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Happy Father's Day, everyone!
We're finally back from a lot of travel. My husband's fellowship does a conference every summer for the awardees and their families, so we spent the past three days in Berlin. A thousand people total, 300 of which were children. I appreciate the fact that someone actually thought about what to do with all those children. They hired people to run a jump castle and various games and crafts, and so one afternoon we did that at the hotel, and the next morning we did that on the grounds of Schloss Bellvue, where the German president lives:
They also served the kids first at meals, with food they were more likely to eat (spaghetti, fish sticks and French fries, etc.) Although it was um, rather stressful to have all these kids and all this glass on the tables, and everyone in their best clothes, it was better than the last such conference I went to. It was interesting to talk to scholars and spouses from all over the world. We've always had university connections in the States, so we're used to Koreans and Japanese and Mexicans and Norwegians and Saudis. But when you're a foreigner, too, you sometimes get to meet people you wouldn't get to at home, like the very nice Syrian/Cuban couple we sat by at one meal. It was also nice to meet other Americans who had just dumped their kids in German school and survived. Most of the kids spoke at least some German. Most of the adults without kids used English.
Some random thoughts on the trip: Germany is really beautiful. It's hard to imagine my ancestors seeing that every day and still wanting to leave Central Europe to emigrate to the unknown of America. Still, most of them were either serfs or poor or had the wrong religion. It hit me as the train sped through forests and over rivers at 200 km/h that I am probably richer than the barons whose land holdings they left. I have more education, I have a much higher quality of life, i have knowledge and opportunties neither serf nor master ever had, and I am truly free in a way they could only barely imagine. I hope somehow they know that the sacrifices they made for their posterity were worth it.
If you are planning a multi-hour trip with small children, one entertainment to consider is colored band-aids. Our daughters (ages 2 and 5) got pony magazines with stickers, and they spent a happy hour covering their own bodies with them. Unfortunately, stickers don't stick to skin quite as well as band-aids. Next time, I'm bringing a box or two for cosmetic enjoyment!
On moving abroad: so many spouses I talked to didn't learn much German in the year they were here. "I'm just a Hausfrau," they said. "I stay home and cook and clean, but there's no one to talk to." I found that sad, but true for so many people, whether it's just for a year, or for a lifetime. It's also not something that I generally experience. So, for anyone going abroad, consider finding some activities from the outset. If you're religious, joining a local church/synagogue/mosque is an excellent idea. At least in Germany, local congregations are usually pretty excited for new members. I can't speak for other churches, but mine has no paid ministry, so the members get asked to fill in. In Germany, it's usually regardless of what language you do (or don't) speak, and I credit that alone with a huge impact on my fluency. If you're not religious, or if you're not finding the social interaction though a congregation, look at sports (esp. team sports), music groups (my sister played in a local traditional band in Okinawa), volunteer to help with neighborhood events, etc. Ask around for something you can do that forces you to get beyond just buying bread and wurst. It makes a difference, not only in your fluency, but in your ability to feel at home in your new, foreign environment.
We're finally back from a lot of travel. My husband's fellowship does a conference every summer for the awardees and their families, so we spent the past three days in Berlin. A thousand people total, 300 of which were children. I appreciate the fact that someone actually thought about what to do with all those children. They hired people to run a jump castle and various games and crafts, and so one afternoon we did that at the hotel, and the next morning we did that on the grounds of Schloss Bellvue, where the German president lives:
They also served the kids first at meals, with food they were more likely to eat (spaghetti, fish sticks and French fries, etc.) Although it was um, rather stressful to have all these kids and all this glass on the tables, and everyone in their best clothes, it was better than the last such conference I went to. It was interesting to talk to scholars and spouses from all over the world. We've always had university connections in the States, so we're used to Koreans and Japanese and Mexicans and Norwegians and Saudis. But when you're a foreigner, too, you sometimes get to meet people you wouldn't get to at home, like the very nice Syrian/Cuban couple we sat by at one meal. It was also nice to meet other Americans who had just dumped their kids in German school and survived. Most of the kids spoke at least some German. Most of the adults without kids used English.
Some random thoughts on the trip: Germany is really beautiful. It's hard to imagine my ancestors seeing that every day and still wanting to leave Central Europe to emigrate to the unknown of America. Still, most of them were either serfs or poor or had the wrong religion. It hit me as the train sped through forests and over rivers at 200 km/h that I am probably richer than the barons whose land holdings they left. I have more education, I have a much higher quality of life, i have knowledge and opportunties neither serf nor master ever had, and I am truly free in a way they could only barely imagine. I hope somehow they know that the sacrifices they made for their posterity were worth it.
If you are planning a multi-hour trip with small children, one entertainment to consider is colored band-aids. Our daughters (ages 2 and 5) got pony magazines with stickers, and they spent a happy hour covering their own bodies with them. Unfortunately, stickers don't stick to skin quite as well as band-aids. Next time, I'm bringing a box or two for cosmetic enjoyment!
On moving abroad: so many spouses I talked to didn't learn much German in the year they were here. "I'm just a Hausfrau," they said. "I stay home and cook and clean, but there's no one to talk to." I found that sad, but true for so many people, whether it's just for a year, or for a lifetime. It's also not something that I generally experience. So, for anyone going abroad, consider finding some activities from the outset. If you're religious, joining a local church/synagogue/mosque is an excellent idea. At least in Germany, local congregations are usually pretty excited for new members. I can't speak for other churches, but mine has no paid ministry, so the members get asked to fill in. In Germany, it's usually regardless of what language you do (or don't) speak, and I credit that alone with a huge impact on my fluency. If you're not religious, or if you're not finding the social interaction though a congregation, look at sports (esp. team sports), music groups (my sister played in a local traditional band in Okinawa), volunteer to help with neighborhood events, etc. Ask around for something you can do that forces you to get beyond just buying bread and wurst. It makes a difference, not only in your fluency, but in your ability to feel at home in your new, foreign environment.
