1001 Swabian Nights: Our "Home"

So for 2 people and a dog, we have a very large apartment. This is a phenomenon of much amazement to everyone who comes to visit us... Everyone who visits tells us that we are very "lucky." We almost feel embarrassed that we did get such a large place. So much attention is on the size of the place that we almost feel ashamed as why did we get special treatment? We are lucky but we didn't have much to do with it. It was what we were offered... Therefore because we have a dog and needed a yard, we lucked into a 4 bedroom (thanks Kiwi!). So we "almost" feel bad, but we also enjoy having the space!

Before coming to Germany, we were told that the apartment would be furnished but we didn't have much insight as to exactly what the apartment would include as far as furnishings and amenities... So because the place was already furnished and because we would be there for 2 years, we made plans to get rid of most of our things. In short, we had a huge fire sale! In about the span of a month, we sold and donated the majority of our furniture and extraneous possessions (thank you Craigslist!) and packed the remaining essential items into a shipping crate (i.e. clothing, cookware, our bikes, our grill, our HDTV (c'mon we are Americans after all!). And then, six weeks after sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, our crate arrived.

Ahhhh.... sigh! I must admit, it was so wonderful to get our things. I was in a very materialistic state of euphoria, unpacking and marveling at our comforts of home. It is amazing how much you miss your pillows and washcloths. I had only been in Germany for 2 weeks by then but wearing the same clothes (and the same pair of shoes all over the town in the snow) and sleeping on the "concrete slab" that was our bed was taking its toll... and the novelty of adventure was wearing thin...

picture taken by our German teacher of der Junge and I walking to German class (pre-crate shipment!)

Also we were having trouble getting internet installed and that in itself was a process! (It is amazing how much you miss the internet. It is a double whammy to find yourself in a small town in a foreign country with no internet/wifi cafes and no English newspapers/magazines. You feel completely disconnected). So now imagine the joy to receive a shipping crate full of everything that is "home", internet activation and to top it off my birthday all in the same week! It is sublime! (More on my birthday to follow....!)

Our Home, post shipment crate!