I lived and worked in Europe, Bavaria specifically, for better than a year. I had zero trepidation about moving here. I lived in the Azores for two years during my military career. I enjoy living overseas. But I especially enjoyed today.
Plenty of Americans live overseas. According to most sources, there are about 60,000 Americans in Germany right now, that includes military people and there families. Before the end of the Cold War, there were something near 320,000 people. Still further, there are something between 3,500-5,000 American military retirees who live and work on the German economy here. Throughout the European region, there are still thousands of Americans who live and work overseas.
However, many Americans (esp., it seems, those attached to military assignments) do not like to be ripped away from U.S. shores. They grouse about no Wal-mart. They complain about no Applebee’s or Apple Store. They rarely leave their homes. They commiserate with others who feel the same way. They find ways to poke holes in everything that’s good about living in another nation’s culture.
Today is why those people need mental health support. My wife told me about a festival in town today. Essentially, all festivals are the same as county fairs, here or in the Azores (although in the Azores, the usually had a running of the bulls). But squeeze it onto historical Bavarian streets, with traditional homes and the Alps surrounding you, blazing blue skies and bright sunshine and, well, you can’t help but feel good.
Along the way, men clad in lederhosen and women in dirndls lined the streets. Vendors sold fresh cheese, meat and local clothing. There was a myriad other goods being shopped. Throw in a mostly traditional Bavarian lunch outside where the sun shined on the church across the street; people sat, talked, smoked and drank beer; accordian-flavored music oomph-ing in the background and, well, today had a little extra weight. And did I mention the fresh Gouda cheese bought for a pittance? There. I did.
There are any number of things I can say as an American or an expat. What I would say is there are very few days like this one — enjoying all of this with my best friend (my wife) and my 4-year-old, who wore a green-and-yellow dirndl — that ever come along. I love that I have the opportunity to like or not like food from a dozen different countries, television in another language, snooker, ski jumping and yodeling.
How about you?
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I haven’t had a chance yet to visit Bavaria (seems so beautiful) but I love living in Germany. (Berlin, in my case) :)
These types of days were my favorite part of living in Mexico. I will never understand people who move to other countries but refuse to stop living as Americans.
And now I want gouda.
I still have yet to get up to Berlin. Am looking forward to the trip and the journey!
Mel, this cheese is SO good. We also bought something called Wasabi cheese. I think my coworkers will like it more than us. :)
JT,
Chief among all the things I adore having stroked is my keen sense of hubris (justification be damned)
So when you throw golden nuggets such as ‘myriad,’ ‘scrumtrulescent’ or ‘douchecannery’ (two of those made up, one VERY recently ;-) I’m vain enough to consider it the literary equivalent of Carol Burnett tugging on her ear ..
Mark, INTIMATELY familiar with the bewildering joy of KriskindlesMart (unlikely one word, but we won the war, sooooooo … ;-)
You’ve been suspiciously silent. Good to see you surface.
That sounds like a fantastic day! I love getting to know different regions and cultures. I also love cheese and beer! :)