Getting Our Swole On

(Grandma and Grannie Annie – the title of this blog just means “where we work out.”) 🙂 As many of you know, Brian and I are kind of workout fiends. By “kind of workout fiends,” what I really mean is that I probably owe many of you an apology for the daily Facebook reminder that…

Buying a Bicycle in Freiburg

As Erin mentioned in a previous post, bicycles are a big deal around here.  It seems that almost everyone rides them, and there are often more bikes than cars on the roads.  We definitely wanted to join the two-wheeled party, and decided to buy a pair of bikes. One option was the many cycling stores…

The Most Indirect Way to Get a Job – Ever

Just over a year ago, in anticipation of possibly moving abroad at some point, Brian and I enrolled in and completed a 120-hour online TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) course. From the get go, we knew that our best chance at getting a job overseas was going to be as an English teacher.…

Why Oven-Warm Bread Is Such A Treat

Freshly baked bread is a big deal around here, and there are bakeries on nearly every corner.  For us, the brötchen (small rolls) provide an inexpensive and filling snack, and we’ve probably each eaten 20 or so of them in the two weeks that we’ve been in Germany. There is a clear distinction to be…

Beer is Literally Cheaper Than Water

I’ve heard it before, but always as part of a clichĂ© about Germans. “Germans love cars and rules and beer. They like beer so much, it’s cheaper than water!” But as with all stereotypes, there is some truth. In some places, it is in fact MUCH cheaper to drink beer than water. Our first night…

Preparing to Move to Germany

Getting ready to move to Germany required a long list of things that needed to be taken care of.  And each time we checked something off, dozens more appeared (or so it seemed).  Who would’ve thought that moving to another country takes so much effort and planning! First, we needed to decide where in Germany…