back in NY

Christmas is over, New Year's is approaching, and I have been back in upstate NY for about 2 weeks now. I was very sad/nervous/excited about coming home and thus far those feelings have remained true. I was just starting to feel at home in Stuttgart and did NOT want to leave our wonderful, big, new apartment. What worried me more is that I really thought I would come home and it would still feel like my home, setting me back to square one when I return to Germany. I am so happy and relieved to say that I know this will not be the case. Despite the fact that I have lived here in Albany for the entirety of my life I see things in a very different light now.

For those of you who know me well, this next statement will come as a shock. But, I am here to report that Dunkin' Donuts coffee is absolutely horrible. For as long as I have been drinking coffee I thought it didn't get any better then a hazelnut coffee from this chain coffee shop. I could not have been more wrong! On my way home from the city (which I must thank Paul, again, for picking me up in the madness!) we stopped for some coffee. All while going through passport control, customs, and waiting for my bags to finally be released I was dreaming of having a great cup of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts like I had so many times in the past. When the time finally came and I took my first sip I had to take the top off of my to-go cup to see if it was indeed filled with coffee! It looked like coffee and even had a faint coffee sent, but when I took another sip all I could taste was warm water. Disgusting. I concluded that it must've been the fact that we stopped at a rest stop on the interstate and not a "real" Dunkin' Donuts shop that made the coffee taste so blah. I had been traveling for close to 24 hours at that point and was unwilling to accept the fact that my favorite coffee was, in fact, shit. So, the following morning I tried again and went to a proper DD shop. Again, I was served brown water. All I can say is thank God for world domination by Starbucks.

Another thing I have realized since being here is how far away everything really is and how vast it all seems here. You really have to drive everywhere. I have become all too used to running down the street to the grocery store, bakery, movie rental, etc..., but here it is impossible to go anywhere without the use of a vehicle. I have been lucky to have friends and family who are always out and willing to drive me to places when need be. It was odd for me at first to not have a car in Stuttgart, but after some time I have come to enjoy walking or (now that it is cold) taking the bus and U-bahn. I started to forget how dependent I used to be on a car. However, after being here for only a day I remembered real fast the importance of having one. As odd as it may sound, I am really looking forward to getting back to living life via public transportation in Benz-town. :-)


Despite these couple of realizations about my hometown, not all has been an eye opening experience for only me. I had a great time spending the holiday with my family and close friends, and had the opportunity to introduce them to Gluwein while sharing photos from my summer travels. I am still the only person in my immediate as well as extended family that has a passport, but hopefully my beautiful pictures from Switzerland, Paris, and Germany (of course!) helped to sway some minds and get them motivated enough to at least apply for one!

With the New Year having already past in Germany and approaching here in NY it is time for me to prepare for the festivities that lay ahead. Happy New Year to all!

birthday fun

This past Friday I celebrated my 25th birthday, and my first birthday here in Germany. Although I missed Bomber's MEGA-rita and celebrating with familiar friends and family, I had a great time here. My birthday started around 7 a.m. when Tobi surprised me singing "Happy Birthday" with a cake and candles and everything. I was quite shocked that he had planned all of this, but I was very flattered that he made such an effort so early in the morning :-) We had some coffee and I got to open my gifts over breakfast. I was very surprised that Tobi's parents had sent gifts- they gave me one of my favorite perfumes, Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue, as well as Moleskine weekly planner to help me keep track of my schedule and where I need to travel to for work. I absolutely love the planner and can't wait for the New Year to come so I can start using it! Tobi surprised me yet again with my birthday gift as well. He gave me a very stylish and practical George Gina & Lucy messenger bag. It is such a versatile bag that can be worn messenger style or on the shoulder. And it is big enough to fit my books and papers in for work, but also stylish enough to use on a night out. I have gotten nothing but compliments on it since I have had it! I was very happy and impressed that he picked such a perfect gift all on his own :-) That afternoon I met Sherrie and Liana downtown for some coffee and cake at Starbucks. Sherrie gave me a tic-tac-toe game where the X's and O's are mini shot glasses- I can't wait to play! After coffee Liana left for work and Sherrie and I went for some sushi! :-) I then had to go to a teacher's meeting at work where I treated everyone to some homemade chocolate chip cookies. Tobi met me after work and we went out to dinner at an amazing Asian restaurant. Afterwards we met some friends out and celebrated late into the evening. One of Tobi's co-workers gave me a mini bottle of Jager, which I thought was very thoughtful. Liana also brought a birthday gift out- mini bottles of different flavored Absolute vodka as well as some really yummy tasting lip gloss (she knows my weakness!). I posted some pictures up on facebook as well as myspace for all who would like to check them out! All in all, I can say despite not being home I had an amazing birthday and am happy I got to celebrate it here in Stuttgart with some pretty great people :-)

coming together at last

After starting to come to terms with the fact that I would be in limbo here in Germany unable to work until at least November, I received and e-mail and was able to finally get my new visa! I GOT MY VISA! I GOT MY VISA! I GOT MY VISA! I have been officially working since Thursday, and I am already schedule to start teaching on Monday evening. It is such an unbelievable feeling to finally be able to work, and more importantly, make some money! I seems like I have been waiting forever for everything to be situated, but now that it is I couldn't be happier.Finally, everything is coming together at last :)

visa hell, but still feels like home

It is now the 15th day I should be working, yet am unable to. When I accepted a new English teaching job I had to apply to change my visa since I will now be working under a contact. Little did I know I would be sucked back into the German system for weeks again. I already have a visa that allows me to work as a freelancer, which is quite difficult to obtain since essentially you are seen as being self-employed. So, when I was offered a contract position I thought it would be a quick form to fill out and then everything would be settled. Again, I was too naive and hopeful. Despite the fact that the German government would prefer for foreigners to work under a contract (which is why it is so difficult to get a freelance visa), they seem to be taking their sweet ass time and making it more difficult then ever for me! It is going on week 4 of waiting, and I have yet to hear that it has progressed at all. What makes it even more upsetting is that since I already have a visa I am guaranteed the new one, it is just a matter of them switching it to a different type. But, with contract positions it is a whole new procedure and the government needs to make sure that an unemployed German cannot fill the position I am being offered. But, since my position requires that the person filling it is a native English speaker, I would think it wouldn't be too hard to figure out that no matter how many unemployed Germans they look at none are going to be native English speakers. I must assume that this is a difficult task though, since this is all they have to check before providing me with my new visa. Now, if this really is so difficult (which I highly doubt) I still have a hard time convincing myself that this takes 4 weeks to complete! But, no matter how many times i go downtown to check the status of my visa in hopes that it is there and someone just forgot to contact me, I always wind up coming home crushed. It has been driving me absolutely crazy not being able to work and even more so not having a steady income. I really hope that this changes soon- I don't know how much longer I can take having all the time in the world, but having no money to go out and do things and enjoy it. It really is rather depressing. But, despite all of that I still wake up every morning thinking that today will be the day I get a call or e-mail stating that my visa is ready and I can start working tomorrow. If I didn't have at least this little shred of hope left I would really lose all control.

On a brighter note though, Stuttgart is starting to slowly feel more like home. This past week I watched a co-worker's pets for a couple of days while she was out of town. It was so great to have some sort of responsibility back in my life, and it proved to me that the Swabians are not totally ice. In this region of Germany the people keep very much to themselves, I think, and if you are not from around here that makes things very difficult. Being a foreigner I was starting to think the people here were completely hopeless, but while walking the dog I saw a side that instilled a little hope in me. People would constantly ask the name of the dog, or stop to pet her- very unusual for a Swabian to even look at you while walking on the streets. It was quite a comfort to see that they do have a soul after all! Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I recognized someone at Starbucks on Sunday. Tobi and I went downtown and did a little window shopping, then decided to pop in a relax with some java drinks. While we were there a friend of mine, Sherrie, came in- totally out of coincidence. It was such a great feeling to be downtown and running into someone I know. I am sure this probably sounds rather silly, but it has been so long since I have been anywhere and ran into someone I actually know. It really made me feel like I am finally making Stuttgart a home and not just an extended vacation. It's funny how the simplest of things make my day, but it is also such a great experience to truly cherish things that I always took for granted back home.

Volksfest

This past weekend I had the opportunity to experience my first Volksfest, and what an experience it was. Every fall and spring the city of Stuttgart has a festival, which I believe comes from the age old tradition of being granted the right to have an open market twice a year. Now, it is more like a small version of Oktoberfest in München (still the 2nd biggest "Oktoberfest" in the world, about 4 Million visitors). Tobi and I arrived a little early so I could check everything out. From the S-Bahn you could see the huge Ferris wheel, which is apparently the biggest portable one in the world. There were rides and games everywhere and it reminded me of a fair or carnival that everyone goes to at least once in America. Then came the beer tents. There were 3 main tents on the grounds, with a few smaller ones as well. Each tent is sponsored by a different brewery and each brewery brews a special beer for the occasion. Altogether we were a group of 20, and had reservations in one of the main tents. In order to reserve a table in any of the tents you are required to prepay for drinks and food in advance. In our tent each person was required to purchase vouchers for 3 liters or beer and half of a chicken. By the end of the 2nd liter everyone was standing on the benches and singing along with the band and attempting to dance without falling and breaking their neck- all while not spilling the beer! After a valiant effort at my 4th liter of beer and one crazy ride later, we were on our way home around 10:30 that evening. The following morning I woke up feeling like I had drank 4 liters of beer, and to my surprise a very swollen left hand from holding the glasses all evening! My recovery time for this event was a good 3 to 4 days, and it seemed like every day I would find a new bruise :-P A Picture is worth a thousand words, so how better to describe this event then through candid photos. It was one of the best times I have had here in Stuttgart and I am already looking forward to the festival in the spring!

piece of cake

I did it! I taught my first official private English lesson last night. I was quite worried all day, wondering how everything was going to flow, if my student would be able to understand anything I said, and if I was going to be able to understand him. But, after it was over I felt so relieved and could not believe how amazingly easy it really was! I had papers, notes, and texts prepared not really knowing what to expect, and it turns out he wanted to write a thank you letter to a company he had recently visited. I got paid (in Euros!) to write a thank you note- it does not get any better then that! :)

Serendipity

Just when I thought I had everything figured out here, serendipity strikes again. Today would have been Day 2 of my training at Berlitz. But, after a crazy couple of days, many hours of rationalizing with Tobi, and a final chat with Liana, I quit my job at Berlitz before it even started. On Friday morning I received a call from Wall Street. By noon I was in at an interview. By 5 p.m. they called and offered me a position. It's such a great feeling to have job offers thrown at you like that :) Also, quite a stroke of luck seeing as though I was supposed to start training this week. I am very thankful that it all worked out (and so thankful for Liana who helped!) and I feel much better about working here now. Before I was going to work on a freelance basis, which leaves a lot of opportunities open for you, but also creates a bit more stress. As a freelancer you are essentially self-employed, and with that comes a lot of extra paperwork. With this job at Wall Street I am employed by them, therefore everything I would be responsible for if I was freelancing is now taken care of by them. Even better, they give me an unlimited contract! While there are many benefits that come with freelancing, for me it is a much sweeter deal to have a contract position. The contract entitles me to public health insurance, paid vacation, paid sick time, commuting reimbursement, and a guaranteed pay check every month! And the best part, they also pay for my training, so by accepting this position I don't lose out on any money that I could have earned if I stayed with Berlitz. As spontaneous as it all is, I think I will be much happier at this school. As crazy as my life seems here sometimes, I absolutely love every day of it and wouldn't want to be anywhere else! :)

never going home

... well, not exactly. But, after many long hours and sleepless nights I FINALLY was approved for my residence permit and working visa! It is still so surreal to think about.. I am a resident of Germany! I can stay for a year as of right now, and then just apply for an extension when the time comes. I have never been so happy.... my deportation is no longer postponed, but I am able to live and work freely! YAY!!! I will be back in NY around Christmas time to see friends and family and then leave to come back after New Year's. Until then...

Sundays

September is upon us, which in America means football season. Not football as the rest of the world knows it, but real, rough, touchdown scoring, field goal kicking American football! I was a bit disappointed that I would not be able to watch the NY Giants play this season... until Sunday, that is. Through the Internet we were able to hook up the computer to the big screen and watch football in surround sound LIVE! Sundays spent relaxing, drinking a couple beers, and watching football are back and I love it! I thank God I have such a technologically savvy boyfriend who accepts my need for football... now, if only we could get House.....

Schützenfest

Over the weekend I attended my 2nd Schützenfest (loosely translated to "shooting club"). I have since been trying to comprehend how I would begin to describe this festival. I still am a bit worried that I will not do it justice, but here goes.

I first should note that this did not take place in Stuttgart, but in Tobi's hometown of Dülmen. This is in Northern Germany, where the Schützenfest tradition is quite common.

Every year each town holds their own Schützenfest. This is a week long celebration for it's serious members, while for the rest of the town there are 3 main days. Saturday is the first evening of celebration and by far the biggest. Everyone from the town will meet in a huge tent in the woods where the festival is mainly held. Beers are sold 10 at a time and there is always a live band playing German drinking songs. This evening is so important it felt like if you live in Dülmen and miss this party people will talk about you for weeks. You drink and dance until you can do neither anymore, then everyone stumbles home in the wee hours of the morning.

The following morning everyone rises and meets in the town square for a parade (sleeping is a word that everyone must forget to survive Schützenfet). This part, I know will sound a bit odd, but I have come to realize it is just part of the experience. All of the active members of the Schützenfest are dressed in uniform and lined up by company. The Colonel (which happens to be Tobi's father) shouts out commands and addresses each company. They then march around the town square and to the war memorial where there is a dedication. From there they march on through the town and back to the tent, where more festivities begin. Directly after the parade, the men of the club are invited to shoot at a wooden bird. This bird is sacred to the people of Schützenfest and is handcrafted especially for this occasion. This is by far the biggest attraction of the afternoon. You see, whoever is accurate enough (or just buys 20 shots in a row) to bring the last piece of the wooden bird to the ground is crowned King of Schützenfest. This is considered a huge honor and is treated as such. The King is hoisted into the air and paraded around the party for all to see. After picking his Queen they are both officially announced and crowned. However, I still have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to do this. Other then the reputation of being King, there really are no benefits. In fact, as King you are expected to pay the bill for the beers! But, I supposed if clout is what you are after in Dülmen, becoming King is an immediate way to get it.

After the new King is crowned, everyone goes home for a little break. Within a couple of hours people start heading back to the tent for night #2. This is much like the first night, except this evening almost everyone who attends is a member (just for the record- I am officially a member!). The band plays until 2 or 3 and the beer is constantly flowing until the King decides to leave, thus officially ending the evening.

Just when you think you can handle no more, there is day 3. Thank God for me, in the morning there is a "Men Only" meeting in the tent, where prizes are given out and there is mass consumption of pig, cheese, and yes, beer. At quarter to 1 the women begin to gather at the gate of the forest, waiting for the men to officially open the gate and let them in. The women bring the Queen in, circle around the King and Queen and sign funny German songs to them. After that, you guessed it, more drinking. Although by then I felt like my entire body was going to shut down, so I opted to steer clear of alcohol on the final afternoon.

The Germans find it a bit odd that I like this festival so much, but it is the most authentic and fun thing I have yet to experience in Germany. I have yet to understand the true meaning of this, nor do I think I ever will. But, I do know that it is something I look forward to more and more with every year I attend!

The Beginning

So the time has come for me to start a journal. I have been debating on if I should for some time now and today is the day. I assume that the rumors have been flying about by now on what exactly is going on. I would like to take this opportunity to tell everyone that, yes, I am staying here in Germany. I came here in June with the intention of taking a summer intensive German language course, but have since applied and was offered a job. Since my German is less then adequate at the moment I had to find a job that revolved around the fact that I was fluent in English. Surprisingly, this was not a tough task at all. I updated my resume and delivered it to a language school I knew was seeking a native English speaker. The following day I received a call from them wanting to set up an interview. 2 weeks and 2 interviews later, I was offered the position and was given a letter making it possible for me to apply for my residence and working visa. I don't think it has really hit me yet that I will be staying. I know I am and I talk about it everyday, but I was originally planning on being here until September, so nothing really feels all that different. I suppose it will hit me one day. I hope soon.

The Stuttgart Opera House

With that said, Stuttgart is actually starting to feel a little bit like home to me. I have been here for about 2 months now, and can say that I have enjoyed every single day here. I am able to get around town and downtown via public transportation, am becoming more familiar with the driving rules and autobahn, and thoroughly enjoy the ice cold beverages Germany is infamous for! ;) Many friends and family have not ventured to this side of the Atlantic yet, and I can't urge everyone enough! The lifestyle is completely different, but for the better. In my experience people seem more happy and satisfied here. People are much less materialistic and greedy, and think much more realistically then Americans (generally speaking). Here I feel like it is more about the quality not quantity, whether you are talking about life or buying a pair of jeans. People have nice things here, but are not overindulgent. People enjoy the same things we do in America, such as nice houses and nice cars, but at the same time never seem to be over the top. I have yet to see a one family home here where there are more rooms then there are people living in the house, or where a family has a yard big enough to fit 2 more houses on it. Germans seem like very practical people who do not spend money on unnecessary things. This attitude is kind of a comfort to me; it reminds me of my Grandpa who is always thinking in practical terms and never buying more then what he needs. I admit it is hard for me to think like that sometimes, but I think I have come a long way in the short time I have been here. In America I would go shopping whenever I felt the urge to have a new shirt of pair of jeans without thinking twice. Not that I needed any new clothes, but just because I thought it looked nice and wanted it. Now, it is a totally different train of thought when I am in a store. The clothes here are great and I would love to just be able to walk into H&M or Zara and buy a new wardrobe. But, now instead of buying something just because I like it the question, "Do I really need this?" always comes into play. Now, more often then not I come home empty-handed. Probably surprising to most of you if you know me, but I swear it is true!

My German course has been going very well and I feel that I am learning a lot! I was pretty nervous about the course before it began. It is a summer intensive course that is taught entirely in German, which totally freaked me out at first. But, after having 6 weeks of classes I absolutely love it. German is a pretty difficult language to learn I think, but it is so important for me to learn now that I am going to be staying here. Unfortunately I won't be able to continue on with the program during the next session since I will be working, paying everything off in America, and getting situated here, but hopefully the following session I will be able to work something out so I can attend.

The Paris TV-Tower

The past 2 weeks I have had summer break from my German course. Tobi and I traveled to Paris for 5 days and then Switzerland for another 5 days. They were very different from each other, but both absolutely amazing. Paris was a bit overwhelming; there were so many things to see and so many people everywhere. We visited Notre Dame, The Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, and my favorite the Eiffel Tower! I remember growing up the Eiffel Tower is probably one of the first things you recognize as a foreign symbol. It was so great to actually be there and see it in person.

Heidi's Backyard

Switzerland was exactly how I thought it would be. The mountains, lakes, little villages, cows... it sounds very stereotypical, but it REALLY is like that there. It was a much more peaceful and relaxing vacation in comparison to Paris. We went hiking in the mountains, visited Zurich, and I had my first ever cable car ride! I really enjoyed being in the mountains and doing a little hiking. We are not too far from the Swiss border, so hopefully we can go hiking more frequently. Both vacations were something that could only be experienced here in Europe. I can't wait for more to come!