I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by my good friend Schokolademadchen, who has been living in Munich for a year now. I have to say that it was difficult narrowing down my answers to some of the questions.

Name 5 things you love in your new country.

1. European Architecture



2. Germany’s central location and close proximity to other countries



3. The Autobahn. Fast, limit -free driving.



4. Efficiency and order- Sometimes this can be a disadvantage when taken to the extreme.



5. Weissen Bier.
   

Name 4 things that you miss from your native country.

1. Late-night shopping. Grocery store, shopping centers, pharmacies and restaurants are all open late and on Sundays.



2. Really good live entertainment. The standards for live music are higher in the States.



3. Diversity. I really miss seeing people of different shades from every corner of the earth.



4. American restaurants. I’m not of fan of German cuisine
   

Name 3 things that annoy you a bit (or much) in your new country.

1. Impoliteness or just plain rude. This irritates me the most. I’ve been set on, stepped on, pushed aside and cut in front of while standing in line. And not a mumble of the word “entschuldigung” or “excuse me.”



2. Staring. Sometimes I think I’m a celebrity.



3. Grocery Shopping. The inability to find the ingredients needed to cook my favorite dishes.
   

Name 2 things that surprise you (or surprised you in the beginning) in your new country.

1. Safety. In Ingolstadt there is very little crime. Women walk alone at night and only hunters are allowed to own a firearms.



2. Bikers; and so many of them. They have their own lane on the sidewalk, and you better look both ways before crossing the biker lane or else you’ll get run over.
   

Name 1 thing that you would miss terribly in your new country, if you had to leave it.

1. The German Bäckerei and the aroma of fresh baked bread in the mornings.

Happy New Year to All of You

Bombs were bursting in the air at midnight in Munich to bring in the new year. Smoke filled the air, and the remains of fireworks and broken Champaign bottles littered the streets. It resembled a war zone.

Weihnachtsmarkt- A German Tradition

During the four weeks proceeding Christmas, many of the cities in Germany are lit up and full of people visiting the Weihnachtsmarkt. The Weihnachtsmarkt is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas. The first Christmas market was held in Dresden in 1434. Nuremberg is one of the most famous markets today and draws each year about two million people.

Over the weekend, another couple joined us for a trip to the Nuremberg Weihnachtsmarkt. We knew that we were approaching the Weihnachtsmarkt when the aroma of toasted almonds captured our senses. The market combined food, drinks, vendors, bands and choirs, all in the open-air of the city center. Glühwein, a hot wine, is a very popular drink at the market and helps to keep you warm. Hot chocolate is also available. But my personal favorite was the chocolate- covered strawberries. I’m still dreaming about them a day later.

Going in with a set budget, I was able to secure some beautiful Christmas ornaments for our tree and a few very unique candle holders. We had a wonderful afternoon eating, shopping, laughing and shivering with our good friends and their puppy Denzel Washington.

Our First Christmas Tree

This year my husband and I will spend our first Christmas together. Even while dating, Christmases were always spent on different continents. He with his family in Germany and me with my family in the States.

Well, last week, while visiting my in-laws, we cut down a fresh Christmas tree from their back yard. My mother in-law also gave me some beautiful hand-made ornaments to hang on our tree.

Later that week, Matze and I bought more ornaments and lights and spent an entire evening decorating the tree and listening to jazzy Christmas songs.

We Had Church!

Thursday evening the Jackson Singers, a traveling gospel ensemble, came to Ingolstadt. And what a glorious time it was.

The Jackson Singers began by singing old spiritual hymns, hymns that I hadn’t heard since childhood. Later, they moved into some hand-clapping, foot-stomping praises. The Germans in the crowd, who are usually difficult to get out of their seats, were standing, clapping and shouting hallelujah! The village of Ingolstadt was truly blessed that evening.

A One Night Trip to Brazil

Brazil is a place I’ve always wanted to visit. Beautiful people, beaches, warm weather and Samba! Well,for two hours, we experienced Brazil without having leaving Germany.

Born to Samba is a live Brazilian show performing at a local theater. I thought the show was fantastic. The dancing was so infectious that I felt like jumping on stage and shuffling my feet along with the performers.

We heard great Brazilian music, experienced Carnival and watched amazing martial arts; the acrobatics were incredible. This show was just enough to satisfy my need for the Caribbean- for now.

A Son of a Legend Performes in Germany

In the small village of Neuburg, just outside Ingolstadt, sits is a charming little jazz club called Birdland. It’s named after the famous Birdland in New York.

Ravi Coltrane, the son of the legendary jazz saxophonist, John Coltrane, performed on Friday at Birdland. After Ravi completed his first set, Matze asked if I wanted to meet him; he thought that Ravi would be delighted to talk to a fellow American of color.

Matze was right! Ravi was so open and pleasant to talk to. He was even interested in knowing why I was in Germany. The only disappointment - the battery in my camera was dead.