At the moment I really feel like I've created a place for myself here. I feel like I've established a role in the family, not just with Stephan, Sabine and the girls but with extended family too. This city is everyday, more and more, my city. My social networks and connections are growing and Stephan, Sabine and I now have to discuss who can go out on which nights and who's with the kids. And where the language for so long made me continuously aware that I was a foreigner, I now no longer feel like an outsider. It used to be that I could pick out from miles away if someone were speaking English, for example. It was the only thing I could understand if I were out. But now IF I recognize it, it is only because It seems so funny to hear it.
This is not the point where I tell you all that I've decided to stay longer, or move somewhere else. You must believe me when I say that I am so looking forward to be home. I truly feel that it is time to be back with family and friends. AND I am really looking forward to starting something new. But I have in a way created a kind of home here. Don't take offense, nothing could replace all of you and my feeling when I'm with you all in Seattle. But I also have something special here. Inspite of ups and downs over the year, what I have here is wonderful and the people I've met and the relationships I've formed, are in their own way irreplaceable.
The reality of leaving Germany in November is sinking in and it's a bittersweet feeling all around. Sometimes, from one moment to the next, I'm not sure if I'm sad or excited, if i want to cry or jump for joy.
What do you do when your heart is in two places at once?!
K.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Wandern in Österreich
Wandern (v): to hike or ramble about
On Sunday I went with Stephan and Lara for a hike. We drove for about 2 hours south into Austria (Österreich) to hike in the Alps. It was a great day, a nice hike, and it didn't rain on us. Although it was pretty cloudy.
http://www.tannheimer-bergbahnen.at/site.php
On our way to the top. So excited!! Lara was excited too, really she was.
Dark, dark clouds over the mountains.
Lara and I felt a little like Heidi up here. I even saw two little girls hiking around in matching red and white Dirndl's with their hair in braids. Not joking. Pretty cute. And you could hear the cattle bells on the hill sides.
Looking up to the very top!
And looking down.
Lots and lots of paragliders leaving from the top here.
So sweet!!
Taking a break.
At the end we drove out to the lake. It was too much to do the hike out here with Lara. Although she was great the whole way. It was a great day hiking with her! I know she was very tired by the end and her feet were hurting, but she was fantastic, and singing the whole way down the mountain :)
K.
On Sunday I went with Stephan and Lara for a hike. We drove for about 2 hours south into Austria (Österreich) to hike in the Alps. It was a great day, a nice hike, and it didn't rain on us. Although it was pretty cloudy.
http://www.tannheimer-bergbahnen.at/site.php
On our way to the top. So excited!! Lara was excited too, really she was.
Dark, dark clouds over the mountains.
Lara and I felt a little like Heidi up here. I even saw two little girls hiking around in matching red and white Dirndl's with their hair in braids. Not joking. Pretty cute. And you could hear the cattle bells on the hill sides.
Looking up to the very top!
And looking down.
Lots and lots of paragliders leaving from the top here.
So sweet!!
Taking a break.
At the end we drove out to the lake. It was too much to do the hike out here with Lara. Although she was great the whole way. It was a great day hiking with her! I know she was very tired by the end and her feet were hurting, but she was fantastic, and singing the whole way down the mountain :)
K.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Heat Wave
So, after I decided to stop taking my German classes I sort of struggled with what to do with myself all day. I'll admit that I miss not having work or some kind of organized activity but luckily I'm pretty good at entertaining myself and somehow I fell into a kind of routine, including things to do here at the house, as well as getting out and enjoying Stuttgart and the weather.
Well, somewhere I've lost all of that!
Today I woke up at eleven thirty and yesterday I didn't even leave the house!! Now granted I was awake from three until five thirty last night and I don't usually sleep until noon, but it made me realize that I need my schedule back. I can't live, and sleep, like I'm always on holiday!
The fact is that lately the heat here is an issue, even if I can't continue to use that as my excuse. I am someone who loves summer, I love the sun, I love getting my tan on! But this heat seriously has me running for the shade and more often than not, cowering inside. In Seattle we don't have this kind of heat, not for this long. And I am definitely not used to being in this kind of heat and not being able to escape to the water. Not to mention that not having a car here means that the minute you leave the house to go anywhere, you are at the mercy of the sun. In the news just the other day, the air conditioning in one of the trains broke and people went to the hospital after the temperature in the train rose to 50!!! (that's like 120 degrees!)
Somehow I've got to find my routine again. Somehow I've got to get back to a normal sleeping pattern, and get myself out of the house during the day. And somehow, I've got to survive this heat!!
I think I'm already formulating a plan.....
Well, somewhere I've lost all of that!
Today I woke up at eleven thirty and yesterday I didn't even leave the house!! Now granted I was awake from three until five thirty last night and I don't usually sleep until noon, but it made me realize that I need my schedule back. I can't live, and sleep, like I'm always on holiday!
The fact is that lately the heat here is an issue, even if I can't continue to use that as my excuse. I am someone who loves summer, I love the sun, I love getting my tan on! But this heat seriously has me running for the shade and more often than not, cowering inside. In Seattle we don't have this kind of heat, not for this long. And I am definitely not used to being in this kind of heat and not being able to escape to the water. Not to mention that not having a car here means that the minute you leave the house to go anywhere, you are at the mercy of the sun. In the news just the other day, the air conditioning in one of the trains broke and people went to the hospital after the temperature in the train rose to 50!!! (that's like 120 degrees!)
Somehow I've got to find my routine again. Somehow I've got to get back to a normal sleeping pattern, and get myself out of the house during the day. And somehow, I've got to survive this heat!!
I think I'm already formulating a plan.....
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Where's the Kaija?
Tonight as I put Lili to bed we read "Wo ist Mami?" A story in which a little monkey searches for his Mamma with the help of a not very helpful butterfly. They end up finding all the other kinds of animals in the jungle until finally they find the Papa.....and then of course, Mami. At the end I said something to Lili about how now the Papa, Mami and baby were all together. "Aber, wo ist die Kaija?" she asked.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Adventures With Lili
When she isn't showing her 'I'm two and I've got attitude' side, Lili is a lot of fun lately. She has a lot of personality, and she can be so funny to be around. Here are just a few recent Lili stories and pictures.
Normally I don't allow Lili to really play in my room, but this was a special situation in which she was allowed, and she was thrilled. She was so cute. Before I realized what she was up to she was dressing herself up in all my clothes and dancing around the room.
I love this one!
She started with painting the paper.....
I sat there quietly watching her as she ever so carefully paint herself and then she turned to me and said 'So, jetzt bin ich ein blau monster', 'So, now I am a blue monster'.
After Lili had been upstairs in the afternoon playing, I found this in the evening as I went up to my room. Surprise!
And just yesterday, after Lara had wet the bed, Sabine was saying something to her about pigs sleeping where they pee and how her bed was not a pig stall. While they were taking the sheets off and getting fresh ones Lili was jumping around on the bed. As I came into the room I asked Lili "Well, what are YOU doing in here? To which she responded "I'm jumping around in the pig stall".
On the other hand every conversation with her includes her saying "nein" or "doch", which we don't really have a translation for but is in one word, contradicting whatever you've said. Even yesterday as we watched football together, she and I, as I yelled "oh, nein!" at the television, she yelled "doch!". And then as I yelled "Go Germany!" she yelled "nein!".
But even if her favorite words are "nein" and "doch" and even if she is working hard to be the boss in the house, I'm really enjoying the time I get to spend with Lili and we are having a great time together.
K.
Normally I don't allow Lili to really play in my room, but this was a special situation in which she was allowed, and she was thrilled. She was so cute. Before I realized what she was up to she was dressing herself up in all my clothes and dancing around the room.
I love this one!
She started with painting the paper.....
I sat there quietly watching her as she ever so carefully paint herself and then she turned to me and said 'So, jetzt bin ich ein blau monster', 'So, now I am a blue monster'.After Lili had been upstairs in the afternoon playing, I found this in the evening as I went up to my room. Surprise!
And just yesterday, after Lara had wet the bed, Sabine was saying something to her about pigs sleeping where they pee and how her bed was not a pig stall. While they were taking the sheets off and getting fresh ones Lili was jumping around on the bed. As I came into the room I asked Lili "Well, what are YOU doing in here? To which she responded "I'm jumping around in the pig stall".
On the other hand every conversation with her includes her saying "nein" or "doch", which we don't really have a translation for but is in one word, contradicting whatever you've said. Even yesterday as we watched football together, she and I, as I yelled "oh, nein!" at the television, she yelled "doch!". And then as I yelled "Go Germany!" she yelled "nein!".
But even if her favorite words are "nein" and "doch" and even if she is working hard to be the boss in the house, I'm really enjoying the time I get to spend with Lili and we are having a great time together.
K.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Be Careful What You Wish For
Whew, it is hot around here!!!
For a couple of weeks now we have had beautiful summer weather. But it seems to be getting hotter and hotter! This week as been into the 90's almost the whole week. And it doesn't cool down much in the evening. Also, unfortunately for me I'm living at the top of the house and so far I haven't found a solution for keeping cool up here. I recently found this
in the cellar. It takes it 5 minutes to get started and sounds something like a jack-hammer is being used in the room. And I think the motor produces enough heat to counteract the work of the fan to cool down the room.
Help! I'm melting, I'm melting!!!
K.
For a couple of weeks now we have had beautiful summer weather. But it seems to be getting hotter and hotter! This week as been into the 90's almost the whole week. And it doesn't cool down much in the evening. Also, unfortunately for me I'm living at the top of the house and so far I haven't found a solution for keeping cool up here. I recently found this
in the cellar. It takes it 5 minutes to get started and sounds something like a jack-hammer is being used in the room. And I think the motor produces enough heat to counteract the work of the fan to cool down the room.
Help! I'm melting, I'm melting!!!
K.
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