Marveling in München

After much unpacking, organizing and office hopping, we're ready for a vacation (or rather just a fun outing.) Today was our chance. Sleeping in was the perfect start to our rainy Thursday morning. No stressful 'must be on time' meetings or calls to make-- just the rain battering at the windows daring us to get out of the warm bed. Eventually we dragged ourselves out to make plans for the day. Exciting news greeted us on the calendar. Nothing on schedule! A great time to make our first appearance in München (Munich).
We hopped on a bus to the S-bahn station headed for Munich. The ride was smooth and easy thanks to public transportation. Upon arrival in Marienplatz, Munich we set off to one of the nearby churches "bummeling"(strolling with no particular goal) as we went. The day, unfortunately, was a little rainy but even so there were hundreds of people about the square. As we walked we heard tons of languages coming from the people around us. Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, English and of course German. Today we melded into the category of these other foreigners and tourists, experiencing new cultures people and architecture everywhere. We marveled at the wonders of intercity München along with everyone else.

Check out our pictures to marvel with us.

At the S-bahn station nearest to us

In the train on the way into Munich

Mari on Marienplatz

10 things you do when you are German

You know you are German when you........

1. Eat Düner Kabobs(Lamb sandwiches) standing up.
2. Own a bike and ride it everywhere.
3. Eat mayonoise on your french fries.
4. Don't use checks.
5. Wear a square backpack.
6. Eat your biggest meal at lunch instead of dinner.
7. Have "cafe und kuchen" (coffee and cake) everyday.
8. Never find an open store on Sundays.
9. Get out of school early and have lunch at home.
10.Don't have a shower curtain or a shower door.

Arrival

We finally arrived and are we now exploring and figuring out our surroundings. After not having an internet connection at our apartment and not being able to find our packages, we are definitely ready for a break. But we still have insurance forms to fill out, people to meet and hopefully we'll find some time to unpack. As Germans would say our life is "ein bisschen chaotisch." ( a little chaotic.)

The Count Down Is On!

Only two more days until we hop on a plane to Germany! Everything is seemingly in place and ready for us to be off. There's only one thing we have yet to think about- goodbyes. I've said about twenty already without much trouble but I've still got the most important ones to communicate. This part is probably the hardest part of it all so far. Even packing, sorting and giving away things was easier. When I am saying those important goodbyes I will always remind myself that I am just an E-mail or a letter away. And a letter or E-mail is a friendship you can hold on to. 

Written by Mari

All that you can't leave behind

Stacks of books, piles of file folders, and reams of paper strew my desk and office floor.  I'm starting the daunting task of packing for our move to Germany. Deciding what to take and what to leave creates a certain anxiety and lends reality to the transition taking place.  I sort, stack, recycle, and review.  The stacks start to shrink as the recycle pile in the garage grows.  Clearing feels freeing.  I don't really know what I'll need for my new job in a new school system in a new country, but I'm starting to trust that what I'll need probably can't be packed in a box.