It's getting hot in here...

I am really trying not to complain about the hot weather here in Germany because I know it is not going to last long! Before I know it, it will be ski season again and I will be bundled up in my head to toe cold weather gear, BUT right now I really miss air conditioning. My apartment is on the top floor with floor to ceiling windows and it gets hot! It really feels like a sauna. I had to take a cold shower last night before bed just so I could stop sweating! I am such a cold natured person that I can’t imagine how it would be for anyone else. Of course when I signed the lease on my apartment it was in the winter so the last thing on my mind was if it would get hot in my apartment. At that point, I wanted it to be hot in there!


My refrigerator has a clear door and in my kitchen area there are no blinds so last night when I came home from the gym and wanted to have some cheese and crackers, the cheese was even melted. Nothing can stay cool in this apartment even when it is in the refrigerator!

The other sad thing is that I bought these great chocolates from Switzerland and I was saving them for the perfect day. I really wanted to wait until I needed a pick me up. Well that day had come and I was ready to enjoy these 4 deliciously looking truffles and…. they were melted, into one large gooey mess. But don’t worry; I didn’t let them go to waste. I grabbed a spoon and saved as much chocolate as I could!

Oh well, I know I will be missing the fact that I am so incredibly hot in my sauna apartment in a few months! Maybe this is why more Europeans are skinner, in the summer they just waste away because it is so dang hot everywhere. Even in my office it must be over 90 degrees. Someone really must bring ceiling fans to Germany. I am not sure why that idea has not caught on yet, but I really think the Germans would love it!

Hope wherever you are there is a cool breeze or some AC!

2 years and counting in the great land of Schnitzel’s

‘‘I can’t believe I am already 27, where has the time gone, I don’t feel any more ‘’along’’ then when I was at 25.‘’ After my birthday this was the thought that was in my head a lot and while we were hanging out with some of Todd’s friends this last weekend I found myself saying this to one of them. After the shocked and confused look left his face, he started rambling off things that I have done or that have happened in the last couple of years. This made me really reflect. For me, I feel like I am constantly just trying to keep up in life and not regret or miss anything, but while doing this I never really look back at accomplishments, lessons learned and everyday moments that have in their small way changed the rest of my life.


When I met Todd I never thought that this is where we would be today. In fact for the first year we knew each other I don’t really think I thought through a lot of things. For me this is a weird experience. I am someone who constantly wants to plan everything! I am not a very go with the flow person and even when I try to be, you better believe that I have almost every detail planned in my head (where to eat, how to get there, where I want to be in a few years… it is all in my head constantly stirring around!). I like to have all my I’s dotted and T’s crossed in my life. This is what I thought gave me security. Well that was all until I met Todd. For some reason I just trusted that things were going to work out how they are meant to and that I needed to just let go of the wheel. When I think about the fact that I just picked up and moved to Germany I still can’t understand what was going through my head. From an outsider’s perspective, everyone must have thought I was crazy! I sure would have! It was all such a sudden decision and maybe that was because I knew that if I thought about it too much I would end up holding myself back. I knew that this was the time and opportunity I needed to take. It was perfect, I had my own plan: school. It was only 11 months and if things didn’t work out both with Germany and Todd I would leave with an MBA from Purdue. Not too bad! I had to just go for it! I still remember calling my Dad to tell him first of all that I was going to get my masters and quit my job and second of all that I had decided on either a school in London or Hannover. My Dad is always supportive in everything but I could tell that he was very concerned! He asked all the right questions and really tried to get me to think about this decision without trying to discourage me. We talked about pro’s and con’s and a little about this new boy I was dating (Todd) which he knew (as all of the people close to me did) that Todd’s assignment to Germany was the event that got this ball rolling!

I had starting studying for the GMAT in March, took the GMAT in April and got my scores back just in time to complete my packet by the May deadline. I put in my resignation letter at work and in July I arrived in Germany with all my belongings (well my parents would say not all my belongings since there is a lot of furniture in their basement still!).

Well now it is a little over 2 years since I left the states. Todd and I have been able to travel all over Europe, grow individually and as a couple and overcome challenges that I never have been exposed to before. Don’t let me fool you; it has not always been roses. There have been many tears (especially in the first 6 months) when I was constantly thinking ‘oh shit, what did I do!’. Thinking back to when Todd dropped me off two weeks before school started in Hannover and I had to stay in this strange apartment in a city I had never been without knowing a word of German (except Scheisse and Schnitzel - which I didn’t think would be too useful trying to communicate with strangers) I am blessed that everything has worked out the way it has. I had traded in my iPhone, car and security for a pay as you go mini phone and a bike with a basket!

Through this experience, I have been able to become friends with people from all over the world and break through cultural barriers in both my personal and business relationships. I have been able to rely on Todd and really trust in him for so many things in my life. Being that he is the only person within 4.500 miles that is as close as family, we have had to support each other through some hard times. But there have also been so many great times. We have been able to be each other travel buddies, gelato companions and prosting confidants. I am thankful that I just let life happen and took this journey together with Todd because I can’t imagine my life any other way. I am glad that my new sense of security is not the comfort of being in a routine in a familiar place, but in the support I have from Todd, friends and family which I know is there no matter where I am physically located. This is where my comfort comes from now. It may have taken 4.500 miles to realize this and be able to trust that no matter where I am I would do anything for those close to me and it is an amazing feeling to know they would do the same. Realizing this will allow me to really just go where life takes me because I am not constricted to one place. I love the people in my life that have allowed me to do this and have supported me in every step of the way! I can’t thank you enough for pushing me and encouraging me to live life to the fullest!

I am so blessed! Prost to being 27 and for the many more adventures to come! :)

A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!

I know my expectations are sometimes a little high when it comes to my birthday (ok my birthday month), but this birthday all expectations were surpassed... by far! I had the most amazing birthday ever. A huge part of it is due to the fact that I became an aunt to the cutest little boy on my birthday (thanks karla and brad :) ). Another huge part is due to the great friends that I have made here and also the amazing friends and family I have back home. I am always thankful for them, but something about my birthday always makes me really think about how lucky I am.
And Todd I guess you deserve a special shout-out. I know it is a lot of pressure and I think after the one birthday a couple years ago that did't go as you had planned that you are a little nervous, but this birthday was better than I could have imagined! Thanks!!!!

It all started with a decorated office, singing happy birthday to me, lots of cake and mimosa's and that was all during the work day.

Then came dinner with Todd. We picked a restaurant that we had never been to (which can always be risky) but we got tram directions and headed on our way. I know this is not the best thing to do, but I will admit that I do not always buy tram tickets but this time we made sure to buy tickets because first we didn’t want to have to be nervous about getting a ticket on my birthday and second we were going far so it is a little to risky! We finally made it to dinner and had a great meal and enjoyed each other’s company. On the way home I said I really hope that we get checked for our tram tickets. I hate when I buy them and then I don’t even get checked. Well my wish came true. Two stops before home three security men stopped the tram and checked everyone’s tickets. I was just grinning ear to ear and acting so cool and said HALLO as they waited for us to show our tickets which I had given to Todd after we bought them. Todd began to search through his pockets and only found ONE!! After Todd’s initial thought to pretend he didn’t know me passed, we tried to tell them we bought two but cant find the other. I am sure they hear this all the time and didn’t buy it. We were escorted off the tram and as they are asking us a million questions in German, I remember someone telling me to act like a tourist from America… well that’s what I did! Todd was getting so frustrated with me because he knew I understood what they are saying to me but I keep responding in English that I don’t understand. Eventually they got annoyed and just made us pay for another 5 euro ticket for the one we lost! Success!! However, Todd only has a 20 euro bill and the machine didn't take these and I had no money left! Now I got worried. They really started to get upset and ask where we were staying. At this point, I saw a lady walking up to buy a ticket and  I asked if she has change. Luckily she did.... and I will never again wish to be checked! We did not get written up on my birthday, but it was a close call! 

on the tram with our tickets.... 

 Walking to dinner

 at the restaurant

That weekend I had a birthday dinner and had the best time! So many great friends came out to help me celebrate and as you can guess it ended up with a dance party!

The boys enjoying the music!!

Thank you to everyone who made me feel so loved on my birthday! I am so blessed! I cant wait to celebrate next year with baby John Bradford! 

Ich spreche kein Deutsch

 

I have realized that my life here is just one large game of charades- I am constantly acting out what I want to say with my hands (and talking V E R Y  S L O W L Y)! I also have no real idea of what is going on around me and have become very good at blocking out everything, including the German language which has become white noise.

Well two weeks ago, I went into the town near work during lunch to buy a going away card for a friend at work that is moving back to Stockholm. As I stood around the racks and racks of cards I realized I had no idea what any of them were saying. I could guess which ones were for birthday's by the candles or the big 30 or 50 on them.. but that wasn't what I was looking for. Then I finally found a going away card. The picture on the front had a picture of a car driving away and I knew it said something about good luck- I figured this was perfect, a going away card! I paid my two euro's for the card and walked back to work. Later that night I asked my girlfriend (who is German) that was staying at my apartment for the week (problems with her boyfriend that she lives with) what the card said exactly. I was sure it was something having to do with best wishes, farewell or good luck, but I wanted to know exactly what was written on the inside of the card. She took the card and starting cracking up... she was laughing so hard that she couldn't even speak.. after looking at her with a confused look because I know that Germans do not have a sense of humor and I was pretty sure the card did not say anything funny she finally told me what it said... Congratulations on getting your driver’s license! Good luck driving!

First of all, that explains the picture of the car on the front driving away. Second of all, I didn't even know they made cards for that occasion!!! I know I never got one!

Well I gave my friend (who also didn't speak German) the card that night and asked him if he knew what it said and he played it off that he did and said that was very nice. Then I told him what it really said... I guess we had a good laugh, but from now on I will make my own cards! :)

THE BEACH!!!!

Just got back from Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy and I wish I was still there laying on the beautiful beach!
Here are some pics:

On our stop to get gas on the way down we found a mini golf place and since we weren't in a hurry, we stopped to play. Todd won of course (by A LOT!) We drove half way on Thursday night and stayed in this small town in Austria. We will have to go back to go hiking because it was so beautiful!

On Friday we had about three more hours to go until our toes were in the hot sand! The long car drive was so worth it though! We finally arrived and it was so perfect. More than I had hoped for. Our hotel was right in the center of everything and with our hotel we got an umbrella and two chairs on the beach for the three days we were there. We ate great italian food, had some corona's and margaritas (I know it isn't Italian, but that is just what we wanted to have while on the beach!), we even went to a water park! We had so much fun!

 Our balcony at the hotel- we spent lots of time before dinner playing card games and listening to music!

Found a great eis place... we ordered two scoops and it ended up being about five! You can see how happy this made Todd.

Can't wait to go back!