My Days as a German Housewife

Originally I thought that the role of a European wife was to sit on the veranda with a glass of wine, reading in the afternoon, and regularly attend cultural events.  This is not the case, as I barely have time to blog!

 Here is a look at a day in the life of Michele, the German housewife...I wake up early to prepare breakfast and lunches for the girls.  Then I jump on the tram with the girls and take the 40 minute ride to their school, then turn around and ride back 40 minutes.  I stop at the market in our town, where I have my translation book to figure out if I am buying turkey or chicken, and detergent or softner (both I have mixed up in the last week!)  Then I climb back up the hill with my groceries, so that I can start laundry. The washer and dryers take twice as long here- they save energy, but not time!

I then prepare for dinner, which takes me extra time because I have to convert farenheit to celcius, and ounces to kg.  Next is another tram ride to pick up the girls and come back to make dinner, baths and then bedtime.  So my day is not as glorious as my original perspective, but I enjoy it so much!  I love all the exercise of walking, learning new German words daily, spending much time with Brenna and Kayla, and finding new places that "wow" me.  This past weekend we were in search of a pizzeria, so we find one in Weinheim that is located at the base of a hill. At the top of the hill is an old monastery called the Abbey of Lorsch, dating back to the year 764.  Sitting beside us at the monastery, were 6 young monks.  It was such a neat experience!

Brenna and Nick at the Pizzeria

The greatest blessing this past week was meeting so many other moms at the international school.  They are so friendly, welcoming and always giving me advice! These moms have to rely on each other since they also have moved away from their families.  I have become friends with some from Sweden, South Africa, UK, Germany, and France.  It has been a great reminder that we live in a big world, which does not revolved around the US!

In the US, sometimes kids get cookies at the grocery store.
In Germany, they slap a piece of bologna on your meat purchase
for your kids.  Is it obvious which one like the bologna?

The blogging fever has hit our home and so today I am posting,  but next it may be someone else in the family.  Brenna is very eager to blog about her new school, so stay tuned for that!