu-rstCQk15EduDfMq0RsKK6h788LEUcz16MmB5DZxofYJEBVE9CEwUnHrlKfxee4_JdXA4Y5FNJjQ1yrpB_JC8MxJmGSlXKGlsdWctCrbih4zwFOWczk5bh08fEFG/s1600/250px-Schwibbogen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizI7RXIf70I7JwyXiu-rstCQk15EduDfMq0RsKK6h788LEUcz16MmB5DZxofYJEBVE9CEwUnHrlKfxee4_JdXA4Y5FNJjQ1yrpB_JC8MxJmGSlXKGlsdWctCrbih4zwFOWczk5bh08fEFG/s1600/250px-Schwibbogen.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After all that, I didn't even get a picture of a traditional Schwibbogen...had to steal this one off the internet!</td></tr>
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Erzgebirge at Christmas

We drove past New America! On Monday, I set out on an adventure with Helmut's brother-in-law, who is also named Helmut. Although of...

Let it Snow!

Tuesday, December 04, 2012 Valerie 3

Let it Snow!

Today's post is a short video from my walk in the snow:

So begins die Weihnachtsmärkte

Sunday, December 02, 2012 Valerie 2

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHi9AbCbfQ05HqqAeBiKCCdU3d1ttPFQKxfI22UXl4I09lmRV2ypE22-BVdvw5uIJWmQJedvUMaKpjG2sC0d7bdCR7YnLe0HcDFCOoV7VsZt8zsU-SXRTFxlBwMie6-1KC-MwHdmsKleh/s1600/PB300367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHi9AbCbfQ05HqqAeBiKCCdU3d1ttPFQKxfI22UXl4I09lmRV2ypE22-BVdvw5uIJWmQJedvUMaKpjG2sC0d7bdCR7YnLe0HcDFCOoV7VsZt8zsU-SXRTFxlBwMie6-1KC-MwHdmsKleh/s200/PB300367.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with Sankt Nikolaus</td></tr>
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With the first advent beginning this weekend, all the <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i> in Germany have also opened.  I'm sure most of you have heard of the famous Christmas markets in Germany or maybe even visited one yourself.  It's funny that the Germans are so surprised when they find out we don't really have Christmas markets in the USA.  I guess it's just part of growing up in Germany, and one of the things to indicate that Christmastime has begun.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLy_vA6ozLCQ-SbOWKYGMzJKHLNFbRJzx0DnxyEj0fkpN8-1IDKcXkk083ceTxjcqz7RKwkIxtc7ut2UYP6kTzCdkdbzGy9eYorEXxMCeEYA1e_4XAxcHuHZpWvfbCwgsraczSOmUJU0t/s1600/PB300365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLy_vA6ozLCQ-SbOWKYGMzJKHLNFbRJzx0DnxyEj0fkpN8-1IDKcXkk083ceTxjcqz7RKwkIxtc7ut2UYP6kTzCdkdbzGy9eYorEXxMCeEYA1e_4XAxcHuHZpWvfbCwgsraczSOmUJU0t/s200/PB300365.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with Kurt in Spachingen</td></tr>
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This weekend I visited 3 different Christmas markets, starting with a really small one in Spaichingen.  The town is so small that they only have their <i>Weihnachtsmarkt</i> on one weekend, but everyone in the town shows up for it.  There were stands of homemade goods, Christmas ornaments, and trinkets, but most of the stands had food (and most importantly, <i>Glühwein</i>) for sale.  On Friday night, Kurt and I went to check things out and have some schnitzel and glühwein.  It really felt like a close community, everyone knew each other, and people were laughing together all over the plaza.  A brass band played Christmas music, then an old choir sang, and finally students from the guitar school played some pop music.  But let me tell you....it was COLD!  -6°C, which is roughly 21°F.  By the time I walked home, my tooshie was freezing!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_fZMmhQJEoYHkxe5HjWUWcPPTwj3PiCtVOJ5_GNuGROia8qW4GYQfe8dLk5Ouuuwf0cAopXyC7ZfBuxZbf4vDL8wmR5vnxiV3HOXfWwo7B-TxGolStKvLj7z48e6_TTiqRpBUD15Wkwu/s1600/PC010381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_fZMmhQJEoYHkxe5HjWUWcPPTwj3PiCtVOJ5_GNuGROia8qW4GYQfe8dLk5Ouuuwf0cAopXyC7ZfBuxZbf4vDL8wmR5vnxiV3HOXfWwo7B-TxGolStKvLj7z48e6_TTiqRpBUD15Wkwu/s200/PC010381.JPG" width="200" /></a>The next day was a little warmer and I took the train to Würzburg.  I was supposed to have another voice lesson with the teacher there, but when I arrived in Würzburg, I checked my e-mail and discovered that she was sick.  She had to cancel all her lessons for the day, which was unfortunate for me.  But that meant I had more time to see the Weihnachtsmarkt, which was interesting.  It's better to go at night when all the lights are on, but there aren't as many people on the market in the daytime, so it's a toss-up.  Würzburg had some interesting stands, lots of Christmas tree ornaments and....kitchen utensils.<br />
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After a couple of hours, I hopped on the train to Nürnberg for the world-famous <i>Christkindlesmarkt</i>.  Thankfully, I was smart enough to rent a locker and not carry my stuff around.  There were SO many people that it was hard to navigate the streets.  Anyone who has been to Disneyland with me knows that I am an expert at efficiently weaving in and out of crowds.  But I guess the Germans have a different traffic pattern than I'm used to, because I was constantly being thwarted!  People would stop in the middle of the street to look at something and there would be no way to get around them.  I had a difficult time predicting where people would go, and as a result I had to constantly <i>wait</i> for people to get out of my way.  It's a good thing I was by myself, though, because it was hard for groups to stay together.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqADHltYcO8M0ZB6Zh-94ZSDOt8Ct1cBH4vhneO-WpUM6L6c8aINNLTLtGfyLaHkCZlNL9oh7rGmozyu14UAPCrk7olBnXjlkzTqKH3pQ3GZcF58UOdQV-1rpY8-7pJhDlHpUJ4NWv4-Ez/s1600/PC010385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqADHltYcO8M0ZB6Zh-94ZSDOt8Ct1cBH4vhneO-WpUM6L6c8aINNLTLtGfyLaHkCZlNL9oh7rGmozyu14UAPCrk7olBnXjlkzTqKH3pQ3GZcF58UOdQV-1rpY8-7pJhDlHpUJ4NWv4-Ez/s200/PC010385.JPG" width="200" /></a>All-in-all, Nürnberg was really beautiful, despite being an obvious tourist attraction.  People from all over the world were there, and most signs were in English as well as German.  With 2 hours, I had plenty of time to walk through all the rows of stands and view the items before deciding if I wanted to purchase anything.  And if so, which stand was least expensive (€20 for a metal Christmas tree ornament?  I don't think so.)  I found it interesting that the stands in Nürnberg were selling different items than in Würzburg.  Of course there were Christmas ornaments, but they also had lots of small wooden toys, candles, Christmas village decorations, jewelry, hats and scarves, even soaps and marmalade.  I drank my glühwein in my souvenir mug and watched the happy customers.  Because the streets were literally packed with people, I found it difficult to shop.  But I'm glad I went for the experience of seeing this famous market.  It's kind of like Oktoberfest...you have to go at least once in your life!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikh2DD_wgDyxvUZx8P6jwm9LCStd9h1V_bVWShs1ztvVD7I-uwEQInUDy6sOVTh9oePU65CLpTi7-E-81FW5rLEI4bu43NAsZs3t4N6yYbj__Xlvqc4T9vlE_WJIiWj-N6dQxsut5Jm7Dm/s1600/PB300369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikh2DD_wgDyxvUZx8P6jwm9LCStd9h1V_bVWShs1ztvVD7I-uwEQInUDy6sOVTh9oePU65CLpTi7-E-81FW5rLEI4bu43NAsZs3t4N6yYbj__Xlvqc4T9vlE_WJIiWj-N6dQxsut5Jm7Dm/s320/PB300369.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spaichingen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-hq09QCR-btKv1prOV3qevUB9co1ZrNu2cQ3GikW02YqX35L_IBi8J5tYTAciKMB2HrD9SmBx_JvF38LeWx3LFZU3EulPU7Kif01reHonK7ykLvXT6p8I31OV3DA3g3rV4MJQbprmqFg/s1600/PC010376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-hq09QCR-btKv1prOV3qevUB9co1ZrNu2cQ3GikW02YqX35L_IBi8J5tYTAciKMB2HrD9SmBx_JvF38LeWx3LFZU3EulPU7Kif01reHonK7ykLvXT6p8I31OV3DA3g3rV4MJQbprmqFg/s320/PC010376.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Würzburg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh2D2TEXQq5vMptZ_sjq-HvrXfFOdGRxXz5P5ldRIgs6g5Uw_AohuFlK6f3hfzgLxieYBZek7k9ZjGzNxToDq2eUeHGAvaJI3Wb9ijRbpjaipAlIacvxKmulbD0QX_zJF-mB6yrFZPlkH/s1600/PC010389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh2D2TEXQq5vMptZ_sjq-HvrXfFOdGRxXz5P5ldRIgs6g5Uw_AohuFlK6f3hfzgLxieYBZek7k9ZjGzNxToDq2eUeHGAvaJI3Wb9ijRbpjaipAlIacvxKmulbD0QX_zJF-mB6yrFZPlkH/s320/PC010389.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nürnberg</td></tr>
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So begins die Weihnachtsmärkte

with Sankt Nikolaus With the first advent beginning this weekend, all the Weihnachtsmärkte in Germany have also opened. I'm sure m...

Thanksgiving in Germany

Sunday, November 25, 2012 Valerie 0

This was my first Thanksgiving away from home, and it was an especially difficult one for me.  I am really close with my family and I value the relationship I have with each member, thus I was really sad to miss out on the big Thanksgiving gathering that took place in California this last week.  The memorial service for my Aunt Mary Jane was on Monday, so most of the family stayed through the week and they all celebrated Thanksgiving together...without me.  Not only did I miss out on spending time with my family, but I also missed out on cranberry pudding!  I guess it just means that I will especially enjoy eating it on Christmas Day.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5N4zyuTce3TNxdwpxov_dpbQDZR1J0_aomNBUjANvEoNUR9ZOd_DGxZC0UfAHNfRDdmfOSzKklfIDqZntsdNPFHg-obKoPi9sLUBP_3YFfMbJInfs6iukAyC3ERqPKVGbyZl7gE6acMM/s1600/PB200329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5N4zyuTce3TNxdwpxov_dpbQDZR1J0_aomNBUjANvEoNUR9ZOd_DGxZC0UfAHNfRDdmfOSzKklfIDqZntsdNPFHg-obKoPi9sLUBP_3YFfMbJInfs6iukAyC3ERqPKVGbyZl7gE6acMM/s200/PB200329.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">streets of Göttingen</td></tr>
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A couple days before the holiday, I headed up to see my friend Maria in Göttingen.  The city is full of beautiful old houses and the buildings are all mostly traditional style.  It has a walking path that goes around the city, which is perfect for a little fresh air and exercise.  Because of the university there, Göttingen has a lot of young people, which was a little strange for me to see so many people my age packed into one town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY0IbrChEj50jVrrG7pMEX_R1vXSPZC33JCD_D9A2hSuuyYmKzhUGbbNBPkgIZOUwnhqt2nAX7Jd4LbYJOd2KcwS6l_5H8Pm-Qt4HQe87HJqLT_SLcDscd__enabp-oVL-CYgcTA5dS-n/s1600/PB210335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY0IbrChEj50jVrrG7pMEX_R1vXSPZC33JCD_D9A2hSuuyYmKzhUGbbNBPkgIZOUwnhqt2nAX7Jd4LbYJOd2KcwS6l_5H8Pm-Qt4HQe87HJqLT_SLcDscd__enabp-oVL-CYgcTA5dS-n/s200/PB210335.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">eating a <i>Döner</i></td></tr>
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Maria and I have only ever seen each other in California, when she lived in LA for a year.  We met the week before Palm Sunday 2010 at the German church I attended in Glendale, where she sang in a concert with the <i>Junge Stimmen des Nordens</i>, a choir directed by her mother.  In the year Maria lived in LA, we met up every now and then, and she even came home to Reedley with me one weekend.  In the States, Maria and I mostly spoke in English, so we thought it was really funny to be speaking German with each other in Germany!  We hadn't seen each other since she left CA over a year ago, so it was nice to catch up on what has been happening in her life.  Maria introduced me not only to the city of Göttingen, but also to these Turkish <i>Döner</i> wrap things that everyone has been talking about...<br />
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From Maria's, I headed to the small town of Elsdorf, just a 12-minute train ride from the metropolis of Köln.  It was here I met and stayed with the Kratz family.  Mrs. Kratz (a.k.a. Amy) is from Reedley, went to high school with my cousin Sarah, and sang in choir under the direction of my Aunt Melody.  Because she's a Mennonite, and my parents go to the Mennonite Brethren Church in Reedley, Amy and I know a lot of mutual people.  She married a German and has been living here for the past 6 years, so she invited me to join them for Thanksgiving.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcgeJ4G9fq2UjiFbEgqnNTchWPoZR4ugI6VfvUTvm3fVgY4US9FzCc7Ab0chEAKSadREAD3aEy6pMWLEdwIWiCY6Ua0GU1eae1QxSvJdJ_R6inxr9kgAxLlxSoSKDTv0jUH3o8C7Mmb_w/s1600/PB220339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcgeJ4G9fq2UjiFbEgqnNTchWPoZR4ugI6VfvUTvm3fVgY4US9FzCc7Ab0chEAKSadREAD3aEy6pMWLEdwIWiCY6Ua0GU1eae1QxSvJdJ_R6inxr9kgAxLlxSoSKDTv0jUH3o8C7Mmb_w/s200/PB220339.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanksgiving Dinner!</td></tr>
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We actually went over to a friend's house for the celebration, and enjoyed all the usual fixings.  I was so happy to have cranberry relish with the meal, because it reminded me of home.  Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, and cranberry relish.  The only thing I missed was a glass of Lambrusco to wash it down.  Of course, I stuffed myself!  After the meal, we took the kids for a walk to the playground and let the food settle in our stomachs.  Then we went back to the house for pumpkin pie.  Ironically, Amy's friend is from Kansas and has Mennonite background, so she made some traditional <i>pfeffernüsse</i> (pepper nuts) too.  It was a leisurely day of eating and talking, just like Thanksgiving should be.  I really missed my family, but it was nice to celebrate with other Americans.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kwF6_aHIof9U-LK8swColo5HK_h8NhDGjEzd3UUpkTewu0JN_7vSCSpZK9jeLrC9_Vdt8eE_XGpslUzxGCodsRB7d8u-wt43Gco5Ep1QORWhhkQ9xbG8VCLrs58mcqIiJMT8SVahMQWn/s1600/PB230345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kwF6_aHIof9U-LK8swColo5HK_h8NhDGjEzd3UUpkTewu0JN_7vSCSpZK9jeLrC9_Vdt8eE_XGpslUzxGCodsRB7d8u-wt43Gco5Ep1QORWhhkQ9xbG8VCLrs58mcqIiJMT8SVahMQWn/s320/PB230345.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I finally made it to the Kölner Dom!  It's huge!</td></tr>
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On Friday, Amy and I did our best to round up the kids (ages 4, 2, and 3 months) and take the S-bahn into Köln.  By the time we made it to the Kölner Dom, it started raining on us.  But with two kids running around and a crying baby, we decided going inside the Dom was a bad idea.  Instead, we bought some <i>Streuselkuchen</i>, sat under an umbrella, and enjoyed the magnificence of the cathedral's exterior.  The rain didn't let up, so we went into a couple stores downtown and finally settled at a Starbucks.  Since I had already tried the Lebkuchen Latte, this time I had a Toffee Nut.  Although it doesn't sound like much, that was literally our entire day.  By the time we took the train back, got in the car and drove home, it was time for dinner and bed.  I found out that having 3 kids means everything takes a really long time to do.  Amy kept saying, "It used to be easy with just two, but it's so much harder with three!"  I thought that was funny, because everyone else I know says, "It used to be easy with one, but it's so much harder with two!"  I guess having kids is tough task to take on.  But I hear the lack of sleep is worth it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKrJLYnHJwqHPxv3MiOYUND3PYcfc3Xt-CDMtAFzbEG5fkGIv4BqoN-Y6WKDPe_-vNxldBohuHRu5veMDVddBnFNTnZLJ9Hjnojs6JsTiCxcpkzqzr41YLyAyRzvpVm9UcoYQzkNmzdfq/s1600/PB230350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKrJLYnHJwqHPxv3MiOYUND3PYcfc3Xt-CDMtAFzbEG5fkGIv4BqoN-Y6WKDPe_-vNxldBohuHRu5veMDVddBnFNTnZLJ9Hjnojs6JsTiCxcpkzqzr41YLyAyRzvpVm9UcoYQzkNmzdfq/s200/PB230350.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with Amy in Köln</td></tr>
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On Saturday morning, Amy's husband Stephan made us all homemade pancakes.  I liked talking to him and finding out his perspective on marrying an American.  Amy and Stephan have a unique household in that Amy only speaks English to the kids and Stephan only speaks German to them.  They mostly speak English to each other, but sometimes Stephan will speak in German and Amy will respond in English.  Hearing their kids speak both languages showed me how easy it is to solidify languages at a young age.<br />
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I then left the Kratz house and returned to the Bamberg Hospitality House where the Huisjen family is with Cadence International.  I first met them last month when I attended chapel services on post with them.  This weekend they had their annual bonfire with hot dogs and smores.  (I avoided the hotdog buns, but my stomach still hated me after that meal.)  Mostly families and couples attended, so I got to meet a few new people.  It was entertaining to watch everyone roast their hotdogs on skewers while trying to shield their face from the heat of the fire.  But the best part of the night for me was singing worship songs.  While everyone was running around and chaos abounded, Matt pulled out his guitar and started singing.  I guess I was the only one interested in joining him, so the two of us sang together and I got to harmonize.  Some of the songs were modern, but most of them were "oldies, but goodies."  I stayed the night with the Huisjens (Matt, Tina, and their 5 kids) and joined them for chapel this morning.  The message was about how God uses trials to build our character and trust in Him.  The pastor was speaking mostly to the families with uncertainty about relocation (the post in Bamberg is closing in 2014), but it really applied to me too.  I have no idea what the next few weeks holds.  I don't know where I'm going to work or when I'm coming back to Germany after Christmas.  And as desperate as I am to figure out my plan, I think God wants me to trust Him.  What else can I do?  I'll either stress myself out worrying about it, or trust that He will make a way for me.  <br />
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Thanksgiving in Germany

This was my first Thanksgiving away from home, and it was an especially difficult one for me. I am really close with my family and I value ...

Gearing up for Advent

Monday, November 19, 2012 Valerie 2

Although no decorations are up yet in Germany, people are starting to prepare for the first Advent in 2 weeks.  Wreaths are for sale, you can buy <i>Lebkuchen</i> in the bakeries, and there's a special feeling in the air.  But what I appreciate about the Germans is their sense of tradition.  <i>Weihnachten</i> is close, you can feel it.  You can think about Christmas and start preparing, but you can't start celebrating until the first Advent.  That's when Christmastime really begins.  (I know, Janice, you've had your Christmas tree up for a month already...)<br />
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This past weekend I putzed around Hof and ran errands with my cousin.  At the garden store, they have fresh tree branches and decorations for sale, so you can make your own wreath.  All the Christmas chocolate is out at the supermarket; it's quite overwhelming, really.  But I have a Christmas shopping list, and hopefully I will stick to it.  I'll be back in Hof for the first and second Advents, so we'll go to church and then see some <i>Weihnachtsmärkte</i> (Christmas markets).  I'm sure it will be beautiful!  In any case, I'm just glad that I get to spend the first part of the Advent season with my German family.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj_BJmrPji92hkUCiXYTRGL9O9PmoMZHsoN2sBcOq9cstbDmvCiGo1XU_r7dTmGOmXchbnrwTNPpnM8vz23hd-KPHOoKk6mhSwtzx6fNFP1V_y3msaQtkzsHc2pYnOOrl7uht58awk_8j/s1600/PB180321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj_BJmrPji92hkUCiXYTRGL9O9PmoMZHsoN2sBcOq9cstbDmvCiGo1XU_r7dTmGOmXchbnrwTNPpnM8vz23hd-KPHOoKk6mhSwtzx6fNFP1V_y3msaQtkzsHc2pYnOOrl7uht58awk_8j/s400/PB180321.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Haas Family in Hof</td></tr>
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Gearing up for Advent

Although no decorations are up yet in Germany, people are starting to prepare for the first Advent in 2 weeks. Wreaths are for sale, you ca...

The Adventures Continue...

Sunday, November 18, 2012 Valerie 1

A lot has been going on the last couple of weeks, and although I've had the time to write about it, I haven't had the motivation.  I'm really sad about the passing of my dear Aunt Mary Jane, but I honestly don't want to deal with it emotionally until I'm home with my family.  I suppose denial is part of the grieving process.<br />
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But time doesn't stand still, so I guess I need to update all of you on what's been happening over here in Deutschland.  Two weekends ago I returned to my friend Susi's in München for a girls' weekend.  It coincided with a voice lesson in the city with an American professor from the <i>Musikhochschule</i>.  This teacher has lived in Germany since 1978 and she struggled with some of the English words at first, like "diaphragm" and "soft palate."  But she was patient and her teaching style was peaceful, for lack of a better word.  She practices Eastern meditation and breathing exercises, so I think that contributed to her personality.  This teacher confirmed my suspicion that I am not ready to audition for schools in December.  First, I still have no idea what I should be singing.  And second, I am still not singing consistently, because I have more technique work to do.  Also, I found out that graduate students in Munich are on the emerging professional level, and basically, I don't have a chance there.  However, she said that there are a lot of other <i>Musikhochschulen</i> in Germany, and I have a good chance at the other ones.  She said that if I stay and study privately for the next few months, then I'd be ready to audition in June for the other schools.<br />
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On the one hand, it's frustrating to have to wait...again.  But on the other hand, I would rather be prepared before I start a master's program, because I want to get the most I can out of the experience.  So that has led me to the decision to search for a job here in Germany and study privately until the next round of auditions in June.  (Most of the schools I want to apply to don't have auditions in December anyway, so <i>es ist egal</i>.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMZ3EI9MoGSSOGkoZtzgkjwTOmGD_7tUY_kmNHu6cNvMDMtPoYsskf5IHLi40EHkl5Sr6eUYtZADsIxiWbeuWF5L-hR-1ggTTTae7vQh5-CPnlrxmrEejO-ATJnRj7RphvfezlCe6s1vS/s1600/PB040232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMZ3EI9MoGSSOGkoZtzgkjwTOmGD_7tUY_kmNHu6cNvMDMtPoYsskf5IHLi40EHkl5Sr6eUYtZADsIxiWbeuWF5L-hR-1ggTTTae7vQh5-CPnlrxmrEejO-ATJnRj7RphvfezlCe6s1vS/s200/PB040232.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with Susi at <i>Schloss Nymphenburg</i></td></tr>
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My friend Susi observed my lesson and thought it was really funny.  It was her first voice lesson :)<br />
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We had a lot of fun that weekend watching movies, playing board games, and skyping with my sister/cousin Sarah.  We walked around the grounds of beautiful <i>Schloss Nymphenburg</i> and enjoyed an afternoon hot chocolate in the sunshine.  We also visited the castle in Dachau (no, I did NOT go to the concentration camp...I know the war was awful, I know we must not forget what took place...but I've seen enough movies to know what happened and I don't need to see it in person...thank you very much).<br />
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From München, I headed back to Susi's parents house in Spaichingen.  Once again, Kurt and Elvira were amazing hosts and we had a week full of activities!  Besides a daily <i>Spaziergang</i> (walk), highlights from the week included:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZB8xUrMokoWaUrToJ0DCIgXRpqgFuJ95amj91Y9ybGYR_z5FXlMCsHSRhsGK19tVh-CRVO6O8Bo2sDJ_3aIiIE2SOLWoFXlCHubC08do-tx48H_ZG00dBYj8a2GQF0rEIoFGiFZgagKe/s1600/PB070287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZB8xUrMokoWaUrToJ0DCIgXRpqgFuJ95amj91Y9ybGYR_z5FXlMCsHSRhsGK19tVh-CRVO6O8Bo2sDJ_3aIiIE2SOLWoFXlCHubC08do-tx48H_ZG00dBYj8a2GQF0rEIoFGiFZgagKe/s320/PB070287.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting <i>Rheinfall</i> near Schaffhausen in Switzerland</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctCvMOszQLYGRsJ-46AbG0mLJAxdsAx2Qq8YJ2-UBmTIFwMIIzsNwz7JPUvDIjnH8ecjhbHgyt1Pl3WBXUa_NsXU7DgXkUuvLF2zM7ynnsJ5Qg6SrQwHwFd_r1sx1zTGdrPqY3-NLeew7/s1600/PB080291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctCvMOszQLYGRsJ-46AbG0mLJAxdsAx2Qq8YJ2-UBmTIFwMIIzsNwz7JPUvDIjnH8ecjhbHgyt1Pl3WBXUa_NsXU7DgXkUuvLF2zM7ynnsJ5Qg6SrQwHwFd_r1sx1zTGdrPqY3-NLeew7/s320/PB080291.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing <i>Die Fledermaus</i> by Johann Strauss at Oper Stuttgart - staging was too modern for my taste, but still educational</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYkQKekOm0j8_cNtY4R_QftH3BQDd2UgjbmY-eRyyDipe7dzuOOVSvRVZJVCqbqq4dx6Ei9KXedrVABGKnn8hIcnxMfB1Hh4bTN6956IjnOSGgPU4bHAInwNVVC4NCdYJBmqXHAPYenzC/s1600/PB090296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYkQKekOm0j8_cNtY4R_QftH3BQDd2UgjbmY-eRyyDipe7dzuOOVSvRVZJVCqbqq4dx6Ei9KXedrVABGKnn8hIcnxMfB1Hh4bTN6956IjnOSGgPU4bHAInwNVVC4NCdYJBmqXHAPYenzC/s320/PB090296.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking around <i>Burg Wildenstein</i>, which is now a youth hostel next to the Donau River</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBcuvJ6vwyQ5Qdd-8jenZm-K4RliLnQZoobS9US_gQhEVhYE2Ehv3SJaJf5IDT1HXf047MMuKZK8GcX50eNpMVg0Quxw8E85YyQFi4nlopikb2j2ENE0-wfmGsDVqMtiXDvo5VDonI0Ei/s1600/PB100311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBcuvJ6vwyQ5Qdd-8jenZm-K4RliLnQZoobS9US_gQhEVhYE2Ehv3SJaJf5IDT1HXf047MMuKZK8GcX50eNpMVg0Quxw8E85YyQFi4nlopikb2j2ENE0-wfmGsDVqMtiXDvo5VDonI0Ei/s320/PB100311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baking a good ole sweet potato pie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7xPAuP8BmLi9RlylKMN8ympF6ruCUwpLt-B3sw_-rqu5Z6X6p9uZgWuPgSQVnOgj1eAoYDQfHlL7CA8NOxEwBNFB5fl5JWY5DVRfLjzRXoigZgkWgS85rJjflpFJRrehDj_ycvhXIxrU/s1600/PB110313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7xPAuP8BmLi9RlylKMN8ympF6ruCUwpLt-B3sw_-rqu5Z6X6p9uZgWuPgSQVnOgj1eAoYDQfHlL7CA8NOxEwBNFB5fl5JWY5DVRfLjzRXoigZgkWgS85rJjflpFJRrehDj_ycvhXIxrU/s320/PB110313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attending festivities in Spaichingen for the first night of <i>Faschingzeit</i>, where they crown the <i>Prinzenpaar</i> </td></tr>
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Unfortunately, I woke up sick on the day I was supposed to depart Spaichingen.  I had awful stomach pains all through the night, and by morning I was starting to get worried.  It wasn't my usual kind of stomach pain (I can tell the difference between pain from eating too much bread or sugar, pain from the flu, or pain from being a woman).  Kurt has a friend who is a doctor, and he graciously stopped by to see me on his way to work.  He felt around to determine that it was NOT appendicitis (whew!), and that I simply had a stomach bug.  Apparently the German stomach bug is different, because I felt atrocious.  He prescribed some medicine, which Kurt picked up at the <i>Apotheke</i>.  Don't ask me what it was, because I have no idea.  All I know is that 20 minutes after taking it, my stomach pain went away and never returned.<br />
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On the plus side, I learned a new word that day: <i>Durchfall</i>.  Some German words make perfect sense.  <i>Durch</i> means "through" and <i>Fall</i> is a fall.  Hence <i>Durchfall</i> means "diarrhea."  Oh the practicality!  (For the record, I did <u>not</u> have diarrhea, but everyone kept asking me if I did...)

The Adventures Continue...

A lot has been going on the last couple of weeks, and although I've had the time to write about it, I haven't had the motivation. I...

My Aunt Mary Jane

Wednesday, November 07, 2012 Valerie 1

Yesterday evening my beloved Aunt Mary Jane went home to be with the Lord.  I am truly saddened and also frustrated by the turn of events that led to this tragedy.  In August she was healthy, and now less than 3 months later the cancer won and she is gone.  But I'm still keeping Aunt MJ alive in my heart, where she will be for the rest of my life. <br />
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My Aunt Mary Jane is one of the strongest people I know, she doesn't take crap from anyone.  She speaks up for herself and for others, speaking the truth in wisdom.  She loves deeply and takes care of the people around her.  She is practical and hard-working, doing whatever it takes to get the job done.  She is welcoming and hospitable, opening her arms and home to friends and strangers.  She is humble, never seeking praise for the work of her hands, but always doing the grunt work that no one else wants to do.  She is orderly, keeping track of dates and deadlines, and making sure everything is in its proper place.  She values the important things in life, and doesn't worry about things that don't really matter.  She lets you know when you're being ridiculous, and scolds you when you're being <i>really</i> ridiculous.  She is an excellent listener, giving advice and encouragement.  My Aunt Mary Jane is one of the best people you could ever meet and I will miss her greatly!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTTB1dGzlOAWvRPkiZ04Tu7t-M9erAbDZJNtqjWDoBrNtluljLCKWJH4dOXucegAIendxeGT2H18sbbPyRXYszx5nDfJqt0EhiUMxRiuH3zQ1RaWGoisoFntM7d_6PbRD6ndgAhSvI4tW/s1600/P7162129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTTB1dGzlOAWvRPkiZ04Tu7t-M9erAbDZJNtqjWDoBrNtluljLCKWJH4dOXucegAIendxeGT2H18sbbPyRXYszx5nDfJqt0EhiUMxRiuH3zQ1RaWGoisoFntM7d_6PbRD6ndgAhSvI4tW/s400/P7162129.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Mary Jane "MJ" in the middle, with my mom (left) and Aunt Melody (right)</td></tr>
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My Aunt Mary Jane

Yesterday evening my beloved Aunt Mary Jane went home to be with the Lord. I am truly saddened and also frustrated by the turn of events th...

Another Birthday Celebration

Sunday, November 04, 2012 Valerie 1

This week was my cousin Jeanette's birthday.  Like a true Haas, she waited until the actual date to open all her cards and gifts.  It's tradition!<br />
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I had fun cooking in the kitchen that day, and I <i>think</i> everyone enjoyed trying new cuisine.  Here's what I made: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXo4LxE1QB1UjV1cr1_8UkylUC2fSxY3SLkIdTUG-ro5J2z593VkXAJIS1UVZRIzEJS784tXB42mUfVKWTVTpX7hyphenhyphenrZ9i234b5KMN8dVd2LeO7VORgBtz6m9dySQ6TNKQ1drN0I22Symxs/s1600/PA300210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXo4LxE1QB1UjV1cr1_8UkylUC2fSxY3SLkIdTUG-ro5J2z593VkXAJIS1UVZRIzEJS784tXB42mUfVKWTVTpX7hyphenhyphenrZ9i234b5KMN8dVd2LeO7VORgBtz6m9dySQ6TNKQ1drN0I22Symxs/s320/PA300210.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irish Raisin Bread (thanks to Landon & Jen for the recipe!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCg9DU5N9LB6Hfl0WFpP_IBjTW0oM8BJFTAX1sF4p25XI_03IVb78hyphenhyphenUueFoBh6zM5-yAb-oYsWiuFwkwINvFCk0PP4UaHsz9novcA9SLgoyPgCnme6T61_-hWjvIlvqljEjcC11pme4Yg/s1600/PA300213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCg9DU5N9LB6Hfl0WFpP_IBjTW0oM8BJFTAX1sF4p25XI_03IVb78hyphenhyphenUueFoBh6zM5-yAb-oYsWiuFwkwINvFCk0PP4UaHsz9novcA9SLgoyPgCnme6T61_-hWjvIlvqljEjcC11pme4Yg/s320/PA300213.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Potato Soup (you can see where I took out the hand blender)</td></tr>
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After lunch, Jeanette and I went for a long walk together in the outdoors.  It was nice to get some fresh air and exercise after a heavy meal!  There was still a little snow on the ground, which made for beautiful scenery during our <i>Spaziergang</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday, Jeanette!</td></tr>
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Upon on our return to the house, Helmut had our afternoon coffee ready, which we enjoyed with a homemade apple pie.  There is no real translation for "pie" in German, so you just have to say <i>Apfelkuchen</i>, which means "apple cake."  I tried to explain that "cake" and "pie" are not the same thing, but the only way to really know is by taste testing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxETDAGqPYV_eqwy4gQ0J_N3lREh57LrMwLASbjSjHF0QayhCJeA30J7nunEGpuTWuRISTn72rJkI2VBpHBF0DmTrNEEu4Jv_VLgyli8B93RkmQNwOfGDv_sVBQG_9ARA39L-LPUAdPDk6/s1600/PA300211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxETDAGqPYV_eqwy4gQ0J_N3lREh57LrMwLASbjSjHF0QayhCJeA30J7nunEGpuTWuRISTn72rJkI2VBpHBF0DmTrNEEu4Jv_VLgyli8B93RkmQNwOfGDv_sVBQG_9ARA39L-LPUAdPDk6/s320/PA300211.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
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Another Birthday Celebration

This week was my cousin Jeanette's birthday. Like a true Haas, she waited until the actual date to open all her cards and gifts. It...

46. Hofer Filmtage

Monday, October 29, 2012 Valerie 0

This weekend was the 46th annual <i>Hofer Filmtage</i>, the second largest film festival in Germany after Berlin.  It actually lasts a whole week, but most of the action happens on the weekend.  Each year, people from all over the world come to Hof to debut their films, many of which are seen here before being released in theaters.  Sometimes the director, crew, or even actors are in the theater for the film screening, and you can talk to them afterward.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_epMgOkwKK-H_bRKHXKA0UaY_U8mlPtCVKxbY4AQNYNwYI5UJkuxZt15eRTCu0tmYz53sNGbHj8CqBNOR9D9u7RRWDY36fE9ZZHDufBvSZ2axv1BWlNziI5GIYOVIgb-d7vGqr7dzvu24/s1600/IMG_0959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_epMgOkwKK-H_bRKHXKA0UaY_U8mlPtCVKxbY4AQNYNwYI5UJkuxZt15eRTCu0tmYz53sNGbHj8CqBNOR9D9u7RRWDY36fE9ZZHDufBvSZ2axv1BWlNziI5GIYOVIgb-d7vGqr7dzvu24/s320/IMG_0959.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Schulter an Schulter</i> movie poster</td></tr>
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On Friday, I saw a German documentary called <i>Schulter an Schulter</i> ("Shoulder to Shoulder").  It took place in Afghanistan and followed the lives of two soldiers, one in the German Army and one in the Afghan Army.  Both men had a wife and children at home, both were away from their families for several months, and both felt pride in their daily work.  When the German soldier was asked why he chose to join the military and get deployed, he said that there is so much <i>Böse</i> (meaning "bad" or "evil") in Afghanistan and he wants to do what he can to improve the situation.  He explained that if he could do a little bit of good, then he'll feel like he accomplished something.<br />
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The film showed both military bases in Afghanistan, and how they interacted with each other.  The Germans would go over to the Afghan camp or they would meet at a training facility.  As the commanding Afghan officer trained his men, the Germans would observe and give advice.  The Germans had to speak English to a translator, who would then pass on the instructions to the Afghans (hopefully, nothing gets lost in translation!).  The documentary showed where both men ate, slept, and worked, and what they thought about each other.  The interviewer asked them questions about daily life as a deployed soldier, as well as what life is like for them back home.<br />
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At the end of the film, it showed both men reuniting with their families.  The wife of the German soldier said it is always hard when her husband is away for 6 months, because all the neighbors have husbands/fathers who come home at night, and it is difficult to be both a mother AND father to her children.  But it was even harder for the wife of the Afghan soldier, because she cannot go to the grocery store or leave her home without an escort.  So when her husband is gone, she has to find another male relative to accompany her.<br />
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What I appreciated about this documentary is that it was not trying to make a political statement or say one side is better than the other.  When asked their views on the other country's military, both men said they are the same.  They work hard and do what they have to do to make it home to their families.  And although they come from different countries with different cultures, they work side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with Sebastian at the <i>46. Hofer Filmtage</i></td></tr>
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On Saturday, I accompanied Sebastian and his friend to a feature film called <i>Den skaldede frisør </i>(literally translated "the bald hairdresser," but for some reason the English title is "Love is All You Need"...I hate translations that don't make any sense).  Most of the film was in Danish with German subtitles, but the main actor spoke English--Pierce Brosnan.  If you plan on seeing the film, skip over the next part, because I'm going to spoil it for you.  But it's a European romantic comedy, so you could probably guess the plot anyway.<br />
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Basically, Pierce Brosnan lives and works in Denmark, understands the language, but refuses to speak it.  He's an uptight businessman with a lonely life.  His son is getting married in Italy.  Meanwhile, the mother of the bride finds her husband (the father of the bride) sleeping with a younger woman.  Then Pierce Brosnan and the mother of the bride get into a car accident with each other on the way to the airport, which is how they meet.  They all arrive in Italy: the bride and groom, mother of the bride, father of the bride with new girlfriend, father of the groom (Pierce Brosnan), and wacky sister of dead wife who is in love with Pierce Brosnan.  Chaos unfolds, we find out the groom is gay, the wedding gets called off, and at the end Pierce Brosnan and the mother of the bride live happily ever after.<br />
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Not my favorite film, but I've seen worse.  It's kind of like when I watched <i>Inglorious Bastards</i>...I didn't care for the film itself, but I liked listening to the foreign languages and following along with the subtitles.  For some reason, it makes me feel smart.<br />
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The last film I saw was on Sunday, once again with Sebastian and his friend.  It was a German film called <i>Leg ihn um!</i>, which pretty much means "kill him."  I appreciated the storyline better than the previous film and it had a lot of funny situations.  Once again, if you plan on seeing the film, stop reading now...<br />
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The story was about a rich old man with 4 grown children, who is very sick and practically on his deathbed.  He brings the older 3 children and their significant others together to tell them that one child will be his sole heir--the one who successfully kills him within a week.  I guess he figured the one with enough brains and guts to kill him would be able to manage his estate.  For some reason, the youngest daughter was not called to the meeting, probably because she is sweet and really loves her father.  However, none of the other 3 siblings told her about this proposal.<br />
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The comedy began when each of the children (along with their significant others) tried to kill their father.  The first son chopped a tree until it was almost ready to fall, attached a rope from the tree to the car, and pushed his dad on the ground under the tree, so that it would fall on him.  But the tree didn't fall in time and the father just laughed.  The daughter tried to poison his food, but the father saw right through that and stuffed the food in his napkin when she wasn't looking.  The last son tried to suffocate his father in bed with a plastic bag, but the father's assistant came in to rescue him.  It all sounds rather morbid, but it was quite comical.  At the end, the youngest daughter accidentally pulls a tube off her father in the hospital and kills him, unknowingly becoming the sole heir.<br />
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My only problem with the film was all the sex and nudity.  I know European films are different than American films, but it's still really sad to see sex portrayed in such a casual way.  It <i>should</i> be the ultimate physical expression of love between a man and woman, but this movie just depreciated its value.  Plus it was <u>really</u> awkward when one of the actors came up front after the movie, because I had just seen him completely naked on the big screen!<br />
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Ah yes, Germany has its pros and cons.  But at the end of the weekend, my favorite film was <i>Schulter an Schulter</i>, the military one.<br />
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In other news...it snowed this weekend!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxUp5_XtiOU0pSZsF6Fd7w7rHUCnomxpuJzREzF2kb3tgxD7PBygQ6e1M68FW627bcO807KLQtrq1tknvhCqH_URTjdHprUYARy7zNcm1C1BGYg23rs3-bY7o-CPoB-9-gR0h6RO12EDC/s1600/PA260178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxUp5_XtiOU0pSZsF6Fd7w7rHUCnomxpuJzREzF2kb3tgxD7PBygQ6e1M68FW627bcO807KLQtrq1tknvhCqH_URTjdHprUYARy7zNcm1C1BGYg23rs3-bY7o-CPoB-9-gR0h6RO12EDC/s320/PA260178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I woke up to a winter wonderland...in October!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my walk to church on Sunday</td></tr>
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46. Hofer Filmtage

This weekend was the 46th annual Hofer Filmtage , the second largest film festival in Germany after Berlin. It actually lasts a whole week,...

Pig Passage

Thursday, October 25, 2012 Valerie 2

On Monday morning, I met Sandra Wilson at the <i>Hauptbahnhof</i> in the town of Schweinfurt, which literally translates "pig ford" or "pig passage."  Sandra e-mailed me about a year ago when I worked in the APU Alumni Office and I put a class note for her in the APU Life magazine.  We e-mailed back and forth a couple of times about Germany and I told her that I wanted to move there.  I held on to her e-mail address and filed her away in my mind.  Once I finally got here to Germany, I e-mailed her again (a year later!) and she actually remembered me.  She said that people say things like "one day I'm going to do this" or "maybe I'll do that," but they usually never follow through, so she didn't quite believe me a year ago when I said I wanted to move to Germany.  Obviously, she didn't know my personality yet...<br />
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We got to know each other a little in the car on the way to the Schweinfurt military base, where Sandra signed me in and drove us to the chapel for PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel).  PWOC is a ministry specifically focusing on Protestant women in the US military community.  I'm not sure how it all works, but we started off by taking Sandra's two daughters to the nursery and then heading into the chapel with all the other women.  We broke up into small groups and just went around the circle saying how we would spend a free day.  My answer was "go to Disneyland," of course!  Then they had announcements, a Bible verse for the day, prayer in partners, and a devotional (all that lasted about an hour).  After that we went into the dining area for socializing, breakfast spread, and most importantly...coffee!  Then everyone broke into their various Bible studies of about 10 women.  I joined Sandra for the study she leads using a book focusing on women in the Bible.  This week the topic was Rahab.  The women in the group all read the chapter during the week and then come together to discuss, sharpen, and encourage each other.  All the women in Sandra's group were older than me, so I felt perfectly in my element.  (As you may know, I feel more comfortable around people older than me.)  It was really nice to spend the whole morning with women seeking a deeper relationship with God.  Some of the women have husbands currently deployed, so I think PWOC is something good for them to look forward to every week.  But because they meet during the work day, female soldiers aren't really able to come, unfortunately.<br />
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After a quick stop at the Post Office, we headed back to the Wilson house, which is located in a small town close to Schweinfurt called Hambach.  It was a relaxing day playing with Loralynn (age 3) and Tana (age 1, short for "Montana").  Plus, Sandra and I had a lot to talk about!  She is from Merced, which is close to Reedley, and she always wanted to study abroad at APU, but never had the opportunity.  Her husband Dan was raised all over the world (including a couple years in Germany), because his dad was in the military.  After Dan and Sandra got married, they lived in Arcadia for a couple years until Dan was accepted by the Department of Defense to teach military kids in Japan.  They were at a Navy base in Japan for 2 years until the position opened in Schweinfurt in 2006, and they've been there ever since! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fpMbbtyTNvKx6mEZOqKrYJTgfIqXHxmju6rUGlNZyvwZjsbMRjEp_39PdBQrk7D86vTI0C63axIlA3PObJwVOP4S9kLCZlEtCT9kmvA6RWRHOjq7iM979R2LosdVzSevyf4sgC6OFgEj/s1600/PA240170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fpMbbtyTNvKx6mEZOqKrYJTgfIqXHxmju6rUGlNZyvwZjsbMRjEp_39PdBQrk7D86vTI0C63axIlA3PObJwVOP4S9kLCZlEtCT9kmvA6RWRHOjq7iM979R2LosdVzSevyf4sgC6OFgEj/s320/PA240170.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loralynn on our walk</td></tr>
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When Dan came home from work, we all went on a walk in the nearby farm area, and I got to find out a little more about him.  Dan teaches junior high math and science on post in Schweinfurt, and definitely has a wide range of kids to deal with.  I guess I've been so focused on getting to Germany my whole life that I can't understand why some Americans are miserable here.  But as Dan explained a few common scenarios of overseas military families, I began to understand how emotional it can be to uproot everything and move to a foreign place where you don't know anyone, you don't speak the language, and you don't know how long you're staying.  And many soldiers are raising their children as single parents, which gets complicated when that parent is deployed.  So, although Dan is teaching in a more or less "normal American school," he really has a ministry to the kids here in Schweinfurt, many of whom do not have a stable family life.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicklfy4belSl6D4LfXdUrIpN8H0hoaKi0dmYC1VrqLklXURuRh91d4K6nmK77MNa6DXphLrdsc-uM0lqpTMehBLENLoVFD-RW4WLhW1Cevj5bP1BK6BDKjfB2IMLfLgBXmzqXH8aTRozBB/s1600/PA240171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicklfy4belSl6D4LfXdUrIpN8H0hoaKi0dmYC1VrqLklXURuRh91d4K6nmK77MNa6DXphLrdsc-uM0lqpTMehBLENLoVFD-RW4WLhW1Cevj5bP1BK6BDKjfB2IMLfLgBXmzqXH8aTRozBB/s320/PA240171.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 APU alums in Germany!</td></tr>
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Sandra graduated in 2002 from APU and Dan is the class of 2001.  So we have a lot in common and had fun reminiscing together.  They asked questions like, "Is Baloian still teaching there?" and "Do they still make midnight runs to Donut Man?"  They even whipped out the APU yearbooks, with which I am quite familiar.  And we stayed up talking until 10:30pm, before all 3 of us began to crash.  I was <u>so</u> thankful to sleep in a bed with American sheets and an American-shaped, hard pillow!  It was probably the best night's sleep I've had since arriving in Germany.<br />
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On Thursday morning, Sandra made whole wheat oatmeal pancakes for breakfast and then we went on another walk.  This time we headed to a local large farm that has over 50 horses and teaches children how to ride.  They also have rabbits, goats, chickens, ponies, and one <b>giant</b> pig.  (Seriously, that thing was disgusting.)  We took some carrots along and Loralynn fed them to the horses.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvQF1r0Dcu8fub6QDCwFZQSd1tMXmXA3hnBvv8xiZgG4rGPM9znq_8COy6IRGsVg8d3w53tM05AHxTnwz531D_7mj2BQw4jnyQi9wwG9HtIdoM3lMN0eh2XH1ecSF-wSrxbym5wig2a4-/s1600/PA250172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvQF1r0Dcu8fub6QDCwFZQSd1tMXmXA3hnBvv8xiZgG4rGPM9znq_8COy6IRGsVg8d3w53tM05AHxTnwz531D_7mj2BQw4jnyQi9wwG9HtIdoM3lMN0eh2XH1ecSF-wSrxbym5wig2a4-/s200/PA250172.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looking at the rabbits</td></tr>
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My train was supposed to leave at noon, but Sandra asked if I could stay for lunch and catch a later train.  Even though we didn't know each other before I showed up at her doorstep, she was really happy to have someone from CA and APU.  It doesn't seem like either of them get homesick often, they just love adventure!  But Sandra only flies back to the States once a year and she did make the comment that having me there made her miss home.  I think it was a really good connection for both of us. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8Ryi_mE5gkq3f7fmJLaKf8_vnUsgMtGzdXuaQFPmVJs4vU7TYTlH7cRdaNIxSSMDFhIB5lYTWlxjPZ3RFQJTjqEad1G7LIiflF-ND2sMtBNsKY9kjgFLzw8PPyeS6-xyD-u5kyTBoGN7/s1600/PA250175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8Ryi_mE5gkq3f7fmJLaKf8_vnUsgMtGzdXuaQFPmVJs4vU7TYTlH7cRdaNIxSSMDFhIB5lYTWlxjPZ3RFQJTjqEad1G7LIiflF-ND2sMtBNsKY9kjgFLzw8PPyeS6-xyD-u5kyTBoGN7/s200/PA250175.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nutmeg, the family dachshund</td></tr>
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Like any parent with a 3- and 1-year-old, Sandra is exhausted a lot and never has enough time to get things done.  I tried to help out as best I could with doing dishes, cleaning up toys, or just keeping the girls occupied.  I guess I'm getting better with kids, because at one point Loralynn crawled in my lap and said, "I love you!"  She also tried to convince me that I had TWO train tickets and she was coming with me.  It was adorable!<br />
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Sandra was really encouraging to me and said it should be easy for me to find a job on a military base.  Schweinfurt is actually closing in a year (like Bamberg), so they need temporary workers until then.  She used to work for the Public Affairs Office, so she's going to ask around to see if anything is open.  I learned a lot this week about how things function on post, and it seems like working for the military might be the easiest way for me to get the ball rolling in Germany.  We'll see what God has in store.  Until then, I'll just keep researching all possibilities and praying that He shows me the way!  And in the meantime, I'm so thankful for new friends!<br />
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Pig Passage

On Monday morning, I met Sandra Wilson at the Hauptbahnhof in the town of Schweinfurt, which literally translates "pig ford" or ...

Adventures in Würzburg

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Valerie 1

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8ISz6fDwBA8ePrIt5FSJrwY3QuLO7rJ3vl4Suj3BXa5i2hbvYI3rx4mxUvCeclUyOn-ktvhIdJ2TOr5v_Vv6IE5ys_cj7RrIMR2G0AP1AJyTBXM4BHQ6Z4e0d7XtZVblet__a2cAlJh_/s1600/PA230167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8ISz6fDwBA8ePrIt5FSJrwY3QuLO7rJ3vl4Suj3BXa5i2hbvYI3rx4mxUvCeclUyOn-ktvhIdJ2TOr5v_Vv6IE5ys_cj7RrIMR2G0AP1AJyTBXM4BHQ6Z4e0d7XtZVblet__a2cAlJh_/s320/PA230167.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">overlooking the city of Würzburg</td></tr>
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Today I decided to take a walk to the famous Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg atop a hill overlooking the Main River.  It was a short 20-minute walk through the city and over the <i>Alte Mainbrücke</i> (Old Main Bridge) to the bottom of the fortress.  My next task was determining how to reach the entrance gate.  As the city map from my hostel did no good, I whipped out the iPhone.  I followed its directions up the the point where there was construction and absolutely no possible way to continue.  So instead, I just sat on a bench and overlooked the city.  It was less expensive than paying the entrance fee anyway!<br />
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After lunch at an organic café (spinach quiche, tomato soup, and a pastry dessert), I made my way back to the <i>Hochschule für Musik</i>, where I had been last night.  Today I met the 2nd professor here in Würzburg and attended her <i>Klassenstunde</i>, which was just a studio class.  Because they have only been in session a couple of weeks, the new students to her studio were singing for the other students.  This voice teacher is an American, and her entire studio is foreigners!  Greece, Russia, Spain, Korea....not a single German.  It was a good way to hear what her other students sound like, and have an idea of her teaching style.  She was very encouraging to her students, and she spoke a mixture of German and English.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwu8tx-SDLyowiRH5NRGa3AJPUvNO0CQWlP8PTZqxCzQf_6J5g7jgfL2Qy_D8hEBe23Y5d6PGAUd51fIsoKHxDVe0SMVigahwKXUZfUbRNsrHInodHbU2AQEJPc76LSFzqltn5v9E5c2B/s1600/PA230153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwu8tx-SDLyowiRH5NRGa3AJPUvNO0CQWlP8PTZqxCzQf_6J5g7jgfL2Qy_D8hEBe23Y5d6PGAUd51fIsoKHxDVe0SMVigahwKXUZfUbRNsrHInodHbU2AQEJPc76LSFzqltn5v9E5c2B/s320/PA230153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marienberg Fortress</td></tr>
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I had a 2-hour break before <u>my</u> voice lesson, so I used the opportunity to walk around the building and get a feel for the atmosphere of the school.  I made my way to the 4th floor, which is entirely used for practice rooms (word of the day: <i>Überaum</i>), about 30 of them.  Each room has a grand piano and enough space for a string quartet.  Apparently you have to reserve practice rooms, but I was lucky and didn't get kicked out until it was time to leave for my lesson.<br />
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Unfortunately, I am still confused about my voice and what I should be singing.  This professor started off the lesson saying my passaggio indicates that I am a mezzo, then we sang some more and she said I am probably a zwischenfach (meaning I could sing both soprano and mezzo).  After that, her husband came into the lesson and did some other vocal exercises with me, and now they both say I'm a soprano.  According to this professor, I have some weight to my voice and should <u>not</u> be singing light coloratura.  So yet again, I've perplexed another teacher.  However, she was very intrigued by the color of my voice and range.  Even though I still have no idea what direction I'm supposed to go, I am encouraged by the fact that my voice is definitely unique.  That means I'll be able to have a career, right?  I really liked this professor because she is energetic and encouraging.  She pulled some good sounds out of me, and explained things in a way I could understand.  The only problem is that this school does not audition in December.  So if I want to study there, I'll have to wait until June to audition.<br />
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Later this evening I walked 10 minutes down the street (literally, I didn't even have to make a turn) to meet Alex (the soldier I met on Sunday) for the German Bible study.  It turns out that the organization is <i>Campus für Christus</i>, the German sector of Campus Crusade for Christ.  It was all people around my age, mostly students studying at the University here in Würzburg.  I met lots of people and tried to speak as much German as possible.  When young people find out you're a native English speaker, they want to practice English with you, of course.  But if I explain in German that I'm here in Germany to <u>learn German</u>, then they're much better about speaking to you in German.  The only girl I really allowed to talk to me in English was Viola, because she's an English major.  She will be done with her studies in November, and then the state of Baden-Württemberg will assign her a teaching position.  That's right, the <b>state</b> determines in which school you will teach.  Then there was Jochem, a funny guy whose brother was a missionary in Brazil.  And David, who worked with YWAM in LA for 9 months and is studying theology.  He's the one who gave the message about why it's important to read the Bible and how to do so.  And I also met Tim, who has duel-citizenship because his father is an American.<br />
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Everyone was really welcoming, especially because Alex kept taking me around and saying, "This is Valerie, she's from California too!"  I was surprised at how many people came to the meeting, I'd have to guess around 65, because the room was packed!  They started off with announcements, had a time of worship through music (with all the songs in English...go figure!), the message, and then we grabbed a partner to pray with.  Since Alex and I were the only English speakers, we nabbed each other.  He's actually off to Missouri this morning for a month of training and tests for the Army.  Don't ask me what it's called....all I know is he's not looking forward to it because a) he'll be in the States, but won't get to go home, b) apparently it will be cold there, and c) if he doesn't pass all his tests, bad things will happen.  So we prayed about all that, and also that Alex would be able to stay in Germany with the Army.  I guess we're both kind of in the same boat in that regard.<br />
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After the service was over, people stayed around to chat.  Anybody who knows me knows that is never a good scenario for me.....yep, I ended up staying until 11pm.  Hope I'll get the chance to come back sometime!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjAqNoQAHke_ExPe5Ku93rk07XNyv2EOyHQ9xTkf0sA9-2oxreFs-VGqS2HoJjXrNBgwzQYjODyMD68jjy-ztQX-25a6kpTuLOrIJkoP8kEXh8CLfE_ZFwwgITjNk2-UOor_1DgoblRsB/s1600/PA230163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjAqNoQAHke_ExPe5Ku93rk07XNyv2EOyHQ9xTkf0sA9-2oxreFs-VGqS2HoJjXrNBgwzQYjODyMD68jjy-ztQX-25a6kpTuLOrIJkoP8kEXh8CLfE_ZFwwgITjNk2-UOor_1DgoblRsB/s320/PA230163.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Würzburg</td></tr>
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Adventures in Würzburg

overlooking the city of Würzburg Today I decided to take a walk to the famous Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg atop a hill overlooking th...

Babelfish Hostel

Monday, October 22, 2012 Valerie 0

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I_XLMarZwm4W7V8_ynu4-GSHRXLluj5eFbK9GeN87Qf0oyvJSn0zcK_wet9vEzCMbd2VS-vW01_TKLdIwczLuPV6KHQxBIfV6gujtz56STlDOd3DJRcpV623AVrmHUfRr2a69fJhsVEk/s1600/IMG_0958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I_XLMarZwm4W7V8_ynu4-GSHRXLluj5eFbK9GeN87Qf0oyvJSn0zcK_wet9vEzCMbd2VS-vW01_TKLdIwczLuPV6KHQxBIfV6gujtz56STlDOd3DJRcpV623AVrmHUfRr2a69fJhsVEk/s320/IMG_0958.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">entrance to Babelfish Hostel</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1477247149"></span><span id="goog_1477247150"></span>Tonight is my first time staying in a youth hostel.  This one is called "Babelfish" and it's located directly across the street from the train station in Würzburg (no, I cannot hear the trains).  It has a common area and a kitchen, so I was able to get groceries and keep my yogurt in the fridge. <br />
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I chose to stay in a 4-person room, which has two Asian gals traveling together and one German guy sleeping in the bunk below me.  We have a bathroom and shower for the 4 of us to share.  Since this is my first time staying in a hostel, I really have no idea was the proper etiquette is.  I smile and say "hello" or "goodbye" when I enter or leave the room, and I asked the guy a few questions when I first arrived.  Other than that, I guess it's like camp, except we're not friends.<br />
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I always feel bad when I'm on the top bunk, because I move around a lot in the middle of the night.  Hopefully this guy doesn't get mad at me and break my laptop or something.  But, he just came back from his final smoke for the night, so I think we're even.<br />
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I had my first lesson in Würzburg tonight with a German professor.  Her English is really good, so that was helpful.  Same old story, though...I didn't get a proper warm-up before the lesson, which meant that I butchered the first aria, which meant that we worked on vocal exercises.  The vocal exercises is key, because that's when voice teachers can really get a sense for my capabilities.  The problem is that everyone has their own idea of what I should be singing.  As you may know, I have been working on a little bit of everything over the past few years, but focusing on full lyric soprano or borderline dramatic soprano repertoire.  Then this summer I had a break-through and started singing light lyric or borderline coloratura.  The high range I used to have several years ago returned to me, and I've been feeling like I'm finally singing what I should be singing.  Well, according to this teacher here in Würzburg, I am a mezzo soprano... I wonder if she may be partial, because she is a mezzo herself.  But regardless, she really helped me loosen some neck and throat tension.<br />
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It's frustrating to feel like I'm not gaining any ground with my voice.  If I want to audition in December to begin a master's program next spring (which I do!), I need to know what I should be singing!  Tomorrow I have a voice lesson with an American professor, so we'll see what she has to say.

Babelfish Hostel

entrance to Babelfish Hostel Tonight is my first time staying in a youth hostel. This one is called "Babelfish" and it'...