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Morning beer with the teachers

Today Greg and I woke up with sore throats and headaches, but not even the common German cold was going to keep us from meeting some new teachers out for beers and snacks at the Englischer Garden's Chinese Tower biergarten. It was a perfect day for it and we met Greg's new teaching colleagues and the directors of the school under the shaded canopy of the biergarten's chestnut trees. We met a new teacher who was from Mequon, WI, and others from Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

We even got a HUGE pretzel. As you can see, it was bigger than my head.

Tomorrow we're going to move into our new apartment and set up all the light fixtures. German apartments rarely have the light fixtures in the apartments (and often don't have the kitchen appliances or cabinets in as well--but luckily, we made it mandatory to have one). We've already done one IKEA run and managed to fit three bookcases, a desk, a fully-assembled large table, all of our lights, and everything else you need for an apartment in my aunt Na'ama's van. I still don't know quite how we did it.

This week, we're searching for a bed, futon, washer, bikes, and internet/phone. Oh, and figuring out our banking situation as the Germans don't take our credit cards, only their bank account cards or cash. Ahhhh, the practical joys of living in a foreign country! ;-)

Out in the Alps

Na'ama, Gil, Yuval, Greg, and I headed into the Alps yesterday for a little tour around. We were already starting to feel under the weather so we took it easy, no big hikes. We walked around a cute little mountain town that I don't remember the name of now to see its beautiful church and cloister, which ran a brewery. The Alps are not as high as the Rockies for sure, but they are much more steep. We tried hiking up one with Gil last weekend and it left us both winded. The picture below is of the church there with the mountains in the background.

We also walked around Oberammergau where Greg and Gil found these hats at a stand and decided they wanted to look like the locals. Yuval is on Gil's back, but we couldn't find a hat his size.

Urban Surfing

Greg and I walked around the Englischer Gardens yesterday. The park is a huge city park, probably bigger than Central Park. There's a fantastic river running through it with a pretty strong current so people can float along it. Right where the river starts, people like to surf because it produces some good waves.

Here's just a pretty view of the park:

First glimpses of Munich

My friend, Lee and her husband Leif, happened to be in Europe and stopping in Munich this week. So, we invited them to stay with us at my aunt Na'ama's house. I wanted to give people a few highlights of our time together in Munich and the outskirts.

A large church-like building we passed along the way:

Some dogs in bike baskets we saw in the fruit and vegetable market downtown:


View of city hall in the Marienplatz:


Those three with their beers at the famous Hofbrau haus:


Audis passing our S-Bahn car on the light rail:


And lastly, one especially for those interested in green roofing, a grass roof on a garage we passed by:

Feeling the good karma

Our good friend in Aurora, Molly, really made us believe in karma-both good and bad. Well, we've definitely had some good karma on this trip so far. Our plane ride started out with some bad karma-we tried to check our cat into the flight at the wrong desk and were told that we'd have to go to the cargo area. Cargo was outside the airport, but not far enough that a taxi would take us (as far as we were told). Having no other alternative but a taxi, Greg and I found one and sat in it resolutely before we even told the driver where we wanted to go. There was no way he was going to tell us "I can't take you there."

After a $10 cab ride (!?!!?), we got to this cargo area only to be told that Scoots's carrier was too small and we'd have to go to a pets store to get a new one, which would make Scoots late for his flight. Thankfully, the guy at the desk took pity on us because of the whole cab incident and managed to find a good-sized, specially made carrier that someone else had left behind (see picture to right). And he didn't even charge us extra for the bigger size! Scoots went off in the new carrier and was much happier.

Since we now had our regular carrier to take on the plane, we had one more item to check in (adding to our two other large suitcases, duffel, and backpacker's backpack). We lucked out again with a great gate agent who didn't charge us extra for the unexpected piece since it was empty.

So, all in all, British Airways saved us $250 on this flight alone.

It finally sets in

It is definitely more fun when the wind drifts you by. Three-and-a-half hours into our flight from Chicago to London, we realized that our dream was coming true...we were doing what we've wanted to do and overcame many obstacles in our way to get there.

This decision to go abroad has seemed ludicrous/scary to some and exhilarating to others. Whichever it is (and I'm sure at times, it'll feel like both those feelings), it's our experience. We've claimed our lives, our mistakes, and our successes. They all will be of our own doing.

Hope you all enjoy the blog posts Greg or I write about our adventure in the coming years!