Stress, Searching, and Anticipation

17 days…

One month out was pretty exciting. I started Flourishing in Deutschland and began the countdown. Entering August was slightly terrifying, as we were in our moving month. But something about hitting the 3 week mark on Sunday took the terrifying to a new level. We’re so close.

As we’ve approached this move over the past several months, we’ve been cycling between fear and excitement. Fear that something might go wrong, followed by unbearable excitement for weeks on end. Why can’t the move just be here! Sure there is a ton of stuff that still needs to be done, but it’ll get done. I just wanted to move on to the next phase of my life already!

But now we are solidly in an stressed and terrified phase. While I hope not, we may well be here until we move on August 30. On top of the packing, the organizing, the storing, and figuring out all the forms, insurance, banking, etc, we still need a place to live.

We luckily have somewhere to stay when we first get there. We have found an organic farm in the area where we can work in exchange for room and board, also called WWOOFing. I am really excited about this – organic food, fresh eggs from chickens, and a family to help us get settled. While they won’t be able to do much, just the support of not being on our own will be so helpful. Unfortunately we can only stay for two weeks, a month max. We have to work 6 hours a day, which will be difficult for William to keep up when he starts school on September 15th, and for me when I start German classes in October.

But as we’ve been searching for a permanent apartment, we are coming up dry. The WGs (flatshares) we’ve contacted are either taken or the owner doesn’t think there is enough room for a married couple. Which I kind of agree with. As helpful as roommates would be, it definitely might be a bit tight! We’ve had people tell us that we need to visit the apartment next week (even though we of course are still in America). We’ve had people tell us that the flat is too small for us (when it is actually the perfect size). But mostly, we received silence. I’d say a good 80% of the places we’ve contacted did not respond at all.

So we continue searching. And stressing. And waiting. And longing for all of this preparation to be over, and to finally be settled in Germany.

Just 17 more days until we get on that plane…

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3 Comments

  1. Sharon

    At the age of 52, my husband and I moved to Germany for 3 1/2 years. The first few months took some “getting use to” but after that it was home. Haven’t read your previous blogs so I am not sure what area of Germany you will be living but it was very easy to communicate, especially in the areas that were part of the American sector after WWII because those people all take English (it will be British English, but that is OK) beginning in 3rd grade. At 52 my brain just didn’t want to learn German. George Bernard Shaw said “Live is too short to learn German” and I agreed with him. We were fluent in “menu” and knew always what we were eating. It has been 13 years since we returned to the USA and I continue to miss our life in Germany and the wonderful friends that we made. Have a GREAT time!

    Reply
    1. Chloe (Post author)

      Thank you, Sharon! It is great to hear that you had such a wonderful time there. Did you move for work? We will be living in Southern Bavaria. It’s a small town, but most people do speak English there. That will be very nice at first! I already know a little German and I have been wanting to improve it for a long time.

      Reply
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