Last week in Europe

The days are flying by. In less than a week we will be on our way to Seattle and probably have arrived in Seattle in a week from now. Still I have to cancel the newspaper, electricity, water and phone ... - not even talking about the income tax from the last two years I wanted to finish by Friday.

Never the less despite all this work I am enjoying the last days in Kiel. I am on my own clearing the flat and think about the great time I had in Kiel. I started my studies in Oceanography here in September 1996 - 13 Years full of experiences, uncounted parties, a diploma, a PhD, a marriage and 3 kids later I finally leave Kiel again. Though I must admit that there have been years in between I spent more time on board of research ships on the Atlantic Ocean and traveling with my backpack distant continents than actually studying. It really is time now to get out of here and get to know the world. Not regarding traveling, having done that a lot, but regarding living and getting to know another country and culture in detail again. Somehow similar to the exchange year I spent in New Zealand. Time will tell how we fit into the American culture, which habits will become family habits - which part of that culture will find a permanent place in our family culture.
It feels like the time in Kiel is already over and Seattle time did not start yet - thus a time like between Christmas and New Year: the old year is over, though the new one did not start yet. In German we would say "zwischen den Jahren" in between the years to those days.

Maybe the feeling that a part of me already left Germany is because Saturday we had our last and biggest farewell party. A lot of relatives and old friends came, all generations a whole day long, 50 adults and 20 kids, with an age range from a half year to 80+. It was a great day that we will remember for a long time! It was a long potluck brunch/BBQ that started at 11am and ended after sunset. There was marvelous salads, deserts, fish, bread, sausages, steaks and much more... thanks all for bringing so many delicious thins along. Thanks to all who made this such a wonderful good bye for us by joining. Since I did not manage to make any photos - if you took some during that day, please send us a few. (The following three were taken by my father-in-law.) Water fights with a hose, reading tent, painted faces and bodies, soccer, drawing, eating sweets ... every kid was very tired by the end of the day. Theda and Jonte were still tired from the last days and overwhelmed, that they left totally exhausted early with their grandparents.

Boxes on the way

Today the three europallets got picked up. They are on their way to Seattle - and we? We have just 1 day and 3 weeks left until we fly out of Europe. We arrive (probably) on the 11th, the boxes will arrive around August, 18th, with harbor handling, customs and so on, we will be probably get them on August 21st. Exciting! We hope to have a place to rent by then, but we are very confident.
Time is flying by, so little time left and still so much going to happen, to organize and do - freightening, but also very productive.

Two days ago on the weekend, the kids gave their farewell party. Even the weather turned to good for that afternoon. We had some fun games and a small BBQ - I personally really enjoyed the red wine at late afternoon, relaxing with friends, while the group of kids took over the garden - impossible to stop and great to watch. In the beginning everything was a little bit more organized. Katrin did prepare a match-box-cord-turning game, egg-on-spoon-run and the personal decoration of the crowns with the kids. They loved it. The group got along perfectly and they enjoyed all the gear they found in the garden.
Everyone brought a little to eat and thus we had a great BBQ at the end, though most of us were still full from all the cake, cherries and strawberries. That was the reason a couple of us mainly stuck to the red wine.
A sudden, but predicted, strong shower ended the event just at the right time to send the kids to bed. Otherwise we would have probably stayed even longer outside than we already did.

The only thing we are still waiting for are our flight tickets - since I insisted on direct flights, due to traveling with 3 minor children and the prices went up since the original travel authorization got approved - the travel authorization has to be checked again ... and it takes ages - at least it feels like ages if your luggage is on the way, a holiday home booked, money invested and you still got no ticket for that day!!!
We keep our fingers crossed, we might get the positive mail to night ... we hope!