Things I'll Miss

I'm getting ready to leaving Germany. However I don't want to leave. My family and I absolutely love living here. I don't want to sound unpatriotic or anything, but things are so simple and peaceful where we live. Slower. People ride bikes and scooters. They go for walks everyday. They drive little cars, and will hook up a hitch to anything with four wheels! I'm sure there are towns in America that are like that, but I have a feeling they are in short supply.

So this post is all about the things I love and will miss about Gillrath, Germany.

1. My friends.

Angela, myself, Geodi, Michelle, and Chris at the 2007 Air Force Ball

I will miss my friends terribly. In such a small community you never know if you will be able to find the people you "fit" with. I was very lucky to find these amazing women. They play with me, pray with me, cry with me, and celebrate with me. Our group has changed here and there over the past three years, but the love of the group hasn't.

2. Shopping

This is my favorite shopping square in Sittard, NL. See the green awning on the left? Best baguette pizza you'll ever meet. Yummmm.

Now let's not confuse this with the exchange rate! I love shopping in Europe in general. There are a few malls here and there. But for the most part, shopping is in the center of town and you drive to the parking garage, leave your car (or bike) and walk to all of the stores. And the center has a market at least once a week. Fresh flowers, miles of fabric, and parts. Bike parts, vacuum parts, heater parts. It's just a less stressful day out to me;)

3. European Vacations

One of our "all out," Family Fun vacations to Paris. It had been a loooooong day.

In the past three years, we have traveled through out Germany, Holland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, Greece, England, and Poland. From beaches to mountains and everywhere in between. What can I say, I love being a part of the military. There are some definite benefits.

4. Food

Okay, so the schnitzel ain't all that bad. It's the different sauces they want to desecrate, I mean decorate, it with that you've gotta watch out for.

Before moving to Germany, I was very much a creature of habit. Still am to some extent. I was also very picky about the foods I would eat. Or even try for that matter. However, when you live somewhere that English isn't spoken, you learn to take what you get. Don't get me wrong, I learned the language a little over the time spent here. But I have tried all sorts of things that I probably wouldn't have chosen had there been pictures like at McD's!

So tell me, what would you miss most if you had to move to another country?