German Houses

While we spent most of our recent trip to Germany doing touristy activities, we took a few days to meet up with old family friends, visiting them in their lovely homes. It was the first time Allan had been to an actual private residence while touring Europe, and we enjoyed seeing the different types of houses, which really aren't all that different from what you'd find in the US.

First up, a 3-story townhome (with basement):

Then we visited friends who live in something akin to an apartment building, except you only have one apartment on each floor. So when you traipse up the stairs to get to your home on the top floor, you actually pass by all your downstairs neighbors' front doors to get to your place.

Then, there was your typical 2000+ square foot stand-alone home with driveway, garage, and big backyard. As you can imagine, that's not typically the norm, especially in more populated areas.
(sorry no photo)

I also hearken back to my last month in Germany. I had done an in-country separation, that is, I elected to remain in the country after I separated from active duty. That meant I could no longer live on post, so I ended up renting a tiny studio apartment in downtown Mannheim. This apartment happened to be "unter dem Dach", or literally: "under the roof". As the name implies, you literally live right underneath the sloping roof, which means that your vertical living space is cut into quite a bit. This photo isn't of my apartment, but it's the closest I could find (and mine was actually smaller than this. I barely had enough room for a futon, a small coffee table, a desk, a couple of chairs, and a tiny kitchenette) that represented how much the ceiling cut into the living space:

One thing I did notice that all the various types of German houses had in common was the kitchen as a separate room. Most of the kitchens we visited were completely enclosed in its own room, with a door to shut it out from the rest of the house. You don't really see that in the US much. Even our own home, which has the kitchen pretty separate from the dining room and living room, is only separated by some low walls, with archways cut into it. There's no door to close. I think I kind of like the idea of having the kitchen as its own separate room. Keep the smells and sounds of cooking away from the rest of the house!

We loved Germany so much we contemplated moving there. Would love to do so while Todd is still young and can go to school and pick up the language very easily, but that might be difficult, job-wise. Maybe we can retire there. Housing is certainly affordable enough-- definitely no worse than what you'd find in So Cal, especially Santa Barbara! We'll see what the future holds...

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Militaries All Over the World

Being stationed in Germany affords the opportunity to meet and train with your military counterparts from many different nations. It wasn't unusual for our unit to conduct a joint FTX (field training exercise) with a Signal unit from another NATO country. Usually it was with British forces, since there were a number of British bases in Germany. Mostly in the north. Seems as though, after World War II, the Brits took up northern Germany and the Americans settled in southern Germany :-)

It was kind of neat, getting to interact with officers and soldiers from sister units from various countries, all while remaining in the same country of Germany. We all had the military (and, more specifically, the Signal Corps) in common, but we all came from vastly different cultures about the military.

For example, I learned that British officers live much the same way American enlisted soldiers do-- in dormitory-style buildings with shared bathrooms. By contrast, American officers live in the lap of luxury with our own apartments. I remember once arriving on the site of a joint exercise in Krefeld  around lunch time. Our host said he'd wake up one of the soldiers to fix us something to eat. Imagine my shock when he went-- not into a building, not into a tent, but... underneath a 5-ton truck! The soldiers actually draped bedskirt-like coverings all around the truck and slept underneath it!

And while there has always been a clear social divide between American officers and American enlisted, that divide is even sharper and more stringently obeyed between British officers and British enlisted. I remember when we all came back from the field in the middle of an exercise to rest and relax over the weekend. The whole group of us Americans went out to eat, and, of course, I ate with my platoon's soldiers. Who else was I going to hang out with? When we ran into a group of British soldiers at a pub later that night, they were downright amazed that I was actually socializing with my own soldiers... and with them!

The German view of the military is a complete 180 to the American view. In the US, being in the military is something that is respected and honored. In Germany, you join only because everyone is obligated to do either military or civil service after high school. Hardly anyone actually enlists to make a career out of it, and those that do? Are generally looked down upon, as if they can't do anything with their lives, so the military was their only option.

I also remember one time when we did an exercise with a German Signal unit. It was on one of the few German bases actually occupied by German troops (rather than American or British), so even though we camped out in our tents, we were able to visit the neighboring buildings to shower and eat. Since there are no women in the Germany military (or at least, there weren't when I was there-- things might have changed now?), we drew more than a fair share of odd stares when a group of us women would troop to the showers together.

All in all, it was quite enlightening to learn about the military culture of other nations. And despite our differences, our common goal of keeping peace in a non-peaceful world really reminded us that, deep down, we are all truly the same: human beings.

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Berlin Pictures

Some of my favorite pictures taken during our August 2014 trip to Germany. Specifically, the 1.5 days we spent in Berlin.

Checkpoint Charlie

Interesting wheeled contraption. Eat, drink, socialize... and pedal your way through the streets of Berlin!

Trabbi full of stuffed friends!

Brandenburg Gate

Reichstag (Parliament building)

Berliner Dom

Todd tries his hand at making huge bubbles in the park right outside the Dom

Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall)

Fernsehturm (TV Tower)

Neptune Fountain in the same square as St. Mary's Church and the Fernsehturm

Siegessauele (Victory Column)

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Tuition-Free College Education

One of the things making the news rounds this week is the fact that German universities are tuition-free. I found this rather odd news, because I was under the impression that a university education in Germany (and many other countries) had ALWAYS been free. I know that when my parents studied there in the 1970s (hence why I was born there), the only expenses they had to worry about was rent and food, which part-time jobs easily covered. So I was a bit puzzled as to why it's current news.

Then I read a few of the articles and learned that almost a decade ago, Germany had decided to implement tuition. Still incredibly low by US standards-- around $600/semester. But this move was so unpopular that the states that had implemented this started revoking it.

It's simply mind-boggling that a college education is becoming more and more out of reach for your average American thanks to skyrocketing tuition costs. I took a look at how much it would cost if Todd were attending UCSB right now-- and the tuition/fees alone add up to almost $14,000/year. That's for an in-state resident attending a public university. I don't even want to think about how much private school costs.

It really makes going to school in a place like Germany (where the tuition-free model applies to international students, too) very attractive. You just have to learn the language :-)  In fact, when I was winding down my active duty tour and starting to get ready to apply to graduate school, I considered staying in Germany for my graduate studies.

The rationale behind free or low tuition is that education is the great equalizer. Your family's current economic status does not have to dictate how far you will go in life. You can go on to college, unburdened by debt, and make something of yourself. It's great! Contrast that to the staggering amount of debt with which American college graduates start their careers. Makes you question if it's even worth it, especially depending on the school, the major, and potential job prospects afterward.

I think the US could definitely learn a thing from countries like Germany in this respect!

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

German Food: Snacks and Dessert

Over the past couple of weeks, I've managed to blog about delicious German breakfast, as well as typical German lunches/dinners. Now that we've gotten through the main meals of the day, let's focus on snacks and dessert! :-9

First up: marzipan. It's made of sugar and almond meal, and I really don't know how to describe it except to say: go to your local Cost Plus and get some. Now.

Marzipan comes in a variety of forms, including the regular bars (both plain and chocolate-covered), or shaped into things like bread or potatoes:

... or fruits and vegetables (cute!)

... or babies (creepy!)

... or, my favorite-- currywurst with fries! It looks very realistic. We actually bought one of these at KaDeWe in Berlin, and have been reluctant to break into it to eat it, it looks so cool!

Next: chocolate. Good chocolate isn't exclusive to Germany (Belgium and Switzerland produce some amazing chocolates as well), but in general, European chocolate is far superior to anything you can find in the US. You might be familiar with the Ritter Sport bars you see at Trader Joe's. That is but a small, meager sampling of the varieties of chocolate available in Germany! When I came home from active duty, I shipped over a Xerox box full of chocolates along with my household goods :-9

Ritter Sport Store

Milka is another favorite brand. Regardless, they all make Hershey's taste like crap (it IS crap, isn't it!?)

You might have heard of Kinder Surprise-- hollow chocolate eggs with a little toy inside. They are banned in the US, ostensibly because of the safety hazards of the small toy. Not kidding!  The chocolate itself is okay (still better than Hershey's!), but the fun of it is the little toy surprise. Kind of like Cracker Jacks, when they used to give out decent prizes.

Finally, one of my favorite desserts is Rote Gruetze. Again, this really has no English language equivalent. The best approximation is a kind of berry compote, minus the spices and other additives. It's typically berries cooked in sugar, with a slightly gelatinous texture. It is best eaten with vanilla sauce. Perfect blend of sweet (vanilla) and sour (the Gruetze).

Hmm... I really shouldn't blog about yummy German food during my lunch hour. It's making me hungry, and really making me pine for the delicious eats usually found only in their country of origin! :-9

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Muenster: Then and Now

The picture below shows one of the "landmarks" of the apartment complex where I used to live in Muenster. On the right is 4-year-old Helly playing on the pole of the laundry lines in our backyard. To the left is 21-year-old Helly by that same pole, in the same backyard. Time flies, but some things still remain!

1998 and 1981

Of course, when we went to Muenster this summer, one of our destinations was that very same apartment building! Here I am again, this time with family. This shot has us a little closer to the street, but you can still make out the laundry pole behind me, and the same brick and concrete building to the right:

August 2014

Here's another shot of us, with me hanging on to the exact same pole, only taken from the other side. When I lived there, the metal stairs were NOT there. There was only a balcony. And as you can see, the wire fence that was next to the laundry line in 1981 disappeared by 1998, only to reappear, this time as a white wooden fence in 2014.

August 2014

At least the big trees in the very background seem to be consistent all throughout the years. As are the laundry poles!! Funny how some things evolve while some things remain the same. Ah, the memories...

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Eco-friendly Germany

One of the things that impressed me the most about Germany was how eco-friendly the whole place is, even more so than Southern California, which is probably more environmentally conscious than the rest of the United States.

Obviously, public transportation, which I wrote about last week, plays a big role in reducing the number of cars on the road. And if you do drive, public parking isn't cheap. Additionally, in many bigger cities, you actually have to purchase a special "environmental sticker" for your car to be allowed to drive there.

In Muenster especially, bicycles are a prominent form of transportation as well. There is a saying that goes something like "Every person in Muenster is born on a bicycle", a testament to the number of bikes in the city. I remember borrowing one and using it to get around during one of the first times I visited our old family friends there:

1998

Then there's recycling. Germans really take the concept to a new level with not just separating general trash from recyclable goods, but divvying up the various recycling categories, as well. Typically, the division runs like this: one bin for bio-waste that can be used for composting, one bin for regular waste, a bin for paper, a bin for plastics/packaging, and a bin for glass (which, even then, can be further subdivided according to color of glass).

It can be dizzying, but it's pretty impressive! We could stand to learn a thing or two from our neighbors on this little planet! :-)

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

German Bed and Bedding

As is often the case with most couples, Allan and I have different heat tolerances. This is especially evident at bedtime-- back when we were sharing the same blanket, as most American couples do, it was rather trying. I'd either be too cold or he'd be too hot.

So we hit upon a solution: do blankets German-style, that is: each person has his/her own blanket (or. more accurately, duvet). Allan got a thin one, I got a thick one, and voila! No more problems at bedtime!

Now, the Germans don't just have separate blankets. They also have separate twin-size mattresses pushed together, like so:

Often the two mattresses are enclosed in one big bed frame, like so:

I like having separate beds and separate blankets. When your partner moves around, it's less likely to disturb you, because your shared space isn't as connected (single blanket that will move, single mattress that transmits motion to your side). There's a clearer delineation between your side and my side, which limits bed hogging. And blanket hogging is a thing of the past when you have your own!

I also like the concept of the duvet and duvet cover. Unlike American blankets, which are protected from your skin by flimsy flat sheets, duvets are encased in a cover, much like a pillowcase. When it gets dirty, it's a cinch to pull off the cover and throw it in the wash. And you don't have to worry about all those pesky layers of sheets and blankets getting tangled up. AND it's MUCH easier to make your bed-- fluff out your blanket, fold it neatly, and you're done!

Of course, Allan and I took this concept to the next level with completely separate DOUBLE beds (rather than twin beds) pushed together, creating the effect of one gigantic bed that still doesn't take up all of our master bedroom:

See? Plenty of room for our myriad of stuffed animals! :-D

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Nostalgia 2: Living in Mannheim

Yesterday's post got me a little misty-eyed, recalling the "ruins" of the US Army bases in Mannheim where I used to live and work. So today I thought I'd write a little more about what it was like living there.

I was stationed in Mannheim from January 1998 through September 2001. I had come straight out of college, so this was my first real job, and my first time away from home. Unlike many of my colleagues, I elected to live on post (officers, senior enlisted, and enlisted folks with family had the choice of living on post or living on the economy and getting a housing allowance for it), which kept me in closer proximity to everything you might need, especially work!

The military base at Mannheim was one of the larger ones in Germany. It was spread out over several barracks (Kaserne) throughout various parts of the city, and constituted a microcosm of sorts. You could conceivably be stationed in Germany for years and never once interact with a German, learn the language, eat the food... You were surrounded by fellow Americans and everything you needed was on post: the PX for general shopping needs, the commissary for groceries, a theater, bowling alley, schools for your children (from elementary through high school), a university, a library, barbershop, a Burger King (LOL) and various nightclub-type spots-- including one featuring weekly karaoke! :-)

Of course, most people didn't limit themselves to on-post activities (I really don't know why you'd want to!) Unlike most military bases in the US, we didn't have distinct Officer's, NCO and Enlisted Clubs. Most of us were busy hitting up the local bars in downtown Mannheim (most memorably, O'Reilly's Irish Pub, where my hair once caught on fire!). And I rarely shopped on post-- at the time, the dollar was so strong that it was cheaper to shop on the local economy. Not to mention you had a bigger, better variety of goods, especially groceries!

One of the things I remember with the most fondness was the close relationships between the American troops and the local Germans. Many of our civilian employees were local nationals. Several of my soldiers had German families. And every year, in Benjamin Franklin Village, literally right across the street from my apartment, we held an annual German-American Volksfest, where Germans and Americans alike gathered together in giant beer tents to eat, drink, and make merry. It was kid-friendly, too-- lots of carnival rides and games outside the beer tent.

 

It goes without saying that living in the heart of Europe made it amazingly convenient to travel to neighboring countries. From cruising the river Seine in Paris to ferrying across the channel to the UK, from skiing in the Swiss Alps to sunning yourself on Spanish beaches, from venturing through the red-light district in Amsterdam to visiting World War I historical sights in Belgium, it was all easily accessible.

I don't think I fully appreciated how fortunate I was to be able to live there, while I was actually there. Since I'd never lived on my own before, I really didn't have anything to compare it to. Looking back, I wish I'd made more use of travel opportunities and learning the language. But I'm glad I got the chance to experience living there, to meet the many people I did, and to be very small part of the history of Americans in Germany. For many of us who were stationed here, it is indeed our "second home".

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

Nostalgia: Abandoned Army Barracks

When we went to Germany this past August, one of the first things on my itinerary was to visit where I was stationed in Mannheim from 1998-2001. I had fond memories of a big, bustling military base, spread out over several barracks, and friendly relationships with the local Germans. Imagine my surprise when, a few weeks before the trip, I discovered that a few years ago, the US armed forces in Mannheim had departed, turning the bases back over to the German government. I found city planning websites that detailed their plans for Benjamin Franklin Village, where I had lived, and Taylor Barracks, where I had worked. I knew I HAD to visit the places one last time before they were razed down or repurposed.

First thing we did after arriving at the Frankfurt airport and getting our rental car was to drive the 45 minutes south to Mannheim. The boys were tired and jet-lagged, but I was eager to see my old haunts. When we got there, I was filled with nostalgia. Everything was fenced off and abandoned. Weeds grew rampant. Just being back there brought back a flood of memories. I could close my eyes and practically see and hear the hubbub of daily life. But when I opened them again, all I saw was a ghost town.

I thought I'd take you along my little trip down memory lane with a few pictures.

Here I am just a couple weeks after arriving in the country. I had just gotten my car (shipped over from Georgia) and settled into my apartment on post. Snow had fallen and I was trying out my new ice/snow scraper. My car is parked right in front of my apartment building.

January 1998

Here is my old apartment building today, fenced off:

August 2014

Rear view of my apartment building. My apartment's windows (in the yellow square) are mostly obscured by the tree, but you can make out the different sets of windows-- the first 2 windows (right side, closest to the edge of the building) are my living room, the small center window is my bathroom, and the 2 windows to the left of it are my bedroom.

August 2014

Through my windows, I had a view of the PX (Post Exchange), where many soldiers did their shopping. Here I am in front of the fence guarding the PX, where the overgrown weeds really add an air of abandonment to the shot.

August 2014

After touring where I used to live, we drove down the street to Taylor Barracks, where I used to work.

Here is a shot of the main grassy area during a battalion change of command ceremony:

June 1998

Those same grounds were home to some fun times, like Org Day 1998, with tug of war:

July 1998

... and the Commander's litter race:

July 1998

We didn't just play, though. We worked hard. Here's the 268th Signal Company command team in our motor pool:

(L-R) XO, CO, 2nd PL, 1st PL (me)

And here is Taylor Barracks today. This is the back entrance through which I drove to work every single day. I'd show my ID card to the soldier in the little brown guard shack, drive past the grassy area where we held COC ceremonies...

... past the motor pool...

... past the dining facility and dormitory-style barracks where the soldiers lived...

... and to our offices.

It made me really sad and wistful to see the place where I'd spent some of my formative years lie abandoned, overgrown, neglected, and blocked off. It was such a stark contrast to the thriving community that began after World War II and remained until just a few years ago. But, such is life, I suppose. You cycle through various transitions from one stage to another, always growing, never remaining the same. Still... the fond memories of what used to be will always last!

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!

German Food: Lunch and Dinner

My favorite mealtime in Germany is clearly breakfast, as I wrote about last week. But some of the more uniquely German dishes that comprise lunch and/or dinner are worth noting, too!

First up: Bratwurst. I'm sure most people are familiar with this quintessential German food. The delicious, fatty, salty sausage that just melts in your mouth and goes well with a piece of Broetchen fresh from the oven. Most people will eat it with sauerkraut and mustard, but as I'm not partial to either, I prefer mine plain. A lot of the time, the spices in the sausage make it so tasty, you don't need to detract from it with condiments!

Next: Schnitzel. Typically pork or chicken, hammered flat and tenderized before being breaded and fried. My favorite is schnitzel smothered in a brown mushroom sauce, with big pieces of mushroom in it. Delicious!

Most Schnitzel is eaten with (as pictured) french fries, but I prefer mine with...

Spaetzle! This is a noodle made of eggs, so the consistency isn't quite as "tough" as normal pasta. The shape is puffier, and the texture is softer and a little reminiscent of scrambled eggs. It's often served coated in cheese (Kaesespaetzle), but I enjoy it plain, too.

Frikadellen are another favorite that my mother used to cook from time to time. They are basically meat patties, where the ground meat is mixed with egg, chopped onions (my mom's version includes chopped potatoes) and bread crumbs before being molded into balls, flattened slightly, and fried. They're a little more akin to flattened giant meatballs than to hamburger patties :-) But they are infinitely more delicious than either :-9

This next dish is one I've only eaten at our local (now closed) German restaurant, Brummi's, where its owner hailed from East Berlin and provided the best eats: Kartoffelpuffer, or potato pancakes. The closest American equivalent might be hash browns, except that the potatoes are grated to a much finer scale than with hash browns. The outside is fried brown and crispy, leaving the inside soft and mealy. They're best served with a little side of applesauce!

Looking back at my list, I realize that just about every single food item here is fried. Probably not the healthiest to eat frequently, but soooo delicious. Maybe the arteries won't approve, but the taste buds do, and with gusto! :-)

What are your favorite foods?

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!