Friday ...again. Going home again.

Jeff here. May has zero time to write on here, so it's my turn again.

Suffice to say, I'm excited to see May and the kids. We keep in touch through texting (SMS) a few times a day and talk on the phone a few times a week. When we do talk on the phone, Ella usually hogs the call. Each time, it surprises me how well she can carry on a conversation, answering any question like she's had plenty of time to mull over her answer. What a cutie. Sometimes, though, maybe from holding the phone so tight to her cheek, she .... [click]

So I call back and we go again. It's all fun.

Earlier this week I took the U-bahn (underground metro) the 2 stops to a central Bonn stop Universitat Markt. Shameful, but it was my first time touring since arriving a month ago. I don't have a camera with me, so I'll steal a couple pictures from the web.

What I saw when I got out of the metro train...

Here's what I saw a minute later...

Here's where Bonn is in Germany.

Overview of Bonn 'skyline' (taller building is Deutsche Post/DHL Headquarters, with UN bldg left of it)

Here's the Mormon Tabernacle...

(Course, that last one is in Salt Lake City, having no relevance to me or Bonn ... just making sure you're paying attention)

All in all, Bonn's a pretty city. Interesting contrast of buildings, okay system of public transport, beautiful river Rhine/Rhein. I haven't seen much but May will...

May & kids coming!

Sure, I have no camera now, but no problem - May will bring the camera with her.

Yup, she and the kids are coming next Friday. We figure it's a chance for Maylia to get out of Prague. She'll quickly tell you she's not left even the city since October! The flat here is much smaller than our place, so it will be an interesting time; here's hoping for good weather. They stay for 10 days; I'll finally come home at the end of June. After just 2 more weeks - Michelle comes for a short visit before they all fly to North America. Wow - summer is here!

Weekly repetition Getting ...repetitious

This late Friday afternoon, Jeff's finishing his 4th work week in Germany, now waiting for his 19:05 flight to 'Prag' at the Frankfurt International Flughafen. Being his fourth time,some patterns are emerging.

Going home starts with catching a taxi around 3:15pm outside Post Tower, Bonn's lone skyscraper. The taxi ride always goes smoothly until the driver comments how smoothly. Then they hit traffic which lasts until just outside Siegburg.
At the Siegburg train station, soon after paying cab fare, a high-speed ICE train flies past. Next one, Jeff's, will stop in about 19 minutes.
The ICE train timing is as impressive as its speed.
Arriving at Frankfurt Int'l airport, more patterns...
Check-in for Czech Airlines flight 537 is always and only at desks 807-808, number 807 for business, 808 for economy.
Security is not busy, but Jeff queues up anyway, always forgetting to eat something beforehand since there's nothing available after the security gate.
Flight OK537 is always at gate E25, 2nd to last gate of E Terminal.
Jeff always ends up texting Maylia to say the "flight's delayed...again. Take off at 19:30, surprise, surprise"

Ready to board means boarding the bus. The bus drives the 30 of us to the same spot on the tarmac where a little A320 waits. It's always a sharp contrast to the jumbo jets, but all that's needed for the 50 minute hop due east.

Last weekend's flight home from Malaysia was different.
But nothing says different from Jeff's routine week like the Saturday morning chaos named Ella. I can't wait. :)

One of Those Little Differences

When moving to a foreign place, you tend to first notice the differences. When adapting and integrating to that foreign place, you might even embrace those differences as your own.

One of many differences is what's acceptable for a child to do out in public. We don't remember back in New Hampshire ever seeing a parent help their child relieve themselves in the grass. However, in Prague, this is totally acceptable. At the playground, on the street corner, near the bus stop, wherever there's a child with a need to go, there's a parent helping down with the pants and ...there you go. With little boys, it's pretty straightforward, pardon the pun. With little girls, the parent cradles arms under shoulders and knees. Usually over grass or grate, it's not a shining moment, but yes, totally common and acceptable.

"When in Rome, ..."
How have we adapted? We started the same practice only a couple months ago. In fact, Maylia tells Jeff that since he's been away, Ella has really embraced that difference as her own. Unlike other toddlers that want their parents' help, li'l independent Ella just goes off and does her thing by herself.

There's a much better story to be told here, but we agreed that if we put it on the blog, to be remembered 'forever', that Ella would never, ever forgive her parents. So, give Maylia an e-mail and ask her about her recent time at the playground. Again, May's quite busy, so it may be July before she gets to reply...it's okay, the story's worth the wait.
-Jeff

Jeff's 7 flights in 5 days:

Czech-Germany-Thailand-Maylsia-Thailand-Germany-Czech-Germany

Exhausted, stomach flu and missing May & the kids something fierce, but Jeff is now back working in Bonn, Germany

If you didn't catch it in the last post (it was nearly buried), Jeff has been working in Bonn, Germany for most of May and will be for all of June. Except last Wednesday, when he flew to Kuala Lupur, Malaysia for a 3-day stay. On Sunday, Jeff was home in Prague for just 6 hours before returning to Bonn.

The Malaysia trip included stops in Frankfurt, Germany and Bangkok, Thialand, so a lot of time was just in the plane or airports to get there. Flying business class provided Jeff both the 'pod' for easy sleeping and a clean, convenient lavatory. Both were used often.

What was Malaysia like?
If you were part of the 7 of us that went to India for Caesar and Sarita's wedding, you have a good idea of the heat, driving and food. Very hot being only 3 degrees off the equator and the humidity was just below rainfall (when it wasn't sprinkling). Traffic - not quite the variety of vehicles/animals as was in India, but just as crazy. Road lines are mere suggestions. Food - wow, food was incredible. Malay food ranges from ethnic Indian, Chinese and native dishes. Went out for lunch both days with coworkers and ate out a lot on Saturday. (Yes, Jeff tried a lot of street food, too -and is paying dearly for it.)

Why is Jeff living in Germany?
Jeff's involved full-time on a project where he's working for another portion of Deutsche Post World Net (parent group of DHL company). The project and DPWN are based in Bonn, Germany and so, Jeff is, too.

Could this mean the Parkers are moving to Germany someday?
Absolutely not. We belong in Prague. Friends are here, we own here, and Ella will soon go to school here...done. (didn't we say all that before though?)
Honestly, Jeff wouldn't mind it. Bonn's a sweet, small city. The air is noticeably cleaner.
Where Jeff is staying, he walks the 1 km along the Rhein riverbank to work.
Too bad Jeff failed German class.

How is Maylia handling all this?
Um....you have to ask May. Jeff doesn't get to speak with her very often. And when he does, it isn't easy. She's a very understanding wife, but for now, also a single mother. If you e-mail her, she may not be able to respond until mid-July, when she leaves for Canada.

OUR ITINERARY (at last)

It's a rainy day in Prague and poor Ella is suffering from some sort of stomach bug.  We're stuck inside and so we're...gittin' 'er dun!

All tickets for our summer trip to North America are finally booked and our oft-requested itinerary is as follows:

Monday, July 21

Maylia, Ella and Mattias (accompanied by darling Michelle) fly Prague to Halifax (landing 2:45 PM)

Saturday, August 9

Jeff flies Prague to Halifax (landing 2:00 PM)

Monday, August 18

4 Parkers fly Halifax (leaving 8:00 AM) to Boston (landing 8:20 AM)

then travel to Manchester

Thursday, August 21

4 Parkers fly Manchester (leaving 9:55 AM) to Chicago Midway (landing 11:20 AM)

then travel to North Judson, Indiana

Thursday, August 28

4 Parkers fly Chicago Midway (leaving 3:20 PM) to Manchester (landing 6:25 PM)

Friday, September 5

4 Parkers fly Boston (leaving 9:35 AM) to Prague

There you have it, Folks! Let the party plans begin!