The beginning of a new year has traditionally been a time to set new resolutions or breathe life into old projects. After entering the wrong password to my blogger account, seeing that there were comments waiting to be approved since November, and realizing that my last entry was posted in a month that begins with the letter "S" this new year is encouraging, possibly guilt-tripping, me to revive my blogging habit(ha!). And although I'm pretty sure that my immediate family are the only ones who have asked for a new post during my long respite from writing, I'll assume that a few of you out there miss this occasional 5 minute distraction from work.
Not having a regular job has resulted more or less in a lack a routine since moving to Germany, but I've devised a weekly schedule that will encourage frequent posting. So please be prepared for more quantity, same quality. I might even get fancy and introduce reoccurring features or update the layout. But let's not get ahead of ourselves...and perhaps, even, take a look back:
2011. Our first year abroad.
It was even better than I could have imagined. Travel-wise we were able to visit so many places together: Munich, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Prague (3 times), Amsterdam (twice), California, Oregon, the Cinque Terre, Budapest, Heidelberg, the Rhine Valley, Porto, Oktoberfest, Stockholm, various locations throughout Bavaria, and most recently Barcelona. Separately I was able to visit Milan, Venice, Salzburg, and Vienna. And Josh took his well-documented trip to Dubai. We've also had the extreme fortune of having good friends from Portland visit and travel with us! For me, the visits and foreign city meet-ups have been the highlights of the year. And although I haven't shared any of our adventures since October, I plan on at least going back and writing about our trip to Stockholm in November and the Christmas in Barcelona experience.
The last year also gave us both professional successes. I won't comment on Josh's job other than to say that it's going well, has been very busy at times, and he has had some interesting project opportunities.
I, on the other hand, am inevitably asked the same question by strangers and family, new friends and old:
"While Josh/your husband is at work, what do you do all day?"
For the most part I take this in the spirit in which I assume it was asked, kind-natured curiosity or polite conversation. However, it doesn't mean that I don't occasionally want to answer with snarky, off-hand remarks like "Cook and eat babies" or (to the Germans) "Actively resist cultural integration."
But honestly, I have kept myself busy. Just not with, you know, eagerly learning Deutsch. In addition to typical homemaker duties, the role of personal travel planner that I've taken upon myself, and enjoying my obligation-free time I've had the freedom and opportunities to select projects that interest me and/or result in a little income.
The main one was the forestry exhibit. Earlier in the year I wrote about some volunteer work that I had been doing with the German-American Institute in Nuremberg, the high school students' Battle of the Books. The program director and I got along really well and she was especially interested in my forestry background. After the Battle was over in February, she approached me with a freelance job offer: would I be interested in helping the Institute and the local forestry department put on a bilingual German/American forestry exhibit for the U.N's International Year of the Forests? I hadn't been expecting to use that particular knowledge while living here, but of course I said "Yes!"
The exhibit was on display this summer for three months at the Forest Discovery Center just outside of town. Basically it compared and contrasted various topics regarding German and American forest practices some of which were: historical uses/perceptions, silvicultural methods, and (of all things) hunting practices.
The other project that has really helped fill my time is the CHICKhaus. I think many of you have heard me talk about this, but basically it's a social group for young expat women in the area that I helped develop this summer. I've met a lot of people and having a fun group of friends has definitely helped both Josh and I feel more at home in Nuremberg these last few months.
Since 2011 was so good, I'm can't wait to see what 2012 brings! There is so much to look forward to. However, the thing I'm the most excited about at the moment is my parents' visit in February!!! Oh mein gott, that is next month! I am too excited!
Anyway, I really want to stay on top of this blog thing. I hope it's still an enjoyable read for you all and, at the very least, you check back in to hear about Dad Pearson's inaugural trip to Europe next month.
Wishing all of our family and friends the happiest of new years!
