Bread, Cheese, and Chocolate: Europe 2023

Why go to Germany? ... Why not?

A few months ago I was in a teacher supply "store"--where people donate supplies, and teachers can take what they need. It's like a Goodwill for teachers, but free. Among the random things there, I found an old map. There were no other maps. Just that one. What was the map of? Northern Germany.  It had all the little towns and roads from Denmark down to Hannover. I took it. 

I had been having the itch to travel. And not a normal weekend in Flagstaff. I wanted to use my passport again. 

The random map of Norddeutschland was a sign.

I was an exchange student in northern Germany from 1994-1995. I went back to Germany in 2018 with Ella and my mom, but Ephraim had never been and I wanted to show him the places that were so important to me as a teenager. I wanted to use my German again. I wanted to pay in euros, ride trains, and fit my life in a backpack. I wanted to buy a chocolate bar with a coin and eat it entirely by myself with no kids asking for a bite.

Then there was the marathon. In November I signed up for a marathon. It was terrifying. I still don't know why I did it. I guess I wanted to prove to myself I could. I wanted to test my limits. I didn't want my neighbor Ryan to make a shirt that said, "Marathons: Ryan-1, Melinda-0" as he had threatened. So despite the panic, I clicked that pay button. I printed out a training schedule. I took it one day at a time, one run at a time. I committed to my plan and prayed it would be enough to see me through 26.2 miles.

At about that time, I started looking for flights, thinking about dates, making itineraries, and setting money aside every week. I began to tell myself, "A marathon is big.  And a Europe trip is big. So I probably shouldn't do both." But then I thought, "Why not? If I can do a marathon, I can do Europe. Why not?"  The trip became my marathon reward. I know some people go out to dinner after a marathon. That would've been easier. But less fun.

I asked my parents if they could watch our kids, and once they said yes (bless their hearts!) I took the plunge.  When the get-your-money-back-day for the marathon had passed, I bought plane tickets.

Since I was already "across the pond" I figured I would slip in a few days in Jerusalem to visit my sister Jill and her family.

So, I've been planning this trip for months --looking for places to stay, mapping routes, budgeting, and researching. It's been exciting just looking at the places to visit. I've been giddy about it.

The marathon was on Feb. 4. It was totally exhausting, exhilarating, empowering, discouraging, defeating, hard, and victorious. It didn't go exactly as I thought it would, but I did it. And now I'm a marathoner. (applause, thank you, thank you) Exactly one month later, on March 4, we left for Europe. 

I guess I want to be the kind of person that runs a marathon. And that travels internationally. So here we are. That may sound selfish, but I don't mean it to be. Of course, I pour my heart into my family, my work, my church responsibilities, and my devotion to God. All of those facets help steer me.

I want to discover the beautiful world that God has created. It's mind-blowing. Incomprehensible. I love being amazed by it. I've always had an active spirit and insatiable Wanderlust. When I see places, I ache to go there and experience them. I frequently want to be wherever I'm not. So this is a satisfying thing for me, to let myself explore and discover. 

I'm so blessed to have this opportunity. I recognize that I'm spoiled, that it's not fair. that I don't deserve the blessings I have. But I approach traveling as a way to expand my understanding and compassion for others. To feel God's love for His children. To bring home their perspectives. To be changed by where I go, what I see, and what I experience. To go home better, kinder, wiser, more grateful, and more willing to serve, learn, and love.

So why a trip to Germany?  Why not?

Thanks for reading that boring explanation. You're a true friend. K, let's get going.