A Weekend With My Colleagues

Last weekend was such a blessing! On Friday after work, I went home with my co-worker, Sonja, to Krefeld. We picked up my co-worker Thomas's wife, Connie, at the train station and went grocery shopping. We headed back to Sonja's flat, and Thomas arrived just in time for coffee and pastries called Mandel Hörnchen and Nüssecke, which are really yummy. We sat around the living room for a while, talking and laughing. Sonja cooked a delicious dinner of salmon in a creamy sauce, steamed broccoli with baked cashews, rice and white wine. We ate, conversed and devoured juicy pineapple for dessert until my tongue was raw. According to custom here in Germany, we sat around the table for hours, simply enjoying each other's company. I think that has become my favorite part of my experience here thus far. I love the way Germans relax over meals and spend time together. The focus is not on the food but rather on the company present at the table. Meals become a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better. Finally, we went to bed, but Sonja and I talked for another hour, giggling about boys like little girls. Thomas left for work early the next morning, but the ladies slept in. Then we ate a fabulous German breakfast, including warm brötchen, jam, meat, cheeses, orange juice and cappuccino. Again, we sat at the table for hours, only speaking English when I did not understand something in German. Connie and Sonja had planned to talk about taxes, so I cuddled up on the couch with a blanket and a cappuccino and began to read a new book, John Grisham's The Rainmaker, the perfect activity for the rainy day. Hours later, Sonja drove us to the train station, but we missed the train. So Connie and I found a bakery and got to know each other better as we waited for Thomas to pick us up. Then we drove to their home in Kerken, ten minutes from Straelen. Naturally, we started with coffee and pastries. I drank a fabulous lemon tea, which I bought later in Venlo (in the Netherlands) as we shopped for groceries. Thomas was not feeling well, so he took a nap while Connie and I went grocery shopping. In a very un-American fashion, we drove to four grocery stores to buy everything we needed! To my delight, Connie cooked penne pasta with a tomato meat sauce, which really hit the spot. They drove me home that night, and I showed them around my dorm. Thomas said that when he is feeling better, we can all do something fun together, like go bowling. So I look forward to more quality time with my colleagues. Before bed, I watched the eclipse, which I believe is my first ever, and it was really neat. On Sunday, I worked from 10-2, and had fun in the bistro. Sarah and I worked together, and we were really busy, but I am now confident in my abilities to understand orders and prepare and sell the food, so I had no problems. One woman came up to the counter and began trying to tell me that her coffee was weak. She said it was not too strong, but rather another word that she could not think of in German. I happened to know the word and told it to her, and her face lit up as she confirmed that it was the word for which she was looking. Needless to say, I felt pretty proud at that moment. I was able to help a German find the word she needed to express herself! Turns out, she was from the Netherlands, which is just minutes away from Straelen, so she spoke English too. They are quite language savvy over there. So I had a lovely weekend and thank the Lord for blessing me with the opportunity to bond with my colleagues. Now I am looking forward to going to England next week to visit Catherine Merritt, probably the oldest friend I have, for about one week. Then I am going to Berlin the next weekend with Sonja, and her husband, Peter. You will remember that Sonja is the daughter of my mother's cousin, Helga, who had the big birthday party. Then for Easter, I will travel back to Wüstensachsen to spend time with my relatives. Also, my mom's cousin, Gabi, and I are planning to take a day trip to see some surrounding sights. So I have a lot to look forward to as I draw closer to the end of my stay in the motherland. I love you guys. Grace and Peace...:)