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Sunday 9 March 2008

why I love my job-#1

On my list of reasons why I love my job...
-Living in Europe-

it is really all about the old walled cities and the cool castles... JUST KIDDING! Although those are amazing... I am finding pleasure in the smaller things.

I love that I can get on a plane or a train and potentially sit next to someone from anywhere in the world because Europe is such a crossroads!

I love that when I go to a restaurant in most countries over here, I am not rushed out of the restaurant. In fact.. I usually need to find my waiter and ask for the bill.

I love that public transportation connects everything so well! Granted.. in Kandern not so much.. but everywhere I go, I can take a tram or a train or the subway to any where I want to go.

I love that when I want order and systems I can go to Germany or Switzerland. And when I want less order and reliability I can go to Italy or Spain. Okay.. I know I am over-generalizing but in a sense it is very true! And this fits my need to have order and spontaneity. :-)

I love that most Europeans work to live instead of live to work and that they value taking a good holiday every year! In August the whole continent... or so it feels like sometimes..takes a holiday.
I love that I go to the "big" grocery store in France for groceries when I am home for longer than 2 weeks. And I go to Switzerland to get gas in any car I am driving. It is cheaper there! ... if $8/gallon is really that much cheaper than $9/gallon. :-)

I love that when I am in the Netherlands I want to purchase a package of stroopwafels (syrup waffels to have with tea or coffee)and in the UK I find real cheddar cheese. And in Italy I get really great olive oil and coffee. In Greece I found dark and light brown sugar!

I love variety! And living over here I am never lacking variety in what I eat, the type of place I stay in, the language I hear, the culture I experience. But then again.. I love stability and home so it is always nice to come home to little Kandern to my little flat and to clean, cook and do laundry.

and yeah... the rich history here is amazing! And driving on the Autobahn is pretty great too... :-)

more next week....

4 comments:

  1. Just got my little Easter tree up...a tradition I have taken with me wherever I have found myself in this world...guess that's the key...if you can't be somewhere...bring it with you...and pretend...:)

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  2. You get to see all of Europe in ways others don't! Enjoy it! :)

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  3. Hi Melissa! It's Mary (Carrie-Margaret's friend) and I just wanted to let you know that I am going to Mexico this summer on a mission trip with GSCC! We just started meeting up as a team, and I am already excited to go! Sounds like you are loving what you are doing and enjoying where you go...that's great! Talk to you later.

    Mary

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