The Honeymoon

Angela & Jorrit

7 September 1991

Twenty years ago last week the honeymoon began, and here we go again. I guess this move to Lux might be honeymoon part deux, let's just hope it lasts as long as the first one!

Truth be told, I'm shy on pictures for this blog and pictures make stories fun. But this picture is symbolic. It is not only a remembrance of a very special day, it also marks the beginning of our long time dream of moving abroad. We have toyed with other opportunities offered up, Prague, Slough, and for one reason or another refused. When Lux became a reality, our hearts said yes, our heads said no. We struggled most with the age of the boys and how they might (not) cope with being pulled from their American teenage lives and thrust into Euro-chic-capri-pant-wearing, cigarette-smoking, foreign-language-speaking Luxembourgish lives. How would that work? After much careful thought we decided make the leap and thus another "honeymoon" has begun. 

This honeymoon starts at a new at school and in a community where people of all sorts are awaiting your arrival and rolling out the red carpet. It helps you get going and makes you feel quite special. Today, first day at ISL, Carmela was greeted by her Texan teacher Mrs. Kipe, assigned two buddies (one from Idaho and the other of American parents born in England, lived in Lux and moving to Seattle in 4 months), and had her first French class. Nico said everyone asked him eagerly about playing soccer and basketball and was overwhelmed by his French 2 class, not ever having studied French at all and sitting through an entire class spoken only in French. His honeymoon might already be over. Gabriel made two friends and is embracing French whole-heartedly but a little more nervous about studying German.

And speaking of the Germans (love them!), Jorrit and I went to Germany today. I spotted no sign of my strongest fashion memory of Germany from 24 years ago, socks with sandals, but did enjoy a car buying trip into the quaint town of Trier. We drove curling our way along the Moselle River, through vineyards, rolling hills and waterski schools (I know, strange mix but that part really intrigued Jorrit). All very picturesque and vacation-like. We just looked at cars, Jorrit used a wee bit of German and we made our way back to Lux all in about an two hours time. Easy.

 

So, part deux commences. How long it will last is anyone's guess, or if it will ever truly begin. Jorrit goes to work tomorrow, day one at the office. I will make sure the kids get off in time to walk and not be late. Not so different from home.