Germany Take One

As I write this post on the backside of a Dusseldorf city map, while sitting on a random park bench a few miles from my hotel, I think it's safe to say that I have never felt like I belonged in a foreign country as much as I have here in Germany.I know, I know my family has been residing in the land  of the free for well over 100 years now. However, I do know we still have cousins over here because I've seen at least 50 people who look exactly like my brother Chad and me. A couple people that I saw so closely resembled us that I actually waited until they finished their beer, and secretively stuck their DNA covered mug into my purse in order to use for future testing... I kid, I kid. But seriously, everywhere I look, blond hair, blue eyed tall people! It feels like I'm at a family reunion over here!

The best way to describe Germany is that it's quaint. The local food, the cobblestone streets lined with pubs, the kind and friendly people (minus the hormone enraged, slightly drunk 20 something lad  I encountered last night who "casually" bumped into me and did a full blow ass grab. He was too friendly...), it's just simple here, and I love it!

I was luckily placed on this trip with a German captain who is very familiar with the Dusseldorf area. Last night he offered to take the crew out for dinner, drinks, and a short tour of the the city. Since guten tag is the extent of my German language, I jumped at the opportunity to see the city with a local. As our hotel is located quite a ways from any city center, we hopped on the metro, then the subway, and finally reached an area known as old town Dusseldorf. As we were climbing the stairs from the subway, we heard loud music pumping out of the nearby pubs, and upon reaching street level, it appeared that a huge street party festival was taking place. Much to my surprise the captain informed me that, nope, it was just a typical Wednesday night for these Germans!



Our group of six gathered in one of the outside seating areas, and the captain educated us on German beer drinking protocol. Basically, the servers come around with large trays filled with glasses of the local brew. If he sees your glass is empty, he'll replace it immediately and mark a tally on your coaster in order to keep track of your tab. When you've finished drinking, you simply place your coaster on top of your glass to notify the waiter that you are no longer drinking. Kinda nifty, eh?

Keeping Track of The Tab...German Style



Disclaimer: This girl is not a beer drinker, but I am a trooper! I tried one gulp of the dark disgusting liquid, and politely informed the waiter that I'd be sticking to my white wine.

The food was delicious! I had a schnitzel (think fried pork chop), but our entire group shared the generous portions. By the end of the evening I had tried, schnitzel with fried egg on top, fish fillet, sausage and mashed potatoes in a mushroom sauce, and creamed sour kraut. Yum! After we finished our meal, we wondered down by the river front, which reminded me slightly of the lake front in Chicago (minus all the bums). Around 1:30 AM local time, our exhausted tour group called it a day, and headed back to our hotel.

I am always one for an adventure, even if its a solo quest, however I am a realist. I had most of today free, which would have been ideal for hoping on the train and exploring more of the city. However, I am aware that I have a slight history of getting lost. It's not my fault, it's genetic.

Many moons ago, on a trip out of state trip to visit my aunt, my mom and I decided go on a shot walk around my aunt's block. Four hours and many miles later, we ended up at some poor soul's house, hot and slightly dehydrated in middle of no where Virginia, begging to use some random family' phone, and asking if there was any way they could spare a cold glass of lemonade to us weary travelers. Due to lacking a sense of direction, combined with all German signage and a non negotiable evening departure time, I opted to stick close to the hotel today.

There is not a ton of things to see and do in the area near the hotel we stay in, so after my morning workout at the hotel gym and my Starbucks coffee, I grabbed an area map and headed out on my own. As it turned out, the area is residential and there is not much more to see or do, but I had a great two hour walk checking out German houses and exchanging well wishes with fellow walkers, bicyclists, and joggers. Alas, ending up in this park :)

Yes, I did have a random passerby take this picture. It's cool though, we're cousins...probably.



And now for a random fact: I've always known my last name "Schutz" was very German, but for most of my life, I wasn't sure what it actually meant. Several months ago I was swim suit shopping in London, and as I was pulling up my bikini bottoms, I saw a clear plastic liner that read first in English "Sanitary Protection." It then listed, what appeared to be the same verbiage in several other languages. I immediately noticed blah blah blah Schutz. It was a 50/50 shot on whether my proud, bold, and strong family name meant sanitary or protection. I went with protection, and as the German speaking captain confirmed, I was correct! Wheh, Kelsey Sanitary...just doesn't have the same ring to it. Here's ther real kicker, APPARENTLY my family has been mispronouncing our last name for years! Schtuz (shoots) is actually Schutz (shuts) due to the lack of double dots over the U. I feel like my entire life has been a lie! I'll truly understand if you no longer consider me to be a credible individual and quit following my adventures on this here blog...Shuts and Scores.

Til next time folks,

Kelsey (if that's even my real name ) Schutz, Schütz, Shuts????

I Gradumacated!

This week's big event was my graduation ceremony. After successfully completing six months within the Emirates company, flight attendants are no longer considered to be on probationary status, and are promoted just one level above the very bottom of the totem pole.

As a result of some unforeseen circumstances (thanks, mom), I was unable to graduate with the group of friends I had been with since day one of Kelsey's life in Dubai. So, I was partially unexcited about the graduation ceremony because I only knew about 10 of the 150 people who were graduating with me. I also felt like the big "to do" was a bit unnecessary for a simple degree in tea and coffee.

The big day finally came this week, and it was actually nice to catch up the group I had finished my last week of training with. The best part of the day, however, was when my friend Rajeev surprised me by showing up at the graduation ceremony, even after I had assured all of my friends that their presence at the ceremony was 100% unnecessary. Despite my best attempts at not being super emotional, I legit almost teared up when I saw his happy self snapping pictures in the audience, just like a proud little parent!

As per usual, I have no idea what my future holds...career wise, relationship wise, living location, where I will eat dinner tonight, etc. And even though I think the whole graduation process was a bit silly,  I couldn't help but feel a little proud as my name was called and I strutted across the stage for my five seconds of glory. I felt proud that in just a little six months I was able to move overseas knowing no one, start a new job, make new friends, mourn the loss of my mom, and travel all over the globe without completely letting my cheese slip off the cracker. So call me crazy, but I think that is something to celebrate, at least a little bit. And we did....with cake :)





Yours Truly,

Kelsey Schutz, Bachelors of Tea and Coffee

And It's Been A Month...

Karim Ramadan!

For most of my adult life I've probably glanced at my Hallmark calendar and noticed that printed on a specific date during one of the summer months were three simple words, First Of Ramadan. Never in my life had I paid those words attention, mostly because I had no idea what Ramadan was. This year, however, as I'm living in a Muslim country, July 20th rolled around and sh** got real! They took away my Starbucks during daylight hours!

Ok, ok so it's a little bit more meaningful than that. Ramadan is the 30 days each year in which Muslims observe strict fasting from sunrise to sunset. It is supposed to make them better understand suffering and become more peaceful. Personally it makes me grouchy, as NO ONE is allowed to drink or eat in public during daylight hours. Restaurants, such as my beloved Starbucks, located next door to my building, are open for take away only. People watching while sipping my Starbucks is the whole reason I pay for their overpriced coffee in the first place!

The upside to Ramadan is Iftar, the evening meal where Muslims break their fast. Obviously I'm not fasting, but it's kind of like a huge party when all the restaurants open and everyone is out on the streets again. It's been interesting to experience, and once again I'm learning something new about the Arab culture.

LA Layover Take 20

The week before my leave started I went to Los Angeles for yet another layover. Two of my friends from Spirit flew out to spend the two days with me. We had a great time catching up, eating too much, and biking the 40 mile route to Santa Monica.

The Journey Home

As soon as my flight landed from LA, I rushed to my apartment where I unpacked, repacked, showered and headed back to the airport. From Dubai I flew to Kuwait City, a place I was very thankful I did not get stranded! After Kuwait I flew to Washington DC in business class on United (flat bed seats, ahhhh). Once I landed in DC, I was slightly panicked as the sole United flight to STL was oversold. The gate agent was even bargaining with passengers to give up their seat in exchange for future flight vouchers. Just as I had pretty much decided I was stuck in DC for the day, my name was called for the approved standby list. Still NOT sure how that happened! When you find a penny, heads up on the sidewalk, do you ask why it's there or take it and run? Exactly!

10 Days, Illinois Style 

From the moment my dad picked me up from the airport, my visit home was jam packed. I had planned it that way, as there were so many people I wanted to see and things I wanted to do, I didn't want to waste a single minute! I had a huge cookout with family and friends (complete with a hayride and fireworks), watched Ice Age III at the drive in with my crazy nieces and friends, ate an amazing homemade spaghetti meal at my Aunt Traci's, went on bike rides and runs, cooked a ton (for my party of one standards at least), ran in a 10k race, attended Allison's baccalaureate party in Chicago, went boating, and tried to soak up as much family and friend time as possible in between. It was a GREAT visit home, just unlike any other visit home that I had ever had before.

I've been living away from home for the past six years, so I would pretty much say I have the whole coming back home for visits routine down pat. Big meals will be had, friends will be over, and a week long party will commence.

My mom's been gone five and a half months. As Forest Gump would say, "She's on vacation!" I miss our Skype conversations, waking up to her morning emails, and receiving random pieces of mail from her terribly, but I have had five months to get used to the sucky sucky truth that those things are no longer a part of my life here in Dubai.

What I have not had time to get used to is walking into my mom's dream house...and her not being there. Waking up every morning, and not hearing her cheery, "Mornin', Princess." No one cackling loudly as Dad and I watch late night reruns of King of Queens. Pulling into the driveway after midnight and all the lights in the house being turned off, as she is no longer up late working on one of her many miscellaneous projects. I've not had five months to adjust to her no longer being in the house, the house that she always made my home.

It was awesome to be surrounded by family and friends, and it was wonderful to be back for over a week, but it was hard. Really, really hard. I have faith that next time will be a little bit easier, and the time after that, just a little bit easier than the time before. This time though, I just really missed my mom. And I'm not quite sure how Heaven works, but I'm almost certain, she missed me too.

Mom and I Boating-Summer of 1990

"A child on a farm sees a plane fly overhead and dreams of a faraway place. A traveler on the plane sees the farmhouse, and dreams of home." -Carl Burns

My mom, an avid newspaper clipper, had this quote taped to the inside cover of her 1999 planner.

Meanwhile In Dubai

I've been back in Dubai for four days now, and as nice as it was to be home, it's honestly nice to be back...which is a good sign, I think. So far I have done one flight to Cairo, Egypt, three loads of laundry, lots of sleeping, caught up with friends, and today I crossed a big one off the ol Dubai Bucket List....indoor snow skiing! Tis good to get back to a normal routine :)