Life Lessons

Kelly: I’ve been seeing clients on a regular basis for the past two weeks and have a new perspective on life, love, and the military.

LIFE: I’m continually surprised that individuals here don’t want to travel and experience Europe. Instead, they dwell on the gloomy weather and the rules that prohibit everything from shopping on Sundays to driving. What is it that makes some yearn to travel while others yearn to keep their feet as firmly planted as possible? Genetics…not so much. I have been bitten by the travel bug and have engineered ways to see the country and now the world (or Greater Europe at the very least). My sisters are both happy to hold their ties close to home and have both made successful careers and lives for themselves near where we were born and raised. Matt and his sister are travel opposites, too. So, if it is not genetics, then the environment? Am I searching for something that my sisters have already found?

LOVE: I take so much for granted in my relationship with my family and with my husband. Love, nurturing, and a safe environment…not too much to ask, or so I thought. It is amazing what happens in the absence of love, nurturance, and safety.

MILITARY: The military does amazing things for some…providing support, stability, structure, and a chance to be independent. Some excel and thrive, creating amazing experiences and mentoring the aforementioned love-devoid young recruits. Others crumble under the rigidity, rules, and limitations.

What I’m learning is that life is about finding your niche. It is about pushing yourself in the areas that are primed for expansion. Life is about learning. Without learning about yourself, happiness remains an illusion..a branch just out of reach…the hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. More importantly, life isn’t only about reaching the next branch of finding the gold-filled pot, it is about the process of finding your niche. If you can’t see the joy in the journey, there is no light in life.

Why I'm here: A reminder

Kelly: I'm back in Vilseck, fondly recalling our time in Prague. This trip to Prague reminded me one of the reasons why I took the job here...I...love...travel...plain and simple. I feel more creative, alive, and love the thrill of learning on my feet (even when it feels really difficult at the time). The benefits of travel are many. I also learned a downside this weekend...finding gluten free food to eat during the Christmas holidays in a foreign country where I can't read any ingredients. Because of that difficulty, I've resolved to bring more gluten free snacks with me. As I was looking for inspiration for gluten free snack recipes, I came across Elanas Pantry. Elana offers lots of great recipe ideas for meals, snacks, and baked goods made with almond flour, without the need for all of those pesky ingredients like guar gum, xanthan gum, and other difficult to pronounce and use thickeners and leaveners. I like the plain and simple recipes...wholesome ingredients and gluten free. I can't wait to return to our kitchen and experiment.

Matt-Christmas in Prague

Greetings-figured that I should get another one of these in before the end of the year. To break up the excitment or lack there of in Vilseck (the military base-the stadt aka town of Vilseck might be very nice for all I know but I haven't ventured there yet) we decided to head to Prague-furthest east either of us have ever been. It was what we had heard-amazing how large and old the city is and part of it were so well preserved. None of the miles of sidewalk we walked were cement-they were all 2x2 inch stone blocks arranged to form the sidewalk-amazing. Not as "polished" as Paris but I kinda liked it that way-it was not so pretentious and felt old. We ate in some fabulous cafes after exploring the city on foot as our favored mode of travel. The hotel was rather Bohemian-slightly edgy neighborhood but nice place, location and accomodations-cheap too for Prague. Unlike Germany, the city was very alive Christmas Eve and Day-made me think of Christmas in San Francisco where the streets still bustled.

Main things to point out:
1) Probably the hardest city we've ever visited thus far to navigate-my internal compass acted like we were in the Bermda Triangle
2) Cech beer rocks and is pretty cheap
3) Kelly is a sucker for European cafes (if I ever need to get out of the dog house, a cafe will do nicely)
4) In the Czech Republic you have to pay for the bread at the table even if you don't eat it-
5) I am getting very comfortable not being able to read signs or understand the radio or TV here. Still working on the Deutsch-doubt I'll get the hand of Czech anytime soon.
6) For the 1st time, I actually took the pictures-hold the press

....gaining perspective on the world and life is not a bad Christmas present.

Prost

Christmas Eve in Prague

Kelly: We left sleepy, sleety Vilseck and arrived in Prague this afternoon. Our hotel Aparthotel City 5 is great. The owner is so kind, friendly, and genuine. We spent two hours exploring the city...such an interesting place. The buildings are amazing...baroque and oozing with history but very cold and harsh, too. We encountered international travelers and heard at least half a dozen languages in a short period of time. We took respite from the cold in a cozy cafe appropriately named Cafe Cafe. We had a great dinner and yummy tea (and coffee with Baileys for Matt). I was actually tempted to smoke a cigarette...everyone here smokes and they are so glamorous. Sitting in the cafe, I inhaled enough smoke to equal smoking a few, so I quickly changed my mind, much to Matt's chagrin.

As we strolled the streets, I was struck by how my heritage was evident in the faces of those we passed. Even though I'm far from home, seeing the similarities in the faces of those here makes it a little easier. I still can't believe that I am in the Czech Republic. Crazy! I'm grateful for the opportunity to see more of the world.

We're planning to visit the Palace tomorrow and a tea shop (if we can find one that is open). Matt is on a quest for Absinthe...we'll see if we can track down the green fairy.

Holiday Blues

The holiday glow
Just a little too near
as the laughing coworkers
celebrated with cheer

The icy ground is
Coated in snow
as locals rush by
with places to go

The familiarity of holidays at home
Gone across the sea
surrounded by friends and family
is where I long to be

This Christmas experience
Europeans by will
glamorous it appears
not feeling the thrill

Make the most of it
Enjoying the holiday quirks
darkness and cold
constantly lurk

Our stockings are hung
The ornaments placed
stepping out of my funk
and into husband's embrace

Spoonful of Sugar

Kelly: Today, my spoonful of sugar was M coming to work to have Christmas lunch with me. We ate our Christmas salads by the video of the burning yule log in the surprisingly well-decorated dining facility. M being integrated into my work makes it feel less like work, especially when work runs late like tonight. When the timesheet gods reject my timesheets (there are three of them) because I didn't fill them in correctly...mind you, I was never told to fill them in or that the codes for the time were buried on pages 151 to 158 of the manual that I didn't know existed, when I don't know about trainings or meetings because I didn't get the emails, when I find random people in my office checking out my furniture and am told that I have to have all of it packed by COB today, it is nice to remember a calm lunch with M.

Fundatory

Kelly: I love the word fundatory...a hybrid of fun and mandatory...I use it to describe many things work-related. This week I encountered two fundatory events. Tuesday was the Behavioral Health holiday party. It was held at a German restaurant on post. We arrived to find it was in the first floor of a barracks, which threw a yellow flag. We found one of my co-workers and met her unconventional, very cool family. We sat across from them and next to the health psychologist and her roommate. As with real estate sales...location, location, location makes all of the difference. We had a nice time chatting about travel and the food was really good...killer chocolate mousse!

The second fundatory event was last night. A surprise party for a problematic co-worker. It was held at a local restaurant/bar, which was great because we could walk there. I love love love being able to walk to events, which is why we will definitely be living in a walkable area when we return to the states. This event was a bit painful. With the help of some delicious red wine, we managed to make the best of the evening.

This weekend is our last full weekend here before Christmas. I'm going to be on call with the health psychologist on Saturday to learn what I am supposed to do when I'm on call alone next month. So, we'll stay local and wait for a call...maybe check out the town of Kusel. Our catsitters (the health psychologist's roommates) are coming over Sunday morning to learn the fine art of cat-feeding. I'm going to make some yummy muffins for them. Sunday we are hoping to go to Stasbourg, France...weather dependent...it's supposed to snow! Looking forward to being home with my hubby and cat :)

The week that was

Kelly: This week flew by. Work was filled with more training, which was not actually helpful for perfoming my job duties, meetings, and paperwork. I found out yesterday that I'm being sent to a mental health clinic about 4 hours away for a few weeks in December and January. That was a surprise, given I don't even know what I am supposed to be doing in my current job yet...oh well. I've been told that that is just the way things go in the military, so I'm trying to roll with it.

Matt and I visited our town's Christmas market. It wasn't in full swing yet, so he went back to the house, and I checked out some adorable but expensive clothings shops in town. One store is similar to a boutique Anthropologie....loved it. Another one had amazing men's clothes.

Matt is in a bit of a funk. I think that he is feeling frustrated with not having a traditional, "full-time" job and with not knowing quite how to occupy his time (aside from the stellar cleaning he has been doing). Perhaps a trip to Trier tomorrow with D and J and visiting Roman ruins will shake his funk!

Sunday Stroll

Kelly: This week's Sunday stroll was a bit different. All of the stores in Kaiserslautern were open on Sunday for a few hours (happens once a year). So, with my birthday money buring a hole in my pocket, we made our way to the pedestrian shopping area and the Christmas market in K-town. The shops line a pedestrian zone that streches half a mile in each direction. The Christmas markets (located in the plazas in the midst of the pedestrian zones) were much like the ones that we visited in Heidelberg on Saturday...a stand with cheesey mugs, gluwein (spiced wine), beer (of course), pretzel/doughie baked-good, repeat, repeat, repeat. I did enjoy the music and the Christmas spirit until the downpour began.

Finding clothes is harder than it was in the states. The two varieties seem to be: 1)Expensive, well-made clothes and 2)Cheap, will-shrink-or-fall-apart-after-washing clothes. I'm used to buying the well-made clothes at cheap prices at consignment stores, outlets, or discount stores....I'll just have to keep looking...wearing my boots, of course!

Thanksgiving

Kelly: I've spent many Thanksgivings happily preparing and eating a variety of root vegetables and squash with my family. I've spent time visiting local crafters on Santa's sleighride with my mom and sisters. This year was different. I spent Thanksgiving boot shopping, and I was successful! I wouldn't classify myself as materialistic; however, there are a few "things" that I love....good chocolate, good tea, nice sweaters, and last but not least, good footwear, especially boots. Boots are the "it" item here. Young, old, round, thin, stylish, not-so-stylish...they all wear boots. I have walked by the shoe store a few blocks from the house almost daily, waiting first for my VAT forms, then for a sale, and then with the help of money from parents, in-laws, and sisters, I ventured in. Success!

Birthday Blues

Kelly: I've never been a "roll out the red carpet because it is my birthday" kind of gal, but I really wasn't into my birthday this year...at all. I didn't even see it coming. We have been so busy just trying to put one foot in front of the other that I didn't even feel the anticipatory excitement building. I told Matt that I wanted to postpone the acknowledgement of the day until the weekend. So, he obeyed. He got me a nice card, ice cream, and a foot rub :)

I didn't expect the change to be this tiring. I was in bed at 8:30 last night...on my birthday...after way too much chocolate ice cream.New job, new county, new house, new language, new rules and customs, no friends, less income (Matt alternating between freaking out about our financial situation and reassuring us both that we won't be eating gluten-free Ramen noodles for the remainder of our stay in Germany)...objectively I can see that these things would be stressful to any mortal, but somehow, when applied to myself, I didn't think that it would be so consuming. I've decided that I need to start doing more of my own things. So, last night I cooked. I really haven't cooked much since we arrived. I made amazing vegetarian chili YUM! We ate it again for dinner tonight. So good! I'm going to get back into yoga, too...as much as my bum hamstring will allow.

Tonight, Matt and I are going to go for a walk around town and then watch a movie...good stuff.

One monthiversary

Kelly: We've been in Europe for one month. It seems longer. I met a social worker last week who told me that it takes about 6 months to feel settled here. She had lived all over the world including Korea, Europe (prior to this trip), Iraq, Korea, and the states, and said that Germany was the most difficult and longest adjustment because everything happens so s..l..o..w..l..y. Five more months to go until we feel settled, I suppose.

We celebrated our one monithversary and my birthday with a trip to Brugge, Belgium. We went as part of a USO tour which had its good and its bad points.
The good: We didn't have to think. It was cheap.
The bad: We had no control over the timing of events... left at 0400 on Saturday and didn't get back until 1:00 AM Sunday (today). The bus was really uncomfortable, especially for Matt. We had to watch two really bad movies.
All in all, it was a good day. The weather was nice (50s and partly cloudy). We were able to find the little cafe that we visited two years ago in Brugge. I found a delightful tea shop, and I bought rose like I found in the Spice Store in Philly when SWS lived there. I brewed a big pot for breakfast this morning...yum. We are both dragging today.

Earlier in the week, I found a natural grocery store in Kaiserslautern (15 minutes away) and even more excited that the store was open on Sunday. So, Matt and I headed to Alnatura today with our new GPS only to find that it is closed! How disappointing. It looks really cute, too. So, maybe we'll try one evening this week after work. The no-store-anywhere is open on Sunday thing is very frustrating!

On an unrelated note, I love the comments! Thanks :)

Weekend Update

Kelly: This weekend was filled with more home organizing and many thwarted trips to the BX (Base exchange...sort of like a Wal-mart on steroids). We are realizing that we need many converters so that our 110 volt lights and computers will work with the 220 volt system, and even though the converter bins were running over when we arrived, they are dry now. So, we shuttle the three converters back and forth among computers and lights.

We had a really fun night out on Saturday. We invited our three friends over for drinks and then we all walked to the Korean restaurant for sushi. We didn't entertain much in MD, probably because Matt worked long hours and had a long commute and I had a long commute and had three jobs. In fact, most of our entertaining was done in the months leading up to our departure! We are breaking that pattern here...we aren't even unpacked and decided to be social! We laughed a lot...very fun. Today we continued our Sunday walk tradition (if doing something for two weeks can make it a tradition) of walking in a new location. Today, we walked in the residential and commercial sections of Landstuhl. The weather was brisk but sunny...perfect for a stroll. I was inspired to use our new island that we purchased from Ikea on Saturday morning (after I had realized that I had left my CAC at work and we had to go through the hoops to get accesss to get it, but that's another story), and I made my favorite Lentil soup...yum! Then, Matt spent way too long moving all of our internet gear up to his office only to realize that the signal isn't good on the first floor. ugh. We'll leave it like this until he has more energy for moving it all back to the living room...not a good subject in our home right now. We experienced a bit of German culture by attending a craft fair at the cultural center in town...lots of beaded necklaces.

I was feeling stressed about work...expected to have some action plan in place by next Tuesday's meeting but realizing that I'm in formal training 3 days this week and probably still have another day or two of computer trainings to go. Mialley must have sensed it, because she jumped up on my legs and promptly fell asleep. So, my heart melted and I proceded to pet her for a while until my anxiety peaked and I moved her gently to the side and proceeded to create a powerpoint presentation on the COSR program organization and way ahead.

Our town

My first week at work

Kelly: This week marked my first few days at work without in-processing. I've entered the wonderful world of computer training. If you have any questions about the bubonic plague, hospital safety committees, or the limits on the retail value of gift to a contractor, just let me know! I spent most all of the day Thursday learning about chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear issues. Useful. The highlight was lunch with my surgeon friend, Jennifer. We laughed and discussed the virtues and challenges of having a househusband. Mine sounds like German toddler. Hers sounds like Crocodile Dundee!

I have an office...sort of. I saw the space that will be my office but the computer wasn't set up, so I had to be a squatter in another office on the hall. Much to my surprise, the computer was set up in my office this morning, but it hadn't been "authorized" yet which meant another day of borrowing someone's office. I attended three meetings today and learned a little bit more about what I will be doing, although everyone seems to have a different take on it. I also learned that the psychologist who I really like my take over the clinic position...how exciting! He reminds me of my favorite supervisor from internship...kind, a sense of humor, and very smart. One thing that I'm not liking is the rigid schedule. The little ants march in to the hospital at 7:30 sharp, pool out at noon for an hour lunch break, and then make their final exodus at 4:30 on the dot...ugh. I'm hoping to shift my schedule for a day or two a week to come in later and see some of the providers who start their shifts at 4:30 and allow a little variety and flexibility into my schedule. Most seem to like the structure and predictability of the day. Even though I have OC tendencies, I'm not a fan of the rigid schedule.

My househusband cleaned today and started dinner this evening...being the sugarmomma has its privileges!

Fabulously Exhausted

Kelly: Our household goods arrived today. Three men-two of whom spoke little or no English- and a fit, tattooed multi-lingual man moved our furniture and belongings from 5 crates on the back of their truck into our home. Most of the move took place through the big window facing the street. We had only two casualties and one near miss. We lost a silver framed mirror from our bedroom and a shoe rack. One of the older men told us he would probably have to cut our box spring to get it up the tight staircase...I was not thrilled. However, my fears were allayed as the other two men deftly maneuvered both box springs up the staircase.

I left mid-move to attend a COSR-SR (Combat and Operational Stress Response/Staff Resiliency) team meeting. I was thrown into the fire. The head of the department announced that I would be running the meeting. Remember, that I still don't understand the program or what my role is supposed to be! So, I fumbled through with only a few glitches. However, I still can't believe that the program really doesn't have structure. I talked with another new staff member, a medical social worker and former EAP psychologist, for 40 minutes after the meeting. She has lots of good ideas and is excited about being a part of thie team. That re-vitalized me! I checked in about my office and found out that I would have a vacant space at the end of the BH hall across from the mean, first-line supervisor. Then, I found out that he is deploying, where he will probably be much happier. I am beginning to wonder if the lack of guidance is a test..can she figure out what she is supposed to do? Can she find the bathroom?

I returned home to a big mess, and I couldn't have been happier! Comforted by our belongings, I began unpacking. I also heard from a few friends back home...yippee! It is now 6 hours later. My glee is masked by fatigue as I sit on our couch and surrounded by our half-unpacked home, looking forward to a good night's rest on our mattress covered by our soft, freshly washed sheets. Tomorrow we celebrate Veteran's Day. This year, I have a new appreciation for the day. After seeing several Soldiers and Airmen yesterday, fresh from Iraq and Afghanistan, I don't have to work tomorrow and am grateful for those who serve our country! And maybe this is a little cheesey, but I hope that my time here at this job can give back just a little to those who give selflessly everyday.

Matt-Sleeping on the air mattress day 8

Yippee-the furniture comes tomorrow, the furniture comes tomorrow! I don't consider myself to be terribly materialistic but sleeping on the air mattress in a nearly 100 year old house as winter comes, sucks. Between the cat deciding I am a warm spot at 2am or the plastic in the mattress creaking against the wood floor whenever one of us moves, I will be quite ready to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night.

All and all things are going well I think. Well in the sense that I can't interact with anyone other than a German toddler since that is the limit of my vocabulary at this point. We've met a few interesting people in the last week and managed to socialize a little which always helps reduce the tension of big changes.

We have also discovered that for many items, it is cheaper to buy it in the German grocery stores rather than buy it at the "supposedly-cheaper" commissary on base. Eis Kaffee is my new favorite thing-milk with espresso all pre-made in a cartoon. I will drink it by the liter each day until I die. That and the ultra cheap generic knock-off of Bailey's Irish Creme which even with a crappy exchange rate only costs $6 a bottle. I bought a bottle this afternoon from the shelf next to the display of calendars of topless women at the supermarket (socially acceptable here which is strange b/c being from the US you don't expect it). I decided that even though it was an opportunity for Kelly and I to learn the months in German, it would be better to wait for that lesson in Rosetta Stone.

10:30 pm here-calling it a night and heading back to the air mattress.

Cheers-

No Furniture Finale

Kelly: This evening we are celebrating our last evening eating, sleeping, working, and lounging on our only piece of furniture--the air mattress. We are also grateful for the fun-filled Friday evening with our new friends. We met in Kaiserslautern and stumbled upon an authentic German restaurant www.spinnraedl.de/home/index.html. We had a great meal at a reasonable price and, the next day, found out that our dining choice was a favorite of our landlords. Our landlords, G and F, came over Saturday morning to fix the German closets (shrunks) and reprogram the furnace so that I only have to wear three layers at night instead of four. We visited Kaufland, a department store, and bumped into two people who we knew--one was a CHPPM Europe acquaintance and the other was a guy we met while looking at houses...good to know that it is a small world.

We participated in German cultural norm of a Sunday walk. We walked in regular shoes (Germans don't wear sneakers and I need to get a more comfortable pair of sneakers that don't look like sneakers) for about 1 mile out of town. It was refreshing and enjoyable. Despite not having the energy for a workout for the past week or so, I was craving a sauna. We ventured to Landstuhl and used the gym there. Matt ellipticized and I saunaed...heaven.

Today was my first real day...sort of. I still don't have an office, or a computer, or a phone, so I was a squatter in a random office. I spent about 2 hours responding to nasty-grams because I didn't have my timesheets turned in (hard to do when I don't have computer access), and I scheduled computer training. I also met with the Clinical Service Commander who wasn't thrilled to have another person with a "stove-piped" program. On the bright side, I got to sit in on an intake with a Soldier who just landed at LRMC after several months in Afghanistan...what a powerful experience. It truly made my griping seem trivial! After my short commute home (<20 minutes), Matt and I made dinner using our one pan and tupperware...yum! We walked to Edeka (a little grocery store down the street) and picked up our new favorite drink...Eis Kaffe (low-fat coffee-milk)...yumilicious.

Why is everything so hard?

Kelly: I sit on the wood floor eating trail mix from a bag. We have no plates, silverware, or cookware yet. The transportation department told me that if I had called one day sooner, they would've delivered our household goods yesterday. Aren't they supposed to notify me when the goods arrive? YES. Yes, they are. My degree is in psychology not telepathy...ugh. So, after 3 hours in the wind and rain and waiting in multiple lines with multiple forms, we got our beloved CC! We have renamed her TAC (Trans-atlantic Corolla). We also have internet...although that was a ridiculous process, too.

The good news: my "welcome to germany" class had a field trip to downtown K-town yesterday, and Matt and I made two friends...I feel as if we are in grade school again, but it really feels good to talk to others about shared experience...the difficulty with housing, paperwork mess-ups, etc. They are both in the Army and are really cool. One woman is a surgeon (totally down to earth) married to an Aussie. Another woman is an ICU nurse...uber well-traveled and a bit of a wild child. We might hang out with them again this weekend.

I talked to Occupational Health. They received my immunization records from Palo Alto because my current doc couldn't find them, but the Palo Alto records are thin b/c I only went to the doc one time. But, they couldn't do anything because I'm not "in the system." What have I been doing for the last two weeks if I'm not in the system? So, I had to go to occ health and wait while they tried to figure out why I wasn't in the system and then get me into the system. Luckily, both women were very kind and friendly. So, now, I'm "in the system" but have a slew of doctor's appointments next week and I have to get the flu shot...I am really not happy about that. This is the first year that it has been mandatory for civilians. Today is a "training holiday" for the military, which means that the military aren't working, so nothing else was getting accomplished. So, I went home to find a grumpy husband. He had looked at his first pay stub with German taxes taken out...let's just say that he could make more working at the Burger King on post. He is not a happy camper. He just left to withdraw cash from the bank so that we have money for the weekend (our ATM cards haven't arrived yet!!!!). AHHH!!!

We drove to Ikea to get, among other things, an island and stools for our kitchen that is decently equipped but bereft of counter space. It was an easy 45 minute drive. We found a stainless steel island/cart thing with two stools that we liked and picked up rugs, plants, and other misc. items. When we arrived in the warehouse section, we tried to get the legs and top to the table, but no luck. They weren't in the correct places. So, Matt ran upstairs to double-check the location and confirmed that the numbers I had written were correct. So, we waited in line at the information desk, Matt used his German language skills to communicate what we were looking for, and we were told that the items were not available! Upset, we pushed our carts to the line where I noticed that credit cards were not listed on payment options at the register. Matt inquired and was told that they only accept cash and German bank debit cards (Called E-C cards). You've got to be kidding me! Ikea, the universal furniture store, does not take credit!!! We spent the next 20 minutes returning all of our items to the shelves and left empty-handed.

Oh, and the cat didn't bother us last night, but this morning we found she had broken in to the pantry and chewed a hole through the bag that contained her food...

Just when we thought it couldn't get busier...

Kelly: The past few days have been filled with more of the same. Here's a quick summary:

Thursday: We have to go to the Stradtwerke (town public works) to get the utilities for the rental put into our name. We arrive, they tell us we need to go to the VAT office first, even though housing had told us to go there first. Matt's sinus issues have deteriorated into a full blown infection. The kind woman at the Apotheke (natural pharmacy that also dispenses prescriptions) directed us to a doctor. Matt went there, and I went back to the VAT office on base. I got the utility VAT forms and the 10 retail purchase VAT forms (allow us to get back the 19% European tax on purchases over $50.00. Find my way back to the town to meet Matt at the Stradtwerke. We get the paperwork finished and head to the CPAC office on a base far far away. The sort-of nice woman there tells us that we need a signature and have to come back on Monday with our reimbursement forms for temporary housing. Fine. We return and crash.

Friday: I drove Matt to take his driver's test. We met a couple nice Americans in the waiting room who seemed to be experiencing the same inprocessing hell. Misery loves company. I talked to KR (a psychologist who I met at the first meeting). She was reassuring and we scheduled a time to meet later that day. Matt turned in an application to work part time at the bank on post, and I went to the hospital, got a signature from my supervisor and talked to KR. While there, I met another nice woman, originally from the states but lived in Paris for the past 6 years...she was really nice and had really great boots...a fashion statement that I can't wait to mimic. KR told me more about the program that I'll be overseeing and informed me that no one likes my immediate supervisor (not the head of BH who was kind but busy). I'll deal with that one later. Friday night we crashed early.

Saturday: My thrifty spirit led me to a website called ramsteinyardsales. I inquired about a curling iron, a vacuum, and an island for our new place. I'll pick up the 220v curling iron tomorrow. After cleaning up in the morning, we went to a T-mobile location that spoke English. Jan (a guy) was wonderful!!! Smart, helpful, and honest...we both have cell phones...still expensive but all cell phone service is here. It will be nice to communicate with each other again. I didn't realize how much I relied on my cell in the states. Then we drove to the Landstuhl train station to try out the walk from the train up "cardiac hill" to the hospital to see if taking the train from our house to work would be an option. Landstuhl was beautiful, decorated in the autumn air...experiencing a bit of renter's remorse...I pondered whether we should have waited for a house to open in Landstuhl, but alas realized the likelihood of that happening was very slim. Cardiac hill was a workout...especially for my phlegmy, congested husband. We met with our landlords for a walk through of our house. I'm so excited. It is truly a German home with all of the accompanying quirks. We probably could've found a more "American" house, but we are in Germany!!! We can see the Landstuhl castle from the studio/attic space!! Let that sink in...we can see a castle from our house...crazy! We received the keys and will start moving tomorrow!

Sunday: Packed up some clothes and headed to the new house, unloaded, picked up my new curling iron, and then went to the Commissary at Vogelweh. The gate guard said that our CACs weren't working...seriously...they've worked for the past week without issue...ugh! Anyway, I liked the Vogelweh commissary better than the Ramstein commissary, but I still prefer to purchase goods on the German economy. Some items are cheaper there, but some are way more expensive! We unpacked our groceries at the new house and returned to the apartment for lunch.

We officially move in tomorrow and our air shipped goods are supposed to arrive. I have to go back to transportation and CPAC AGAIN tomorrow. We won't have internet access for at least a week...things move very slowly here! So, until then...auf wiedersehen!

Yesterday was plain awful...

My sister loves the musical, Annie. We watched our VHS version of Annie over and over until we knew all of the lines. Early in the musical, Annie sings, "Yesterday was plain awful...you can say that again...yesterday was plain awful, but that's not now, that's then." Yesterday and the day before were truly "plain awful." I spent Tuesday morning doing more paperwork, fingerprinting, etc. at the hospital. Matt went and met with the landlords while I was in a meeting during which I was totally overwhelmed with others saying, "We're so glad you are here. This is a huge job. How are you going to do it all?" Thanks.

In the meantime, Matt was able to open a bank account but the landlords got the painter to come early so they want us to move in Nov. 1 not Nov. 15th. Everything is paid here with bank transfers, but you can't open a bank account until you have an ID (CAC) and you can't have a CAC until you are "in the system." So, we have a bank account with no money in it and we need to give the landlords about $5K to move in (pretty standard in Germany). Ugh. Oh, and the previous tenant told Matt that if we wanted to keep the loaner furniture (closets, refrigerator, washer, dryer, microwave, etc.), we would have to go to the furnishings office before they closed at 2:30. It was then 1:30. Ugh. But we hadn't taken our contract to the housing office yet. So, we get to housing and the line is enormously long. We finally get called in, everything looks good, and we put our names on another list to try to cancel the pick up of the previous tenant's items. Matt has to go back to the apartment to work, so I drive him back (10 minutes away) and returned to be scolded for not being there when my name was called...there had been about 15 people in front of me. The German national who helped me was actually very sweet. She cancelled the pick up and told me where to go grocery shopping off post, given our distaste for the cold on-base, teeny-bopper shopping mall and limited selection, not so fresh produce at the commissary. So, after more online paperwork, we head out to Aldi (similar to the ones in the states). We found lots of bargains! We approaced the checker who said, "Oh, we don't take credit." You can go to the bank and I will hold your groceries. So, we run to the car (Aldi closed in 30 minutes) and I drive frantically through the curvy streets of our new hometown (Ramstein), searching for a bank. Oh, did I mention that we're almost out of gas. So, amidst the frantic running around, we stop to get gas. A kind woman is able to describe in broken English where I can find an ATM. We make it there, grab the cash and return to Aldi. The checker greeted us with a smile and sent us on our way.



YESTERDAY...we were told to be at the driver's orientation and testing facility at 7:15 to ensure that we got a seat in the class, so we left our house at 6:30 to make sure we could get there in time. We arrived at 7:10 and when the window booths opened at 7:30, we were told that we were in the wrong place. So we follow someone to the "right" place, but the facility was closed for a private function. So, after a long time, we are led to a conference room where we waited. The room slowly filled. Finally by 9:30, we were listening to the orientation. Then we registered and Matt got bumped from the class. By this time it was noon. The test was at 12:30, so we grabbed lunch and hurried back. The test didn't start until after 1:00. I passed and we were out of there by 1:45. We raced back to base to deposit the money in our new bank account so that it could be wired to our landlords for our move on Sunday....dropped Matt off and raced to the hospital for my drug test. Then, we spent way too much time at the dreaded mall on base researching internet and phone...nothing is cheap. We came home exhausted and I found out that my doctor doesn't have my vaccination records that I need for my pre-employment physical...ugh. I had a mini-meltdown...."but that's not now...that's then."

Donahue Haus...burgs, dorfs, and strasses, oh my!

Kelly: After a weekend of exploring many ...burgs, ...dorfs, and ...strasses, we saw a military-approved house in the village of Ramstein listed on the housing website. The house was located on a little alley at the edge of town with great walkability to grocery stores and the train, which would eliminate the need for us to purchase a second car. It is about 4 miles from my work if Matt were to drop me at the pedestrian gate and 10 miles going around the big hill to the only gate that allows vehicles to enter. Needless to say, we were in love with it based solely on the location. I called to inquire about the rental this morning and was told to come by between ten and noon for an open house because the landlords had received so many inquiries already. So, Matt and I drove over, parked along the curb outside and waited until 10. We watched one of our competitors move in before us...he was in uniform (strike one against us). The house was completely charming, really big, had two garages and had a lovely garden. The landlords were very nice. It was by far the best we had seen in person or online! I really wanted the house but was trying not to get too excited about it. We reluctantly drove to more ...burgs, ...dorfs, and ...strasses but nothing compared! The owners said that they would call all of the applicants this evening and inform them whether or not they were "the chosen ones."

Fortunately, we were distracted from worrying about it by our trip to a little base about 35 minutes away to procure the cherised ID cards. We missed a turn on the way and had to drive to the next autobahn exit then retrace our route back to the maze of lights and gates before arriving at our destination. We were greeted (if you can call a gruff command: "Two forms of ID" a greeting) by a man who proceeded to tell us that he had been up since 3 AM.... you can see where I'm going with this. After we divulged all of our personal information including fingerprints and blood type (not even kidding), I was given the coveted ID card, and Matt was given a less-flashy but equally priveleged version of the same. This process took way longer than expected and the Travel office we needed to visit was closed by the time that we were free...bummer.

We trekked back home to wait for a call from the landlords. I checked the military-approved housing list, as I had been compulsively doing since I realized how fierce the market was, and was dismayed to find that our beloved house had been removed from the listings. My heart sank. As Matt and I were drowning our sorrows in choclate, the phone rang...you guessed it, we got the house!!! We were both overwhelmed with relief. We will meet them to finish the paperwork tomorrow and then drive it to the housing office for final approval. Move-in date is TBD based on when the house can be painted but will likely be in mid-November. Woo hoo! I am very grateful.

Whirlwind Week

Kelly: What time is it? What day is it? This week was definitely a whirlwind. Everything is time consuming. Yesterday, I spent most of the day trying to track down our household goods and researching places to live and then driving to various towns (with the help of our rented GPS). Old German towns are so charming but confusing. Some interesting differences from the US: driving on the curb is allowed, driving on the pedestrian walks is sometimes allowed, small cars really are necessary for navigating tight turns. We learned that the above sign means "Detour" and should be followed! No harm done.

We've chosen a few favorite towns including downtown Landstuhl, which is just a heart-pumping walk up a steep hill to the hospital. We also like a little village called Atzel, which is on top of the hill, across the road from the hospital. Unfortunately, we found zero prospectice rentals in each of those areas. We're going to check out the nearest big city, Kaiserslautern (K-town), today. We're meeting an "Immobilien" (German realtor) to check out one home on the outskirts of the city. The commute from K-town would be about 25 minutes and I could take a train if necessary.

We finished our day with a trip to the gym. I hadn't had a good workout since the end of September. Once we found the new and beautiful facility, we were impressed with the friendly staff and modern design. It is equipped with plenty of cardio equipment, an enormous weight room that I described as "intimidating" but that Matt termed "motivating," a racquetball court (Matt was happy about that), and a sauna (I was happy about that). Both Matt and I had a great workout and feel more like ourselves...amazing what adding a bit of normalcy will do for my mood!

Day 0

Matthew: I don't and honestly likely won't type often but today (or yesterday-what day is it anyhow?) was "special". "Special" is when you don't sleep for more than 24 hours and spent the better part of the night cramming your 6 foot 5 frame into the washroom of a transatlantic flight either soothing a panicked cat out of its travel bag or ramming meds down its throat to maintain its hazy awareness of the situation.

Ah Germany the land of beer and well known food delicacies for visitors to enjoy and experience......I ate a turkey sub at Subway in front of the Taco Bell while sipping iced tea.....I'll be delaying my investigation of the German diet until another day :) .

We have arrived!

Kelly: The last 24 hours have been a roller coaster of emotions and experiences...saying goodbye to our favorite neighbors...hanging out with my parents and in-laws in our empty house while the new renter and the substitute real estate agent (who mixed up the days) did a pre-rental walk-though....watching Matt try to get xanax into our kitty's throat...saying goodbye to my parents at Dulles...going through security with the cat...the long, sleepless but professional and pleasant flight while Matt intermittently took the cat in her carrier into the oh-so-small bathroom for additional doses of anti-anxiety meds...breezing through customs without a glance at the hours and hours of pet paperwork...arriving at Ramstein to meet my supervisor for the first time...cramming our big bags and cat into my supervisor's beautiful Audi as she shuttled us around...trying to sign in to temporary housing at 10:00 only to find that we couldn't sign in until 2:00pm...trying to keep the cat calm while we grocery shopped with my new boss, ate lunch with my new boss, and received an introduction to housing in which we found out that our options would be "thin"...all on zero sleep.

Considering all of that, we're doing well. The weather was beautiful today, and the leaves covering the rolling hills (reminiscent of Western Maryland) are just beginning to change. When we were finally able to check in to our temporary housing, we were surprised that it isn't as hideous as we imagined. We can walk to the commissary and to wooded trails on base. Mialley seems to be adjusting fairly well. Matt took a short nap and is feeling a bit better. Tomorrow we will get our ID cards which will allow us to move freely on base, to establish bank accounts, to rent a car, etc.

We're in Germany!

Last Minute Details

Kelly: The last minute details have definitely turned into the last hours details. What should've taken 15 minutes, took 1.5 hours...getting Mialley's paperwork in order has been more difficult than arranging ours! After a frustrating experience at the USDA, I think Mialley is ready to go. She is still groggy today, not from her xanax but from her panic episodes on the way to and from the vet. We half-moved in to a hotel for the remainder of our days in Maryland. I didn't want to leave Miles last night, so we slept on the air mattress with Miles at our feet. I love that little furball!

Today has been and will continue to be filled with household chores, address changes, and phone calls. It is hard to imagine that we'll be living in Germany on Tuesday!

Family Travels

Kelly: I just returned from a week of visiting family. I spent two days with my family before Matt joined me for a going away party at my parents' house. I truly enjoyed spending time with my sisters and adorable niece, and I don't think that I would've had this opportunity to spend such dedicated chunks of time with them if I weren't moving to a foreign country. Goodbyes are always tough, but saying goodbye to Ava and my grandpa were definitely the most difficult!

Matt and I then set out for Connecticut. We took a meandering, spontaneous route visiting Ithaca and several scary little towns in Connecticut (yes, I didn't know CT could be scary, but it can!). We had a so-so night (chain restaurant and interstate motel) in Waterbury and then spent the next day in New Haven. What a great time! We took advantage of the free cultural experiences and thoroughly enjoyed the Yale Art Gallery (from classic Monet to contemporary shovel hanging from the ceiling) and the Yale School of Architecture Green Building exhibit. Both were fabulous and the latter stoked Matt's desire to live in a prefab/green home. The serenity of the day came to a screeching halt with the arrival of our niece and nephews. It was a very busy evening of bracelet-making, book reading, and Wii-playing. Mark gave me flowers and Matt a drawing. Meghan gave me lavender scented dryer bags. Despite the hectic evening, it was great to see them, and it made our arrival at the healthy, eco-friendly Green Rocks Inn even sweeter. Set in a very nice area of CT, the quintessential cedar-shake sided home breathed relaxation. I soaked in a wonderful bath, we slept on a comfortable bed, and we chatted with the friendly hostesses. My only complaint was the limited gluten-free breakfast choices despite calling ahead and arranging gluten-free options. We left rejuvenated and ready to tackle the hours of traffic and calls to credit card companies that were ahead of us.

I had a great trip, but saying goodbye highlights how quickly our departure is approaching!

The leak that drained the bank

Kelly: So, we knew that we had a leak in our shower. Matt removed all of the old, nasty grout and re-caulked it. No more problems. One month ago, I noticed a spot on the dining room ceiling (AKA the bathtub is leaking again). We called our contractor who assessed the problem and said it would take 2-3 days max (famous last words) and that he'd call with an estimate of the cost. One day passes...no estimate. Two days pass...no estimate. Five days and many phone calls and emails later...no estimate. So, we contacted another contractor who said the problem was bigger because all of the walls were wet and needed to be torn out and replaced along with the sub floor. Translation... $$$. We have no choice. We leave in two weeks. So, we signed on the dotted line. Yesterday, the manager and the two contractors (Carlos and Julio...I'm not even kidding) worked all day. We returned home at about 8:00 pm, pleased to see everything removed but depressed by the extent of the water damage. We later learned that the toilet seal was broken and had been leaking for who knows how long. Translation... $$$ We returned to the kitchen to make dinner, but when I turned on the faucet...not a drip. So, I guarded the bare pipes and Matt turned on the water.
"Ready?" he said.
"Go ahead," I replied.
"Any problems?" he yelled.
"Seems okay," I returned. So Matt clamored up the steps just as the water began to shoot from the toilet valve in a sprinkler-like pattern and trickle from the pipe near the tub. Matt zoomed to the basement to turn the water off. I attempted to stem the flow of water. Ugh. Matt was done and was ready to dial the Hampton inn's number. I was not having it. I called the neighbors who graciously allowed us the use of their basement bathroom and shower.

Today we waited 4.5 hours for the shower to be delivered to learn that the essential drain piece was not included. Fabulous. Carlos and Julio are now banging away efficiently upstairs. I'm hoping that I'll be able to flush a toilet and boil water tonight. Oh, the simple things we take for granted.

We are appreciating the little things and are convinced that this experience will make moving to a foreign county seem a little easier.

From DINK to SINK

Kelly: Yesterday was my last day of full-time work, which makes Matt and me SINKs (Single Income No Kids) rather than DINKs (Dual Income No Kids). I'm ready to be finished with that job, yet not having a "job," even if just temporarily, feels really strange. I didn't think that I defined myself by what I did, but perhaps there was more ego involved than what appeared on the surface. Given that I would like to be self-employed and pursue a business venture with Matt in the near future, I really need to think about the concept of "employment." My dad has worked for the same company for about 35 years. The idea of going TO work FOR an employer, putting in a standard 40-hour week, is all that I knew. Sure, I have plenty of different models now for nontraditional work, yet there is still a pull to be employed BY someone. I thought that ending my job would be an exciting and freeing experience. Instead, it was anti-climactic and thought-provoking....just the beginning of the education I'm about to receive!

Camping

Kelly: I got  my wish. All summer long, I had been talking about going camping; however, with weddings aplenty, day trips, and then the choas of arranging a move to a foreign country, we never got around to it. So, now, sitting on Matt's parents' air mattress in our empty room (with the exception of our computer and the tv we forgot to put in storage), I am roughing it...or close to it. Having few possessions has actually been freeing. We haven't spent time cleaning those possessions that are hopefully on a boat making their way to our new home. Our meals have been simple and inventive, while I'm learning how to combine random canned goods with veggies from our CSA. We've spent time with friends, taken many walks, studied German, and dabbled on the internet (e.g., the creation of this blog). I have been struggling with the "simplicity" of having one car in an area where walking avails only the opportunity to buy pizza, donuts, or saddles (gotta love northern Baltimore County!). I'm thinking that city living in Europe would be a nice change!