ways of the land

( so close, but still a nice little thought I'm reminded of daily on our walks)

I'm slowly learning the ways of the German land and sometimes I've learned it the hard way.

Lesson #1. Not every store accepts credit cards. Some only takes euros. I learned this my first night here. I was at the grocery with our new friends, the Schultzes. After all my groceries were rung up, and I couldn't speak a lick of German, I began to pull out one card at a time thinking one of the three would work. Not so much. Cash only. My new friends paid for the groceries...awkward. They like cash here, checks are unheard of, and my credit cards are very rarely accepted.

Lesson #2. All stores close early. I learned this the hard way. One evening I got a migraine and I sent Rick to the store for some advil. Wait, what?! the grocery store is closed? its 8 o'clock! Side note-on Saturday most stores close at 1pm (we learned this the hard way one afternoon with three very hungry children in tow). And no stores are opened on Sunday.

By 11 o'clock I was desperate, "please rick there has to be a gas station open somewhere." Gas stations always carry advil. Um, no, the gas stations close around 9pm. And advil isn't even sold at gas stations. Advil isn't even at the grocery store or at a store similar to a Rite Aid or Walgreens. No my friends, it is sold at an Apotheke, which is a pharmacy that closes even earlier and is its own separate store and in a completely different part of town. And when you have a migraine this is not in the least optimal.

Lesson #3. The Deutsche Bahn-my first time riding alone with the kids. One Friday afternoon, I hopped on the train ticketless with the three kids (not wanting to miss it) thinking I'll pay the "ticket-checking-guy" for my 2 euro ticket when he comes through. Well, no that is not the way things work. The man does not sell tickets, he checks them. I ended up getting fined 40 euros. FORTY euros! Despite my "I'm not from here" pleadings and "Can I just get off at the next stop and buy a ticket." Ah, Germans are ones for order and rules. Lets just say, I was fighting back the tears as I saw 40 euros (that's about 60 dollars mind you) flushed down the toilet, so to speak.

Lesson #4. More Lessons at the grocery store: one, you need 1 euro to use a grocery cart-I've made a few extra trips due to that minor detail. Two, you bring your own grocery bags. They do not offer plastic/paper bags. Due to my absent-mindness, I've on multiple occasions had to stuff my purse and Jane's bike seat.

Lesson #5. No eating in the chapel. Learned this my second Sunday at church as Matthew is happily stuffing his mouth with food. Food is one way to keep Matthew busy and quiet. A lady next to me leaned over and explained the rules. Fortunately, I did not get reprimanded by the elderly Germans, she told me, which would have been far worse. Either way, I was horribly embarrassed and discouraged by being asked to put it away.

These are only a few of many and I'm sure there will be many more lessons to learn. And I'll have many more embarrassing situations. However, as for now, I'm enjoying my kids and our simple life here in Germany.