7 months later...

It's in quiet moments like this, with a cup of coffee on the nighstand and a sleepy pup beside me, that I have time to remember life before Florida. 7 months feels like 5 years these days. Germany might as well be a lifetime ago. I can walk around my home and see pieces of Europe around me...in photos on the walls, in bier steins on the bar, in knick-knacks resting on the shelves...but then I look outside my window and see palm trees and I'm brought right back to reality again.

I miss Germany, but not everyday. I thought I'd think of it constantly, but honestly, with a new job, new house, needy pup, and new life to carry on with, I think of it only in these quiet moments...or when I reach for a bottle of Riesling. If you had asked me 4 months ago how often I pined for Germany, I would have said EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Cut to the 7 month re-pat mark and life's very different. We've adjusted...almost completely, although I can say it was hard. Really hard. And for more reasons than I care to mull over. But even in those hard moments, we realize we're in such a sweet season of life. One we knew we wanted, just didn't know when or how it would come about. We finally own the home we've always wanted, I've finally found a job that I can truly say I love, and we're getting back in the swing of life before Germany. A sweet season, indeed. It's almost like we pushed pause on June 23rd, 2011 and didn't press play again until June 24th, 2014. So weird how that happens...picking up right where we left off (or close to it, at least). Because I'm sure you think you know where this is going, I'll stop the reading ahead and tell you no, we're not expecting (sorry to disappoint you baby crazy ladies!)...but the conversations about that are more frequent than not. Seems like the natural progression of things, but we're still not there yet.

In other news of life post-Germany, D's new job is good. Different, but good. He still feels like the new guy and thinks he gets lost in the shuffle of business there. The squadron is massive, so it makes sense to feel this way, but with each passing week he gets more confident in his role, so that's a blessing. He's on the last leg of his Master's and will finish in May! Praise the Lord! I'm so proud of him. There's literally nothing D can't do. In fact, his possibilities are endless. From time to time we have those mind-jarring discussions about possibly leaving this Air Force life, but then we wake up with new eyes and table the discussion for later. I'm sure other military families can relate...the grass seems greener, but is it really? Taking it one assignment at a time, our motto of late.

A new biz update--being a travel agent is so fun! But it's also tough navigating working from home. Like, really working from home. I always thought I kind of did that with the blog, but that was nothing compared to the kind of busy I am now. I'm so grateful for a booming inbox and flurry of traveling souls to help (it's a great feeling), but there's a learning curve that comes along with working from home, I'm finding. I often don't know when to cut my day off...not answer emails and close up shop. Setting boundaries has been a struggle. I'm literally drawn to my inbox...way too excited to open up my booking engines. While it's a practice good for daytime, it's bad for nightime when my eyes are slowly crossing and D is wondering if my laptop is somehow becoming an extension of my arm (truth: some days I think it might be). Finding a balance between home and work will come with time. I know I won't be afraid to set boundaires forever (I am a yes-girl...learning to be a yes, but tomorrow-girl instead). I'm a work in progress. This new biz is a work in progress. But I do look foward to waking up and sitting in my office chair each morning. It's fufilling in a way Germany wasn't. That in itself makes this new chapter so rewarding.

As far as traveling goes, I still miss it everyday. That's the one part of this whole new season of life that I've not been able to tame. It probably doesn't help having a career based solely on the world of travel (I'm often daydreaming of my own fabulous vacation amidst planning for others), but at least it's still a part of my day to day life...in some tangible way. Truth is, even though we want to travel, we also want to do other things. Silly grown-up things. Like upgrade our walk-in closets and buy new patio furniture. Plan for expanding our family (someday) and saving for the day we could possibly leave the Air Force (maybe?). So many variables, so many possibilies in our new life that we can't frivolously jaunt off to here and there anymore. I get bitter about that some days, but I'm a conscious player in the change of priorities. These new things are all things I want, too. Being a responsible adult is hard, isn't it? D and I loved being less responsible in Germany. America, the land of responsibility! We had it good those 3 years. But we also have it good now. 7 months in and I still compare our Germany life to our Florida life. Apples and oranges (no pun intended). I probably will keep those comparison bubbles around for the forseeable future...lamenting about this and that, reveling in the change still to come. Nevertheless, I'm excited to see how my perspective changes as we creep closer to the year mark of repatriation. YEAR...that's only 5 months away. I can hardly wrap my mind around this. I haven't seen a real castle in 8 months (Disney doesn't count, sorry). That's gotta be like 10 years in Germany time. Time is a rude jerk. 

And with that, I give you my life update. We're good. We're happy. Florida weather is AMAZING. And I'm still super grateful for fo-yo...God's gift to America, I've decided. This is likely the only blog post I'll write this week. Did I mention keeping up with this space has been tough, too? I will get my ducks in a row. I will get my ducks in a row. For now, thanks for sticking around with me regardless of my inconsistent postings and lack of any Instagram content other than my dog and selling vacations. My life in a nutshell, folks. ;) Hope you all are well and I look forward to editing cruise photos for you to see...someday!

My ABC's of Travel

I have no clue where I saw this prompt originally (because I definitely wasn't smart enough to think it up--thanks whoever you are!), but it's been in the back of my drafts for some time now. I kept thinking I'd make it some kind of fun link-up, but honestly, it's Friday and I've hit a blogger wall called the weekend and I can't think any further than a large pepperoni pizza, glass of wine, and a trip to the movies to see Gone Girl. Ya feel me? This week druuggg on, y'all. Big confession: I've been feeling a little down about the lack of travel plans in our near future lately. My calendar is basically empty until after the new year and it feels super weird. Life's so different now that we're back stateside, but the 3 years we spent jaunting from country to country remain in the forefront of my mind most days. I miss Europe. I miss hopping in the car and knowing I'd be in a different country within mere hours. I miss being in awe of things. So, I thought this kind of piece might be a nice prelude to the weekend...and to us taking yet another trip to Epcot for the Food & Wine Festival because, honestly, I need some fake countries (and real wine) in my life right now. I've mentioned wine twice already. The struggle is real. 

Feel free to play along, sweet readers. I'd love to hear your travel ABCs!

A) Age you went on your first international trip:
I was 14 and went on a mission trip with my Youth Group from church to Melo, Uruguay. It was one of the most eye opening, life changing experiences of my life and I'd love to get back to South America someday.

B) Best foreign beer you've had and where:
De Struis Pannepot Vintage Grande Reserva 2008--hands down best beer I've ever tasted. I tried it for the first time at Café Rose Red in Bruges, Belgium and have been in love with it ever since! Belgian beers are the best in the world! This coming from a former beer hater...says a lot!

C) Cuisine (favorite):
Hmmm this is a hard one. I really love both German and Italian cuisine, but I could never eat either of them day in and day out. Too many carbs and rich sauces...ironically enough also the reasons why I love them. I'm also reallllly fond of Swiss fondue and Spanish tapas. Basically cover anything in cheese and pair it with sangria and I'm sold.

D) Destinations--favorite, least favorite, and why?:
Most favorite: London. It's somewhere I've always wanted to visit and seeing it with my own two eyes for the first time was absolutely magical. I cried....and I cry every time I leave. There's something about that city that just calls to me! Least favorite: Amsterdam. It was the first city I've ever really been lost in. The whole place is like a labyrinth of canals and small alleyways. We had limited time to explore, so getting lost/not being able to find certain attractions really put a damper on our time there. Plus, there really isn't any one thing I can remember being totally awesome about it. I feel like I need an Amsterdam re-do.

E) Event you've experienced abroad that made you say "wow":
Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle against the moonlight. Watching fireworks explode by the hundreds over the skyline of Wiesbaden, Germany on New Year's Eve. Walking out from the tube station on Westminster Bridge in London and seeing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament for the first time. Spending a week in a Tuscan villa with my entire family. Skiing down the Swiss Alps with the Matterhorn just feet away. Walking through the hills of Positano, Italy a few summers ago. Riding donkeys in Santorini, Greece. Watching snake charmers in the souks of Marrakech, Morocco. Walking the walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia. Almost too many "PINCH ME!" moments to count!

F) Favorite mode of transportation:
Can none be my answer? I hate the actual process of traveling...taking planes, trains, and cars to get to your final destination. I so wish teleportation devices really existed. I'd buy one in a heartbeat. BUT, if I had to pick just one mode of transport...I guess train travel would be the lesser of the evils. 

G) Greatest feeling while traveling:
When you finally arrive to your hotel, freshen up, and step out into whatever city your visiting to start exploring for the first time. The world seems so vibrant and "mine for the taking" in those first few exciting moments. It's an electric feeling!

H) Hottest place you've ever traveled to:
Probably Tulum, Mexico. We went at the end of July when it was super hot and humid. Wandering around Chichen Itza was almost unbearable.

I) Incredible service you've experienced and where?:
Aboard the Celebrity Reflection on our very first cruise around the Mediterranean. Impeccable EVERYTHING. We felt like spoiled rotten travelers after 12 days on that ship.

J) Journey that took the longest:
Definitely my trip to Uruguay. Our flight from Miami, FL to Sao Paulo, Brazil (one of 3 different legs of our journey) was just about 13 hours long. I remember coming home from that trip and having to cut off my ankle bracelet because my legs were so swollen from sitting on an airplane (and consuming so much salt in the form of sodas/mineral water since the tap water wasn't safe to drink in Uruguay) for so long.

K) Keepsake from your travels:
I typically bring back some little tchotchke from everywhere we travel (usually whatever handicraft that city is famous for) and put them on a bookcase in our living room. They're fun little conversation pieces when friends come to visit. We also love bringing home ornaments or local alcohol from places we travel.

L) Let-down sight, where and why?:
We were really disappointed with the inside of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. It's GORGEOUS and so fairytale-like from the outside, but inside is just blahhhh. Probably because King Ludwig was only able to finish one level of the castle's interior before he died, but those are things they don't tell you until you've got the ticket in hand and are walking through the turnstiles. Such is life.

M) Moment where you fell in love with traveling:
Gosh, this is hard to pinpoint for me. I've always felt a need to travel, but I guess since we moved to Germany and lived in the heart of Europe for 3 years, you could say that's where I really ignited my love for seeing the world. Another rule of thumb: if I cry when arriving to or leaving a destination...you know it really, really meant a lot to me. Only a handful of places carry that bragging right.

N) Nicest hotel you've stayed in:
Sandals Ocho Rios in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Best food & service. Best room (can you say oceanfront honeymoon penthouse?!). Best beach. I still have dreams about that place...and our beautiful honeymoon! All-inclusive resorts are definitely the way to go. We're hoping to give another Sandals Resort a try now that we're back in the states. I'm thinking either St. Lucia or Grenada. :)

O) Obsession--what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?:
This might sound weird, but I have photos of manhole covers from every city I've ever visited. Most have the name and city seal on them, so they're like a photographic reminder of the city we visited. I know, I know. I'm strange. And I'm ok with that. :)

P) Passport stamps-how many and from where?:
I'd love to tell you I have 32 different passport stamps, but the truth is, even though we've traveled all over Europe, we only acquired a handful of stamps while living abroad. Interestingly enough, our Amsterdam stamps happened only because we were flying from the UK and had a layover there. In the EU, if you visit multiple Schengen countries (the 26 countries that have abolished immigration and passport checks at their common borders) then, of course, you miss out on stamps. It sucks, but travel isn't all about getting that stamp in your passport. It's about the memories you make while visiting that country! Shut up...I lie, it's fun getting stamped, isn't it? But for the sake of this question...we do have stamps from Mexico, Jamaica, the USA, St. Petersburg, Russia, Slovenia, San Marino, London, & Amsterdam...and I also have stamps from Uruguay and Brazil.

Q) Quirkiest attraction you've visited and where?:
I'd have to say the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. It's not something I would have ever in a million years thought I go do, but the hubby loved every second of it. And I may or may not have turned into a Harry Potter fan because of it. We nerded out hard core that afternoon. ;)

R) Really Frightening: where's one place you've visited where you felt unsafe or uneasy?
I felt uneasy wandering the streets of Marrakech, Morocco. Some areas of the city are beautiful, but much of it is dirty, overcrowded, and a bit sketch. Having a military husband traveling with you everywhere you go definitely makes you see certain cities through cautious eyes. I also felt pretty on edge going through customs in St. Petersburg, Russia. Talk about a stare down for the ages. {{shivers}}

S) Splurge-something you have no problem spending money on while traveling:
Wine. Or cheese. Or a flight on a non-budget airline so I can bring all the luggage I want.

T) Touristy thing you've done:
More like what touristy thing HAVEN'T we done. The answer would be...we've done them all! My favorite might have to be our bus tour around Paris. And attending Oktoberfest in Munich. We love a good mix of touristy things and 'off the beaten path' type adventures.

U) Unforgettable travel memory:
It's impossible to pick just one!! I really loved this dinner from our first overnight trip in Germany. And cruising through the fjords in Montenegro. And watching the sunset sink into the ocean at midnight while our cruise ship was docked in St. Petersburg, Russia. Totally bananas. 

V) Visas-how many and for where?:
We haven't had to get a visa just yet...although we've traveled to Turkey & Russia where visas are needed for Americans. Without them being ports on our various cruises, we would have had to get visas for each country ourselves. That's one awesome thing about cruising...they take care of the travel grunt work for you!

W) Wine--best glass while traveling:
German Riesling Spatelese will ALWAYS rein supreme in my book! Living in German wine country proved to be quite rewarding and educational for this wine-loving gal. Getting to pick grapes along the Rhein River and then have it turned into bottles of wine I serve to our friends during gatherings at our house is just about the coolest thing we've ever done.

X) eXcellent view and from where?:
The views from the top of the Eiffel Tower were amazing, but I'm also partial to the stunning views we saw from the tiny country of San Marino and on the drive around Mt. Lovcern in Montenegro. And nothing beats standing atop the German, Swiss, or Austrian Alps. Getting up high is one of our favorite things to do while traveling! ;)

Y) Years spent traveling: Umm...I'm not sure I understand this question completely, but I've been traveling with my family since I was an infant. Most trips growing up were to the beach, Disney World, or somewhere around the US, but I was still traveling somewhere at least once a year. As of 3 years ago, D and I have been almost non-stop traveling. I like to think of us a tumbleweeds most days. Now that we're back stateside, we hope to explore more of the good 'ol USA, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Z) Zealous sports fans and where?:
Germany has some seriously whackadoodle sports fans. When the World Cup was going on a few months ago (before we left Germany for good), the streets were exploding with loud cheering, screaming, and car horns late into the night after Germany games. Germans were out wandering the streets (coming from bars and restaurants) covered in face paint and team jerseys. Traffic was HORRID coming in and out of downtown and around the football arenas (where they were having massive viewing parties). Wasn't hard to guess where all the cars were coming from as most were decked out with German flags. They take their fussball pride VERY seriously over there! We had a lot of fun joining in and cheering our host country on!

Take the challenge! Write up your own ABC's of travel and leave me the link to your post in the comments section!

12 Ways Living in Germany Made Me a Better Person

1| I've become well-versed in cooking my own delicious Mexican food favorites.

Queso Blanco? Perfected it. Arroz con Pollo & Enchiladas Verde? I'm a master. Homemade Guac & Margaritas? None can beat mine. When you can't find great Mexican food in your host country, you learn to make your own. And you save money in the process. Everyone's invited over for a fiesta...as soon as I get furniture, of course.

2| I now enjoy a good cup of coffee.

Not really sure this makes me a better person, but it sure does make me feel good! Before moving to Germany, I was mostly a tea drinker (except for the occasional super sweet Starbucks indulgence). Today, I can't go a morning without a good cup of joe. Look at me all grown up and sophisticated! [eye roll] ;) Europe had stellar coffee and lovely cafes to drink it in. Spoiled me rotten, I tell ya. I'm currently scouting out cappuccino/latte makers for our kitchen, so send me any suggestions you've got!

3| I actually go to parks now.

Parks. What a novel idea! Why don't many Americans go to parks? I rarely did before living in Germany. Now, I'm all like...LET'S GO PICNIC! And run! And just lay out in the grass staring up at the clouds like the Europeans do! I really miss our giant, green park just down the hill from our German flat. It was always filled with people doing all kinds of fun activities. The parks here in Florida are small (at least the ones in our area)...or they're beaches. I know, I know...you're playing the world's smallest violin for me now, aren't you?

4| I can parallel park like a friggin' pro.

Living in a flat with no garage or designated parking space meant D and I had to get really good at parallel parking...and real quick! Street parking was a total pain in our butts for 3 years, but at least one new skill was acquired out of the inconvenience. Any new drivers out there need lessons? I charge in hugs.

5| I'm a more aware and efficient driver.

Pass on the left only. Slow drivers in the far right lane--always. No trucks in fast lanes (except to pass). No lingering in the passing lane. Germany gets these things right! It's illegal not to follow these rules there. Now, if I could only get everyone in America on board, we'd be golden! Germany may have had pushy drivers, but they sure were smart about their Autobahn rules. They just make sense. The only rule I'm glad is out the door now that I'm back stateside? No right turn on red...ever. Feels so freeing to be able to do that again!

6| I've developed an affinity for long lunching.

Don't ask me out to lunch unless you plan on sitting there with me for a couple of hours. Not kidding. The whole "slow living" phenomenon that Europe is so famous for totally rubbed off on me, in certain ways at least. Lunches and dinners out in Germany usually meant 3 hours of dining and chatting. It was so nice to really enjoy my food and our company. Here, everything is so rush, rush, rush! Even more reason to slow down and just be in the moment. Don't worry, if I linger too long at a restaurant or cafe here stateside, I make sure to leave a heftier tip. Small price to pay for a less-hurried life.

7| Germany helped me rekindle my love for yogurt and granola.

German yogurt was the bomb. Probably because it was almost always full fat. If I ever wanted a sweet treat, I'd stock up on German brands of yogurt (and their equally delicious muesli--granola, to us Americans). Now that I'm back stateside, I've stuck to my yogurt obsession, only healthified it a bit. Yay for probiotics!

8| Sundays have become a true day of rest.

Even though I complained about it a lot, there was really something to having everything closed on Sundays in Germany. The day was quieter, slower, more relaxing before the hustle and bustle of the work week began. We replaced running post-church errands with spending time with friends; family, if they were in town. Hopefully we can keep up that tradition here in Florida.

9| I look forward to recycling things.

I thought this would change the second I stepped foot off the plane back in America, but I'm happy to say I still feel the urge recycle things. Unfortunately, we can't recycle all of the same things we did in Germany, but it's still a heck of a lot more than we were doing before our 3-year stent abroad. I feel much more environmentally cautious today than I did in my pre-Germany life. Feels awesome.

10| I've become an excellent care-package sender.

My affinity for snail mail skyrocketed while we were living in Europe. Living so far from home--cards, care packages, and postcards we almost a necessity to keep me engaged with my loved ones. I LOVED putting packages together and sending them off to friends and family. Snail mail is dying these days (which makes me incredibly sad), so I'm trying to help save it...one care package at a time.

11| I've learned so much about world geography, different cultures, food, etc.

Do you know where Luxembourg is located? I do. And the tiny counties of San Marino, Aurora, and Liechtenstein. Before moving to Europe, I had no idea 2 out of the 4 of those even existed. It's amazing how worldly you become after living somewhere other than your home country. I feel so grateful to have been able to expand my global knowledge and to have so many amazing stories to share with our future children.

12| I'm acutely aware of my American loudness...and I correct it.

One of the main things I noticed while living in Germany was how incredibly loud Americans can be...myself included. I was never belligerent or so loud you'd have to tell me to shut up, but Americans, in general, tend to talk louder than most Europeans. Not sure why that is exactly, but since moving back stateside, I'm constantly checking my loudness in public settings so as to not draw attention to myself. In turn, I'm now ultra aware of other people's loudness. I kind of hope this change blows over with time, because I'm annoyed out in public more often. No wonder Germans seemed so cranky some days!

If you've ever lived in a foreign country, did certain things about you change when you returned home? 
Share your experiences!

Pros & Cons of Living in Germany: Part Neun

PRO: Maultaschen

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A friend of mine helped me to discover these little pockets of deliciousness about a year ago, and ever since that divine day, I stop at Aldi at least once a month to grab a pack or two for dinner. Maultaschen is basically the German version of ravioli--only much larger. Created in the Swabian region of Germany, maultaschen consists of an outer layer of pasta dough enclosing a filling of minced meat, spinach, breadcrumbs, and onions flavored with various spices and herbs like parsley and nutmeg (although other fillings can be found as well). You can simmer them in broth and serve them like a soup…you can boil them like regular ravioli and cover them with butter & onions (as pictured above) or a tomato sauce…or you can cut them into slices and fry them in a pan with onions (my personal favorite way to eat them). I recently discovered a maultaschen filled with cheese and bacon…basically the best discovery in the world, as you can imagine. It's interesting, though…I've never been able to find these little dough pockets in any restaurant I've eaten at in Germany. Tell me they don't only exist in home kitchens and prepackaged at grocery stores?!? I'm hoping to take a maultaschen recipe home to the states with us and try my hand at making them from scratch someday. If you've got a stellar recipe, send it my way!

CON: Queuing Confused

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Germans, you guys are sweet. You're fun to talk to, you have beautiful gardens, and delicious beer…but you don't know how to form a line worth a darn. For a country that loves structure and efficiency so much, it boggles my mind that many Germans don't grasp the concept of queuing. Or maybe they do and they just don't care to form lines? Whoever's faster and pushier wins? Who knows. Either way, I hate having to stand in line for something in Germany where there are no "official" designated lines or someone directing the line moving. I'm always looking for the beginning of a line and then there's just no line to be found. The airport is the worst of these places. Well, that and tourist attractions and bathroom lines at Oktoberfest. I once yelled at a group of German ladies trying to cut the line for the bathroom inside an Oktoberfest tent. The line wrapped around the building and the ladies just "pretended" not to notice and kept trying to sneak in at various points in the queue. They tried in front of the wrong girl (me!) because I made a scene and embarrassed them to the back of the line. Girl had to pee! Ain't nobody got time for line breakers. Honestly though, it's not just Germans (and it's not all Germans…there are always exceptions to the rule). Many Europeans have this queuing ineptness, too. Now, I'm not saying all American's are good at waiting in line…faaarrrr from it (hello Black Friday madness!)…but it's a common frustration among the American expats I've befriended here in Germany. I guess the trick is to pretend you're German and it's every man for himself? You guys know what you're doing don't you? Give it to me straight.

PRO: Autohof (Rest Stops)

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If you've never experienced a German rest stop (Autohof or Rasthof), you haven't seen the beauty of what efficient and expansive rest stops should be. Autohof's are big and can house a wide variety of things like restaurants, gas stations, restrooms, bars, hotels, showers, playgrounds, conference rooms, telephones, convenience stores, and even sometimes churches. Anything you might need on the road, an Autohof is sure to have it. Only trick is, these things are placed anywhere from 40km to 60km apart on the Autobahn and not all Autohof's offer all the amenities I listed above. Sometimes these large rest stops offer one restaurant (maybe a Burger King or a Nordsee), but often times you'll find a hot and cold food bar in addition to a restaurant chain…just to give you options. I'm sure this accommodation is especially appreciated by truckers who are on the road all the time and would love to eat more than soggy hamburgers day after day. D and I love when we can find a good Autohof that ticks all our food and fill up boxes during long travels. American rest stops are good…but they're no Autohof. Unfortunatly, not all rest stops in Germany are large Autohofs. Click here if you're interested in reading more about the how the Autobahn and rest stops work here in Germany. This guy lays it all out beautifully!

CON: Rest Stops (or lack thereof)

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While Germany does have some pretty impressive rest stops, there is one problem…they're few and far between. In America, you'll find a place to be able to get off the interstate to pee or eat just about every other mile down the road. In Germany, the rest stops (and exits to towns in general) are a bit more spread apart than what I'm accustomed to. I can't tell you how many times I've almost peed my pants while driving somewhere on the Autobahn. Or almost run out of gas because we can't find an ESSO station (that's more of a military problem than a Germany problem…our gas rations are only useable at ESSO's). There's not a McDonald's or Arby's or Starbucks off of every exit ramp here…an annoying truth many expats learn the hard way in the beginning. You also have to consider the fact that wherever you stop, you'll have to pay to pee. That quick stop at Burger King will cost you…and you can't just stop at a random restaurant in a random town to use their restroom unless you're buying something. Common courtesy, I get it. But German towns are small in some areas, so you may have to venture off the Autobahn a few miles before you reach anywhere to eat, pee, or get gas. Paying for it just adds insult to injury for me, at least. Another interesting thing…you'll see signs that say "P" for parking just off the Autobahn, but there are no bathrooms there. If you're a boy, it's no problem. If you're a girl…you best keep on driving. Sometimes they'll also be a small picnic area there, but no restaurant with food for purchase. Germans love a good picnic, even on the side of the interstate. But if you're "hangry" and wanting more sustience, keep driving for that Autohof. When we head out on driving trips here, we have to plan quite a bit more than we would have to back stateside. D and I have learned that a bag of snacks and a well-placed ESSO station plugged into our GPS is more of a requirement than a choice while traveling the roads of Germany. You live, you adapt, and you do as the Germans to. :)

PRO: Super Clean Everything

Germany is absolutely, hands down one of the most immaculate countries I've ever stepped foot into. The streets, the bathrooms, the movie theaters…clean, clean, clean! You never see trash on the side of the road (side eye, America) and I've never walked into a restaurant and felt like I was sitting in sludge (side eye, Waffle House). Granted, I'm sure there are plenty of unsavory areas of Germany, filled with graffiti and trash and less than cleanly bathrooms, but for the most part, this country is spotless. At least when you compare it to the USA or a few other select countries in Europe. I love Italy (don't hate me Italy friends!), and while I've only visited certain areas, one thing that suck out in my mind was the trash and overall dirtiness of those areas I traveled in Italy. I remember my mom getting off the airplane with me from Bolgona to Frankfurt and almost literally kissing the ground at the airport because she'd missed the cleanliness of Germany so much. I don't know if it's just because Germans cuckoo for cleaning (I mean, their recycling laws are ridiculously extensive), but they're definitely doing something right. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE clean and beautiful Germany. That whole paying to pee thing is a little easier to take knowing you're contributing to the cleanliness of the country. Just don't go into a fest bathroom. There's just no hope for those places, no matter what country you're in!

CON: Lack of acceptance of the Flip Flop (and other foot visible footwear)

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If I have one more German ask me if my feet are cold in the middle of July, I'm gonna scream and run away forever. Americans wear sandals and foot-exposing footwear from the second it hits 65°F outside until the first leaves of fall start to shed to the ground. This I know to be true because I am one of those Americans. Sandals ALL SUMMER LONG! From what I've observed, many Germans only tend to wear sandals if it's over 85°F…which happens for maybe about 3 weeks out of the year and then boom, they're back to boots and closed-toe everything. I absolutely don't understand it! Aren't your feet hot? Shoot, aren't your necks hot (they also wear scarves year-round)? Are you afraid you'll catch a cold? Do you all have foot fungus that we don't know about? Dear Lord, I hope not. I'm constantly baffled and even after 3 years abroad, I still have no answers. Oh…and don't even get me started on the Birkenstocks with socks phenomenon. I thought Americans were bad about socks and sandals…but Germans are large offenders as well. Granted, Birkenstocks are German and Germans should wear the crap out of them. But socks? Sigh...I see my dad in every sock-sandaled German that walks the street. Every spring/summer (appropriate sandal wearing times of year, right?), I have at least a handful Germans ask me if my feet are cold while wearing sandals…and at least dozens of them stare at my feet with dissension. German teenagers seem to be the only exception to this unwritten "no sandals" rule. They'll wear them more than Germans of older ages. Is it an age thing then? HELP ME! German friends, any light you can shed on why the aversion to sandals? I need to understand!

Until next time…

*Please keep in mind that all of these pros & cons are formed simply from my experiences and perspective as an American living abroad. You can find the other installments of my Pros & Cons of living in Germany here, here, here, here, here, here, here & here!*

A Meal in Marrakech

After a long, but fascinating drive from Casablanca, we arrived in Marrakech just in time for lunch. Instead of diving right into sight-seeing, our tour guide led our cruise group to a restaurant within the Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage center and famed historic district of Marrakech. Upon arriving to the restaurant, we knew we were in for a treat. Situated just a few steps from Jemaa el Fna square, from the outside, this restaurant looked rough...but as soon as we walked through the threshold, the colorful zellige tile work, Berber carpets, and smell of tajine delights excited our senses. 

After our arrival was announced by the drums and singing of an Atlas Berber group, we were sat at large, round tables surrounded by pillows covered in lush fabrics. While the name of the restaurant absolutely excapes me, the atmosphere was perfectly Moroccan. The tables were already set, mounds of fresh bread and bottles of Moroccan wine ready for the sipping. Just as soon as we started passing the wine around the table, a man dressed in a traditional kaftan came and allowed us to wash our hands in a Moroccan hand-washing basin. This was a tradition I wasn't expecting, but so loved participating in! Shortly after, our waiter scurried over with a family-style plate of seasoned vegetables and typical Moroccan salads. Like clockwork, once the vegetable plate was cleaned, an overflowing platter of couscous and squash was rushed to our dining space. D and I were like ravenous animals…the wine, the veggies, and the couscous were deliciously filling…and we hadn't even gotten to the meat course yet! 

As the Atlas Berber group continued to play, a Moroccan belly dancer popped out from behind one of the arches and danced her way around the restaurant, stopping only to shake her hips in front of the most blushing bachelors. The whole room was alive with music and clapping, laughing and clanging of glasses…everyone enjoying their lunch with a show. While the belly dancer worked the room, a tagine filled with chicken marinated in olives, onions, and herbed oil was placed in front of us. I'm not usually a fan of chicken on the bone, but the meat was so juicy and flavorful, I hardly noticed the bone! It was hands down the best part of our meal. Our last course was a bowl full of freshly-picked mandarines, perfectly sweet and a wonderful end to our traditional Moroccan meal.

While this restaurant was obviously geared to attract the tourists (you could purchase photos of yourself with the belly dancers and of your hand washing experience), we still enjoyed every darn second of our lunch there. We felt like we got a good taste the local cuisine and a fun peek into some of the traditions that go along with dining the Moroccan way. With our bellies and cameras full, we made our way out to the streets of Marrakech to start exploring. Stay tuned for more from Morocco!

Our 2014 Travel Plans

Lots of big things are happening for Team Coté in 2014. LOTS. Most notably our inevitable move back to the good ol' US of A this coming summer. The moving wheels are in motion and we're gearing up for a super busy and change-filled year. Honestly, all I want to do is go hide in a hole somewhere, but that's a blog post for another day. Knowing that our expat expiration clock is ticking down faster and faster these days makes D and I very panicky. We need to see this...we want to visit there...we must try that. NO TIME...THERE'S NEVER ANY TIME! My usual weekly brain meltdown a la Jesse Spano. :) With only 6 months left to easily explore all the wonderful countries Europe has to offer, we made it a point to plan out and book our last trips abroad much earlier than normal. Our list of 'must-see' places has dwindled quite a bit thanks to the fabulous year of travel 2013 gave us...but there are still more than a handful of cities we've been dying to see. While we aren't going to able to cross them all off our bucket list in these last 6 months, we are making quite a dent! Below is our travel itinerary for trips we've officially booked and are absolutely happening in 2014! Well, happening as long as the universe doesn't throw us any curve balls between now and July. Are you listening, Universe? I'm watching you. This list is just the big trips we're taking...ones that are overnighters, require more than 4 hours of driving, or a part of a cruise. I'm sure we'll shuffle in a few Germany day trips in between these larger trips, but I rarely plan those. We like our day trips to be spontaneous!

So, what trips on our list are we most excited about? Ireland...definitely. We've been trying to get there for 2.5 years now and it always kept being pushed back by one vacation or another. No more! We're booked for 4 days in Dublin with day trips to the Dingle Peninsula and the Cliffs of Moher! D's been dying to try a pint of Guinness straight from an Irish tap. Should be a fantastic trip in March! We're also pretty pumped about the trip we've booked as our last European hurrah...a 14-day cruise around the Adriatic Sea with Celebrity Cruises! On this cruise alone, we'll check off 4 new countries and hit a few cities we missed in countries we've already visited. Since we're sailing with our favorite cruise line again, I'm positive we're in for a treat! Go big or go home, right? Shooot...I'm not going home until they drag me outta here! We're both just thankful to have things to look forward to among all the not fun stuff we'll have to endure this year. Stay tuned for lots of fun adventures, y'all! It ain't over till the Air Force mails us home!

Tell me, what exciting travel plans have you made for 2014?

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