Month 1

I remember describing our first month in India as "We Survived It," however here in Germany things are different. We are free from the constant worry of stomach illness, malaria, unsafe roadways, stray dogs, and shaky medical attention. Despite this freedom it is still very difficult to eat an apple with the peel on. My brain is trained to question everything I eat and not having to live by the peel it, fry it, or forget it policy. I forgot how delicious it is to eat grilled diced potatoes with the skin on! In a way it feels as though we are living dangerously by eating lettuce, mushrooms, fruit with the skin on, and not wiping down the rim of a bottle before it touches our mouths. We now brush our teeth with water from the tap and yesterday I even caught myself opening my mouth in the shower to rinse off my morning breath. I think this is as close as I will ever come to being reborn. Retraining the brain to accept these normal and civilized practices is going to take longer than one month. While we are adjusting we will enjoy the huge smiles that are still lighting up our faces daily. Oh, I can never forget to mention the beautifully clean air and blue skies as well.

The down side of our latest international shift is making new friends, learning new streets & the difficult German language, trying to figure out how to cook again, and standing in front of Aldi thinking that I should call Arun, our old driver, to pick me up. In one month's time we have managed to get the house in order, drink beer in the middle of the street with our local Postman Gunther, and sort out our transportation needs. It is true that people don't like change, but for us we are accepting this change with open arms. My heart goes out to those who grew up in military, missionary, or embassy families. I can't imagine moving somewhere new every two years only to start all over again. These types of people are truly strong and able to handle what life throws at them.

In the coming month I will get a job. I am ready to work and it doesn't matter if I have to weed strawberries with my Eastern European friends or shovel horse manure. My papers say I can work and that is what I will do. My twenty months as a trophy wife are up and now it is time for me to earn a paycheck and feel as though I have value once again in this world. If we had children to care for I think this time would be easier for me, but being alone all day while B is working has gotten the best of me. I promise you that my month 2 report will describe my new occupation.

Biking It

Last week I put over 100 km=62 miles on my bike. I absolutely love being able to get outdoors and be independent. My biggest hold up with India was my lack of transportation. I ride my bike to school every morning in the neighboring town that is 5 km down the road. It takes me 15 minutes and the bike path is smooth and flat. There is nothing better than getting your daily workout into your commute rather than forcing yourself to go to a gym and walk/run on a treadmill. We are so much more active in Germany than we were in India. Sunday we spent 4 hours biking through the forest looking for geocaches (www.geocaching.com). It was an absolutely wonderful day!

This week I have Easter break from school so I'm tackling more house projects. I'm going to start meeting with a young woman a few times a week just to focus on my German speaking skills. She is a college student who has the time and interest so I think it will be a very positive addition to my schedule. I'm actually really excited about it! She lives about 30 minutes away so I will take the train to meet up with her. However, first I will bike 5 km to the neighbor town, then board the train, and meet her as our little town doesn't have a train connection.

The beautiful picture is of our cherry blossom tree in front of our house. It is currently blooming pink on the bottom and white on top. It's a half and half I guess!