So this morning I went to meet up with some of my favorite ladies here in Germany, and we decided to walk the castle, have some morning coffee at the Castle Cafe, and then Jackson played in one of the courtyards as the ladies sketched and waterpainted. As Jackson and I were walking back through the castle to head home for nap time, I couldn't help but think this is what Hogwarts must be like.
Those of you who know me good know I am a Harry Potter fanatic, and I am not ashamed to admit it. So as we strolled of course automatically the theme song began playing in my head, and I may have even started humming it a little bit (which I am now doing as I type this.) Now while I realize I will not be learning Defense Against the Dark Arts, playing Quidditch, or getting items to levitate by saying Wingardium Leviosa, I do get to say that I live right down the road from a castle that has many similarities to Hogwarts. Here are some of the main similarities:
-both sit up on a hill overlooking a valley and town: here it is Burghausen there it is Hogsmeade
-both have a lake that sits below it, however I do not believe we have any Mermaids in the Wohrsee, but then again I have not gone swimming there yet.
-both have all sort of passageways, small little doors that you wonder where they may lead to (perhaps the dungeons, and both have a tower ( though I do not think they keep owls in the one here).
-both have train stations
So as I continue to live out this storybook adventure here in Germany all I can say is the muggles are all very nice for the most part, the scenery is amazing, and to the best of my recollection there are no Dementors! I am loving it!!!!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming.....
Ok, yes so I know this posting is long overdue, and I promise from here on out I am going to do a much better job of posting on a regular basis. I have been swimming and swimming through this great big ocean of Germany, and this is the first time I have finally gotten a chance to take a breather. So to sum up what all you have missed in the Hardin Haus since my last posting I will focus on the highlights....
-Ich lerne Deutsch or for you English speakers/readers I am learning German. This is part of the reason for my lapse in writing, as I now have 1:1 German lessons twice a week and she comes during Jackson's nap time (aka my blog writing time). I am loving this and it is so helpful. Though I have to say I am so glad I had been using the Rosetta Stone before I started these lessons. I highly recommend the Rosetta Stone, and as my German teacher said, Wow that really works. You know a lot of German already. Yeah me!!!! My goal is to be close to fluent when we leave.
-So no matter what country you live in or what language you speak, I guarantee Jackson will want to be your friend. Everywhere we go he makes new friends, well at least I am assuming they are friendly as most of the time I really have no idea what they are telling my son. He continues to rake in the freebies and smooze the waitstaff to bring him toys to play with or allow him to wander around their restaurant. He is now starting to say hello and goodbye in German, but we have not quite mastered it yet.
-So much to see, in so little time. There really is so much to do and see here. From the vacation destinations to the little town 10 minutes down the road that you never even knew was there. Around every corner it seems lies another hidden treasure. We are staying busy by trying to do as much as we can while we are here, because we have already realized that our time here is going to fly by and we will be returning back to the United States before we know it!
-German Movie Theaters SOOOOO NOT the same as going to the American movie theater, except for maybe the fact that they both show movies. First of all, here in Germany you get an assigned seat in the theater..boo to that! Second, they show like one preview then 7 commercials, and then another preview followed by seven more commercials, with 5 of the 14 commercials being merely for cigarettes! Finally the Worst thing about German movie theaters is the popcorn. None of that delicious golden, buttery stuff we have all comed to love back home. No, you get a pre made bag or what taste like bad microwave popcorn that has been sitting their on their shelf all day. Yuck! However, I will say if you like gummy bears they have a huge assortment of gummy products to buy!
Well, I here little man waking up so that is my cue to wrap things up. Keep a look out for my next posting as I continue to keep swimming....
-Ich lerne Deutsch or for you English speakers/readers I am learning German. This is part of the reason for my lapse in writing, as I now have 1:1 German lessons twice a week and she comes during Jackson's nap time (aka my blog writing time). I am loving this and it is so helpful. Though I have to say I am so glad I had been using the Rosetta Stone before I started these lessons. I highly recommend the Rosetta Stone, and as my German teacher said, Wow that really works. You know a lot of German already. Yeah me!!!! My goal is to be close to fluent when we leave.
-So no matter what country you live in or what language you speak, I guarantee Jackson will want to be your friend. Everywhere we go he makes new friends, well at least I am assuming they are friendly as most of the time I really have no idea what they are telling my son. He continues to rake in the freebies and smooze the waitstaff to bring him toys to play with or allow him to wander around their restaurant. He is now starting to say hello and goodbye in German, but we have not quite mastered it yet.
-So much to see, in so little time. There really is so much to do and see here. From the vacation destinations to the little town 10 minutes down the road that you never even knew was there. Around every corner it seems lies another hidden treasure. We are staying busy by trying to do as much as we can while we are here, because we have already realized that our time here is going to fly by and we will be returning back to the United States before we know it!
-German Movie Theaters SOOOOO NOT the same as going to the American movie theater, except for maybe the fact that they both show movies. First of all, here in Germany you get an assigned seat in the theater..boo to that! Second, they show like one preview then 7 commercials, and then another preview followed by seven more commercials, with 5 of the 14 commercials being merely for cigarettes! Finally the Worst thing about German movie theaters is the popcorn. None of that delicious golden, buttery stuff we have all comed to love back home. No, you get a pre made bag or what taste like bad microwave popcorn that has been sitting their on their shelf all day. Yuck! However, I will say if you like gummy bears they have a huge assortment of gummy products to buy!
Well, I here little man waking up so that is my cue to wrap things up. Keep a look out for my next posting as I continue to keep swimming....
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The Land of the Free
So I know most of you from back home are probably thinking "oh the land of the free, that is the United States." However, for Jackson the land of the free is definitely Germany. It seems like everytime we go somewhere they are here little boy have this ( and no not in a creepy would you like some candy little boy kind of way.) So I have decided I am going to keep track of all the things he gets for free while he is here and at the end I will total the estimated value. I will update this post as he receives gifts.
FREE STUFF FOR JACKSON
-donut from bakery
-cheese pretzel from bakery
-cloth bag from grocery store
-matchbox car from grocery store
-chocolate bar from Italian restaurant
FREE STUFF FOR JACKSON
-donut from bakery
-cheese pretzel from bakery
-cloth bag from grocery store
-matchbox car from grocery store
-chocolate bar from Italian restaurant
Gnomes, Elves, and Fairy tales....
So living over here is Germany, I have found myself saying that it feels like I am in a fairy tale. You have these big castles, medieval looking architecture on some buildings, and what look like gingerbread houses right out of Hansel and Gretel.
The one thing I can not figure out though is why inside everything is so close to the ground.....washing machine, dishwasher, beds, couches, toilets. You name it and it is probably only about 3-4 inches off the ground if it does not sit directly on it. It is not like there are a whole bunch of really short people running around Germany. In fact, a lot of people here are pretty tall. So why the shortness ask the 6 foot tall woman?
Here is my theory: I am convinced that there are little gnomes in leiderhosen who come in during the night and do laundry and clean, and then when you leave the house during the day they make the beds and clean under the furniture. My only question now is where do I sign up for them and/or how long do you have to live in Germany before they start working? Is it a union thing or just independent contractors....who knows. So for now I guess I will just have to keep waiting and doing the cleaning myself.
The one thing I can not figure out though is why inside everything is so close to the ground.....washing machine, dishwasher, beds, couches, toilets. You name it and it is probably only about 3-4 inches off the ground if it does not sit directly on it. It is not like there are a whole bunch of really short people running around Germany. In fact, a lot of people here are pretty tall. So why the shortness ask the 6 foot tall woman?
Here is my theory: I am convinced that there are little gnomes in leiderhosen who come in during the night and do laundry and clean, and then when you leave the house during the day they make the beds and clean under the furniture. My only question now is where do I sign up for them and/or how long do you have to live in Germany before they start working? Is it a union thing or just independent contractors....who knows. So for now I guess I will just have to keep waiting and doing the cleaning myself.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Honeymoon is Over.....
So they told us when we got here that we would have a honeymoon period where everything seemed great and everything you did was so exciting, but then it would end at some point. It was only a matter of when. I originally thought nahhhhh that is not ever going to happen to me while I am here, but unfortunately it did today.
It was just one of those days where one thing kept going wrong after another......having to deal with the car insurance, Jackson screaming throughout the grocery store, yogurt spilling all over the floor, people getting better offers than doing stuff with you, getting ready for that time of the month.....just not the way to start the week.
In light of all this it has made me extremely greatful for all of the things that no matter where I am living I still have: my loving husband, my wonderful son, an amazing family, and the best friends back home in the United States that I could ever ask for.
So while the honeymoon is over and the excitment of my arrival to Germany has settled, I see it not as an ending but as the start of a new phase of actually LIVING life here in Germany. This is when I feel the true adventure truly begins.......
It was just one of those days where one thing kept going wrong after another......having to deal with the car insurance, Jackson screaming throughout the grocery store, yogurt spilling all over the floor, people getting better offers than doing stuff with you, getting ready for that time of the month.....just not the way to start the week.
In light of all this it has made me extremely greatful for all of the things that no matter where I am living I still have: my loving husband, my wonderful son, an amazing family, and the best friends back home in the United States that I could ever ask for.
So while the honeymoon is over and the excitment of my arrival to Germany has settled, I see it not as an ending but as the start of a new phase of actually LIVING life here in Germany. This is when I feel the true adventure truly begins.......
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Ode to German Plumbing by Amanda Hardin
German Plumbing, Oh German Plumbing
I hate you, you stink
First it was my toilet, and now my sink.
If only your plumbing was as good as your brats,
but instead all of your pipes are tied up in knots.
I'd rather take baths
with 100 electric eels,
or eat live crickets for every meal,
hand feed a lion,
or pet 10 porcupines
then see one more plumber,
the Hausmaster assigns.
German Plumbing, Oh German Plumbing
Your giving me fits
At this point it might be easier
if you didn't even exist.
German Plumbing, Oh German Plumbing
we will try one more time,
but if this doesn't work
WATCH OUT YOUR MINE!
***Bonus points if you can identify the poem I used to base this off of
I hate you, you stink
First it was my toilet, and now my sink.
If only your plumbing was as good as your brats,
but instead all of your pipes are tied up in knots.
I'd rather take baths
with 100 electric eels,
or eat live crickets for every meal,
hand feed a lion,
or pet 10 porcupines
then see one more plumber,
the Hausmaster assigns.
German Plumbing, Oh German Plumbing
Your giving me fits
At this point it might be easier
if you didn't even exist.
German Plumbing, Oh German Plumbing
we will try one more time,
but if this doesn't work
WATCH OUT YOUR MINE!
***Bonus points if you can identify the poem I used to base this off of
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Bowling in Burghausen ( or at least in the little town right next to it)
So last night I went bowling with the Women's Breakfast group that they have here in Burghausen. It was quite the experience. I have broken down the main points of interest for you from last night and have included some pictures:
Music: On the plus side I was able to sing along with almost every song that the played in the bowling alley; however, the down side was because I had listened to these songs when I was in the fifth grade. We had a nice medley that included but was not limited to the following songs: Ice, Ice Baby, Me So Horny, Music from Night at the Roxbury, Sweet Home Alabama, and many more. Now I will say I believe I did hear two songs in German- one sounded like a song from Titanic and the other one involved you making gestures like you were swimming. I am not sure which was worse.
Food: Now I will admit I do not expect any form of gourmet dining when I order food from a bowling alley, but this was pretty bad. Perhaps I should not have ordered nachos in Germany and at bowling alley, but I thought how hard could it be to make chips with cheeses on them??? Apparently this is a very difficult task in Germany and you should just stick to ordering meat, cheese, and bread. They usually do those three things very well.
Drinks: I can honestly say this is the first time I have gone to a bowling alley that has a FULL bar. Sure back home you can get a pitcher of beer, but that is about your max. There is even a button on each lane that you hit for service ( i actually hit this when our bowling pins froze up thinking they would service the lane, when actually a waitress showed up instead!). They even give away free drinks. At one point they announced that the next person to get a strike gets a free Sex on the Beach. I am happy to report that someone from our group did win this! Leave it the Americans to win the free drinks!
Overall, it was a blast. I ended the night in three intense games of Air Hockey, which I am happy to report I won all three in a clean sweep, 9-4/9-3/9-5. Sorry LeAna. Better luck next time!
Music: On the plus side I was able to sing along with almost every song that the played in the bowling alley; however, the down side was because I had listened to these songs when I was in the fifth grade. We had a nice medley that included but was not limited to the following songs: Ice, Ice Baby, Me So Horny, Music from Night at the Roxbury, Sweet Home Alabama, and many more. Now I will say I believe I did hear two songs in German- one sounded like a song from Titanic and the other one involved you making gestures like you were swimming. I am not sure which was worse.
Food: Now I will admit I do not expect any form of gourmet dining when I order food from a bowling alley, but this was pretty bad. Perhaps I should not have ordered nachos in Germany and at bowling alley, but I thought how hard could it be to make chips with cheeses on them??? Apparently this is a very difficult task in Germany and you should just stick to ordering meat, cheese, and bread. They usually do those three things very well.
Drinks: I can honestly say this is the first time I have gone to a bowling alley that has a FULL bar. Sure back home you can get a pitcher of beer, but that is about your max. There is even a button on each lane that you hit for service ( i actually hit this when our bowling pins froze up thinking they would service the lane, when actually a waitress showed up instead!). They even give away free drinks. At one point they announced that the next person to get a strike gets a free Sex on the Beach. I am happy to report that someone from our group did win this! Leave it the Americans to win the free drinks!
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