It's a silver duffle...

Well, this sight certainly is not ever a welcome end to a day of travel, especially when that day starts out with a beeping body scanner machine, hand swipe positive for explosives, frisk, scan of every item in my carry ons, and a delayed flight. At one a.m. when I landed in Baltimore, I soon after discovered my bag did not land at BWI along with me.

So now here I sit in DC, mind still not made up about how to celebrate the incoming year, wishing I'd be down at Old Ebbitt with my dreams playing out perfectly, knowing I'll be on the Hill instead.

And you know, despite all of my non-problem problems, I'm a very happy woman. I was lucky to be in Wyoming with my family for Christmas this year, the pictures of which will follow in another post. Katie and I have been reminiscing of our silly, absolutely delightful New Years in Antwerp last year, too. Bring on the new year... with or without my belongings, resolutions, and kisses.

Chinatown Starbucks

Today I woke up early for a Saturday and gave a tour of the Capitol to some nice folks. Afterward, B and I headed to RFD to indulge in a German beer or two and some lunch- fish n chips for me. We wrapped up the afternoon with a coffee from the Starbucks in Chinatown, which is where I snapped this shot of the world moving right on along outside of the window. This city is so pleasant, gloomy, shuttered, and hopeful all at once.

Seven December

On this day last year, I was in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland eating this:

And today, I am in Washington, DC looking at this:

Union Station

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Hey, I'm in South Carolina!

Blogger's block

My motivation to write whilst being slightly witty and vaguely interesting is officially dormant.  Is it because I write non-witty, non-imaginative things all day long, watch the news, and read reports?  My will to write is actually thriving more than ever, but the act of sitting still with my thoughts in order to put them on the record somewhere is proving a challenge.  I mean, I have to make myself write down all of the ideas manifesting themselves in my brain. So, dear reader, I haven't forgotten you, but you deserve better than mediocre. And right now, the words have just simply ceased to flow easily and readily from head to keyboard.

And I am still confused as to what I am supposed to capitalize and what stays lower case. It was all so clear until I learned German.

The Quirk

Last Thursday, I was offered the opportunity to go to New Mexico. Length of trip: Not Yet Decided. Destination City: Not Yet Decided. Day of Departure: Either Friday or Saturday... Not Yet Decided. So, how did I respond? I said, "HECK YES!" and then proceeded to not pack or prepare in the slightest because I was out for tapas, which were delicious.

On Friday morning, I received my itinerary, which told me that I was flying out around 5pm THAT DAY to Albuquerque until Wednesday. Alright, cool. Luckily, I can get home pretty quickly, so I packed over lunch and headed out to the airport with 5 others: Ruth, Kelly, Mary Jane, Laura, and Chris. We had quite the trip, staying until Wednesday afternoon. We met lots of Albuquerque...ites? ans? ers? Apparently, I didn't meet enough of them because I don't know what they are properly called. We decided to call Albuquerque "The Quirk", and I lobbied to call the good citizens of The Quirk "Albuquirks". It's a term used lovingly.

Anyway, I saw about 24 hours total of this:

 Drank a whole lot of this:

Drove on this:

Unfortunately not driving in this:

And on Route 66 on my way to this (San Felipe de Neri church at night, not lighted, sorry)...

Drove past this... the "Purest Route 66 Hotel Surviving" (and wondered what the definition of "surviving is because ew.):

Saw this on the marquee at my hotel:

And decided this "Frontier" taco was on my menu instead:

And also this sad little cupcake from the delicious Cake Fetish, located conveniently across from my hotel:

I met lots of great people, bonded with 5 of the best people, waved signs at perfect stranger people, sat next to a criminal person on the plane, and missed all my DC people on election day. The best part though? On the way back, we flew through Phoenix, which meant that I got to have an hour long airport date with my Rachel friend! AND CLAIRE BEAR, the cutest cookie monster in all the land. After catching up a bit, discussing puppies, and being rocket ships, I had to say goodbye. It wasn't enough time, but it was one of those sweet surprises that life sometimes throws my way. I am so blessed with beautiful people in my life, Rachel being one of them. That hour was the greatest gift and a good reminder of how important friends are.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was celebrated on Saturday in this neck of the woods. With Hurricane Sandy a day away, it added a bit of extra spook to the evening. I trekked to Columbia Heights to celebrate my friend Vansa's birthday Halloween style! I dressed as a German girl because, well, I was just there and also I was going to be an Olympic swimmer, but my friends at this party I know through swimming. I just couldn't bring myself to be a swimmer at a swimmer party.

The people at Vansa's were dressed as everything from smurfs to warriors, taxi cabs to crash victims. And then we went out on U Street. And then this picture happened at the end of the night.

Happy Halloween everyone!

On risk taking

There is no sure thing. As a matter of fact, the likelihood of changing needs or incompatibility is high. But it's the imperfections and idiosyncrasies of you that draw me in.  Those things make you challenging, like a puzzle.  I'll work on it at midnight when the storm is in full swing, threatening the comfort that I take for granted and forcing me to acknowledge that feeling safe is more important to me than I realize.  I like that those quirks keep me interested, giving me reasons to keep searching and dwelling on what I appreciate, forcing the negative behind the rose colored lenses.  In my search, I see the potential, and I take one more risky step forward.

I already compromised. I ate at midnight, and I returned to the familiar. For me, ignoring my head and focusing on my heart was a compromise. But I want to take this risk. This risk sits right in the middle of everything that is the same, making everything around me different from what it once was and making it impossible to ever have it be the same as before.

You are difficult and intense.  I am flexible and quirky, unafraid of strength but afraid of losing. I am focused but not blind. I will encourage you to stay true to yourself and to meet your potential because I extend the same courtesy to myself.

I want to take the risk so that I am the one you turn to for encouragement, the one who convinces you not to fear change.

I want to shake you out of the comfort zone.  Don't stay stagnate, because it's impossible to do that anyway, and it disappoints me. Trying to avoid change, hurt, or discomfort creates voids, I think. You'd risk pain, devastation, or loss in exchange for the protection of your beliefs because it's worth it. And I am too.

I can't make promises to the end of the Earth that there won't come a time that it won't work. But I can promise to always give in faith and mind. I can't be someone else or give what others have given, just in the same way that I can't be French or look like that new Bond girl every second of my life. I can't be the perfect mix of attractive and intelligent. I can only be me. And me is not always like you. And me is a woman, your greatest fear. Me is someone who is powerful because I am charged with holding your heart safe while I balance, always on the verge. But in exchange, that risk I've taken too. I've contracted the protection of my heart out to a mercenary instead of using my own forces which I've carefully built since Day 1.

Every risk I've ever taken has enriched me, filled me, reminded me that I'm human. I am not afraid.

Green thumb

Some people were meant to keep beautiful plants and nurture them to grow and produce beautiful petals, tasty vegetables, or aromatic herbs. And some people can bring death to any plant, anywhere just simply by thinking about that plant for longer than 1 second. I am one of the latter.

I was just introduced to egg, tomato, basil, and goat cheese paninis.  In an effort to recreate this sandwich in my own kitchen, I decided that it would be a good time to try to grow basil again. Last time I had a basil plant, it was kept alive for about 3 weeks only because my roommate Courtney also made an effort to take care of it. Well, this time I was on my own as a caretaker. I went to Harris Teeter and for $2.99 bought a basil plant.  In my head, I figured 3 bucks for a lifetime of basil was probably worth it. In reality, this is what happened in exactly one week:

I followed the instructions. I just don't understand. Sorry, little basil plant, for bringing you home to your doom.

The squirrel ate my Halloween.

Remind me to have a stern chat with the resident psycho squirrel in my front yard. He is a Halloween scrooge.

Lincoln looks awesome

Have you guys seen the trailer for the movie Lincoln? O my lanta, I want to see it. And the new Bond flick. And Finding Nemo 3D, which I am embarrassed that I haven't gone to see yet. Unacceptable.

Also, sorry I haven't posted anything for a month. I haven't been feeling particularly bloggy (no one should probably ever feel "bloggy"-- it sounds horrible). But I'll be back soon with tales of life in DC. xoxo

9/11

Yesterday was September 11, 2012. In Washington, DC yesterday, the air was just starting to become crisp, acknowledging that Autumn is nearly here. The sky was bright blue, and the sun was shining boldly.  Capitol Hill was buzzing with staffers, lobbyists, tourist -- suits, big wigs, and fanny packs :)

Eleven years ago, on what I understand was a day similar to yesterday, there was confusion and tragedy at this same place. There was also bravery, community, and strength.  The meaning of being American was tested that day.  The degree to which everyone as an entire nation united together showed the world what we are really made of.

I hope in the next 11 years, and the eleven beyond that, that we are able to have healthy dialogue with other countries. I hope that we continue to be proud and strong. I hope that we remember our power when we're united. I hope that we take the time to listen to other people and other nations and exchange understanding with one another.

To the first responders, victims, their families, friends, neighbors, Americans, and nations who stood alongside us on that day ... thank you. God Bless America.

Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys!

University of Wyoming
GAME DAY.

GO POKES!

Let it be Sung

Happy Labor Day weekend! Take it away, Jack...

26 is going to be delicious

Happy birthday to me!  I am ready to totally rock this year. 

Starting with taking a bite of a birthday cupcake with dinosaur sprinkles because, yes please and thank you.

I got lazy and used the ol' phone to take a picture. My most sincere apologies for the (total lack of) quality.

Gypsy feet

I just lived in Germany for the last year. You probably already knew that. You can read any of my old posts between August 2011 - July 2012 to catch a glimpse into what that year was like. Some days were full of grand adventure! Some days were full of gloominess. As I pour my efforts into trying to readjust to any amount of normalcy now that I'm back in DC, I can think back over my time abroad and see how my life has changed -- how the 350 days in a foreign place were some of the most challenging and consequently formative days of my life.

Anyone who has studied abroad, or spent a significant amount of time away from "home", will tell you that it's an experience which will be with you for the rest of your life-- that not only do you learn about other people and other cultures, but you learn about yourself. You change. You lose part of yourself. You grow. You become stronger. It is the cheesiest summary for what happens to you when you take a leap of faith and live as a foreigner. But it's all truth. And it's the best way to describe an experience that really can't be put into words. It'll change you.

There are a surprising number of people in my life who have begun adventures of their own in the last year, and more who are getting ready to set sail. Actually, I guess it's not surprising since one's friends are often a reflection of oneself, and Lord knows I have a mad case of the adventure bug. I'm so proud of each and every one who has taken a leap and tried on the unknown. Denmark, Washington State, Peru, New Orleans, New York, Paris, Germany, Boston, London, Morocco, new offices, new schools, new babies, dinners alone, learning how to make friends, feeling that unavoidable apprehension but then knocking it out of the park, or maybe not, but at least trying... change is scary. But it's defining.

I learned a great deal while living in Germany for a year, and much of what I learned is personal-- experiences in growing up that are meaningful only to me. That I can apply only to my life. But I also made some realizations that I think I can share, and I at least hope that everyone knows I'm here to support you on your adventure, too.

Stopping to not only smell the roses but sit amongst them too. Portland.

• Don't be afraid to learn how to make friends. We take having family and friends nearby for granted, and when you're away, it can be unnerving to realize that making friends is hard
• Listen to the advice from others. Lean on them. But mostly just try things out for yourself.
• Don't give up ever. You can make it over any hurdle, even if you have to lift up both legs and slowly climb over.
• Write things down in a journal, in letters, in post cards, maybe even on a blog. Not only is it really fun to go back later to hear what was on your mind, but it's a good way to sort out the many thoughts zipping around in your head.
• Smile. It makes you feel good, really!
• Bring a small piece of home. Maybe it's a childhood stuffed animal, a family portrait, a Christmas album... there will be moments where having home in the same room as you will be just what you need. 
• Stop to smell the roses. You're doing something AMAZING in your life right now. Right at this very moment. Be sure you stop and look around and just simply soak it in!

Remembering Peter Bis

One of the brightest places on Capitol Hill has been the Exxon Station on 2nd and Mass NE. Any person could go there to find a friendly word, a bit of encouragement, a good albeit likely off-the-wall conversation, or a reminder that the weekend really isn't so far away at all-- even on a Monday.  The reason? A man named Peter Bis, well-known by local residents.

Peter was a fixture on the Hill. And anyone who has lived or worked on the Hill for a few months or more has likely crossed paths and had well-wishes sent their way from Peter. In the early morning hours of August 16, Peter passed away.

There are flowers, a crate, his business cards, sunglasses, and backpack under his favorite tree. On our walk to work yesterday morning, Macy and I wondered aloud where he was, since he wasn't under the tree, reading the paper and greeting passersby as usual. It's easy to get used to something nice, and Peter was just that. He is proof that kind words go a long way. A smile or a greeting can brighten anyone's day, and friendliness does make a positive difference.

I hope now his mind can rest and he has found peace.

Thursday afternoon

In memory of Peter, please greet passers-by

Friday afternoon.

This blog has written my favorite memorial to Peter so far:
http://tellmeastoryjosie.wordpress.com/tag/peter-bis/

Eastern Market today

Since landing back in America nearly 3 weeks ago, I have been non-stop busy, busy, busy. I was in all 4 time zones in the lower 48 in one day, was in NYC, DC, Denver, Portland, Casper, and back to DC in the span of a week. I've caught up with many friends, hugged family, driven cars, taken Metros, flown in airplanes, walked, swum, started working, eaten some of my favorite foods that I missed, and generally have just been enjoying being back. This weekend I've finally had a chance to slow down and soak up my favorite parts of DC.

I walked down to Eastern Market this afternoon to see what was the same and what had changed. It's a really hot 97 degrees today (that's more than 36 degrees to you Celsius folks), and suffice it to say, I was looking pretty melted as I walked through my neighborhood, admiring the row houses on the Hill that I adore so much. This neighborhood has so much to offer, so much personality and charm. It's nice to be here and to have time to enjoy it again. Even if being outside to admire everything means I have to be a sweaty mess. I don't even care.

My mom, brother, and sister are in Wisconsin this weekend, touching base with a special piece of our family. I wish I could be there with them, but I know they're leaving my love there for me. I'm so blessed to have good people and memories in so many places.

Hope you all have gotten a chance to enjoy your weekend, too. Don't forget to watch the Olympics! and GO Team USA!!!

Why are there so many Americans here?

Now that I've been back in America for 36 hours, I want to talk about what is shocking to me so far. The variety here is nuts. Just nuts. But it's the best kind of crazy ever. Today for lunch I had chicken salad and also a bagel with cream cheese because, hey! I was in NYC, and I haven't had a bagel for a year, OK? I also am really enjoying having my American cell phone that reaches 98% of the people I love through multiple different functions at any given times. And the best part about that? I don't have to worry about what the cost per minute or text is! See ya never, 9cent texts!

Also, I've noticed we have A/C in just about every place. So, environmentally conscious Europeans, yes, you're right, the "Klima Anlage" is everywhere, but you know what? IT IS HOT HERE. I mean it. I've been sweaty for about 35 hours now. Plus, in places like Wyoming it gets hot but the air is dry, and so we don't have A/C in my house there because guess what-- we can live without it. But here on the East Coast, my feet are cold because otherwise I'd actually just be a puddle and you'd never see me again.

The biggest shocker though is all of the English around me! I'm so used to, if I hear American English being spoken, automatically thinking, "Oh my gosh! Americans! I wonder where they're from and what they're doing here." I'm used to the conversations around me being in German and as such not paying attention to background noises. But I can understand everyone here. It's really, really, really a strange feeling. I can't really describe it.

Bye bye, Germany

What will I miss?

• The cobbliest cobble stone lane by my house. It is impossible to walk on in heels, flats, rain... I hate it and love it simultaneously.
• Hearing "Jeden Tag ein bisschen besser" a billion times during a single shopping trip to Rewe.
• Waiting to cross the sidewalk until the light turns green, even though it totally bothers me that no one here jaywalks.
• My wallet weighing as much as my head. Never in my life have I had so many coins at once. It's gonna feel like something is missing.
• My see-through pale skin.... oh wait, kidding! BRING ON THAT SUNSHINE, USA! I'm ready for a sun tan!
• Mixing English words and German words into each of my sentences. Engleutsch, baby.
• German radio traffic reports and pop radio stations. Pop radio DJs also speak Engleutsch... "Das war der US-Amerikanischer Rapper Snoop Dogg mit 'Beautiful'".
• Climbing up cathedral towers.
• Hearing "Vorsicht bei der Einfahrt".
• Late night swims so as to avoid the breaststrokers, old and young but all incapable of circle swimming.
• Kaffee und kuchen with Ginny in Café Blum.
• Open containers.
• Marzipan, marzipan everywhere!
• Brötchen with butter. It just doesn't get better.
• Having no idea how many numbers constitute a telephone number but knowing that it doesn't matter anyway because having a conversation in German over the phone scares the living daylights out of me.
• Throwing away most things in the red waste baskets because I'm still not really sure what blue, green, and yellow are for.
• All of the new, wonderful people I have met along the way... I wish you all continued success and much happiness!

Thanks, Germany. It's been a trip!

Love always.

3...2...1... lift off

3 days of Germany left to go. Only 3.

I've been up to quite a bit- a trip to Ireland, a couple days up north around Paderborn to see my dear Peter and Traudel again, and all of the small prep things that come with a big move. In my head, I was picturing my final weekend here being a big vacation, time to meander about and think and soak up the German-ness of it all, all the time in the world for friends, and so on. It is never like that though. But it's still good.

Ireland was a bit of a shock. I felt like since I was traveling, I shouldn't have been able to read or aptly communicate, and my first day around Ireland I was relatively shy and completely bewildered by the cheeriness of the customer service everywhere. I mean, I paid for a coffee and the transaction went something like this:

"2,50 dear"

i give her exactly 2,50

"brilliant! thank you, enjoy!"

I mean, what the hell is that?! I am more accustomed to feeling like I'm in the way and in the wrong when I pay. But all of a sudden in Ireland I'm brilliant?! Pssaahhhhh howdoievendealwiththat?! And then I remembered, oh yeah, this happens and it's pleasant. How lovely.

People keep asking me if it is bittersweet to be leaving. It's not really. What makes a place isn't all the beer, chocolate, landscapes... it's the people. And though I'll miss all of the other goodies one finds in Germany, the only thing that makes this move bittersweet are the people I've come to know and love this year.

Marius, Anja, Micha, Nadja, Bettina, Janine, Ginny, Shane, Braulio, Carola, Peter and Traudel... you all in different ways made my year in Germany an absolute success, and it's been a privilege to know you this year. Truly.

But that's why we have technology. No one is really ever that far away.

Oh gosh, I have to go de-register myself from Mainz before the Bürgeramt closes in an hour! Crap! That's all for now. What a random post.

Me at Cliffs of Moher

I was just in Ireland! It was so lovely... but I'm off to Northern Germany for the night, so I'll have to elaborate a bit later.

America the Beautiful

HaPpY 4th of JuLy!

The index cards

I am in ultimate packing mode here in Germany, since my time is nearly up, and I'll be on an airplane heading West before I know it. Most everything is already packed up, minus the truckload of books I've managed to accumulate over the last year. They're heavy! I should probably just leave most of them here, but parting with a book is sometimes kinda hard for me.

Everything is off my walls, leaving them sad and plain. And the only time that I got a little teary during the whole packing up process was when I took down all of the things that I'd taped up all over my place when I got to Mainz in a determined effort to keep learning German. My formal language training was only 2 months long, and it was only during that time that I had a chance to try to figure out how to properly construct sentences in German. Since October, it's just been a learn-as-you-go sort of operation, picking up a bit of "Umgangssprache" and just taking my best shot in the dark when it comes to using the proper article and coordinating adjective ending. Once I'd moved in and organized stuff on my shelves, I labeled everything. Red ink for the feminine article "die", blue ink for the masculine article "der", green for the neutral "das", and yellow for plural. With verbs, I tried to label if they were used with a certain preposition and whether the noun that followed should be in nominative, accusative, or dative case.

Those are some of the labels I took down from around my room. It made me get a little teary to do so because these silly little pieces of paper are what my year was all about. 12 months gone in the blink of an eye. The majority of moments that I had here were big challenges. There were definitely times that I wanted to give up- times that I had to pull myself up by my bootstraps and just keep on going. It's funny how being in the thick of something difficult can be so tiring, but when you finally emerge on the other side and see what you're capable of, the sun shines even brighter. Ok ok, the sun doesn't shine all too often here, but you know what I mean...

Why's everyone suddenly so loud?

After Germany won their third EM game against Denmark, thus advancing themselves to the quarterfinals (which they won against Greece), the people in Mainz were totally pumped! I watched that game at the Eisgrub Bräu with friends, and as we exited the pub after the game, we found the streets lined with cars, young people hanging out of the car windows and sun roofs, yelling, waving flags, and being generally elated. The car horn honking continued for at least an hour after the game had been won. Germans are, in general, very reserved in their actions and expressions (as contrasted to Americans who get reallyexcitedabouteverythingomg!). However, when it comes to soccer, Germans like to get wild, and it's so much fun to see!

I didn't watch the quarterfinal game against Greece. I know, I know, horrible of me. Instead, I went for a swim for the first time in about 2 months, knowing the pool would be nearly empty. Walking the mile from my house to the pool was like getting a preview of the world post-zombie apocalypse. It was empty. No cars driving down the road. No pedestrians. Nothing. I'm surprised I didn't see tumbleweeds rolling down the street. And I was right-- the pool was nearly abandoned, which was awesome. And the minute I left the pool, I knew Germany had won because I could hear the car horns blowing from way down in the middle of the city. It makes me wonder how soccer victories are celebrated in other countries, and it makes me really want to see Germany win their semifinal match up. This place is gonna go berserk.

I have a little video clip of the car horn celebrations after the Denmark game, but it doesn't seem to want to load. I'll try later.

Casper on the Rhine River

Found:

Casper, Wyoming in Mainz, Germany. It's a small world.

Berlin: Wrapping things up

I got to spend last week in Berlin. With one month to go until the end of my program, all 75 of us who have been living throughout Germany this year gathered for an end-year seminar. The week was complete with day-long cultural discussions, sharing our experiences and how to bring home with us and spread what we have learned, a day at the Bundestag and US Embassy, site seeing, theater-going, beer drinking, dancing, and soaking up our time together. The next time we see each other, we will all be on a plane heading back to the States. There is officially less than a month until this adventure is brought to a close, and it has been quite the ride. Here are some pictures of the week together in Berlin:

Berlin: EM'12, Germany versus The Netherlands

As previously mentioned a few days ago in this post, I watched the EM 2012 Germany v Holland soccer game from amongst the crazy Germans at the Hyundai Fan Park in Berlin which is set up at the Brandenburger Tor. It is so nice to see Germans decked out in ridiculous Germany gear and getting rowdy in support of their country. As Americans, we often don't realize how cool it is that our culure incorporates massive amounts of patriotism into everyday life. I highly doubt I'll see another game throughout the tournament in a setting quite like that. The best part of it was having about 15 other Americans with me who have been here for a year, just like me. With a little face paint, some flags, and of course German leis, we celebrated the extravaganza in style.

Gracia and Clayton getting flags in their proper place- the cheek

Joe doing a great job being a Germany fan

Diana and me waiting for kickoff

Diana, Geoff, and Jennifer

Americans in Deutschland

The Dutch players are hott. Am I right? Or am I right?

DEUTSCHLAND WINS

Ron only wears partial sunglasses at night

And, I am by no means a skilled videographer, so bear (bare?) with me here...

The fans after Germany scores goal #2 (nummer zwei):

The after-party