Life: Idiotropic

We are Americans living in Germany.

Some days we fit in here - almost. Some days I truly feel that I am home. I drive all over the place comfortably. I talk to my neighbors. I stand on the sidewalk with all the others and clap during the Schuetzenfest parades. I don't feel conspicuous, usually.

But, we're still Americans. I don't speak the language remotely well. I don't read the paper much and can't understand everything I hear on the radio. Things go on around me all the time that I am unaware of - just because I am on the outside.

There are benefits... We don't pay tax on our oil. We get our fuel ration card, so we don't have to pay quite so much for gas. We have our little grocery store in Schinnen and our own American school. It's really a mix.

So, for those small things that I am able to participate in - even if I don't really "get it," I still appreciate the experience. The girls' schooling affords me these opportunities more than ever now. And, I'm learning. By the time we leave, I may even know a few things.

Today we had two times to share in those traditions - two times to celebrate with our children and try to feel inconspicuous.

Last night Luci spent the night at the preschool. The International Preschool is run by the German services on the base. Most of the teachers are German and they do an excellent job combining the American academic expectations with some German traditions. Since Americans begin traditional school a year younger and Luci's pre-kindergarten class is now moving on to that age when they will start at an American kindergarten, the teachers treat it as they would in the last year of the German Kindergarten (which is really more of a preschool). So, just as Arianna had her sleepover at the Heuhotel last week, Luci got her turn to sleep at her school last night. She was really nervous and asked her teachers if Arianna could stay with her. But, I convinced her to stay by herself and she did a great job. They watched a movie, read stories, ate pizza (she had chicken nuggets - doesn't like pizza), and took a walk in the dark with their flashlights!

I talked to Luci's teacher about it telling her how much I appreciate her doing the sleepover and how special it is. She told me that when a teacher goes to school in Germany to get her teaching certificate, they actually have formal training in how to do an overnighter with children. It is part of the tradition here, so any teacher working with this age group will do many, many sleepovers in their career. It is just part of the job. And, so they are prepared, organized, and make it really fun for the kids.

The next morning I picked her up and we all went to the IDH (International Dining Hall) for breakfast with her classmates and their families. It was a very nice morning and I was especially proud of Luci - staying by herself was really scary for her and she came home all smiles. The IDH had the traditional food... bacon, eggs, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, toast with jam, meats and cheeses with brotchen, cereal, and... hedgehog sweetbread! They were adorable. The bakeries here can make bread look like just about anything!

This afternoon I baked chocolate chip cookies.

A few weeks ago, the director of Arianna's school told my friend, Holly, and I that they'd like to do an American-style BBQ for the end of the year party. So, we thought that hot dogs and traditional cookies would be great. The sign-up sheet went up not long after at the school asking ladies to sign up to bring either a noodle or potato salad. Confused, I asked if I needed to bring that or if I could bring cookies. "Bring cookies," said Tina, "and let the German mothers make the salads." Then she laughed and told us that she was learning sarcasm (something that most German's don't really have).


Holly brought hot dogs and buns, made chili and PB cookies. I made a HUGE batch of chocolate cookies, and, brought a bunch Hershey's kisses. I thought I was going to a small BBQ - in and out in an hour. Not quite. This was an event we were really unprepared for. It was huge. They had games set up and their big BBQ. It was crowded and hot. But, once people gathered, Tina spoke about the apple tree the students bought for the school, then all the vorschule kinder got a chance to water and plant the tree. Then the teachers all got out games and the kids ran and played. I loved the games. They were different.

Hildegard had gummi pacifiers tied on to string all ready to go. Each string had three, so she and another teacher held onto the ends of the string pulling it tight right above the heads of the three kids under it, then the kids without hands, would try to grab the gummi pacifier with their mouths and chew it off. The kids loved it and it was very humorous to watch.

The electric circuit was set up and the children had to run the metal object from one end to the other without touching the sides or the bell would ring. Arianna did a great job. Most of the kids made it ring on purpose enjoying the bells. A water table was set up with little animals tied with wire hooks, so the kids could "go fishing." Luci and Elise both enjoyed that activity and the teacher who ran it is Frau Gisbertz who will be Elise' teacher next year. She was very sweet with the girls. A ball toss knocked over animal faces, and there was a ball toss into egg cartons colored different colors. All the games were at least slightly different than those I'd seen at other carnivals, so it was fun and I'll take a couple ideas for use at my own kids parties or school celebrations.

Ok... I should have began with this... but. As we walked out into the back playground of the kindergarten, the first thing that I saw was not the large cone shaped grill, nor the crowds of people, nor the children's games, but the Bitburger beer in the hands of most of the adults there. I just never imagined going to a school BBQ and buying a beer. I didn't, of course, having not ever acquired the taste for that stuff, but I could have. 1 Euro for a beer. 50 Euro cents for water or apfelshorle.

The noodle and potato salads of various sorts filled an entire 6'+ table. An aversion to mayo prevented me from being too adventurous, but there was a delicious gnocchi salad with colored bell peppers, sauteed zucchini, and a light balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Definitely one to copy! My cookies went over well and many people tried the chili although spicy food does scare these people. They are just not accustomed to it. On the grill were hot dogs, pork fillets, and bratwurst. It all looked delicious.

So, that was the day. The BBQ went late and we enjoyed ourselves. The kids played and I conversed a little - ended up sitting at a table in the corner with other American friends hampered a bit to socialize too much by the language barrier. Intentions aren't good enough. If one person is uncomfortable with their language skills, then communications is challenged. And, in a big crowd, it's much easier to talk to the neighbor that you've known for years, than to talk to a foreigner. The people are kind and not generally unfriendly, but it does feel weird sometimes, to be there, and to not really belong. It's almost like watching a play. I hear the words and see the actions live in front of me, but instead of jumping on stage and being a player, I sit there and watch, usually entertained, but choosing quiet observation over active participation. Not always... but today, my participation was watching my girls participating and listening to Arianna speak German. She's getting pretty good.