Germany Do-Over?

If I had a do-over, would I move to Germany again?

I wouldn't hesitate! (Which is a good thing I guess since my husband's line of work could land us in another country at some point in our life)

Why should I lie?  Change is hard!!   And changing to another country can be like a mosquito bite right In the middle of your back that you can't quite reach.  But there always is a way to get a good scratch in and Mosiqitio bites heal.

But my mosqitio bites helped me find new ways and I discovered a strength within myself that surprised even me and I'm not even talking about the shock of my tongue spitting out the German language.   I made new friends and a created a new home for our family, all while overcoming a language barrier and learning a new culture.  Yeah, at times, I didn't overcome the barrier but they usually led to some needed humor for someone including my family.

I toured places that reminded me how precious life is and needs to be appreciated. I have eaten food that I am lucky wasn't part of the other 45 years of my life since I enjoy fitting thru doors. I have learned what a real cappuccino was and it doesn't include ordering into a speaker. I have learned cooking new foods when the directions are not in English can lead to disaster. 

I have been to a German wedding to help celebrate the beginning of a beautiful marriage and unfortunately, attended a Jazz funeral to say goodbye one of the first German friends I met when we arrived.  These events reminded me that in many ways, it doesn't matter the country because life takes similar paths-both happy and sad.

I have learned to walk and drive in snow ( it would be pushing it to say I mastered running on the slick stuff) I guess I did NOT master cleaning off our snow packed sidewalk since there is still a stench of soy sauce lingering around my house.  I have learned that there are indeed various types of socks, clothes, hats and coats that are more than a fashion staple. 

I have learned how to become more patient when life can be frustrating and love the constant phrase of "kein stress" my German friends say to me when I start living life a little too booked. I have learned that walking is not just a sport, it can be the means of transport home from the grocery store.  I now also know for a fact that I really do prefer having a food disposal rather than my German compost box.  Thank goodness they are legal in the US of A.  Of course I would be faking it if I didn't say how excited I am about the new Extra large front loads that will join our family. I am not sure what it will be like to do one day of laundry in about 30 minutes versus 30 hours as we waited for them to dry on the line.

I saw that my children will grow and go thru life no matter where we are living.  It is all the example we set as to the attitude they take on change.  They are not the little ones we moved over with...they are now our adventurous children. 

I have learned that I can be naked in a sauna...but it is not really my thing being all nervous, listening to others sit and chit-chat like they aren't naked all while sweat pours out of my skin. 

I have learned that sometimes in life, the things you worry about and fear will happen...WILL.  But it isn't always as scary as you thought the situation would be when all that time worrying was spent.  A Medical emergency in a foreign country was one of my biggest fears prior to the move and boy didn't we experience the whole spectrum.  Many Emergency rooms were toured, an ambulance was ridden, a hospital was home for a week, conversations with doctors were had in another language...but we went thru it and I learned that fears aren't always worth the worry.

I am sure I could write about many more things I have learned.  But, AGAIN, I have learned that life doesn't stop just because you are flying out in the morning as I sit in the hotel room with Cooper and a very high fever that will not scram even with my good ole US kid's IB Profen.  Maybe it is just one last test of my strength here in Germany and I guess I pass since I just got the giggles when I looked at my last load of laundry blowing in the wind hanging outside our hotel room as my son is crying because he wants to go to school to say goodbye but feels too sick and here I am worrying about change. 

I will take many of my learned lessons and use them back in AL... Like taking my own bags to the grocery store, not stock piling unnecessarily, recycling, eating a long dinner in a restaurant because the conversation is just as important as the grub and realizing that it is just too hot to walk home from the grocery store.

So with that, I finish writing about this chapter of our life, not with a "the End" or Auf Wiedersehen...but rather, see y'all real soon now-ya hear!!