FREEDOM

German houses

We're FRRRREEEEEEEEEE......we're no longer stuck to walking around post and bumming rides off people! :) Chris got the car picked up this morning!!!

Tip #1 for those moving overseas- send your car ASAP before moving!!! It took about 5 weeks for our car to get here. It's been sitting here for a good 2 weeks too. But before you can get your car, you have to pass the driver's exam and get your German driver's license- which can be done in the States at certain military installations.

So tip #2 would be to get the license before you actually get here!

Chris was so busy in the weeks leading up to graduation that he didn't get a chance to take the test. Luckily the walk isn't too terribly far to get places here- even going off post wasn't bad. But when it's snowing, raining, and super windy, it's no fun walking. I am a bit disappointed with the people here so far. When you see a family or a soldier walking with several grocery bags in snow drifts, while snowing and windy, wouldn't you at least OFFER them help or a ride? Or at least slow down when we're standing at the crosswalk? People never cease to amaze me. Luckily we weren't hit by any cars or frostbitten! :)

Chris was able to take the test yesterday and rocked it out! He was one of 5 in the class that passed it- I think there were 45 people who took it. You have 2 tries to take it before you have to wait another 2 weeks to pass it. If you don't pass it on the 3rd try you have to wait 60 days to retake it. You'd think that people would take it seriously to pass, but people don't care I guess!

Tip #3- get your International Drivers License at AAA before you leave the States so you can drive in other countries!! We did get those so we are good to go!

We've been in Germany for 8 days now! 8 days of living in a hotel with 1 bed and a couch with a pull out bed. There are however, 3 sinks in the place. Why there are 3 sinks is beyond me. One in the kitchen (yeah, we do have a kitchen with oven, microwave and fridge), one in the bathroom, and another right outside the bathroom in the hallway. We've hardly seen the sun- it is always overcast. It's snowed, rained, and sleeted. I was hoping to get out of the nasty winter weather, but no luck yet!

The lack of a vehicle has made us stay on post to eat and spend time. There is a great restaurant called the Rhinelander- been there twice now. Isabelle got up and tried finding the bathroom the first time- didn't find it, but came back with a coin in her hand. The post commander had given it to her on her way back to the table. She was very excited about that. Coins are a big thing in the Army- many times higher ranking officers or NCO's will give coins to soldiers for doing a good job or apparently unsuspecting kids trying to find the restrooms! We went again a few nights later and the post commander was there too. We were going up to get food and he asks Isabelle if she had her coin (we didn't know who he was at this point) and sure enough she had it in her pocket! It hasn't left her sight since she got it either! After getting our salads, he came to our table and he coined Tristan (who was very jealous he didn't get one). The commander was very nice and sincere while talking with us. He asked about our housing situation and welcomed us to Baumholder.

This past Saturday, we got out of the hotel (thanks to the in-laws picking us up!) and did a 5k Volksmarch- it was so nice to get some fresh air and burn some energy!! It was a cloudy day, but the temp wasn't too cold. Had bratwurst and fries afterwards- they were delicious!
It was interesting seeing the different people that come to Volksmarches. There's families, German soldiers (in uniform), older couples, younger couples, and everything in between. They have their walking sticks and lederhosen and some knee high socks and are all ready to go! And afterwards you eat, drink coffee, or have a big mug of beer. It's funny to watch women older than my grandma drinking beer before noon! :)

Tristan with his tiny fork

I will be taking my driver's test in a couple of days, so studying up for that. I don't know if I can match Chris' 95%, but I'll try! :) All that matters is that I get an 85% to pass the dang thing!

Isabelle after the Volksmarch