Washington State is known for its abundance of delicious apple varieties. To its first incorporated city, Steilacoom, apples mean even more. After all, it was pioneer Nathaniel Orr who brought along the knowledge about orchards and the idea of commercializing them. The Steilacoom Apple Squeeze has been celebrating these facts – and, above all, apples […]
Home from Home: Mission Irma
My husband and I had planned to fly out to Florida to help set up hurricane protection for a family member of ours in September. We didn’t make it in time. Hurricane Irma beat us by half a week. It didn’t change our will to go. It made us even more adamant about our mission.
Home from Home: Homesickness
“Aren’t you homesick? What about Germany do you miss most?” These are probably the questions I’ve been asked most often after coming over here. And I almost feel like a traitor when I reply “No” and “Nothing”. In the age of lightfast communication and worldwide import/exports, with a bit of imagination and improvisation, you can […]
Home from Home: Traveling
“I would love to travel there!” How often do I hear this after I have just let somebody know that I am from Germany?! Believe me: almost weekly and mostly from people of working age. I never ask why they don’t simply do it. I have long realized that there is quite a difference in […]
Home from Home: Crabbing
It’s over. For most areas in Western Washington, crabbing season this year ended on September 4. And though it has its smelly challenges at times, I’ll really miss doing it until next year’s crabbing marks the summer season again. Which means a lot to come from a city girl who learned how to crab only […]
Home from Home: Friends
Emigration means cutting off a lot of roots. It disrupts your job and deeply affects your family and friends. The change from having a social life in your old surroundings to having none at all in your new ones, at first, is a natural given. But it also is a chance to shed people who […]
Home from Home: Total Solar Eclipse
The event was going to be mind-blowing. I was completely prepared for it weeks ahead. And then the day was there. I clocked out of the office, went outside, and watched it, totally stunned. It was incredible and unforgettable. Well, in a way, it isn’t a lie.
Home from Home: Barbecue
When I grew up, the term Barbecue or BBQ for putting something onto the grill was yet unknown in Germany. My family, as so many Germans, used to live in apartment buildings from anything between 6 to over 20 units, and barbecuing was something strictly regulated there. Every unit had a fixed number of BBQ […]
Home from Home: Where There Is Smoke …
Last week has left quite an impression of hazy skies, surreal sun-downs, orange-gray landscapes, burning eyes, breathing difficulties, and scratchy throats with many of us. Smoke was blown into Western Washington from wildfires in British Columbia, and I would rather not imagine what it must have been like there. Meanwhile, we have had our own […]