Well, we’ve done it. We’ve had our 1st German beer(s) (can you believe that Mike waited almost 3 full days?!). And our first German meal (traditional, anyway; we’ve eaten in Germany before yesterday, but this was real German food). Not to mention our first trip to Deutschland Ikea (which, in case you were wondering, is EXACTLY like the Ikea in Atlanta, only with prices in Euros) and had to wear our jackets for the 1st time (the temperature when we woke up this morning was 47 degrees Farenheit, 8 degrees Celsius; my worst fears confirmed, just 3 days in!). Too bad that I forgot my camera/phone when we went to Ikea, but the good news is that if you are looking for a good image of what we experienced, you can always just go to your neighborhood Ikea and look around. 🙂 (j/k)
The no pictures of Ikea thing may be one of the biggest differences in our lives so far: our phones really only work while we are in our apartment, so we are very disconnected when we are out and about. It’s very strange: while out at lunch, we have these conversations where we need to look things up and we have nowhere to do so until we get back home! Can you imagine, a completely handy-less afternoon? Unheard of! (“handy”=German word for cell phone)
Believe it or not, this was actually the smallest beer at the table. When we first got to the restaurant, I got googly eyes looking at the size of some of the beers sitting on other people’s tables. Seriously, I’ve never seen beers that big! The other drink in the background of the picture is Sauer Gespritzer (wine made from unfiltered Apple juice and sparkling water).
Mike’s Grüne Soße: a very traditional dish from the Frankfurt area (made of eggs, 7 herbs, and either yogurt or sour cream).
I had Pfefferling (I really don’t know how to spell that 1st word, but I’m confident of the next word) Semmelknödel, which is mushrooms and dumplings. Apparently, Bavaria is well-known for their Semmelknödel, so I was also very traditional! 🙂
Yesterday is when the jet lag really hit (at least for Anne Marie). We slept until 10:30am! I know… embarrassing. So I thought I’d post it here on the web and make sure everyone we care about knows how incredibly lazy we got there for a minute. So… we didn’t get quite as much accomplished yesterday as we had planned, but… Sleep is good!
Updates: We almost have a home-y apartment. We even have a plant! 🙂 I’ll post updated pictures soon, once the things are arranged and put away. The IT guy has come around and given us all some tips for maintaining our internet connection (for the first few days, I was quite stymied because the internet would log me off every few minutes), so hopefully, actually having conversations and whatnot will be much easier now. The biggest trick that has helped is just to have internet radio running in the background all the time, so that the internet thinks that we are alive. Good to know! We are now much more musical (and grateful for Spotify!)!
Today’s big task (as far as Anne Marie is concerned): figure out about getting classes in German! The German language classes are apparently very popular in these parts, and the more desirable times for the classes have already filled up! Wish me luck for when I go beg the teacher (in English)…
Mike and Anne Marie's Adventures 
I’m so glad you’re taking time to learn the language. I had a friend who lived in the Netherlands for several years who didn’t take any Dutch lessons, and she was so isolated as a result. Did anyone order a boot of beer?
I’m kind of scared not to at least try, to tell you the truth! I feel like a terrible person to rely on someone else’s possible English skills in order to get my needs met. Well, maybe not a terrible person, but I certainly can see how that would lead to isolation. Not to mention inefficiency! So… I’m now in a class 2x/week for the 15 weeks or so after it starts (Not until October, unfortunately). Hopefully, by then, maybe a little less ugly American… (fingers crossed!)
How awesome that you’re going to learn German!! Has Mike already started work?
Yay!! I feel like learning German is sort of the least I can do if they are letting me live in their place (not that they aren’t glad to, I’m sure, as they do seem to be a very nice group of people, if I can generalize from the 15 or so Germans I’ve actually had a conversation with to the entire country) and will hopefully tolerate me on their roads! 🙂 Mike officially starts work this coming Monday, but is currently working away on his computer in anticipation of a meeting he’s participating in from afar. His work visa isn’t really valid until next Monday, so he can only do work with people in America at this point. Almost like a vacation, but… in our new home?
Cool. 😀
Do you need an international driver’s license to drive there? How does that work exactly?
You only need an international license if you are planning to be here more than so many months (8 or 10, I think), but then you can just apply for an extension for a few more months before you need to actually get the international driver’s license. We aren’t doing that this time (thank goodness!)!
I stand corrected. You can drive with an American driver’s license for 6 months, at which time you can get a 1 time 6 month extension. After that, you need to get a German driver’s license. Ulrich, the relocation guy, says that an international driver’s license is useless here. 😦
Sounds as if you’re really settling in! A plant and everything – is that to replace the “leaves” on the living room table? I’m an in-person learner (at least primarily) so if you are like me in that regard, the German classes will be far more valuable than Rosetta Stone alone.
I’m sure that doing both Rosetta Stone and the in-person classes will be more than just additive, but I do know that Rosetta Stone alone isn’t getting me the information that I need on a relatively regular basis (e.g., “are there chiropractors in Germany?” or, “do we need to get our own drying rack, or is that something that we should expect to be delivered soon?” – not showing up in my Rosetta Stone; I’m not sure that it will show up in my class either, but…). We got the plant just to have a plant (and if I have my way, we’ll end up with more than just one, honestly), but we have disposed of the dead peacock feathers and aloe-like leaves on the coffee table in favor of a votive holder with fall-colored votives in them. Onward and upward, I say! 🙂
And who are jimmyandjulia?
Jimmy of Jimmy Choo shoes and Julia, of Julia Child fame. Its actually the name of another blog I have (but haven’t written on in a while) on this same blog site. Since I already had that one, it just writes as jimmyandjulia. Mike thought it was Jimi Hendrix when I read him your comment…
Oh!!! I thought you both were REALLY starting a new life 🙂
Keep the blogs coming–love hearing about all your adventures!
Hahaha! That would have been pretty awesome, although I’m not sure how the visa issuing people would have felt about that… 🙂 I’d kind of like to live for a little while with a different name/different identity. Not that there is anything wrong with my current name or identity, but what if I could be Julia for a day? What would I do? What would I like? What would I write?!?
Probably nothing quite as good as Anne Marie would!
Cue the “awww’s”…sending you the love from over the pond, lady.
Have fun!
Awwwwwwwwww! 🙂 Thanks… your love is reflected back, although I’m not sure how far these clouds will let it come, its definitely aimed at you!
lol, I was thinking the same thing!
So excited that you’re getting settled!!! 🙂 But don’t go buying too many things to make your new home homey. People MIGHT have/be planning on sending you care packages. 😉
Haha! I showed this to Mike and he laughed out loud, too! 🙂 believe me, we are a long way from actual homey-ness, but we are closer than we were on Monday. Now I’m that much more excited about getting the mail!