Some Lists Reflecting On My First Two Months

As I am typing this post, I sit in seat 9A on the first leg of my journey to Scotland. Though I'll probably be posting this on a later day, it's currently been exactly two months since I exited the plane which brought me to Germany, and now, for the first time, I'm leaving the country. Today's flight lands in Amsterdam, where I will hop aboard another plane bringing me to my final destination of Edinburgh, Scotland. Rising through the clouds, I can't help but think back to the beginning of my grand adventure in August. The final hugs and goodbyes seem worlds away, and though the two months have flown by, I feel completely different. I am still the same person, but the exposure and experience during my time in Europe has had a profound impact. I cannot judge my whole gap year before most of it has happened, but based on the past two months, I can guess it's a decision I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

Hopefully my blog has given a little insight into the adventure. It's fun even for me to look back on the early posts and see how far I've come since then. Sometimes you can be so eager that it's easy to miss the most important parts. I feel so comfortable in my home and in Germany now, and though I am still as excited as ever to find new experiences, I'm learning to slow down and appreciate the little bits of magic that might not reveal themselves right away.

I've had some amazing adventures so far, met some incredible people, tried all sorts of foods, studied the German culture from an outside perspective, formed relationships that I want to continue even after I leave, and most importantly had so much fun in the process. If you haven't been following the blog, this post may be a good place to start. I want to offer a handful of lists that summarize and highlight the best parts of my time in Europe. It's impossible to whittle down all of the details I've described into one post, but hopefully this covers the best of the best. Enjoy this, and then prepare to follow me on the second half of my trip. If it's anything like the first, I'm in for a real treat.

Five Favorite Adventures

• Oktoberfest - Waking up well before sunrise, itching to get off the train and into the fairgrounds, seeing a beer tent packed at ten in the morning--Oktoberfest can be pretty extreme. People will go great lengths to get there and to join the celebration. I'm so fortune I got to meet up with Will Plumb and Kirk Horton, and enjoy the festival with friends while making new ones. It's probably in one of the top ten things to do before you die, and now I can check it off my list. And I would come back in a heartbeat. 
• Joining Two Soccer Teams - I came here to focus on my soccer, and it's been the greatest of adventures rediscovering the sport I know best in a different country. No matter what the circumstances, when I am on the pitch with my German teammates, there are always those "wow" moments. The training has been exactly what I wanted, but more importantly it has given me the best possible opportunity to meet people.  
• Family Trip to the Schloss Westerhaus Vineyard - With young kids, it's hard to go on long trips together or find activities that suit all seven of us. But when we do get out together, it's often my favorite day of the week. The day at Schloss Westerhaus was the best--fun for the whole family as we picked grapes and enjoyed the German countryside. 
• Hiking in the Black Forest - Only last week, on what was probably one of the last gorgeous autumn days, I hiked the Teufelsmuhle with Lukas Ebeler and our host Leo. We were debating on whether or not to go into France, but I am so glad we decided to turn the day into a hike. Lunch at the top followed by a long game of cards was probably one of my favorite meals so far in Germany.
• My First Bundesliga Game in Stuttgart - Meeting up with family friend Blake Little in Stuttgart insured me an excellent stay in the city. Seeing Stuttgart play versus Leverkusen was the cherry on top. I loved the city and my time with Blake, but for a soccer fanatic, nothing was better than getting to watch and experience a Bundesliga game. 

Five Favorite Foods

• Bratwurst - It's hard to go wrong with a bratwurst, and it tastes delicious no matter what time of day. When I am walking around and I start to feel hungry, it seems there's always a bratwurst hot off the grill right around the corner. 
• Doner - There's a reason that Doner stores dot nearly every city street in Germany. It's a tasty lunch or snack, and comes in a normal pita pocket, in a wrap, or even on a pizza. 
• Chocolate Croissants - Bakeries don't mess around in Germany, and though I've tried just about every pastry imaginable, it's the classic chocolate croissant--freshly baked and still a bit warm--that I love the most. 
• Ute's Rice Patties - Ute comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help with the kids, and I could add a category of "Five Favorite Things Cooked by Ute," but her most popular dish is a rice patty with onions and cheese. I could live off of those.
• Flammkuchen - German style pizza is a delicious spin off of the traditional pie. The creme, garlic, and onion base nearly turns the crust into garlic bread, and with any variety of German meats and cheeses on top, it's a delicious meal. 

Five Favorite Little Details

• Toothpaste - The German brand, Elmex, sells combo packs of toothpaste--one to use in the morning and one to use at night. 
• Beer Glasses - It's nearly unlawful to pour a beer in a glass with a different logo on it. There's more to the overall quality of beer than just the ingredients.
• Bike Rides Home From Training - I never feel the cool evening air until I hop on my bike and speed down the hill. It's less than a kilometer to get back to 24B, where I undoubtedly find something delicious in the fridge to heat up for dinner. 
• Reaching Top Speed on an ICE - I've ridden my fair share of ICE trains by now, and it amazes me time after time how fast those things can go. Heading down to Munich we reached 320 kilometers per hour. 
• Daily Play Time with the Judson Kids - There's never any lack of excitement or fun when the kids are around. I can tickle Izzy, pitch to Alex in the basement, wrestle with Sebastian, or play foosball with Luc. And that's just getting started. I love being part of the family. 

Five Ways Germany is Way Different than the US

• Space - I am used to it now, but it's easy to see the effects of eighty million people crammed into a country so much smaller than the US. The whole concept of living space is different here, and people simply don't expect and need as much to get by. It's still easy to get out of a town or city and find great views, but where there are people, it gets very crowded.
• Food - I'm sure a vegetarian could survive in Germany, but it would take a huge effort. German cooking is heavy. There's meat for every meal, lots of bread and cheese, plenty of potato dishes, and not much in terms of greens. Thankfully the Judsons eat healthy and balanced meals, but when I'm traveling, I sometimes long for a light vegetarian meal once in a while. 
• Language - Kind of an obvious choice, but for me, I've enjoyed this first-time experience of living in a foreign country with a different language. It definitely keeps me on my toes, and though I use English ninety-five percent of the time, it makes me feel really good when I understand or accomplish something using Deutsch. 
• Structure - The biggest difference between the German people and Americans is the way they go about their days. There is a purpose, and there is no time for trivial nuisances to slow the down. For this reason the Germans are incredibly and almost comically honest, and when there is such a high level of trust, things tend to run very smoothly. 
• Transportation - Cars don't take precedence here like they do in the US. With a high-functioning public transport network and high fuel and parking costs, most people don't need a car. No one that I've met under the age of twenty-five owns a car, and even those families who do often use it sparingly. 

Five Favorite Photographs

Ferris wheel at Bad Homburg's Laternenfest

Grapes at the Schloss Westerhaus Vineyard

The Hippodrom tent at The Oktoberfest

Sebastian peeking out from the corn

A one-of-a-kind tree in Bad Herranalb