Our 1st Anniversary

Well, we've been living in Germany for one year as of today. It's still amazing to me somehow that we live here, even more since we just returned from a month in the U.S. yesterday. I'm still in that jet lag twilight zone, made even more interesting because I'd gotten out of the habit of speaking German, what little I know, and hearing people speak to me in German. It seems so foreign to me again, although I'm sure we'll get back into the swing of things again soon.

A month in the U.S. made me realize how happy I'll be when we do move back, even though I like living in Europe and traveling all over. I spent a week in Elmhurst visiting all the friends and neighbors we've been missing for the past year and it was great. I really enjoyed seeing everyone and was so happy to see that it felt natural and conversations weren't stilted at all, even after not seeing them for a year. I hope that I can maintain that feeling with my friends and neighbors there over the remainder of our time in Germany. It was such a great feeling of homecoming to see them all this time.

Then we spent three weeks at our cottage in Upstate New York, like we have nearly every year since we've had children, and like I have almost every year of my life. It was great to have a week with just my sisters and their families to do the normal things we do every summer - dinner at my sister's cottage, going to movies, shopping at the outlet mall, etc. Then my dh arrived and a couple days later, his mother and niece arrived for 3 days. This was a lot of fun for all of us, as our niece is the same age as dd#3, so all the girls had a great time together, painting rocks, tubing, swimming, and at the local fair. Also, we hadn't seen dh's mother in a year-and-a-half, and she hadn't been to our cottage in many years, so it was great to have her visit.

After they left, dd#1's boyfriend, his parents, younger brother & sister all arrived for a week - which was a lot of fun. DD#1 was obviously thrilled to have them visit and really, we all were. Dh & I really enjoy the boyfriend's parents a lot - they're one of those couples that we both like and relate to, which is rare. All three of our girls get along great with all three of their kids, which is also rare. And the weather was mostly ideal the whole week that they were there. So it was perfect. Another of dd#1's friends, a guy who is her boyfriend's best friend, arrived on the last Monday and stayed through Friday as well, so everyone had fun. We toured the Cornell campus and engineering quad, which dd#1 found more interesting than I think she planned to. All-in-all, it was a wonderful vacation and made me sad to leave.

All during our time in the U.S., people asked me how we like living in Frankfurt. I found this hard to answer, although I could honestly say we love the traveling we've been doing since we're here. I could also be honest about the fact that the girls have made good friends here and are doing well in school, although I admit freely that the school in Frankfurt is not as academically challenging as the honors/gifted track they were all on at their schools in Elmhurst. This year, dd#1 will be academically challenged because she is taking 5 AP courses, which are just as challenging no matter where you take them. But dds#2&3 are definitely not being as challenged, especially in English - both reading & writing - as they would be in the U.S. and this bothers me. They have to rejoin their classmates in Elmhurst when we move back and I want them to be able to join the honors track that they'd be taking if they were still there for these years. So, I may sign them up for some supplemental enrichment courses.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm undecided about my overall impression of life here in Frankfurt. I've met some nice people and have made a couple of friends, although not anyone that I go shopping, out to lunch or even on day trips with. Maybe that will come. Of course, some of the friends I've made have either already moved or are moving this year, which is, of course, the nature of the beast when it comes to Expat life. I'm not sure that I would like this on a long-term basis, as I hate to make good friends and have them leave - like the one family we all really enjoyed so much this year who came and went already.

I've signed up for a lot of, maybe too many, volunteer positions this fall in order to meet more people, make more friends, and feel more connected. I spent a lot of time this past year alone in my house watching DVDs of U.S. TV shows, reading, scrapbooking, and sending emails. It was a very lonely year for me. Dh has work and even though he hasn't made a lot of personal friends there, he has a lot of colleagues he likes, respects and enjoys and he has contact with other adults all day every day. The girls have made friends at school and have fun with them at school and on the weekends. I've been living for when everyone gets home, which doesn't always help as the girls have homework or social engagements and dh is usually on his computer game, a lot. So, I'm hoping that this second year in Frankfurt gives me more of a chance to make a good friend or two who are home during the day and looking for things to do.

Overall, I'd say I'm enjoying the experience. I've been learning a lot, although my German isn't very good. I need more lessons, but dh's employer only agreed to pay for 6 mos. of classes for me. We're going to ask them to pay for more, as I'm the one who has the most contact w/German speakers. I love the travel and the incredible places we've seen. I'm looking forward to more of that, for sure. And, of course, I'm hoping that at least some of the people who have said they want to come visit us this year actually come - it's great to have company here. So, it's been an interesting year, a challenging one, sometimes a sad and frustrating one, often a lonely one, but also an exciting one. I guess that's a good thing, all-in-all.