Farewell

July 24, 2006 at 10:54 AM

The time has come when I must depart the dear German city of Heidelberg. The community opened up their arms and welcomed my family and me in. I will miss:

- Seeing pretty, old buidlings.
- Walks in the Odenwald.
- Going to basketball practice.
- Speaking German.
- Play pick-up games of Fussball (soccer; football is the real word).
- Good bread/chocolate/cake/food in general.
- Having hours to practice.
- My violin teacher, Mrs. Nielsson.
- My new German friends.
- The attic room.
- Fußgängerzones.
- Döner imbiss.
- Those mega-words like Volkshochschule or Lebensmittlegeschäft or siebzehntausendvierhundertfünf...

I am also looking forward to many things:

- Seeing my friends in Kansas.
- Meeting Karin and Colleen.
- Seeing Pippin!!
- California (family, beach, etc.).
- Our house.
- Seeing my violin teacher I have had since I was eight, Mrs. Lewis.
- E-mailing Oprah...from the US.
- Air conditioning

I’ve also learned several things:

- I am going to miss Germany.
- My friends are very important.
- My dog is very special to me.
- Joshua Bell is really nice.
- It is possible to create a new, happy life even if you completely abandon your previous one.
- Public transportation is great.
- Janine Jansen is a super violinist.
- Bolero is boring.
- The second movement of the Bruch is gorgeous.
- Tokio Hotel is...er...not my style.
- I love Fussgängerzones.
- Nothing beats German meadows.
- Switzerland is probably one of the prettiest places in the world.
- I have a secret ability to communicate with cows.
- Desdemonda is a computer prodigy.
- If you are in Europe, there is a chance Bram will show up on your doorstep.

Goodbye, Germany. I’ll miss you, but I’ll be sure to return.

From Colleen Russo
Posted on July 24, 2006 at 2:00 PM

Wow... i remember when you first told me a LONG time ago that you were possibly going to be living in germany for half a year... and omg, you've already DONE it and you're COMING HOME!!!!!

I am looking foward to these things most....
~being able to talk on cell phones, instead of Aim, skype and email
~me coming to Kansas in september 06 hopefully
~us going to chicago in november 06 for ASM
~you coming to Iowa city in Jan 07 for Josh bell!
~me coming to kansas in jan 08 for josh bell!

wow...yay... itll be amazing!!!

:D :D :D

From bill _
Posted on July 24, 2006 at 2:36 PM

The nostalgia is thick. If I was evem more of a sap, I'd be crying right now;-)

Seriously though, what a great experience. It was fun for us too, to see the Blinde Kuh & c.

That kuechen looks zer gut. Kanne Ich habe ein slice, bitte?

From Sydney Menees
Posted on July 24, 2006 at 6:03 PM

Wenn du willst, du kannst ein stück haben ;-)

From Karin Lin
Posted on July 24, 2006 at 8:52 PM

It's dürfen, folks, not können....

Yeah, it does seem like just yesterday you were announcing your big move, Sydney! Ah, how time flies. And I'm looking forward to meeting you too!

From Kelsey Z.
Posted on July 24, 2006 at 10:16 PM

I hope you have an awesome trip back, Sydney! Yeah, it does seem like just yesterday that you left and now you're coming back. Crazy. I feel old now. Maybe my students are, I really am ancient but if that's true, what does that say about my parents????

Oh, and my highschool German apparently taught me something as I actually know what Fussgangerzones are. :)!

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on July 25, 2006 at 5:15 AM

I'm glad you had such a good time, Sydney. I loved reading your blog and seeing your photos.

Would someone please tell me what fussg... means? I haven't learned how to spell Zigeuner.. yet.

From Sydney Menees
Posted on July 25, 2006 at 6:58 AM

Fussgangerzones are a place in normally every city that is closed off from cars; only people or bikes can be in there. There are a ton of shops and you just walk around in there. Heidelberg just happens to have the longest Fussgangerzone in all Germany!

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on July 25, 2006 at 10:10 AM

bye to field and mountain
bye to cornbread on the wall
bye to tree and bridges
and yon boat that's long, not tall

From Danielle Gauthier
Posted on July 25, 2006 at 2:27 PM

Germany sounds like fun...maybe I should convince my dad to take a job there...of course, my "convincing" strategies could use help...maybe a therapist.

From bill Pratt
Posted on July 25, 2006 at 9:38 PM

This response serves to recognize Jim's poem.

From Bram Heemskerk
Posted on July 27, 2006 at 10:57 AM

Hi Sydney. Bist du Frau Antje? I was again in the neighboorhood of Heidelberg, during a holiday, with that friend you also saw, to Budapest and Wien. I forget to visit you and I forget to visit Hans Jurgen Kohlhaas, who also writes on this website and lives in your neighboorhood in Viernheim and I forget to visit Janine Jansen in Wien and I forget to visit Antal Szalai in Budapest (more about Wien and Budapest soon in my weblog). But perhaps these people are not waiting for an unexpected visit.
Great that you liked Europe, but perhaps you have more chance to get Joshua Bell in Oprah's show when you are living and lobbying again in the States? Now you can visit with Colleen Russo Oprah herself or going with Colleen to Oprah's tv-studios'to achieve your aim?

From Brian Tung
Posted on July 27, 2006 at 3:43 PM

Someday you have to learn how to rotate a picture on your computer...

;-)

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Farewell

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