Beginning to Explore

Things are good in Germany. I've learned what my role is, a tiny bit of German, and my way around the city, as well as met a few people over the age of 10. I'm getting comfortable and I have plenty of time to myself. 

As a nanny, my schedule is usually: do whatever I want til the boys are done with school, usually around 2, sometimes 3pm. Then we go home and I make them a snack. If they don't have soccer, violin, Faith in God, Dr. appointments, or learning groups, we may go to the park, the Aquarium, play games, talk about science, but usually just build things out of legos. I start making dinner around 6 and shortly after the parents get home. After eating and cleaning up dinner, I again can do whatever. I have a few other tasks helping around the house, but I really am lucky to have so much time to myself. 

The family doesn't have a car- we all have bikes and the public transportation system is excellent. Some days, both boys sit in the front of this beast-mobile, and I bike them around. This is called a trio, and functions as my minivan. This is the only one I've seen, it's not like its' a common German thing. 

This is my life as a soccer mom:

So yesterday I went to a few museums in the morning. Apparently the Secretary General of the United Nations wanted to join me at the Deutsches Museum. I had to lift my bike around a police car when I left. Unfortunately, they didn't also escort me home, just Mr. Big Shot. This was the scene once I got my bike.

Today, I went to Cologne, the large city only about 40 minutes from my house via trains. When I got on the train, I picked a random seat. Turns out I sat in the middle of a bachelor party. Noon, and they were already pretty drunk and hilarious. They were on their was from Frankfurt to Dusseldorf for more drinking. They spoke some English, and we laughed the whole ride. They also made me a sandwich called a mettbroetchen. I made them each promise me I wouldn't die if I ate it, as they just pulled a hunk of raw meat from under the seat. They smeared it on a fresh roll, and dipped the whole thing in onions. One of the guys called it "German Sushi." It was actually delicious and the whole encounter was so delightful. Probably the highlight of my German experience thus far. (And I don't even feel ill 10 hours later)

Cologne is amazing. Mostly this cathedral. While my small camera and I don't take the best photos, here are a few:

And here are some pictures of the cathedral and my nostrils.

Here is a picture that makes it look almost as cool as it is. It's 516 feet tall. It's huge. Also, there has been a cathedral in this spot since the 2nd century. NBD. This one began construction around 1250 AD.

I can say with 98% confidence, this was the filming location for the fight scene between The Beast and Gaston. Notice the Gargoyles.

It was a lovely rainy day to wander the city and the Rhine. 

I went to the Lindt Chocolate museum, delicious.

Famous Statue of  important men:

Random building I thought was neat:

Things are going really well and exploring is very fun. There are so many places I'm excited to see within a 2 hour train ride, let alone flights and night trains. It's so fun to be in a completely different world, and yet have so much be familiar. Here are some things I love about Europe so far:

1. Dogs don't bark or attack your groin. 

2. Traffic and car accidents do not affect my life.

3. Everything tastes real, and stronger. They eat less, but what they eat is covered in butter and seasonings. 

4. Everything closes at 7 pm. Thursday night I was in the center of Bonn around 8. During the day it is a bustling area. Come 7:30 it's quiet, peaceful, well lit, and lovely. Also Sundays. Nothing is open. 

5. Fresh bread all the time.

6. Meeting people from so many different countries. This week I made connections with a woman from Lybia, a man from France, another from Serbia, I woman from London, and people from all over Germany. 

6. Learning about WWII and the Berlin wall through the eyes of German Museums. 

7. How many people approach me and talk to me. People are friendly and chatty!

8. Listening to conversations in many languages every day. 

9. Anticipation of Carnival! Parties begin this month, and from what I gather, it's madness.

10. Challenging myself: my ideas, my habits, my time, my weaknesses.