Wow. Went to a dance show last night at the gemeindehaus (community center) down the street with two other Reichenbachers and good friends. There were people there competing and watching the dance troupes from several villages around here. Some of the dances were just okay, but others were quite impressive and dramatic, so it was fun to watch. I could've done without the obligatory and cheesy whole-group fest song which required my participation. But that's a German-style party for you! Anyway, I was impressed with the all-around good humor that accompanied the event. Though it could've easily gotten quite competitive (Reichenbach vs. Heimbach or everyone), it didn't because everyone cheered for each dance troupe equally. Even the groups that were mediocre got hoots and whistles, which I found to be very generous of the audience. Everyone was in such a good mood that it was hard to be worried about the fact that I was out waaaaaaaaaaay past my bedtime (it ended at midnight). One of the last dances of the night was a duo of young girls who demonstrated to me just how horrible I was at belly-dancing. My friends and I were laughing about how we'd taken belly dancing classes together and were not that good (hoefte! HOEFTE!!!), sharing inside jokes. So, I felt like I had a place there, but still...
I had another one of those "out of the box" experiences I sometimes have over here. I knew a lot of Reichenbachers there from various places (Aiden's kindergarten teachers, my nanny and her group of girlfriends, the tree cutter, etc.). Everyone always seems very pleased to see me, the American, enjoying the local events. But I sense that people are still very curious about us, as the Americans living in the town, because I notice people watching me.
I assume they're watching to gauge my reaction and see if I'm following what is going on. Or, they're waiting for me to commit some sort of faux pas. I frequently catch them whispering to their companions with their eyes in our direction. I don't sense mean-spiritedness at all. As a matter of fact, the exact opposite. I feel like a minor celebrity when we join "the masses" in our town. But after living here now for 6 years, I'd expect our novelty to have worn off by now!
I guess there really is limited excitement in a small farm town. So, if I want to just be low-key and observe, I really can't do that here. So, with that, and the long history of relationships that I know little about amongst the Reichenbachers that have lived here for generations, I do remain "outside the box" still. But I can put my foot in and shake it all about when I want to.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Innocence lost...and found!
Just got back from a frigid hour at the spielplatz. Aiden, Ava, and I walked down there since it's a sunny day and what luck! We ran into Aiden's favorite girl, Angelina. I personally think he loves her and that he will remember her as his first girlfriend like I reflect back on the boy who I loved in kindergarten. I don't remember his name, but I do remember vividly grabbing his hand on the way to school and him whining, "Aw, do I have to?" Of course the answer was yes. And he listened! I wonder whatever happened to that boy...Anyway!
So, Aiden and Angelina are running around and playing together while Ava digs in the sand. At one point, Aiden asked me to help them get the zipline within their reach and so I did and I stood there watching them get situated. Aiden gentlemanly gave the thing to Angelina to ride first, but then I heard him ask, "Moerchtet du doppleganger machen?" Or loosely translated, "Do you want to go doubles?" She nodded her assent and Aiden jumped on the seat, straddling her. Now did I mention that there were a bunch of teens hanging out at the park, too? (it's a farm-town and not many places to chill...) So of course, I expect to hear snickering at the fact that these two are riding together like this. But no, to my surprise I seemed to be the only one thinking this is a little naughty :) And further demonstrating my lack of innocence, two of the teen boys then jump on together! It was all totally--innocent--but I know if I'd been at my American school playground and two kids straddled each other on the swings or zipline or whatever, there'd be razzing for sure!
So I guess you could say I've definitely lost my innocence, but that for a moment I found it again. I was truly touched to see that, yes, even in this world where stories about kids killing other kids are on the news every day now, there are still those that haven't yet lost their innocence. There is still sweetness. There is still just play for the fun of playing. There is still purity in this world. The challenge is holding on to it for as long as possible...
So, Aiden and Angelina are running around and playing together while Ava digs in the sand. At one point, Aiden asked me to help them get the zipline within their reach and so I did and I stood there watching them get situated. Aiden gentlemanly gave the thing to Angelina to ride first, but then I heard him ask, "Moerchtet du doppleganger machen?" Or loosely translated, "Do you want to go doubles?" She nodded her assent and Aiden jumped on the seat, straddling her. Now did I mention that there were a bunch of teens hanging out at the park, too? (it's a farm-town and not many places to chill...) So of course, I expect to hear snickering at the fact that these two are riding together like this. But no, to my surprise I seemed to be the only one thinking this is a little naughty :) And further demonstrating my lack of innocence, two of the teen boys then jump on together! It was all totally--innocent--but I know if I'd been at my American school playground and two kids straddled each other on the swings or zipline or whatever, there'd be razzing for sure!
So I guess you could say I've definitely lost my innocence, but that for a moment I found it again. I was truly touched to see that, yes, even in this world where stories about kids killing other kids are on the news every day now, there are still those that haven't yet lost their innocence. There is still sweetness. There is still just play for the fun of playing. There is still purity in this world. The challenge is holding on to it for as long as possible...
Friday, October 16, 2009
Who'd have thought?
I've come to believe that some of the most spoiled people in the world whine the loudest. I came home today with this on my mind and thought about how little we have to really whine about. In the spirit of not becoming one of those people, I've decided to document some of the cool things that have come about in my life as unexpected surprises, and which yes, I often take for granted.
1. I remember sitting in French class one day in high school and thinking to myself, "Too bad I'll never get to use this in France--that would be cool." Funny, but it wasn't even an option in my mind at that time that I could travel overseas. And here I am. Living 45 minutes from France and popping over there for dinner once in a while.
2. So I would've never imagined that I would have visited 12 countries (and counting) by 32.
3. And I certainly wouldn't have dreamed that I would OWN a house in a foreign country.
4. I would not have guessed that I would've found in myself something of a leader. It actually still surprises me now.
5. I would be ecstatic to learn that I have MUCH more self-confidence and self-esteem than when I was a teen (ugh.)
6. I would not know how to feel about me driving a minivan. My 32 year-old self can reassure the teen in me that, no, it's not really cool, but it is a rockin' van.
7. I would be fascinated to learn that I have two (and that's it) kids and that they have a nanny who has come to mean so much to me that I hyperventilate at the thought of separating from her and her family.
8. I have learned that friends can be your family.
9. I would perhaps be nervous in seeing that what you've always known is not the absolute truth oftentimes, and that I now consider myself a person who questions more.
10. I have learned that there's nothing in this world that brings me more happiness than my husband and two amazingly unique and awesome kids.
1. I remember sitting in French class one day in high school and thinking to myself, "Too bad I'll never get to use this in France--that would be cool." Funny, but it wasn't even an option in my mind at that time that I could travel overseas. And here I am. Living 45 minutes from France and popping over there for dinner once in a while.
2. So I would've never imagined that I would have visited 12 countries (and counting) by 32.
3. And I certainly wouldn't have dreamed that I would OWN a house in a foreign country.
4. I would not have guessed that I would've found in myself something of a leader. It actually still surprises me now.
5. I would be ecstatic to learn that I have MUCH more self-confidence and self-esteem than when I was a teen (ugh.)
6. I would not know how to feel about me driving a minivan. My 32 year-old self can reassure the teen in me that, no, it's not really cool, but it is a rockin' van.
7. I would be fascinated to learn that I have two (and that's it) kids and that they have a nanny who has come to mean so much to me that I hyperventilate at the thought of separating from her and her family.
8. I have learned that friends can be your family.
9. I would perhaps be nervous in seeing that what you've always known is not the absolute truth oftentimes, and that I now consider myself a person who questions more.
10. I have learned that there's nothing in this world that brings me more happiness than my husband and two amazingly unique and awesome kids.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Creature of habit
Ugh. Why oh why do I get stuck clicking on the same 5 websites that I always visit? There's an entire world online to explore and yet I am hesitant to step out there, click something new, or even old. Visit a site I've been to before, found cool, and then promptly forgot because there is just too much to remember in a single day. I even find myself routing myself into setting-based patterns. I only view certain websites at work, certain at home, one or two anywhere else. I know there are other "places" out there, but really, I'm just too lazy to find them, explore them, and add them to my little online world. Is this the weirdest blog ever? But it's really an issue that I have with myself.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Eh.
So we went to church this foggy, cold, autumn Sunday and planned to try out our new Macaroni Grill in the new Ramstein "mall" afterwards. Honestly, my favorite part of Sundays where we actually go to church is eating lunch out as a family. So I was excited and planning to do a little shopping after eating. Anyway, so it was a good message at church on healthy families--check. Moving over to Macaroni Grill and, miracle of miracles, we walked in and got seated immediately! I think Aiden enjoyed his mondo-giant mac and cheese shells, but Ava ate like three. I ate about a third of my chicken alfredo because--well, it was good, but I don't need to eat from a trough to be satiated. And Rad's chianti steak was dry. So. There you go. Huh.
Moving on to the "mall" (always in parentheses because it's really just an oversized BX/PX/Powerzone/Shoppette with the same old vendors you typically see outside any BX/PX, but it does have an actual movie theater with a concession stand and a food court with several options, so...) We were just deflated by the task of going from one end to the other to locate what we were looking for. Ended up getting something exciting from Origins, which I've wished the BX would carry forever, so that's cool. But of course, no suit for Aiden to be the ring bearer in Reg's wedding (so that will be a mad-dash once we get to VA) and I wasn't in the mood to check out the Victoria's Secret stuff cuz I'm feeling fat, so. We headed home. And now I'm blogging about my so-so trip to Ramstein today :P Yep, I'm actually bored, I'd say!
Moving on to the "mall" (always in parentheses because it's really just an oversized BX/PX/Powerzone/Shoppette with the same old vendors you typically see outside any BX/PX, but it does have an actual movie theater with a concession stand and a food court with several options, so...) We were just deflated by the task of going from one end to the other to locate what we were looking for. Ended up getting something exciting from Origins, which I've wished the BX would carry forever, so that's cool. But of course, no suit for Aiden to be the ring bearer in Reg's wedding (so that will be a mad-dash once we get to VA) and I wasn't in the mood to check out the Victoria's Secret stuff cuz I'm feeling fat, so. We headed home. And now I'm blogging about my so-so trip to Ramstein today :P Yep, I'm actually bored, I'd say!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Carnival
Okay, so I've already put this story up on Facebook--the abbreviated version--but I haven't laughed so hard in a while, so it's worth blogging it...Funny how a moment of your own sheer stupidity can tickle you (well, that is if you're one of the fortunate people in this world who are able to laugh at themselves!)
So Friday night was the Fall Carnival at my school and I decided to take the kids. First, we drove past the tennis courts where Daddy was to see if he wanted to tag along, as his tennis practice was just ending. He did, and followed us to the school. We ended up parking a space apart with a red BMW between us and cars filling every other available space. We went in and enjoyed ourselves spending ridiculous amounts of money on tickets for the fun and "hot candy", as Ava calls cotton candy (her most momentous discovery at Disneyland this summer). After an hour, the kids were done and we decided to leave. Commence the dramedy.
We get out to the parking lot and discover that some fool has blocked Rad's Element in by parking their silver VW behind him. Let me describe at this time the layout of the parking lot. So the parking spaces are lined up along the front of the school building, with about 10 feet of concrete between the actual parking spaces and the building. Directly to the right and in front of my van, a metal fence begins and there is space between the building and rest of the spaces to my right. Rad's on my left. So my bright idea is for him to pull forward and go to the right through the parking space that I will vacate. He has to clear the space as he turns into my spot between the BMW and the metal fence. Rad thinks this is possible, so I begin to pull out, get out to guide his wide Element around the red BMW and between the metal fence as he turns into my parking space. Skipping over my inept guidance--cut to the side of Rad's Element literally less than an inch from the Beamer's front bumper and me shouting "STOP!" We decided to cut our losses and admit we were stuck when we were both too scared to try and back him out of his position. It just looked like the side step on his Element was going to scrape the BMW's bumper no matter what we did.
So I ran inside to see if we could find the BMW's owner in the carnival. One of the PTO moms kindly used the bullhorn to go around and see if anyone claimed the car. NO ONE did. Huh? Okay, now I'm scared that the owner could be living in one of the buildings in the neighborhood and just parked there but is not at the carnival. So...now what? Now, just moving the silver car out of our way is moot. The red car has to move so we can!
While we're standing here for, oh...about 45 minutes, people are walking to and from the carnival and catching sight of our predicament. Some actually gasp and crane their necks to see what damage we've caused because it seriously looked like we were right on top of the Beamer. I kept shouting "We didn't hit it!" and getting more and more embarrassed as I realized how dumb we were to get stuck like this.
Then, the heavens part and I see my friend walking from the building across the street with her husband. I shout to ask her if she knows anyone living there with this red BMW. They don't, but they come over to assess the situation. Her husband, an army soldier just returned from Iraq, states with confident ease that he can easily guide Radley out of his predicament. All three of us balk. But he basically begs us to trust him, and I think this is where Radley's male bravado came in and he agreed to let the guy try. My friend explained that her husband does this all the time for his Army job, but with big tanks and such, trying to calm me. So, with me clutching Ava and going, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh...!!" he backed Radley away from the Beamer like nothing--in seconds. In another minute, Radley was turned around and back where he originally started--blocked in by the VW. At this point, we're both so relieved to be away from the BMW, that we are going to give up and just leave and come back later when the VW's gone. But no. My friend's husband again says, "Please! I can get you out of here EASILY!" Male bravado shows up again and then the guy proceeds to guide Radley forward out of the parking spot, turns him around, through the parking space and two cars and with less than an inch on either side of the Element for wiggle room, guides him diagonally out of the space and in front of the offending VW--SAFELY OUT OF THE PARKING LOT!!!!! I cheered as I let out my breath and gave my hero a high-five! Radley got out and asked to shake the man's hand. And after much profuse thanks, we got in our vehicles and drove home. I laughed the whole way at our ineptitude and the ease with which we were rescued :) Now, that's what military training is all about!
So Friday night was the Fall Carnival at my school and I decided to take the kids. First, we drove past the tennis courts where Daddy was to see if he wanted to tag along, as his tennis practice was just ending. He did, and followed us to the school. We ended up parking a space apart with a red BMW between us and cars filling every other available space. We went in and enjoyed ourselves spending ridiculous amounts of money on tickets for the fun and "hot candy", as Ava calls cotton candy (her most momentous discovery at Disneyland this summer). After an hour, the kids were done and we decided to leave. Commence the dramedy.
We get out to the parking lot and discover that some fool has blocked Rad's Element in by parking their silver VW behind him. Let me describe at this time the layout of the parking lot. So the parking spaces are lined up along the front of the school building, with about 10 feet of concrete between the actual parking spaces and the building. Directly to the right and in front of my van, a metal fence begins and there is space between the building and rest of the spaces to my right. Rad's on my left. So my bright idea is for him to pull forward and go to the right through the parking space that I will vacate. He has to clear the space as he turns into my spot between the BMW and the metal fence. Rad thinks this is possible, so I begin to pull out, get out to guide his wide Element around the red BMW and between the metal fence as he turns into my parking space. Skipping over my inept guidance--cut to the side of Rad's Element literally less than an inch from the Beamer's front bumper and me shouting "STOP!" We decided to cut our losses and admit we were stuck when we were both too scared to try and back him out of his position. It just looked like the side step on his Element was going to scrape the BMW's bumper no matter what we did.
So I ran inside to see if we could find the BMW's owner in the carnival. One of the PTO moms kindly used the bullhorn to go around and see if anyone claimed the car. NO ONE did. Huh? Okay, now I'm scared that the owner could be living in one of the buildings in the neighborhood and just parked there but is not at the carnival. So...now what? Now, just moving the silver car out of our way is moot. The red car has to move so we can!
While we're standing here for, oh...about 45 minutes, people are walking to and from the carnival and catching sight of our predicament. Some actually gasp and crane their necks to see what damage we've caused because it seriously looked like we were right on top of the Beamer. I kept shouting "We didn't hit it!" and getting more and more embarrassed as I realized how dumb we were to get stuck like this.
Then, the heavens part and I see my friend walking from the building across the street with her husband. I shout to ask her if she knows anyone living there with this red BMW. They don't, but they come over to assess the situation. Her husband, an army soldier just returned from Iraq, states with confident ease that he can easily guide Radley out of his predicament. All three of us balk. But he basically begs us to trust him, and I think this is where Radley's male bravado came in and he agreed to let the guy try. My friend explained that her husband does this all the time for his Army job, but with big tanks and such, trying to calm me. So, with me clutching Ava and going, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh...!!" he backed Radley away from the Beamer like nothing--in seconds. In another minute, Radley was turned around and back where he originally started--blocked in by the VW. At this point, we're both so relieved to be away from the BMW, that we are going to give up and just leave and come back later when the VW's gone. But no. My friend's husband again says, "Please! I can get you out of here EASILY!" Male bravado shows up again and then the guy proceeds to guide Radley forward out of the parking spot, turns him around, through the parking space and two cars and with less than an inch on either side of the Element for wiggle room, guides him diagonally out of the space and in front of the offending VW--SAFELY OUT OF THE PARKING LOT!!!!! I cheered as I let out my breath and gave my hero a high-five! Radley got out and asked to shake the man's hand. And after much profuse thanks, we got in our vehicles and drove home. I laughed the whole way at our ineptitude and the ease with which we were rescued :) Now, that's what military training is all about!
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