As expected, traveling has proven challenging and nerve wrecking, but Ireland has been an overall success. So, I left at lunch time last Thursday with a funny feeling that things were going to go wrong, and the feeling was pretty accurate. On the very first train we went no more than twenty minutes and had to stop because the tracks were snowy or something. I was delighted to see two bunnies and a quail scratching around outside my train window, so I took that as a sign of good luck. I have a strong tendency to meet awesome people when I travel, and on this day they were particularly amazing. The first fellow I met was tall with a pony tail, wearing a long jacket. I learned that he’s a computer guy who likes to collect samurai swords and go to Renaissance festivals. He was eccentric but very polite and translated the German announcements for me. He was going to meet his father for the first time, even though he’s over 30. He said he was excited but nervous, but seemed really calm considering. On the next train I sat beside a guy who plays the didgeridoo in a band. He was also very nice and helpful with the German I didn’t understand. I made it to Hamburg and found that my next train would also be delayed, so I started to worry a little, but kept it all in check. I sat beside a really nice lady and her daughter on the train to Frankfurt and man am I glad I met her, she totally took care of me. She helped me find out how I could get to the airport and when I’d be getting there. I was happy to have a plan, but it wasn’t long until that train had problems too and we were once again delayed. I heard something about trouble with the breaks that they magically fixed…I decided not to think too hard about that and just hoped that I’d make it in time to catch my flight to Ireland. The lady who had been so nice went to the bathroom and happened upon another lady who was taking the same flight as me. She was pretty freaked out and had been calling the airline to tell them that the trains were having trouble. A nice man who had become involved in my dilemma called the airline too just to say that I also needed to catch that flight. I joined the lady and her son when we got to Frankfurt and we raced to the other train to the airport. Of course, this train was late too. By the time we got to the airport it was 8:00, and our flight was meant to leave at 8:15. I was just sure I’d have to stay in a hostel or something and rebook my flight, but we tried to make it to the gate anyway. We ran as fast as we could and by the grace of God, they had delayed the flight and we made it and even had to wait a while at the gate. I absolutely could not believe my luck, especially because I met such lovely, helpful people along the way. I sat beside yet another interesting man on the plane who told me ghost stories and anecdotes of Ireland. When I finally made it into Dublin, I was beat but thrilled to have made it. Denise eagerly awaited my arrival at the airport and rewarded my traveling efforts with a huge hug. We took a bus into Dublin, settled into a hostel, and saw a bit of the city. I must say, Dublin is really nice. It doesn’t feel enormous and overwhelming like many big cities. The streets are wide and pedestrian friendly and gorgeous Christmas decorations were all over the place. After a hot whiskey drink with Denise’s friends, we made it to the hostel and got some much needed rest. The next morning we spent the majority of our time waiting for Kelsey at the airport. She had some trouble with her bag so she took forever to come out to meet us, which of course worried me to death, but we finally found her. Her bag didn’t find us until the next Tuesday, but in true Kelsey style, she didn’t complain. We had a nice time walking around Dublin together that evening, but she was also quite exhausted by the evening so we went to bed pretty early.
The next morning was Christmas Eve so we got up early and took a train to Denise’s home town of Ennis. The bus drive from the train was spectacular, a ride through a true winter wonderland. Because strange weather follows me everywhere, Ireland has experienced its first bad ice storm in years. It’s made everything pretty, but the roads have been treacherous. The buses were still running though, so we made it to Denise’s aunties’ house. Her aunts, Annette and Helen, have been extremely welcoming since the moment we arrived. They settled us in and made a traditional Irish fry for our breakfast. We had sausage, black pudding, fried ham, and toast. It was filling and delicious, great way to start the holiday. Denise’s cousins and uncle stopped by soon after and all decorated the Christmas tree together. Later Denise, Kelsey, and I walked into town and met several of Denise’s friends. A few of them even performed an acoustic gig at a café that was surprisingly good. That night we went to our first Catholic Christmas mass because Denise’s friend was directing the music. It was a kids’ service and ended up being insanely crowded. Kelsey and I kinda hid ourselves away in the back so we couldn’t see much, but Denise said the kids were terribly behaved and ended up tearing off the wing of an angel statue and kept eating the hay in the Nativity scene. It was definitely an experience, but was made all the better when Denise and her friend humorously bashed the service and the priest who led it. The Irish are very quick witted, especially when they’re passing judgment. Kelsey and I were in stitches of laughter all the way home.
Christmas morning was complete with cute little presents in stockings from Denise and her aunts and a huge Christmas lunch. We had turkey, ham, dressing, carrots, and fried potatoes, followed by a warm figgy pudding. It was familiar and delicious, and really felt like Christmas. We had hoped to visit a neighbor that evening but the ice froze any hopes of leaving the house. We happily watched movies and a funny Irish show called “Father Ted” and cuddled up on the couch next to the fire. It was pleasant just to be in the house and pick up on the funny Irish phrases. They like to say “Go away” (pronounced go aweee) in when someone says something shocking, I guess we say “Get outta town.” They also like to say “Your man” when describing any man. I like that one. Sadly, they don’t actually say “Top of the morning to ye,” but they do say ye instead of ya’ll. It’s an adorable country.
Anyhow, the day after Christmas is a big celebration here too. It’s called St. Stephen’s Day and it’s rooted in the church for a guy who was the first martyr, but as far as I can tell, it’s just an excuse to prolong the holidays. People usually go out to the pubs and since the roads had cleared a little by the evening, we went out in town that night and met more of Denise’s friends. Ennis feels a lot like downtown Athens, lots of stores and pubs with the young folk running around everywhere. It was energetic and fun, I liked it.
The next day we finally made it to the countryside and saw Denise’s aunt, uncle, and cousins. They were welcoming, like all Irish seem to be, and gave us yummy tea and cake. I’d call them simple, good hearted country folk just like all of us. They kept us laughing and smiling. As you’ve probably gathered, Ireland feels a lot like home, more that Germany at least. The language factor helps tremendously, but the family interactions are more familiar too. I guess having Kelsey here also makes it feel more normal, so it’s been refreshing.
The next day the three of us set out to a town called Gallway and explored a bit. It was a cute town so we walked around a lot and did a little shopping. We made some tasty chicken curry in the hostel that night and then met up with our friend Marc Dwyre from camp. Ireland feels much more like a small town than a small country, everybody knows everybody. I didn’t think I’d ever see Dwyre again after camp, but low and behold, we chatted over my first authentic Guinness. He and his girlfriend were good fun and we had a lot of laughs. The next morning we headed out of the town pretty early because it was rainy and yucky. We went into town once to get some coffee that afternoon, but other than that we cuddled up inside and tried to stay warm.
So today was a pretty huge adventure. We got up early and marched to the bus station, excited to see the famous Cliffs of Moher. The drive up was nice and pretty short. We figured it would be cold, but I don’t think I knew the true definition of cold until today. Our walk up to the best view of the cliffs was unreal, wind blowing a billion miles an hour in our faces, snow and other wet stuff stingy our skin, and puddles of slush rendering our toes useless. We snapped a few pictures and then paid way too much for coffee as we warmed up at the tourist center. Well, this is where the story just gets sad. We had to wait a while for the bus, and like idiots, we lost track of time. We walked outside right at 1:15 only to see our bus drive away. Oh were we upset. We found another bus and the driver said he could get us to a town where we could change buses and get home. On the up side, that bus took a different path down and it was gorgeous. We saw a lot more of the traditional countryside that you always see in movies. We went alongside the sea for a while and passed countless farms with cute ponies and sheep. When we finally got to the town where we needed to stop I was both sleepy and car sick, but the heart stopping wind took care of that fast. We found the bus stop and waited a full thirty minutes until the next bus came. Kelsey and I tried to think of a time we’d been colder in our lives, but neither of us could. The moist, brisk wind robbed all of our heat and our wet shoes made our feet ache. Bluh. So the bus finally came to get us, and naturally, it stopped just moments after it started. The driver said that there were problems and a technician was coming to fix the problem but it should be fast. Well, turns out that was a total lie. Other passengers told us that before we got on the bus a man had been yelling at his wife and actually hitting her, something about her being pregnant. The driver had actually called the police and they came on the bus and escorted the man off. Luckily he didn’t resist and we finally got started again. Denise’s aunt picked us up at the bus station and took us straight to the Chinese restaurant where we could grab our take out. We got home and devoured the food, and I’m currently sitting near the fire, still trying to warm up.
We’ve all decided that our bad luck today is a good thing; we’re getting it out of the way so everything will go smoothly in Paris. We’ll finish packing tonight and will grab a taxi at 4:40 in the morning to the airport. Our boarding passes are printed and we’ve called our hotel and received the directions to get there from the airport, so I guess we’re as ready as we can be. We’ve not planned every single day, but we know the main things we want to check out. We’re not tired of each other yet and we’ve made it through some hurdles already, so I think we’re a strong traveling team. Denise and I have enjoyed rehashing our camp experience and Kelsey and I can still make each other laugh with stupid jokes, so I couldn’t be happier. It’s refreshing to be around such strong and lovely individuals who I admire so much. We’ve had fun even during the down time when the ice made us house bound. They’re getting to know each other pretty well too, and luckily they seem to like each other a lot. Ah, how blessed we are. Keep praying for us, we’ve still got lots more to do and see and will still need a hedge of protection. We’ll be really lucky if none of us get sick after the cold day, but so far so good. So, more stories and adventures to come. Wow, New Years in Paris, I can’t believe it! Love and miss you all. Thanks for putting up with us being gone for the holidays, know that we thought of you plenty, and get ready to read more stories and adventures!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Frohe Weihnachten!
Warm clothes and plenty of socks....check
Passport....check
Train snacks...check
Updated Ipod....check
Traveling Butterflys in my tummy....check
Gracious, it's here! Today is the big day when the potentially coolest trip of my life begins. I'll leave Edewecht around lunch, make several switches and arrive in Frankfurt around 5, and leave for Ireland around 8, arriving by 9. There, my lovely friend Denise will collect me and we'll grab Kelsey in the morning and commence an Irish Countryside Christmas. Oh good lord, I'm excited. After we've had our fun with the leprechauns, we'll head out to Paris on the 31st. Yeah, it's really much too amazing to wrap my mind around. These are two places I've always dreamed of visiting and I get to experience them during the holidays with two of my favorite people. Because it's so magical, I've actually refused until this point to truly believe it will happen. So, I'm going to continue mentally preparing myself for disaster, so if it strikes, I won't be totally heart broken. Who am I kidding, I'd be totally heart broken. Prayers and concern are appreciated during this time, especially considering the crazy weather everywhere.
Okay, so I must apologize for the lack of blogging lately, but because I've been saving my money for this trip, I've only left the house on a few occasions for anything other than class. But, Thursday I finally had something to do. First off, it snowed Thursday, like real, lasts longer than 3 hours, snow. I was simultaneously thrilled and unnerved because I had to drive and pick up Piet and Catrin from school. My driving was pretty good for a Southern girl and everyone was fine. Later that evening, Elisa joined my host family and me in Oldenburg to listen to a children's Christmas concert. All and all it was nice. They sang a lot of German songs but a few good English songs including "Oh Happy Day." They didn't have quite the amount of soul that song needs, but the lead singer was good and pulled it off. Afterward Elisa and I met up with our Italian buddy Daniele and after we'd grabbed some crepes (thin pancakes) with nutella, we traipsed off to the opera house. I'd been looking forward to seeing Madame Butterfly for a while, but I have to say flat out, it wasn't so good. The singing was fine, even though it was in Italian with a German accent, but the costumes and the set were tacky tacky tacky. They used astro turf on the floor, had a creepy puppet that looked like an old man to play the kid, and the clothes were present day, which always irks me. Town and Gown puts this crew to shame. Speaking of crew, I could see the tennis shoe of one crew member from the wings during the entire last act! So, sorry to be a negative nancy, but this wasn't my cup of tea. Still, the company was lovely and we had a blast singing songs on the snowy drive home.
Friday Piet and I made a snowman with Elisa that looked pretty awkward with no arms and a duck-billed cap, but it was quite fun. When we came inside Catrin had a warm fire blazing in the furnace and was making some thin waffles with powdered sugar for a snack. D-licious. That night I joined the folks with whom I clean veggies at a private restaurant up the road for a Christmas dinner. I accurately predicted that I'd be the only person under 40 there, but it was wonderful none the less. We ate veggie soup, corn, potatoes, pork, and steak followed by raspberries and cream for dessert. My goodness, it was tasty. From the dining room there was a huge window that displayed another room with two bowling lanes. After the food had settled, several people had a go. It was an old fashioned set up and the balls were smaller than ours and had no holes. Also, the pins are attached to strings at the top and are just pulled up and neatly placed back down after each turn. I tried my luck and did so-so. I expected much worse, so I was pleased. Everyone seemed to have a great time and were very welcoming of me. I hate that I can't communicate with them better because most don't speak much English, but we've all gotten pretty good with body language. Hopefully my German will continue to pick up over the next few months.
Saturday was completely uneventful but Sunday was nice. Piet came in my room at early thirty to wake me up for breakfast. After we'd had our usual weekend breakfast of croissants and boiled egg, we lugged the Christmas tree in from the garage. I put on the Charlie Brown Christmas music and we happily decorated the tree as the snow fell outside. Germans do trees a little different than us. They use fake lights, but not as many as most of us. They don't get crazy with the garland and ribbon, and have fewer ornaments. But, the trees are beautified with real candles that sit in these sturdy little holders. We lit the tree that night and it was simply gorgeous. I indulged in my guilty pleasure Christmas movie, "The Family Stone," and felt all fuzzy and sentimental. Catrin, Jorn, and Piet have managed to make it feel like Christmas for me over here, and that's the biggest gift they could have given me. Now I'll spend the real deal with my baby sister, ahhh, so excited.
Yesterday was devoted to errands and packing. Speaking of which, I should attend to the final details of preparation before I leave the house in a couple hours. Keep us all in your thoughts and prayers! I'll do my best to blog throughout the trip if Denise has internet, but if not I'll keep a journal and write it all for you when I get back. Dotsons, welcome the new kid for me and eat an extra piece of Aunt Shelia's peanut butter pie. Harris crowd, be extra nice to my mom and compliment all of her food, because it's always insanely delicious. Love you, Merry Christmas!!
Passport....check
Train snacks...check
Updated Ipod....check
Traveling Butterflys in my tummy....check
Gracious, it's here! Today is the big day when the potentially coolest trip of my life begins. I'll leave Edewecht around lunch, make several switches and arrive in Frankfurt around 5, and leave for Ireland around 8, arriving by 9. There, my lovely friend Denise will collect me and we'll grab Kelsey in the morning and commence an Irish Countryside Christmas. Oh good lord, I'm excited. After we've had our fun with the leprechauns, we'll head out to Paris on the 31st. Yeah, it's really much too amazing to wrap my mind around. These are two places I've always dreamed of visiting and I get to experience them during the holidays with two of my favorite people. Because it's so magical, I've actually refused until this point to truly believe it will happen. So, I'm going to continue mentally preparing myself for disaster, so if it strikes, I won't be totally heart broken. Who am I kidding, I'd be totally heart broken. Prayers and concern are appreciated during this time, especially considering the crazy weather everywhere.
Okay, so I must apologize for the lack of blogging lately, but because I've been saving my money for this trip, I've only left the house on a few occasions for anything other than class. But, Thursday I finally had something to do. First off, it snowed Thursday, like real, lasts longer than 3 hours, snow. I was simultaneously thrilled and unnerved because I had to drive and pick up Piet and Catrin from school. My driving was pretty good for a Southern girl and everyone was fine. Later that evening, Elisa joined my host family and me in Oldenburg to listen to a children's Christmas concert. All and all it was nice. They sang a lot of German songs but a few good English songs including "Oh Happy Day." They didn't have quite the amount of soul that song needs, but the lead singer was good and pulled it off. Afterward Elisa and I met up with our Italian buddy Daniele and after we'd grabbed some crepes (thin pancakes) with nutella, we traipsed off to the opera house. I'd been looking forward to seeing Madame Butterfly for a while, but I have to say flat out, it wasn't so good. The singing was fine, even though it was in Italian with a German accent, but the costumes and the set were tacky tacky tacky. They used astro turf on the floor, had a creepy puppet that looked like an old man to play the kid, and the clothes were present day, which always irks me. Town and Gown puts this crew to shame. Speaking of crew, I could see the tennis shoe of one crew member from the wings during the entire last act! So, sorry to be a negative nancy, but this wasn't my cup of tea. Still, the company was lovely and we had a blast singing songs on the snowy drive home.
Friday Piet and I made a snowman with Elisa that looked pretty awkward with no arms and a duck-billed cap, but it was quite fun. When we came inside Catrin had a warm fire blazing in the furnace and was making some thin waffles with powdered sugar for a snack. D-licious. That night I joined the folks with whom I clean veggies at a private restaurant up the road for a Christmas dinner. I accurately predicted that I'd be the only person under 40 there, but it was wonderful none the less. We ate veggie soup, corn, potatoes, pork, and steak followed by raspberries and cream for dessert. My goodness, it was tasty. From the dining room there was a huge window that displayed another room with two bowling lanes. After the food had settled, several people had a go. It was an old fashioned set up and the balls were smaller than ours and had no holes. Also, the pins are attached to strings at the top and are just pulled up and neatly placed back down after each turn. I tried my luck and did so-so. I expected much worse, so I was pleased. Everyone seemed to have a great time and were very welcoming of me. I hate that I can't communicate with them better because most don't speak much English, but we've all gotten pretty good with body language. Hopefully my German will continue to pick up over the next few months.
Saturday was completely uneventful but Sunday was nice. Piet came in my room at early thirty to wake me up for breakfast. After we'd had our usual weekend breakfast of croissants and boiled egg, we lugged the Christmas tree in from the garage. I put on the Charlie Brown Christmas music and we happily decorated the tree as the snow fell outside. Germans do trees a little different than us. They use fake lights, but not as many as most of us. They don't get crazy with the garland and ribbon, and have fewer ornaments. But, the trees are beautified with real candles that sit in these sturdy little holders. We lit the tree that night and it was simply gorgeous. I indulged in my guilty pleasure Christmas movie, "The Family Stone," and felt all fuzzy and sentimental. Catrin, Jorn, and Piet have managed to make it feel like Christmas for me over here, and that's the biggest gift they could have given me. Now I'll spend the real deal with my baby sister, ahhh, so excited.
Yesterday was devoted to errands and packing. Speaking of which, I should attend to the final details of preparation before I leave the house in a couple hours. Keep us all in your thoughts and prayers! I'll do my best to blog throughout the trip if Denise has internet, but if not I'll keep a journal and write it all for you when I get back. Dotsons, welcome the new kid for me and eat an extra piece of Aunt Shelia's peanut butter pie. Harris crowd, be extra nice to my mom and compliment all of her food, because it's always insanely delicious. Love you, Merry Christmas!!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Boots and Buses
I have been putting off this blog because I've been anxiously awaiting something to write about, but alas, it's all routine lately. Piet has been healthy for a change so he's been in a good mood and we've had lots of fun together. Christmas is in full swing here and I'm enjoying the process of learning German traditions. As I said before, on the 6th St. Nicklaus comes to Germany and leaves gifts in the shoes of nice boys and girls, but only if the shoes are nice and clean. Usually the kid only puts one shoe out so they won't appear stingy. Well, in true Piet style, the darling put out both shoes and got a remote control bus : ) He was thrilled beyond belief, and I think he left oranges as a thank you present to St. Nick. I think this tradition and the big to-do about advents calendars is pretty cool, but I still prefer some of our little things. Germans don't do stockings like we do, which is one of my favorite things about Christmas (I enjoy do dads) and they can't hold a candle to American Christmas decorations. For those who like simplicity and order in your Christmas aesthetic, this is the place for you. However, I was raised during the Flood Town glory days, and for me, the tackier the better. We've got little trinkets around the house, but we're waiting to put up the Christmas Tree. We'll be putting ours up on the 19th, and that's early for my family. They usually wait until the day or so before Christmas but they have graciously offered to put it up early since I'll be leaving on the 22nd for Ireland. Ahhh, so soon! I'm packing light and all my tickets are bought, so I guess I'm as ready as I can be, but I'm still anxious. If anyone has traveled to Ireland or Paris and has some "must sees" send them my way. Good Grief, I can't wait!
Aside from Christmas fun and looking forward to the trip, very little is going on. I've made several trips to the Christmas Market with friends where I've had pork chop sandwiches and candied almonds, which are delicious, but no huge stories. Running is still going well, class is class, and the veggies are still quite fun to clean. I did manage to make lunch for my family today; a sausage and tortellini soup Kelsey discovered, and it was a big hit. More than anything. I'm learning how to be domestic here. I'll be a great Kleine Haus Frau, Little House Wife, someday. But not any day soon : )
So for now I'm spending my evenings watching my favorite television show, Veronica Mars, and eating cereal. I'll have much more to say in the coming weeks as I attend an opera and visit other foreign lands. Until then, stay out of the Chatsworth wind and snow, good luck on your finals, and tell Stephanie to have her baby already! Guten Nacht!
Aside from Christmas fun and looking forward to the trip, very little is going on. I've made several trips to the Christmas Market with friends where I've had pork chop sandwiches and candied almonds, which are delicious, but no huge stories. Running is still going well, class is class, and the veggies are still quite fun to clean. I did manage to make lunch for my family today; a sausage and tortellini soup Kelsey discovered, and it was a big hit. More than anything. I'm learning how to be domestic here. I'll be a great Kleine Haus Frau, Little House Wife, someday. But not any day soon : )
So for now I'm spending my evenings watching my favorite television show, Veronica Mars, and eating cereal. I'll have much more to say in the coming weeks as I attend an opera and visit other foreign lands. Until then, stay out of the Chatsworth wind and snow, good luck on your finals, and tell Stephanie to have her baby already! Guten Nacht!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
"Filling" the Love
Only wonderful things to say about Germany once again. So, as you probably know, last week was Thanksgiving...in America. Europeans aren't so keen on the holiday because the Pilgrims abandoned them and began what we like to call the greatest country in the world. Well, they should be jealous; being away from home only reinforces my belief that Thanksgiving is un-stinking-believable. As planned, I did my best to bring our wonderful culture to this cold, cold land, and I must say, it was quite a success. However, I'm going to describe the week day by day, so as to avoid any confusion.
So, Tuesday was normal but pleasant. Shopped around Oldenburg before class and found a pretty card for my host mom's birthday, which we celebrated on Wednesday. For me, this felt a ton like our Thanksgiving. Both her parents and Jorn's parents came over and we had a huuuuge lunch of the infamous meat roll ups we have for most fancy occasions. Everybody was in high spirits and the weather was lovely. This house has lots of big windows (I know your jealous, Mamma) so when it's sunny the whole house feels warm and pretty. Piet was thrilled to have all his Omas and Oppas in one place bearing gifts, mind you. One gift was a toy that shoots five small discs into the air. A delightful toy until you spend over an hour on the floor looking for the dern things...Anyways, we had a lovely time and Catrin seemed really happy to have everyone with her. Later that night I made my way to Oldenburg to meet the girls who were friends with the past au pair, Mallory. On this night I was introduced to the wonder that is Weihnnachts Markt, or the Christmas Market. Oh heavens, it's amazing. Lights and trees galore, hot chocolate and spiced wine at every turn, all surrounded by cute trinket stands with ornaments, jewelry, scarves and what not. It's glorious, the most Christmasy place I've ever been, aside from Rock City : ) It's open every night until Christmas, so next time I'll do my best to take a picture or two, but I doubt my camera can capture the beauty (it's not so good with the night time thing). After the market we went to our old stand by, the Irish Pub as we waited for my friend's mom to drive us home. It turned out to be quite crowded for a Wednesday because they were playing trivia. Although I didn't know that Hulk Hogan's real name is Terry (I chose Terrance, assuming they shortened it, but no, it's Terry), the perfect question was posed to me. Who were the lead characters in Gone with the Wind? Are you kidding me? Did they know I was coming? So, we got a few right and had a lovely time together. We also met a few new friends, per usual in the Irish Pub. I like it there.
Thursday, our beloved day of Turkey, was blah and rainy. Other than searching the internet for the Macy's Day Parade with no luck due to the time difference, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. Just Piet time and class. I called home and got to talk to Mamma and Daddy, which always makes me feel loved. I was bummed not to be home, but I think I handled it pretty well. The homesickness hasn't struck too heavily yet. My life is so comfortable here that it feels normal and I forget just how far I am from home. Good grief, I'm lucky to say that.
So Friday and Saturday I put my Turkey face on and got serious about some Thanksgiving. (Imagining me with a turkey face is funny...to me). Friday Elisa and I made it to the grocery store and loaded up. It was quite tricky to fit all our groceries on bicycles, but we were determined to make a delicious meal. That night I made the dressing in her kitchen and we had a dandy of a time. Her host sister is 14 and is cool to hang around, so we had a girls night in the kitchen. Ah, I did bike home for dinner though and had a delicious meal of smoked eel. Oh dear, it was amazing...quite possibly the best fish I've had. Catrin's parents always give it to her on her birthday and after eating it the whole family calls them and says this cute little diddy about how great it tastes. They're adorable.
Now we've made it to Saturday, the magic turkey day. First off, I didn't think this day was going to pan out at all. I initially wanted to cook for my host family and invite some friends, but after the big lunch on Wednesday and all the other stuff moms have to do this time of year, Catrin rightfully asserted that it would be a huge stresser, and that's not the point of Thanksgiving. I was bummed at first, but totally understood that it would be bad timing for such an event. Well, the Lord loves me and made everything better than I could have planned. During trivia on Wednesday the girls asked if I'd be doing Thanksgiving and I explained why it wouldn't work out. Low and behold, my friend Liska piped up and revealed that she'd be going out of town and would be happy to offer her apartment in Oldenburg for our dinner. Because of her kindness Elisa and I were able to spend a relaxed afternoon together and take a short vacation from family life. We cooked and watched "Love Actually" until our friends Daniele from Italy and Dylan from California joined us to feast. And my oh my, what a feast. My dressing turned out well and was accompanied by Elisa's gorgeous turkey. Although her host mom doubted her, she is an amazing cook. The other American made some stellar mashed pototoes, the Italian brought cheese and wine, and I bought some apple sauce from a jar and corn from a can....such is my way. We listened to a praise worthy mix of Christmas music and chowed down. After we were able to move again we headed into town and frequented the Irish Pub once more. This time we managed to meet a young couple who were just recently engaged. The girl, whose names translates to "Little Swan" in English, but I can't spell it in German, was quite nice. Her fiance was quite charming, but pretty quirky. I mention them to tell a fantastic story and explain the title of this blog. I learned that they were engaged because I noticed she had a pretty pearl ring and I asked about it. She said it was her grandmother's and then her fiance piped in and told us to ask about the other ring on her finger. She rolled her eyes and said that he made it for her, but promised that we wouldn't believe how he did it. Turns out, he's a dentist so he collected the gold fillings he removed from his patient's teeth, melted them down, and made an engagement ring!!! It's a hard story to swallow, but they sold it convincingly. She wore a hopeless, "Yep, he actually did this" look on her face while his beemed with pride. Loved it : )
Sunday I did very little aside from a very long run. The weather was dry and warm(ish) so I happily ran for over an hour, listening to my ipod and discovering new trails. I was exceptionally tired the rest of the day, but it was worth it. Thus far, this week has been routine, but good. The rain has finally subsided but the crisp winter air abounds. It's nice though, really feels like Christmas is a comin'. Lights are going up on the houses and I just can't get enough of them. Piet started his advent calendar activities today so he's super pumped for the holiday. He opens a bag with a toy in it for the morning, and then gets a little piece of chocolate in the afternoon while his mom reads a special story from his advent calendar book. He still hasn't finished tweaking his Christmas list because each toy must be well researched before any decisions are made. We listen to German Christmas music everyday; I chime in when "Oh Tenenbaum" comes on, and then we listen to my English favorites together. It's really lovely to spend Christmas around a kid, everything is magical again. I'm really excited that the Dotsons will have a darling girl around quite soon to restore energy to the holidays! The pictures from Thanksgiving at Uncle Lendon's were lovely and I hope everyone had a good time. I'll be thinking of you all as you put up Christmas trees and eat those yummy shortbread cookies with red and green sugar. Oh Christmas, how wonderful you are. Send any special German Christmas present requests my way soon! Love ya!
So, Tuesday was normal but pleasant. Shopped around Oldenburg before class and found a pretty card for my host mom's birthday, which we celebrated on Wednesday. For me, this felt a ton like our Thanksgiving. Both her parents and Jorn's parents came over and we had a huuuuge lunch of the infamous meat roll ups we have for most fancy occasions. Everybody was in high spirits and the weather was lovely. This house has lots of big windows (I know your jealous, Mamma) so when it's sunny the whole house feels warm and pretty. Piet was thrilled to have all his Omas and Oppas in one place bearing gifts, mind you. One gift was a toy that shoots five small discs into the air. A delightful toy until you spend over an hour on the floor looking for the dern things...Anyways, we had a lovely time and Catrin seemed really happy to have everyone with her. Later that night I made my way to Oldenburg to meet the girls who were friends with the past au pair, Mallory. On this night I was introduced to the wonder that is Weihnnachts Markt, or the Christmas Market. Oh heavens, it's amazing. Lights and trees galore, hot chocolate and spiced wine at every turn, all surrounded by cute trinket stands with ornaments, jewelry, scarves and what not. It's glorious, the most Christmasy place I've ever been, aside from Rock City : ) It's open every night until Christmas, so next time I'll do my best to take a picture or two, but I doubt my camera can capture the beauty (it's not so good with the night time thing). After the market we went to our old stand by, the Irish Pub as we waited for my friend's mom to drive us home. It turned out to be quite crowded for a Wednesday because they were playing trivia. Although I didn't know that Hulk Hogan's real name is Terry (I chose Terrance, assuming they shortened it, but no, it's Terry), the perfect question was posed to me. Who were the lead characters in Gone with the Wind? Are you kidding me? Did they know I was coming? So, we got a few right and had a lovely time together. We also met a few new friends, per usual in the Irish Pub. I like it there.
Thursday, our beloved day of Turkey, was blah and rainy. Other than searching the internet for the Macy's Day Parade with no luck due to the time difference, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. Just Piet time and class. I called home and got to talk to Mamma and Daddy, which always makes me feel loved. I was bummed not to be home, but I think I handled it pretty well. The homesickness hasn't struck too heavily yet. My life is so comfortable here that it feels normal and I forget just how far I am from home. Good grief, I'm lucky to say that.
So Friday and Saturday I put my Turkey face on and got serious about some Thanksgiving. (Imagining me with a turkey face is funny...to me). Friday Elisa and I made it to the grocery store and loaded up. It was quite tricky to fit all our groceries on bicycles, but we were determined to make a delicious meal. That night I made the dressing in her kitchen and we had a dandy of a time. Her host sister is 14 and is cool to hang around, so we had a girls night in the kitchen. Ah, I did bike home for dinner though and had a delicious meal of smoked eel. Oh dear, it was amazing...quite possibly the best fish I've had. Catrin's parents always give it to her on her birthday and after eating it the whole family calls them and says this cute little diddy about how great it tastes. They're adorable.
Now we've made it to Saturday, the magic turkey day. First off, I didn't think this day was going to pan out at all. I initially wanted to cook for my host family and invite some friends, but after the big lunch on Wednesday and all the other stuff moms have to do this time of year, Catrin rightfully asserted that it would be a huge stresser, and that's not the point of Thanksgiving. I was bummed at first, but totally understood that it would be bad timing for such an event. Well, the Lord loves me and made everything better than I could have planned. During trivia on Wednesday the girls asked if I'd be doing Thanksgiving and I explained why it wouldn't work out. Low and behold, my friend Liska piped up and revealed that she'd be going out of town and would be happy to offer her apartment in Oldenburg for our dinner. Because of her kindness Elisa and I were able to spend a relaxed afternoon together and take a short vacation from family life. We cooked and watched "Love Actually" until our friends Daniele from Italy and Dylan from California joined us to feast. And my oh my, what a feast. My dressing turned out well and was accompanied by Elisa's gorgeous turkey. Although her host mom doubted her, she is an amazing cook. The other American made some stellar mashed pototoes, the Italian brought cheese and wine, and I bought some apple sauce from a jar and corn from a can....such is my way. We listened to a praise worthy mix of Christmas music and chowed down. After we were able to move again we headed into town and frequented the Irish Pub once more. This time we managed to meet a young couple who were just recently engaged. The girl, whose names translates to "Little Swan" in English, but I can't spell it in German, was quite nice. Her fiance was quite charming, but pretty quirky. I mention them to tell a fantastic story and explain the title of this blog. I learned that they were engaged because I noticed she had a pretty pearl ring and I asked about it. She said it was her grandmother's and then her fiance piped in and told us to ask about the other ring on her finger. She rolled her eyes and said that he made it for her, but promised that we wouldn't believe how he did it. Turns out, he's a dentist so he collected the gold fillings he removed from his patient's teeth, melted them down, and made an engagement ring!!! It's a hard story to swallow, but they sold it convincingly. She wore a hopeless, "Yep, he actually did this" look on her face while his beemed with pride. Loved it : )
Sunday I did very little aside from a very long run. The weather was dry and warm(ish) so I happily ran for over an hour, listening to my ipod and discovering new trails. I was exceptionally tired the rest of the day, but it was worth it. Thus far, this week has been routine, but good. The rain has finally subsided but the crisp winter air abounds. It's nice though, really feels like Christmas is a comin'. Lights are going up on the houses and I just can't get enough of them. Piet started his advent calendar activities today so he's super pumped for the holiday. He opens a bag with a toy in it for the morning, and then gets a little piece of chocolate in the afternoon while his mom reads a special story from his advent calendar book. He still hasn't finished tweaking his Christmas list because each toy must be well researched before any decisions are made. We listen to German Christmas music everyday; I chime in when "Oh Tenenbaum" comes on, and then we listen to my English favorites together. It's really lovely to spend Christmas around a kid, everything is magical again. I'm really excited that the Dotsons will have a darling girl around quite soon to restore energy to the holidays! The pictures from Thanksgiving at Uncle Lendon's were lovely and I hope everyone had a good time. I'll be thinking of you all as you put up Christmas trees and eat those yummy shortbread cookies with red and green sugar. Oh Christmas, how wonderful you are. Send any special German Christmas present requests my way soon! Love ya!
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