Ready, set, go!

 I left my camera cord at home and have failed to go to a shop to look for one like it yet so no pictures yet. Although I could use my phone. Hmm.. Next time!

Orientation has begun and there are about 20 new people who I will be working with at Phorms! I'm pretty excited. The newbies include mostly Canadians, Germans, and Americans with a few outliers from England, Indonesia and Poland. The Steinbach campus is really beautiful and they sure have a lot of work to get done on the new grounds before school starts on the 8th. Today we learned about using Smart Boards, which is the reinvented chalkboard/whiteboard computer. It's pretty cool. Reminds me of KidPix but you get to use your hands to add/subtract from what is on the board. Fun fun advanced technology! As of now I will be a teaching assistant for a Kindergarten class and a 2nd grade class and I also have asked to help out in the Library. Not sure yet about living situation - I will probably stay here at the house through August and maybe find my own place in September.

Going to Eichstätt next weekend to celebrate Johanna and Benjamins birthdays! Yipee!!! Can't wait to see all my lovely Schödel's. Other then that fabulous trip I haven't planned anything else yet. Surprised? I am! Maybe after I get my first paycheck things will change. Hahaha.

I've finished most of my administrative tasks this week. I'm feeling very grateful that I already know the area and can also speak German, as many of the newbies that are native English speakers don't speak German AND don't know the area so they have a lot more new information coming at them than I do. Today I worked out my tax number papers and so the last thing to do is my visa, which will hopefully be all sorted out on Friday morning. Still need to figure out my phone situation (I think ATT is wanting to make me pay lots of money for my data plan even though I won't be using it...) and also getting a bike, although I may borrow one for a couple months from a friend and then use the "au pair" bike once Brittany heads home in October.

Love being back in this house with the family. It's so much fun having the kiddos around. And having Brittany here too.

Finished book two of the Hunger Games and am a third of the way through the last book. I don't want to put it down!!

Two of the Canadians are going to the Harry Potter movie tonight. I think I'm going to be just fine. ;)

Back again...

I'm here! Safe and sound a just a little bit tired. Here is an overview of the last week.

Had an AMAZING going away party that my parents hosted (thank you, I am forever grateful) at Bridgeport Brew Pub. Loved seeing you all before I headed out. Next morning, up super early for my flight to NYC to visit Amy! Bought a kindle - super excited about it! Already finished The Hunger Games and on to the next book. Amy lives in such an amazing area and I had fun going on two different tours. I did a tour of Soho/Little Italy/Chinatown, but it was mostly about the architecture of the area. Then another day I did a tour of downtown aka Battery Park (took the Staten Island Ferry to get a good look at the Statue of Liberty), Ground Zero (I definitely teared up. So sad.), and Wall Street (used to actually be a wall there). I had no idea how HUGE Manhattan is. I forced Amy to bike around Central Park with me. She is half a block from the Park. Lucky girl! We went and saw Harry Potter at midnight with one of her friends who sobbed/whimpered the entire movie which helped me ebb my own tears as I giggled at her. Loved the movie! In front of us was part of the cast of War Horse so Amy and her friend were freaking out. Not really knowledgeable in the Broadway arena I didn't recognize the people, but turns out one was in Gossip Girl so I kind of knew him. :) Another night Amy and I went and saw the Broadway show Anything Goes. It was good! Funny characters. After Amy got everyone's signatures on her Play Bill and took some pictures with a few cast members. Next time I go see a show on Broadway it will be to see Amy.

Took a bus down to Baltimore (only $17!) to stay with the Granny and PopPop. LOVE seeing them . My wonderful Aunt Marcia and Uncle Sheldon came over for dinner the first night. It's always great to catch up with them. It's as if I saw them yesterday. I met up with Katie (my au pair friend from last year!) who is working in Baltimore. It was so great seeing her and reminiscing about some funny happenings in Frankfurt and also to hear what she has been up to since we headed back to the States.  Wednesday morning I accompanied Granny to her friends house where she gets together with some girlfriends and does a water aerobics class. That was fun! I think I've had enough sun though from walking all day long around NYC where it was 90 degrees aka 15 degrees too hot for me.

The airport was quite eventful. Granny and PopPop were kind enough to drive me all the way out to Dulles in traffic. At the airport I had no problem checking in. I had to pay a little extra for my MASSIVE bag that just weighed 65lbs. I head to security. I'm going through security when a few things go... differently than planned. First, they have a new system at Dulles where you have to stand sideways and get scanned by a machine that makes sure you haven't hid anything dangers in your ribs, etc. That was interesting. I pass that test. As I'm chatting up the agent I'm asked "Is this your bag mam." Oh no. Yes that is my carry on bag. "Is this your bag also mam." Oh dear. Yes that is my purse. So nice man goes through my bags and pulls out the Sunflower Seed Butter and Almond Butter from TJ's that my Granny insisted I bring with me. "I'm sorry mam, you can't bring pastes on the plane." So, of course I ask him if he wants to eat them because my Granny will be most upset if these get thrown in the garbage. Nope he can't. So option number 2: go outside of security and scarf down as much as I can before throwing it away. I'm escorted outside of security with all my stuff and start chowing down. Yes, hello people, I am just eating some PB - stop staring. After I've gotten through 4 celery sticks, 3 carrot sticks and probably 1/2 cup of Almond Butter another security officer comes up to me and tells me how I can't bring them on the plane because pastes are the same consistency of bombs or some crazy story like that. I offer him the containers and he says I should just check my carry on bag so I don't have to throw out the containers. Genius - why didn't I think of that before I stuffed myself?! So I go back upstairs. WELL turns out my carry on bag is only allowed to weigh 6kilos and it weighs 13kilos so the lady who checked me in is going to get in trouble for not weighing my carry on in the first place. Oh geez. So I'm feeling guilty for getting her in trouble, full from eating so much so fast, and weary about leaving in the first place. Thankfully, I am not charged for that bag - amazing that I get to check in 2 bags without any charge! Well, except the overage fee. I try to pass it off with my computer but the nice people tell me no, I need to take out my lap top and carry it. Ugh. So heavy. I get back to security - the (very cute) guy checking my passport laughs at me. I put my lap top in a container with my shoes - no bueno. "Sorry mam but that needs to be in a container on its on." Can I do nothing right?!!? I know the drill now with the scanner so I get through that fine. Finally make it to my gate and realize I only have 30 minutes to call the people I promised to call before boarding the plane. AHH! Well, I make it on the plane and am seated in the exit row - YAY for extra leg room! I sleep on and off for that 5 hr flight to Iceland. In Iceland I change over to my next plane with only one funny comment from the Passport checking police. "How long are you going to be here?" 2 years. "Do you have a visa?" Not yet, but I'm in the process of getting it. "Don't forget." OOK. Sleep on the 3 hour flight to Frankfurt where the kiddos and Brittany pick me up. Emily and Oscar made me a sign that says "Welcome Home Cara." Tender! And that is how I feel, like I've come home. Strange how I feel so at home in so many places. Andrea gets home tonight from a trip so I haven't seen her yet and Phillip gets home on Monday. Brittany made yummy soup last night and so we ate and chatted. Kids spent the night at a friends. I crashed at 9PM, but woke up in the middle of the night and tossed and turned for a couple of hours. BOO. Caught up with the cleaning lady, Vale, this morning. She is so darn sweet. Then I went to meet with a HR person who told me all the administrative things I need to get done ASAP. I registered as a citizen, got my visa pictures taken, and turned in my info to get my bank account. Orientation starts on Monday. OH I found out I'm not in at the city campus like I thought but am at the Steinbach campus. So now I need to figure out how I'll be getting around, where I'm going to live if/when I get an apartment. Hm.

I'm so tired. I can't believe I'm back. Just like when I went home, I feel like I never left! So strange.

I love you family and friends and miss your faces. Thank goodness we can still Skype - sign up and e-mail me your name! My phone has skype on it too which is sweeeet.

Home Sweet Home?

I have already been home for over a month and a half. I can't believe it. Sadly, I have only spoken German probably two or three times since being home. I have written a bit of German in emails to friends, but not much. Not enough. I miss Frankfurt, my kiddos there, the family, my German family, my friends, and being able to get everywhere I wanted to be by walking or by biking. I do not miss the cold which has again contaminated Frankfurt - it's freezing there! But I'm sad to be missing out on playing in the snow with Emily and Oscar. I have visited so many friends since being home, which has been really wonderful. It makes my next decision harder to make. I am working as a PA to family friends, which I love - organizing is right up my ally. I'm meeting with some people in the International Office at PSU next month. I'm interviewing with a school in Frankfurt in February. And yet I still want to go to Thailand, South America, Spain, Hungry, Turkey, and back to Greece and Australia. Thankfully I still have time.

I've been living with Bethany. That is a blessing and a curse as she is a bit... picky. I love the location because then I am closer to a lot of my friends, but further from others. We had a holiday party there last week and it was a lot of fun - especially watching Bethany belt out Christmas songs when we did Karaoke.

Took Amy to the doctor's today so they could remove the 4 screws in her feet. Yuck. Now I just want to bake some goodies.

Still have 5 Milka bars left... look at me go!

Pics!

Ok here are a few pics from fun times the last month. 

 Apfelwein in Frankfurt

 In front of the Vatican in Rome

 

Sunset while hiking down the mountain in Assisi

Eats in Florence

 Bridge in Venice
Mom driving on the Autobahn

 Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich
Cinque Terre

Walting love. 

Oida.

It has been a whirlwind of a month. I don't even know where I have been! So here is my quick update as I use a computer at Maria's school in Würzburg where only students are allowed to be and a class is be instructed... I drove up here yesterday with Waltraud, Klaus, and Esther yesterday and we set up Maria's room, went to Ikea and bought a bed and mattress and other good things. Then they left yesterday night and I stayed! Her room is really big and pretty and her room mates are a lot of fun. She is very happy and excited about it all!

The new Au pair is here! Her name is Brittany and she is quite fabulous. Her dog, Ringo, is already being smothered by Emily who absolutely adores him. Very cute. We did some driving lessons the first few days (she didn't know how to drive stick), rode the bikes around town, etc so that she could get familiarized with the city. We've gone out into the city as well for drinks and fun with Rachel. Both nights proved rather hilarious. Dancing, drinks, silly German men, new friends, and long walks-bikes home. She is great and I have full faith that she will fit in with the family and have a great year.

Oscar and I finished reading Harry Potter. Sad-Happy day. I bought him Holes for his birthday so we are going to start reading that. Brittany got him started on The Lightening Thief series which he is also gobbling up. Our little reader. :)

Mom and Bethany came and visited!!! It was a quick trip indeed but I loved having them here. They were a little jet lagged so we ended up staying two days in Frankfurt and I showed them all around so they could see a little bit of my life here. We went to two museums, a Jewish Museum and the Liebighaus - a Sculpture Museum (both I found were very disappointing and boring). Friday we set out to pick up our rented car, a little bit of drama there but it all worked out (sorry Mom for taking over but the guy wanted to speak German not English. lol) Bethany was a bit disappointed because we got a Kia and not some fabulous German car. Strange indeed. Mom then took the lead and drove us to Würzburg to have lunch with Maria (where I am now, where she is going to school). Mom was very much over driving after that since she had to drive in a construction zone where there was hardly any room between her and the wall on her left and the giant trucks on her right. After leaving Maria I took over the wheel and we drove to Walting to my lovely Schödel house where we had some dinner and then we went to the Streller's and stayed there for two nights. The next day we drove into Munich (FC Bayern!!) and did a little tour around the city. Bethany wanted to look at the cars, I wanted to wander, and Mom wanted to have a plan. We went to Schloß Nymphenburg where I had been 6 years before with the school and also in July with Stephanie. The ceilings are beautifully painted and I really like the famous 'beauties gallery.' Then we went back to the Streller's for dinner and to sleep. Next day we went to church with them and then went to lunch at the Eigner's (both the Streller's and Eigner's visited us last year in Portland so it was nice for my Momma to catch up with them - though they hardly speak any English). After the delicious lunch (knödel!! duck also for the others) in their beautiful newly built home we went to a little party in the village in an old barn. After that we headed out to drop the car off in Munich and then caught our night train to Rome. That proved interesting - loud boys partying next to our 6 bed bunk bed room. I didnn't sleep to well due to the wind blowing so loud but there was no way I was closing the window.

- Rome for three nights (b was over it after the first night). Wandered around, ate good food, drank great wine, saw the main sites (but didn't go in them besides the Vatican - loved St. Peter's Basilica), happened upon a flea market where momma and b bought cute Italian boots, and hopped on and off the bus after long hours of walking.
-Assisi for one night (my favorite city) - hiked up to Mt. Sebastian, ate scrumptious cannolis - chocolate rolled wafers with nutella something in the middle, window shopped at a lot of cute boutiques, walked around the cobblestone alleys.
-Florence for two nights (at a hostel where we got our own apartment where we had more room then we had with any of the spendy hotels. Take that hotels) with a train trip up to Cinque Terre where we hiked up into the cities and then back down. Wandered around Florence - lots of shopping available there and fun people.
-Venice for one day before catching our night train back to Frankfurt - walked all around the city, ate amazing food (pesto gnocchi for me, garlic pepper spaghetti for momma, and some meat for bethany) and gelato and got soaked by the rain.
-After breakfast in Munich we headed back to Frankfurt, had dinner at my favorite Thai Art, wandered and shopped in the city (H&M!), unpacked, repacked and then they both left me the next morning..

It was a quick trip but I appreciated having both of them here and I loved going through Italy with them (next time without a map though).

OIDA.

4 days. . .

the next au pair will be here in 4 days. i can't believe how fast the time has flown by. this means that on wednesday i will be moving all my stuff upstairs to the guest room. oscar thinks that is too far away. :)

it has been a very busy last few weeks.      

we went to a wedding for a second cousin last weekend. it was beautiful. we got there at 9:30pm when we were supposed to arrive at 7pm. damn traffic. it was fun catching up with the relatives again. they are all so sweet. i said goodbye to a few and it was sad. can't believe this chapter is coming to a close. we had some visitors here last week- chris and his daughter maddie. i took them on a bike tour of the city and on our way back we saw what happens when a bike and car come into contact. blood on the ground, lady on the ground, and a completely mangled bike. scary stuff. then phillipp picked up emily early from school and we went to a nearby medieval castle. it was pretty cool. oscar was gone the whole week at the school's country house so no harry potter reading. we have less than 300 pages to go! i'm thinking of getting him the 6th movie for his birthday. must ask his parentals. :) babysat for celina one day. then went to coffee and cake with therese (san fran), charlotte (france), adriana (mexico), ning (china) and her husband dirk (germany). i love how we can just sit for hours at a cafe. went and saw a really funny movie: groupies bleiben nicht zum fruehstuck (groupies don't stay for breakfast) w/ my friends lenka (czech republic) and cesi (bolivia) and laughed a lot. went to a bath house with a pretty view of castles with charlotte, her hubby, and baby leanne, ning, dirk, and his son moritz, and adriana. went out to italian (where i went wrong and got pizza). had drinks at charlotte's and stayed up too late. got up early to catch a train w/ lenka, cesi, and mari (venezuela) to nürnberg and würzburg. i didn't enjoy much of würzburg though because i got a fever and then was nauseous and then threw up on the train ride home (who does that?!). my jeans, scarf, and jacket were victims of that little mishap since someone would not get out of the bathroom as i banged on it. 

i stayed in bed all day today since my body is still hating me a bit. i picked up the kids from school - nice to have some fresh air, but i am just exhausted. hopefully i will be able to sleep tonight. peace and love.

It hurts.

Here is my blog Elder Russell Ballard:

I just watched 8: The Mormon Proposition and it just hurts how the Mormon church and the Catholic church fought so sneakily against the love that some people have that makes them uncomfortable and that they feel goes against the word of God that they read. What do these people do/think when they themselves or their own children are LGBTQ?

It just hurts my heart. Hurts my heart.