Back home, our family holds a family meeting every Sunday evening after dinner to go over the schedule for the week, look at plans, and have important discussions. Dessert is always featured those nights. Today we had our first in Germany, a day later than usual, and featuring German chocolate sampling.
The main topic: public bus scheduling for the girls to get to and from school. German children do not ride designated school buses, but rather the public buses. Although we did not witness it today, since we were scheduled to arrive for orientation later in the morning and were offered a ride home by our landlord and lady, even the youngest of children confidently rides and transfers throughout the city. I am sure that there are older children to help the younger, but even so, for an Americans who hesitate to let their children walk down the neighborhood street alone, this almost unbelievable. And yet, both Tom and I, and the girls, are looking forward to developing this independence.
Now, it would be simple if the girls were coming and going on the bus together, at the same time and the same stops. However, it is much more complicated! First, the girls are at two different "campuses", so they take the same bus but have different stops. Second, they have different schedules so that there are only two days they return home at the same time (if neither one misses the first bus home!). The third complication, or rather inconvenience, is that O will have to come along for the ride, both ways, at least until the girls feel ready to try it on their own. Yes, the price of independence is that I will have to make four rides(including 1 transfer)each day, schlepping toddler and stroller until we all feel confident for the girls to go it alone.
Imagine my delight when R announced the first day after school that she thought she could manage by herself on the second day! Of course, Mom and Dad are not yet ready for such independence, but I am looking forward to he day when I can wave from the front door in my PJs and go back inside to finish my coffee!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Housing
The end result of our search for housing before arrival in Luneburg is that we are going to be staying in a vacation home for a month and, during that month, looking for housing in person. It was too difficult for us to conduct business over the internet, especially with the 6 hour time difference. There was also the difficulty of landlords who may have been reluctant to rent, or negotiate rent, to people they couldn't meet in person.
On the positive side, we will have someplace to settle in immediately upon arrival. We won't have to worry about finding any kind of furnishing or household goods or setting up the utilities. We'll get a feel for the neighborhoods and public transportation as well; the school and the University are some distance apart, meaning either the girls or Tom will have a commute by public bus: there are no school buses. Oh, and they will wash our linens each week!
On the other side is the fact that we can only partly settle and will have another repacking. I am going to have to rethink some of my packing strategy here at home so that we can access what we will likely need in that first month and leave the rest in our luggage. I may be able to pack a few of the duffels for immediate unpacking and keep the others untouched.
Our arrival plans at this point: Landing in Hamburg late morning Saturday. We will be met by a shuttle (I hope it is big enough!) to drive us directly to our vacation house in Luneburg, less than an hour from Hamburg. We will make a point to get outdoors and do plenty of walking to help our bodies adjust to to the time zone.
Our first mission will be food: stores in Germany are not open on Sunday, so we will need to buy food for the first couple days. Fortunately, we have already been invited to our "host" professor's home for breakfast Sunday and restaurants are open for lunch and dinner Sunday, so we will mostly need to shop for breakfast and snacks. I find food shopping in foreign countries to be a fun adventure: comparing differences in packaging and flavors of familiar foods and using our budding German to read the labels. Grocery store shopping (as opposed to farmers market shopping or ordering in a restaurant) doesn't require a great deal of communication with people who may not speak English, so the language barrier won't be too overwhelming. Since food is often the quickest way to win over my kids, especially the older two, this will be a fun introduction to Germany. A little chocolate can go a long way!
On the positive side, we will have someplace to settle in immediately upon arrival. We won't have to worry about finding any kind of furnishing or household goods or setting up the utilities. We'll get a feel for the neighborhoods and public transportation as well; the school and the University are some distance apart, meaning either the girls or Tom will have a commute by public bus: there are no school buses. Oh, and they will wash our linens each week!
On the other side is the fact that we can only partly settle and will have another repacking. I am going to have to rethink some of my packing strategy here at home so that we can access what we will likely need in that first month and leave the rest in our luggage. I may be able to pack a few of the duffels for immediate unpacking and keep the others untouched.
Our arrival plans at this point: Landing in Hamburg late morning Saturday. We will be met by a shuttle (I hope it is big enough!) to drive us directly to our vacation house in Luneburg, less than an hour from Hamburg. We will make a point to get outdoors and do plenty of walking to help our bodies adjust to to the time zone.
Our first mission will be food: stores in Germany are not open on Sunday, so we will need to buy food for the first couple days. Fortunately, we have already been invited to our "host" professor's home for breakfast Sunday and restaurants are open for lunch and dinner Sunday, so we will mostly need to shop for breakfast and snacks. I find food shopping in foreign countries to be a fun adventure: comparing differences in packaging and flavors of familiar foods and using our budding German to read the labels. Grocery store shopping (as opposed to farmers market shopping or ordering in a restaurant) doesn't require a great deal of communication with people who may not speak English, so the language barrier won't be too overwhelming. Since food is often the quickest way to win over my kids, especially the older two, this will be a fun introduction to Germany. A little chocolate can go a long way!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Voices
Sunday was very busy with activities that did not involve much packing or preparation for Germany. One of those activities included attending church. Since this was our last opportunity to attend church before we leave, I really wanted to make it to the service. Sometimes one or all of us will skip church when things get especially hectic and a couple hours at home (quiet, alone) seems like a good idea or use of time. I knew there was a possibility that this would be the case this week, but I also knew that it would be the only chance I would have for a while to find respite and reflection.
I was very close to not going. I had hopes of getting some things done in the morning before the 11:00 service, but, as it turned out, timing did not go as planned (surprise, surprise?!) and I felt frustrated knowing that the rest of the day would be filled with back-to-back activity until possibly after dinner. An hour or two to myself at home, to get things done, sounded like a good way to ease the stress. However, sitting among other adults in the Worship Center, allowing (or forcing) myself to focus on something else was something I knew I also needed. So, I went.
I am glad I went, because the Service topic was something I needed to hear. Isn't it funny how it turns out that way? Our Rev. Mark Bellitini spoke about listening to the "Inner Voice", that voice that tells you the Truth about what you need to be happy and fulfilled, as well as telling you that something isn't right for you or that changes are necessary. This is a voice that only you can hear and interpret. Some would call that voice God, but that is not part of my Truth. I am not explaining it as eloquently as Mark, but it was something that I needed to hear and reflect on, especially now.
I am running around these days with this voice in my heart, saying, "I don't like this way of being in the world and with those people I love". I reply back that this is only temporary, that when we take off for Germany and leave the clutter of our lives behind, things will calm down and we can focus on what is important. I will have time to really play games with O, read with R, and really talk with A. And Tom and I can spend time together, not just playing tag-team parenting.
However, I know that I have heard this voice quite frequently, even when not preparing for Germany. My life is so full, its like I have eaten from an all-you-can-eat buffet and at the end of the meal, rather than feeling satisfied, I feel discomfort and regret.
I am looking forward to this opportunity to take a five month step back from my everyday life. I want to look at it from a new perspective, both from a distance and through the view of a different culture. I want to have the quiet to listen to that inner voice and to have a starting point to make positive changes in my life.
I was very close to not going. I had hopes of getting some things done in the morning before the 11:00 service, but, as it turned out, timing did not go as planned (surprise, surprise?!) and I felt frustrated knowing that the rest of the day would be filled with back-to-back activity until possibly after dinner. An hour or two to myself at home, to get things done, sounded like a good way to ease the stress. However, sitting among other adults in the Worship Center, allowing (or forcing) myself to focus on something else was something I knew I also needed. So, I went.
I am glad I went, because the Service topic was something I needed to hear. Isn't it funny how it turns out that way? Our Rev. Mark Bellitini spoke about listening to the "Inner Voice", that voice that tells you the Truth about what you need to be happy and fulfilled, as well as telling you that something isn't right for you or that changes are necessary. This is a voice that only you can hear and interpret. Some would call that voice God, but that is not part of my Truth. I am not explaining it as eloquently as Mark, but it was something that I needed to hear and reflect on, especially now.
I am running around these days with this voice in my heart, saying, "I don't like this way of being in the world and with those people I love". I reply back that this is only temporary, that when we take off for Germany and leave the clutter of our lives behind, things will calm down and we can focus on what is important. I will have time to really play games with O, read with R, and really talk with A. And Tom and I can spend time together, not just playing tag-team parenting.
However, I know that I have heard this voice quite frequently, even when not preparing for Germany. My life is so full, its like I have eaten from an all-you-can-eat buffet and at the end of the meal, rather than feeling satisfied, I feel discomfort and regret.
I am looking forward to this opportunity to take a five month step back from my everyday life. I want to look at it from a new perspective, both from a distance and through the view of a different culture. I want to have the quiet to listen to that inner voice and to have a starting point to make positive changes in my life.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tetris!
Remember the computer game Tetris? It is the one where shapes made up of one or more squares drops down from the top of the screen and the object is to orient them just right, using the arrow keys, so that they fit into the space at the bottom of the screen. The shapes begin to pile up, but if you fit them together just right, a completed row of squares will be "deleted", leaving you more room for the next blocks. As time progresses, the blocks begin dropping at a faster rate, so it is more of a challenge to orient them in time. If you are really good, you can keep up, eliminate completed rows, and have time to orient the coming shapes before they hit the bottom. Usually, at some point, the shapes are coming down so quickly that they just pile willy-nilly and you are hastily trying to buy time by shunting them to either side before the pile reaches the top and the game is over. I always loved that game, was pretty good, and felt the "rush" towards the end as I realized the end was near and I was no longer in control.
This is how preparing for our adventure has been. Up until now, I have been feeling good about fitting in tasks and scheduling activities pretty well. Over the past couple weeks, however, the tasks and activities have been falling onto my planner at a much quicker pace. Over the past week especially, I have had that "Tetris feeling".
Today, for instance, I have huge blocks of time falling in the form of attending church service, A's youth group meeting, a 2 hour Girl Scout event for R and I, and a birthday party to attend with O. All in one day! Somewhere in there I also have to fit in final clean-up and packing of the Master Bedroom and Bathroom (I am packing room-by-room), printing pictures from the girl's parties to share with their friends, dinner (AKA clean out the last of the freezer foods), watching a travel DVD, and perhaps tackling the kitchen.
I am hearing the Tetris music tempo increasing and I think by Tuesday afternoon (when my child care arrangements for O have run out), I will need to start shunting things to the side, willy-nilly, in the hopes of buying myself time before the GAME OVER screen appears and we find ourselves boarding the plane Friday afternoon. What a rush!
This is how preparing for our adventure has been. Up until now, I have been feeling good about fitting in tasks and scheduling activities pretty well. Over the past couple weeks, however, the tasks and activities have been falling onto my planner at a much quicker pace. Over the past week especially, I have had that "Tetris feeling".
Today, for instance, I have huge blocks of time falling in the form of attending church service, A's youth group meeting, a 2 hour Girl Scout event for R and I, and a birthday party to attend with O. All in one day! Somewhere in there I also have to fit in final clean-up and packing of the Master Bedroom and Bathroom (I am packing room-by-room), printing pictures from the girl's parties to share with their friends, dinner (AKA clean out the last of the freezer foods), watching a travel DVD, and perhaps tackling the kitchen.
I am hearing the Tetris music tempo increasing and I think by Tuesday afternoon (when my child care arrangements for O have run out), I will need to start shunting things to the side, willy-nilly, in the hopes of buying myself time before the GAME OVER screen appears and we find ourselves boarding the plane Friday afternoon. What a rush!
5 Packing Days to Take Off!
Last week we started counting down in days, rather than weeks. I think I made the girls rather nervous, so I kept the counting to myself. Yesterday, I started counting down in terms of "This is the last Saturday!"
The last two weeks have been jam-packed and I have been continuously busy. I have been pretty calm and easy-going about it all up until the 14th when I began to realize how much I had left on my list and how many other non-Germany related activities were going to be taking up my time. It was time to start taking things off my list that were "I'd like to get done before we leave" rather than "I need to get done before we leave". I hate to cross things off my list that didn't get done. I have had my anxiety moments, but I have had friends, and Tom, come through to lend me a hand through child care, running errands, or just saying "tell me what to do".
We were blessed with lovely weather the past few days, just enough to melt and dry up the snow and ice so we could finally take down the Christmas lights and do a frantic clean-up of the yard. I had to cut back all the spent perennials, prune shrubs and berry bushes, and clean up all the toys that had been hiding under the snow. I even found a hat O lost months ago! I was rather hasty and was more liberal with my pruning than usual, so I will be interested to see how things look when we return - and how much the weeds are going to take over. I'm a bit disappointed that we will be missing our raspberry and blueberry harvest, but our house sitter has said she will send us pictures of my flowers!
So, now we are getting down to the actual packing! I have all of our bags down in the basement where O is less likely to unpack and redistribute things about the house. A just took her rolling duffel to her room to start packing and, having left the safety gate open, which keeps him out, O took the opportunity to start rolling it around. He was about to take it down the stairs before he was apprehended!
I have packed all off the off-season clothes for myself, O, and R. Since R wears her clothes out pretty quickly, I have a whole new set of winter/early spring clothes already packed for her. I bought these in the fall as I was scouring the thrift and resale stores for off-season clothes for O. The hard part now is trying to time the packing and laundering of current season of clothes the rest of us are still needing to wear! As much as I don't want to leave things to the last minute, it may be inevitable that I will be doing loads of laundry the night before we leave.
The rest of the "packing" has been mostly piling things into the extra large duffels that will serve as our second piece of checked luggage. This has been all of the nonclothing items and I have not been organized about where I am packing them or how they are all going to fit. I have been having second thoughts on the wisdom of using these extra large duffles rather than hard-sided suitcases; the items we are packing in them are mostly ridgid and not uniform in size, so they are not well padded or protected by the sides of the bags. Also, these duffles are expandable, but I realized that, when fully expanded, they are going to be too awkward and heavy for us to manage. Too late (and too expensive) to purchase anything different. I have bought some extra large ziplock storage bags with the hopes of keeping things more contained and organized within the bags. I am going to have to put my 3-D thinking skills to the test to get it all to fit just right. We may end up taking linens with us after all so we will have something to pad the insides of the bags.
The last two weeks have been jam-packed and I have been continuously busy. I have been pretty calm and easy-going about it all up until the 14th when I began to realize how much I had left on my list and how many other non-Germany related activities were going to be taking up my time. It was time to start taking things off my list that were "I'd like to get done before we leave" rather than "I need to get done before we leave". I hate to cross things off my list that didn't get done. I have had my anxiety moments, but I have had friends, and Tom, come through to lend me a hand through child care, running errands, or just saying "tell me what to do".
We were blessed with lovely weather the past few days, just enough to melt and dry up the snow and ice so we could finally take down the Christmas lights and do a frantic clean-up of the yard. I had to cut back all the spent perennials, prune shrubs and berry bushes, and clean up all the toys that had been hiding under the snow. I even found a hat O lost months ago! I was rather hasty and was more liberal with my pruning than usual, so I will be interested to see how things look when we return - and how much the weeds are going to take over. I'm a bit disappointed that we will be missing our raspberry and blueberry harvest, but our house sitter has said she will send us pictures of my flowers!
So, now we are getting down to the actual packing! I have all of our bags down in the basement where O is less likely to unpack and redistribute things about the house. A just took her rolling duffel to her room to start packing and, having left the safety gate open, which keeps him out, O took the opportunity to start rolling it around. He was about to take it down the stairs before he was apprehended!
I have packed all off the off-season clothes for myself, O, and R. Since R wears her clothes out pretty quickly, I have a whole new set of winter/early spring clothes already packed for her. I bought these in the fall as I was scouring the thrift and resale stores for off-season clothes for O. The hard part now is trying to time the packing and laundering of current season of clothes the rest of us are still needing to wear! As much as I don't want to leave things to the last minute, it may be inevitable that I will be doing loads of laundry the night before we leave.
The rest of the "packing" has been mostly piling things into the extra large duffels that will serve as our second piece of checked luggage. This has been all of the nonclothing items and I have not been organized about where I am packing them or how they are all going to fit. I have been having second thoughts on the wisdom of using these extra large duffles rather than hard-sided suitcases; the items we are packing in them are mostly ridgid and not uniform in size, so they are not well padded or protected by the sides of the bags. Also, these duffles are expandable, but I realized that, when fully expanded, they are going to be too awkward and heavy for us to manage. Too late (and too expensive) to purchase anything different. I have bought some extra large ziplock storage bags with the hopes of keeping things more contained and organized within the bags. I am going to have to put my 3-D thinking skills to the test to get it all to fit just right. We may end up taking linens with us after all so we will have something to pad the insides of the bags.
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