I lived in Germany for four years. I don't know a coherent word of German but the country left its mark on me.
We moved overseas in 1997; my dad was in the Air Force and had recieved orders to the NATO base in Geilenkirchen. by the time we had landed we had already made friends with the people sitting in front of us, the Dahls, who were also stationed in Geilenkirchen. During the four years we lived there I went to the international school on base. Those were some of the best years of my life. I can probably name off every kid I went to school with, we were all that close. I remember we all were into Pokemon and Digimon, even the girls, so we'd always be collecting and trading cards. I hate to say it but I still have all of my cards, a whole binder full, and I don't plan on giving them away anytime soon.
Since we were overseas, it was easy to travel. From what I can remember we went to Paris, Holland, Italy, Bitburg AFB(Air Force Base), and Ramstein AFB. My mother went to Poland on numerous occasions and brought back a crapton of Polish Pottery, my dad was sent out to Greece, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. We traveled alot when we were over there but it sucks because I have trouble remembering everything. I hate it when my parents say we went somewhere and I can't remember going. They say it still counts, but it doesn't. It just doesn't... Although I do remember going to Disneyland Paris. That was fun.
The worst part about being in Germany was not being able to see family. We went back home a few times but those international flights are a pain in the ass. I remember getting a call one night. It was my grandfather, we talked for a little bit. I told him I loved him and then handed the phone over to my mother. She talked to him for a little bit and then hung up. A few minutes later we got a call from my grandmother; my grandfather had died. Now, that I look back at that conversation I had with him I realize that he was on his deathbed and that he was calling from the hospital. I never really thought of it that way until now.
Wherever you go there will be goods memories made, bad memories made, and then there are the ones that stand out amongst the rest. Here are the ones that I remember:
- We lived by cows, dairy cows to be exact. Everytime my mother would walk out of the house, if those sows were out ther, they would run up to the fence and start mooing at her. Here's the kicker, they only did it to her, nobody else.
- We were the only Americans on our street. It was obvious during Christmastime as we were the only ones with lights on our house. The Germans don't decorate their houses for Christmas so we stood out. So much in fact that if someone droove by our house they would either slow down or turn around to look at out house.
- The first house we had in Germany was haunted. By the old town butcher. Honest to Blog. This house was old and you could tell it was haunted. We all had different experiences with the ghost. My dad would always hear footsteps whe he was the only one home, my mother saw the ghost standing over her with a kinfe, and I'm pretty sure the thing stabbed me. I hated that house. We all did.
