Living in GK

3. Don't forget the extras like sunblock and extra bottles of water when it's hot (water is available for sale, but it's nice to have extra).  You can bring in your own food, so a cooler is a great thing to bring packed full and make an entire day of it.
:)  Have Fun!


My GK 4ths:  My 1st 4th, My 2nd 4th, My 3rd 4th

Sila Cafeteria

     ~ A certificate of Title, (free and clear), front and back, or

     ~ Host Nation Registration,(free and clear) front and back, or

     ~ Military Registration (free and clear), or

     ~ Bill of sale (if not registered locally)

For Leased or Financed vehicle:

     ~ Lien/Lease Holder Shipment Authorization Letter, (on company letterhead).

             - The letter must show:  Member name, vehicle make, model, year and VIN #

              - If the POV is leased, the following statement must be included in the letter:

To Store a Leased or Financed vehicle:

     ~ A member who turns in a POV in a non Customs Territory of the US must provide A Lien/Lease Holder Authorization Letter to ship and store their POV.

 

If you have a lot of trash that accumulates, you can talk to your landlord and have the trash picked up every week, instead of bi-weekly. Since we are a family of 6 we accumulate a lot of trash, so they come every Tuesday for us. It costs a little extra, but you won't have trash over flowing. Just give it some time and you'll get the hang of it!

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Streamers on a birch tree for May Day in Germany

In the usually quiet German countryside, when mowing the lawn too early in the morning is severely frowned upon and silence is platinum, there is a sweet tradition on May 1st of each year that will wake you from your dreams with techno blasts from John Deere tractors.

It may sound odd, but then, this is the German countryside and Deutche youth make any tradition go techo-loud and Bitburger-crazy.

May First is two things - first, it's German Labor Day, a day off for most people which is great because many are hung over that morning from the parties the night before.  Second it's an old-fashioned mating ritual that involves beer and uglified trees.

Young men (teenage boys) chop down birch trees, decorate them with streamers, then attach them to the homes of the girls they like.  Some will buy huge crepe paper hearts instead from florists.  Some will do both just to make sure the lucky girl gets the hint.

The tractor is full of branches for the young punks who kept me awake most of the night. Similar tractors have flat beds with walls for the guys to hang out in and drink.

The Hour:  My first year in Germany my mom awoke jetlagged to the sounds of drum beats at 1am and wondered why my alarm clock was so loud.  That same "alarm" went off 5 more times finally getting quiet after 6am when the sun began to shine enough for me to take this picture.  It begins then, in the horribly early hours when sober men are sleeping, that love-sick boys begin their task of decorating trees with crepe paper streamers and attaching them securely to the homes of the girls they love.  They begin drinking before that, often at parties held in town for the occasion of both holidays.  It's amazing that with ax-wielding, drunken youth that there aren't more accidents, but somehow, magically, we all awake on the morning of the 1st with birch trees and hearts adorning the homes of all the young girls in town.  The hearts are somewhat pretty.  The trees, decorated by drunk boys, are generally, not.


The Trees:  Years ago they'd simply find a birch and chop it down.  Now, most likely in response to furious neighbors with missing birch trees, there are small farms where boys can go and pay to chop down and take a tree.  They aren't small trees either.  Many of these signs of love are over 15' tall.  Where there isn't a farm, most suitors can find them in the woods where birch are quite common. 

If you're out late enough, it won't be odd to see a large birch tree walking down the side of the road, horizontal, elevated above the ground, with just two sets of legs and no visible bodies.   Or, you may see a boy carrying his tree Paul Bunyan style down the street at 5am with his friends trailing behind carrying a ladders and rope.  The guys have fun with this.  It's a group project and they get creative.  I've seen some trees sitting in the top of chimneys, some tied to pipes on the side of the house, some up on the top floor, some sitting on the ground, and some tied to other trees making them look like they were also planted.  They're all big and garishly decorated with streamers.  (Boy + Beer DOES NOT EQUAL artistic ability)

NOTE:  Bring in your BBQ's, potted plants, and anything else not nailed down that could run off in a John Deere tractor.




The Hearts:  The traditional hearts began when boys formed them with smaller tree branches presenting them on the doorstep of the lady they were pursuing.  Now florists make large floral hearts from crepe paper in all colors with streamers to sell with the initial or name of the girl on them.  They're usually covered in plastic to protect them from the elements. 
 
Twu Wuv:  Tante Tinny, my 86-year-old neighbor, told me that her husband put a 15' tree on top of her house on May Day when she was only 16. Older than her, he was conscripted into the army during the war, so they dated long distance while he was fighting.  He came back when she was 22 and they got married.  She winks and credits the tree.

The Girls:  Girls used to guard the trees that their boyfriends left so that another boy wouldn't steal it and put up his own. That would mean that she would "belong" to that second boy for the day at least. Now, according to a friend, it's possible for several boys to leave an object of affection so that popular girls like her daughter may have several trees and hearts on her house.  The Mom is then expected to get up early and cook breakfast for all her daughter's admirers.  (That is SO not happening in my house.)

In Town:  Geilenkirchen, Gangelt and other towns will put up May Poles with the shields of the smaller villages that surround them.  They usually have trees or wreaths attached and crepe paper streamers. These, like the trees and hearts themselves, often stay up for the entire month of May, rain or shine, as the streamers get soaked and dried and shabby looking.  As crazy as the Germans are about keeping perfectly clean windows and sidewalks, they don't seem to mind the mangled May Day decorations lasting often into June.  (I just don't get that.)

May Pole:  Geilenkirchen, Germany

May Pole in Cochem, Germany along the Mosel River

The Parties:  The party in Geilenkirchen is usually a lot of fun and well done.  There's a live band, usually quite talented that plays a good mix of American and German music.  The food is great, and, of course, there's beer.

The streets will be filled with all ages from 10 year-old kids out with friends to people in their 70's relaxing at a cafe.  They all celebrate together without division, the young partying alongside the old.  Though you can hear the music all over town, for a small fee of about 3 Euros, you can enter the party area, get nearer the stage to dance, and enjoy all the food and beer served inside the party area.  It will be loud and crowded.




Bratkartofeln are tiny round potatoes cooked with bacon and onions (my favorite).  There's also the usual array of meats.


Party Caveates:  These parties get crowded - the kind of crowded where you really have to push your way to get anywhere and, if you're new to Europe, you have to remind yourself that different rules apply here.  Personal space is not the same and an elbow or shove isn't an attack. It is still fun, but you have to relax a bit and be both patient and gently pushy at the same time.

Sadly, the abuse of alcohol and drugs is becoming all too common.  I saw a group of boys not older than 12 drinking publicly each with his own 1-2 six-packs by his side.  It isn't strange to see a farm truck go by with 20 drunk boys, loud music,  and a spinning party ball. Some villages are cracking down, but it's a prevalent problem and will take a while to fix.

May Day is a local thing that means most to the young girls who awake with surprises on their roofs.   Even in the tiny country villages there will be noise.  Basically, if there's a young girl in the village, there will be noise.  Don't worry.  Just enjoy the party, and may be, if you drink enough German beer, you won't notice the techno-blasting each hour of the night and you'll awake peacefully in the morning to the sight of birch trees and hearts.

Regulations change frequently, so the following are just some basics that I did with my pet.  DO go to your vet and look online for additional information.  A quick Google search will bring you a lot of information.  Check dates as you need the most current information. 


When moving with your pet:

PLAN AHEAD.  Some of these things need to be done in advance.  Make sure that you are prepared and can work the required items into your travel/PCS plans.




1.  Your pet (cat or dog) will need a microchip.  Make sure that it's readable by a standard scanner so that they can check it.  This can be done in advance.


2.  Full Vaccinations are required.  This needs to be done at least 4 weeks in advance.
     Dogs:  Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, Leptospirosis, (DHLPP) and Rabies within the last 12 months or a minimum of 4 weeks before arrival.
     Cats:  Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia (FVRCP), and Rabies within the last 12 months or a minimum of 4 weeks before arrival.




3.   A Health Certificate.  This is a standard Health Certificate that your veterinarian can fill out for you.  It is only valid for 10 days from the date of issue to the point of entry, so if you have travel plans in conjunction with your PSC, plan ahead.  This must be done at the last minute. 



KEEP all your pet documentation with your pet (Microchip paperwork, Vaccination list and rabies paperwork, and health certificate).  You must have originals on hand.  If you have all of your paperwork together, then getting your pet through airports/customs is a relatively simple process.


Some websites mention a USDA endorsement and International Health Certificate.  Those essentially copy all of the above requirements and I did not need those to move my cat to Germany; however, it never hurts to ask just in case something changes.  Ask a lot of questions and it's always better to have more information than less.


More information: 

• http://www.petrelocation.com/resources/international-regulations/germany
• Check airline websites if you're flying as they are great resources and will have current requirement information.  

Traveling back "home" to the USA requires the same three items above that are required for Germany.  I recently PCSed to Maryland with a dog and cat and got through flights/customs quickly with these things:
                                   1.  A Microchip certificate
                                   2.  A Rabies vaccination certificate (form DD2209 if Space A)
                                   3.  A Veterinary Health certificate (form DD2208 if Space A)

I also had the Pet Passport/Vaccination booklets for each of my animals with their pictures inside, though it wasn't a requirement.




FLYING: 
Flying is stressful.  Talk to your vet about how you can help alleviate stress.  Do be a good fellow passenger and take the steps needed to ease your carry-on pets stress.  Meowing happens, but do what you can to try to prevent hours of stressed out meow/barking.  Be aware of meals/bowel movements pre-flight as well as it's not pleasant for anyone to smell that on the plane.  There are nutritional pastes that you can give cats that will "feed" them without making them potty.


THE BASICS:  
1.  Check the requirements of whichever air travel option you choose (specific airlines as well as it can vary).
2.  Make a reservation for your pet and keep that paperwork with you (it's just as important as your plane ticket).
3.  Keep all of your health certificates handy as well (consider them your pet's passport).


Commercial flights DO limit the number of pets on each flight, so it is EXTREMELY important when making reservations that the airline knows how many pets and the size so that they can plan accordingly.  If your flights are being made for you, check the reservations to ensure that your pet is listed.  If you show up at the airport without a reservation for your pet and the plane already has met it's pet quota, then your pet will not be on that flight.


Many airlines will not fly pets as cargo (large pets that cannot fit under the seat in front of you) during hot summer months not because of the flight itself (it's cold above the clouds), but because of the dangers of sitting out on the tarmac waiting before and between flights.  It's dangerous and not what you want for your pet. 


When PCSing from Spain to Maryland in August 2011, I stressed and fretted about the cost and stress of trying to move my pets with an airline during the hottest time of year, so I avoided it all together and flew Space A.

It was a relatively easy process for us.  I had all of my paperwork with us including my Pet Reservation Requests, my microchip forms, and my forms DD2208 and DD2209 for each pet.
                          

Like airlines, Space A flights DO LIMIT the number of pets on each flight.  You must make a reservation ahead of time to ensure that you AND your pets have space on the flight.

Pets do not fly for free on Space A, but the cost is much more reasonable and is according to weight.
$110 for Pet plus Kennel under 70 lbs
$220 for Pet plus Kennel weighing 71-140 lbs
$330 for Pet plus Kennel weighing between 141 and 150 lbs.  (Pets over 150lbs with kennel are not permitted on these flights)


The Terminal will require that pets remain in their kennels at all times while in the terminal, but owners can walk them outside.  We waited outside with our large dog until it was time to board her.
Space A flights will allow pets during the summer because the pets are loaded just before taking off and do not sit out during long lay overs.  Our flight was direct, so we were able to bring out dog in her kennel to the plane.  She was waiting for us in baggage claim when we arrived and she had no long/hot wait outside.  It's safer for the animals.

At a restaurant in Alsace, France.

Are Germans "dog friendly?"  Yes. 
And the Dutch?  Yes. 
And the French too.

In fact, most Europeans are much pet friendly to the point of allowing them in restaurants and not recoiling when seeing them seated comfortably at a table.

Restaurants:

Dogs of all sizes are allowed in many restaurants.  You'll even see large dogs inside laying quietly under tables.  Here's the  key - these dogs are used to this, well trained, and unless you look, you may not know they are there.

So will a restaurant tolerate a barking, begging, restless dog?  Probably not.

In the summer, your pet will love long walks to the many outdoor cafes in the local villages.  You can sit outside and relax with a beer, coffee, or piece of cake.  Your dog is welcome.  Seriously... doggie heaven here in GK.



Walks:
Germany is by far the best place I've ever lived for walks.  The farm roads and trails are extensive and the Teverner Heide near GK is a beautiful forest for long walks/hikes.  Your dog will think he's won the lottery here.


Vets: 
There are several veterinarians in the area that speak English very well.  You can find a list of some that we like here.

Finding your house:
Though not all rental houses allow pets, many do and if it doesn't specify on the housing list, just ask.  Fences yards are not uncommon, in fact, all of the houses that I looked at in my search had fenced yards.

Back in the dark ages, there was nothing out there about GK.  Now, there are more blogs, facebook pages, and tweets that I can keep track of!

What a wonderful thing!


Newcomer Amanda Robbins has written two new blogs about her experiences.

The first, PcsGeilenkirchen.wordpress.com, documents her move to GK.  It's detailed, it's recent, and it will help a lot of others who are moving this summer with some of the questions that they might have.


The second,  Hereatgk.com, is an ongoing documentation of all of her discoveries.  There's already some good information here and it will only grow.  She also has a facebook page for her site at https://www.facebook.com/HereAtGk.


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There's a new facebook group created by a spouse that revolves around travel, but the wives who follow it are so sweet, they're answering all the questions that are posted.  This is a great page to follow!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/nicolegutierrez3/




Do you know of another great Facebook/Blog/Web resource that we should know about?  Leave a comment here!

I wish I would have known about this when I lived there!  What a wonderful deal!





What?  For less than 40 Euros, you'll have access to 135 places in The Netherlands for an entire year including several local places that you may not have seen yet!  To find out more (in English), check out this Great Article About the Benefits of the Museum Card.

Museumkaart 2012 Prices: €39.95 for adults, €19.95 for students and individuals under 24 (an additional one-time administration fee of €4.95 is applied to new subscriptions)
 
Official Website: www.museumjaarkaart.nl




Where can I buy these locally?

Tifnotes version: If you have elementary school age kids, dress them up in their Halloween or Carnival costumes, pack a bag of confetti, silly string, or curly streamers to throw, and go to the Kinderoptocht in Sittard on the last Sunday before the Carnival season officially starts. Park in lots or nearby streets avoiding areas with the "verdunning hounders" sign. Pack drinks and snacks if you'd like or warm up with delicious hot chocolate or coffee at Bagels and Beans or Die Twee. Check the website above for dates closer to the next Carnival, but do go. It is a lot of fun! Oh, and don't forget your camera! The photo-ops are fantastic!

Full version (where I ramble on a bit more): One week before the big Carnival parties start, Sittard has a special parade for the children. Winding through the old streets around the old market square, this parade will be enjoyed by your entire family. For almost two hours costumed groups travel along the parade route passing out treats, singing, playing music, and entertaining the crowds. Just the costumes and makeup alone make this a very special parade, but knowing that it's a children's parade during this season is nice too making it a family event that the kids will enjoy. Both in the parade and on the streets you'll find people of all ages from infants sleeping in their decorated strollers to grandmothers and grandfathers with painted faces and silly hats. Among the crowds of spectators most all children are dressed in costumes and more then half the adults have on a hat, boa, or other colorful accessory.

Go a little early if you want parking in a parking lot. If you're running late, park on the side streets, but look for signs that say " verdunning hounders." This means "for residents only," so you will be ticketed if you park there.

The parade winds down the last half of Putstraat, turns just in front of Bagels and Beans, then circles back to the market, so we stood near Bagels and Beans (which just so happens to have delicious coffee and hot chocolate drinks in to go cups) and watched the parade from there. The crowds were big, but not horrible at that spot and it's easy to turn and catch the last half of the parade again as it winds back to the market behind you.

The Dutch kids were well armed with silly string and armfuls of confetti and curly streamers. My girls would have loved that as well. So, now you know. Bring those things and it will just add to the fun. We saw plenty of tubas walking by thoroughly covered in silly string and even the police car wasn't exempt from the decoration. The atmosphere is one of fun and is a perfect family event.

The website (only in Dutch) has information on the parade with times, the route, and photos of past parades dating back to the 1920's. The Dutch word for parade is optocht, so the Groteoptocht link will get you to the information for the large parade that they have during the Carnival week itself. If you want more information on the Kinderoptocht (Children's parade), click on that link for the route and photos of past children's parades as well.

This year the parade was held on January 27, the Sunday before the Women's Day, at 1333.

Reading about a place means more when you've walked those streets as does walking those streets after learning the history or hearing a tale.


It's amazing how many stories can come to life after the opportunity to travel.


Here are a couple of my favorite European tales.

What are yours?



The Time In Between by María Dueñas

If you're heading to Morocco or Madrid or are interested in a southern perspective of WW2...
Take a tour of 1930's Morocco and Spain through the life of dressmaker Sira Quiroga.  Dueñas paints a vivid picture of life then interweaving the political chaos with seemingly ordinary people who would find themselves doing extraordinary things.  Infused with culture, not only is this a beautiful story, but a powerful one that speaks to the power of humanity and the global climate of the time.


 
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

If you want to zig-zag through France, Turkey, England, and Romania...

This is quite simply my favorite historical fiction novel of all time.  Kostova takes you on a mysterious journey through Europe as her characters seek answers to a father's disapperance and a stack of yellowing letters.  It's about history and lore and the interweaving of the two with enough suspense and mystery to keep you reading and just enough romance.  The place descriptions are so vivid, it's as if you were walking there yourself, and by the end of the book, you may just have a pretty good travel bucket-list.

A friend's secret supplier... she's in the states.  We can tell you now!  ;)

This is the antique dealer that I was never able to visit though I've seen his things in the house of a friend and turned green with envy.  Beautiful things.  Amazing prices.  Really nice guy.  I wanted to get there first.  :(  Go and tell me how it is.