tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54659422588540725322024-03-19T01:41:42.555-07:00One Hull of a StoryJoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-72237265697420915012017-09-18T05:13:00.000-07:002017-09-18T05:13:24.928-07:00Cursive Writing for the WinJackson is learning cursive! The kids in Germany learned their printed letters last year in 1st Klasse and as soon as those are done, they start on cursive in 2nd Klasse. Next year will be fountain pens. No joke. How cool is that?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCOTcIpzsJvElLrOBsESLIpRWIN4A2mkmDr3Hz0-jWaZgd5_zV_nRJby2XriHUCi4rcQbln9j14Z3RStQlWc3FbeWUoA74jZSXib71aL1aL5Bd0Q0cn8NYVVXPlZVH0OHt3peJ53KbqR6/s1600/IMG_6599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCOTcIpzsJvElLrOBsESLIpRWIN4A2mkmDr3Hz0-jWaZgd5_zV_nRJby2XriHUCi4rcQbln9j14Z3RStQlWc3FbeWUoA74jZSXib71aL1aL5Bd0Q0cn8NYVVXPlZVH0OHt3peJ53KbqR6/s320/IMG_6599.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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There will be no excuse for our little lefties to have bad handwriting in the German school system!</div>
<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-42361453631519273162017-09-16T01:17:00.000-07:002017-09-16T01:17:06.135-07:00How to Be German. In 50 Easy Steps.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVkKqwaFdL8hyct9RXAkmN3ekumS8LdEkVfq4QvwKdcgwM-5HX8Q9w_rdSRux35Xzb_Lme2FcvyzdOLaPaoeOVDoy7XEmcBElEVGbKXARXJtZcWjQ8wpuubEXxbv6ORzcSgSkhzxTGnXr/s1600/IMG_6601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVkKqwaFdL8hyct9RXAkmN3ekumS8LdEkVfq4QvwKdcgwM-5HX8Q9w_rdSRux35Xzb_Lme2FcvyzdOLaPaoeOVDoy7XEmcBElEVGbKXARXJtZcWjQ8wpuubEXxbv6ORzcSgSkhzxTGnXr/s640/IMG_6601.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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For my fellow expats in Germany (or any of our friends curious about the cultural differences from a comical perspective), I have to recommend these two little books. We stumbled upon these at the local bookstore, and they are hilarious. <div>
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<i>And double fun: they are bilingual - read one direction for English or turn it around for German.</i></div>
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To be clear, they are written very tongue-in-cheek and intended to comically highlight all of the little cultural differences that are so striking when an American (or Brit, such as the author) moves to Germany. However, the best part for us is that having been here for nearly a year, we can think of personal situations that back up what he describes.</div>
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I have to include a short excerpt from <b>How to be German, In 50 Easy Steps. </b>This is the 5th step:</div>
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<b><i>5. Dress Seriously</i></b></div>
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<i> Plan made for the day? Insurances in place? Great. Good work! Now it's time to change out of your Schlumperklamotten and head outside to face the day head on. You're going to need to get appropriately dressed. </i></div>
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<i> *WARNING! AUSLÄNDER! WARNING!* Outside is this thing called nature. Nature is fickle and not to be trusted! It dances to its own illogical, changeable tune. Best dress on the safe side. You need - expensive outdoor clothing! After all, you're going outdoors, and it's called outdoor clothing, therefore it must be necessary.</i></div>
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<i> At all times, you should be dressed for a minimum of three seasons. Get some of those funky Jack Wolfskin shrousers: the trousers that zip off into shorts. If there is even the slightest possibility you may at some point leave a pavement, be sure you are wearing high-quality hiking boots. The Germans consider anything else an act of ankle suicide.</i></div>
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Holy cow. Yes. Have I mentioned how many pieces of clothing are required to send my kids to school & kindergarten? We have the special rain pants (these are like waders that fishermen use in the US, with elastic around the ankles & stirrups on the bottom), a special rain coat (I was told Brandtley's American rain jacket didn't cut it, but Jackson's LL Bean jacket hasn't been rejected), rain boots, house shoes, gym shoes with a special colored sole that makes them ok on the gym floor, gym clothes and a special gym bag to put them in. All of these are to be left at school and we are supposed to have a 2nd set at home. In addition to these, they also need running shoes, summer shoes and winter shoes. And this list doesn't even include winter outerwear...you must always be prepared, which is actually discussed in step #2 of the same book: <b>2. Planning, Preparation, & Process. 😂</b></div>
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I haven't really read much of the 2nd book, but in flipping through, found descriptions for some of the wonderful German descriptive words like:</div>
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<li>Fallschirmjäger - paratrooper (literal translation: falling umbrella hunter)</li>
<li>Handschühe - mittens/gloves (literal: hand shoes)</li>
<li>Spaßvogel - joker (literal: fun bird)</li>
<li>Kopfkino - head cinema. I love this one. It's a literal translation & there's no single English equivalent word for what goes on in your head.</li>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-30791926121517610712017-09-10T01:59:00.001-07:002017-09-10T01:59:21.432-07:00Young Wine & Rainy DaysYesterday was a downer of a day. It rained. And rained. There was disobedience (a lot). And bad attitudes on the part of all three of us.<br />
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It was day 6 of Matthew's trip, which had closely followed another 5-6 day trip. We had to run several errands (because it was Saturday and all stores would be closed on Sunday). I would wait until the sun came out, call the boys to put on their shoes & jackets, and after leaving the house, it would start raining again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAbjFiByxX4X6GRMHLrWCdkQz7yjhcQegEE147EJOGOhvCTCVX5HA-hFSLHyKLO0uJb0Oho_51P0LYp2L-BSf8t7zOGT0oC2TlH6Fi3jEGojuiqcJV5s9MBwiyTasEkK6rJdTaBCF2iM4/s1600/IMG_6552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAbjFiByxX4X6GRMHLrWCdkQz7yjhcQegEE147EJOGOhvCTCVX5HA-hFSLHyKLO0uJb0Oho_51P0LYp2L-BSf8t7zOGT0oC2TlH6Fi3jEGojuiqcJV5s9MBwiyTasEkK6rJdTaBCF2iM4/s640/IMG_6552.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Cue the disobedience during a rare sunny moment (why does the ground not look wet??? </i></div>
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<i>It rained all day! Maybe there was just a cloud over our house?).</i></div>
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We finished our errands (in the rain). I've always suspected but it is confirmed that I couldn't live in the Pacific Northwest because I just can't handle all the rain. And right now, coming off of the nice summer weather, it's really disheartening to think of how much rain we'll be getting. <br />
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Beethovenfest is going on right now and there are free outdoor concerts in Marktplatz, not far from our house, (in addition to the bigger, indoor, traditional concert venues). I really wanted to go yesterday, but...the rain. And the kids. Fortunately, this morning has dawned beautiful and clear! Hallelujah! I think we'll try to go today.<br />
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One upside to yesterday, however, was trying something new. While trying to wait out the rain, I read this article: <a href="https://www.thelocal.de/20170908/heres-a-culinary-treat-you-need-to-try-in-germany-before-autumns-end" target="_blank">Here's a German culinary treat you can only enjoy over the next two months</a>. I realized that yes, in fact, I had seen a few bottles added to the refrigerated cheese area at our neighborhood grocery store, but had never stopped to look at what they were. Since we needed to go to the store anyway, I decided to pick some up.<br />
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Matthew got home last night before I went to bed, and we tried it last night. It is SWEET! It reminds me of a sweet (nonalcoholic) apple cider, like what you would buy in the U.S. in October, but that has been just sliiiiightly fermented (as if by accident) and is a little fizzy. It was way too sweet for us but would be fantastic paired with a zweibelkuchen (onion tart) as the article says. Now to find one of those to complete the pairing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04xmpmquAK1lMix3DcmLH34qV02EtRMARL6kuJGrlnyFPagbO1cuaK_PhJQqsFQ5mxNUUMC3xRfxtI2ulBoCz5o8vsaVbzN5bPr_pt5EFgnn9-WKXK6PaTtGOTo4768lyC6tkZ3LSagEq/s1600/IMG_6555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04xmpmquAK1lMix3DcmLH34qV02EtRMARL6kuJGrlnyFPagbO1cuaK_PhJQqsFQ5mxNUUMC3xRfxtI2ulBoCz5o8vsaVbzN5bPr_pt5EFgnn9-WKXK6PaTtGOTo4768lyC6tkZ3LSagEq/s640/IMG_6555.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Neither of us were able to finish our glass (too sweet!) but we both agreed we enjoyed trying it.</i></div>
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We live in a wine region and the months of September-October are full of wine festivals throughout our area. Thus the Federweisser. We just missed this last year, and I've heard so many great things. The festivals sound absolutely magical and beautiful (vineyards on hillsides, night harvests, parades through quaint towns, and there might even be a "wine fountain"???). Between birthday parties and back-to-school and trips (both fun & Matthew's job), we haven't made it to one yet. Hopefully soon!! And hopefully we can also find some onion tarts!! I'm imagining a great weekly activity...hunting for wine fountains and zweibelkuchen!</div>
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One other interesting picture from yesterday...I saw this at the store yesterday for the first time. Apparently it's similar to broccoli, but pointy like little Christmas trees. Has anyone tried it? I'm going to need to get some & figure out what to do with it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppVrVOYlUXLUs2VuhmpX6FCGxxb95_vnRoxB6_tmxJvX55Ku-SZO2GfWu8IxYNXfSkns704lWEBQk4KzpXXxXLWViT8Hmq9_2D8eW47XK5xYrl-K8i0naG63c-H5tkRbcaDh1vm3tWfyk/s1600/IMG_6554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppVrVOYlUXLUs2VuhmpX6FCGxxb95_vnRoxB6_tmxJvX55Ku-SZO2GfWu8IxYNXfSkns704lWEBQk4KzpXXxXLWViT8Hmq9_2D8eW47XK5xYrl-K8i0naG63c-H5tkRbcaDh1vm3tWfyk/s640/IMG_6554.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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From what we've seen, birthdays are celebrated very similarly as they are in the US. Kids bring cupcakes, apfelschorle, and goodies to school on their special day and have a birthday party. Sometimes an all day party! And not all of the kids in the class are invited, so it's extra-special that he has been invited to 3.<br />
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I heard that the traditional rule of thumb is to invite only as many kids as the age the child is turning. So, if he's turning 8, he would invite 8 kids. However, this isn't always followed. He's been to parties ranging from 7-15 kids.<br />
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At Jackson's age, the kids are dropped off and the parents come back to get them at the specified time. With each of the ones he's gone to, we drop him off at the birthday-child's home, the parents then take the kids somewhere, and we pick him back up at the home (or in one case, they dropped him off at our house on their way back). <br />
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The first was an all-day party at a play-land about 45 minutes away. (Unfortunately Jackson got carsick & nearly threw up in their car, which made me feel awful. But he got to ride in a convertible with the top down on the way back!)<br />
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The next party was technically set for 3 hours but the family threw a bbq in their backyard afterwards and invited families to stay. During their 3 hours, the kids all walked together to a local ice cream shop and a play ground where they played some organized games. <br />
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The next one will be next Tuesday afternoon and will be a Treasure hunt! According to the invitation, it's ok if it rains...just bring your rain clothes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjkLWbzwRUi_naR65XyRMZSig8SNKL8L3rpMwMqEy_yHBi-dTAJte4Q6DTsVfGxF-vNPeerBc9l8ctSLxvGB4c2sBioqxrBqbBor5rGae_qW9zH1DHDuGjgxXG2H6alLQ24kiAOODDfo2/s1600/IMG_6549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjkLWbzwRUi_naR65XyRMZSig8SNKL8L3rpMwMqEy_yHBi-dTAJte4Q6DTsVfGxF-vNPeerBc9l8ctSLxvGB4c2sBioqxrBqbBor5rGae_qW9zH1DHDuGjgxXG2H6alLQ24kiAOODDfo2/s640/IMG_6549.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>The one on the right is such a cute handmade invitation with a minion on it!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnoc1tKB2GAmi6Nrl3KjGeHaDBTklAlA3TuWzMmkaOW7P3qU9ujPNCbIGGa9kKfGwRHiToEiqNps7PwYCoIaKsc4A-B7C_nUjrFwAtnuqwPqSTfshyyz8OXwthAT-EQ7q6K1qaKvmKzql/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnoc1tKB2GAmi6Nrl3KjGeHaDBTklAlA3TuWzMmkaOW7P3qU9ujPNCbIGGa9kKfGwRHiToEiqNps7PwYCoIaKsc4A-B7C_nUjrFwAtnuqwPqSTfshyyz8OXwthAT-EQ7q6K1qaKvmKzql/s640/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm taking notes since Jackson's birthday is only 7 weeks away! I have no idea what we will do...I'd love it if he would choose a trip instead of a party, but I'm getting the impression he'll want a party with all of his new friends! </div>
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-17224754865410292342017-09-06T02:56:00.001-07:002017-09-06T02:56:50.827-07:00Dentists, Doctors, and School SchedulesAs I write this, my mouth is still numb, and I'm still slightly in shock mentally too from getting an immediate filling at the dentist this morning. I'd really like a cup of coffee, but I'm having trouble not drooling, so that will have to wait. Maybe it will wear off by the time I finish typing. I hope. At least I've learned that when scheduling dentist appointments here, I should leave enough time for coffee beforehand instead of going immediately after school drop-off!!<br />
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As this is the first full week of school for both kids and all back-to-school parties are completed, I took this week to catch up on doctor and dentist appointments for myself. I've taken the kids to several pediatric visits, but have put off my own care, so this was my first time in Germany. Might as well get it all done at once! And the dentist seemed to share that opinion.<br />
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I went in this morning, filled out new patient paperwork, and was taken back to the exam room where I shook hands with the dentist. He asked me if I had any complaints about my teeth so I told him one was sensitive. As soon as I sat down, he looked at that tooth first, immediately said yes, I had big caries and needed immediate attention. He turned around and when he turned back, he had a syringe in his hand and told me that I could reschedule the cleaning for next week. 45 minutes later, I walked out with a droopy mouth and a new filling (or two...not sure). Wow. Not what I expected, but I'm really pleased to have it taken care of.<br />
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Yesterday, I went to my first OB/GYN appointment for a routine well-woman exam. I think this is the prettiest doctor's office I've ever been in! It's an old house on a residential street. The pics don't do it justice.<br />
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<i>I enjoyed getting to read (look at) German magazines since I don't usually buy them. Princess Diana, and now Kate, are the Queens of Hearts here too. :) </i></div>
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<i>The kids' play area in the waiting room at the doctor's office. No pictures of the dentist's office - I was a little distracted, and it just looked like any other dentist office.</i></div>
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Nothing very surprising happened here (thankfully!) other than getting a routine ultrasound along with the other tests that are performed in the US. I mentioned to the doctor that I had never had an ultrasound when not pregnant, and she commented that it is important to look since there can be problems not felt or seen from the outside. Makes perfect sense and is so practical (of course). <br />
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I was impressed with the attention I received both at the doctor and dentist - neither seemed rushed and both gave me their full attention to discuss my needs. The doctor gave me her email address, saying she takes patients' emails whenever they have a concern or question and to feel free to email her.<br />
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Both kids are enjoying school and are happy to be back. Brandtley finally has a new best friend, named Moritz, so we're working on coordinating a time for them to play. Jackson stays at school until 4:30pm now in the after-school program where he eats lunch, does homework, and plays. He loves it. I love hearing about what he eats for lunch. Things like a pancake and apple salad. <br />
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Here is his new classroom schedule. Gottesdienst is their church service which is every other week. The X's indicate teaching the "normal" curriculum (math, writing, etc) by his normal teacher. And Jackson voluntarily signed up for Choir during 5th period on Fridays.<br />
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Brandtley got a new raincoat which he loves. It's made by Lego. Who knew they made rain gear?<br />
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<i>Being silly at Jackson's school while we waited for him to finish & come outside.</i></div>
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A child's entrance to First Grade is a big deal here. There are celebrations at the school and the child receives a Schultüte. Since Jackson missed the first day last year (and knowing Brandtley would get a schultüte next year), we gave Jackson one for the first day of school this year. The 1st Klasse at his school also had an all-day celebration with their parents & extended family on their first day, which the 2nd Klasse parents host, so I spent last Thursday helping with that at the school. We served homemade baked goods, coffee, and apfelschorle (sparkling apple juice), and I got a chance to see what we'll get to do with Brandtley next year.<br />
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<i>Jackson digging into his Schultüte before school. He was so surprised! </i></div>
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<i>He really had no idea he would get one!</i></div>
<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-59701045062210024072017-08-03T04:42:00.000-07:002017-08-03T04:42:40.044-07:00Summer Time Fun<br />
Hi there! It's been awhile, so let's chat and catch up...<br />
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Jackson is FINALLY out of school! German schools in our region run until mid-June and then he gets a 6.5 week break until the beginning of September. His first day back will actually be August 30, but it's pretty much just a party day. </div>
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<i>First day of 1st Grade in Atlanta and Last Day of 1st Klasse in Germany</i></div>
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Brandtley just started kindergarten at the beginning of June. (For those not in Germany: kindergarten is all of preschool starting at age 3, though some also have programs for children starting as young as 18 months). And he loves it! He's such a happier kid when he can go to school and he's starting to pick up some German phrases too! (I posted <a href="http://onehullofastory.blogspot.de/2017/08/german-phrases-of-5-year-old.html" target="_blank">here</a> about some of his first phrases)</div>
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Since he had taken such a lonnnnng break as we waited and since Matthew was working most of July, Brandtley has continued to go to "school" even though Jackson is out. This has been a really nice change to get to spend some one-on-one time with just Jackson, which hasn't really happened much since Brandtley was born! His school will close at the end of this week for the rest of August.</div>
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Also, bonus for us = the spontaneity of eating whatever we want! </div>
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<i>We love Fleischkäse</i></div>
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<i>And also the awesome sausages you can find everywhere!</i></div>
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Both boys had an end of the year church service. Brandtley's service was at a Lutheran church and was in celebration of the retirement of the Kindergarten's director. Jackson's was at the Catholic church next to his school and was a send-off for the 4th graders. They were both very sweet. And both included the singing of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zjo_74HVVo" target="_blank">this lovely song</a> by the children which all of the parents seemed to know too. (Note: I looked up the song on youtube since I wanted to find the words and this link is not from either of the kids' services). The chorus ends with the line "Und bis wir uns wiedersehen halte Gott dich fest in seiner Hand." / And until we meet again, may God keep you firmly in his hand. </div>
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<i>Brandtley lining up to sing with his class</i></div>
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<i>Jackson's church</i></div>
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<i>Brandtley's class singing </i></div>
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Other than that, we've taken some great bike rides along the Rhein, we've continued to enjoy the street musicians of Bonn, Jackson pulled his 3rd AND 4th teeth on his own, we got library cards, I've continued going to Deutsch lessons, and I've also been driving with an instructor. </div>
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<i>Such a beautiful view - there's a bike/walking path all along the Rhein. This is several km south of Bonn</i></div>
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<i>I want Jackson to read this! So far, he's devouring English books but his German reading isn't at the same level quite yet to allow him to really enjoy the story.</i></div>
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<i>The boys called this their taxi!</i></div>
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<i>The car I get to drive. It has the instructor pedals & everything. :) </i></div>
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So far the driving is going well. I've had 2 lessons. The first for country driving, the 2nd for city driving. I've heard that I'll also need to be signed off on the autobahn & night driving before I can take the test. While I'd rather not put in so much time, it really has been helpful. There are a lot of road rules not included in the written test. Plus, my instructor doesn't speak much English, so I'm considering it an extra German lesson each week. He's willing to meet me halfway, though, and we're both learning dozens of new words. The one I hear most often is "Schulterblick! Schulterblick, da!" as he's reminding me to look over my shoulder alllll the way (which indeed is very important so that I don't hit a cyclist).</div>
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I can tell the instructor isn't worried about my actual driving ability, but during the city driving, he would sometimes get concerned and say "WHY would you DO that??" To which I had no idea what I had done. He finally had me pull over into a bus pick-up to pull out some diagrams of the road. My problem is mostly that in order to pass the test, there is a very specific order in which I must perform a turn - showing visibly that i have looked in the rearview & side mirrors BEFORE turning on my signal, then very clearly demonstrating my Schulterblick, which may or may not need to include both shoulders depending on the structure of the intersection. An extra Schulterblick is viewed as wasteful, though, and should not be done since other drivers would not be expecting me to pause for this unnecessary step. There is a general understanding here that if everyone knows and follows the rules correctly, then everything will work smoothly and efficiently.</div>
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[Also, it is incomprehensible that one could safely turn right on red in the States. That is SO DANGEROUS!] </div>
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By the end of the city lesson which lasted 2 hours, between remembering the rules and trying to communicate in German, my brain was wiped out. And then as I became more cautious, I was also told "Joanna, don't be FEARFUL when you drive. Why are you fearful?" So there's that too. 😂 </div>
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Now I must go. Jackson & I are walking to the store to pick out all of his school supplies for next year, along with a stop at the library for more books and maybe a coffee or croissant. We hope to travel as much as possible during the month of August while school is out, so we're getting a head start on preparing for back to school in a few weeks. </div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-18553673252502306772017-08-01T01:35:00.000-07:002017-08-03T04:45:58.338-07:00German Phrases of a 5 Year OldI've mentioned before how Jackson & I are learning German differently and that our vocabularies don't always overlap. For example, he doesn't have the vocabulary to order meat at the butcher or make an appointment. And while I might have these words, I usually don't use them correctly grammaticallly. However, he is by far more conversational & can produce thoughts more quickly. I've noticed that he is simply speaking and usually does not translate what he intends to say from English, which I envy. He has a harder time drafting a sentence to express something that he may not have heard before.<br />
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His is a more natural learning of speech as a child. However, since he was already 7 with a large vocabulary when he was thrown into a new language in a school environment, he still is making the mental match of the correlating each word as he learns it and can provide a translation of a word when asked.<br />
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Now we have added a third tier as Brandtley has started kindergarten. And his learning is so different from both mine and Jackson's. He doesn't seem to try to understand specific words, but occasionally an entire phrase will pop out of his mouth and surprise us all. (Even if he can't tell you exactly what it means in English!)<br />
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It's really amusing to me to hear what these phrases are since he's obviously reflecting what he's hearing repeatedly. He is becoming familiar with ALOT of commands! So, I thought it would be fun to keep a running list of his first phrases (while I can still count them and before he actually begins speaking).<br />
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Note: These aren't necessarily grammatically correct. They are how he repeats them.<br />
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1. "Geh zu Toilette!" Go to the bathroom! (Now when we jumps off the couch to go potty, he will command himself to go in German instead of just commenting on where he is going)<br />
2. "Du kannst nicht mit das spielen!" You cannot play with that! ( I think he hears this from teaches when he tries to play with something off limits, but he now uses it with his brother!)<br />
3. "Das is gefährlich!" and "Das is sehr gefährlich!" That is dangerous and That is very dangerous! ( I think he must hear this a lot!<br />
4. Gabel, Messer, Stuhl - fork, knife, chair. (I'm guessing he's picking up on what he's being instructed to do with each of these.)<br />
5. liebe kleine Schmetterling - "dear little butterfly" - I think this is from a poem, book, or song that they repeat??? I have no clue, but he says it in this cute little singsong voice :)<br />
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Update: Last night as I was cooking dinner, Brandtley asked me "Mommy, what does <i>langsam</i> mean?"<br />
Me: It means slowly. Why, did you hear someone say it?<br />
Brandtley: Oh yeah! My teachers say it to me ALL the time!<br />
(I bet!)<br />
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-23169993183645469332017-06-29T02:16:00.001-07:002017-06-29T02:35:32.033-07:00Driving UpdateI passed my written test!! This is a huge accomplishment and puts me one step closer to getting my license.<br />
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This license is turning out to be the longest (and most expensive) license I've ever gotten. and I've had 5. I'll admit that I've not been the speediest at pursuing it, partially due to circumstances (needing Matthew to be in town for certain parts, not taking the kids with me, the opening hours/availability of the driving school, courses, government entities, etc) and some due to my general dragging of feet. I've listed the requirements at the end of this post below.<br />
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I guess, all in all, if I had really hurried and avoided any failures, the quickest the entire process could be completed is <b><u>9-10 weeks</u>. </b>I started the process in April and probably have another 4 weeks now at the very minimum. At least now that Brandtley is in Kindergarten and I can complete #8-10 on my own, I can hopefully move forward more quickly. Now that I've made it this far, I'm determined to finish.<br />
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Also, each of these items have a cost. I haven't added them all up...I don't really want to. But I've invested enough time and money (and also own a car in my name that I'm not currently driving) to get it done.<br />
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Interesting side note: I've seen estimates of <b>€1,500- 2,000+</b> for a not-previously licensed beginner to obtain a license, including the full course of instruction in the car. So, getting a license here is a really big deal. The majority of this cost is obviously for the private instruction, for which I've only paid €93...so far. <br />
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Also side note: the TÜV is where the German license testing both written & practical, <span style="font-family: inherit;">occurs. Similar to the DMV but without the paperwork/documentation portion. And much cleaner. TÜV (pronounced like "toorf"to english ears) stands for Technischer Überwachungsverein, English translation: Technical Inspection Association. While in a part of town that would not be uncommon for the DMV, it was extremely clean and reminded me of an upscale auto-workshop with a garage in the back and a waiting room in the front next to the testing room. I actually took a picture to show Matthew as I waited. You first pay for your test, then take a number & wait for your turn to enter the testing room where there are 13 computers. Other than waiting for the testing room availability, there are no lines. And it was an overall pleasant, if slightly confusing, experience as I deciphered the signs to figure out the process.</span><br />
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<b>Steps to getting my German Driver's License</b>:<br />
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As a recap, only certain states in the US have complete reciprocity with Germany, and the lucky holders of licenses from these states simply fill out the paperwork, make an appointment, and exchange their US driver's license for a German one. Some states have partial reciprocity and only the written test is required. And then others, like Georgia, have nothing. We are among the unfortunate ones who must complete the entire process (though hopefully with a shorter instruction period since we've driven for nearly 20 years each and have already put in many many many practice hours behind a wheel over those 20 years).<br />
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So far, I have made it to step 7 of the following (which must be completed in order and you cannot move forward without proof of completion of the prior):<br />
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<b>1</b>. Get a certified translation of our US licenses by ADAC. 2 week turnaround. €55 per license.<br />
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<b>2</b>. Select a nearby driving school and go there to register as a student. Purchase the study material for the written test at this time. (The driving school also provides info on the location, schedules, & registration of the safety courses needed for step 3).<br />
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<b>3</b>. Attend a Safety and First aid course. 7-8 hours in a classroom. All in German. Not fun, but not hard. (I've heard the nearby town of Siegburg has a course in English but you need to register & you might not be able to complete it as quickly due to availability)<br />
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<b>4</b>. Vision exam. Fairly standard.<br />
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<b>5</b>. Photo taken. Also not hard. Some safety courses will provide the vision test & photo on the day of the course.<br />
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<b>6</b>. Appointment at the Stadthaus to register for our intention to obtain a license and provide proof of items 1-5. Then wait a few weeks to get letters from the "TÜV" (pronounced like "toof") that we may proceed with our intention to test for the license. Begin studying for the written test during this time.<br />
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<b>7</b>. Once letters have been received and you feel you are ready, it's time for the written test. Our driving school required that we pass it with them first before they would approve us to take it at the TÜV. (They're responsible for only sending on prepared students or lack of preparation would reflect poorly on them & call into question the quality of their instruction. Makes sense, but that meant we have to pass the written test twice.) I passed at the school, and they handed me documentation to take with me to the TÜV, along with a list of TÜV locations with their hours. (I don't know if the partial-reciprocity individuals have to take it first at a school or if this is because we're "all in").<br />
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Y'all. This test. There is a question bank of over a 1000 questions and only 30 will be on the test. But you can only miss 3 and still pass, so you must be prepared for all of them. Some questions are hard/technical. Some are well worth knowing if you'll be driving here: things like street sign meanings, and priority/right of way rules which are different than in the US. And some are just common sense if you've driven before.<br />
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Thankfully, we can take it in English. However, the English translation is just different enough that you really do need to review all of the questions. For example, I would think that "pavement" is what you drive on. But no, the "pavement" is either the side of the road or sidewalk. Not where the car drives. So, parking on the pavement and letting pedestrians out on the pavement creates a different situation (and answer) based on the meaning of this word. And some words I still don't know the meaning of - like what in the world is a Sunken Kerbstone??<br />
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<b>8</b>. Drive with an Instructor. The driving school did not allow me to schedule instruction time until I brought proof that I had passed the written test at the TÜV, which I guess demonstrates sufficient knowledge of the rules. The instructor will evaluate my driving and decide if I can proceed to take the practical test at the TÜV. If not, I will be required to practice with him for however long that takes. If I did not have a prior license, I would be required to complete something like 20+ hours in the car with an instructor, so at least I'm hopeful to avoid that!<br />
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Also - important timeline info that I found out yesterday when registering for instruction - my instructor will contact me in the next 2 days to schedule our first session. Once he approves me to take the test, whenever that is, there is a 3 WEEK delay before I can actually take it at the TÜV. <br />
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<b>9</b>. Practical Test at the TÜV. I've been told that it's common for Americans to fail this at least once. It will all be in German, and I am not allowed to bring a translator. And of course, I will be taking it in a manual transmission car. So I'm fully expecting to fail. I don't know if this makes me more or less nervous.<br />
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If I fail, I must wait 2 weeks before trying again. I'm unsure if I'm required to go back to the driving school before the next try. If I fail 3 times, then I must wait 3 months before the 4th try.<br />
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<b>10</b>. If I ever pass the practical test, then the final step will be to make an appointment to go back to the Stadthaus to exchange my US license for my new and very precious German license. <br />
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-77723904466463139022017-06-24T02:08:00.001-07:002017-06-24T02:14:48.109-07:00I wear my sunglasses at night...I've mentioned the length (or lack thereof in winter) of the days here before, but it still just amazes me. When we moved here, I did not expect the constant gray and darkness of winter, or conversely the constant brightness of summer. We still marvel on a regular basis at how bright it stays well into the evening. Despite having to convince the boys that yes, it really is bedtime despite the sun looking like it's 4:30 pm at 8pm, we've been enjoying the long evenings when we can sit outside after dinner, or long after putting the kids to bed.<br />
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A few days ago was the summer solstice, so out of curiosity, I looked up the sunrise and sunset times. Technically, sunset was at 9:48pm. However because of our location, it takes the sun a LONG time to fully disappear behind the horizon.<br />
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Here is what our street looked like at "sunset" at 9:48pm:<br />
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And here it is at 10:30pm. Streetlights on, but you can still clearly see down the street. Lots of light. <br />
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When I went to bed at 11:15pm, it was fairly dark but I could still see the light from the sunset at the edges of the sky.<br />
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Sunrise is technically at 5:18am, but like the long sunset, when Matthew left the other day at 4am, it was already getting light. I've been surprised by how much I've enjoyed the long days, especially when the weather is clear and beautiful, which it has been a lot lately.<br />
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It's just recently started getting "hot". This week we had several days with temps in the 90s (F), one of which hit 98℉. This has been a sweaty week since I've been doing double drop-offs & pick ups of both boys at school while Matthew's been working. I'm estimating that I cycle a minimum of 8km on those days, plus a few km of walking to any errands I need to take care of...to go shopping, see friends, or Deutsch class. Needless to say, my water intake has gone up ALOT, I'm getting the first tan I've had in years, and I'm sleeping great despite the sunlight! <br />
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Also, it's important to know that there is no air conditioning here. Most of the time it's not really needed. Even when the temps get hot, it's usually only for a short time and a few days later it's back in the 60s-70s. Plus, Europeans seem to be adamantly opposed to it: central air-conditioning spreads germs, allergens, harbors mold and is not energy efficient. BUT you can purchase a small, room air conditioner on Amazon. I've held that knowledge in the back of my mind as the temps start to heat up.<br />
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Our house has held up surprisingly well, so far, though. I don't know if it's the age of the house with its 2-3 ft thick stone & concrete walls, that it was built with the intention to stay cool, but we've guessed that the interior temperature has stayed in the mid 70s even on the hottest days. It has actually felt cooler on a 98℉ day here than our house in Atlanta did WITH air conditioning. Those awesome automatic exterior shades really help, too. Our windows only get about 2-3 hours of direct, hot sunlight each day (by design??) and so, we lower the shades during that time.<br />
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Growing up in the Southeastern US, it was common to see/tour old antebellum houses that had a central hallway. I remember the tour guide always pointed out during the tour that the doors on either end of the hallway could be opened in the summer time for a breeze. I used to think that this was evidence that they were really desperate for air conditioning, but can now vouch for the design's effectiveness. It's pretty common most days to find our house open like this with a breeze flowing through the middle:<br />
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I'll keep you posted as to whether we break down and order an air conditioner. I think we'll be getting a fan for the bedroom soon, for some airflow at night. After all, it's still only June and we have to make it through August. :)<br />
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EDIT: After posting, I realized it's not actually correct to say "NO air-conditioning". Grocery stores have air conditioning, as well as the commercial shops downtown. But I am not aware of any houses having it. Even the largest office building uses water from the river pushed through pipes in the center of the building to cool it.Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-33736164846310813132017-06-17T01:47:00.003-07:002017-06-24T02:26:15.816-07:00Hunting for Coffee?Thursday was another holiday for Germany, so the kids were out of school and most shops were closed. However, many cafes in Köln were open, including a coffee rösterei that we've been wanting to try in our ongoing search for coffee. So, the four of us took an impromptu trip north to Köln for coffee, brunch, and a stroll through the Belgische Viertel for ice cream. <br />
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As our resident coffee <strike>snob</strike> expert, Matthew has kept a running tally of the coffee we've tried, and I've asked him to share in case anyone else could use some coffee info around here. From his list, we buy #4 most frequently, since it's the most convenient (I go to the grocery store nearly daily). It's the best we've found at the grocery so far.<br />
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[Also, we highly recommend Cafe Bauturm in the Belgische Viertel on Aachenerstr. The Käsespätzle was amazing as well as Matthew's bio burger which was huge. Jackson got a large, fluffy banana pancake with chocolate sauce and was not disappointed either.]<br />
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<h2>
On the hunt for good coffee</h2>
During our brief tenure here in Europe, we continually have occasions where we find that some long-held perception is unhinged or contradicted. My internal perception/value system for what good coffee has been completely associated with U.S. available roasters and I have struggled with finding beans that I like here. Now that I am unable to rely on a trip to one of my favorite roasters in Atlanta, I have been on a months-long search for good coffee to make in our home.<br />
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To add some complication to my quest, it's worth acknowledging that Europe is primarily geared toward an espresso culture. Said another way: if coffee is served anywhere, it's an espresso based beverage. Are you at a restaurant? Don't bother asking for a cup of coffee - order an espresso or latte machiatto instead. Still want one? Make sure you ask for a café Americano. In Germany, you can get a cup of coffee at some cafés but you have to order it as a Filterkaffee (filter coffee). <br />
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While I'm willing to forego my filterkaffee when I'm out and about, that doesn't change my desire to having brewed coffee in my own home. <br />
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<h3>
Arabica vs. Robusta</h3>
When buying beans in the U.S - most higher end roasters only sell 100% Arabica beans. I reached out to one of my favorite roasters (RevCoffee in Smyrna) and while they don't advertise 100% Arabica, they confirmed it to me this afternoon. Another species of coffee, Robusta, is generally used for lower end coffee (think instant coffee and Folgers). There is a lively debate on the Robusta vs. Arabica issue that you can read about from the Atlantic <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2009/06/arabica-vs-robusta-no-contest/19780/" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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However, some espresso connoisseurs place a high value on Robusta blends for the better <i>crema</i> texture that the species lends. <i><a href="https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-coffee-crema-765688" target="_blank">Crema</a> </i>is the froth that sits on top of a shot of espresso and can dramatically affect flavor and finish. We witnessed this fact today by tasting a few Robusta espressi today at <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Gg4eewenXM72" target="_blank">Moxxa Coffee</a> in Cologne.<br />
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The Moxxa barista took great care in telling us that it was appropriate to stir in the <i>crema</i> to sufficiently mix it in with the shot. I can say that it was good, albeit a different experience from most espresso that I have tried. Moxxa's philosophy is that predominantly Robusta proportioned coffees can be used for espresso and Arabica blends are appropriate for filter/pourover/etc. Other roasters strongly <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2009/04/for-good-espresso-insist-on-arabica/12972/" target="_blank">believe</a> that the bean species (read: Arabica) is paramount to <i>crema </i>and therefore only 100% Arabica should be used for espresso.<br />
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<h3>
In My Cabinet</h3>
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My cabinet is full. of. coffee. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAutXNvEOE8oBH6mnUZuX2QSzkY3oxI42VVSjJD-zI0RbYqJ3qY7-c_TYba73fDSdlz2lSG5q7IW1r3VmjOvNeVEL9Ar7KJKwnFUhBDBWKXpUHkCoHQ8uM_UbFeeAnQRc_JzvYHYO83ppi/s1600/my+beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAutXNvEOE8oBH6mnUZuX2QSzkY3oxI42VVSjJD-zI0RbYqJ3qY7-c_TYba73fDSdlz2lSG5q7IW1r3VmjOvNeVEL9Ar7KJKwnFUhBDBWKXpUHkCoHQ8uM_UbFeeAnQRc_JzvYHYO83ppi/s400/my+beans.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's the list of what I've purchased locally (that we like):<br />
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1. Kurt - Der Kaffeeröster<br />
Link: <a href="http://www.kurt-kaffee.de/">http://www.kurt-kaffee.de</a><br />
Found at their café here: <a href="http://share.here.com/r/mylocation/e-eyJuYW1lIjoiS3VydCA6IERlciBLYWZmZWVyXHUwMGY2c3RlciIsImFkZHJlc3MiOiJDbGVtZW5zLUF1Z3VzdC1TdHIuNTUsIEJvbm4sIEdlcm1hbnkiLCJsYXRpdHVkZSI6NTAuNzIyMjU0MzA4ODg5LCJsb25naXR1ZGUiOjcuMDg4Nzk2OTU4ODg4OSwicHJvdmlkZXJOYW1lIjoiZmFjZWJvb2siLCJwcm92aWRlcklkIjo3NjM0MTIzMzA0NzEzMjF9?link=addresses&fb_locale=en_US&ref=facebook">Clemens-August-Str.55 Bonn, Germany 53115</a><br />
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2. Einbrand<br />
Link: <a href="http://www.einbrand.com/einbrand_Kaffeerosterei_Bonn___Koln.html">http://www.einbrand.com/einbrand_Kaffeerosterei_Bonn___Koln.html</a><br />
Found at this Edeka market: <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/cFzgAvmswhS2">https://goo.gl/maps/cFzgAvmswhS2</a><br />
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3. The Barn - Berlin<br />
Link: <a href="https://thebarn.de/">https://thebarn.de</a><br />
Found at the Black Coffee Pharmacy in Bonn: <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/aVdw6WX5iB92">https://goo.gl/maps/aVdw6WX5iB92</a><br />
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4. Gepa<br />
Link: <a href="http://www.gepa.de/produkte/kaffee-tee/kaffee.html">http://www.gepa.de/produkte/kaffee-tee/kaffee.html</a><br />
Found at any Edeka<br />
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5. Moxxa Ethiopia Sidamo<br />
Link: <a href="http://www.moxxacaffe.de/Startseite">http://www.moxxacaffe.de/Startseite</a><br />
Found <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Gg4eewenXM72" target="_blank">here</a> in Cologne near the Belgian Quarter (Belgische Viertel)<br />
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I tried only the 100% Arabica offerings from each brand and while taste is subjective, I preferred The Barn and Gepa most. <i> </i><br />
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I noticed that The Barn offers <a href="https://thebarn.de/pages/subscriptions" target="_blank">subscriptions</a> - the first service of its kind that I've found here. We picked up one of my favorites, and Ethiopia Sidamo from Moxxa yesterday and I'm anxious to try it. <br />
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<h3>
U.S. roasters I like:</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbuj6geLspleSJQiRp4sNwnyJr-GaEE8xaLUVYPzAR58F8i16EAk1e0WuVl0-oiWiUXcFL54Nc5KOZDTl96Mos6X6g3HS5oymIzqlNdzEgSPoTJD9qCeW1zFLCcKg5zMcLF-dsII0Gz1p/s1600/counter_culture.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbuj6geLspleSJQiRp4sNwnyJr-GaEE8xaLUVYPzAR58F8i16EAk1e0WuVl0-oiWiUXcFL54Nc5KOZDTl96Mos6X6g3HS5oymIzqlNdzEgSPoTJD9qCeW1zFLCcKg5zMcLF-dsII0Gz1p/s1600/counter_culture.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://counterculturecoffee.com/" target="_blank">Counter Culture Coffee</a></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blue-bottle-cms.global.ssl.fastly.net/hbhhv9rz9/image/upload/c_thumb,h_252,w_500/v1491003845/lczoarkxpwtesmj96vwn.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="500" height="100" src="https://blue-bottle-cms.global.ssl.fastly.net/hbhhv9rz9/image/upload/c_thumb,h_252,w_500/v1491003845/lczoarkxpwtesmj96vwn.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://bluebottlecoffee.com/" target="_blank">Blue Bottle - Online</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/546ad39ee4b0102461176574/548c1214e4b0efaedbd0a17f/58449eaccd0f6846c857b88d/1480892077719/IMG_06611.jpg?format=750w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/546ad39ee4b0102461176574/548c1214e4b0efaedbd0a17f/58449eaccd0f6846c857b88d/1480892077719/IMG_06611.jpg?format=750w" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.revcoffee.com/" target="_blank">Rev Coffee Roasters - Smyrna, GA</a></td></tr>
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Almost forgot:<br />
<a href="http://www.octanecoffee.com/" target="_blank">Octane Coffee</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 32px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 726px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 32px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 726px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-21929148362128905462017-06-06T06:36:00.001-07:002017-06-06T06:36:10.248-07:00No big deal, Mom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn12GK0D0wlcUMuU7dUlsiBZBTpWqk-6VjoSP3-zEv0c08PQoeMlx4IMeRC4cQmQI7-wNFZI7x_wVvjPEWWgyhuhxMYC2eque3Ta3nQj3UkOUM2I1uCsuNx3gddGciOdU3Kgrat9zMlt0h/s1600/IMG_5495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn12GK0D0wlcUMuU7dUlsiBZBTpWqk-6VjoSP3-zEv0c08PQoeMlx4IMeRC4cQmQI7-wNFZI7x_wVvjPEWWgyhuhxMYC2eque3Ta3nQj3UkOUM2I1uCsuNx3gddGciOdU3Kgrat9zMlt0h/s640/IMG_5495.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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This kid. Y'all. I have to take a moment to brag on him. Every time I get to hear him speak German, I'm impressed. But this morning was exceptional.</div>
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Back story: several weeks ago, he lost his keys to his bike lock. I have the spare key on my keyring, so, while inconvenient, the loss wasn't the end of the world. (However, at least once, Matthew showed up at school to pick Jackson up, realized that he had taken the wrong keys, and had to come all the way home to get my keys in order for Jackson to unlock his bike. Really inconvenient.) </div>
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Jackson knew he had lost the keys while riding his bike, but we had no idea where. After looking for a few weeks, we chalked them up to lost forever.</div>
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Fast forward to this morning as we are dropping Brandtley off for his first day of kindergarten. While I am helping Brandtley to put away all of his new kindergarten gear (lunch, water bottle, backpack, shoes, house shoes, rain boots, rain pants, sport clothes, and jacket), I'm vaguely aware of Jackson having a conversation in German with one of Brandtley's teachers. The teacher turns to me and asks me something about keys in German. I nod, but am only half focusing...not paying attention enough to catch the full translation and meaning. A minute later, Jackson & the teacher walk down the hall and return with his lost keys!! </div>
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Jackson very simply and quickly made small talk which led him to a conversation that expressed his loss of keys and then discovered that the kindergarten had found his keys outside on the sidewalk after we last visited! To me, this entire conversation is huge. So much information. Shared so naturally. So easily. To him, it was nothing. </div>
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I recently made a phone call to the US and purchased (in English!!) a gift using my credit card. The whole call took maybe 3 minutes, but I hung up amazed at the ease of the sheer volume of data I had successfully conveyed so quickly, accomplishing a very simple task that would have been so complex and taken so much longer in German. My mind was overwhelmed at how effortless life in my native language can be and how accustomed I've grown to the daily effort of trying to communicate (or trying to avoid communication) otherwise.</div>
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I love that Jackson has no idea why I was so impressed this morning. I love that he is already internalizing a second language. As the frustration is about to start fresh for Brandtley as he enters daily German kindergarten, it is so encouraging and rewarding to see the fruits of Jackson's effort and the skills he is already gaining. I am so appreciative of the little moments of success that show us the progress we've made. </div>
Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-68868989745543751562017-05-31T00:42:00.000-07:002017-05-31T00:42:36.978-07:00Gardening in Europe<div>
Our house came with a little backyard which we have exclusive access to, since we occupy the lower 2 floors of the house. We love it. It's private and the kids can go outside to play any time. </div>
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However, with exclusive access comes the responsibility for yard upkeep. Which isn't our strong suit. In fact, we really dislike yard work. </div>
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This wasn't a problem in the winter. We moved into the house in November after the weather had turned cold and the grass didn't start growing until recently. And with all of the rain that we get, it's grown long quickly. </div>
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The yard really isn't big enough to need a mower, so we'll probably end up using a weed eater. In the meantime, though, the house came with a SCYTHE! A what? Oh you know, just one of those sharp blades that you swing at the grass to cut it by hand. Doesn't the grim reaper hold a scythe too? I can't remember, but I am pretty sure he holds a sharp blade. </div>
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Yes, that thing came with the yard. As if we would know what to do with it.</div>
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This was the first time I had ever seen one in person and really had no intention of using it. But the kids were bored (don't so many adventures start with that?) and since the yard is starting to look pretty bad, I decided to try it out with them and document our efforts. </div>
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[Can you tell Matthew's been gone a lot lately??]</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzSRjlSKR2Bulh4w-bOHvJ8E_jU9OCJhyXiQXf2OAUUWYg5t20xGBT2jw7g5_A6BTOIZI-QSJiel-lwx-LSjoeKENOsyOH8GPJRrikQTZtf_J-56cGf8DMkRNd1I5Ml8zgBhl0EyVJvRB/s1600/IMG_5254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzSRjlSKR2Bulh4w-bOHvJ8E_jU9OCJhyXiQXf2OAUUWYg5t20xGBT2jw7g5_A6BTOIZI-QSJiel-lwx-LSjoeKENOsyOH8GPJRrikQTZtf_J-56cGf8DMkRNd1I5Ml8zgBhl0EyVJvRB/s640/IMG_5254.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Just me & my scythe. Note the long grass.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbk0DVVG_5G3q4z2ZsOoKRGDEoaLBFmCpRJPvw9EfFFxlK5VMl49s40VKphgpc0HjC5cwTIR2mgzXKV0GQEHsvSzHvua_pVhWukVOZgvhAlYDi58ewH6XPhbyHM-0zDc9FJQmkNfZVDFvj/s1600/IMG_5256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbk0DVVG_5G3q4z2ZsOoKRGDEoaLBFmCpRJPvw9EfFFxlK5VMl49s40VKphgpc0HjC5cwTIR2mgzXKV0GQEHsvSzHvua_pVhWukVOZgvhAlYDi58ewH6XPhbyHM-0zDc9FJQmkNfZVDFvj/s320/IMG_5256.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>You're supposed to swing it, right? Nope! According to the youtube video instructions I found, this is not the way to cut your grass.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxv89yaS5tVqTVYD5khc73RUvZLMsPFQmRvrjaet0t6ziLrT8VLkPWx4oW36u94oGLgHmfbtCCAmWQPj5P3JqoQk100UVMgS3karoXwMccWEFzvxWnrDVFnX9zmzc3JudnVjO776RL8B2/s1600/IMG_5288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxv89yaS5tVqTVYD5khc73RUvZLMsPFQmRvrjaet0t6ziLrT8VLkPWx4oW36u94oGLgHmfbtCCAmWQPj5P3JqoQk100UVMgS3karoXwMccWEFzvxWnrDVFnX9zmzc3JudnVjO776RL8B2/s640/IMG_5288.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Jackson demonstrates correct usage. He was actually much better at it than I was. Maybe due to his angle?</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU_A-b0jgnp_JrVjnrQXETcE8R_59hLqXdk0cx-W8XDfobcnftDBb0BH2W_DTXulM8_I6AAKRymi_sf9cPYuH0__P_nt8APFcCcF-0kn4UILzwmb5PZPOoGXXl6PJRhCc9JIj4Jwxwa_R/s1600/IMG_5290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU_A-b0jgnp_JrVjnrQXETcE8R_59hLqXdk0cx-W8XDfobcnftDBb0BH2W_DTXulM8_I6AAKRymi_sf9cPYuH0__P_nt8APFcCcF-0kn4UILzwmb5PZPOoGXXl6PJRhCc9JIj4Jwxwa_R/s640/IMG_5290.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Our scythe is not very sharp, so it really didn't do much other than flatten the grass.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCStWfeGiN9Dv3xMHN8SlaXANTcVRtFwOTwmyKsOcm_XeQjRP4vjNt5kyDddN0KI96HxGxNFWCQ2KFooLmHD6SzgZImjHnNIC5OPM987X8TihfNeDv109Huz5uLavwSXmhwjUy9iUNjU6t/s1600/IMG_5292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCStWfeGiN9Dv3xMHN8SlaXANTcVRtFwOTwmyKsOcm_XeQjRP4vjNt5kyDddN0KI96HxGxNFWCQ2KFooLmHD6SzgZImjHnNIC5OPM987X8TihfNeDv109Huz5uLavwSXmhwjUy9iUNjU6t/s640/IMG_5292.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Brandtley tries his hand. Kindof hard when the thing is so much bigger than you are. He resorted to just dragging it behind him as he walked around the yard. </i></div>
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<i>(The kid was feeling very European today and dressed himself in his skinny gray jeans paired with a gray shirt.)</i></div>
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Ultimately, our grass is no shorter. Some patches were pulled out in the process. And it was well flattened. </div>
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But! I have found a solution for the weeds growing through our paver stone patio! While walking through the botanical gardens with a friend, we saw a man igniting what appeared to be a lawn mower with a propane tank strapped on. Intrigued, we stopped to watch and take pictures. He found this really weird, but it's completely normal to want to take pics when you see a man lighting what appears to be a jet-propelled lawn mower, right?</div>
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Turns out, there were little flames under the front hood which burn all of the weeds & debris on the gravel path as he pushed it. Much more effective than weed killer and more environmentally friendly. Do they have these in the US?? (It's very possible that these are prolific and you each own one and I have just missed them due to lack of interest in anything yard-work related). </div>
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<i>Can I get the kids one of these for Christmas?? </i></div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-12129040780218047162017-05-26T13:32:00.000-07:002017-05-26T13:32:02.419-07:00Köln: City Shopping Trip<br />
Last weekend, the kids and I spent Saturday exploring the shopping in Köln (Cologne), which is the larger city just north of Bonn. Cologne has a trendy area with a bunch of cute shops, coffee roasters, and cafes. It was very hipster and reminded me of midtown Atlanta but with a European setting and a foreign language. :)<br />
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In case anyone is interested in the places we found, I took some pictures (mostly of furniture since we were furniture shopping. We're still filling in our place here.). The belgisches Viertel (Belgian Quarter) is full of independent, quaint places, and yummy food. I plan to come back for brunch someday. </div>
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<b>How We Live</b> is a cute shop just south of the belgisches Viertel. They have some rugs, side tables, knickknacks, and such. It's so cute. I wish it were down the street from me so that I could wander in just to browse whenever I feel like it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej6HZqvSFvOZ7Wj-yim3k3ZmeNInw5hYNYFFAhQddxkaNoaOUKx8imjedJL9x7eQKpYm_pEFzzqaPf2DrBuvvpJJi0HE7Bn8WGDR3233h2ose-WSxcye6Q2sJcorz5Ey8pvUGvTnMvfBH/s1600/IMG_5229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej6HZqvSFvOZ7Wj-yim3k3ZmeNInw5hYNYFFAhQddxkaNoaOUKx8imjedJL9x7eQKpYm_pEFzzqaPf2DrBuvvpJJi0HE7Bn8WGDR3233h2ose-WSxcye6Q2sJcorz5Ey8pvUGvTnMvfBH/s640/IMG_5229.jpg" width="480" /></a><img alt="Image result for how we live köln" class="irc_mi" height="379" src="https://img.grouponcdn.com/seocms/ehSckBykphPgTyG5yknkJF/How_we_live__Shop_f_r_Interieurdesign_in_K_ln-600x379-600x379.jpeg" style="margin-top: 108px;" width="600" /></div>
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<b>ROOMS Cologne - </b>has tables & chairs. Didn't have anything we were looking for, so no pictures. But that entire street has furniture stores on it (mostly modern design). Hohenstaufenring 48.</div>
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<b>The Flying Fawn</b> on Aachener Str. is full of fun home decor & cute stuff. Also, Aachener str is full of restaurants and shops I want to explore.</div>
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We stopped for lunch at a very hipster little burger bar which offers gluten free buns. It was awesome. What was not awesome was Brandtley climbing into Jackson's chair as we were getting ready to leave and taking a bite of Jackson's gluten-full burger & bun. We spent all of Sunday at home making frequent trips to the bathroom. I could have strangled him, but am hoping that the natural consequences of his actions have been punishment enough. Thankfully the bathroom necessity didn't start until after we got home later that afternoon, but his tummy started hurting within an hour.</div>
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<i>Hipster German cashier complete with man bun and fedora and a snooty hipster attitude. We felt right at home.</i></div>
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<i>(Note: this place doesn't have much seating. There are 3 tables outside & 1 inside which were all full, so we sat at the bar. There are a few standing tables too, but those would have been way too tall for the kids.) </i><br />
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<i>My burger with goat cheese, bacon, and apple slaw.</i></div>
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<i>Really great sodas. A German friend explained to me that the lemonade "Kölsches Wasser" is made in Köln and the name is a joke. There is a very famous perfume that has been made in Köln for many many years (the German version of Channel No.5) named Kölnisch Wasser. This is a play off of that name and ridiculing the perfume's exclusive reputation.</i></div>
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After lunch, we ventured out of the belgisches Viertel to several warehouse-style furniture shops in random places around town. These are the coolest places that I keep finding around here. They are independent shops who find, (sometimes) restore, and re-sell vintage furniture. Often industrial or shabby-chic or rustic. You never know what you'll find. Which is the fun of it. And can also be disappointing if you're looking for something specific.</div>
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Here are some of my favorites that we've found:</div>
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<b>Rarehouse - </b>(Ernst-Heinrich-Geist-Sr 12) These are the people who furnished the big Burrito Rico locations (the one on Aachener Str in Köln & the one in downtown Bonn). I talked with the owner for a while, who was very nice & friendly, and she also recommended the shop Schee. Schee has a location in Düsseldorf with reclaimed furniture (which I plan to visit) and a location in Köln with decor. </div>
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Rarehouse is pretty large, with a lot of pieces. Their website has pictures of the interior showing how large it is.</div>
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<b>Geliebte Möbel </b>(translated: Beloved Furniture)<b> </b> - This place had a much smaller selection than Rarehouse but more refined, less rustic pieces. I didn't check any prices, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were on the high end.</div>
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<b>Exquisit</b> - really cool stuff, some is pricey. These photos were taken a few months ago when we first visited. By the way, all of these warehouse places are unheated in the winter and are FREEZING!</div>
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<b>Kultliving - </b>Not really a warehouse like the others since their furniture is all new. But similar eclectic styles. They have a warehouse location in Bergisch Gladbach and a new concept store in the southern part of Cologne.<br />
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I have a whole Pinterest page of other places I want to visit, but a few of my top picks are GrünBlauGrau (looks like a fun decor shop similar to How We Live), Waage Vier, Schee, and Mill - Vintage & Interior.<br />
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One funny story from our day...<br />
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We took the long train back to Bonn because it was more convenient than making a connection. During our trip, one lady near us enjoyed watching the boys play and spoke to them in perfect English. She had a suitcase and full shopping bag with her, which is not uncommon on trains, and I didn't realize until near the end of the ride that she was a bag lady. However, she clearly enjoyed speaking with us and before she got off the train, she pulled a tract out of her bag and offered it to me, telling me that I might enjoy reading something in English. She clearly doesn't read English as well as she speaks! Here is what she handed me:<br />
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So there's that. And now I have the suicide hotline number. :) </div>
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Tschüss!</div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-6163152300088385882017-05-24T01:35:00.002-07:002017-05-24T01:35:59.266-07:00Circus Fun!When I was a kid, we put on a musical performance every year in elementary school. At Jackson's school here, the kids put on a circus performance! Every year, the school has a "project week" in which normal classes are suspended and the kids work all week on a project. Once every 4 years, this project is Circus School. All of the kids are divided into different groups and each group learns a circus skill together. At the end of the week, the kids put on a circus and perform for their families. <br />
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Friday afternoon was spent at the Circus party, complete with concessions of popcorn, ice cream, and other treats. <br />
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<i>Brandtley enjoying popcorn. Here, the popcorn is popped with sugar (similar to kettle corn) and he loves it!</i></div>
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Then the kids performed their show, which lasted nearly 2 hours!<br />
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There were clowns, magicians, tightrope walkers, gymnasts, unicycle riders, and jugglers...just to name a few. Jackson was in the group who learned "tellerdrehen" (literal translation: plate turning) which is the spinning plates on a stick.<br />
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In this video, Jackson is one of the kids on the floor:<br />
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<i>Jackson's group walking in. Unfortunately, I didn't have a good angle for pictures, so this was the best I got of him.</i></div>
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<i>Clown performance</i></div>
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<i>Tightrope walking</i></div>
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<i>Unicycling</i></div>
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<i>Showing off his red nose after the show. </i></div>
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<i>(Side note: The days are getting very long here now. The sun doesn't go down until nearly 10pm and this picture was taken at 7pm but looks as bright as mid-afternoon.)</i></div>
Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-87240745832200586922017-05-13T02:48:00.002-07:002017-05-13T02:57:27.932-07:00A week full of newsDo you ever have weeks on end where nothing new happens and then everything happens at once? This past week brought a lot of good news for us and a little bit of not-so-good news. On the Good list, we've FINALLY gotten both boys enrolled in the school programs that we've been waiting on! <br />
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Brandtley has been going to his trial kindergarten afternoons over the past two weeks. We knew he had received a full-time place starting in August for the next school year. This kindergarten has 3 rooms of 20+ kids each and every May, they invite the new kids to come play in the afternoons while the teachers observe and then they assign the kids to each of the 3 classes based on the teachers' assessment of personality, friendships, etc. Thursday was the last day of the assessment and when Matthew went to pick him up, the director told him that they have accepted Brandtley to start in June instead of August! He is SO excited! He's had a great time playing there and making new friends over the past two weeks!<br />
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Earlier in the week, I sought out the OGS director at Jackson's school to ask when next year's slots would be assigned. (OGS is the afternoon program at the school. He currently is finished with school at 11:45 or 12:45 every day while most of the other kids stay and play or do activities. He very much wants to go to OGS and we do too so that he can make friends and develop his conversational language skills through play & interaction.) This teacher only speaks to me in German and very quickly, but I am fairly certain that she said he will be given a slot for next year and that we will be notified officially via letter in the next two weeks. YAY! <br />
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When Jackson first started school, we told him that we needed to continue asking her and telling her how much he wants to go to OGS. He really took this to heart and continues to ask her every time he sees her...which can be daily. As he put it, very simply and in a very German manner, "She will say no until she says yes." And yes, she did. :)<br />
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Also on the good list, Jackson definitely does <u>not</u> have Celiac. Both boys had blood tests performed two weeks ago to test for inflammation markers, and Jackson's came back fully in the clear.<br />
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Unfortunately, Brandtley's results did not come back so great. This blood test is routinely performed 6 months after a Celiac diagnosis to ensure that the gluten free diet is working and his body is healing from inflammation. The inflammation markers are supposed to be below "10". Brandtley's registered at 33. (as a reference, Jackson was at 0.2). However, six months ago Brandtley was at 135. So, compared to that he has improved greatly and may just be taking longer to level out & heal.<br />
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Due to the improvement so far, the doctor said that she feels it best to test again in 3 months. If he continues to improve at this rate, then he won't need to see the specialist. If not, then we will go to the pediatric GI specialist at the hospital to troubleshoot whether there is a secondary cause (such as corn, soy, or other protein triggers), or if somehow he is still consuming gluten. We realllllllllly want to avoid this.<br />
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I've struggled a lot this week with frustration and worry. It feels like we're already doing everything we can for his diet, so how can we do more??? It doesn't help that he hasn't grown again in nearly 2 months. I don't know if that's a sign of gluten contamination or just him being a normal kid who grows in spurts. But then what if he continues not to grow and goes to German first grade next year looking like a 4 year old? I know God has a perfect plan for his life, but I'm praying it includes health and growth. And that I can trust that with peace while "trying harder" to help him heal.<br />
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To end on a good note, Brandtley has graduated to a bigger bike! It's still slightly too big for him, but his little bike's chain kept falling off so we pulled out Jackson's old bike to see if B could manage it. He rides well, and is doing great! (Even though he has to jump off every time he comes to a stop!) He's able to go much faster on this one and is SO proud of himself!<br />
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-63493580268635628692017-05-03T00:28:00.002-07:002017-05-03T00:28:46.986-07:00I cut down a tree for youMonday was the first of May, which is celebrated both as Labor day as well as May day. It's a public holiday, so schools, stores, banks, etc are all closed. Unlike May day in the US, the day seems to be much more celebrated here.<br />
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The night before (April 30th) is Walpurgisnacht which is a legend involving wintry witches & devils welcoming spring. We saw posters advertising midnight dance parties to "Tanz im den Mai" (Dance into May), but did not see any witches or devils. :)<br />
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However, we did see another traditional celebration associated with May day. To show affection for a girl, a boy will cut down a birch tree from the forrest, decorate it with brightly colored crepe paper, and tie it in front of her house (or to her house). The tradition dates back to the 17th century and originated from an older pagan tradition to symbolize the reawakening of spring and fertility.<br />
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I noticed on May 1st that several houses on our street had what appeared to be colorful ribbon decorations on an existing tree in front of the house, but upon closer look, they were indeed cut birch trees!<br />
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This morning, we found this one on our way to school, dedicated to Miriam.<br />
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A friend took this picture of their neighbor's house, which received TWO trees! Are there sisters or just 1 lucky girl??<br />
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I must admit, I was impressed. I had no idea German boys were so romantic! It could help that supposedly part of the tradition says that the boy must remove the tree after a month and that he will receive a crate of beer from the girl's parents!!! I need to find out if this part is true too!Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-54555149552501186912017-04-12T08:46:00.001-07:002017-04-12T08:49:51.384-07:00Spring Break Activities and Adventures - Part 1<br />
We started off Spring Break this year with a bang. Not really. Half of spring break this year will be consumed with completing driver's license activities described in <a href="http://onehullofastory.blogspot.de/2017/04/do-i-really-need-drivers-license.html" target="_blank">this post</a>. Luckily, in German schools, Jackson gets 2 weeks of break for Easter holidays! And even more luckily, Matthew is off work for all of it!<br />
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We plan on spending the first week as a "staycation", enjoying local hikes and being tourists in our own town (which we sort of really are), in between driver's license appointments and hopefully checking some of those items off the long list. </div>
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Since we had not planned to travel immediately, we were lucky to be in town on Saturday, the first day of break, when Jackson's teacher got married! The class was not invited to the wedding, but the room mom coordinated for the kids to be standing outside the church with handmade flowers as part of the couple's exiting processional. Here are some pictures of the bride & groom and all the kids:</div>
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<i>Jackson waiting for the bride & groom to exit</i></div>
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Yesterday, we visited Germany's longest & highest suspension bridge, which is about an hour drive from our house. There are multiple hikes in the area, or you can choose a gravel path from the town to the bridge. We took the path to the bridge & then opted to hike back to town afterwards through the woods & hills. (The path is super easy & would accommodate strollers too).</div>
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<i>View looking back at the town from the path to the bridge. This area looked so flat when we arrived, but is really very hilly with deep ravines.</i></div>
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<i>Being silly. They weren't afraid of the bridge at all!</i></div>
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<i>On our hike back. We all returned covered in dirt!</i></div>
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<i>You can see the bridge at the top of this picture</i></div>
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<i>So pretty. Much of this hike reminded us of our hikes in Colorado.</i></div>
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<i>The town</i></div>
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<i>Instead of taking the highways back, we drove through backwoods and they were beautiful. Twisty roads that felt like we were in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. And then we would round a turn and see castles and quaint little towns and remember that we were actually in Germany!</i></div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-84176137487062348672017-04-10T01:03:00.000-07:002017-04-10T01:58:18.069-07:00Do I really need a Driver's License?The short answer is yes. Yes. In my brain, at least, I know that I do need a driver's license. But it is so tempting right now to say no and just go about my merry way.<br />
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Life here has settled in. We are comfortable and enjoying spring. We enjoy our pedestrian life. And while we have a car, we have little daily need for it. Between the closeness of our current home to everything we need, public transportation to get to friends, and the difficult parking, I hardly ever drive.<br />
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Which is contributing to even more dread of the process of getting my German license.<br />
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When you move to Germany, you have 6 months to get a German License. We currently still have our US licenses, but if we were in an accident or pulled over, technically we would be driving without the required license once we pass the 6 month mark. Part of me says that's ok, I just won't drive. Except that my US license will expire within 2 years and then if I ever want (need) to rent a car or drive elsewhere, such as when in the US, I'll be up a creek. And getting my German license 2+ years after establishing residency sounds a little sketchy. <br />
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The crazy thing is that some US states have reciprocity or at least partial reciprocity, and if your US license is from one of those states, you simply go get a new German license. I don't know what Georgia did wrong but we get none of that. We must go through the entire process as if we've never driven a car before.<br />
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So, I'm preparing to suck it up as we embark on the lengthy and painful process of getting a driver's license in Germany.<br />
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About a month ago, knowing that our 6 month mark was approaching, I emailed our agent to ask what steps we need to take to get started. She sent me back a lengthy email with no fewer than 10 lengthy and sub-bulleted steps. She ended the email with a very German sounding: "And that is all". Oh. Ok. That's all. No biggie.<br />
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Here's our list of steps to a license. Some are just logistical, but it's still a time consuming process.<br />
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1. Get our US licenses translated by taking them, with payment, to an office in town and picking them up a few weeks later. (I picked them up Saturday! ✔)<br />
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2. Purchase the study materials and app to prepare for the written test. To do this, you first pick a driving school and then go there to purchase. I found a driving school, made the purchase, but have yet to study. Using the app is also dependent upon #3 where you receive a code. Partial ✔.<br />
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3. Register at a driving school. Although we've both been driving roughly for 20 years now, before we can register to apply for a license, we both must be registered at a school and have the paperwork to prove it. I am partially registered via the school's website, but must pick up my paperwork now, and negotiate with them the level of training that we will actually need. I have no desire to drive around for hours on end with an instructor (who I'm paying by the hour). Another Partial ✔.<br />
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4. Complete the Safety Course. This is a 7 hour course. All in German. I went yesterday and Matthew is going this afternoon. I have a renewed appreciation for Jackson sitting in German school every single day without complaining. <br />
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The course was taught in a room in the back of a salsa bar, and roughly 50 people attended. About a quarter were 17 year old kids getting their licenses for the first time, about half appeared to be immigrants of non-European descent, and a quarter were what Matthew joked were UOCs (unidentifiable older caucasians) like me. Older being anything over 20. But they all appeared to speak German. And like good Germans (or wannabe Germans), all paid attention. Everyone dutifully put their phones away and participated in class.<br />
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We performed CPR on dummies, bandaged each other's arms, and had to practice rolling each other over on the floor. But most of the time was just spent sitting and listening.<br />
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It wasn't hard but I was exhausted at the end of the day. The instructor, who knew the material was boring, really tried to make the class interactive, so I spent my energies trying to make it appear like I knew what was being discussed without getting called on. :) At the end of the day, I succeeded in having only spoken a single word. ✔<br />
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5. Vision exam. If you know the history of my eyesight and vision exams (specifically for driver's licenses), you'll understand why this was contributing to my stress. And unfortunately, it's not something I can study for or practice. Amazingly, I passed (I think)! The First Aid course I attended gave us the option take the vision exam at the same place as the First Aid course, so I took it and received a little piece of paper with a signature on it, which I take as a good sign. ✔<br />
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6. Get photos taken for the license. ✔<br />
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7. Register for the license at the Stadthaus (government building). This is not actually getting the license, just registering that you intend to get the license - you still must pass the tests. We must bring proof of #1-6 with us to the registration, and we have an appointment scheduled for Wednesday morning of this week.<br />
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8. Once registered, we can schedule the written test. Thankfully, we can take the test in English. However, this will encompass all of the rules of driving, which differ just enough from the US rules, that it is incredibly difficult. From what I hear, the fail rate is pretty high and there are rumors of people taking it up to 8 times before passing.<br />
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9. Complete any required driving with the driving school instructors. TBD on how much we will be required to do.<br />
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10. The last step (and the one I dread most) is the practical test in which we drive with an examiner. Nearly all Americans fail, either from lack of knowledge of some road rule or just because we're Americans. I'm completely prepared to fail. More than that, if they ask me to parallel park on a hill, I might just get out and walk away. It won't happen. I have a hard enough time parking our manual transmission car on a sunny day without pressure or spectators, so the thought of doing it with an examiner is terrifying to me. So long as I don't hit a pedestrian, cyclist, or another car, I'll consider it a relief, even if I fail.<br />
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So that's it. When I was looking for driving schools last month, I found the one below online. I ended up picking a different school that is closer to our house with better weekend hours. Hopefully their diarrhea rate is also low...or perhaps it's a bad sign that their website didn't say. I hope not to find out!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI6rH0Okzdp5TZ3LI6BRhyAUSUqA7WzcUq3m3N3vgtzjEjWOn35B-8UchLX8ZlAjuiyemLQeBdDmC0GsHN1pkoJ4nczfPaBQSPT8wHFu9FucA9_3lFYqsMBqiFiCm-LKXe8eyn8Nn26LV/s1600/low-rate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI6rH0Okzdp5TZ3LI6BRhyAUSUqA7WzcUq3m3N3vgtzjEjWOn35B-8UchLX8ZlAjuiyemLQeBdDmC0GsHN1pkoJ4nczfPaBQSPT8wHFu9FucA9_3lFYqsMBqiFiCm-LKXe8eyn8Nn26LV/s640/low-rate.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Translation courtesy of Google Chrome </i></div>
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<i>The door to our classroom, with the CPR dummies, defibrillator, and rolled bandages</i></div>
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<i>The front lobby of the salsa bar. A belly dancing class of Hindu women started mid-afternoon in the room next to ours, which you can sort-of see through the glass window in this pic.</i></div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-5054716026095642602017-03-29T08:57:00.002-07:002017-03-29T09:00:13.334-07:00Update on Spring and Flowers (or Lack Thereof)So, I recently posted about the <a href="http://onehullofastory.blogspot.de/2017/03/spring-is-here_15.html" target="_blank">rose vines (here)</a> in front of our house that needed a trim and a little TLC. Well, the good news is that the trimming did not turn out to be my responsibility. The bad news is that the guy to maintains our building decided the vines were overgrown and that it was time to get rid of them, even as there were buds on the vines about to bloom. Sadly, they are now gone. <br />
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Here's the updated appearance, sans roses.<br />
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<i>View from the house looking across the street. The big blue bag holds the remains of the roses.</i></div>
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<i>A lovely tree down the street from our house. And a familiar little blond boy under the street sign!</i></div>
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<i>I love the yellow flowers visible from our bedroom window. So cheerful! Also visible is the grill that came with our house. We intend to inspect the grill soon and grill some burgers once we clean it up.</i></div>
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Bonn is also famous for having beautiful cherry blossom trees. So far, the smaller trees are blooming but the bigger ones still have a few weeks. More pictures to come!</div>
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-17760005008906742822017-03-19T00:59:00.001-07:002017-03-19T01:01:15.754-07:00A Happy Extended Birthday Celebration<br />
This past Sunday was Matthew's birthday, but he was working. If you have to be working on your birthday, at least it got to be somewhere cool like Tel Aviv, right?<br />
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He got home late Monday night, so we celebrated on Tuesday with a few gifts and a homemade gluten free apple pie. </div>
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The gift I was most excited to give included tickets to a studio concert of Bach's Goldberg Variations performed on a handmade, double manual harpsichord, dinner reservations at a tiny cafe a few blocks from our house, and a babysitter for the kids. There was nothing to "give" since the tickets were just by reservation and not printed, so Jackson helped me out by making a ticket for "Goldberg + Dinner". </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt0LD22sat6l6Ko7l_JGa6c22UqVn1pLczVvnL3UDwZ5ReoYiHI50a8SZxhz7EdQQwyFHkzSt-CQWd4kPZu68M4kR74IEMja8sMaWZz-p-7Y8EVtqeYbk-sI0WjCyuczxgwOcQCNmEVo4/s1600/IMG_4393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt0LD22sat6l6Ko7l_JGa6c22UqVn1pLczVvnL3UDwZ5ReoYiHI50a8SZxhz7EdQQwyFHkzSt-CQWd4kPZu68M4kR74IEMja8sMaWZz-p-7Y8EVtqeYbk-sI0WjCyuczxgwOcQCNmEVo4/s640/IMG_4393.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>We clearly need to give him more exposure to piano keyboards</i></div>
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The performance was in a private studio, so it was a very intimate setting with maybe 20 audience members. We love the Goldberg, but had only ever heard it performed on piano, so this was a real treat. We both marveled at how hearing the piece performed on the instrument it was originally written for allowed it to shine in a way not possible on the piano and brought out an entirely different experience. Sadly, the majority of us today have never heard Bach's keyboard works as they were intended. <br />
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The best part is that all of this was within walking distance of our house. The experience (sans babysitter) reminded me of the opportunities we had in college as music students to hear amazing music performed live just steps from where we live. We both left with a desire to attend events like this more frequently. Hopefully here we will have that opportunity!<br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-87877966006813300562017-03-15T01:24:00.000-07:002017-03-15T03:45:41.665-07:00Spring is HERE!The past five days have been gloriously beautiful! Until last Friday, it was still freezing and raining every day. I don't think we had seen the sun in a few weeks. I had mentally prepared myself for a long winter until at least April, so when the sun came out at the end of last week and the temperatures rose to nearly 60 degrees F, it was the best surprise!<br />
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I think the entire city has spent every minute of daylight outside, including us, just soaking up the sunlight and warmth. The ice cream shops which are on every corner (sometimes 2 per corner!) have all opened and the cafes have filled the sidewalks and plazas with tables. It's lovely.<br />
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<i>Brandtley found this spot on our front patio railing in direct sunlight</i></div>
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The kids and I took advantage of the weather this weekend with a picnic on Saturday along with a long afternoon at the playground then a walk along the Rhine. Sunday was spent wandering through an outdoor antique/flea market then they rode scooters around the park-like area in front of our house while I watched from a bench.<br />
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<i>Picnicking with chocolate mousse</i></div>
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<i>The playgrounds were packed</i></div>
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<i>People grilling out in the green spaces in front of the university, overlooking the Rhine (behind me)</i></div>
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<i>We found this little biergarten overlooking the Rhine and there's a gravel/dirt yard for playing a game that looked similar to bocce ball. You may not be able to see the silver balls on the ground in this picture, but there were at least 4 games being held on Saturday, one of which Brandtley excitedly ruined when he ran into their game to pick up a ball!</i></div>
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<i>On our walk along the Rhine</i></div>
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<i> Metal swords at the flea market. These did not come home with us!</i></div>
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Yesterday, we went to OBI (the German equivalent of Home Depot) and purchased some window boxes to hang on our balcony and scoped out some patio furniture. I also may have impulse-purchased two citrus fruit trees....with my brown thumb and the fact that we live in northern Europe, I'm not optimistic that they will live until next year, but we can enjoy kumquats and lemons from our backyard for the next few weeks at least! Can citrus trees survive in Germany???<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPT0ciKDMM1FkQWmWyb8xxJwW4AJwSH3kyTJ2zzrbYCXAzIJL_9GDds2aZ1CWJN9dr3ohSbp_oYpLpSpzbiolas7Qd2kmsH2c4j86omFZH2y7kJuJOkTuEErvWWJu0KcbCGKD7l36wW94/s1600/IMG_4336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPT0ciKDMM1FkQWmWyb8xxJwW4AJwSH3kyTJ2zzrbYCXAzIJL_9GDds2aZ1CWJN9dr3ohSbp_oYpLpSpzbiolas7Qd2kmsH2c4j86omFZH2y7kJuJOkTuEErvWWJu0KcbCGKD7l36wW94/s640/IMG_4336.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Our little balcony off of the kitchen. I plan to put a few chairs & a cafe table out here soon. And the kumquat tree will be moved to a sunnier area of the yard.</i></div>
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Now I need to figure out what to do with the rest of the yard...It definitely needs a little TLC but I've found that someone previously planted a number of great plants including rosemary, sage, several other herbs and a number of flowering plants. I might put a larger table down there too for outdoor dining. </div>
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<i>Our backyard. Everything here except the swing was left by the prior tenants. </i></div>
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It might also be nice to have some sort of seating in the front garden too. Our landlord mentioned that it's ours to do with what we want, and that we could put a table out front if we wanted, but I'm not sure yet what we will put there.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy432Z6IuXd27qsVWxkFqw65YmzyTVzw3UqWs9UqDZ-GFmhEVu9UYB2X3ou6BZ7nLc38j-C1yoBhNk-M1q6E6oCorF3B4rqn2MxNH2tcV6XbKpbWBRru1JYhtmFJq-rOHDakD3l1SGhIR/s1600/IMG_4341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy432Z6IuXd27qsVWxkFqw65YmzyTVzw3UqWs9UqDZ-GFmhEVu9UYB2X3ou6BZ7nLc38j-C1yoBhNk-M1q6E6oCorF3B4rqn2MxNH2tcV6XbKpbWBRru1JYhtmFJq-rOHDakD3l1SGhIR/s640/IMG_4341.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Our front loggia overlooking the front garden. Also known as Brandtley's spot in the sun. </i></div>
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<i> I feel like it might look weird to leave chairs out here, but it would be a really nice place to sit in the evenings with a view of the green space in front of the house where kids & dogs play in the afternoons.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOKtjcYMpxItqZBzHN8wWmKVfvokNvlKMOXuZqGDbYsqm124TNTiDrr-QWP4518HEfihSNTOyBSQpacFDxo0_zqjrAIQBvLn8TQbkY53waRw5-NBJERiO8pIftgYqN-zGcNOaOEv5PJ98/s1600/IMG_4343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOKtjcYMpxItqZBzHN8wWmKVfvokNvlKMOXuZqGDbYsqm124TNTiDrr-QWP4518HEfihSNTOyBSQpacFDxo0_zqjrAIQBvLn8TQbkY53waRw5-NBJERiO8pIftgYqN-zGcNOaOEv5PJ98/s640/IMG_4343.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Our front garden. The vines over the front gate are roses and are just starting to turn green. Do I need to prune these????</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJZKUktz7sDHMwbn3zclvB3nbT3M4qxhsRAlHNKJY97canZQIUneKTZAJDVvL3k7WSR6HG9QOs89c1mNlRuwu7IYaBdEud6uOvrf3idMkWxgPZj2XqCbUbDFPzaPbuXxwL85yLvBBTRsU/s1600/IMG_4366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJZKUktz7sDHMwbn3zclvB3nbT3M4qxhsRAlHNKJY97canZQIUneKTZAJDVvL3k7WSR6HG9QOs89c1mNlRuwu7IYaBdEud6uOvrf3idMkWxgPZj2XqCbUbDFPzaPbuXxwL85yLvBBTRsU/s640/IMG_4366.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Also the front garden, where we could put a table. Our front loggia is on the left and the bikes are usually stored underneath.</i></div>
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Please tell me what to do with this space! If this is my responsibility to keep up with, then it might be overgrown within a few months... </div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-84071386301636466892017-03-11T10:31:00.000-08:002017-03-11T10:58:15.807-08:007 Random Things I Love About Europe. And a few things I don't.<br />
1. Street Performers. I've never actually lived in a city known for street performers, so maybe the likes of this guy are more common in the US than I'm aware of.... but really. How often do you see a antique square grand being played with mallets on the street??<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwnRE9nJ_ytY9kOdyBjvoB3tOFBMYOD9xUQTm7bBeMIN-gxXrJ_EcsPA8vi3_mEH73gZA8tuNW8FK1JhL00pQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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2. You can get some awesome chocolate mousse with brandy in it from the grocery store. So yummy.<br />
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Also discovered today that there is a white wine mousse too!</div>
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3. Sidewalk cafes. Everywhere. Enough said. </div>
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<i>The architecture isn't too bad either... :) </i></div>
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4. Hats. Ok, this really is not exclusive to Europe, but just a result of living in a cold climate with pedestrian culture. However! I love the hat! Not only does it keep my head warm, it hides my hair....especially convenient for morning bicycle rides to school. Did I wash it today? Did I even brush it yet? Who knows!</div>
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5. Saffron is cheap! It's still sold in very small quantities (like in the US) due to drug use, but I bought some for paella recently and instead of $14, it was 2 EUR!</div>
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6. The umbrellas. Again, probably nothing to do with Europe, but since it rains here every.single.day, a lot of people carry very cheerful, colorful umbrellas. Reds, yellows, lots of pinks, flowers, pictures. It helps brighten endlessly rainy days. I need some colorful umbrellas in my life. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREWkrSSIFxBtq6hjqZjgQIRztKr_p1iI4NDgYoQR5x7gzgOkIXD-s_tryYuTa_UGhKZ8tzU204F005WChIy3Sexbqyf5DOPvA3FSWXXVWNHguPf3ID4fJTj4bbMByKp59ByBeM8TC682j/s1600/IMG_4271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREWkrSSIFxBtq6hjqZjgQIRztKr_p1iI4NDgYoQR5x7gzgOkIXD-s_tryYuTa_UGhKZ8tzU204F005WChIy3Sexbqyf5DOPvA3FSWXXVWNHguPf3ID4fJTj4bbMByKp59ByBeM8TC682j/s320/IMG_4271.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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7. The flowers. Even in winter, you can find flower vendors all throughout the city and they're unbelievably inexpensive. Another cheerful burst of color for dreary days. These are currently on our table:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3U9ZoIIWrw1D5d5Ci-aHMuYQ1H_cThrxkshVXgo5Um4tYjETf9NXOpMJOWD8sITmmB1K1j9XVRfPP1BFjPeblJc9dEdVYd5IIohQ50tLYeOFlo_8StOB9hF1TtQaVTuF3QfGN3brXuUB/s1600/IMG_4312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3U9ZoIIWrw1D5d5Ci-aHMuYQ1H_cThrxkshVXgo5Um4tYjETf9NXOpMJOWD8sITmmB1K1j9XVRfPP1BFjPeblJc9dEdVYd5IIohQ50tLYeOFlo_8StOB9hF1TtQaVTuF3QfGN3brXuUB/s640/IMG_4312.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<u>And the things not loved</u></div>
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I wanted to put this in for a balanced perspective, but it's really not a very long list. We're loving where we live! Also, I couldn't bring myself to say that I <i>dislike </i>or <i>hate </i>- Those words are too strong. So, here are the things I don't love...</div>
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1. Lack of Mexican food. Is it good or bad that this tops the list?? ;) Even though I can cook, I'm struggling with tortillas due to the gluten limitation. Our homemade flour tortillas just aren't the same with GF flour, and I haven't found corn tortillas.</div>
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2. Driving. Really it's not the actual driving, it's the parking. The car is just a hassle and I far prefer to walk. Plus, our upcoming driver's license requirements are terrifying me. </div>
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3. The endless rain and general lack of sunshine. I'm hoping this is a seasonal issue that is about to improve. The past two days have been GORGEOUS, which has been lifesaving since Matthew's on a long trip. But until yesterday, it's been miserably rainy. It feels like we moved to Seattle. Perhaps colder. Thank goodness for cheerful umbrellas and flowers and cozy candles!</div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-12836278107798881312017-03-05T00:47:00.000-08:002017-03-05T01:20:03.033-08:00Bonn Alaaf! Our First Karneval<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtroj7kPC6xrv9pMdoklV23JjzQ7sodx9V9DP7puv70a5GJmp72BWx-QrXgkOqCiV7ejOooNVV57vnMFLTvkK9-_cs5FyvjdGiElx8iqxPi86MVLHdq7OAHURxsUbZ7ZPGeb0PCML0IfgB/s1600/Attachment-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtroj7kPC6xrv9pMdoklV23JjzQ7sodx9V9DP7puv70a5GJmp72BWx-QrXgkOqCiV7ejOooNVV57vnMFLTvkK9-_cs5FyvjdGiElx8iqxPi86MVLHdq7OAHURxsUbZ7ZPGeb0PCML0IfgB/s640/Attachment-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wow! Where to start on Karneval? This is the biggest event since Christmas here and I've been working on this post on & off for a week. So. Many. Pictures. The Karneval season starts on November 11th at 11:11am and culminates on the day prior to Ash Wednesday. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyge4r3mgfZ1SVT9yixobLMV0SjXjG6liwivADVob6cProMVwjtfj9_ZbrSzFCwQ6NTTjuIsMwfmx4QN3qJQA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Karneval costumes appeared in stores immediately after Christmas and replaced entire sections of stores that had previously sold Christmas decorations.<br />
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In the weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday, parades are held in most towns and costumes begin appearing on the street. It can be a little weird several weeks ahead of time to see adults dressed as animals or in bathrobes (!) on the street, but as we approached the weekend, there were more costumes than normally dressed people.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkA5471odcH6MCM7xeraXMR_CPcZrYGK_0bAAF0QnPCauJB00v7K4B3eEPiO5APaS0_izcEthBx-OH6yxijrn2Y48b1DqYqUqXP55c9g8z_VC7zQLGzqcTpFE6a8qN2dfNjfSVvAvwneH/s1600/IMG_3723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkA5471odcH6MCM7xeraXMR_CPcZrYGK_0bAAF0QnPCauJB00v7K4B3eEPiO5APaS0_izcEthBx-OH6yxijrn2Y48b1DqYqUqXP55c9g8z_VC7zQLGzqcTpFE6a8qN2dfNjfSVvAvwneH/s640/IMG_3723.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>My very poor picture of the guy in costume in a bathrobe. He was also carrying a 6 pack of beer. The dude abides?? </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56kZTVGQL7WWwj8_2tx6m__5H1SBjYDsZY4_qS1OwUgmLGuatzRmHfeGX2WDKoSux6uCdTLqm3xOlpSF9NKK9ZOgwUwtxU5eaDAxY33mmPQl-keik4yT6Xz1xeSJYjqwWxNEhbzaFqN3p/s1600/IMG_4234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56kZTVGQL7WWwj8_2tx6m__5H1SBjYDsZY4_qS1OwUgmLGuatzRmHfeGX2WDKoSux6uCdTLqm3xOlpSF9NKK9ZOgwUwtxU5eaDAxY33mmPQl-keik4yT6Xz1xeSJYjqwWxNEhbzaFqN3p/s640/IMG_4234.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Two kids - the girl was a pirate and the boy was hamburger & french fries</i></div>
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<i>Adults in animal costumes</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTRDYppER7xEnk1KTltF9Evj-ujlf0ry6MQORTWbAMoIQtVMuseL3HHHbyQojxz34FSjaqYUOp5XKE6mF36Tsdfx69KoeMRgu5mTjNixfn_JqCCYmIgCRW267iGvc4zDOLtzi9ZB0Y6Bx/s1600/IMG_4229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTRDYppER7xEnk1KTltF9Evj-ujlf0ry6MQORTWbAMoIQtVMuseL3HHHbyQojxz34FSjaqYUOp5XKE6mF36Tsdfx69KoeMRgu5mTjNixfn_JqCCYmIgCRW267iGvc4zDOLtzi9ZB0Y6Bx/s640/IMG_4229.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The Thursday prior to Ash Wednesday is the real kick-off to the party. Jackson's school celebrated by a full-school-day party (no class at all!) that started at 8:11am and school let out early at 11:11am for a long weekend. They sang songs, played games, and got candy. The adults were all dressed up too! His school then participated in a parade in Poppelsdorf, which we skipped due to leaving town for the long weekend.<br />
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<i>Jackson's teacher is this tall man. He dressed up as a church! Complete with a church tower on his head and bricks on his clothes. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7TPKuHDo5P1Zy9VfOI7otqlDucddgAZuBtH4JXEdrqLaA8Y1BWdlv38XNmur3YJ07IFCLCU3fR5Z5fNCT9XKt9D7xbXNxxH9mfitFis6H1N1FYbOPXtTrvsOSewbL988kPIAl0oT_daR/s1600/IMG_3716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7TPKuHDo5P1Zy9VfOI7otqlDucddgAZuBtH4JXEdrqLaA8Y1BWdlv38XNmur3YJ07IFCLCU3fR5Z5fNCT9XKt9D7xbXNxxH9mfitFis6H1N1FYbOPXtTrvsOSewbL988kPIAl0oT_daR/s640/IMG_3716.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Our family dressed & ready for the school party</i></div>
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Throughout the weekend parties and parades continue throughout the city and region. Unlike the Mardi Gras celebrations, Monday (Rosenmontag) is the primary day of celebration with the biggest parades. We got back in town just in time to attend Bonn's parade, which according to the newspapers was one of Bonn's largest with more than 250,000 spectators and lasted most of the afternoon. This is big by Bonn's standards but is dwarfed by Cologne's event which drew over a million.<br />
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During the parade, all of the 5200 parade participants throw candy and other treats to the crowd who yell "Kamelle! Kamelle!" to ask for "Treats! Treats!" and hold out bags for candy. You can hear it in the video below:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwsrbcEtv8sqt93TGVQyrCd2huTiiMW-TmI9bfY05ufRFnKZ5BxYDiF8sVKiHqYQ6vghpZdh9AvyHszUV1WWg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Each town also has their own Karneval "fool's cry" and Bonn's is "Alaaf!" You can hear it chanted as a call & response when the speaker calls out "Bonn!" and the crowd says "Alaaf!" I looked up "Alaaf" online and it doesn't seem to have an exact translation but is sort of a nonsense word that originally comes from an old drinking word on beer containers meaning "to life!" or possibly "the best!"<br />
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The parade in Cologne can be very politically satirical, but for the most part, Bonn's was not. However, there were a few crazy floats in the mix!<br />
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<i>I want to know who she was supposed to be!!</i></div>
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<b>Our favorite part were the Venetian Society's beautiful costumes:</b><br />
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<b>These guys were dressed in fur with fake blood dripping down their faces. But their music was just so, um, incongruous with their costumes:</b><br />
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Music was played, cannons were fired, candy was thrown, cheers were yelled, and a good time was had by all of the costumed crowd! <br />
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The kids came home with a HUGE bag of candy which also included 3 sets of chopsticks, 2 yellow roses, 2 packs of flower seeds (to be planted in our backyard), a small pack of tissues, a cosmetic product sample, 2 toys, and a lot of popcorn.<br />
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In contrast to Mardi Gras, Tuesday (or Violet Tuesday) was very quiet. The kids all returned to school and not a costume was seen. Supposedly, the burning of the "Nubbel" (straw men) happens at midnight to atone for the sins committed during Karneval celebrations, but we didn't see any. Disclaimer: I went to bed at 11 but Matthew went into town to see if he could find some Nubble-Burning, and I asked him to take pictures. Sadly he found nothing.<br />
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On Wednesday, I asked Jackson if he went to Mass that day since his school is Catholic & they attend Mass every other week. I remain amused at his impressions of Mass as he relates them to me since he has been raised in Protestant churches and also speaks so little German, so he usually has no idea what's going on or why. He said oh no, it was not the right day, Mommy, but that they talked about the Bible and a man put something on his forehead, which he immediately wiped off! Apparently, he didn't understand what was discussed and thought it was gross! Which then led to a discussion that I should have considered having with him the day before. :/ We will be more prepared next year!<br />
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<i>Our parade costumes</i></div>
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<i>I had a hard time getting a picture of the kids at the parade...the crowd was too thick and they didn't want to turn around for the camera! Jackson was Batman and Brandtley was the bat from Wildkrats. Both former Halloween costumes.</i></div>
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-12199141742705214282017-03-04T03:49:00.000-08:002017-03-04T08:24:18.447-08:00Playing with Fire and Other Life Lessons<div style="font-family: helvetica; margin: 0px;">
I read this article today in the NY Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/well/family/teaching-children-to-play-with-fire.html" target="_blank">Teaching Children to Play with Fire</a> about children in Berlin learning fire safety and found it to be fascinating in light of our own observations in Germany. While touring Kindergartens (German pre-schools), one teacher proudly pointed out the "fire play" station in a room for 3-5 year olds. I tried my best not to allow my shocked reaction (or a smirk) to register on my face as the tour continued as if this was the most normal activity in the world for 3 year olds to perform at pre-school, and internally wondered about the actual practice of children playing with fire at school.<br />
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In the next room, my questions were answered when I saw a little boy who looked to be roughly 4 years old sitting at this room's fire station and safely lighting matches under supervision! I went home and laughed incredulously about it with Matthew.<br />
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However, a number of German homes (including ours) have wood-fired stoves that assist in heating in the winter, so after that visit, we began allowing our boys to assist in starting the fire. I keep the matches in a single common area of the house (kitchen cabinet) where they cannot be played with in secret and we have a firm rule that matches can only be used if Mommy & Daddy are present, but if there is anything to be lit (candle, fireplace) then I let the kids help, and they do great!!<br />
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The NY Times article mentions German fire departments assisting in children's education on fire and fire safety, which follows a theme I've noticed at Jackson's school. Every few weeks a different authority figure comes to the school to teach the children about a topic. Matthew and I call these "Life Lessons". Sometimes they are specifically geared only to a certain age (such as First grade) but sometimes the entire elementary school attends. <br />
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The first "Life Lesson" Jackson attended was a dentist visiting to instruct on tooth care and how to correctly brush their teeth. This didn't seem too far off from what we encountered in Atlanta public schools, so we didn't think much of it.<br />
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A few weeks later, the police came to instruct on car safety, including seat belt usage, car seats/booster seats, and correct behavior while in them. Two weeks from now, the police are scheduled to visit to instruct the first graders on street walking (literal translation from German, not to be confused with the art of becoming a street-walker. Is there a word in English that exactly reflects what you call the knowledge and practice of pedestrian rules?). We are also already aware that in 2nd grade the children receive swimming lessons at a nearby public pool and in 4th grade the police instruct them in a course on riding their bike on the street with traffic, completed with a test at the end. Kind of like driver's ed for 10 year olds!<br />
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We've found that in Germany once children reach school age (6-7), they are allowed/expected to have so much more freedom than kids in the US, including going to school by themselves or even taking public transportation, and it's not uncommon to see kids by themselves with their large school backpacks on. So, it makes sense (and seems so very German) that they would be appropriately instructed on the correct methods by which to do so!<br />
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Side note: there seems to be a very distinct shift in mindset at the start of school. Younger children are never seen by themselves and many people on the street are extremely mindful of a younger child's safety. Since Brandtley looks more like a 3 year old than a 5 year old in stature, he often receives much fussing, care, and worry from passersby, urging him to be careful or asking where his parents are, even if we're only a few feet away. However, Jackson never receives a 2nd glance, even if he's completely alone.<br />
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In a funny, related story...Yesterday, Matthew, Brandtley, and I walked into Altstadt to do some shopping and while waiting with a crowd of other pedestrians at a "don't walk" sign, we witnessed the rare occasion of someone jaywalking. The woman was out for a jog and the light was about to turn, so she was in no danger according to American mindsets, but to our surprise, Brandtley pointed and shouted at her. To our greater surprise, he then was warmly applauded by an elderly German lady who seemed so proud of him and appreciated that he called out this law-breaking woman! Once out of earshot, we laughed about it the rest of the way to the store!. </div>
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<i>This is a road sign on our street. It has nothing to do with the story, other than the fact the Brandtley is the one who first pointed it out to us. I have no idea why a warthog is on a street sign in the middle of the city and the sign is not on any of the standard German street sign lists that I can find. :)</i></div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5465942258854072532.post-43361605103345194132017-02-27T14:10:00.001-08:002017-02-27T14:10:44.900-08:00Gluten Free at Zauchensee<br />
As mentioned in my last post, we recently took a weekend ski trip to Austria to ski Zauchensee.<div>
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We stayed at Kesselgrub Familienhotel, which was fantastic for families with young children and included family-friendly rooms/suites and a KidsClub. I emailed a week ahead to let them know that one of our sons has celiac and must not eat gluten or any food that could be cross contaminated. They let me know they could accommodate this and they did! </div>
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The entire staff was extremely nice and went out of their way to ensure he had safe foods to eat. Note: if you are going and have Celiac or severe allergies, you will still need to be very careful and clarify needs. While everyone had excellent intentions, this is clearly not a common service and understandably there was some confusion and misunderstanding. However, the chef seemed to have a good understanding and prepared our son a separate evening meal each night. In the mornings, our son was provided gluten free rolls and he was able to eat certain items from the regular fare: soft boiled eggs, fruit, yogurt, cheese, etc. </div>
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Also, while on the mountain, my husband & I ate at the restaurant at the base (next to lift 8) and I noticed that the menu was marked with allergen information. I took a picture of the page of the menu with the allergen guide (below) but later noticed that nothing on this page was gluten free. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the rest of the menu, so I don't know if there are any gluten free options.</div>
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964868564553021885noreply@blogger.com0