With Thanks

I keep waiting for the big freak-out. I am convinced that soon I will suddenly realize I have left everyone and everything I am familiar with to move across the world (don't worry I've seen the map, I'm exaggerating) and totally lose it. I know the meltdown is coming any...day...now. Yet here we are, a week past our three month-mark and with the exception of my bitterness towards the bitterness that is our weather, I'm not freaking out. Quite frankly, I'm totally shocked by it. I realize there is a slight chance that writing about it may jinx the amazing-ness, but I'll cross my fingers.



NOT a must-have.


I attribute the comfort I feel in Hamburg to multiple things. I was following a dream coming here. I have always wanted to see the world and living in a German city most Michiganders have never heard seemed like, and has proven to be, a great way to start. I had always wanted to make the move but didn't have the courage to actually do it. Prior to entering the teaching force I was close to making the move to teach abroad. I was too scared to do it--too scared I would fail, too scared I'd be too far behind when I came back, too scared I'd miss out on the important stuff at home. Four years of teaching, soul-searching, and relationship-building worked to my advantage and I finally was strong enough to take the plunge when the time came (No, Reggie and I haven't "gone to Denmark"--German lingo for 'eloped.'). I am still scared I'll fail, but am less scared that I used to be and the chance of failing doesn't matter as much to me now. Now, I realize the social capital and life experiences I'll gain from my time in wurst-world won't let me fall behind but would be worth it even if they did. And, with many thanks to those techy folks that brought us FB and Skype, I don't feel like I've missed a thing in the lives of all you important folks I love back home, though I sure miss you.

I learned early on that life is short. So, I have always pushed forward as fast as I can in order to meet all my goals. I understand that there's a downside to this. While go-getting is a great thing, enjoying what is around us is even greater. I've learned to do this here in my exciting new home. Perhaps it is because our time here is limited. Funny how this can be taken two ways: while our time in Hamburg is limited, so is our time in life. Though I thought I understood the meaning of "life is short" it took a move to Hamburg to really get on the horn and soak up all the good stuff going on around me. Luckily there's a lot of it to soak in.

Since our arrival we've been looked after by Reg's co-workers. Really, I should refer to them as the Susat Angels. It is the only name that truly suits them. They have helped us with everything under the sun Deutschland flag from setting up bank accounts to installing light fixtures to giving us a TV to moving Rosie the Heaviest Couch on Earth. To them we are forever indebted. Since joining the Seedlings team I have been looked after by Angel Rachael and Angel Grit who have welcomed me into their Seedlings baby and treated me like a friend from the start. To the countless strangers that offered to help me carry the heavy loads of housewares I should never have attempted to carry in the first place, to the waiters at our favorite restaurants that welcome us with, "Hey guys!" and to the friends we've made that are sharing this unique experience with us and for their hospitality, we owe ya ten.

I predicted that our move would teach me all about how different my culture is from the one I'm now surrounded with. It did--but much more than that our move has taught me how similiar we all are. There are good, kind people all over the world. Lucky for me I have never had to look very hard and Germany is no exception.

There's a massive chance that all of these things are the reason my dreaded freak-out hasn't gobbled me up yet.

That's better. Two, please.

I love music as much as the next person. Of all the great things music does for us, I admire the ability it has and has always had to open the memory floodgates and turn on my feeling-extra-grateful side. After a day of teaching my beautiful multicultural kiddos in a serene school and then trying desperately to learn even some of the impossibly frustrating language I am surrounded by in yet another evening class, and finally the typical evening house tasks that always seem to include more dishes than I can remember using, in our lovely new home--I sit, or fall, rather, down to my beloved music and put on tunes to help me on my way to the relaxation zone. Without fail, the relaxation zone inevitably becomes the grateful zone. The grateful zone is when I am at my most peaceful best and is when I do my best, most appreciative thinking, talking, and writing. Maybe its because I tend to be quite the optimist, or maybe its because though a challenge life is really, really good, but when thinking of this incredible German experience and all the support Reggie and I had leading up to it, I have no trouble finding things to be appreciative of. So, with all this in mind I'll pass on the panic and freak-out, and continue to carry on calmly.





Images from waywardsentiment.blogspot.com and http://store.northshoreshirts.com/kecaandcaont.html