Germany's doing fine

If you've read the last few entries, please don't read into them too much and please know that I am not anti-Germany. Our life there is good and even when I am occasionally frustrated I don't regret our decision to move. I'm just excited to be back after almost a year and happy to see people here.

During the next few weeks we will get the question "How is Germany?" from all sorts of people. In fact, we have already gotten it now and then during phone calls and emails with people back home. Before you ask it, think about how that sounds and what is it that you really want to know. I could get snarky and tell you that I haven't checked in with Angela Merkel lately, or that unemployment in Germany is around 5%, or that the Germans were sad they didn't make it to the finals of the European soccer championships. If I understood the Eurozone crisis better I could tell you about that.

I could be sassy and ask you how "How is the United States?". But I am neither snarky or sassy (usually, except for sometimes when I am hungry and/or tired. Brian can attest to that.) so I will refrain from saying any of those things. I will probably smile and say something like "Oh, it's good, we are adjusting and we've made some good friends and my German is coming along slowly."

But before you ask at all, think about what you really want to know. I think what you want to ask is, "How are you doing in Germany?" or "Do you like living in Germany?" or "What's different about living in Germany?" Those are questions I can answer, if you'd like. If you aren't really interested in finding out, that is ok too. I don't need to be some sort of novelty or C-list celebrity just because I am back for a visit. You can just say "how are you?" and I can answer you and we can move on.

There's one thing that we noticed while at the bar eating fried food yesterday. The bar is hosting a benefit this weekend to raise money for a woman who has breast cancer and can't pay all her medical expenses. That doesn't happen in Germany. Without getting on my health care soapbox I will just say that in that respect Germany is doing well. No one needs to have a raffle or a benefit concert because they get sick.

After five weeks here I will probably be sad to leave but happy to get back to 'normal' life in Hannover, to bike around town, to buy small quantities of groceries, to see our assortment of international friends there, to  and maybe even to get out of the heat (possible, but hard to imagine it now). Until then I will enjoy being in the U.S., whether we are visiting or vacationing or some of each. And I will refrain from snarky comments. You can go ahead and ask me anything you like.