thankful tuesday: deutschland

my sister has been studying for the past three months in bonn, germany & due to the incredible generosity of my parents, i get to spend 2.5 weeks seeing her life, meeting her friends & exploring europe. i am thankful for

time with my sister. it is rare that we get so much time alone together, without other people. i’ve enjoyed being together, laughing together, catching up on life over the past few months & praying together.

roadtrip to leipzig

canal tour on roadtrip to the netherlands

bonn! it is a beautiful city. we’ve hiked up a mountain to see a nearby castle, hung out by the beethoven statue who my sister & her friends affectionally call “the beevs,” walked along the rhine, & seen beautiful sunsets. the pace of life is unrushed, which has been much appreciated after a busy season of life for me.

favorite day in germany. hiking up to a castle.

being outside! we’ve spent most of our time here outside (the weather has been wonderful) just being. talking. eating yummy food. it has been incredibly restorative after months of studying & being inside!

bonn botanical gardens

culture. i love traveling to places that have such a deep history. it’s amazing to walk through streets & look at buildings so much older than america! i’ve also gained a much greater appreciation for classical music, art, architecture the impact of war on a people & cobblestone streets.

we arrived at the mendelssohn house just in time for a piano concert

yummy food! though we’ve eaten some really good food from restaurants, some of my favorites have been bratwurst, crepes & ice cream from street vendors.

(we were too busy eating to take any pictures).

humility. though i love to travel & am good at traveling in that i am fairly flexible, i do have a few fatal flaws…i don’t speak a lick of german & i have a terrible sense of direction. i think my new philosophy should be to determine which way i think i should go & then go the opposite way, for my instincts are always completely wrong. it’s been cool to be reminded of dependence (emily has to order everything for me & get me everywhere) & to see her in her element.
rest. i came to germany weary. since i was here for a good amount of time, our weeks together have been unrushed. we’ve traveled & seen a lot, but we’ve also rested well. i’ve had time to read. run. think. pray. and that has been wonderful…and prepared me to come back & start grad school.

the time here has been so sweet & such a gift. it truly has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that i’m so grateful for.

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