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The Shopping Experience: Why is Everything Closed on Sunday?

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  U Shopping in Germany has been an interesting rollercoaster ride! I particularly dislike supermarket shopping and find it stressful, chaotic and not fun! I wrote a few times about my experience especially the first year here. I am still getting used to the shorter hours and no shopping Sundays! I am just so used to shopping on Sundays or picking up something I forgot at 9 pm on a weeknight from my Wisconsin life. Apparently it is not just me that complains about these unique hours here. I spoke to a Dutch parent from school and he said that even Netherlands has their shops open on Sundays, not as long as a full day but at least a half day or so. My Indian neighbors also remind me how inconvenient the shopping is here. Because shops are all closed on Sundays, except for gas stations, cafes or restaurants, it feels like every German person or family is shopping on Saturdays! This makes shopping on Saturdays so stressful and crowded!  But all the working folks have no choice. I...
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Driving in Germany- Learning New Signs, Navigating Narrow Roads and Dealing with Traffic Jams!

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  I have been driving since I was 15 years old in the US, when I learned to drive at my American high school in Palatine, Illinois.  I only learned to drive automatic in the US, in the 80s, and after many years later, I learned to drive stick shift with my brother.  He forced me to learn to drive manual and boy that was stressful!  But it was helpful looking back now...Then I leased my first car, a VW Jetta with a stick shift so I got used to it quickly.   After moving to Germany, I was surprised that so many Germans drive stick shift cars.  It seems to be the default when you drive here.  Of course, when it was time to get a car, I insisted that our SEAT minivan was automatic because I had so much to learn with the new driving rules and navigate while running around with a car in Germany!   Getting a German Drivers License- Because I had a Wisconsin drivers license from the US, I did not have to take a driving exam here.  Thank goo...
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Not Again....Not in Colorado...Enough is Enough!

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  After the horrific news of the mass shooting in Boulder Colorado two days ago, I was sad, numb and angry again like so many of us. Why is this happening again and again? Not now, since we are still in shock form the shootings in Atlanta....enough is enough.  And here we go again... One of the reasons why we moved to Germany is because we were tired of gun violence in the US.  This was not the only reason of course.  We were looking at moving to Europe for several years and wanted to try it earlier, actually.  But the timing was not perfect when we decided to move, since the kids were in high school and it was a really tough move.  It was expensive and stressful and just a lot of work.  But Marc had a job offer and we took the chance.  We were 50 and not getting younger.  We were getting worried about the expensive healthcare and the rising college tuition too.  Socially and politically the US was not healthy. Marc also has family in no...
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Being Asian American

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  Last week there was an awful shooting in Atlanta where another unstable young white man killed 8 people including 6 Asian women. 4 of them were Korean, and some of them were similar in age to my mom.  My mom is 76 and more than ever, I am worried for her and my dad‘s safety. I was on a Zoom call with some Asian American community members and activists in Milwaukee a few days before this attack happened. We were discussing the intersection of Black Lives Matter and Asian Lives Matter.  And one the day after the tragic event, I attended a meeting for the Democrats Abroad AAPI Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus celebration and opening meeting for our Germany chapter.  We finally created our own caucus in Germany! Well, it was definitely not a celebratory atmosphere but we all felt relieved and supported surrounded by other Asian Americans and allies. It was comforting for me and not feeling isolated far away from the US. I felt like there were some folks who under...
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Caring for the Environment....how important is it for Germans?

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  Germany is known for its commitment to protecting the environment.  Before I moved here, I heard and read that Germans are really good at recycling and they are passionate about environmental issues.  And according to DW news, Germany was named recycling world champions in 2017 by the World Economic Forum.  Wow!  That is pretty impressive, I would say... The full article is interesting and speaks to how challenging it is to truly recycle all the materials and that not all can be recycled completely with lots of materials ending up in the landfills.  I am sure this is a problem in many other nations too. https://www.dw.com/en/plastic-waste-and-the-recycling-myth/a-45746469#:~:text=Germany%20is%20hailed%20worldwide%20as,a%20national%20pastime%20in%20Germany. When I first moved here, Marc had to educate me and the kids on which bins to use and where to sort out different materials.  You have the garbage bin, usually black, then the green Bio bin, where ...
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Location: Germany
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Self Care and Support for a Better Attitude and Easier Adjustment

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  Losing a Friend in Germany It was not an easy two weeks after leaving the hospital and recovering from the stress.  I know how stress affects my body and I can feel my body feeling out of control.  Also, I lost a  lovely friend, Liz Davis, last Sunday March 7th to cancer.  She was one of my first American friends I met in Erlangen!  We had a lot of fun when we met at the International Women's Group Christmas Party in December of 2019.  I remember her big smile and we were both just so happy to find each other!  We met for coffee to really get to know each other, and she opened up about her cancer diagnosis too.  But what I loved about Liz was her positivity and her passion for travel.  She and her family moved to Erlangen from Singapore and was excited to explore and learn about German life.  She was the one who inspired me to stay positive by telling me funny stories of her own cultural adjustments and interesting episodes! ...
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