1. No garbage disposals.
2. You are only allotted a certain amount of garbage. And I mean a very small amount and only every 2 weeks.
3. Recycling of EVERYTHING!
4. You can still turn plastic bottles into stores for a refund.
5. No stop signs, well very few. Lots of yielding and lots of round-abouts.
6. The Autobahn (110 mph is the fastest we have gone in the Odyssey). 90 feels normal.
7. German schools are half the time of the American schools.
8. There are quiet hours every afternoon. You can't make noise from 1-3. Like no mowing the lawn or taking your glass jars to be dropped off to the glass recycle bins. It's just too noisy.
9. No car washing with a hose. Only a bucket.
10. Dark winters with lots of cloud cover.
11. Long summer days with sunlight until 10 PM at night.
12. Chocolate!!!!
13. No baggers in grocery stores. No bags. Bring your own. Germans use baskets, not bags.
14. Cash is the main way to pay.
15. Tipping in restaurants is like 2%, if you are so inclined.
16. No ice ever in your drink.
17. No soda refills and soda is expensive. It's the beer that's cheap. ( At least that is what I heard).
18. Kilometers.
19. Old buildings, castles, and churches.
20. A church in every village.
21. Ringing church bells daily.
22. 220 voltage.
23. Small cars.
24. Small parking spaces.
25. Euros- come in 1, 2, 10, 20, and 50 cent pieces. Also 1 and 2 Euros are coins. Coin pouches are very useful here.
26. Shopping carts are secured until you put in a coin to borrow the cart.
27. Cheap, delicious fruit and vegetables.
28. Bike paths everywhere.
29. The language.
30. Ausfahrts (term for Exit on the roads).
31. Doners-Instead of fast food restaurants.
32. Crepes with banana and Nutella.
33. Mail only comes when you have a letter.
34. 19% Value Added Tax.
35. No carpet.
36. Doors and windows with positions to open or vent every one.
37. No air conditioning.
38. Radiators and floor heating.
39. Toilets. Very interesting. You have to see this to understand it.
40. You have to pay to use public toilets.
41. Homes are made of cinder blocks.
42. Homes echo sound because of the tile and cinder blocks. THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY!
43. Sidewalks are brick or cobblestone.
44. Parking lots are brick or cobblestone.
44. Some roads are brick or cobblestone.
45. No plain cement. So much prettier without cement.
46. Graffiti.
47. Smoking and lots of it.
47. You can buy wine and alcohol at grocery stores.
48. Bakeries are everywhere.
49. Burger King and McDonalds.
50. American Mlitary Bases, Museums, and Cemeteries.
51. Small fridges.
52. Volksmarches. I am still wondering what makes this so special and why it needs a fancy word.
53. Special walking sticks. Seriously just for walking.
54. No weed killers.
55. Composting.
56.Dishwashers that take forever to
complete a cycle.
57. More organic foods.
58. Beautiful sunsets.
59. No chit chat with Germans- unless you really no one another.
60. Small kitchen sinks, like ridiculously tiny.
61. No closets- at all. Now I understand all the products Ikea sells.
62. Everything comes in super small packages at the grocery stores. Really small.
63. Loveliest place I have ever lived!
I will stop there for now. Some things you love, some things you hate. And some things you just put up with.
Winter is in full swing, but I am hoping for an early spring. I want to get out and learn more about all the amazing places here. In the meantime, I am loving this cute boy!
And this growing boy who keeps losing all his teeth.
And this cute girl playing bubble ball at the church with friends.
And this girl who amazes me at her creativity.
And this girl who swims her heart out 4 days a week.
I love my life. It is more than I ever dreamed. It isn't easy, but it is filled with best people every day.
Cuddle bugs!
Kate loves a good thrill!
Trying to build a giant snowman.
Hanging out at the pool.
Happy New Year!
And he keeps growing, but he is getting sweeter by the day! 7 months.
