Ten firsts

I was able to go outside yesterday without wearing a hat and gloves for the first time in months. It was about 50 degrees! The birds have been chirping too so I hope that means spring is really on  its way. I am looking forward to my first spring in Munich. Which got me thinking of many ‘firsts’ I have experienced in the last month or so.

Innsbruck

1. Most recently, I took my first trip outside of Germany. Steve and I drove to Innsbruck for a retirement party (another first) and decided to stay on for the weekend. Innsbruck is a  pretty little city surrounded by the Alps. I really liked it. Except for the fact that Austria has apparently not banned smoking in bars and restaurants. They love to smoke!

2. As mentioned, we went to a retirement party in Innsbruck. After a tiny glass of sparkling wine, we sat through two and half hours of speeches by the honoree and guests. In German, of course. It was agony. Trying to think of ways to pass the time, I attempted to pick out words I recognized from the speeches. When the only words I knew were ‘executive’ and ‘supah’ (super), I gave up on that exercise and went back to the blank stare.

3. I left my dogs with a dog sitter for the first time. It was so great to get away from them for a couple of days. I left them with a nice lady that keeps the dogs at her house. She even agreed to sleep with them! Whether she will ever watch them again is left to be seen. She said they barked a lot!

such cute dogs

4. I joined a group of English-speaking expats that meet for lunch in a different place in the city each week. It’s quite a large group usually 20-25 people. It has been so great to chat with other people who understand my plight. They are from all over the world. They are quite a young group, and I am probably the oldest one that attends. And although I have nothing against old bags, I don’t really care for being the old bag.

5. I started German lessons!

6. I went to a rock club for the first time. Steve wanted to see a band called The Raveonettes from Denmark. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Once again though I felt quite old. We were probably the oldest people in the club which, if that didn’t make me feel conspicuous enough,  the show was sold out and Steve slipped in the door along with some photographers, I quickly followed before I was left on the street with the line of ticket holders. I thought we were going to be thrown out immediately  (and that I am definitely too old for!) but when I got back from the bathroom Steve told me the club thought we were music people from New York. Don’t know where they got that idea…but we stayed for the whole show!

The Raveonettes

7. We ate Ethiopian food.  I have a general aversion to cuisines from countries where people are starving but I was pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious and we didn’t eat any bugs.

8. I bought a transit pass for the month. Each trip on the transit within the center of the city is well over $3, one way, it really adds up. Plus, you have to make sure you have your ticket validated and hasn’t expired. The pass is very liberating. I can go anywhere on any type of transit with no worries. As long as it is after 9am, which for me isn’t an issue.

9. I found a hairdresser! The search for a hairdresser should probably be a post on its own. I think it is important to speak the same language as your hairdresser, anything left up to interpretation can be risky. I found a woman who moved here from Detroit in the last couple of years and her nickname is Ruby.

10. I experienced my first Mardi Gras celebration Munich style. It is called Fasching here. The street by our house was closed down before noon on Tuesday and set up with a bandstand and booths with food and drinks. Germans, young and old, dressed up in crazy costumes to enjoy the festivities. It was very colorful. The bars are allowed to stay open all night on Monday. Some people looked a little worse for the wear by noon on Tuesday. All the festivities have to end on Tuesday at midnight for Ash Wednesday.

Now Müncheners are looking forward to Starkbierzeit which translates to ”strong beer season’. My German teacher told me it is like a mini Oktoberfest. It first began in the ancient times when the monks brewed an extra ‘nutritious’ beer during Lent to strengthen them after fasting. I think the normal beer here is strong enough so I am not sure I will try the strong beer but I will definitely get out to see others enjoy it.

Next comes the asparagus festival. Woo Hoo!