Adjustments, Adjustments.

Hey everyone:)
I am sorry I did not update all weekend, Saturday was busy, and Sunday was lazy. I have been here in Germany for nearly a week now, and there have been many many things to get used to! I thought i'd share.

Obviously, one of the biggest things has been the whole learning a new language thing.I know quite a bit, and have learned some this week, but I realize I still have much to learn. German is a difficult language, and I am intimidated by it. Somedays I feel confident that I will learn enough to get a job in 3 months, other times, I feel like it is near impossible. It is frustrating to watch tv, because I cannot understand it. It is also difficult to sit with the family. Don't get me wrong, I love them. But it is hard to have a conversation with people when you only understand a few words out of every sentence. I am praying that I start picking up more, and that I get more comfortable speaking it. Honestly, I feel like a huge dork whenever I say something in german :)

Another big adjustment is food and eating times. In the states, we generally eat 3 meals a day, dinner being the meal that is usually cooked and the whole family is present. Here, you eat a light breakfast, sometimes a second breakfast( or light snack), and lunch. Lunch here is the main event. My boyfriends mother cooks a lovely meal around noon, and that is our big meal of the day. She cooks even when the whole fmaily is not present. Whomever is home eats when it's hot, and the rest is left on the table for the others to heat up whenever they arrive home from school or work. They also leave alot of things at room temperature. For example, yesterday's lunch is sitting on the stove...not in the refridgerator. This seemed odd to me at first, but it isn't bad, and I haven't gotten sick or anything from it. They eat ALOT of bread here as well. We are talking a good 3 times daily. I am trying to get into a healthy pattern, because my body is a little overwhelemed by all of the bread. Every beverage here is carbonated, too. All of the water as well. I mean, you can get 'stilles wasser' (uncarbonated water), but when you ask for it, people look at you like you are nuts. That's fine by me, I hate carbonation :p

Other things I miss are my dog, my family, mexican food, and the familiarity of my old home. But, I am also loving my new home and trying to adapt. Speaking of my new home...

My boyfriend and I bought living room furniture last week. It was so exciting! We bought a black leather couch, a matching leather chair, and a glass coffee table. We are thinking maybe white walls? We want to go with a  modern theme. Any suggestions for walls and carpet?
X's and O's,
Amanda

Counting My Blessings

Hello Beautiful Ones,
Today, I suddenly felt inspired to write this post. It probably sounds a little sappy, and Thanksgiving may be over, but I am feeling overwhelemed by how blessed I am. I have so much to be thankful for, and I feel that I don't express it enough sometimes. So, I thought what better place to do so than here?

I am so beyond thankful for my new life. As many of you know(or should), I just moved to Germany from the United States. While some aspects of moving here have been a little intimidating( learning a new language anyone?), I can never express how grateful I am to have a fresh start. I am in a place where I have no history. Nobody can hold my past mistakes against me. I have a chance to completely be myself without anyone ruining it, because not many know me here. I have needed a fresh start for a long time in my life. What a gift.

I am thankful for my friends and family. I couldn't have asked for a better family, or set of friends. They are all such wonderful people. They have pulled me through alot, and probably five me more credit than I deserve. I am surrouded by such loving people.

I am thankful for my health. I have wasted too many years loathing my body wishing for it to be better, etc. But I have often forgotten to be thankful that I am a healthy person. I have taken my body for granted, and been blind to all of the amazing things it can do. All of the times I have been down about my body, I have forgotten that it could be much worse. So many others in this world suffer from deadly illnesses, deformations, accidents, and many health issues. I realize that I have it pretty good, and I will never forget that again.

I am thankful for all that I have. Such a blessing to have clean water, enough food, and a warm roof over my head. We all wish for finer things, but so many others in the world are hungry, drinking contaminated water, etc. I know how lucky I am to be in the position I am today.

This sounds weird, but I am thankful for all of my mistakes and unfortunate events in my life. Especially last year, I went through alot of things that were difficult to deal with. I have made so many mistakes in the past. But all of these trying times and mistakes helped get me to the wonderful place I am in today. They made me realize how strong of a person I am. I wouldn't take any of it back.

I am SO blessed that I met the love of my life. Many people search for a very long time, or forever to find their soulmate. The One. I am so beyond lucky to have found the love of my life. Andre has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. Everyday, I am reminded how lucky I am to have such a beautiful person by my side. He truly sees my heart, and understands me. He makes me laugh, he makes me think. He showed me what is was to really trust someone and let them in. He deals with me even when I am being a total pain. He has showed me what it means to love someone so much that it hurts. He has a big heart, and an award-winning smile. Andre came into my life at a very low point in my life. He changed everything for the better. I am thankful that we are finally living our fairytale together, and I am excited for the years to come. Thanks for eveything, Andre. I love you forever<3

I know, I know. Sappy, right? But I had to get it out. Instead of focusing on the negatives, we should always remember all of the things we have, and be thankful. What are YOU thankful for?
X's and O's,
Amanda