Final thoughts on Germany

I returned home early yesterday morning, even though I was due to be home Saturday night.  The weather in Atlanta did not permit that however.  With exactly three hours sleep, I had to get up again yesterday morning to go to Kentucky, but that will be more on that in tomorrow's entry.  There are many things I experienced and learned on this trip that I thought I'd share.

* This is an amazingly vibrant country with a rich history worth exploring. Two weeks is not enough to see everything I wanted to see, but it's just long enough to start to miss home.

* Germany is a fsacinating mix of old traditional culture and modern forward thinking.

* Like every other country Germany is struggling to deal with unpleasant aspects of its past, but it seems to be doing a better job of it than the U. S.

* I now understand why nearly everyone I know that has lived in Germany for a time says that they would like to go back and live there again
* This is not a type of trip that is suitable for everyone.  If you are the type who wants to stay comfortable and in a hotel room or spend your time googling information, rather than being out in the city discovering new things, this is not the experience for you.  Stay in America where you're comfortable.
* If you don't mind being out of your comfort zone, if you like trying new things, and exploring new places, this is definitely the type of trip for you. 
* Obey the red man or get run over.
* Stay off the red lane or get run over.
* Things Rosetta Stone will teach you: how to say " the girl is wearing a blue dress", "the people are walking".
* Things Rosetta Stone will not teach you: how to ask a question in German and understand the reply that comes in turbo speed German.
* Goethe Institut employs the BEST guides.  Thank you Edina, Karin, Nicolas, Martin and Rodrigo! I don't know if we would have survived without you.