Our Expat Adventure: April 2013

So, the time has come for me to write one final Blog entry…and for the first time, I cannot think of anything to write. I am perplexed re: how to adequately summarize and capture the last 22 months into a few paragraphs…maybe I will simply begin with a few words that jump in my mind: language, travel, culture, diversity, religion, simplicity, vulnerability, humility, history, compassion, beauty, awkwardness, unforgettable, memorable, priceless, castles and cathedrals.

Living abroad has been an experience that my family and I will never forget. It has been a lifetime worth of traveling completed in less than 2 years. When Matt was offered the opportunity to complete an Expat assignment, with his company (e.g. John Deere), we of course had our apprehensions, but were instantly very intrigued and excited re: the possibilities of living amongst another culture and of seeing parts of the world that otherwise we probably would not. And today, as I write my final Blog entry, I am so thankful we decided to take the risk and become Expats in Germany.

I feel proud that we were able to successfully manage living in a foreign country. As a mother, I was able to expose my children to such diversity at very young ages. Elle and Britta may not remember being at the Roman Colosseum per se but they WILL remember how we did not speak the same language as our neighbors or the people in the grocery store and that this was OK. They WILL remember how their friends at their International School were from Russia, India, China, Italy, UK and Germany and once again this was OK; they did not look the same, sound the same, eat the same meals, celebrate the same holidays, believe in the same things as many of their friends but this was OK. Elle and Britta currently have the foundations of both the Spanish and German languages. Though they do not speak these languages fluently, in order to communicate with 90% of their friends they had to use other forms of communication besides simply speaking English. I feel thankful that already at the ages of 3 and 4, they have learned how to absorb and understand different languages and how to accept, respect and appreciate other cultures.

The entire time living over here, I felt embarrassed that I only spoke English. If I would have had more time to devote to learning German, I think our experience would have been much more enjoyable at times. I felt very awkward when someone would confront me about something and I did not understand what I had done wrong (Germans are big rule followers). There were indeed times that I felt left out and very vulnerable due to the language barrier but I survived and these stressful moments have allowed me to become a more empathetic and compassionate woman. Needless to say, I will no longer ever judge the purpose of the international sections at the mega super stores; I have been a major consumer of the generic “American” sections at the local German grocery stores for months:)! Nor think, “people should have to speak/learn English if they are going to live in America.” Because I sure did not speak a lot of German while living in Germany! But even with some of these challenges, we thoroughly enjoyed learning about other cultures and living in an area of the world where we were not the majority. We did our best to adapt to a foreign country and learn about the culture; we did not expect nor want the way of life in Europe to be like America. We wanted the true experience and I feel we received it by pushing ourselves to learn and better understand the different ways of living.

Many people ask me, “Are you ready to move back to the USA?” And the answer is: absolutely. Though the USA does have its ongoing issues and debates (i.e. gun control, North Korea, budget) it is where I am from and throughout this entire “European Adventure” I have been PROUD to be an American. And after living in Europe, gaining multiple friends affiliated with the military, I feel so fortunate for all of the freedoms I have as an American. Though I will miss the traveling, I am looking forward to attending my nieces and nephews sporting events and birthday parties, running “more” 5k races with my sister, sister-in-law and friend Jodee. I am ready for a “normal” life, one that does not involve traveling to a new country every month. Though our traveling did indeed add to the “adventure” aspect of our Expat assignment, I recognize that this type of life is not sustainable and I want a more stable environment for Elle and Britta. I do not know if it is “normal” for a three-year old to say, “YEAH- the Easter Bunny found us in Spain!!” “Well Britta, actually we are in Hungary, but yes, he did find us:)!” I am ready to enjoy the simple things in life; for example, I am most excited about once again being able to visit the Apple Orchard in Ft. Dodge this Fall with my children, husband, parents and sister. Living 5,000 miles away from the USA, has definitely made me appreciate the simple things in life.

Random things I will miss:

-My friends, but THANKFULLY, almost all of them are moving back to the States within the next 6 months (the majority of my friends are either Expats or affiliated with the US Military). My German friends are always welcome to come visit!
-The Autobahn (LOVED IT). I will definitely need to set my cruise tomorrow on Hwy-20 and I-35.

-German brezels and thus, all the bakeries (though my waistline will not)

-Being surrounded by so much incredible history

-The old architecture
-The small and quaint villages

-Castles & Cathedrals
-Heidelberg and the scenery as I drive the girls to school (see below)

-Lack of body awareness (people of ALL sizes wear bikinis and embrace their bodies)

-Importance of health and wellness
-Flammkuchen

-The “old fashioned” sense of living

Random things I will NOT miss:

-The inability to talk to my neighbors and read the local newspaper

-People “scolding” me for things I do not understand

-Lack of central air

-ALL stores being closed on Sundays

-It being illegal to mow your lawn or clean your car on Sundays

-Schnitzel and spatzel

-The lack of ice in any beverage (every beverage is served at room temperature)

-Paying for ketchup and water when out to eat

-Only being able to pay for gas inside the gas station (no paying at the pump)

-Bagging my own groceries, paying for shopping bags and needing to place 1 Euro in the cart before I can use it (a deposit).

Some of the above examples are bittersweet… for example, though everything is closed on Sundays and it was sometimes frustrating not being able to grab some groceries, it also “forced” us to go for a walk in the forest as a family and/or ride bikes on the nearby trails. Also, living abroad has made me question some aspects about my way of life. I feel like in American we drive big cars, live in big homes, eat big meals and own a lot of “stuff.” It has made me look at the various ways to reuse and recycle. I have come to realize that you do not need a lot of “stuff” to make you happy; happiness truly does come from within.

Enough rambling, the bottom line is, I feel thankful that John Deere offered Matt the opportunity to work in Region II. I want to thank our families for supporting our “European Adventure,” even at times when it was probably hard to understand why we would desire to live so far from home. A special thank you to my parents and sister for coming to visit us this past Christmas; thank you for desiring to see where we lived and traveling to some of our favorite cities with us. Thank you to all of my friends and family who consistently read this Blog. In the beginning, it was definitely my “therapy;” it allowed me to sort out some of the initial adjustments and challenges. Thank you to my friends who worked at staying in touch with me/us and always being so excited and willing to spend time with us during our bi-annual visits to the USA. And above everything, I thank the Lord for keeping us safe and for allowing us to firsthand see so many beautiful parts of the Word that the Lord Our God created.

Below are my favorite pictures from our travels. We were able to travel to 13 countries and multiple cities since July 2011; Matt managed to travel to 18 countries due to both family vacations and work. Many people ask me what country/countries were my favorite to visit. Below are my Top 5 cities, but please note that sometimes weather played a huge role into how enjoyable a country/city was. I hope that you enjoy the photos; these photos will forever bring back memories and happiness for me. Thank you again for following our “European Adventure.” I will see many of you in the States! 1) Venice, Italy, 2) Dubrovnik, Croatia, 3) Rome, Italy, 4) Prague, Czech, Republic and 5) Lucerne, Switzerland

The Heidelberg Schloss (Castle). I was able to view this magnificent castle every day while taking the girls to and from school. This view never got old and I will definitely miss it.