For those of you curious enough to read everything on this page, you'll see a list of things I'd like to do. One of the items is a trip to China and speaking Chinese.
That list contains the "big things." In order to actually accomplish anything big, there are little things you have to do. Life is like exercise. You must start slow and work your way up slowly. So, to realize my goal of going to China and speaking Chinese, I'm re-learning German. Confused?
Take a look at these two "happy" kids in Goeppingen, Germany wearing Bavarian hats. That's me and my brother, Jim (as he and everyone else in the world, except me, refers to him) circa 1960. I'm not quite sure what that expression is on my face. Something between unhappiness and resolve. I recognize my brother's expression. My mother or father had just said, "Smile!" and he, as usual, responded with the most grotesque expression he could muster just to annoy them. Fooled him, didn't they? They recorded this moment forever and now I'm sharing it with you.
Back to my story. You remember that we were a military family and my parents (two kids from Brooklyn) were determined that we would take advantage of every opportunity to get to know the culture, the landscape and the people of any country in which we were stationed. Hence, the Bavarian hats. We were off for yet another six-hour Sunday drive through the German countryside. Our parents always promised us German ice cream and pretzels to get us into the car without a fight. I think my parents wanted us to blend in, but since we hardly ever got out of the car, it never really mattered. And, by the way, we only got the pretzels and ice cream about 50 percent of the time.
Not that it was all bad. There were lots of memorable moments. I remember picnics on German hillsides overlooking what still looked like hamlets straight out of stories by the brothers Grimm. "See that town?" my mother would say, "That's Bremen." or "See that castle? That's supposed to be Sleeping Beauty's castle."
My father focused on other lessons, which tended to be military in nature. "Look at that river, those two mountains and the valley in between. Imagine 50 tanks..." and we'd get a lesson in the logistics of moving armored divisions across Europe.
But, I digress. While in Germany, I learned German and later (while we were in Taiwan) I picked up Mandarin. The languages still come to me from time to time. My kids are used to finding me watching Chinese opera or listening to German news on television. I'd like to be fluent again.
So, I'm going to re-learn both languages as a step toward that big goal of getting to China. I'm going to start with German because I remember more of that and it comes easily to me. Besides, my brothers, father and I have talked of the entire family going to Germany to revisit our old haunts.
This time, I'm going to have all the German pretzels and ice cream I want.
Mother Children Over 50 50 Plus Women Empty Nest Family Downsizing Life Boomers
cool plan!
love the pictures!
natalie
Posted by: natalie | July 19, 2006 at 12:58 AM