I'm Back!

Hey all!  Well, it's official... I'm back in Germany.  And we all know what that means... Back to blogging! :)  I arrived yesterday afternoon, and since then I have spent most of my time trying to acclimate to the new apartment, trying to unpack (and those of you who know me, know how much I despise the unpacking process! :)), and attempting to adjust to the time difference (I have a serious case of jet lag...ugh!).

I have to admit that it does seem strange to be back...  The new apartment is awesome, but I haven't quite gotten it into my head that this is where I currently live.  I feel like we're just here on vacation, and sooner or later we'll have to go back to our old apartment... And that would definitely not be a good thing! :)  I haven't had a chance to take any pictures of the new place yet, but I promise to get some posted as soon as possible...  All I can say is that it is a definite upgrade from our first apartment.  :)

For all of you who are probably wondering about the outcome of my "visa situation", here's a brief update... After the past couple of months of frustration, Germany officially approved the paperwork for my return visa last Monday.  They then had the Chicago Embassy contact me... I mailed in my passport to Chicago so that they could put the return visa in it, and amazingly enough, I had my passport back by Thursday.  The visa that they issued was for one trip into Germany, and it was good for 90 days.  In the meantime, we were informed that, before I could return to Germany,  I had to get an "apostille" stamp on our marriage certificate which would legalize it in Germany... So, I ran down to Detroit to get yet another copy of our marriage certificate (we had already sent them a copy of our certificate, as well as our original certificate) from Wayne County, and then I headed to the Secretary of State to get the "apostille" stamp.  Now, what totally baffles me about this whole situation, is that it took Germany 2 1/2 months to figure out what Chicago's Embassy told me in 5 minutes... Craziness!  

Once I had all of the paperwork taken care of on Thursday, I called Brian and told him that he would be able to schedule a flight back for me.  I told him not to schedule anything for too soon (he originally wanted me to fly out on Friday evening), and to give me a few days to get my things organized and say my goodbyes before I left...  Well, let's just say that Brian and I have differing opinions on what a "few days" is... I found out Friday afternoon, that he had scheduled my flight for Sunday evening...  Yikes!  For those of you who know me, you probably realize that I require a tad bit more time to get things done...  for instance, more than a day and a half! :)  Needless to say, things got a little hectic and I became extremely frazzled!  To the point that I actually lost my passport on Saturday (and realized it while I was in Traverse City) which resulted in a complete panic attack for me!  After spending all of Saturday frantically calling people, having my brother, Jason,  search our house and Stacy's car,  and having all the employees at Na-Tah-Ka search the entire restaurant, I finally found my passport... It was in my uncle's coat pocket, where he had placed it the night before... Lovely! :)   

Things kind of fell into place after that, and I was able to get my things together, and say a few goodbyes at least, before I left... I mean I was still running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but after that,  the only other major crisis I endured was when we arrived at the airport and, in order not to have to pay $150 extra to check in my third bag (yes, I did go a little overboard with shopping while I was home, and I purchased one too many items, which required an additional suitcase... oops!), I decided to take the smallest suitcase as my carry on... Along with the other carry-on I had packed, and my purse... Great!  So, my mom, dad, and I spent about 15 minutes trying to unpack one bag and find room in the other two bags for the extra items... I'm sure we provided the entertainment for some travelers in the airport that night! :)  

Well, after all was said and done, and I said all of my goodbyes, I then had an 12 hour journey back to Germany.  And the "best" part of it all (and I use that term very loosely!)...  After all of the trouble we went through to get the visa in my passport, when I walked up to Customs at the airport in Germany, the man didn't so much as look at my passport... Instead, he waved me right on through... Grrrrrr!!

Overall, it's been quite a ride these past few months.  I have to say that I'm quite happy to be back with Brian, and I'm sure that I'll gradually readjust to life over here again... But, I have to say, that it was really difficult to say goodbye to everyone at home this time around.  The past few months made me realize just how lucky I really am.... I have a wonderful, supportive, and loving family, who were more than happy to have me back home for a while.  I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with them and I'm so very thankful for that!  Thank you for everything!!  I'll miss all the "chaos" of our family! :)  I love you!  I also have some pretty amazing friends who are there for me through thick and thin...  Thank you for all of the offers to stay with you, for all of the shopping trips, coffee talks, phone calls, Girls' Nights Out, and the list goes on...  It was great being able to spend time with everyone again...  I'm taking with me some pretty great memories! :)   The time really flew by, and unfortunately, there were some people that I didn't get to see and I'm truly sorry for that... I'll make up for that the next time I come home! :) 

On that note, I'd better get going.  I've got some unpacking to get done... ugh! :)  Stay tuned for more of our German adventures! :)  I miss you all!!

Mixed Emotions...

Hey all! It's been a while since my last post, and I have to say that I'm feeling quite out of practice! :) Things have been going well here... I've definitely been keeping very busy! I've really enjoyed being able to spend some extra time with family and friends... But, I have to admit, the time has flown by and, unfortunately, I still haven't had time to see everyone I wanted to see... Crazy!

As for my visa "situation", it looks like the paperwork has finally been processed and everything has been approved... Thank goodness!! I mean, it only took the German government 2 1/2 months to figure out what they had to do... (I'm not bitter or anything! :)) So, by the looks of things, I'll probably be heading back to Germany in the very, very near future.

I have to admit that this whole situation has made me slightly bitter with the German government... It has shed new light on their culture, and it has definitely made me a much prouder American! And, as much as I look forward to going back so that I can see Brian again, I'm having a difficult time with the fact that I have to leave the U.S. and say goodbye to everyone AGAIN. I had a hard enough time saying goodbye back in August, but after being there for a few months, I finally started to adjust to life over there and I was doing quite well... And then they decided to send me back here. And, in turn, I've readjusted to being back here in the good ole USA... And now, I have to go back and do it all over again...ugh! And, don't get me wrong, I really shouldn't complain... It's a great opportunity for us and I truly appreciate that. But, at the same time, I'm still finding this whole situation slightly difficult.

On that note, it's time for me to head back up north... I'll keep you posted on when I get to return to Germany... And then, get ready for my daily blogs to start back up... yay! :) I'm sure I'll have plenty to blog about!! Have a great Thursday!!

Fastnacht in Überlingen

Okay, I am taking a break from my usual Sunday afternoon task of studying German to give a quick update as to what has been going on.  Obviously, since I am still writing this it means that Kristin is still not here, but the good news is that the longest she will still be gone is less than a month. So that is good news.  I finally got to meet the person in city hall who has been giving us the run around.  He kind of reminded me of a German Tony Soprano but with more grey hair.  We had to give them (again) our original marriage certificate.  One of my colleagues must call tomorrow to see whether or not the certificate needs further legalization.  Of course, it will, and then that will take another week to get done, and then I will resubmit to them and that of course will take another week for them to review, and…you get the point.  By further legalization, I mean more stamps.  I am not 100% certain that the notary stamps from the USA are accepted in Germany so it might need to be stamped by a notary here in Germany.  I have no idea how this is accomplished but I will probably find out tomorrow.  This country’s soil is not comprised of dirt, rock and minerals, but of stamps, certificates, and books with rules that may be vaguely interpreted.

 

Yesterday I decided to go skiing and it was not the best day.  The weather forecast called for partly sunny skies at the mountain, but when I got there it was totally in the clouds and snowing.  This is what I found after a longer than usual drive to the hill caused by snowy roads.  But there was no point in going back home.  The traffic on the way back was still packed with people leaving Austria.  Saturday is the big travel day because when people book ski holiday weeks here they typically run Saturday to Saturday.  So you get an exodus coming into and out of the country and the bottleneck is a tunnel between Austria and Germany called the Phander Tunnel.  They are currently expanding it, but it won’t be ready until 2011.  You can wait hours getting into that thing at peak times with your only other option going through Bregenz Austria.  That is what I took on the way back because it is not so far out of your way going to back to Friedrichshafen, and even though you are going through the city, you are at least making progress and not at a standstill. 

Skiing with clouds is not very fun.  If the clouds are dense, like those I found at the top of the mountain, it can seriously reduce your visibility to perhaps only 20 feet.  The problem is exacerbated by the fact the clouds and the snow are nearly the same color. The lack of contrast gives you no sense of space or speed.  So basically you have to be very careful and keep your eyes on the next trial marker.  Thankfully, I was already familiar with the runs at this mountain so that made it just a little bit safer.  A bit lower on the mountain, the clouds were not as thick and you could see farther, about 100 yards, but still you have a problem with contrast, which makes it very hard to read the terrain so you can get surprised by big bumps or other variability in the snow.  And since this was the only place where people could ski, that is where everyone was skiing which meant the runs got torn up pretty quick. 

So I put up with it for about 2 to 3 hours and then headed back home and went to bed. 

 

When I woke up from my nap, I got onto the second part of the day, which was to go to Fastnacht.  This is celebration we would liken as a cross between Mardi Gras and Halloween and is considered to be the “fifth season” to those who celebrate it.  Our friend Maike invited me to this.  She grew up in the town of Überlingen, which has celebrated this festival since the Middle Ages.  Everyone gets dressed up in costumes and begins the night by watching a very interesting parade that winds through the narrow streets.  The highlights of the parade are the bands from Überlingen and the Hänselejuck.  The bands play the anthem of Überlingen as well as other traditional music that is only played at this time of year. The Hänselejuck (pronounced hans-alla-yuck often just reffered to as hans-alla) are comprised of men from the area.  Traditionally, you had to be born and still live in the area to be a member.  Today, you must meet what I guess you could call a group consensus that you are “from the area” but it is still a strict requirement that you be a man.  They dress head to toe in a very elaborate costume that cost upwards of 1000 Euros.  They are primarily black with the colors of red, green, blue and yellow in horizontal stripes about every foot.  Basically it is a pair of pants and a shirt and the material is layered in little strips like that of some Native American dress.  They wear hoods with very small openings for the eyes and the hoods have a foxtail on the back and a trunk on the front.  At the end of the trunk is a small red feather duster, which is usually covered with perfume.  If you are not completely lost trying to figure out what this must look like, they also carry hemp whips as part of the costume, which they use for remarkable demonstrations throughout the parade.  Basically as they go through the parade route, they run up to women, and tickle their noses with the red feather duster.  They will also take their hats, try to scare them, mess up their hair, pull them into the street for a dance, and grab younger girls (12 years old or so) and run away with them.  You might think that girls would want nothing to do with these guys but it is actually quite the opposite.  Younger girls will put themselves to the front of the crowd in order to hopefully get some attention from the Hänselejuck.  It was described to me that the mystery of who they might be is actually what makes them attractive to the girls.  As for the whips, they will occasionally stop and get into groups of 1, 2 or 3 spaced about 10 feet apart.  They push the crowd back and then with FULL force crack them in the streets.  It is louder than a good size firecracker and when they are swinging near you, you pray they don’t miss.  It is really cool and quite the crowd pleaser. 

 

After the parade, everyone pretty much goes to the various bars and drinks.  You can stay out until 7am if you want.  But I went home at midnight because that is when the last train left.  Kristin will definitely want to see this but maybe it’s better that she waits until next year because then we can make up some good costumes for the occasion.  The festival goes on for almost one week and each day has a main theme.  I think the Saturday during the festival is considered to be the biggest party day.  

 

Here are some links to videos so that you can satisfy your curiosity of what the parade is like and what the Hänselejuck look like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9pPFBwTRvA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMNyWH6g1ss&feature=related

The Goings On...

Okay, well I now have a few minutes to actually sit down and type something.  Currently, I am sitting in the airport in Valencia Spain.  Don’t get too excited about hearing stories of Spain unless you want to hear the finer points of tugboat engines and ship firefighting systems.  Because for the time I have been here that is really all I have been doing, morning ‘til night.  We got our work done early though so I am going back to Germany today and when I post this I will be back in Germany.  One thing I will miss from here is the weather.  It is 18 degrees Celsius here, which is about 65 to 70 Fahrenheit.  I would describe this area of Spain to be very much like Arizona.  It is somewhat a desert-style landscape with palm trees and mountains in the area.  The BIG bonus is that they have a very nice body of water nearby, the Mediterranean Sea.  The architecture here is very unique.  I have not been anywhere else that has a similar style.  Some of their more modern buildings are VERY modern and would probably look a bit odd and a little too progressive Euro for most people in the States.  The rest are very boxy, usually earth colors and about 5 to 7 stories tall.  So that is about as detailed a description I can give you unless you want to hear about the boat I was working on.  One final thought however is this…the accent of girls in this country is what I can only describe as…very distracting!  Not to diminish the girls of Germany, but there just is no way to make the German language sound sexy.  It is many things, but one word you will never hear used as an adjective for the German language is sexy.  Speaking of sexy…

 

Update on Kristin

There is still no news with respect to Kristin coming over.  I am pretty sure that we are going to be waiting the full 90 days, which means that she will be coming back on March 17^th.  I have utterly no confidence in anyone to end this sooner.  I made one last email declaration to the company, which was not even responded too.  There is a common saying in business that success has a thousand fathers and failure is an orphan.  This is a big screw up in our company caused by unqualified persons complete lack of planning and understanding of their own city government.  With the aid of hindsight it is very easy to see that this transition only needed planning and someone who knew what was needed.  I was not the first person to come over here and I am astonished that there are no best practices or lessons learned taken from past experiences of others who came before me.  Rest assured, a memo describing my experience (in detail) will be drafted at the end of this assignment.  This will be attached to an officially translated letter to FN city hall. 

So for now, Kristin is spending an extra “summer vacation” in winter at her parent’s house. 

 

Austria-Skiers Paradise

To help fill the weekends, get outside, and burn off some frustration, I have been regularly visiting Austria.  Austria is only about a 30 minute drive from where Kristin and I live here in Germany.  What’s better, it is only an additional 30 minutes from world-class skiing.  Coming from Detroit it is still unimaginable to me that I am in essence driving the distance from Detroit to Flint, but instead of being in Flint, I am in Park City Utah, Whistler Canada, Vail Colorado, etc…  There are literally hundreds of places to ski and all that I have visited are very modern, scenic, and challenging.  In general, they are steeper slopes than what we have in the States.  I would basically rank the European system to be one grade higher than our system in the US.  Basically an easy slope here is a medium in the States, a medium here would be ranked hard there, etc…  It took me a few runs to get a feel for the difference in slope but once I felt comfortable managing it and made some adjustments it was just fine.  It’s more in your head then anything else.  The last two weekends I have gone to a city in Austria called Schruns (pronounced schroons).  The ski area itself is called hochjoch (don’t try). It is a pretty big area with one ski run that takes you 12km (8 miles) from the very top of the mountain at about 7000 feet to the very bottom. The runs are one black to two red (so pretty steep).  Because it is very steep you are really pushing your legs hard to turn at higher speeds and to keep control of your speed.  By the bottom of the hill you are sweating.  I did this run three times in row two weeks ago and even with the 15 to 20 minute ride back to the top; I was shaking at the end of the third run.  It was AWESOME!  Last weekend I went with my friend Dominick, his girlfriend Eva, and Dominick’s other friend Clemons.  Eva started the morning in ski school and came out just fine if perhaps a bit on the cautious side.  I think Kristin and her will make great ski buddies as they both have about the same temperament for skiing.  While Eva was in the class, we three boys took turns wearing a helmet that had a camera connected to it.  Dominick normally uses this for skydiving but adapted it for skiing.  So with this helmet we could each play cinematographer following one another or going ahead and watching the others ski by.  I am going to get a copy of the footage so that I can edit it to music and so on.  This is another great way to kill some time.  It was actually a lot of fun but the problem is that when you start to get really fast and go onto more difficult hills it’s hard to keep watching the person you are filming and not looking where you yourself are going! 

When you are done skiing for the day in Austria most people sit at an outdoor bar and drink various drinks most of which have schnapps as the main ingredient.  They are quite strong but quite good and nice relaxing way to discuss the day, enjoy the view, and soak up what’s left of the sunlight.  I plan to go back again this weekend, and probably every weekend as long as there is snow on the ground.  It certainly beats running on a treadmill at the gym and once I am back home in the States, I know I will miss the skiing a lot! 

Just for the record, there is skiing relatively close by in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.  Germany is okay but the mountains are not as big.  Italy I have not tried due to the distance (it’s close but not a day drive).  And Switzerland is just too damn expensive.   I am sure I will get over there just to say I did it, but I really can’t justify the cost.  Lunch on an Austrian mountain is about 10euros.   You are paying more than double in Switzerland.

 

A German Displaying Emotion at Work????  What Next?

Yes, that is right!  I witnessed a sight I think is more rare than the passing of Haley’s Comet.  I really hesitate to complain about the way guys in the office act.  They never get high or low, angry or sad, just a very even slightly above average attitude day in and day out.  Even when things are very wrong or they get frustrated, they never really show it.  They just continue on.  What they think in their heads I have no idea, but if they are mad, they have a great poker face.  I wear my emotions right on my sleeve usually so I am definitely a black sheep over here in this regard.  But their consistency in staying middle kind of keeps me a little mellower.  But I have to say that it was nice to see someone get a little pissed off just to show me that some of them have the potential to do it.   This person basically has accumulated over 600 FAKO hours, which are basically overtime that the company pays you by allowing you to take that time off. Any amount of time worked in the day over 7.5 hours goes into this account.  So basically this guy was working his nuts off and I think just got a little hot about it.  All the guys in the group are very young and on average have probably not worked at MTU more than 2 or 3 years.  I personally don’t understand workaholics who work these kinds of hours and it is a bit more rare here in Germany.  I understand the concept of hard work and you should do your job while at work.  But when you run up many hours like that, what are you working for? You might say that you work that hard so that you can get a promotion.  And then what do you get?  You get more work.  And unless they are giving you a 250% raise, you really are not going to get too far from your current lifestyle.  Going from $20K a year to $60K a year will make a HUGE difference.  Going from $60K to $70K will probably be damn close to imperceptible as far as a change in lifestyle.  But I give him credit and wish him luck.  I was just happy for the change of pace where it was someone else who was getting really pissed off at work!    

Coming Soon!! The Goings On...

Sorry for the delay in getting a new post going.  I am in the middle of writing a post but now must get back to studying and I am SUPER tired.  I got up early (5:20) and went skiing today, which is a double whammy for trying to sit still and write down thoughts.  Mindlessly learning German Vocabulary words via flash-cards takes a bit less mental energy.  Over the last few days I have made about 400+ more so I have some work to do.  

But, on deck for you shortly will be the following...

Update on Kristin - This will be short and too the point because thinking about or discussing this topic is like a blow torch in my brain.  

Skiing - Oh how spoiled I have become.  I will never again be able to ski again in Michigan.  It is hopeless!  I will give some detail about the skiing I have done in the Austrian Alps these past two weekends.  

OMG!!! - For only the second time on this trip I have seen a German show some deep down emotion at work.  This guy was really pissed off!  And I must say, that it really brought a smile to my face to see it.  

So please stay tuned and I will provide details shortly!  I hope everyone is having a good weekend and that winter is manageable. 

Okay…Well today is Friday and it looks like I will be able to keep my promise and finish this post.  As I mentioned yesterday, I’m going skiing tomorrow so I am using that as an excuse to not go to the gym tonight so I can go to bed early and finish writing this.  So let’s get to it!

 

Departure

 

The original plan was for Kristin and I to return to Germany together on the 3^rd of January.   Because of some unforeseen circumstances (more to come) our plan had to be abandoned and I had to fly by myself to Friedrichshafen.  Kristin’s trip back was set for the tomorrow, the 17^th of January.  The biggest problem is that the date of the 17^th was by no means a fixed date.  It was a date that we both were counting on and one that we thought would be reasonable based on what we knew of the circumstances, but nonetheless, not carved in stone.  So on our way to the airport we were both pretty quiet.  Much of the day leading up to that point was doing a lot of hustling around and running errands, which is pretty much they way you spend any day before an international flight.  So we did not really exchange too much dialog on the way there because I think it was pretty well understood what we were both thinking and it wasn’t going to do much good to air it out.  When we got there Kristin was pretty teary eyed, but in her usual strong way.  It was a very difficult goodbye because the reality is that there was no fixed time for our reunion.  I think any amount of time away from a spouse can be difficult on some level, but when there is the variable of the unknown reunion, that really takes it to a very different place.  The mind is very good at coping with things, any things, in which you know or are reasonably assured the final outcome.  As long as you can see the finish line, you can almost always run, walk, or crawl to the end.  But when you don’t know when and where the finish is, it becomes a very different task – magnitudes different.  Think about it, our founding fathers guaranteed us rights to speedy trials.   We consider undefined indefinite prison sentences inhumane.  When you are waiting for something, knowing how long is just as important as how long it actually is.  I am not trying to compare indefinite prison sentences to saying goodbye to Kristin, just that the unknown will put a much heavier burden on one’s heart and mind.  I give credit to those families where one is serving in the Armed Forces.   Because you add the absence, the unknown, and the knowledge of possible harm, and that cannot be a good combination to help someone sleep at night!

So, back to Kristin and I… We said our goodbyes and as I was standing in the check in line watching her drive off in the Jeep and felt… loss.  Of course every day without her here is less enjoyable than if she was with me.  But at the same time, the fact that I feel that way, reassures me that things will be okay and that the time and distance will not diminish our affection.  

 

Trip Back to Friedrichshafen

 

Okay.  I am one of those people who have been sold on Mac computers.  Sure they are more expensive than a PC, but they are really fast, really good quality, and are never effected by those pesky Internet viruses and pop up windows.  I tell you, the day you read of a crazy computer virus and not have to worry about updating your Norton anti-virus software on your PC is a day that you will be glad to have a MAC.  I was pretty much sold after getting Kristin her iPhone.  From there it’s been pretty much down hill for me.  I am at the point now where I would probably give Steve Jobs (the CEO and creative inspiration for Apple) one of my kidneys if need be.  Why does this matter you ask?  One word…Zoll.  Zoll is the name for customs in the German-speaking world.  You fly into Switzerland, Austria, or Germany and these will be the people who check your passports, and in this case any merchandise you do or should declare.  Now here was my fear, my doomsday scenario if you will.  I bought a lot more cool Apple stuff over the holidays.  It makes sense because the exchange rate is like 1.35:1.  So it makes no sense to spend the money here in Europe because the cost is the same, just in Euros.  So something that costs $100 back home will cost you a cool $135 here.  Here is the catch.  You can only come back into Europe with about $600 of goodies before you have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) tax.  It is a 15% to 18% tax on all goods.  I certainly had more than $600 in goodies.  What’s worse is that Switzerland is not part of the EU.  So I would in fact need to go through two sets of Zoll getting to my apartment.  Think about that.   You could be forced to pay 15% to 18% twice; possibly exceeding the cost of the stuff had you just bought it in Europe.  This is the doomsday scenario.  This was on my mind the entire flight.  I don’t think I should have to pay because I am not going to keep the stuff in Germany.  When I leave, it’s all coming with me.  They may not see it that way.  Zoll may say you’re living in Europe so it’s staying long enough.  Pay up! 

So I get to baggage claim and I know the big problem is that one bag was not a bag at all but a box containing my new monitor wrapped in paper.  This will draw some attention because it is clearly not a piece of conventional luggage.  I must wait until a big group of people head to the Zoll gate and then I will get into the middle of them, blend in (just like the chameleon that can be), and no one will ask any questions – on through Switzerland and onto the next challenge…Germany.  But time passes and one big group all gets their luggage and heads away.  Where the hell is my stuff?!  If they all leave before me and I have to walk through Zoll alone I am screwed for sure.  Okay sweet, there it is…my last bag.  Hurry up!  Another big group is heading over.  Crap!  You have to catch up or you will be walking through Zoll alone and on to the certain separation of you and your Swiss Francs!  Okay sweet!  I am now in the middle of them, a good solid group of normal looking Europeans.  This is where I put on my Jason Bourne persona and act all cool…nothing special about me…other than this huge box I am carrying wrapped in paper about the size of a 24” television.  I get right where I want to be.  Right in the middle of a nice group of 5 or 6 people with luggage galore.  My wallet’s safety is soooo close I can taste it!  CRAP!!!  They are looking at another guy’s package all wrapped in paper – just like mine.  Don’t think about that you idiot!  Keep your cool.  How would Jason Bourne handle this!?  10 feet from the door, 8 feet, 5 feet…

 

“AALLOOO?!”

Maybe they are talking to someone else, keep moving.  3 feet. 

“AAALLLLLOOOOO??!!” 

Crap!!  Don’t look panicked and just turn your head slowly…

I look over and there is no denying they are talking to me.  I break from my cover of returning Europeans with excess luggage and coolly walk to the counter.

“Sprechen Sie Deutsch?”

“Et was.  Aber minen English ist besser.”

“Vat are you carrying here in zis package?” 

“This is a monitor for my laptop.”

“And vat is dee walue?”

Think fast!  What is the maximum limit you can bring into customs…you know this you read it in Amsterdam…$600!  Put in some safety!

“It’s worth about $500.”

“Sank you wery much.”

“Thank you.” 

…Thank you for not searching my bags and forcing me to pay 15% on my Macbook laptop, Apple monitor, back up hard drive/wireless modem, wireless keyboard, and wireless mouse…the latter 4 all in their original packaging.  See what I mean about the kidney??

 

Steve Jobs…Organ donation…I was not kidding. =)

 

So I have one border down and one more to go.  The normal route from Zurich to FN is via train to Romanshorn and then ferry to FN.  There is always Zoll in FN to greet you when you get off the boat.  But as I purchase my ticket to FN they tell me that the ferry is not running this late and that I must take 4 different trains around the lake from Zurich to FN.  This little diversion added an additional 2.5 hours to my trip.  The good news was that there was no border going via train.  So once I heard that the next stop was Konstanz (in Germany) I knew I was safe.  So even though it took me longer, there was less stress of getting nabbed by German Zoll.  All told the trip took me 18 hours and since I can’t sleep on planes, I was awake for a grand total of 31 hours from Saturday to Sunday.  But I made it and was looking forward to moving to the new apartment the next day…

 

The New Digs

 

You know when you travel to see someone and they say “hey, don’t rent a car.  We have an extra one you can use.”  Then you get there and you see that the car your are borrowing is actually a beat to shit ’93 Toyota Corolla that is rusted, has three different brands of tires, has no air conditioning, and the radio is stolen.  That is kind of what our first apartment was like.  The landlord and his wife were really great and it was a roof over our head.  But the month without a kitchen and the constant noise from above subtracted from what was at best an average furnished apartment.  I will assume if you read this blog that you are completely familiar with the old apartment enough for me to spare you my thoughts. 

In other words, let us focus on the present…the beautiful beautiful present…

The new place is in a word, friendly.  It is very bright with all the windows running nearly floor to ceiling.  The kitchen is large, not by US standards but certainly by German.  The furniture is modern and very tasteful and goes with the rest of décor.   This place was not put together by someone only looking to get by with the cheapest stuff possible.  On the contrary, the owner works very hard on this house and puts very expensive and quality furniture and appliances into it.  And he is not shy about saying so!  If he introduces you to something in the apartment he will point out where it was made, why he selected it, and what makes it a quality piece.  An eye for quality and detail with equal parts dislike for Chinese made merchandise and women who wear too much makeup.  My landlord Klaus and I, we are kindred souls. =)  He was also kind enough to give us our own room in the basement  and to set up extra shelves and two extra wardrobes for Kristin to put all her excess clothing – A fact that only Kristin calls fiction.  It took about half a dozen back and forth trips to collect the rest of our stuff (mostly clothes) from the old apartment and get them here to the new.  Now the only thing that is left is to inform City Hall that we have a new address.  Hey, have you heard that Kristin and I have been talking to those people???

 

Kristin’s Visa

 

Okay, a little recap.  There is a law in Germany which states that an owner of a US passport may stay in Germany for 90 days (in 180) on a tourist visa.  So, as a US citizen, if you come here, you basically can stay here legally for 90 days.  If you intend on staying longer, you must apply for a residency permit.  This permit must be submitted before the 90 days is up.  Kristin and I did not do this.  And so we had to go to extra, almost extraordinary lengths to get this matter resolved without her having to wait 90 days.  Indeed, even today, it is not certain if that 90 days out of Germany won’t become a reality.  For reasons as to why this is, check IMHO. =)

Like the apartment, I will assume that if you read this blog you are familiar with the details of what happened and what we had to do.  But in a nut shell the person who shall remain unnamed, for whom I have no polite word for, for whom if I ever see in my home town will forever remember my name, did not want to make a decision so he put the decision making on to the German Consulate in Chicago.  Chicago, God bless them, acted, and basically had Kristin fill out another residency permit and then inputted Kristin’s residency permit into the German immigration system right away and provided us with a case number.  So now all the unnamed must do is pull the info up on his computer approve that it is okay for Kristin to come into the country and then Kristin can have an entry visa into Germany.  So this week I have MTU call over to the unnamed to inquire into the status.  The answer?  We have not yet received the paperwork via courier and have not yet acted on this case.  So basically we have all this modern technology that works a light speed and this “person” is saying that he is waiting for the paper to come in.  Mind you, there is nothing that needs to be done here other than say yes or no.  This “person” does not have to finish the residency permit.  Kristin is allowed to come into the country with a visa while the permit is being finished.  Why this is happening I will leave for you to guess what the motive/intention is.  I have this comment…

The problem with the city hall here in Friedrichshafen is not that they follow the rules, or that they are separating families (there was actually an article in the Monday paper complaining about that very topic with respect to the FN city hall).  The problem is that they act without compassion, without respect, and without manners.  I submit to you that 99% of mankind’s misery is caused by people not treating other people with compassion, respect, and with manners.   Kristin and I broke German law and I can accept the consequences of that as long as you do it with those three elements intact.  Those that act without these three elements are what I believe we simply call acting on a “power trip”.  These people are very small.  They do not see enough of the world around them to understand that when you treat people, anyone, without compassion, respect, and manners that it does not stop on the person acted upon.  You put into motion negative energy that will one day come back to you.  People err by thinking that their treatment of other people can be so focused that it will only affect the one they are engaging.  This is not the case at all.  No.  Your behavior will in effect be reflected back at you.  It might not be instantaneous, but it will happen.  And when it does happen for this unnamed person here in Germany, the only one he can blame is the one staring at him in the mirror.  And for my part, I will feel no sympathy.

 

Life Sans Kristin

 

This is pretty simple.  I miss Kristin.  I don’t know if you have seen the movie Marley and Me, but it is based on a dog that lives through a transitional period in the lives of his two owners.  The transitional period is where they are out of school get jobs and start a family.  You know, that small change in life… that place on the map that me and most of my friends are on.  Well Kristin to me is kind of like Marley.  NO, NOT THAT SHE IS LIKE A DOG!  It ‘s not that she doesn’t always make the most sense and she instills a lot of chaos (even though both are kind of true).  But rather that she loves me for who I am and trusts me no matter how stupid some of the stuff I think of is!  She is the yang to my yin.  She is constant when I am erratic, energetic when I am lethargic, and steadfast when I waver.  We in the engineering world call such things “governors”.  They are devices that control things that if left unchecked can cause damage or break.  Your car has one.  Put your car in neutral and floor it.  Why doesn’t your engine blow up?  It’s because your engine’s governor said hey, you’re in neutral and don’t need to go so fast.  Kristin is like this for me.  She counteracts me not to the point of being overpowering but just enough to allow me to be who I am – to the best that I am.  Not controlling, but keeping me in under control enough to stay safe and happy. 

However….

Being without her does offer some perks…Such as…

I can put all the clothes in the dryer.

I can go to bed anytime I want i.e. early.

And…

I can open a bottle of wine and have it all to myself.

But there really is no substitution for her company so I will look forward to the day when I can once again have it!  If tonight you get to be with the one you love…consider yourself lucky and act the part.  Believe me, it beats the alternative.

 

IMHO

Okay…Ladies and Gentlemen…We have reached the final chapter.  This is probably the one that I will most enjoy.  This is where, after 6 months, I will write the good, the bad, and good (in that order) about the German culture.  I don’t think I will touch on everything because that could take some time.  But I will give you my overview. 

The good-

Germans are a very proud people, to the point of stubbornness.  They will tell you that Germans make the best cars, the best beer, and the best soccer teams in the world.  It might not be true, but I admire their love of country.  We in the US I think pretend to have love of country.    We say USA USA USA and then loathe domestic manufacturing like GM, FORD and Chrysler saying that foreign autos are superior with nothing other than perception to back it up.  

Germans have a very rich language and a very rich culture.  In a small geographical area they have many different subcultures that are very unique, even to a foreigner. 

Germans drive very safe and obey the rules of the road to a much greater extent than any other country that I have visited.

The bad –

Germans are not quite the free thinkers we are in the USA (not to be confused with less educated).  The best example I can give is this.   There is an American action movie.  A half hour into the action movie the lead character gets into serious trouble.  It’s a terrible trap.  But he or she improvises and makes a daring escape.  In the German film, the character was dumb for getting into the trap and once in it was doomed.  It’s a trap and there is no way out and the character dies.  The End.  I mean really, they need a little more of Obama’s “Yes we can” in their lives.  They have way too much of it’s if it’s not in the rules or procedures, I can’t do anything. 

Germans are too subservient.  Germans treat those in authority with too much respect.  Authority should be respected but many Germans take it to the extreme.  I would bet you that if the FN city hall called MTU and said Brian must come over here and bark like a dog for his wife to come over, MTU would simply say okay and then call me on the phone and say “Brian, city hall said you must go over there and bark like a dog.  I’m sorry but they said that is what you must do.”  After being here I am down right proud of the decent we show to our leaders in the USA.   Although I think we really blew it when it came to W.  We needed a bit more there. 

Germans have no manners in lines.  They don’t even know the meaning of the word once in a line.  You a get a group of Germans together and tell them they have to go to a single point and they will treat that point like the velvet rope at Studio 54.  It will just be a mob with mob mentality.  It will be all pushing and shoving, (usually) without the obscenities. 

When a German wants something from you, they will first butter you up and disguise it with a nice dessert they bring over to you or an invitation to their house for a drink or some other out-of-character kindly gesture.

The good –

When Germans want something from you, they usually compensate you ahead of time with a very nice strudel or other treat from their own kitchen.   Perhaps even homemade Schnapps.  They just don’t expect you to do something out of the kindness of your own heart. 

Germans are very hardworking.  From the person working the counter at the bakery to the guy on the assembly line to the guy on the computer in my office.  With the exception of FN city hall, Germans are good workers.  During work hours, they do not talk politics, they do not talk to friends on the phone, and they do not look on Facebook every 5 minutes.  They work during work hours. 

Germans are reliable friends.  With few exceptions, when a German tells you they will do something, you have about a 98% chance that it will be done as told to you.

Germans are fun to party with.  Because of their more…how shall I call it…compressed nature, they will really let go when they begin to drink beyond the average.  Really, when Germans and Americans drink heavily together, they are really one in the same, proud people who love their country, work hard, and when having a drink or two, like do to so in loud fun manner with someone they would call a friend.

 

END

 

I am now off to load my skis in the car, finish my wine, and head to bed.  I will come back fairly regularly until my dear wife Kristin can once again discuss with you our little adventure here in Germany.  Until then, have a great weekend and if you see Kristin before I do, give her a hug!!

 

Stay Tuned!

Unfortunately I do not have time tonight to give the expansive details that you are used to seeing here on Kristin's blog so for the time being I would like to give you the subject matter (the chapters if you will) that I will address when I do have time, hopefully tomorrow night.  Of course, this is Brian (her loving husband) writing because Kristin is not the "Stranger in a Strange Land", she is in fact the "Familiar in a Familiar Land" at the moment staying with her parents in Baldwin MI.  So without further adieu, let's get to the topics of discussion.

1. Departure - Saying goodbye with no reunion date set.
2. Trip Back to Friedrichshafen - My Jason Bourne attempt to duck customs.
3. The New Digs - Oh What a Difference a Few Windows Make!
4. Kristin's Visa - A recap of what happened and what the F*CKING holdup is all about.
5. Life Sans Kristin - Living in Germany without my dear wife.
6. IMHO - Various observations of the German culture from my perspective.

I hope to get all 6 chapters done tomorrow before my ski date with Dominik on Saturday.  We are going to hit some of the slopes in Austria, which should be a good time.  It is doubly good because it will allow me an opportunity to check out which runs would be suitable for Kristin when she comes back.

STAY TUNED!!!

P.S. Here is some advance warning.  My writing is not entirely like Kristin's and it will contain some deeper material because I cannot help but probe people's actions and behavior, especially my own!!

Happy New Year!

Hey all! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year! Brian and I had a wonderful holiday! We really enjoyed spending time with our family and friends! Our time in the U.S. flew by very quickly!

As some of you may already know, Brian headed back to Germany last Saturday. I, on the other hand, am still in the United States (hence, the lack of posts recently... :)). Some of you are already aware of my current situation, but for those of you that haven't heard, I'm having an issue with my visa and I'm unable to return to Germany until all of the paperwork is figured out... Lovely. So, I'm still in the U.S. waiting to get a call from the Embassy in Chicago to let me know when I can fly back... And so I continue to wait...

Being that I'm currently not a "Stranger in a Strange Land", I haven't had much material to blog about recently. :) However, I don't want to keep all of you waiting until I return to Germany before I start blogging again, so Brian has generously agreed to blog every now and then in my absence. :) (Now, for all of you who know Brian, his blogs will most likely be in stark contrast to the blogs I tend to post... Don't be surprised if they require you to do some "deep thinking". :)

I promise to keep you all posted on my "visa situation", and once I return to Germany, I'll be back in business when it comes to blogging! :) Being that I'm still in the U.S., I'm hoping that I'll be able to see some of you while I'm still here... I hope all is going well for you!