Where to watch the final game in PDX tomorrow...

Is everyone excited for the big game tomorrow morning? I sure am excited and be watching the game. We will be watching the game at a friend's house. I stopped this morning at Edelweiss got Weisswuerste along with Bavarian Mustard, and of course also some Weizenbeer...

I just found out (I am so behind times) that there a couple of places to watch the game in downtown PDX,

• check out Kell's - it is a super fun Irish Bar, Restaurant, with good food, lots of screens, and lots of fan www.kellsirish.com
• McMenamin's St. John's Pub apparently also has the game on www.mcmenamins.com
• Costello's Coffee shop on 2222 NE Broadway has the game 503.287.0270

Happy viewing :)

German Speakers in PDX...

Its been my topic a couple of times already. Amazing how many German speakers live in greater PDX. And it seems that it is so easy to meet when you have kids. Last Monday we took a field trip from SE PDX to the great Oregon Zoo (oh yes, it is a fantastic Zoo - if you have never been there it is so worth the trip). Monday was one of those days where it just took me forever to get ready. On our trip through the city we saw a black Mustang and attached to the Mustang was a German Flag. So there was one other person in PDX who is also interested in the European Soccer Championship. I would love to watch the final game, but unfortunately do not have access ;). I don't think that I have ever seen anyone driving around with a German flag attached to their car in the 15 years I have lived in the United States. So that was the first meeting by chance (even so we really never met)...

At the Zoo we ended up meeting an Austrian woman with her kids who also live in PDX. We did have a lot of fun at the Zoo,k and yes all of us spoke German the entire time :)

Pancakes for dinner...really I am not kidding...

So this is what happened on Monday...a hungry family and we had not gone grocery shopping. Yikes! Good thing we had three eggs, flour, soy milk, salad & herbs in the yard. No, we did not make scrambled eggs for dinner (now that would not be my favorite), but I remembered that pancakes can make a fantastic meal. So instead of sugar, I used salt, added herbs from the garden, made a nice green salad...Voila dinner was ready. I think my husband was not so excited upon hearing that I was making pancakes for dinner...but you know what, he did like it. And the kids? Wow - and I do mean WOW with a German "w" :) both of them LOVED it.

Does it seem silly? Let me know what you think. You would like the recipe? No problem, just let me know. Have a great rest of the day...oh and tonight there it will be just plain old chicken. Nothing exciting :)

Homesickenss...does it ever go away

At least once a month I get together with other German women living in the greater PDX area. We meet at a different home each month, there are different participants each month, and it is always very interesting. The women come from all walks of life. Women that have lived in the US for over 20 years, women who just moved here, expats who will go back to Germany within three years...So there is always different conversation and lots of fun to be had.

We met again last week and talked about one very interesting topic. Homesickness...the consensus seems to be...it never goes away. In the beginning it is not there at all. Speaking from my own experience the first few years, it was just so great to be away. But as I get older I begin to appreciate my roots much more. Funny things happen...I am from the South, but never really spoke with a real heavy Swabian accent...now the Southern draw seems to be much thicker. I am proud to be from Swabia. When we lived in Chicago I never had to urge to hang out with other Germans. I wanted to be all American...but now being older, having small children, I have to urge to hang out with Germans. It is on an even balance. I think that I have just as many American friends as I have German friends in PDX.

But would I ever move back to Germany? Well, the answer is no. I have thought about it many times. After 15 years in the US I do not think that I could easily reintegrate. Plus work, just another small factor :) I guess in an ideal world we'd spend three months in Europe and the rest of the year in PDX. That sounds great, doesn't it? There are other issues so...I sometimes feel like living in a perpetual grey zone. The prepetual grey zone of not belonging to either culture. I have lived too long away from Germany so I cannot really identify with the things going on in Germany today; on the other hand I did not grow up in the US so there are many things I just do not understand.

For now so I think that we have the perfect balance. Having lots of American and German friends, travelling to Germany at least once a year, speaking only German with our kids...in a way full emergence into both cultures....

One funny think I have to add here (and I think it was said before) is that when I am in Europe for a while I get really, really homesick for PDX :) So maybe the answer is that I have become a true citizen of the world, but then again there would be no homesickness, right?

The all American BBQ...

Finally summer has arrived in Portland. We have been waiting for a very long time. At least it seems like it. Yes, it is green, roses have been in bloom for a while but we really missed getting sunshine. So finally summer...what is the best way to celebrate this? Of course with a great, all American BBQ. Since this is our first real BBQ of the summer we will be having steaks. Yup! Is there anything more American than that :) I think today will be a day where there will be no German food at all. Steak, baked potatoes, corn (if I can get some corn), pasta salad, and dessert. As for the dessert that is something I still have not really thought about. Maybe a nice fruit salad. Can't have a better start to a great summer.

Farmers Market in Portland

It is the time of year again for farmers markets all around the metro Portland area. I love them. They just such a reminder of home. The downtown market on Wednesday morning/early afternoon is just wonderful. Seasonal fruits and veggies; there are vendors selling sausages, tamales, pita, etc. My youngest daughter and I went this morning. The problem however is that I always buy too much...I better start canning.

The market does remind me of home, but it is very different. In my home town there are two markets, Monday and Friday, the entire year. The other difference include:- the produce, its not just local; sausage, it being Germany the major focus is to sell the Wurst and meat on the market. The butcher also has a grill for the Bratwurst; Eggs and poultry is sold on the market; Fish; Cheese selling cheese from Germany and Switzerland; oh yes and the booth selling Curry Wurst my personal favorite (and yes, my husband does not like it). - So yes, the farmers market in PDX is just like home but different. It does make me a little homesick and then again when I am on the market in Tuttlingen (www.tuttlingen.de) I get a little homesick for Portland....

Have a great day all...we will enjoy our Cherries & Strawberries now :)

ARTISTS for German American Fair on July 19th, 2008

Are you an artist, or are you crafty? Would you love to exhibit and sell your work? The German American Society still has space available and is intersted to find more artist who would like to participate...

If you are interested the link to the application is here

http://www.germanamerican.org/Registration_fair.pdf

I look forward to seeing you on the 19th :)

German American Fair - July 19th, 2008

The first annual German American Fair will be hosted this year on the grounds of the German American Society located at 7901 SE Division. The fair will be from 10 AM - 6 PM. Activities include...are you read for this...it sounds really, really fantastic...

- Biergarten
- German Food including Bratwurst, Kuchen (cake), Coffee,
- Book Exchange
- An art fair
- Live Music

and for the kids
- Bounce House
- Story telling
- Puppet show

There is a link on the Society's Web-site http://www.germanamerican.org/fair.htm We will be there..

Back after a long hiatus

I am back...it is hard to believe that it has been five months since my last blog. Life is moving along smoothly in the West :)

It seems that I am meeting Germans every single week. Just fantastic. In Chicago, where I lived for ten years, I never met any German. Maybe because I did not have children at that time...Last week I went out with a some of my friends and there were almost 15 German speaking women. Just want to assure everyone that we had a great time :) I actually stayed out until almost 11:30 PM...Alright, enough blabbing for one day :)