My 6-Month Check-In

Tuesday, Nov 16 was my 6-month anniversary of arriving in Germany! I thought it would be a good time to share some memories and general thoughts of the transition.

In the beginning, grocery shopping by myself was scary since I didn't know the words for any foods. At least most packaging shows the pictures, right? That was a lifesaver! However, I have lost about 13 pounds since I arrived in May. That's partially because I walk more here...partially because there's no fast food in our village or nearby villages...partially because I'm eating more healthier, fresher foods...partially because the portions aren't ridiculously big here...partially because I live close enough to walk to the grocery and can get fresh stuff every two-three days...partially because Alfons is a good cook so we don't need to go out to eat often...and partially because I decided not to buy ANY crappy food like frozen dinners, meals-in-a-can, and microwave-ready things like I lived on in the States. I usually eat small things throughout the whole day, like applesauce, cheese and crackers, pickles, grapes, or anything else I can find in the pantry. But I haven't given up ice cream! Alfons jokes that my middle name is "ice cream." :-)

Learning to drive was so stressful. I made LOTS of mistakes in the beginning, but thank goodness for other people's defensive driving (and walking)! I drove though some lights I shouldn't have, drove past some pedestrian crosswalks I shouldn't have, and parked in places that weren't allowed. I'm pretty lucky that nothing bad happened those first couple months. Now that I have my official German license and have learned the rules, the roads near our village are much safer for other people!

My German is still not any good, but I can do what I have to do. A couple weeks ago I needed to change a doctor's appointment, so I called and made the change in German! Then, I had to go to the doctor's appointment by myself to get some shots. I was so proud that I went through the process alone and used what little German I knew to get through the situation. That was a pretty big milestone for me!

I can now talk to the little kids in the neighborhood pretty well too. I can at least ask how their day is, if they are having fun, what they're eating for lunch or dinner, what's wrong if they're crying, etc. When I first moved here, all the neighbor kids just looked at me funny when I couldn't understand their German. The moms told them I spoke English, but that's pretty hard to grasp for a 2- or 4-year old, I think. Now they're used to me asking them to repeat things, but I can pick up most of it or just play along, once I know they're telling me about a firetruck they saw or a big tractor that drove past! (I know the words for firetruck and tractor, which helps!)

So, now I'll open the floor for questions. Anyone want to post something they'd like to ask about? :-)