Terry and I are going through a period of uncertainty, stress, and some heartache right now. Recently it seems as if we get asked the same question in a number of different ways. Do you guys know where you are moving to? Where are you going after you leave Germany? Are you going to -- state after you leave Germany? When are you moving? Etc. While most of the people asking these questions are well-meaning, getting asked the same thing repeatedly is very upsetting and hard to hear. Especially when our answer is always I/we don't know. Ultimately, where we move depends on where we can find jobs, and when we move depends on the orders that Terry is given.
I have been asked this roughly 15 times over the past two days. Every time I have to answer it, I get a little bit sadder and just want to cry by the end of the day. It is hard.
Please don't take this post personally. It is not directed at any one person. And please if you do ask us, please don't be offended if we reply that we don't want to talk about it.
Once we know something and are ready to share it, we will.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Recent Loves
Some fun things I can't get enough of lately:
Trader Joes Green Tea Mints-
I'm pretty much a sucker for green tea flavored anything and I hate strong mints. When I was in North Carolina back in October, I saw these at the little money suck shelves by the cash register and stupidly only put one in my cart. I have been hoarding and rationing them ever since. Every time Terry would ask me for one, I would give him a bit of an evil side eye. Thank goodness my in-laws just sent us 7 packages in the mail! If you live near a Trader Joe's, you want to try these. Trust me.
Nars Lipstick in Damage-
Pretty much the perfect shade. At least on me.
Vera Bradley Emily Satchel in Bayou Blue-
Such a pretty pattern and it's been nice to get a new bag that isn't a tote. I have a terrible habit of throwing everything but the kitchen sink into my totes and then lugging them around all day long and complaining when my shoulders start to hurt.
Lilly Pulitzer Riley Infinity Loop-
I purchased this a little while ago and have been loving it. I wear a lot of solid color tops and sweaters, so a scarf is such a fun way to add some color to an outfit. I have plenty of Murfees and other scarves but this was my first infinity scarf. I was worried it would look too trendy on me since I am not a person who can pull off trends in general, but it looks really nice!
Rekorderlig Passionfruit Cider-
A friend of mine over here was telling me that this is her favorite cider. I had never heard of it so she brought me back a bottle from London. I drank it during the Opening Ceremony on Friday, and immediately wished that I had a whole case of it. It is a very pale shade, and looks almost like a flavored sparkling water in the glass, but it tastes nothing like that! It is delicious without being overly sticky sweet. This particular flavor is currently not available in the United States, but if you are in an area where it is sold (the U.K., New Zealand, Australia, and parts of Europe), I highly recommend picking up several bottles (you will want more than one, trust me!). I am trying to order a case or two before we move back to the States.
Trader Joes Green Tea Mints-
Nars Lipstick in Damage-
Vera Bradley Emily Satchel in Bayou Blue-
Lilly Pulitzer Riley Infinity Loop-
Rekorderlig Passionfruit Cider-
Friday, February 7, 2014
I'm back
After a several month long hiatus for no reason whatsoever I'm back on the blogging bandwagon. So much has happened since my last post- my best friend of 15 years got married, we took a few trips and planned a big one to Rome for next week, and we got the results of Terry's medical evaluation board.
Terry had to go through one to determine if he could still serve. Because he has a clotting condition, he has to be on Coumadin for the rest of his life. This means he's non-deployable. On Thursday, after a long wait, we got his results back. As far as the Air Force is concerned, he is considered to be disabled and will be retiring after 10 years of service in April. This is not how he saw his career ending, but ultimately, it may be for the best. (The Air Force recently announced its own Hunger Games- it plans to cut 25,000 troops within the next few years.) We are not ready for our time in Germany to come to an end and are terrified of what's to come. We have roughly two months to pack up our house, find a place to live, and find jobs. If we were living in the States now, it would not be so scary because we would already have a house or apartment and could keep paying rent on it. Now we are just picking blindly, it seems. People keep asking us where we're going to live once we get back to the States and that is such a frustrating and hard question for us. The answer is always "we just don't know."
We have been pretty stressed, upset, and overwhelmed the past few days. Terry is in a class this week learning how to adjust to civilian life. There are so many things he has never had to worry about such as needing a resume or having professional clothes. No real need for business casual or dressier attire when you have to wear the same thing every day. Everything just seems so daunting.
Has anyone been through this? Do you have any tips?
Also, if anyone here knows of any job openings (particularly anything that requires a security clearance since his was just renewed a few months ago) please let me know.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Terry had to go through one to determine if he could still serve. Because he has a clotting condition, he has to be on Coumadin for the rest of his life. This means he's non-deployable. On Thursday, after a long wait, we got his results back. As far as the Air Force is concerned, he is considered to be disabled and will be retiring after 10 years of service in April. This is not how he saw his career ending, but ultimately, it may be for the best. (The Air Force recently announced its own Hunger Games- it plans to cut 25,000 troops within the next few years.) We are not ready for our time in Germany to come to an end and are terrified of what's to come. We have roughly two months to pack up our house, find a place to live, and find jobs. If we were living in the States now, it would not be so scary because we would already have a house or apartment and could keep paying rent on it. Now we are just picking blindly, it seems. People keep asking us where we're going to live once we get back to the States and that is such a frustrating and hard question for us. The answer is always "we just don't know."
We have been pretty stressed, upset, and overwhelmed the past few days. Terry is in a class this week learning how to adjust to civilian life. There are so many things he has never had to worry about such as needing a resume or having professional clothes. No real need for business casual or dressier attire when you have to wear the same thing every day. Everything just seems so daunting.
Has anyone been through this? Do you have any tips?
Also, if anyone here knows of any job openings (particularly anything that requires a security clearance since his was just renewed a few months ago) please let me know.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, September 30, 2013
Guest post from Monograms and Margaritas
Hi y’all! I’m Paige and you can usually find me over at Monograms and Margaritas.
I feel so honored to be guest blogging for Preppy Girl Meets World
today! I’ve known Masha for a little over four years now and our
friendship truly is a testament to how amazing blogging can be; I mean
without our blogs, I doubt we ever would have become this close. And by
close, I mean I message her weekly during my mini-breakdowns and she
complains freely about the cost of name brand nail polish in Germany.
The struggle is real.
I am starting a new line of posts on my blog to highlight my own love of nail polish and also to provide an excuse as to why I have so many to my fiancé. I’m pleased to bring you the very first post in my new series!
Inaugural Color: Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Purple Revolution 906
Shade: Very Dark Violet
The Story Behind It: I was looking for a dark shade for fall that wasn’t black or gray, when someone at Sephora recommended Purple Revolution. Since it wasn’t available in stores, I broke a speed record pulling out my iPhone to look it up. Then I about swallowed my own tongue when I saw the price. I proceeded to go home, pout, stare lovingly at my laptop screen and drink a glass or four of wine before going to sleep. I woke up to find a shiny new, and a bit confusing, order confirmation email from Sephora. The heart wants what the heart wants.
The lacquer applied smoothly and looks fantastic. While it appears dark to the point of almost being black, it does have a purple tint under direct light. I love Purple Revolution for early fall! It’s quite the contrast to the bright summer shades I’ve been wearing and a perfect transition into autumn.
I am starting a new line of posts on my blog to highlight my own love of nail polish and also to provide an excuse as to why I have so many to my fiancé. I’m pleased to bring you the very first post in my new series!
Inaugural Color: Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Purple Revolution 906
The Story Behind It: I was looking for a dark shade for fall that wasn’t black or gray, when someone at Sephora recommended Purple Revolution. Since it wasn’t available in stores, I broke a speed record pulling out my iPhone to look it up. Then I about swallowed my own tongue when I saw the price. I proceeded to go home, pout, stare lovingly at my laptop screen and drink a glass or four of wine before going to sleep. I woke up to find a shiny new, and a bit confusing, order confirmation email from Sephora. The heart wants what the heart wants.
The lacquer applied smoothly and looks fantastic. While it appears dark to the point of almost being black, it does have a purple tint under direct light. I love Purple Revolution for early fall! It’s quite the contrast to the bright summer shades I’ve been wearing and a perfect transition into autumn.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Non-buyer's remorse
When Terry and I first moved in together, I decided I absolutely needed to have a chicken for my tiny shoebox kitchen. I knew it was inevitable that I would eventually become that girl with the chicken kitchen, so I figured I might as well speed up the inevitable. I bought a cute little chicken at the grocery store near our house and named him Fritz because that was the first German name I could think of. (Well it was the second, but the first one didn't seem to be very appropriate.)
When we were in Warsaw back in April, I found an artist who was selling some paintings in a square. They were on wood instead of canvas and were so folky and charming and adorable. I knew I had to take one home. (When you start traveling a lot, you stop buying the typical souvenirs and instead buy more practical stuff that you can use like vodka and wooden chickens.)
After much deliberation, much much much deliberation, this chicken came home with me.
There was also a similar picture with the chicken sitting in a martini glass holding a toothpick with olives in is beak. Oh how I wanted to get that one too. But the shoebox is tiny and Terry convinced me that a couple only needs to many chickens sitting inside of kitchenware in their lives.
Oh how wrong he was.
I have regretted not getting the other chicken for a while now. Unfortunately, I do not have any information on the artist who made it and her signature is just her initials. After hours spent fruitlessly searching online for an online shop or any ordering information, I have come to only one conclusion:
I have to go back to Warsaw and stalk this woman.
When we were in Warsaw back in April, I found an artist who was selling some paintings in a square. They were on wood instead of canvas and were so folky and charming and adorable. I knew I had to take one home. (When you start traveling a lot, you stop buying the typical souvenirs and instead buy more practical stuff that you can use like vodka and wooden chickens.)
After much deliberation, much much much deliberation, this chicken came home with me.
 |
| how cute is he??? |
There was also a similar picture with the chicken sitting in a martini glass holding a toothpick with olives in is beak. Oh how I wanted to get that one too. But the shoebox is tiny and Terry convinced me that a couple only needs to many chickens sitting inside of kitchenware in their lives.
Oh how wrong he was.
I have regretted not getting the other chicken for a while now. Unfortunately, I do not have any information on the artist who made it and her signature is just her initials. After hours spent fruitlessly searching online for an online shop or any ordering information, I have come to only one conclusion:
I have to go back to Warsaw and stalk this woman.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
The expat life
A little over a month ago, two of our friends tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony that Terry and I could not attend (plane tickets back home were around $1,300 for one person in August). They honeymooned in Italy and when they realized that they would have a layover in Frankfurt, they decided to add a day there onto their itinerary so that we could come down there to see them. We ended up going on Wednesday, which was Terry's birthday.
Prior to their arrival, Kim emailed us asking for recommendations of what to do/see/eat in Frankfurt. I think she was expecting a list of cool, unique sights along with some of the usual touristy sights that are requisite in any big city. That wasn't what she got.
Frankfurt is about an hour to an hour and a half away from us (depending on how fast you go down the Autobahn and how bad traffic is once you actually get within the city limits). The closest Apple store to us is there. Most of our trips to Frankfurt coincide with me breaking an iPhone. We also use our trips there as an excuse to get away from our community and just have a relaxing overnight trip and get some Starbucks. Also, Chipotle opened in Frankfurt on September 9th and we have been so excited to try it so we told them that was an absolute must. (Before you judge us too harshly, remember that Terry hasn't lived in the United States for a little over 5 years and for me it's been just over 3 years.)
We met them at their hotel and took a cab to Chipotle (10€ for 4 people- basically cost the same as it would have to take the Ubahn- Frankfurt's subway system). When we got there, we could hardly contain our excitement and of course started taking pictures of the outside of the damn building:
Justin and Kim couldn't stop laughing and shaking their heads. We got inside and after a quick glance at the menu, they got sticker shock. Honestly, after living here for over 3 years, we don't even notice it any more. It was 9€ for a burrito or a bowl (don't even talk to me about how much they cost in the States) so they decided to split one. No way were we going to share! Drinks were obscenely expensive. I'm talking 4€ for a bottled water or Coke expensive. What are they putting in there? Gold-plated foie gras flakes? We decided to pass. We both got steak burritos and an order of chips and salsa. 20€. Ouch. I'd be lying if I said they weren't worth every single euro cent.
Chipotle is in a brand new mall that just opened on August 31st, so Kim and I walked around for a bit while the boys sat behind and talked about beer. No luck shopping but we did have to stop by for a drink at Starbucks. It seemed just mean of them to have this adorable pumpkin but not to actually have pumpkin spice lattes. He was cute so I semi forgave them.
I forget exactly how much my drink cost, but roughly 10,000€ for a grande sounds about right. I also got a slice of salted caramel cheesecake so figure another 389€ for that. (I'm exaggerating here but not nearly by as much as you think.)
Post-Starbucks, we took another 10€ cab ride back to their hotel. (I'll take "World's Priciest Burrito for $200, Alex.) After some beers (guys) and wine (girls) in their room, we decided it was time for dinner. (I'm skipping ahead a bit but just pretend I mentioned the part where we took them shopping to show them the good gummy bears and chocolate and beer to bring back home, k?) They asked for a recommendation for dinner. We told them we don't eat German food. In Germany. Hardly ever. (We went to a highly recommended German restaurant in Frankfurt once. The menu had pictures of what animal was in the dish. We ordered something that had a cow next to it. Apparently a picture of a cow is German for "three strips of bacon." We gave up. It's hard being pretty much the only living Jews in Germany. Or some days it seems like it.) So we recommended an Italian place and a Thai place. Shockingly enough, after 2 weeks in Italy they weren't looking forward to Italian food in Germany, so to Thai we went. It was fantastic. Insert another pre-dinner stop at a store for beer/chocolate/marzipan here.
After dinner, it was time for dessert, and wanting to provide our American visitors with the true German experience, only one place would do.
The last time we were in Frankfurt, ya know the last time I had a broken iPhone, we saw that a Dunkin Donuts was finally opening there. 3 days later. Go figure. We had been looking forward to getting some donuts for so long. I'm not sure how much donuts cost in the States, but I'm assuming it sure as heck isn't 1,80€/donut. Terry wanted to only get 1 donut each. I told him he was crazy and got 6. It's a good thing I did. I don't have pictures of the actual donuts themselves because they did not live long enough to be photographed but just imagine 3 Boston Cream, 1 glazed, and 2 vanilla frosted with sprinkles inside that box. (I know it's really hard to use your imagination here because without instagram, how would y'all even know what a donut looks like in the first place?) I should also mention that much like everything else in Germany, Dunkin Donuts is cash-only and after a pit stop for beer, we were fresh out so we had to race to find an ATM about 3 blocks away 10 minutes before they closed. I had to beg the lady behind the counter to put 2 Boston Cream aside for me. Good thing I did, because by the time we came back for them, they were sold out of the others!
By the time we were done with Donut-gate it was after 10pm and we still had a long drive ahead of us followed by Terry needing to be at work at 7am the next time so after many hugs (girls) and half man-hug, half handshake combos (guys), we parted ways.
I skipped over a few moments in this post, but Justin and Kim, I just want to say that we had so much fun with you on Wednesday and I am so so glad we got to see you! So glad we were able to provide you with the true, local, German experience.
All of these expat adventures resulted in this:
My Visa is now crying dusty tears. Excuse me while I go sell my kidney.
Prior to their arrival, Kim emailed us asking for recommendations of what to do/see/eat in Frankfurt. I think she was expecting a list of cool, unique sights along with some of the usual touristy sights that are requisite in any big city. That wasn't what she got.
Frankfurt is about an hour to an hour and a half away from us (depending on how fast you go down the Autobahn and how bad traffic is once you actually get within the city limits). The closest Apple store to us is there. Most of our trips to Frankfurt coincide with me breaking an iPhone. We also use our trips there as an excuse to get away from our community and just have a relaxing overnight trip and get some Starbucks. Also, Chipotle opened in Frankfurt on September 9th and we have been so excited to try it so we told them that was an absolute must. (Before you judge us too harshly, remember that Terry hasn't lived in the United States for a little over 5 years and for me it's been just over 3 years.)
We met them at their hotel and took a cab to Chipotle (10€ for 4 people- basically cost the same as it would have to take the Ubahn- Frankfurt's subway system). When we got there, we could hardly contain our excitement and of course started taking pictures of the outside of the damn building:
 |
| Wthout meaning to, we both posted this same picture on facebook with the caption Finally!!!!! at almost the same instant. What can I say? We were excited! |
Justin and Kim couldn't stop laughing and shaking their heads. We got inside and after a quick glance at the menu, they got sticker shock. Honestly, after living here for over 3 years, we don't even notice it any more. It was 9€ for a burrito or a bowl (don't even talk to me about how much they cost in the States) so they decided to split one. No way were we going to share! Drinks were obscenely expensive. I'm talking 4€ for a bottled water or Coke expensive. What are they putting in there? Gold-plated foie gras flakes? We decided to pass. We both got steak burritos and an order of chips and salsa. 20€. Ouch. I'd be lying if I said they weren't worth every single euro cent.
 |
| just look at those happy faces! |
Chipotle is in a brand new mall that just opened on August 31st, so Kim and I walked around for a bit while the boys sat behind and talked about beer. No luck shopping but we did have to stop by for a drink at Starbucks. It seemed just mean of them to have this adorable pumpkin but not to actually have pumpkin spice lattes. He was cute so I semi forgave them.
Post-Starbucks, we took another 10€ cab ride back to their hotel. (I'll take "World's Priciest Burrito for $200, Alex.) After some beers (guys) and wine (girls) in their room, we decided it was time for dinner. (I'm skipping ahead a bit but just pretend I mentioned the part where we took them shopping to show them the good gummy bears and chocolate and beer to bring back home, k?) They asked for a recommendation for dinner. We told them we don't eat German food. In Germany. Hardly ever. (We went to a highly recommended German restaurant in Frankfurt once. The menu had pictures of what animal was in the dish. We ordered something that had a cow next to it. Apparently a picture of a cow is German for "three strips of bacon." We gave up. It's hard being pretty much the only living Jews in Germany. Or some days it seems like it.) So we recommended an Italian place and a Thai place. Shockingly enough, after 2 weeks in Italy they weren't looking forward to Italian food in Germany, so to Thai we went. It was fantastic. Insert another pre-dinner stop at a store for beer/chocolate/marzipan here.
After dinner, it was time for dessert, and wanting to provide our American visitors with the true German experience, only one place would do.
 |
| Please excuse the hot mess look here- it had been raining all.day.long in true German fashion. |
By the time we were done with Donut-gate it was after 10pm and we still had a long drive ahead of us followed by Terry needing to be at work at 7am the next time so after many hugs (girls) and half man-hug, half handshake combos (guys), we parted ways.
I skipped over a few moments in this post, but Justin and Kim, I just want to say that we had so much fun with you on Wednesday and I am so so glad we got to see you! So glad we were able to provide you with the true, local, German experience.
All of these expat adventures resulted in this:
My Visa is now crying dusty tears. Excuse me while I go sell my kidney.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Happy Birthday
Terry- I love you as much as I love a good Shackburger and am so excited to spend tomorrow eating our way through Frankfurt with you and for many more days filled with yummy food and many laughs and good memories. Thank you for being my rock and armchair therapist/bartender when I'm down.
*Not that I'm biased or anything.
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