6 Inches...

It snowed in the Düs on Sunday.

I looked out the window to see a husband and wife team clearing off their car. The husband, using his arm and bare hand for snow removal. The wife, holding their two year old son and taking video with her free hand. The best part was when yet another neighbor came out and took a picture of them... clearing the car... taking video...

It doesn't snow here often.

The Usual Suspects

Let me introduce you to the Düsseldorf cast of TJX transplants... since you'll be hearing about them alot over the next two years.

Kelly

Originally from Orlando, Kelly has an unbelievable knack of meeting and befriending foreigners. Her power over them is amazing - I think it's in her dimples.

Katie

Moved here with her hubby Dan (far right). She lives around the corner from me and we work in the same division at work. Dave, in his time at the apartment, has perfected the Irish Coffee and somehow lighting it on fire is part of the receipe. We get along just fine :)

Evan

He's a TJX lifer. He interned there in college and has been working there ever since. He loves premium denim and his girlfriend back home, Ilyssa.

Abraham

A firey Mainer, Abe hails from Kunnebunk. A sailor and avid outdoorsman, he has taken the helm as our adventure planner.

Why I'm here....

So I realized that no where on the blog does it explain why I'm in Germany. Here is the abbreviated version:
Work.

TJX, the company I have worked at the last 5 years, opened a chain in Germany a year ago - TK Maxx. They have been growing faster than anyone anticipated or could have planned. As a result, they opened up the opportunity for people in the US-Framingham office to transfer for a two year stint.

I signed up. I interviewed. I was offered one of the positions.

So, here I am in Düsseldorf (affectionately referred to as "the Düs" by the 5 of us that transferred), two months in and 22 months to go.

It's Weihnachtsmarkt Time!

With no Thanksgiving in Germany, the country just barrels straight into Christmas season in mid-November. From my observation - this is one of the most anticipated times of the year for people in Germany and they want the season to be as long as possible.

A favorite activity is going to one of the countless Christmas Markets, Weihnachtsmarkt for those of you working on your German. There is nearly one on every busy corner, square and/or circle.

It seemed too early to take in the lights, holly and mistletoe but Evan, Abe and I had to check out what the Weihnachtsmarkts had to offer. Here are a few pics from our research gathering mission a few weeks ago.

Happy little trees converted into tables.

Mulled wine, or Glüwein, is a must. Each market has a handful of stands that sell it. The sweet hot wine helps keep you warm as you wonder around and is available with various addions as well (whiskey, rum, etc...). Each Glüwein stand has their own custom glasses, you put down a deposit for the glass that you get back when you return it.

Mmmmm.... Delicious, warm Glüwein.

There are tons of amazing treats available to cut the wine. Sausages, crepes and roasted chestnuts are there for the taking. Here is Evan picking up a fresh pretzel.

Some of the more popular areas even had live farm animals to pet.

A few weeks in now, and we have pretty much taken in as many Weihnachtsmarkts as one can. Our research has shown that they are pretty much all cookie cutter versions of one another. Each one always has a couple Glüwein stands - to help people get in the spirit no doubt. There is always a sausage guy, crepes with Nutella and the ocassional ice rink. The handmade trinkets and candles sold seem to all start looking the same after a while.

That being said - there is something about the markets we all really liked. Something that, if I was a better writer, I could convey in my post - the atmosphere.

It's quaint, it's jovial, it's Weihnachten in Germany!

Long Distance Relationships

One word, skype.


If anyone is interested in a sampling of the kind of conversations Jenn and I are having, tonight we talked about the fact that, in addition to working hard, Jenn should be thinking pro actively about a three way, office wide, tri country Olympic games of sort. For morale, unity.

Kinda like in the martial arts epic The Best of the Best, but with three nationalities represented (America, the Britons, and Deutschland) instead of two (America And Korea), and with Kickball, tricycle racing etc., rather than full contact Taekwondo.

Of course I had to take into consideration that being thousands of miles away and removed from the situation and all the people involved, my perspective was unique and invaluable.

What better way can there be to forge a unified business team than in the fires of a somewhat satirical but ultimateley serious competition?


Also, tonight Jenn told me there's a handball court behind the apt.

G