Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving week in the USA. It should be obvious to everyone, but it is not a holiday in Germany, but I think I will still write a line or two about what I am thankful for, since I am sure that is what all my family and friends back in the US are thinking this week.

First, I am thankful for my wife. I could go on for days about her, but to narrow it down to a few words, she is the perfect companion for me, and my best friend. Without her, my life would be very different right now. I am thankful that she has opened my world to so many new adventures.

I am thankful to have the opportunity to live & work in a foreign country. This last year+ has been so incredibly educational, exciting, scary, interesting, difficult, fascinating, and a whole bunch of other adjectives I can't think of right now. I like my job and my co-workers, my new friends, my new home, and everything. In order to make this move, I had to give up a lot of things, and many of those I miss, but I think the reward far exceeds those comforts that I had to give up. I am enjoying this chapter in my life so much, and I know it was the right choice. It isn't perfect, but what is? I am thankful that I had & have the support from all those involved to do this.

I am thankful that I have an interesting job, an employer that pays me to do something I enjoy, and that my employer gives me enough vacation time that will allow me to travel around Germany, Europe & beyond. On a related note, I am thankful that much of Europe is using the Euro, which makes going from place to place and experiencing new things so much easier.

I am thankful that I have spent the last year without a car. We have been getting by on our fee, bikes or public transportation. There has been the occasional rental car, ride from a friend or a loaner car from a friend (for which I am thankful!), but in general, I get around by my feet. I am thankful that I live in a place that this is possible and easy to do, and I am thankful that I am getting excercise every day just by living life. I am thankful that I don't have to pay for cars, parking the car, insuring the car, maintaining the car, etc. I am especially thankful that my personal finances are not impacted directly by the whims of the price of gasoline.

I am thankful that I am no longer paying for the war in Iraq. Since my income comes from Germany, and it is lower than the arbitrary number set by the US government, I don't need to pay any money to the IRS. Therefore, I am not paying for this war that I don't agree with, a war that I consider unjust and illegal.

And finally, I am thankful for all the emails, phone calls, Skype calls, blog comments, Flickr comments & faves and letters from family and friends that are too far away to just drop by. I am thankful that we can keep in touch from half-way around the world.