tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59892060281182056902024-03-05T23:19:58.841-08:00The TsOregon to Luxembourg to OregonPete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.comBlogger417125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-73041410336432353062017-06-11T16:29:00.002-07:002017-06-12T10:05:23.556-07:00The Work SituationBelieve it or not, we're coming up on one year back in the USA quite quickly. We've settled into a rhythm of life that's different from Luxembourg, but also very different from when we left Portland in the first place. There are two main reasons for that: 1) the kids are older, and 2) our work is very different.<br />
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Before we left for Europe, Daphne was in "half-day" kindergarten (really, only a couple of hours a day) and James was in preschool two days a week for a couple hours. Pete was a traveling consultant for an international firm, meaning he was away 80% of the time. Both of these factors meant that "Stay-at-Home Mom" was still very much my main job title, although I worked part-time and volunteered a lot. This time we're living in Portland, however, both kids are in school 6+ hours per weekday.<br />
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So what do we do for work now? Let's start with Pete. As I've mentioned before, we moved straight back into our old house in Oregon. (Sorry, renters!) We made this move instead of transferring to Seattle with the corporate job he'd had in Luxembourg, per our original plan. The plan shifted last minute because Pete felt ready to start his own business. Living back in our paid-for house in Portland made it possible to take the financial risk. The end goal of moving to Seattle was to eventually move back to Oregon anyway, so we were able to streamline that processes.<br />
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In fact, Pete has started two businesses. The first is a sole-proprietor consulting business, in which he builds custom data analysis tools for various companies through connections who are familiar with his past work. Since his last job was overseas, and his connections are spread across the globe, he still travels a fair amount (not nearly as much as with his old consulting job, however). The consulting gigs pay our bills right now as he simultaneously works on the other business: developing a software platform that does custom analysis. For this project, he has a business partner who's helping him on the user-interface end.<br />
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And that's about as detailed as I'm gonna get on the technical side of Pete's work! Feel free to ask him about it, though. He needs plenty of opportunities to work on his sales pitch!<br />
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Except for before we had kids and both worked full-time, Pete has always been the main income earner of the family. So, the major change in our life in moving home was going from a regular corporate job to self-employment. Over the past year, we've thrown ourselves into the world of irregular income, irregular schedules, lack of traditional "job security," buying our own health insurance, and giant tax bills that include an extra self-employment cut.<br />
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If that all sounds a bit rough, I will tell you that this new setup has also given us way more freedom and autonomy than we ever had when Pete worked a traditional 8-to-5 job. He's also able to complete many projects remotely, so even though he still travels, we also get to have him home during the day most of the time. As a whole, our family spends WAY more time together--which is great!<br />
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Now, over to me. When we first decided Pete would quit his corporate job and go it on his own, we planned for me to look for full time work with medical benefits. Although I'd made some decent headway on securing a full-time job in Portland, Pete's consulting work was picking up steam straight away upon our return. It soon became clear that he'd be traveling a lot for his first few projects, and that a telecommuting position would be ideal for me, so I could be parent-on-duty while he was away.<br />
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We also decided that part-time work would probably be okay--that we could afford to buy our own health insurance, and that I should be prepared to chip in admin work on the new "family business" where needed. As fortune would have it, my sister-in-law is the editor of a website that was looking for a writer. The position had flexible hours, and only required a laptop and internet connection. I took the writing sample test the week we arrived back Portland, and they hired me!<br />
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So now I write reviews of "merchant account providers" for small business owners at a website called <a href="http://www.merchantmaverick.com/" target="_blank">Merchant Maverick</a>. I'm not even going to bother explaining what that is, because honestly, it's not all that exciting. However, I wouldn't describe the work itself as boring. It involves a lot of detailed research, which I do enjoy. I get to put my teaching cap on as I wade through tons of information and try to present it in an understandable way. The best part of the work, though, is that the tone of the website is very casual. We're encouraged to use our own voice and add humor. The fun and challenging part of the job for me is taking a topic that is normally quite dry, and turning it into a somewhat engaging read.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9R09Shr_SlM4Sn7tdakQu8e05aMowcS7ukUN6Y1HXwtfUKM3J90rqPXVWaQWGfqfgFvMAJ50NOJXef6-8Fa6yPUUM2ZcT9RP4ZCJV-mZ4j6yJgb7gx1FiSztG2diBZtT3gPt6DK-E0S4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-06-11+at+3.51.14+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="825" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9R09Shr_SlM4Sn7tdakQu8e05aMowcS7ukUN6Y1HXwtfUKM3J90rqPXVWaQWGfqfgFvMAJ50NOJXef6-8Fa6yPUUM2ZcT9RP4ZCJV-mZ4j6yJgb7gx1FiSztG2diBZtT3gPt6DK-E0S4/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-06-11+at+3.51.14+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Writing sample</td></tr>
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So, now you know part of the reason I don't post over at the family blog very much anymore. Writing somewhere else is my job! Great excuse, eh? Meanwhile, Pete and I are enjoying working side-by-side at coffee shops and libraries most days. That's livin' the digital nomad dream, right there. We're practically Millennials!<br />
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Anyway, that's a quick snapshot of our work situation right now. At this stage of our lives, we don't make detailed future plans, so things may change quickly and dramatically at any time. But now you know--for now!<br />
<br />Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-17891109875395282542017-03-29T10:14:00.000-07:002017-03-29T21:53:45.251-07:00Reverse Culture ShockHey there. We've now been back in the US for about eight months. Honestly, it feels like much longer. Sometimes our four-year stint in Luxembourg seems like a dream. Wait, did that actually happen?! Being back in our old house in our old neighborhood has undoubtedly heightened the odd sense that we must have just imagined it all.<br />
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Before we completely adjust back to American life and forget what it was like to re-enter our home culture, I thought I'd quickly share a few experiences of reverse culture shock.<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>Driving everywhere</b><br />
In Luxembourg we managed without a car for a year and a half, but only because we <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.com/2013/05/no-car-update-its-no-accident-pun.html" target="_blank">purposefully arranged our living situation to make this possible</a> from the start. While we might be able to get away with this in certain areas of the city, the fact is that Portland (and America) is much bigger, and our house here is in the suburbs. Granted, we're at the border of the suburbs and the city, so we have relatively good bus access. Not only that, but we both work from home, and the kids' school is across the street. So we still are able to easily live with one car and the occasional Uber/Lyft. Nevertheless, driving everywhere is a key part of the culture here and we had to readjust to that mindset. And by the way, the roads here are <i>so dang wide</i>!<br />
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<b>Everything's easy</b><br />
You don't fully realize until you're back in a place where everyone speaks your native language just how perpetually tense you were in every interaction abroad. We constantly braced ourselves for miscommunication, confusion, frustration, misunderstanding, scolding, humiliation, and failure each time we set out to accomplish the simplest of tasks. Back in the USA, we speak the language and we know how all the systems work. And if we don't know, we're confident we can find out. Add to this the friendly customer service culture, and life feels like a cinch. Sure, the over-the-top American eagerness to please can be a bit obnoxious at times, but we laugh it off and thank our lucky stars we (mostly) understood what they said and got exactly what we wanted in a reasonable amount of time.<br />
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<b>Endless options and variety</b><br />
We can attribute the stark contrast between the US and Luxembourg partly to their comparative sizes, but there's no denying that America is the land of options aplenty. I'm trying to think of cases of more options in Luxembourg. Cheeses? Castles? No doubt there are a few more. But when we set out to buy anything here in Portland, whether online or in person, a product or a service, we are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices.<br />
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<b>Food</b><br />
Not only are the food and restaurant options expansive in the US, but we also really missed the <i>flavors. </i>We learned that the central European palate is much more refined than the American palate. While they are probably distinguishing all kinds of subtle flavors, all our American brains register is "bland." With the possible exception of some parts of the middle of the country, we Americans like our flavors and spices turned up to 11. We are now bombarded with flavor every time we eat out, and we absolutely love it. Also, free tap water at restaurants is amazing.<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>Job permanence</b><br />
Luxembourg is a land of transient expats. Most of our friends and colleagues moved countries and/or changed jobs every 2-4 years. Therefore, it's quite jarring to walk into Target or the gym or the post office and see the same people working there as before we left. I even see the same people in the same jobs since I was toting around a baby and toddler. Why haven't they moved on to a different job yet? Oh, wait, that's actually totally normal!<br />
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<b>School culture</b><br />
Obviously, there are lots of differences between public school in Luxembourg and the USA. Since we first moved to Luxembourg and faced a school culture that was different for both us and our kids, we've tried to instill the idea that one is not better than the other. I think they have a good grasp of this philosophy, and they are hesitant to judge and compare when asked. Nevertheless, here are a few key items we've been adjusting to in Oregon school:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Tons of opportunities (and expectation) for parent involvement and volunteering.</li>
<li>Lots of technology use, such as class sets of iPads and laptops, learning software that automatically adjusts the level as you go, email addresses and Google drives and blogs for the kids, etc.</li>
<li>Baffling playground rules like "no running on the wood chips" and "no pushing each other on the swings."</li>
<li>Lots of positive reinforcement from the teachers in the form of games, contests, verbal praise, emails to the parents, stickers, candy, earning rewards and parties, special privileges, etc.</li>
<li>Teachers rarely, if ever, yell at the class as a form of discipline or correction.</li>
<li>Lots of school community/social events.</li>
<li>Larger class sizes--approximately double!</li>
<li>Fewer and shorter tests.</li>
<li>Lots of fundraising.</li>
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<b>Junk mail</b><br />
This is kind of a random one, but it's very noticeable and extremely annoying. We get so much mail here and 95% of it goes straight into the recycling bin or shredder. What a waste!<br />
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<b>Politics</b><br />
'Nuff said.Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-68636948518724258502017-02-23T21:57:00.002-08:002017-02-23T21:57:59.275-08:00Snow Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzVTVfJc4PXP69QmVlAQen0Y3gej1NCicxn0gA1HZvfOhGGKzogtFtdWGB9L1oYyoLXq3NU72ELblFCM122hCN7VxHeCO15EQwAPmjYVbbcz0zqcPYktKXtPXKo6i9-u2acTrCp6j9584/s1600/IMG_7077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzVTVfJc4PXP69QmVlAQen0Y3gej1NCicxn0gA1HZvfOhGGKzogtFtdWGB9L1oYyoLXq3NU72ELblFCM122hCN7VxHeCO15EQwAPmjYVbbcz0zqcPYktKXtPXKo6i9-u2acTrCp6j9584/s400/IMG_7077.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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December and January saw a couple of big snowstorms, by Portland standards anyway. Meaning: about a foot of snow.<br />
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Yes, you have our permission to mock our city. We're just not equipped for this level of the white stuff, only because it's so rare. We're talking abandoned cars, 30-minute commutes turning to 5+ hours, closed freeways, and a general shutdown of the whole metro area. School has been canceled 9 days this winter. Let's hope we're done.<br />
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Once again, a lazy blog post is better than no post at all. So, I'll leave you with some snow-based photos until next time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHfmpzEANqem8_XVuKRK2766HEYqMDgbK13CKuj2VkAN9RUcYeuDy2Z8whSVOb_udwmoouat8T9AvbuuaO438g0i5elJGBNr3cJj78asdONjZCwf4uHclii1nG7O8JGUtzVss-JyrGpdV/s1600/IMG_7039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHfmpzEANqem8_XVuKRK2766HEYqMDgbK13CKuj2VkAN9RUcYeuDy2Z8whSVOb_udwmoouat8T9AvbuuaO438g0i5elJGBNr3cJj78asdONjZCwf4uHclii1nG7O8JGUtzVss-JyrGpdV/s400/IMG_7039.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the chill before the storms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigp6_cUGMg0TljWbo7Ov6BQnHFFkuqzy27uUJBXGxN_jb4AwtF27xXy_nKCl1YkOSQ1j8McdBOHhRWlqpFhy-TmPPRYhoNl1BfJiB0vjNdvPWxGxzHZ6FdAPD-gSY3IMkUdy0MaLD2a-Ed/s1600/IMG_7076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigp6_cUGMg0TljWbo7Ov6BQnHFFkuqzy27uUJBXGxN_jb4AwtF27xXy_nKCl1YkOSQ1j8McdBOHhRWlqpFhy-TmPPRYhoNl1BfJiB0vjNdvPWxGxzHZ6FdAPD-gSY3IMkUdy0MaLD2a-Ed/s400/IMG_7076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at home</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdpfiyFczkfCM5m_xIIy2WMpJNWsjDjqVBGKnptDv_8F-QhiL-S1BZXm-eEisbsQwTaMX-g0xAxlWtdIOqNy9LU20gdVuP6ZyvnfyMpv3qVVhPfTGnleRqHz9zKRlR11NNEyzcP-KxLPt/s1600/IMG_7098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdpfiyFczkfCM5m_xIIy2WMpJNWsjDjqVBGKnptDv_8F-QhiL-S1BZXm-eEisbsQwTaMX-g0xAxlWtdIOqNy9LU20gdVuP6ZyvnfyMpv3qVVhPfTGnleRqHz9zKRlR11NNEyzcP-KxLPt/s400/IMG_7098.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">out the same window a bit later</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB86hWl4F4s_iflO46Z2oFsCQ53kBsTR3_gPjZa7cG4j4EEIPbDew7fhVrxAgNIyLYQbItXU9RhyphenhyphenotziBjcoOqw3gaY27cTDxC1yBePjkWUscKrstTtcl5_CYE9eGtAu6ubmHMjzL1g55t/s1600/IMG_7143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB86hWl4F4s_iflO46Z2oFsCQ53kBsTR3_gPjZa7cG4j4EEIPbDew7fhVrxAgNIyLYQbItXU9RhyphenhyphenotziBjcoOqw3gaY27cTDxC1yBePjkWUscKrstTtcl5_CYE9eGtAu6ubmHMjzL1g55t/s400/IMG_7143.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in the same window a bit later</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENUqgtz2DP-_Ts76jyoMaGqs7Vk6qsn6kr_0ZkFQuTs1ScWh1WSCVsc42ux61TjaRgbCfIDIiyhh1wyJ84tZjY8LLKEdCCwXDBOc0p7vYff4ZxCc1KzDkSiNvfTPyUA8bKyKLxpNkgIVr/s1600/IMG_7099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENUqgtz2DP-_Ts76jyoMaGqs7Vk6qsn6kr_0ZkFQuTs1ScWh1WSCVsc42ux61TjaRgbCfIDIiyhh1wyJ84tZjY8LLKEdCCwXDBOc0p7vYff4ZxCc1KzDkSiNvfTPyUA8bKyKLxpNkgIVr/s400/IMG_7099.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at the schoolyard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">closeup</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and then they tackled each other</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking to a friend's house</td></tr>
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<br />Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-28397379967785857242017-01-09T21:00:00.000-08:002017-01-09T21:00:39.498-08:00Home for the Holidays 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">back in our old house for Christmas</td></tr>
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This past holiday season, for the first time since 2011, we celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving in the USA. In our own house! In our hometown! With our own extended family! Amazing!</div>
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I didn't take a ton of photos, as I was mostly savoring the moments as they happened. Most of these I already posted on Instagram at some point, but I thought I'd gather a few together here.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfRAqVi6zuRkHOtUe3IHZdrnCcktNmtTiXA1-8IgQthu8lVs2lq50KS18WqNa6mrbyoIDjUSzrwH0EejRtMWCxSCovnZcJq1ZMlL9fvl3Nkv9e6B_LNbCiM_r9Cbf9G8Y7_cfjc1EOqly/s1600/IMG_7089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfRAqVi6zuRkHOtUe3IHZdrnCcktNmtTiXA1-8IgQthu8lVs2lq50KS18WqNa6mrbyoIDjUSzrwH0EejRtMWCxSCovnZcJq1ZMlL9fvl3Nkv9e6B_LNbCiM_r9Cbf9G8Y7_cfjc1EOqly/s400/IMG_7089.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't be too impressed, it was pre-built.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1kHlBNJUTLWECf137h-YUmwsWgRN2nuAucEzHE5vVNYPPDRbmLSuOT7Fss44An5RCGufu2f2Da430BAskctgayB_cJkYyp1tPpOz7PZ9o2JTu3aOUGiOfbsow-FBplarUsYj0_2uhUbW/s1600/IMG_6673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1kHlBNJUTLWECf137h-YUmwsWgRN2nuAucEzHE5vVNYPPDRbmLSuOT7Fss44An5RCGufu2f2Da430BAskctgayB_cJkYyp1tPpOz7PZ9o2JTu3aOUGiOfbsow-FBplarUsYj0_2uhUbW/s400/IMG_6673.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tree stood up on its own at Home Depot. We were sold.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftGU4mTkuMzqL3uKFvGkhMGNEW04w_l6wdH-YwB1czhQrpnl60Yrtu2_5lSjUpC2TAWRNdSSO34xTz8w2NVpV8eh-y6C7VUA8wd5k5dH0qKX2DkOrNFwboYfqFhiXfAMSRd5q_nk1Qcgc/s1600/IMG_6695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftGU4mTkuMzqL3uKFvGkhMGNEW04w_l6wdH-YwB1czhQrpnl60Yrtu2_5lSjUpC2TAWRNdSSO34xTz8w2NVpV8eh-y6C7VUA8wd5k5dH0qKX2DkOrNFwboYfqFhiXfAMSRd5q_nk1Qcgc/s400/IMG_6695.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">decorating</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMd1DIgMSFTp1DJjTBJQGI2-nftVUy1C2mmdSgzfd9BqWcO3getwHx8oSup1V-t9mrCNHMx0eTKzcj9czeGO2SMNa6O5dXJxTzNtsoL2QV6sO2MPToTHa8unl-5dvfLE5JtDfHGCCdAIA/s1600/IMG_6929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMd1DIgMSFTp1DJjTBJQGI2-nftVUy1C2mmdSgzfd9BqWcO3getwHx8oSup1V-t9mrCNHMx0eTKzcj9czeGO2SMNa6O5dXJxTzNtsoL2QV6sO2MPToTHa8unl-5dvfLE5JtDfHGCCdAIA/s400/IMG_6929.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chrismas with my side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxhP4MvnpPhnXeePH-NZalji7xm4PfkWD11lZJwinU892pXXci4n4oFpfq8phL3WwTHlGGJN6FYUqjU0kXYE46XTChwlt5dfk2aA-uDHqLuCrcjTpk00hvj30pIXOg5u9qvIoPOR__C2e/s1600/IMG_6961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxhP4MvnpPhnXeePH-NZalji7xm4PfkWD11lZJwinU892pXXci4n4oFpfq8phL3WwTHlGGJN6FYUqjU0kXYE46XTChwlt5dfk2aA-uDHqLuCrcjTpk00hvj30pIXOg5u9qvIoPOR__C2e/s400/IMG_6961.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas with Pete's side</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFpBecL4egelEbOH4KOQZ3j0XnPtCQ1gh3M7pxmda5vPdGrWMYOtywTQr37vE-aEfATRmGAbCii711WghPwVRMQp8s6aenLODH9nx0DrsbFYCTjRfE8bFQsYJ8IGM-IBhh5RCyQ39OONU/s1600/IMG_6942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFpBecL4egelEbOH4KOQZ3j0XnPtCQ1gh3M7pxmda5vPdGrWMYOtywTQr37vE-aEfATRmGAbCii711WghPwVRMQp8s6aenLODH9nx0DrsbFYCTjRfE8bFQsYJ8IGM-IBhh5RCyQ39OONU/s400/IMG_6942.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malcolm + Connect 4 = hours of entertainment for all</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0vgkJv66Fu4t3hEcRItWp5vf9eCoe49wyD5hqHINfUbCFkwO962rnvAOW-3HquwttG5FPNw1f78ki0zZovY2OrQ-ug_5SbdzLPyhbkGC4QHVv_G1KrgMM7Lm2nNl-ccLPJie3586PV8O/s1600/IMG_7092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0vgkJv66Fu4t3hEcRItWp5vf9eCoe49wyD5hqHINfUbCFkwO962rnvAOW-3HquwttG5FPNw1f78ki0zZovY2OrQ-ug_5SbdzLPyhbkGC4QHVv_G1KrgMM7Lm2nNl-ccLPJie3586PV8O/s400/IMG_7092.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cousin's first Christmas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuxPwwJaSWNYB7fYYeHbyclziYFYtxP0pCNtK05dcVKpmcmxaQ6YBt7TK02Lqh8Ywa8GYU0lxc6x1-ksXw4v4q0aG1wmc0QN-0N9tIYMFGrzvc4gIwv8NS0r0am_LRtbvOczP8HymxMXf/s1600/IMG_7091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuxPwwJaSWNYB7fYYeHbyclziYFYtxP0pCNtK05dcVKpmcmxaQ6YBt7TK02Lqh8Ywa8GYU0lxc6x1-ksXw4v4q0aG1wmc0QN-0N9tIYMFGrzvc4gIwv8NS0r0am_LRtbvOczP8HymxMXf/s400/IMG_7091.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">it's fun to watch cousins open presents</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RPJt-JKRQT1nW8Ma5OpNnrLMrWLugdsz0MbyUnWa4wEFMdF-qqn-U9dhOE93IOwuOUCWResTMEEBz1LC3xUrmJpO-ylgr3eugGgjFZWzQtu69uCqHwE26ysjMJUpZhjYpvM5mYF0aD-u/s1600/IMG_7093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RPJt-JKRQT1nW8Ma5OpNnrLMrWLugdsz0MbyUnWa4wEFMdF-qqn-U9dhOE93IOwuOUCWResTMEEBz1LC3xUrmJpO-ylgr3eugGgjFZWzQtu69uCqHwE26ysjMJUpZhjYpvM5mYF0aD-u/s400/IMG_7093.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more cousin fun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-uxvloS8EM1lGsRLRhkrs52kteD7TU9FFq9XteC8FygEsEvo9qYMKxgjNkUA2nxaXdbGh6IKcbl30U-laMHFoOrXet81OT3AjyUgAmdQST2_XPu-FvVEQAI0uTrVE-cyHBRbxQc868xV/s1600/IMG_7090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-uxvloS8EM1lGsRLRhkrs52kteD7TU9FFq9XteC8FygEsEvo9qYMKxgjNkUA2nxaXdbGh6IKcbl30U-laMHFoOrXet81OT3AjyUgAmdQST2_XPu-FvVEQAI0uTrVE-cyHBRbxQc868xV/s400/IMG_7090.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">brother fun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7ZbYJtRn6MX_bmY7i9y9ehfhxwcblMI83pW1qU2LjThJvi8cc43-z1tVVn-nWUfzjmeMcCdjwj8TDTMPdaWg_zVNqdJuCsjCtWKNc4lCUulW9WvOzm57O4Jm2U_KX-kpUNs5Xkge4mX7/s1600/IMG_7094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7ZbYJtRn6MX_bmY7i9y9ehfhxwcblMI83pW1qU2LjThJvi8cc43-z1tVVn-nWUfzjmeMcCdjwj8TDTMPdaWg_zVNqdJuCsjCtWKNc4lCUulW9WvOzm57O4Jm2U_KX-kpUNs5Xkge4mX7/s400/IMG_7094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYE at Nana & Grandad's</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn5xKkci19Rjzi0lipFXsNd2k_qH2ZGgQHrLbJtPXcDvwNTk1z1fmtzLFN16lwP46z44ew1ZJUoUF6SZvVxW6XEdNn1gR8C6RfX-ANVus8RzMzGh3zDFZkDSgMGU2JRh-RhhNm0BIi-e6/s1600/IMG_6985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn5xKkci19Rjzi0lipFXsNd2k_qH2ZGgQHrLbJtPXcDvwNTk1z1fmtzLFN16lwP46z44ew1ZJUoUF6SZvVxW6XEdNn1gR8C6RfX-ANVus8RzMzGh3zDFZkDSgMGU2JRh-RhhNm0BIi-e6/s400/IMG_6985.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">made it midnight</td></tr>
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<br />And here are some bonus events from the end of the year/start to 2017, since I'm too lazy for separate posts. In reverse chronological order:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj80Re1kZihIPajQd3ytn1jhoOK69yZUWwlCWDkX5uqA454BDH3C7tMTllG5QDmQw4hVifxsdVT0Ta0_lNMq6sk0KUBE_hvXVGYRTGbKRJlzDiG0W2jvQuJdvNbt0_Cu0yVBH0hvMffur4/s1600/IMG_7036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj80Re1kZihIPajQd3ytn1jhoOK69yZUWwlCWDkX5uqA454BDH3C7tMTllG5QDmQw4hVifxsdVT0Ta0_lNMq6sk0KUBE_hvXVGYRTGbKRJlzDiG0W2jvQuJdvNbt0_Cu0yVBH0hvMffur4/s400/IMG_7036.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">14th anniversary January 3rd, 2017</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivr_9O1TuLorDI0A7tghJu0KQI4XxN5MBU5mUitPWvCqYS9HZujcDVe2pvr-fszjgSSRNr451rQ_q80A8AdMykKVskZ0JfkQSi4Q0xMfGOOMQ6EX7FAxjMchsgR6jPQeUdJ3Ld23F3oWnS/s1600/IMG_6859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivr_9O1TuLorDI0A7tghJu0KQI4XxN5MBU5mUitPWvCqYS9HZujcDVe2pvr-fszjgSSRNr451rQ_q80A8AdMykKVskZ0JfkQSi4Q0xMfGOOMQ6EX7FAxjMchsgR6jPQeUdJ3Ld23F3oWnS/s400/IMG_6859.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December birthdays</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxTnLNnoFW3LijLu_0x_O1of1UBC96vc2hcnDe5FTr_NRJRLKf72798D9l4Q1YDjt91OMJPPZaCHJM2cmq7ifvydVaRFRBsYL9DnQpDseYt0X2BMYdLGj0co6D2sPZfMt7aj_TdpBknvd/s1600/IMG_6860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxTnLNnoFW3LijLu_0x_O1of1UBC96vc2hcnDe5FTr_NRJRLKf72798D9l4Q1YDjt91OMJPPZaCHJM2cmq7ifvydVaRFRBsYL9DnQpDseYt0X2BMYdLGj0co6D2sPZfMt7aj_TdpBknvd/s400/IMG_6860.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">joint family party</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-16Ho81RlgjzkcKAiqbLyHjEQsZADpYj6qWdlxdZseQsgcEvDbGI6ESaIriOlz-EE86Z5TvhmI9pLkuVtbTqagc7X0az-RBbrMsTsJA8aJXI-c3gX0MHOhytvbyS9jSdoGlRw5-toDcQ/s1600/IMG_6779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-16Ho81RlgjzkcKAiqbLyHjEQsZADpYj6qWdlxdZseQsgcEvDbGI6ESaIriOlz-EE86Z5TvhmI9pLkuVtbTqagc7X0az-RBbrMsTsJA8aJXI-c3gX0MHOhytvbyS9jSdoGlRw5-toDcQ/s400/IMG_6779.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D's party with school friends</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JIxjTLkg-4iMNN5uXtXJZhgsvR8pbZsJkxXzVUUU1nnH5CYLKXGnvjjGOobMmLHSkEulBnfgrD-GbeQMSIfmzhnnkTYg0TMqi37PtmN_d40PZSeSWKuHBs3r5L8vjx7gcCZzJ0RhCIp0/s1600/IMG_6079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JIxjTLkg-4iMNN5uXtXJZhgsvR8pbZsJkxXzVUUU1nnH5CYLKXGnvjjGOobMmLHSkEulBnfgrD-GbeQMSIfmzhnnkTYg0TMqi37PtmN_d40PZSeSWKuHBs3r5L8vjx7gcCZzJ0RhCIp0/s400/IMG_6079.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James' October birthday</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXsogS5TFStoWZCAvvMFZPG6GSg8EImjLLhjLVYgLgPesmVuDRNhZB57M_mnuCQa-Tc4Tvd0NaC9nBZVqsaWOEUjmlFbmKU0HzQq9NV2whfzGh0TvZLNh4smWUAbrFDrnOuc-QV4qXHu6/s1600/IMG_6332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXsogS5TFStoWZCAvvMFZPG6GSg8EImjLLhjLVYgLgPesmVuDRNhZB57M_mnuCQa-Tc4Tvd0NaC9nBZVqsaWOEUjmlFbmKU0HzQq9NV2whfzGh0TvZLNh4smWUAbrFDrnOuc-QV4qXHu6/s400/IMG_6332.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James' celebration with family and friends</td></tr>
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Family: the hardest part of living abroad, the best part of being back!</div>
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<br />Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-59554502924673907832016-12-27T14:39:00.000-08:002016-12-28T09:04:16.827-08:00Luxembourg Wrap-up: Our Moving Process<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRa10BZX49ALxPbAa9ud7_CNEVmcLLnHQW1-yrbpKd60IelYduNIY_eIuNgwzmdnen9WHx0Z99sJdVXGU6VHAtMdf-LVzIXiEfdvZMO303hQchqJTUZn_gaAgW_sodc6xZscJLTHf0gLp/s1600/IMG_5357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRa10BZX49ALxPbAa9ud7_CNEVmcLLnHQW1-yrbpKd60IelYduNIY_eIuNgwzmdnen9WHx0Z99sJdVXGU6VHAtMdf-LVzIXiEfdvZMO303hQchqJTUZn_gaAgW_sodc6xZscJLTHf0gLp/s400/IMG_5357.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pizza on the last day</td></tr>
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Part of the appeal of an international job transfer is the sweet expat package that typically comes with the deal. Depending on the employer, you may receive money toward housing, the expensive tuition of private international school for your kids, and a certain number of flights home per year.<br />
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When we moved to Luxembourg originally, we received none of these perks, mainly because Pete was not transferred within a company for a set period of time like most traditional expats. Rather, this was his first role at the company: he accepted the job in Luxembourg on a local, indefinite contract.</div>
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What we did get was help with the actual move. Pete's employer paid for movers to pack up our Oregon house. Our possessions were divided into a smaller air shipment and a larger sea container shipment, and all the shipping costs and our plane tickets were covered. Had Pete transferred to the Seattle office this summer per our original plan, the same set-up would have applied.</div>
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When Pete decided to quit his corporate job and work for himself, however, we sacrificed this moving back benefit. Rather suddenly, the cost of 4 summer plane tickets and getting all our stuff back to the US fell squarely on our shoulders. In addition to this unplanned expense, we were also facing the unknown financial future of self-employment. But still feeling confident in our choice and its timing, we were determined to make it all work somehow.</div>
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After researching and discussing various options, we opted to liquidate all our furniture and large possessions, and then mail anything we felt we absolutely needed via express post. We stole this idea from Thrifty Travel Mama and her family, who moved their possessions <a href="https://thriftytravelmama.wordpress.com/tag/expats-move-home/" target="_blank">back to the States from Germany via DHL boxes</a>. Their situation was similar to ours: few possessions, tight budget. We used the Dutch equivalent of DHL (TNT) that partners with the Luxembourg post office, and they charged us €100 per 30 kilogram box.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">60 kg of stuff (note: we didn't use the Streff moving company, just their empty boxes!)</td></tr>
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Throughout the moving process, we were constantly asked, "Why not ship a pallet with a moving company? Wouldn't that be cheaper and easier?" In case you have the same query, here are a few reasons:</div>
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<li>We only made the decision for Pete to leave his job and to move ourselves back to Oregon less than 2 months before we actually left. Many moving companies require more notice than that to schedule a shipment, especially during high season/summer.</li>
<li>We didn't know exactly how much we'd want to bring back when all was said and done, so potentially overpaying for a pallet's worth of stuff, or paying a fixed amount for a predetermined total cubic meters/weight/number of boxes, wasn't cost effective. One company charged the same amount for 5-15 large boxes, for example. We thought we'd likely come out closer to 5.</li>
<li>We were able to gradually mail things back in a specific order relative to how much we still needed the items on a daily basis in Luxembourg, which gave us the flexibility to ship boxes and stay in our apartment up until right before we flew back, and bought us a lot more time to pack.</li>
<li>We knew that paying by-the-box would force us to examine each possession carefully to decide if it was really worth shipping back. This tickled our minimalist fancy, for sure. And we figured we could gradually replace things back in Oregon as we regained our financial footing, rather than dole out a huge sum upfront to move everything.</li>
<li>Sea shipments with moving companies can take <i>months</i> to arrive, and even standard air shipments on a pallet can take a couple weeks. Because we were only bringing back our most important items, by definition we'd need them again right away. TNT boxes only took 2-3 days.</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">there goes our first smallish test-box</td></tr>
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There were definite downsides to this method, though. The biggest pain was the sheer amount of time and effort it took to sort and sell EVERYTHING. In regular moves, even the international kind, there are items that don't get properly sorted. These items end up in miscellaneous boxes to be dealt with later (or never). If you've ever moved, you know those random catch-all boxes are a lifesaver when it's getting down to the wire. Sometimes, entire sealed boxes of keepsakes are even passed along from move to move, never opened at all. Alternatively, a few boxes and large items are temporarily stored at a family member's house.</div>
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None of the above were options for us this time. Every individual item from every nook and cranny of our lives was carefully weighed, sometimes literally, for worthiness.</div>
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Another formidable obstacle was that Craigslist and garage sales aren't part of Luxembourg culture. Most expats sell and give away stuff in Facebook groups. I logged several hours a day for a month and a half photographing and posting each of our possessions one by one in various groups, arranging pick-ups and managing no-shows. It felt like a full-time job at times! Deciding exactly when to let go of each item was also a mental and logistical puzzle. There were a few other hurdles such as how to organize, list, and value the contents of each giant box for customs purposes when you only have 4 lines to write on, but thankfully Thrifty Travel Mama had already blazed the trail on how to overcome those issues.</div>
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Then there were non-moving issues that added to the stress. The kids picked up headlice at school about 2 weeks before we moved. This was our first (and hopefully last!?!) time fighting lice, so I had to figure out that whole thing out in a foreign country in the middle of moving. The short story is that despite my best efforts, I got it too and we brought it back with us to the States! Sorry, people on the airplane! I am eternally grateful to Lice Knowing You in Beaverton, OR. It's all gone now. On the plus side, Pete got to really appreciate his baldness.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGiFmb51BORHTOWMYzvaXuSyIIS7Ds3kbSWE3MSDTO57OQTq-DWBOVYJIPv1tGO3Wfm4VR1qFgTWHX-wsABFw2zbgzLjyG3TSveyb1viWv1NYkJ2IrXVbhFbHb7UaPl6Og8MgAuHACOz9/s1600/IMG_4950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGiFmb51BORHTOWMYzvaXuSyIIS7Ds3kbSWE3MSDTO57OQTq-DWBOVYJIPv1tGO3Wfm4VR1qFgTWHX-wsABFw2zbgzLjyG3TSveyb1viWv1NYkJ2IrXVbhFbHb7UaPl6Og8MgAuHACOz9/s400/IMG_4950.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gotta love multiple mid-move lice treatments</td></tr>
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The other major hiccup was that James got really sick and went on antibiotics the last week of school, causing him to miss the last day. We flew out just a few days after school finished, and James still was recovering and taking medicine right up until we boarded the plane in Frankfurt. Keeping the antibiotics cold in a crappy lunch cooler during a very hot spell in ice-averse Europe once we left our apartment was an adventure in itself. Suffice it to say that Daphne saved James' bacon by using her German skills to score a flimsy plastic bag of frozen shrimp from a very confused restaurant owner at a truck stop in the middle-of-nowhere on the way to Frankfurt.<br />
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But back to the moving process. As we began the great sorting project, our 3rd bedroom served as the staging area for anything we wanted to ship back.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6MBUHfU1-iwrUmpiUmWjmNXraR_yo45aiuJ0OhLLpuYxDVde2i07BoHGa3APXR3TsuaTCXFn37SvV1FawcIDUfS-yF1f5KiKOkuqjgGtVpZWO4reLZvfbkj1EfHZ6EnZswftdXRTd6bM/s1600/IMG_4721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6MBUHfU1-iwrUmpiUmWjmNXraR_yo45aiuJ0OhLLpuYxDVde2i07BoHGa3APXR3TsuaTCXFn37SvV1FawcIDUfS-yF1f5KiKOkuqjgGtVpZWO4reLZvfbkj1EfHZ6EnZswftdXRTd6bM/s400/IMG_4721.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">that was basically it, except for our clothes for the suitcases</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking one last look through the old baseball card collection before letting it go. Pete, I'll take this photo down if it makes you too sad.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUBETN57ZeRN8c0cTMwV-vUAKzwcqrKPQh6a-JKr_CDP0Hz_Qu987hYtk2zmSWtExYRaA12jirYbkNmxIdsSqASebyokacfQWOzl8fZHYHXQgK1Ipn9cBfETcpjQ0pwA7oKptdexnxEs5/s1600/IMG_5258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUBETN57ZeRN8c0cTMwV-vUAKzwcqrKPQh6a-JKr_CDP0Hz_Qu987hYtk2zmSWtExYRaA12jirYbkNmxIdsSqASebyokacfQWOzl8fZHYHXQgK1Ipn9cBfETcpjQ0pwA7oKptdexnxEs5/s400/IMG_5258.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">last photo of kitchen artwork before taking it down</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApxFhUSaFQi2MoA9MiE89dP0i_knZTrKVbhfVyW64NuAoyLtprQYLzN5PwKfiMXtKFkmcfjYGsbqoa7etwg7EGnIuE0qWvEGg2xvYdRcqE5HIrZSKYcQPJyRryoyjFBter2Pgs23NnXRp/s1600/IMG_5266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApxFhUSaFQi2MoA9MiE89dP0i_knZTrKVbhfVyW64NuAoyLtprQYLzN5PwKfiMXtKFkmcfjYGsbqoa7etwg7EGnIuE0qWvEGg2xvYdRcqE5HIrZSKYcQPJyRryoyjFBter2Pgs23NnXRp/s400/IMG_5266.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearing out the pantry. We feasted on this pot of curried lentils for days!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nWEGUN1odoD48rwUbw370tEemDsMUhiDhAw5BS8mj8HVSowvXNQMtwDkqelHm9kBGZnhLAqUOwmEtQMgdsSiAck1c52701I80fuUw7KvXa8wcch9CDczwg5Zw7yVvDXVC7whicqoZc63/s1600/IMG_5333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nWEGUN1odoD48rwUbw370tEemDsMUhiDhAw5BS8mj8HVSowvXNQMtwDkqelHm9kBGZnhLAqUOwmEtQMgdsSiAck1c52701I80fuUw7KvXa8wcch9CDczwg5Zw7yVvDXVC7whicqoZc63/s400/IMG_5333.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pete weighing our largest box. Just subtract his body weight!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUXv35HOVnQEJPLBbMz0QVpBeU4aL5uHqLMvC_fA_7G0Gtl0u6rb7ui3Ys2PahfQp3FL0BiHRRMtYZwMIP7sdpkLUyEYp5BkEQnXcge3fHWuhhskAZi_-btfw7x1xb3OC22j9W3c3yil7/s1600/IMG_5346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUXv35HOVnQEJPLBbMz0QVpBeU4aL5uHqLMvC_fA_7G0Gtl0u6rb7ui3Ys2PahfQp3FL0BiHRRMtYZwMIP7sdpkLUyEYp5BkEQnXcge3fHWuhhskAZi_-btfw7x1xb3OC22j9W3c3yil7/s400/IMG_5346.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">taking the largest box to the downtown post office</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPPuWhnSldL5_CN9_xIw4RlrAKod6z0nply6aqv5_9nx1LBfryzfs4Em6Gn2Usrkc5ol5JsKYlO6ouK09kmtApHnSnnn14pUMUoQysVcyWRpaqAFMvDj8d8o3Oi7vDo8qd2x6IHoSbnCE/s1600/IMG_4944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPPuWhnSldL5_CN9_xIw4RlrAKod6z0nply6aqv5_9nx1LBfryzfs4Em6Gn2Usrkc5ol5JsKYlO6ouK09kmtApHnSnnn14pUMUoQysVcyWRpaqAFMvDj8d8o3Oi7vDo8qd2x6IHoSbnCE/s400/IMG_4944.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">getting low on furniture!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioePdUWIIYiLtcnhQ4KwFOA5KQjXrjrEKa7b0OFXEuBUdkmAXaKOyZIjgLlCeeHEClFpY45DIVEPAXCfbvj5hOuj027y50QfI2_g4Z5Q6owK78qmq6ACtE-gIyJQK4s9hav1WCq8DIr29M/s1600/IMG_5336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioePdUWIIYiLtcnhQ4KwFOA5KQjXrjrEKa7b0OFXEuBUdkmAXaKOyZIjgLlCeeHEClFpY45DIVEPAXCfbvj5hOuj027y50QfI2_g4Z5Q6owK78qmq6ACtE-gIyJQK4s9hav1WCq8DIr29M/s400/IMG_5336.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">getting really low on furniture</td></tr>
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By the night before our friend was to drive us to the Frankfurt airport, we'd whittled everything down to cleaning supplies, suitcases, musical instruments we'd take on the plane, and mattresses. In the morning, a friend picked up the mattresses, we piled the suitcases and instruments into the hallway, and finished cleaning before the landlord inspection.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqa6FMDkp6C_Iw4VUVB2Q2wSHldCgMGESVFzT9Ddd6ny4dEcu9HdD4oPVahAe46zWZL4v0PB2Kba8C1bipYVuD7AxBI_X4PBjiFioNyGtvt4pz-ANzRRrmxNLw6dYF4Jv2jfW7QElk_t2L/s1600/IMG_5312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqa6FMDkp6C_Iw4VUVB2Q2wSHldCgMGESVFzT9Ddd6ny4dEcu9HdD4oPVahAe46zWZL4v0PB2Kba8C1bipYVuD7AxBI_X4PBjiFioNyGtvt4pz-ANzRRrmxNLw6dYF4Jv2jfW7QElk_t2L/s400/IMG_5312.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all checked out!</td></tr>
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Pete took one last load of blankets and cleaning supplies to the recycling center, and while we waited for our car dealer friend to come pick up our car, we took a walk into town to say <span style="text-align: center;">goodbye </span>to Luxembourg one last time--and turn in our wireless router.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmh-QD2DNc3_B8498Nlbz-go9ma5F-xCzKFJpp6ruCYXn3jgbMSptueFtAHmzLNxujY3H6cBT2s1vhMMdaL-Sp7f8jd0M0Fg1huwDmHEGQmocXe5K2ux5bzcZTOILfHQUtxTKPMpTSEp0/s1600/IMG_5377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmh-QD2DNc3_B8498Nlbz-go9ma5F-xCzKFJpp6ruCYXn3jgbMSptueFtAHmzLNxujY3H6cBT2s1vhMMdaL-Sp7f8jd0M0Fg1huwDmHEGQmocXe5K2ux5bzcZTOILfHQUtxTKPMpTSEp0/s400/IMG_5377.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with Ellie the Elephant and our mini-version</td></tr>
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Once our car was gone, our lovely friend Beth drove us to Frankfurt and treated us to a final dinner at Vapiano.</div>
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Then after spending the night in Frankfurt, we took a taxi with our instruments and suitcases to the airport. James downed his last dose of antibiotics, we threw the entire lunch cooler in the trash (semi-frozen and leaking plastic bag of shrimp and all) and got on the plane!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5k-bPmLbvQjTbqWfFC5SuH8ve3pPYDJ7IsID1YYJt7VZUdTPz8CkozHkey0W3GmKwgkWocQLGZex3sxj9y3cY9ATmnKC-XN9ZYv8hXkZsTYPgjCwEqBIPGON6PRCdFo-Z4vBJ49o9maB/s1600/IMG_5397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5k-bPmLbvQjTbqWfFC5SuH8ve3pPYDJ7IsID1YYJt7VZUdTPz8CkozHkey0W3GmKwgkWocQLGZex3sxj9y3cY9ATmnKC-XN9ZYv8hXkZsTYPgjCwEqBIPGON6PRCdFo-Z4vBJ49o9maB/s400/IMG_5397.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ugly PDX carpet = we're home!</td></tr>
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And how about those boxes? In the end, we shipped 8 of them, and all made it safe and sound. All except one box arrived in Oregon before we did. We were not charged any additional customs fees, and only suffered a few broken Christmas ornaments and mugs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the last box!</td></tr>
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So, now we've had experience on both ends of the international move spectrum: a cushy corporate-sponsored move and an extremely DIY version.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">boxes double as fort for nephew</td></tr>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-36389484268364415992016-12-17T11:10:00.002-08:002016-12-28T08:58:34.402-08:00Luxembourg Wrap-up: Saying ÄddiI'm gonna do it. I'm gonna get some catch-up posts in before the end of the year!<br />
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I already wrote a post about the <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.com/2016/08/luxembourg-wrap-up-music.html" target="_blank">farewell concert</a> that functioned as our official going-away party in June. Before we departed Luxembourg in mid-July, we had a few other casual meet-ups with friends to say goodbye. While we didn't get to see everyone before we left, let alone take photos of everyone, I'm posting those we did manage to grab.<br />
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None of this documentation will matter to anyone besides us and the people in the photos. Nevertheless, this blog has become our main family record, and we want to remember our time in Luxembourg the best that we can. Something about living in a foreign country speeds up and intensifies friendships, so I know we'll never forget them. But photos help too!<br />
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By the way, here are just a few of the passport countries represented by the friends in these photos: Canada, USA, France, Germany, Belgium, Scotland, England, Ireland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, Paraguay, Brazil, China, Nigeria.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first Luxembourgish friend</td></tr>
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Classmates at the park:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they brought gifts, so sweet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">water fight!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James T and James T</td></tr>
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Last day of school:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James became really ill and missed the last day. So sad he didn't get to say a proper goodbye.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D's teacher the last 2 years.</td></tr>
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After I took these photos, Daphne stood in the middle of the playground and yelled "äddi" to every item at school, one by one. I got a video, but am pretty sure she'd be mad if I posted it.</div>
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Next up: how we moved our belongings back!</div>
Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-71626303572687196272016-10-31T21:13:00.004-07:002016-10-31T21:13:57.414-07:00Happy Halloween 2016Erg, well, I'm very behind on blogging. My excuse is that my new job is writing for a website, so I don't have a lot of time or energy to write on the side.<br />
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Anyway, here are a couple photos from our first Halloween in the US since 2011.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZag_ad95QJkSuJwWLcOyA4DvhoxzNQ6Jzm1d82-_uKI3tK2XD0DsBOBYtmZlEVzxP0J_KLJ1MmIWKcFtLU_l38_nj1coGuN9546ddHUp8MJzhTsqcDCkUnpTbvW-5H2FLyCsX3Y50YZ8B/s1600/IMG_6398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZag_ad95QJkSuJwWLcOyA4DvhoxzNQ6Jzm1d82-_uKI3tK2XD0DsBOBYtmZlEVzxP0J_KLJ1MmIWKcFtLU_l38_nj1coGuN9546ddHUp8MJzhTsqcDCkUnpTbvW-5H2FLyCsX3Y50YZ8B/s400/IMG_6398.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ninja and Red Ridding Hood</td></tr>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-48991618340333711462016-09-07T08:53:00.000-07:002016-09-07T08:53:01.256-07:00Back to School in the USA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCx0NRbICbeJtlHzlM7QAxwPH3LS6OOsK9V0FpIbk-8-kCKZnBqMGyzAk9C5AFY-lNoQ4MnjTAmgE95T-3E7GjoDe9rHkqtiTSoHuibkIFLkPSDZAwWKqoRWJ0aAeTF0ihQKKUKrZ8GDgA/s1600/IMG_5695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCx0NRbICbeJtlHzlM7QAxwPH3LS6OOsK9V0FpIbk-8-kCKZnBqMGyzAk9C5AFY-lNoQ4MnjTAmgE95T-3E7GjoDe9rHkqtiTSoHuibkIFLkPSDZAwWKqoRWJ0aAeTF0ihQKKUKrZ8GDgA/s400/IMG_5695.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We interrupt this Luxembourg Wrap-up series to bring you the news that Daphne and James have now started school in Oregon. The elementary school is just across the road from our old house and it's where Daphne attended kindergarten four years ago. James was just four back then.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our friendly crossing guard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">supply drop-off and meet your teacher day</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hot chocolate and donut holes on the first day</td></tr>
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I'm pleased to report that they had a good first day. James was impressed with how nice his teacher is ("She promised that she never yells!") and with the class set of iPads, and Daphne approved of her teacher's numerous classroom management tricks. They've already been on computers and websites and apps and watched videos and played lots of games. Pete said to James, "Looks like you've traded your fountain pen for an iPad." James said, "What on earth does that mean?"</div>
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Welcome (back) to American school, kiddos.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoddxle-LWPNh1XySMEqaRIpg0KtrqC4ClpElP_V-V3OJ1ysKXT_pvMZUhCEAT6q2OKVlRXhjyiU3fUmj_dniZB5FKIcAAVE1AYsHFZGzrykK7XHlAr-l2hjKofkQjtanGBk5n56Sstd6D/s1600/IMG_5697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoddxle-LWPNh1XySMEqaRIpg0KtrqC4ClpElP_V-V3OJ1ysKXT_pvMZUhCEAT6q2OKVlRXhjyiU3fUmj_dniZB5FKIcAAVE1AYsHFZGzrykK7XHlAr-l2hjKofkQjtanGBk5n56Sstd6D/s400/IMG_5697.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-47753166067232008192016-09-05T21:13:00.000-07:002016-09-05T21:13:01.852-07:00Luxembourg Wrap-up: Drawing Contest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Each year in Luxembourg, a bank sponsors a drawing contest for all the public school children in the country. Every child must submit something--it's not optional--and they all have to complete a detailed rough draft first. It's serious business and they spend a good deal of class time on it. The contest is quite long-standing, because teachers and parents I've talked to remember entering their own pictures when they were kids. Prizes are awarded by grade/cycle, and students are assigned a different theme every year. This year's theme was "Heros" and for Daphne's cycle the sub-theme was "Anyone can be a hero." </div>
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Daphne drew her dad running into school with a library book she'd forgotten at home. (Aww)</div>
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In May, we received a letter home from the bank and a call from her teacher explaining that Daphne's drawing had won 2nd place for Luxembourg City for her cycle this year! The picture would be automatically entered in the final contest for the whole country, with prizes like iPads and bicycles at stake.</div>
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Meanwhile, were invited to the local bank branch to collect Daphne's preliminary prize for the city contest. We showed up for a sweet-but-very-awkward meeting in a conference room with two bankers, with treats on the table and other prize-winning drawings from other grades displayed around the room. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wMNVgWInWRac_cYisVx-uNvLCSFxGGdxHH7Ij5h_q3uJiBmqbHB7pl0_T8mFlY2sBDpSSvYHBCy7EFoWsiiyBwu05WvWWXHn960_csALTrBX5U4Q08agJmcPhTVvD8trchdOl0xvvqdv/s1600/IMG_3407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wMNVgWInWRac_cYisVx-uNvLCSFxGGdxHH7Ij5h_q3uJiBmqbHB7pl0_T8mFlY2sBDpSSvYHBCy7EFoWsiiyBwu05WvWWXHn960_csALTrBX5U4Q08agJmcPhTVvD8trchdOl0xvvqdv/s400/IMG_3407.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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After a few minutes staring at each other across the table in mostly uncomfortable silence, they told us we should take a photo of the drawing because we probably wouldn't get it back.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlM3JIn38HAs9FsbtgHe-e0PH7-J0njClraDliZkmy6XkcQKnXN0svplcXbhxgMCpTUEoDCRfLc-IJjV05r1ytroOKv3YGvWyQXE3huiuj03eJ383n_GCegqqUlJMS9SCmSJ5BKNP4ci3/s1600/IMG_3409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlM3JIn38HAs9FsbtgHe-e0PH7-J0njClraDliZkmy6XkcQKnXN0svplcXbhxgMCpTUEoDCRfLc-IJjV05r1ytroOKv3YGvWyQXE3huiuj03eJ383n_GCegqqUlJMS9SCmSJ5BKNP4ci3/s400/IMG_3409.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looks remarkably like her actual hallway at school</td></tr>
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Then they presented Daphne with her the prize--a backpack--and were apparently immediately overcome with guilt that her little brother got nothing, so they ran to the cupboard and pulled out a small puzzle game for him as a consolation prize. And then they must have felt even more guilty/awkward, because they ran and fetched one for Daphne as well.<div>
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Not knowing what to do next, I snapped a couple more pictures of the drawing just to be sure I captured it, and then we excused ourselves from the room. I'm fairly certain I missed some cultural cues along the way of what we were actually supposed to do in this little award ceremony, especially because there was food there. That part always throws me off in Europe; it's hard to know to what extent to partake and how long to take partaking. But we eventually escaped.<br /><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The winner and her prize backpack.</td></tr>
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We never heard back about the results of the national contest (nor did we expect to, really). And although Pete was disappointed he didn't get to keep his daughter's drawing of his heroism, he did use the photo as his desktop background.</div>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-7358264043209639602016-08-27T20:52:00.000-07:002016-08-27T20:54:13.577-07:00Luxembourg Wrap-up: Music!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYdtLnQUXBq_LmrBivDtC1ASbtgjO0H0qBHNa4I5jMUzRX_dkGd0mHME4_E4ZwKln-Xim7wxmZnmIIsWa8zzw70mqnfx28J_85_5oyWFrfeRlKH_Me6n2Fhi4djQd5F5w7tsyXmv6339f/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.44.40+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYdtLnQUXBq_LmrBivDtC1ASbtgjO0H0qBHNa4I5jMUzRX_dkGd0mHME4_E4ZwKln-Xim7wxmZnmIIsWa8zzw70mqnfx28J_85_5oyWFrfeRlKH_Me6n2Fhi4djQd5F5w7tsyXmv6339f/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.44.40+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hi, everyone! We are alive and well and back in Oregon. I guess I'm going to need to change our blog header!</div>
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If you're curious about how the move went, how we got ourselves and our stuff back across the ocean, the various mishaps along the way, what this last month of adjustment to the US has been like, and what the heck Pete and I are doing now for work, not to worry. I will catch up on move stories later, after I catch up on a couple Lux wrap-up posts.</div>
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Music was a huge part of our lives in Luxembourg. Pete and I led the music program at church for three and a half of our four years living there, and I was eventually hired part-time. We spent nearly every Saturday morning rehearsing and every Sunday setting up, playing, and tearing down for services. By default, I became the percussionist, taking up a type of box drum called the <i>cajon</i>. And with a shortage of available bass players, we convinced Daphne to pick up the bass guitar. It wasn't long before she was singing background vocals and playing most weekends with us, and James even joined us a couple times on background vocals. But we officially became a family band in November 2015 when we <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-t-family-band-plays-christmas-market.html" target="_blank">played a set at the Christmas market</a>, nicknaming ourselves The TitteringTones. Throughout our time overseas, we met and bonded with other musicians over rehearsals, performances, and casual music nights in our home or at the park. Music was a way of life for us in Luxembourg.</div>
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So it seemed fitting that in lieu of a a going-away party we should host a farewell concert, to show our love and appreciation for our friends and adopted family in our adopted country.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnUwYAts-ppgWEryrdEGbyaOR2iMNLVN-J4dy5wCRt6csHDiXUpBM1-4eK-YuX0z-ND786W5OJV1T_9Ak93VdXuZZCYH8O3oo4QrY0ol8Mtdnr91J_KopMykKHYlcGfRywIUXFIVBrjAF/s1600/farewell+concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnUwYAts-ppgWEryrdEGbyaOR2iMNLVN-J4dy5wCRt6csHDiXUpBM1-4eK-YuX0z-ND786W5OJV1T_9Ak93VdXuZZCYH8O3oo4QrY0ol8Mtdnr91J_KopMykKHYlcGfRywIUXFIVBrjAF/s400/farewell+concert.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made a Luxembourgish flag-themed flyer</td></tr>
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We put together a set of some of our favorite songs, including three Daphne + Pete originals.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxVDQpfg8NODDmePZYnZB4eH3mxcAjmevdUwEIZ1M2OuLa1UuXPamGF4w2-GcYBFclvfCtgWmchCIqRnDurwQcLz8qZHya9xgrmi0MaJZIi3gkJ02YPvqDY9iUU6n4VdUZor8pLMAc0tD/s1600/IMG_4356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxVDQpfg8NODDmePZYnZB4eH3mxcAjmevdUwEIZ1M2OuLa1UuXPamGF4w2-GcYBFclvfCtgWmchCIqRnDurwQcLz8qZHya9xgrmi0MaJZIi3gkJ02YPvqDY9iUU6n4VdUZor8pLMAc0tD/s400/IMG_4356.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I asked Daphne to write a song about leaving Luxembourg</td></tr>
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Here is a video of the resulting concert, mistakes and all, held in our church building. We had a nice little crowd of church members, coworkers, and friends in attendance. James and Daphne's teachers even came along.<br />
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(click through to the post if this does not show up in the email version)</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Cmg1tPgh_vQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cmg1tPgh_vQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
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Our friend, Almyra, took some photos:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQ2KXq-RH8FT0Zre8B8fbFtSkd7tv6ILNPnxqbo6JkBvFhnf9PM-VVzK2j9fzVQZDMswJhBJpIbMzXqKWWI5eGfDBYXF7bsuAQG3ZTUptgMmdHWg59AqMZK2nw17mXVGeFmDu6Ui3niHj/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.46.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQ2KXq-RH8FT0Zre8B8fbFtSkd7tv6ILNPnxqbo6JkBvFhnf9PM-VVzK2j9fzVQZDMswJhBJpIbMzXqKWWI5eGfDBYXF7bsuAQG3ZTUptgMmdHWg59AqMZK2nw17mXVGeFmDu6Ui3niHj/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.46.56+PM.png" width="217" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7SxW70fYn23bpSFisU9jyiM6yMzYnTFsIfKRoolo1gY-boLvbWz3VLy2djkKoFnP6hadNWFVbDai0_1yXtrthlqOfZtw3DSXBh3xDbZHpG-B0u4s0nT-_6jYQXi7F7qHYFuDVQT1ZUWf/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.48.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7SxW70fYn23bpSFisU9jyiM6yMzYnTFsIfKRoolo1gY-boLvbWz3VLy2djkKoFnP6hadNWFVbDai0_1yXtrthlqOfZtw3DSXBh3xDbZHpG-B0u4s0nT-_6jYQXi7F7qHYFuDVQT1ZUWf/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.48.50+PM.png" width="335" /></a></div>
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And we even had the privilege of collaborating with a couple of musician friends on some songs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVIjBL74ZNzdET1Lt-yZbLc7fpMF5tmOnujAT2Lk4MEVln1fOvLPT8hZnTOZL4rIoLbYr2UGEd3qff27_nuqB3bvn-JLVill038k7hHzmm2LOeKNLfjvCVMUwMFz0UBALo9VU7XEqK4rI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.47.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVIjBL74ZNzdET1Lt-yZbLc7fpMF5tmOnujAT2Lk4MEVln1fOvLPT8hZnTOZL4rIoLbYr2UGEd3qff27_nuqB3bvn-JLVill038k7hHzmm2LOeKNLfjvCVMUwMFz0UBALo9VU7XEqK4rI/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-08-27+at+6.47.50+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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In May and June we wrapped up our time at church, including playing for our international potluck service.</div>
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In June, the outdoor pianos returned to Luxembourg City.</div>
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This year we decided to enter the city's contest to win an iPad for recording a video at one or more of the pianos, since we'd spent so much time practicing for our farewell concert anyway. For the added cuteness factor, we chose a song that heavily featured the kids.</div>
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And lo and behold, we won (tied for?) 2nd place! The winners were invited to a reception at city hall. It was all in Luxembourgish so we didn't quite catch everything that was going on, but Pete and the kids were unexpectedly asked to reprise their song for the assembled crowd along with the other winners.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmad_dsR9a7IGPHST27H2i0CFd8sUjqE63OPAZxWPChRDEkwT6xmDSIqUG6aF4gftssPrQdqmLRL_-FJA8tixft7DHTIO2cHHy7IUjJ_yz8JR7aOmMKAZZSrmVrWQu95hM_NNNQE0siNeQ/s1600/IMG_5213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmad_dsR9a7IGPHST27H2i0CFd8sUjqE63OPAZxWPChRDEkwT6xmDSIqUG6aF4gftssPrQdqmLRL_-FJA8tixft7DHTIO2cHHy7IUjJ_yz8JR7aOmMKAZZSrmVrWQu95hM_NNNQE0siNeQ/s400/IMG_5213.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And then we appeared in the <a href="http://www.wort.lu/en/luxembourg/luxembourg-city-my-urban-piano-competition-winners-announced-5788e19eac730ff4e7f638c7" target="_blank">Luxembourgish national newspaper!</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtCL0Ggo4XMb4_v5EAR8Qc4FyaHN0aXgYqjSPYULbrl0hdTO83pXvkf8WiRUqQsU5iGgqZesC2PWJbwd-H_oTOZciDVVz1X3rklMSeQEJ9qvJ2gRiVbIcaHEChru0bUj5h7_wY91WLrET/s1600/wort+piano+photo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtCL0Ggo4XMb4_v5EAR8Qc4FyaHN0aXgYqjSPYULbrl0hdTO83pXvkf8WiRUqQsU5iGgqZesC2PWJbwd-H_oTOZciDVVz1X3rklMSeQEJ9qvJ2gRiVbIcaHEChru0bUj5h7_wY91WLrET/s400/wort+piano+photo.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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By the way, do you see the woman in the bright blue blazer next to James & Daphne? She presented the awards, and I had a nice chat with her after the ceremony. After we spoke for awhile, we had the following exchange:</div>
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Me: So what exactly is your role here?</div>
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Nice Woman: I'm the mayor of Luxembourg City.</div>
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Me: Oh! Wow. I'm so sorry, I should have known that. How embarrassing! </div>
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Nice Woman: Yes, I was already the mayor for 18 years from 1982 to 1999. And I became the mayor again when Xavier Bettel became prime minister in 2013. You can see my photo with all the other mayors on the wall over there.</div>
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Me: Cool, um, I'll go look at those!</div>
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Whoops. But did I mention the whole ceremony was in Luxembourgish!? As are all political posters!</div>
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So anyway, we got to meet the mayor our last week in Luxembourg! </div>
Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-84652929130703954952016-07-14T13:14:00.001-07:002016-07-14T13:40:56.143-07:00James in "Küss den Frosch" (The Princess & The Frog)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(Moving updates to come - we leave next week! - but meanwhile...)</div>
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James had the good fortune to participate three plays in three different languages during our four years in Luxembourg.</div>
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His first role was Simba in his 1st grade class' production of <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/06/der-konig-der-lowen-james-1st-play.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">"The Lion King" in Luxembourgish</span></a>.</span> Then this past spring, he and Daphne were in the young chorus of a English community theatre <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2016/04/oliver-in-luxembourg.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">production of "Oliver!"</span></a> And then this week, his 2nd grade class put on "The Princess & The Frog" in German. His amazing teacher adapted the 2009 Disney movie's screenplay set in 1920s New Orleans. James was the Narrator, and also the wedding officiant/MC.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daphne & James designed the playbill</td></tr>
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As the narrator, James had his own mini stage in the middle of the auditorium, where he awakes at the beginning of the play to set the scene:</div>
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Then he pops up every once in awhile to give shorter transitions, and eventually makes his way to the stage to officiate the cut-short wedding, and then back to his post to officiate the real wedding.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">watching the action on stage</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great costumes all by a parent. Gotta love the balloons on the fireflies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James on the regular stage</td></tr>
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Then after his closing monologue, James introduced the cast:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cast and their teacher/director</td></tr>
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So a big thank you to Luxembourg for introducing this little guy to theatre!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great job, James!</td></tr>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-34048269013630116732016-06-16T06:33:00.001-07:002016-06-21T06:27:01.197-07:00Change of Plans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
We're moving to back Portland, Oregon. Not to <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2016/03/a-busy-february-announcement.html" target="_blank">Seattle, Washington</a>.<br />
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It was a complicated decision that took weeks of tossing around ideas, making plans and changing them, checking in with each other's thoughts, calculating risks, exploring worst case scenarios, and searching our souls.<br />
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In the end, the decision came down to two main things:<br />
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<ol>
<li>We've been away from our families in Oregon a long time. If we're going to go back, we should go all the way back.</li>
<li>Pete has some projects and business ideas he'd like to explore. This only really makes sense if we're back into our old, paid-for house.</li>
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And, in the end, it actually came down to one thing: following our instincts and our hearts. This feels right for us, and right for right now, so we have to do it. We can't <i><b>not</b></i> do it.<br />
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So, we're coming to Portland. See you there.Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-604924037440835242016-05-26T03:22:00.000-07:002016-05-26T03:25:11.692-07:00Italy: Milan (+bonus)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the way home Friday, we stopped in Milan for a quick lunch. </div>
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The Milan Cathedral is gorgeous, but we didn't have time to tour the inside.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCT77sfccoMh7wBrXvB8NMmhCSRz0zavJGf0M7tEmcoC2cndsHNZSXCHD2dMWbUo4_JulVvii6AdmFhiHqVWJj22DX_eD-IdRWlFMxfcT_qRyVi0EVcx1uL4iUpgnt14ONA9sGyRXXcgve/s1600/IMG_4171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCT77sfccoMh7wBrXvB8NMmhCSRz0zavJGf0M7tEmcoC2cndsHNZSXCHD2dMWbUo4_JulVvii6AdmFhiHqVWJj22DX_eD-IdRWlFMxfcT_qRyVi0EVcx1uL4iUpgnt14ONA9sGyRXXcgve/s400/IMG_4171.JPG" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
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Milan is a fashion and design capital. Shops representing most of the Italian brands you'd recognize are contained inside the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel II next to the cathedral. Versace, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Armani, Gucci, and the like are all lined up side-by-side in this covered shopping mall built in the 1800s.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf0mq81biGF0gHIHMdkiHqjFQQ5vcFdiLoR0HuiLNVwgf-yWiqIoJ1D1bOnIO13n_Cn9SEjEvmOQgExgrOLskenQ7PH6ngipgt9Zi0WjKI75DypNxj2N-Jt2WgFzQnzzqdfzm-L2HYZ8K/s1600/IMG_4179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf0mq81biGF0gHIHMdkiHqjFQQ5vcFdiLoR0HuiLNVwgf-yWiqIoJ1D1bOnIO13n_Cn9SEjEvmOQgExgrOLskenQ7PH6ngipgt9Zi0WjKI75DypNxj2N-Jt2WgFzQnzzqdfzm-L2HYZ8K/s400/IMG_4179.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not your average mall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEouQ_D4AqxwZ4umD7DhEqNQNdECgnozDkC8bYQ5g9kbpMhgVnY8_iAFaELvPzeinXSO_SRAVnXw_z0DwGwYOIlHSmoZLSDqeV2s8D_2EG_m83_wMnktCjEEuyAbRLLA0-9C3q8P2KwRUV/s1600/IMG_4174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEouQ_D4AqxwZ4umD7DhEqNQNdECgnozDkC8bYQ5g9kbpMhgVnY8_iAFaELvPzeinXSO_SRAVnXw_z0DwGwYOIlHSmoZLSDqeV2s8D_2EG_m83_wMnktCjEEuyAbRLLA0-9C3q8P2KwRUV/s400/IMG_4174.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pete and the kids in front of Versace</td></tr>
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True to fashion-capital form, we were even ushered out of the way for a photo shoot in progress...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Z0b6nC1YS4NJUNTGXo5_tfJf6etyy4bQoiKD1iTapcSWZAHoOYUzsnYDkAafkr9V3umr7i-63Xl-M4TvwivZVYCA_Z1lHISPrlHaxJ6-yNH2exD87K4rx-dIbxYmm0a5rEWwY6dbkMa/s1600/IMG_4106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Z0b6nC1YS4NJUNTGXo5_tfJf6etyy4bQoiKD1iTapcSWZAHoOYUzsnYDkAafkr9V3umr7i-63Xl-M4TvwivZVYCA_Z1lHISPrlHaxJ6-yNH2exD87K4rx-dIbxYmm0a5rEWwY6dbkMa/s400/IMG_4106.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bridal dresses perhaps?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-s9rFKmx2cWrLRVvR4ZnADcRl-Wm-bcYhm2O9yeW1zc0ESGnPuRzeckEbrJKDl6YIZRLjyitO18oHBTcNWtDHoPpf_jru86dN5MzGmFgKbkw1VP8cnqXMhoRtm0TOggE125ug71MCNTu5/s1600/IMG_4175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-s9rFKmx2cWrLRVvR4ZnADcRl-Wm-bcYhm2O9yeW1zc0ESGnPuRzeckEbrJKDl6YIZRLjyitO18oHBTcNWtDHoPpf_jru86dN5MzGmFgKbkw1VP8cnqXMhoRtm0TOggE125ug71MCNTu5/s400/IMG_4175.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the photographer mostly took photos of the trains against the lovely tile floors</td></tr>
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We hunted down lunch, even though the gelato was tempting as always...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIJuybgazCh1oMTPhjqbDvGfsX8CN-bw1AfotZrt31Et9MtmFUqOBmR_EoOsk6FjcVdaciQkCtaocEH_VidMMDX9raHy9YW04aiUjKB-53yyO1TDJpoHFRqS9vxEtX6UZgrvl_3pi7HLt/s1600/IMG_4172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIJuybgazCh1oMTPhjqbDvGfsX8CN-bw1AfotZrt31Et9MtmFUqOBmR_EoOsk6FjcVdaciQkCtaocEH_VidMMDX9raHy9YW04aiUjKB-53yyO1TDJpoHFRqS9vxEtX6UZgrvl_3pi7HLt/s400/IMG_4172.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">extra fancy</td></tr>
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Although we originally headed for McDonalds rather than brace ourselves for a full European style event-meal, we ended up at a super cheap but yummy fast food pizza joint called Spontini.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6_XLy9JCcTgkUnJn0GLyp2wxJUp5E2eQHqT3ncI7TAsalHZUQ6d8KAwaSm8HyGMuw_mNOaou4HJgBg8F8DyzhaJiRWBS1oY5KwZaSdvY3ylPp_WZknvvw_uXyZ1x9qYPQci3WKQiK8A4/s1600/IMG_4153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6_XLy9JCcTgkUnJn0GLyp2wxJUp5E2eQHqT3ncI7TAsalHZUQ6d8KAwaSm8HyGMuw_mNOaou4HJgBg8F8DyzhaJiRWBS1oY5KwZaSdvY3ylPp_WZknvvw_uXyZ1x9qYPQci3WKQiK8A4/s400/IMG_4153.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">standing room only inside the restaurant, so a windowsill will do</td></tr>
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And with that, we were headed back toward Luxembourg.<br />
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A fun side-note before leaving Italy, though: Pete and Daphne were reading through the Percy Jackson book series before and during our trip. They read independently but check in with each other to discuss and keep on approximately the same pace. Apparently in one of the books, a character becomes addicted to an Italian snack food called Fonzies while the demigods are all in Italy, and even manages to pay road toll with them at one point. Pete stumbled across some in a grocery store and it immediately became our snack of choice for the road. They're basically a less orange, slightly more natural-tasting Cheeto.<br />
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On the way home, we stopped in Germany overnight under the guise of needing a break from driving, and then announced Saturday morning that we'd be spending the day Europa Park. This was actually our second attempt at surprising the kids with a trip to Europa Park (you can read about the first time <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/06/europa-park.html" target="_blank">here</a>). This time went better, although they were still mostly just confused.</div>
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So here are a few photos quick of that to close out the post:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fittingly, we got the Italia car of the bobsled ride :)</td></tr>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-26893029704461588352016-05-25T08:50:00.001-07:002016-05-27T03:12:56.330-07:00Italy: Cinque Terre<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3Z8Jpcnx6SmES3s8sCqNY4kmTknIHArhqePrkrinSq7T7jwjlDKcqcV3KqJ1fjUFSEtV1XKVmG08a7__8SFgF27OhyphenhyphenQAMEYom2dp3UmOIVY0sHMIxuPw9jgSap-9cxwNFxWJl6sXoIWf/s1600/IMG_3838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3Z8Jpcnx6SmES3s8sCqNY4kmTknIHArhqePrkrinSq7T7jwjlDKcqcV3KqJ1fjUFSEtV1XKVmG08a7__8SFgF27OhyphenhyphenQAMEYom2dp3UmOIVY0sHMIxuPw9jgSap-9cxwNFxWJl6sXoIWf/s400/IMG_3838.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, is that a little village on a cliff down there?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQWPrARpB3L-9jVDrJEYyFX8LvfyRy6sGg4D5TYly4vMDp0IkTj3_z0OYjYyGmp9t28vG6tBXW9RRG4GbTahW83bbhT5aK-Sl1scynghdoH5IS0Am4npc1S3Px-_gmtnygxYbXH0Aid8i/s1600/IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQWPrARpB3L-9jVDrJEYyFX8LvfyRy6sGg4D5TYly4vMDp0IkTj3_z0OYjYyGmp9t28vG6tBXW9RRG4GbTahW83bbhT5aK-Sl1scynghdoH5IS0Am4npc1S3Px-_gmtnygxYbXH0Aid8i/s400/IMG_3915.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why yes, yes it is! Welcome to the Cinque Terre!</td></tr>
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Pronounced "cheen-kwuh teh-reh" and meaning "five lands," the Cinque Terre is a series of five picturesque villages built directly into the steep rocky coastline. The area surrounding the villages is a national park. It's is one of those spots that Rick Steves--and apparently the equivalent travel guru from every other country--loves and made famous the world over, so it's pretty overrun with tourists. But as we were a short train ride away in <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2016/05/italy-moneglia.html" target="_blank">Moneglia</a>, we decided to spend one day exploring the area.<br />
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We rode to the nearby town of Levanto from Moneglia and then purhcased the Cinque Terre Family Card, which gives you unlimited access to all trains and trails in the region for the day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moneglia to Levanto, and then the Cinque Terre are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza (not picutred), Corneglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.</td></tr>
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A train ride from one end of the Cinque Terre to the other only takes about 15 minutes (mostly through tunnels inside the cliffs), with a stop in each town along the way, and there are hiking trails of varying difficulty between each village. Driving's a big no-no, so people end up doing some combination doing of walking and train-ing during their visit. Boats and apparently buses are also a possibility.<br />
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From Levanto, we took the Cinque Terre Express all the way to the farthest village, Riomaggiore, and figured we'd make our way back toward the other end by whatever method felt right at the moment.<br />
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As Pete always says, the best thing to do when you arrive in a town jam-packed with tourists is to immediately head up the nearest hill, path, steps, etc before claustrophobia/panic/indecision set in. Logic dictates that generally speaking, the higher you go, the more tourists are eliminated by the difficulty of doing so. So we walked up to an overlook in Riomaggiore straight away.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDv1cH9ksm6PRFwuEmbcq6aYKwIx3SDz8S1JGPcfSPAsfXI836TTr452Ja0shbiH2G4LlkJOIAEOLHfInOFYKf-jRBo9l-oLBEwk1Advj2VGabyn0-ErOpuge6O7rAqduG-M_xLhlUCBo/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDv1cH9ksm6PRFwuEmbcq6aYKwIx3SDz8S1JGPcfSPAsfXI836TTr452Ja0shbiH2G4LlkJOIAEOLHfInOFYKf-jRBo9l-oLBEwk1Advj2VGabyn0-ErOpuge6O7rAqduG-M_xLhlUCBo/s400/IMG_3773.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riomaggiore</td></tr>
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The main and easiest trail right along the coastline is the SVA (a.k.a the blue trail). This trail was damaged by storms and flooding back in 2011, and the two sections connecting Riomaggiore to Manarola to Corneglia have been mostly closed since then as far as I can tell.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-uqyR0G7z-kUbAVC8mQr4kj0xT6hkWruzcHhIDm2G-ny9BRCBXDkdERPZBRy-Rv6R7mvIW_L6ep3io5FwYgCvaanbxFiUQyKi2Ed8_jtVS4VyJwKAdjoJKWlYj0BGTlNXYZRjgkK-Z6V/s1600/IMG_3758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-uqyR0G7z-kUbAVC8mQr4kj0xT6hkWruzcHhIDm2G-ny9BRCBXDkdERPZBRy-Rv6R7mvIW_L6ep3io5FwYgCvaanbxFiUQyKi2Ed8_jtVS4VyJwKAdjoJKWlYj0BGTlNXYZRjgkK-Z6V/s400/IMG_3758.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">closed SVA leading out of Riomaggiore</td></tr>
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Anxious to make a little bit of progress right out of the gate, we took the train straight to the next village of Manarola.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu21SFTWp1NBjdmkpbwmfAjUk_kVKYV7_7XKpA8N87cHrxc7qB8wbalaJA0XAuPt8E3rDXgT0b74p6vwJxDWcxssDE4bO1iYPkUDNqMu2Pnd_Ai_b6sWXJkA0AljXolKlODViZH3psxAvT/s1600/IMG_3916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu21SFTWp1NBjdmkpbwmfAjUk_kVKYV7_7XKpA8N87cHrxc7qB8wbalaJA0XAuPt8E3rDXgT0b74p6vwJxDWcxssDE4bO1iYPkUDNqMu2Pnd_Ai_b6sWXJkA0AljXolKlODViZH3psxAvT/s400/IMG_3916.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manarola. Even going slightly up this road cleared us away from the throng.</td></tr>
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From here we decided it was time to hike. We made a basic plan to head up the hill and over to the next village of Corneglia via the 506, 586, and 587 trails, bypassing the last closed section of the SVA. Then, once we got to Corneglia, we thought might try the open SVA trail to Vernazza if we were feeling up for it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZUOoBUuwZJ9yxGM105KcVIjceAK3sgRliuLXEgbrB2y1n-meY_y5k6LfYq_9kEmniheu-tgXIkR_Oj-pokiOtnCWrfQfECTuA4-bbb0kcMtAb9v58-ooDdm7NnJ-AWp3112lgwtnAlUn/s1600/mappa_sentieri.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZUOoBUuwZJ9yxGM105KcVIjceAK3sgRliuLXEgbrB2y1n-meY_y5k6LfYq_9kEmniheu-tgXIkR_Oj-pokiOtnCWrfQfECTuA4-bbb0kcMtAb9v58-ooDdm7NnJ-AWp3112lgwtnAlUn/s400/mappa_sentieri.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red section of the SVA coastal trail is the closed part between Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Corneglia. Then it opens up and is shown in green from Corneglia to Vernazza, and continues into Monterosso. So we went up the hill on 506 from Manarola, northwest on the 586, and down to Cornelia on the 587.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFJeSs08K0h3AtY0Z5p9V_Pw6r8G_fxG3ErgpcdguFk24jVsc8QfQ2j6SbA4GnVPiKzgkjDe1XPVEnoU7PsfJBhrr_kkl-o_ki7SDYzKCD26lnv3sNXEKzd1865kYcLnnhFexRiA8DPsq/s1600/IMG_3788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFJeSs08K0h3AtY0Z5p9V_Pw6r8G_fxG3ErgpcdguFk24jVsc8QfQ2j6SbA4GnVPiKzgkjDe1XPVEnoU7PsfJBhrr_kkl-o_ki7SDYzKCD26lnv3sNXEKzd1865kYcLnnhFexRiA8DPsq/s400/IMG_3788.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">here we go up 506</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYfFNY5P9cEhS2o77Y9bXMw1nZDDtBrD2_HtXMFrhbPsikxjRzxGzWhvtykmoE7gdSP8PmZDPV77GTB91FFEWN8FGRH5UtMmLmrAAJ3vtUT4Joa_-t0xiw7XcCLX5i0d5C1zfWO20DpwC/s1600/IMG_3800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYfFNY5P9cEhS2o77Y9bXMw1nZDDtBrD2_HtXMFrhbPsikxjRzxGzWhvtykmoE7gdSP8PmZDPV77GTB91FFEWN8FGRH5UtMmLmrAAJ3vtUT4Joa_-t0xiw7XcCLX5i0d5C1zfWO20DpwC/s400/IMG_3800.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manarola</td></tr>
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The trail got pretty tough for awhile - seemingly endless steps up a mountain. We were thankful to be hiking in the spring rather than the middle of summer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFCpaBxR9HKhusMGBhBofOdC8k-f4x6s5nRemHT-0bmLj50vrPN4mYVcN08pMNReZ5Nh7BVAUfOvaFWanD7C90rLxbpGuFphWa-70dy1SO58_tWVKIfAd8YFlDhn5fq4uEoW2jUBjcTzo/s1600/IMG_3820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFCpaBxR9HKhusMGBhBofOdC8k-f4x6s5nRemHT-0bmLj50vrPN4mYVcN08pMNReZ5Nh7BVAUfOvaFWanD7C90rLxbpGuFphWa-70dy1SO58_tWVKIfAd8YFlDhn5fq4uEoW2jUBjcTzo/s400/IMG_3820.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Break time. But they did really well!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gRFgkArVivLYVDGj23X3or6HQVVSZJEVb8k2_tlMfz6PbsZ-0iI8rmjdze29CX7CMmBRXzszxm6vIrubsehoH-TRIwgLzThK2Z5zlKCxL4e9CfQD-l_FbktOfjzmMfGnRLH6Yice6FRW/s1600/IMG_3809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gRFgkArVivLYVDGj23X3or6HQVVSZJEVb8k2_tlMfz6PbsZ-0iI8rmjdze29CX7CMmBRXzszxm6vIrubsehoH-TRIwgLzThK2Z5zlKCxL4e9CfQD-l_FbktOfjzmMfGnRLH6Yice6FRW/s400/IMG_3809.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But soon the view starts getting amazing, and you wonder if maybe the SVA trail wouldn't be as cool anyway with its lower vantage point.</td></tr>
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There was a little pit-stop town at the top of the hill called Volastra, where we refueled on focaccia and restocked on water, and continued on the 586.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbneCvTKjDrTb0tT-Q_kRg9WxBRS2NCedHOz7V8iPBfwZ3GLMtNwiNDtI1KPsQKWIGcNMbJw5JUL16gn63-rUXr-dMCDeYxhC9aSvOOZtBrjGbioj1UJKmccV3eIEy0QIzDNsw2mQ-vFz/s1600/IMG_3913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbneCvTKjDrTb0tT-Q_kRg9WxBRS2NCedHOz7V8iPBfwZ3GLMtNwiNDtI1KPsQKWIGcNMbJw5JUL16gn63-rUXr-dMCDeYxhC9aSvOOZtBrjGbioj1UJKmccV3eIEy0QIzDNsw2mQ-vFz/s400/IMG_3913.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">continuing to Corneglia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCFs-n2vcK7HqU0W8EwEtWi8Z-6KtpqwUM7bNgqQiHGLLURCXjoqBrR8SP1mp9rEcRF3YuMDeCnvuIZ8BxGgTsL89I-bXq_0AQ3Q94Pqq8yrAGnZH3QL4xPrBfxdxJtVT5nKpO_Z-KJ7D/s1600/IMG_3914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCFs-n2vcK7HqU0W8EwEtWi8Z-6KtpqwUM7bNgqQiHGLLURCXjoqBrR8SP1mp9rEcRF3YuMDeCnvuIZ8BxGgTsL89I-bXq_0AQ3Q94Pqq8yrAGnZH3QL4xPrBfxdxJtVT5nKpO_Z-KJ7D/s400/IMG_3914.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corneglia down on the cliff below</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIwl-9QM358fGqpoEctMinMtihVXEPGLJM-zObySCYJR56GQwOl1tSKS8KZ_KFIzyqnIRdE02e5B4n4HxGAEIw6khTFNkc8n7vK6Pmd7t497uA5WcHTzmkirCIIMiYLrQ_aFBXZNkyc8Y/s1600/IMG_3840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIwl-9QM358fGqpoEctMinMtihVXEPGLJM-zObySCYJR56GQwOl1tSKS8KZ_KFIzyqnIRdE02e5B4n4HxGAEIw6khTFNkc8n7vK6Pmd7t497uA5WcHTzmkirCIIMiYLrQ_aFBXZNkyc8Y/s320/IMG_3840.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">approaching Corneglia</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnKxvaRi5v1fnFg5gLoZmbHLxWKjrKZo4snZXDZemDoJG9J6fDGL-jGSPr7VrRZmW5WRP3IRkmq6zxKHrBqlZq5kEBSYQ_Kp9eU1RpH9WJs-HqCSDca5Is0dXthHHJNH3i8Y_TfQqgw-3/s1600/IMG_3846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnKxvaRi5v1fnFg5gLoZmbHLxWKjrKZo4snZXDZemDoJG9J6fDGL-jGSPr7VrRZmW5WRP3IRkmq6zxKHrBqlZq5kEBSYQ_Kp9eU1RpH9WJs-HqCSDca5Is0dXthHHJNH3i8Y_TfQqgw-3/s400/IMG_3846.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lunch and well-deserved gelato in Corneglia</td></tr>
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It took about 2 and a half hours or so to hike between Manarola and Corneglia. By the time we had a rest and some food, we felt ready to tackle the first open section of the SVA to Vernazza - the green section in the trail map above.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxAWuafscspkVMkmB0peEAxu-KjJUKlcVjclhf8LuGqViPn3rkn0LJpqpygyIjBsS49lFUTgHkGkAbs5Ah6RipbqgMzI1ml8fiFGx5EjOE3pva9snopMB0GnG1bzrRX305AG7SgFIp-kD/s1600/IMG_3980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxAWuafscspkVMkmB0peEAxu-KjJUKlcVjclhf8LuGqViPn3rkn0LJpqpygyIjBsS49lFUTgHkGkAbs5Ah6RipbqgMzI1ml8fiFGx5EjOE3pva9snopMB0GnG1bzrRX305AG7SgFIp-kD/s400/IMG_3980.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">leaving Corneglia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIntWjNM8MezyPa79rcQHcxeIetdDA7rBfbbYCJxZhUg3VzS-10CUrQRPYegEcr6-PeCClw8gT5bXKlPFj8lKtv6OgHzMCEWMqwADtxHGAeSTsP5prhD6Y1M7hH1oDhiMEeTvHM4jbiiz9/s1600/IMG_3912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIntWjNM8MezyPa79rcQHcxeIetdDA7rBfbbYCJxZhUg3VzS-10CUrQRPYegEcr6-PeCClw8gT5bXKlPFj8lKtv6OgHzMCEWMqwADtxHGAeSTsP5prhD6Y1M7hH1oDhiMEeTvHM4jbiiz9/s400/IMG_3912.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corneglia</td></tr>
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This part of the trail was definitely easier and took us about an hour and a half.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk82jDO6suvwcOiduZsB2MKo378GvP_wr0XOrs6FTY-K5VNMSgRGXU1hg9jhpCaUA3vUlc5qJLcHdFWmzalLr_EH8BojaaaPUeXIhItD0NdleDaK1E3hiPoCglLRF24cWlEOH8D4qGc0f8/s1600/IMG_3910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk82jDO6suvwcOiduZsB2MKo378GvP_wr0XOrs6FTY-K5VNMSgRGXU1hg9jhpCaUA3vUlc5qJLcHdFWmzalLr_EH8BojaaaPUeXIhItD0NdleDaK1E3hiPoCglLRF24cWlEOH8D4qGc0f8/s400/IMG_3910.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">approaching Vernazza</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRIo1RXBvVXc19qRyZfJZXSzTH7UoHtwrVx_lBPpfwTi5yfTEbm8FWLEij2jm0U2Eajy1FA9OnaJdCXkk0j15z8UeXxLum6UEq9QR-Fad4o6HKxhspzotkNLeWky6vJiFPTKajUjW7KBT/s1600/IMG_3907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRIo1RXBvVXc19qRyZfJZXSzTH7UoHtwrVx_lBPpfwTi5yfTEbm8FWLEij2jm0U2Eajy1FA9OnaJdCXkk0j15z8UeXxLum6UEq9QR-Fad4o6HKxhspzotkNLeWky6vJiFPTKajUjW7KBT/s400/IMG_3907.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">coming into Vernazza</td></tr>
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By the time we reached the Vernazza train station we were pretty Cinque-Terrr-ed-out and decided we'd better head back to home base on the train. We skipped Monterosso altogether, since it seemed quite similar to Moneglia except more touristy. But I'm sure it's beautiful!<br />
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Although we didn't spend much time in the villages themselves except for snacks and a quick break, we were satisfied with our literal "overview" of the Cinque Terre.<br />
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One more Italy post coming up!</div>
Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-71314222583176783262016-05-24T06:54:00.000-07:002016-06-10T01:11:45.410-07:00Italy: Moneglia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Italy was on our short list of countries to visit before we move back to the US this summer. James has never been, and Daphne was only there <i>in utero</i> when Pete and I visited on a church choir trip in 2005. So for the week of mid-term/Pentecost school break in May, we drove down through France and Switzerland and all the way to the Italian coast near Genoa. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyEfvQ3Gs1VGzoee3VdXNkNo2jFx5OMumIllNvfabIzKvEG9LdpvSN1_fFfhEyt2IfET3SZQM3Y04ks15ACWTaxvvc02-JX2P2TPRczOI3YZy5WlUe5S7krD4h6wb70kGCLpBhP7Yq027/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+11.20.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyEfvQ3Gs1VGzoee3VdXNkNo2jFx5OMumIllNvfabIzKvEG9LdpvSN1_fFfhEyt2IfET3SZQM3Y04ks15ACWTaxvvc02-JX2P2TPRczOI3YZy5WlUe5S7krD4h6wb70kGCLpBhP7Yq027/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+11.20.34+AM.png" width="307" /></a></div>
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Side note: to tell a friend or family member back in the US that you're driving to Italy for the week makes you feel a bit sheepish. It sounds exotic, fancy, indulgent, spoiled, bragging, etc. However, to tell a fellow Luxembourg resident also makes you feel a bit sheepish but for a completely different reason. You know they're thinking, "So you've been here four years and you're just now getting around to that, eh? Poor you!" Well, either way, and especially now that our time here is limited, rest assured we're not taking these privileges for granted! </div>
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Anyway, our destination was the small town of Moneglia, only because we'd found an inexpensive Airbnb overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2JM8tlYfbF2wLNiflUTe7tx26z2YzE0reX1ahdV0mOgnshsMIgdtlnwHKtM53jphYaI0GxhNd-9ZyWfCCg8MiL63dMQOM0-WSTX803o93Yqw_4VU4pHzBlSXM4eTu_6m_SonPGFtZ7FI/s1600/IMG_4079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2JM8tlYfbF2wLNiflUTe7tx26z2YzE0reX1ahdV0mOgnshsMIgdtlnwHKtM53jphYaI0GxhNd-9ZyWfCCg8MiL63dMQOM0-WSTX803o93Yqw_4VU4pHzBlSXM4eTu_6m_SonPGFtZ7FI/s400/IMG_4079.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moneglia</td></tr>
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We absolutely loved the place we stayed, although the finding it for the first time in the dark proved difficult. To get from one end of Moneglia to the other, you must navigate through a system of narrow, one-way tunnels (<i>galleria</i>) that are set on a traffic signal system that alternates several times an hour for each direction.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKKf-tOTMKFJbomss_wE07MrnNGyXyfjIUupLOdvy9455B4ojawRaypZBx1Zng02EmAvcoAfa3aQpf1cVcI6ZOccd8SHvcy59lADL3EvYIl22mXnfd_TeF3ULqL9CDUqIvC8eJ4mgmjKF/s1600/IMG_3513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKKf-tOTMKFJbomss_wE07MrnNGyXyfjIUupLOdvy9455B4ojawRaypZBx1Zng02EmAvcoAfa3aQpf1cVcI6ZOccd8SHvcy59lADL3EvYIl22mXnfd_TeF3ULqL9CDUqIvC8eJ4mgmjKF/s400/IMG_3513.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When will this one end? Are we driving fast enough to make it out in time??</td></tr>
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Our turnoff was between two tunnels on the far end of town. This also meant that each time we wanted to walk into town or back to our place, we had to get the timing just right and then make a run for it. Technically you're not supposed to walk through these but people do it anyway.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicij9bu2_3nDtlLo8dX2qJm-HkvHOmm_1j0Zm8LCVcsV2qERfrJft-eXZ1LK77TPn1rQwIep3TCvv8rWw4xnvDi7donrY8UP8aeoRY_VSnofaNdO4ybgSuNMvcGSUA__xu1UC_NV8Kq7ZU/s1600/IMG_3599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicij9bu2_3nDtlLo8dX2qJm-HkvHOmm_1j0Zm8LCVcsV2qERfrJft-eXZ1LK77TPn1rQwIep3TCvv8rWw4xnvDi7donrY8UP8aeoRY_VSnofaNdO4ybgSuNMvcGSUA__xu1UC_NV8Kq7ZU/s400/IMG_3599.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">made it!</td></tr>
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But it was all worth it for the amazing spot!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJS3rtCqkvMkVd2843pZq9VLmuRvOAnoDkpI9jy8fcsbey4r8nGHDqCD3lVUigbtRtufQFcYOwo2IcqOqJyU6ajzx6GQbnLdkQqy1DlXpCk-IAIaf5_KxVthbn77m2wGhJERW2jHFNo-D/s1600/IMG_3978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJS3rtCqkvMkVd2843pZq9VLmuRvOAnoDkpI9jy8fcsbey4r8nGHDqCD3lVUigbtRtufQFcYOwo2IcqOqJyU6ajzx6GQbnLdkQqy1DlXpCk-IAIaf5_KxVthbn77m2wGhJERW2jHFNo-D/s400/IMG_3978.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9E5O0g8WmaD_wvS_-eTxUPw4FH440mjtcDmIAm5Z90t0GSchq9cIKAwU_Du7DczA4zx2jGP8ZR3SNoKZU2tt8PRYsIlMEH9ItGhSaXT_QyQyprUqk71YIXE5mjmcIOdltcSbca3F1QAo/s1600/IMG_3601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9E5O0g8WmaD_wvS_-eTxUPw4FH440mjtcDmIAm5Z90t0GSchq9cIKAwU_Du7DczA4zx2jGP8ZR3SNoKZU2tt8PRYsIlMEH9ItGhSaXT_QyQyprUqk71YIXE5mjmcIOdltcSbca3F1QAo/s400/IMG_3601.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">we had the bottom floor of this villa, our host was upstairs</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsLNXCGVhCZDIJJtJ9VZWWey19DethaHUwSEe3z_co_lKYYyGDwutj8qeJlpxOl0easRA3msUUDO52eq3Wo9dRuZ73cPM666q969nARy-YxjWXrBuwumrdKwpn7f8kutyMq5f8MT0kxib/s1600/IMG_3530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsLNXCGVhCZDIJJtJ9VZWWey19DethaHUwSEe3z_co_lKYYyGDwutj8qeJlpxOl0easRA3msUUDO52eq3Wo9dRuZ73cPM666q969nARy-YxjWXrBuwumrdKwpn7f8kutyMq5f8MT0kxib/s400/IMG_3530.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNOaX3wgHMcYyjPtWHQwUSPxR6ocA1DZ9C6VkLKXeriiWGtJbl4gaF5QwNn6-5WCVB1Adbk4HlJSdCUGUx-esB6gWWe2cd0wdZNQ21XLK9kN3xIurwsXNJbADYxuYr_ZOW_pNCGvRiBcF/s1600/IMG_3605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNOaX3wgHMcYyjPtWHQwUSPxR6ocA1DZ9C6VkLKXeriiWGtJbl4gaF5QwNn6-5WCVB1Adbk4HlJSdCUGUx-esB6gWWe2cd0wdZNQ21XLK9kN3xIurwsXNJbADYxuYr_ZOW_pNCGvRiBcF/s400/IMG_3605.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyv7QeHucI2OFREW4jRISwCEr5yEFlGVIo9hYg-d3mcS7hk2cTRCCghltCO8qDQSTInNMheeBpyzi7HdVIQOfTAtkApB6Ekyn5517OgvRRubkXREtWLlTsIemNuXQthhDQxDRwpuEgM-_H/s1600/IMG_3607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyv7QeHucI2OFREW4jRISwCEr5yEFlGVIo9hYg-d3mcS7hk2cTRCCghltCO8qDQSTInNMheeBpyzi7HdVIQOfTAtkApB6Ekyn5517OgvRRubkXREtWLlTsIemNuXQthhDQxDRwpuEgM-_H/s400/IMG_3607.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The view!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIIrEqDruDZCLhJQlu4Pv-JcnH9zIF-24Jky9lxSZcePiL2PL5uLZkoeupx6MqkoTm02rkJxMnJGmPFVm5Y3ab7L-h1ACyyzsqXZU9TlgZCAQLXaEZCQXhgEGZ5dw2LKzUrg1loBDLvrm/s1600/IMG_3611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIIrEqDruDZCLhJQlu4Pv-JcnH9zIF-24Jky9lxSZcePiL2PL5uLZkoeupx6MqkoTm02rkJxMnJGmPFVm5Y3ab7L-h1ACyyzsqXZU9TlgZCAQLXaEZCQXhgEGZ5dw2LKzUrg1loBDLvrm/s400/IMG_3611.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not bad for 80 Euros per night!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDo2oSh5vBB1kC3OM-scJN4BCi69QrXT6oE7WW1Cw-_5ZikNYodt487cv9kJp0so-QvEzAjefzofzciKI8KUmy0odA_zLbDPkqwB9xP-t3y1iEoUnOhPQ7PBLqIw1Y2oodhMWFGzMdb8iR/s1600/IMG_3618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDo2oSh5vBB1kC3OM-scJN4BCi69QrXT6oE7WW1Cw-_5ZikNYodt487cv9kJp0so-QvEzAjefzofzciKI8KUmy0odA_zLbDPkqwB9xP-t3y1iEoUnOhPQ7PBLqIw1Y2oodhMWFGzMdb8iR/s400/IMG_3618.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">climbing the steps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GlETHWADhOh9natOcYciTbVRM3GVF6XUVdFhk466d8uk8Ej7wy2iFWqySiJ_ny-iB38DnZ4_GGI7E2-tVdQ8tiaYnD3BSuCMf3PgFXSPMkRJweLMZTY_HoPEldsH29b4CiIZlb_O79UA/s1600/IMG_3988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GlETHWADhOh9natOcYciTbVRM3GVF6XUVdFhk466d8uk8Ej7wy2iFWqySiJ_ny-iB38DnZ4_GGI7E2-tVdQ8tiaYnD3BSuCMf3PgFXSPMkRJweLMZTY_HoPEldsH29b4CiIZlb_O79UA/s400/IMG_3988.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one big storm came through, which was cool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAKRhHM_J4JyZexh7ldhJ73YO-VMQAC8V-5pVOP7RB4nxknHOPLvcr03WYufS-RS4FFJHx5FM0uCVlHVRlnhtyXxaoGnYO-pDM5FRV0YKZJSE5XYZXxBXmTswWK2-68tE7Ka0GY9IB8Gg/s1600/IMG_3623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAKRhHM_J4JyZexh7ldhJ73YO-VMQAC8V-5pVOP7RB4nxknHOPLvcr03WYufS-RS4FFJHx5FM0uCVlHVRlnhtyXxaoGnYO-pDM5FRV0YKZJSE5XYZXxBXmTswWK2-68tE7Ka0GY9IB8Gg/s400/IMG_3623.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rocky area directly below apartment</td></tr>
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Here are a few shots of the inside of the flat, stollen from the Airbnb page:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVE6FqApSDFbU7jAktH15oHN6MadaPeUOfCJaADD1UEtigMjdXhqBrRgyL7dCSvyC5f4uZOJjNmnz83JTfHjbVMZmG6Fh8uspFzPuj7jt0VzORUQiYK0pHNHFYJwg1gkI4NoHGlVpFEX57/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+2.48.37+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVE6FqApSDFbU7jAktH15oHN6MadaPeUOfCJaADD1UEtigMjdXhqBrRgyL7dCSvyC5f4uZOJjNmnz83JTfHjbVMZmG6Fh8uspFzPuj7jt0VzORUQiYK0pHNHFYJwg1gkI4NoHGlVpFEX57/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+2.48.37+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCFaRBCVwnQv4XkyGAi3qigJebt5_xqRO3lyRnmDg4Fk9MLipJguKraYcgIOS5z-7Gg2LMQu7RtHu1-h-U7vHnaWw2hQ2B4G1DAeQQTjUTHGrrttxr9Pkm1VmJrgvRrf7F1XT7lV8Etic/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+2.49.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCFaRBCVwnQv4XkyGAi3qigJebt5_xqRO3lyRnmDg4Fk9MLipJguKraYcgIOS5z-7Gg2LMQu7RtHu1-h-U7vHnaWw2hQ2B4G1DAeQQTjUTHGrrttxr9Pkm1VmJrgvRrf7F1XT7lV8Etic/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+2.49.31+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">kids slept on the sofa bed</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN7z15GUdNe2z3STWUgXu5BQfBEN-YRyL75R10PHtGuB5pnghoZFt8mb3ysHpLblPeDsFFl98hAzOJyVtb9SORQXxg41_d6r59-8pNA8kxDeDtdLKbhpkuwjq5RRcCit3F-os03OMdJe-/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+2.50.54+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN7z15GUdNe2z3STWUgXu5BQfBEN-YRyL75R10PHtGuB5pnghoZFt8mb3ysHpLblPeDsFFl98hAzOJyVtb9SORQXxg41_d6r59-8pNA8kxDeDtdLKbhpkuwjq5RRcCit3F-os03OMdJe-/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-24+at+2.50.54+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Moneglia itself was a great little village, separated away from the crazy tourist bustle of the famous Cinque Terre, which we visited later in the week (post forthcoming). I suppose the town proper is a bit boring, which fortunately is just right for us Ts. Best of all, there was a sandy and sheltered beach in town - quite rare along this rockier section of Italian coastline.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYZ8nbHZMznDbw5bINcbVET-bNHwQBZwvC1Ry8cv5ZtZ0HLorzy232DcNLkcIkK4zpPo6ifdCMNq89UGtZG_X0hqlfodsV7JfQCcSebCCcU8BJRzW-5BcHiXuzulcxOVtSsRwlvOpycef/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYZ8nbHZMznDbw5bINcbVET-bNHwQBZwvC1Ry8cv5ZtZ0HLorzy232DcNLkcIkK4zpPo6ifdCMNq89UGtZG_X0hqlfodsV7JfQCcSebCCcU8BJRzW-5BcHiXuzulcxOVtSsRwlvOpycef/s400/IMG_3712.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">here you can see the beach from our hike on the opposite side of the bay from where we stayed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0Wr3RRr9lFZjmC3R_O3C5okjBbqjK7vGWBUAwsAId9sL2JoPfjdpXRPQ3qDOWRH5i687irjKu1elIm2xi8I33fnjAni9nAva-mzjG94sS_SHlhbglSGnzMhJbFCYS3LGSThCrm4-4llO/s1600/IMG_1346_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0Wr3RRr9lFZjmC3R_O3C5okjBbqjK7vGWBUAwsAId9sL2JoPfjdpXRPQ3qDOWRH5i687irjKu1elIm2xi8I33fnjAni9nAva-mzjG94sS_SHlhbglSGnzMhJbFCYS3LGSThCrm4-4llO/s400/IMG_1346_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daphne and Pete made it to to the top!</td></tr>
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We spent most of our week at the apartment or at the beach, so here are a bunch more beachy photos!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YdPDpMwh3UKUIRoO-QhBKwTtBB68pWH7KrvFAEUgKvaBBZ-Ev5NhEVwNxHJGUQ3Nlu3bVbzFi4_I7IffhPQGkaY4mhi_j-69sH1RP35cdwxDwVx253YvwK59B3ycoFuI1KbChUOkWcmX/s1600/IMG_3639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YdPDpMwh3UKUIRoO-QhBKwTtBB68pWH7KrvFAEUgKvaBBZ-Ev5NhEVwNxHJGUQ3Nlu3bVbzFi4_I7IffhPQGkaY4mhi_j-69sH1RP35cdwxDwVx253YvwK59B3ycoFuI1KbChUOkWcmX/s400/IMG_3639.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids played in a mixture of Luxembourgish and American English, which I'm sure confused the heck out of the Germans, French, and Italians on the beach.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5iR1fIg9e__clLoDtZtpMJu0OJ5iCrvYR5bi5ckni-4nDAVw5EYSy6-dbjjw5CBe5YEWnrNWMzBEq6H44_sS3fWUO0T097BMf7oGiwtJBUyqhaaaPiKV5SrKfRpgyXwQoofCOZFjvOJ4/s1600/IMG_3952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5iR1fIg9e__clLoDtZtpMJu0OJ5iCrvYR5bi5ckni-4nDAVw5EYSy6-dbjjw5CBe5YEWnrNWMzBEq6H44_sS3fWUO0T097BMf7oGiwtJBUyqhaaaPiKV5SrKfRpgyXwQoofCOZFjvOJ4/s400/IMG_3952.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">improvised volleyball net</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKOuJ2W3T4OJvQ6s6l0yzavI-H7NRXqqOdIRLVyvdR4i1fUvrlmERG8V_HP5rdJVWjwi50flP4xRsPvZi1s-7WKpOtj8gGoiZEN24ZvSS_JjlGeZLPcds8txkbzTQfPg7lBb525qtMXpw/s1600/IMG_3738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKOuJ2W3T4OJvQ6s6l0yzavI-H7NRXqqOdIRLVyvdR4i1fUvrlmERG8V_HP5rdJVWjwi50flP4xRsPvZi1s-7WKpOtj8gGoiZEN24ZvSS_JjlGeZLPcds8txkbzTQfPg7lBb525qtMXpw/s400/IMG_3738.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">awww</td></tr>
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And here are a few more non-beachy shots from around town:<br />
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Well, we give five stars to Moneglia, and bonus points for its general lack of other Americans or mass groups of tourists. Maybe they all come in the summer and we just got lucky.
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-88496852558845736372016-04-28T09:48:00.002-07:002016-04-29T03:56:44.924-07:00Oliver! in Luxembourg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two English-speaking theatre clubs in Luxembourg recently collaborated on a grand production of "Oliver!"-- the musical based on Dickens' classic novel, Oliver Twist. James and Daphne were cast as workhouse orphans, as well as members of Fagin's gang of pick-pockets.</div>
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The long road to the 5-performance-run of April 2016 began way back in June of last year, with a casting call in the English version of the local newspaper for kids ages 8-18. James had just made <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/06/der-konig-der-lowen-james-1st-play.html" target="_blank">his theatrical debut as Simba</a> in his class production of The Lion King, so acting was fresh in the minds of the kids when I suggested Daphne audition. She had mentioned several times that she would enjoy being in a play, even before James stared in one. She prepared a song for the audition, but James was only 7 and too young to participate. However, a friend pointed out that the children only had to be 8 by the time of the actual show, a detail I'd overlooked. So at the last minute James threw in his lot with one of the only English songs he can perform on the spot, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">auditions in June 2015</td></tr>
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We had no idea what to expect at the casting call, having never done this before, but also because it's a foreign country and "not knowing what to expect" is a way of life. The kids were ushered one by one to another room to sing for the music director, while the main group were taken through some warm-up exercises. Next, the kids paired off with a few lines of basic dialogue to prepare and perform, first in their normal voices and then with an assigned emotion (James had "afraid" and Daphne had "rude"). And they did a pretty nice job if I do say so myself!<br />
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But then came the dancing bit, where they had to learn and execute a bit of choreography, complete with paper plates as top hats. The directors took video of the final product to examine later. Dancing is not our family's strong suit, so that didn't go so well. We told our two not to get their hopes up.<br />
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But lo and behold, we found out a few weeks later that they made the chorus. Rehearsals would begin in the fall of 2015, every Saturday afternoon and some weeknights, until the performances the following spring (7 months in all). Slightly intimidated by the prospect of such an intense commitment, but comforted by the fact that they would at least have each other, they accepted the roles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS-2eDxuya3mQph5RATJKWKbc-bOJOPRfLRDUkpN2blrHRzC1pdHa9jMiQWUdC83SExKWYpqLyNj_C634osAq8CdlNdb-FjKC34B7xyRn7bNvTwYl1QN-cpP2L-fEVdvXuJTJBl0UhXwv/s1600/IMG_0437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS-2eDxuya3mQph5RATJKWKbc-bOJOPRfLRDUkpN2blrHRzC1pdHa9jMiQWUdC83SExKWYpqLyNj_C634osAq8CdlNdb-FjKC34B7xyRn7bNvTwYl1QN-cpP2L-fEVdvXuJTJBl0UhXwv/s400/IMG_0437.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first rehearsal, October 2015</td></tr>
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And it was indeed a serious business; 40 kids and teens, 40 adults, a 50-member production team, a 26-member orchestra, costumes and sets shipped from the UK, make-up tutorials, practicing music at home, parent volunteer duties, hunting down the proper shoes, costume fittings, up-till-midnight rehearsals on school nights in the weeks leading up to the show....a massive undertaking by all involved.</div>
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We wondered how the kids would handle it, and at times they did appear to be growing tired of it all. But as the date of the performances approached, their excitement built, and the more intense things became, the more they actually seemed to enjoy it. Additionally, the bonds between the young chorus members grew as they spent so much down-time together between their scenes, so they all looked forward to rehearsals with their new friends.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSEFmLgBb0lvJ83oBQykTfpgKOlbmX_ZzghQqJ1FuoQeVMV7NpuNQoTThl5mdPSA7baJp-AVcPjerx2wRN7nCOA-gLNtDVC3zfWLjBx9-wJNPh1bYVGqNjYRWmdIWzL15IWqOWNYUe9sh/s1600/IMG_3227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSEFmLgBb0lvJ83oBQykTfpgKOlbmX_ZzghQqJ1FuoQeVMV7NpuNQoTThl5mdPSA7baJp-AVcPjerx2wRN7nCOA-gLNtDVC3zfWLjBx9-wJNPh1bYVGqNjYRWmdIWzL15IWqOWNYUe9sh/s320/IMG_3227.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">workhouse orphans</td></tr>
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Thankfully, the show was a great success, with five sold-out performances from Thursday through Sunday. Unfortunately, Daphne became ill on Friday morning and had to miss the evening's performance. She took the disappointment quite well (far better than I did!) and was able to return for the last three performances.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBFqPEiDyhrN44OskKmG9PaFNWznNmTI2dzqoFjTBuoedMh2t1blLjwcWsR32qiyHCcfjbIv6KbfvPu5x86z1SPe49prV5Ed6931dbW3Z_zfRrsEMyVBVKcR0UmVq2wVcv7EivpKnZjBD/s1600/oliver+chronicle+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBFqPEiDyhrN44OskKmG9PaFNWznNmTI2dzqoFjTBuoedMh2t1blLjwcWsR32qiyHCcfjbIv6KbfvPu5x86z1SPe49prV5Ed6931dbW3Z_zfRrsEMyVBVKcR0UmVq2wVcv7EivpKnZjBD/s400/oliver+chronicle+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Oliver!" song - Daphne is middle table, front row. James is left table, second row, no hat. Because "he has awesome hair already"<i>photo: Geoff Thompson, chronicle.lu</i></td></tr>
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The director cast two kids each for the staring roles of Oliver and The Artful Dodger (illness insurance), so Pete and I went to the show twice to see both combinations. I didn't take any photos during the show; we were sitting down front and I didn't want to be a distraction to those behind us. I did take some backstage the night I helped with kid make-up and corralling. Fortunately, photos appeared in local online newspapers, and a friend of the cast took some as well. Most are pretty far away with the kids the background, so you may want to click on them to enlarge.</div>
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Here are a few more of the orphans:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnhtRvc6BNPUIFp_URT_Bct8RR_tByv57KT_XAf7PL1HlMNNzNPuCLCLpBB9fseIGLiJpF6uJUQyeKCLMOYqyYLu0jITS3OKj2QMHXrJOlrWBMChpw5eEM_GcyYhfmZfNwkyxzXONN-op/s1600/oliver+dropbox+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnhtRvc6BNPUIFp_URT_Bct8RR_tByv57KT_XAf7PL1HlMNNzNPuCLCLpBB9fseIGLiJpF6uJUQyeKCLMOYqyYLu0jITS3OKj2QMHXrJOlrWBMChpw5eEM_GcyYhfmZfNwkyxzXONN-op/s400/oliver+dropbox+7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Food, Glorious Food" <i>photo: Alfonso Salgueiro</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwf85KXQTDVTOGiRtlg8IbMehGvicOVyWuPW-M5LkRZpqzIywyXvzSp1-k0-oYs-bOq1qRVMI-3yV0h8rjqd6f8RGC_fplg66ND_52qdHkOY2_rlF4PgtgYTiAyqSqHdTvxkR1WXzj9JDC/s1600/IMG_3197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwf85KXQTDVTOGiRtlg8IbMehGvicOVyWuPW-M5LkRZpqzIywyXvzSp1-k0-oYs-bOq1qRVMI-3yV0h8rjqd6f8RGC_fplg66ND_52qdHkOY2_rlF4PgtgYTiAyqSqHdTvxkR1WXzj9JDC/s400/IMG_3197.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daphne getting her gruel. <i>photo: Guy Jallay, wort.lu</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VWo1wDUxr_0qx-EMSvxyxcxhaEk3rzJh61iNi1E4kDbFDzCaMeXw6GFXWSdVOVgCI1cpeNMqY6Z6jZZAfSNpYtRGyIYOp0SuhZU6zbW6WZKcwAt25wS2FAs4RyQIgCvoLS7CYuY3t1SD/s1600/Oliver+dropbox+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VWo1wDUxr_0qx-EMSvxyxcxhaEk3rzJh61iNi1E4kDbFDzCaMeXw6GFXWSdVOVgCI1cpeNMqY6Z6jZZAfSNpYtRGyIYOp0SuhZU6zbW6WZKcwAt25wS2FAs4RyQIgCvoLS7CYuY3t1SD/s400/Oliver+dropbox+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James looks on as Oliver speaks his iconic "Please sir, I want some more" line. <i>photo: Alfonso Salgueiro</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZbFVI-0Gb-xBiRq7bnMejDlvhwWBlVOWRcAgbKOuK1Hw_fspX9dWrTtH8eW5ExB0r7P3Qria7Xch2L3F3jJRljjHd3L-tvhENj_7RPkDF5mlmSnWA5W39TyKlfVNGAtgcEkSKNVAfPK2/s1600/IMG_3243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZbFVI-0Gb-xBiRq7bnMejDlvhwWBlVOWRcAgbKOuK1Hw_fspX9dWrTtH8eW5ExB0r7P3Qria7Xch2L3F3jJRljjHd3L-tvhENj_7RPkDF5mlmSnWA5W39TyKlfVNGAtgcEkSKNVAfPK2/s400/IMG_3243.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">costume and makeup change for Fagin's gang</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew3SjUqCmaXporYPHwzM9Y3wlnP55hdFtNg2KKXlIWtVYa0loXZa0-oEH1X4DSMsfoNp35YobF9HPFRNvryrNG_sJpR1ESqgZfnOXeyvg9jhncQVGu_HACL_HOncyB6-w11wmA6RGSsFY/s1600/oliver+dropbox+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew3SjUqCmaXporYPHwzM9Y3wlnP55hdFtNg2KKXlIWtVYa0loXZa0-oEH1X4DSMsfoNp35YobF9HPFRNvryrNG_sJpR1ESqgZfnOXeyvg9jhncQVGu_HACL_HOncyB6-w11wmA6RGSsFY/s400/oliver+dropbox+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both sitting to the left in the background. <i>photo: Alfonso Salgueiro</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcZK9tVpSFBif-8Cmz_-JgV12kFInXn0yRRIBH_L6Fm51N4j_-iCdavkjD_qVZCrQAvh8iB8SyYby-T6eYkRc_obQQy1tkyn7fnKt9eRKSaL46pwCq6fqhnW5tr23VrTn_U8f-5owc5wQ/s1600/oliver+dropbox+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcZK9tVpSFBif-8Cmz_-JgV12kFInXn0yRRIBH_L6Fm51N4j_-iCdavkjD_qVZCrQAvh8iB8SyYby-T6eYkRc_obQQy1tkyn7fnKt9eRKSaL46pwCq6fqhnW5tr23VrTn_U8f-5owc5wQ/s400/oliver+dropbox+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James just to the left of Fagin at the end of "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" <i>photo: Alfonso Salgueiro</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIORa3wtG4XzJrwAUbc_ZKo5J6iX85pZCWSq8ytyHhm1cJOOTdfqXcojbiRGMK4TDMv1nP2fx9nqtx_lR4PEpMmFnzA5pacTVO2rbV545iXL-BMRUDw2NCh_-nmHlUJmwVJjlHexgEzNCF/s1600/oliver+chronicle+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIORa3wtG4XzJrwAUbc_ZKo5J6iX85pZCWSq8ytyHhm1cJOOTdfqXcojbiRGMK4TDMv1nP2fx9nqtx_lR4PEpMmFnzA5pacTVO2rbV545iXL-BMRUDw2NCh_-nmHlUJmwVJjlHexgEzNCF/s400/oliver+chronicle+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing to the left of Fagin in the background. <i>photo: Geoff Thompson, chronicle.lu</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1naFfo0hyphenhyphenrIHrdvsDms-OL8rjDrkBYvsOdyjeAOX6cVhWWORu-AEXhLjNP2GfuzZqqPgjpl9yKtZQOExcshxUJlF51knTLOK7qeflYlIxthSUyLSb6xDiB8X5DBC6bJCFDx0RvsnD-Np/s1600/oliver+dropbox+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1naFfo0hyphenhyphenrIHrdvsDms-OL8rjDrkBYvsOdyjeAOX6cVhWWORu-AEXhLjNP2GfuzZqqPgjpl9yKtZQOExcshxUJlF51knTLOK7qeflYlIxthSUyLSb6xDiB8X5DBC6bJCFDx0RvsnD-Np/s400/oliver+dropbox+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James to the right, singing "It's a Fine Life"<i> photo: Alfonso Salgueiro</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_1py5dd8ItMWyxMk7jcGc5mKihK_0c0K-XQ664O1geJAhDpHoF1qZevdC_LWke-Syh8d1n65t_8KNVKf2mFRbl_LCmCdjhj-rWFQl1IV2aU9pU3ou0kjV8ae1LF56ipnD2u8RgcfjnnS/s1600/oliver+dropbox+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_1py5dd8ItMWyxMk7jcGc5mKihK_0c0K-XQ664O1geJAhDpHoF1qZevdC_LWke-Syh8d1n65t_8KNVKf2mFRbl_LCmCdjhj-rWFQl1IV2aU9pU3ou0kjV8ae1LF56ipnD2u8RgcfjnnS/s400/oliver+dropbox+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daphne and James at the right, marching and singing "Be Back Soon" <i>photo: Alfonso Salgueiro</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1iYmNtY6eQyXK2YFxcwLh47IUst5Fx4Rb5rqi1PwwcNhXhNdD3us7nsFhwsl94vo5RopYJjweUGGhhLuUKz-V5IJoU0Yo6kBdJMTgPhzT_1L-tvW65P4aY8U6ro1KDevEZAR-5M3LmnY/s1600/oliver+dropbox+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1iYmNtY6eQyXK2YFxcwLh47IUst5Fx4Rb5rqi1PwwcNhXhNdD3us7nsFhwsl94vo5RopYJjweUGGhhLuUKz-V5IJoU0Yo6kBdJMTgPhzT_1L-tvW65P4aY8U6ro1KDevEZAR-5M3LmnY/s400/oliver+dropbox+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James and Daphne at the far left. <i>photo: Alfonso Salgueiro</i></td></tr>
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And a couple more backstage...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1SBc4ztF-vlbyy31S7q09752Vi7O-RPX_14bJJkJlHQLrMcFExGm6J0ETsR79bTcqRueQ1k0XdBmReo23mYNAVgwrLqjQfYs0Ke3kYMyfoXBhglvPWI_pCj4yMGKDYfuIncgpUKIhIjr/s1600/IMG_3212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1SBc4ztF-vlbyy31S7q09752Vi7O-RPX_14bJJkJlHQLrMcFExGm6J0ETsR79bTcqRueQ1k0XdBmReo23mYNAVgwrLqjQfYs0Ke3kYMyfoXBhglvPWI_pCj4yMGKDYfuIncgpUKIhIjr/s400/IMG_3212.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orphans with iPads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiII-V0_3ZCk-kktGGXGIYdT-FUn2dWKtF-vl4yEmn66hbrYJx5tkZSaCZqiVcqEA28zOQfagzsTRmGTxn0YMxIiTOYE8hFDFkr6mOO7ifVgnh-ff1d_pUurensfVIOWLS0DXm4q_5-_vi4/s1600/IMG_3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiII-V0_3ZCk-kktGGXGIYdT-FUn2dWKtF-vl4yEmn66hbrYJx5tkZSaCZqiVcqEA28zOQfagzsTRmGTxn0YMxIiTOYE8hFDFkr6mOO7ifVgnh-ff1d_pUurensfVIOWLS0DXm4q_5-_vi4/s400/IMG_3235.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orphans in Elevators</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOtMrGQb1QofrA_X1d-OSzcE1DmX2inieyfRg41FV4U8x9y2VRm7rKTOQpRFh2zmCQDZmyTzH2fFO2fpeS3wwhFa6Jcs6u1U5Ff7UUoucYEP0CqarJY-EmvXxOeyDbDK05zNQwPWFWrSY/s1600/Oliver-3252+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOtMrGQb1QofrA_X1d-OSzcE1DmX2inieyfRg41FV4U8x9y2VRm7rKTOQpRFh2zmCQDZmyTzH2fFO2fpeS3wwhFa6Jcs6u1U5Ff7UUoucYEP0CqarJY-EmvXxOeyDbDK05zNQwPWFWrSY/s400/Oliver-3252+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cast photo, James and Daphne front row</td></tr>
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We were very proud of our kids for all their hard work, and of Luxembourg itself for pulling this off in a country where English is not one of the official languages. Apparently over 25 nationalities were represented in the production. I'm sure the kids will have vivid memories of this experience when they look back on their time in Luxembourg many years from now.</div>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-13952664714930742292016-03-25T05:39:00.000-07:002016-05-24T12:20:56.477-07:00Moving to Seattle: School Research<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrStTHPIP7TzF8Ka9OsThU3Znje_NlACadcw7hz6wjAZJijYw0Zq7404ZnI2jMXZCs-WBi0QXIGoF2-BnLdKLUFNkHKJ0XjJ7xxTERoWah31eRW49Do6IfZCFkCFnc8q4qhjrLLvWTdu5/s1600/IMG_2838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrStTHPIP7TzF8Ka9OsThU3Znje_NlACadcw7hz6wjAZJijYw0Zq7404ZnI2jMXZCs-WBi0QXIGoF2-BnLdKLUFNkHKJ0XjJ7xxTERoWah31eRW49Do6IfZCFkCFnc8q4qhjrLLvWTdu5/s400/IMG_2838.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Continuing on from my last post, we arrived for our Seattle visit late Saturday morning. I had lined up a handful of apartment/house appointments around town, so we spent most of the weekend trekking around the city for those. However, since we aren't moving until mid-summer, it was way too early to sign a lease. We still own our house back in Portland (which is now PAID OFF! WOO HOO!), so we want to rent for awhile in Seattle before we make any long-term decisions like selling and buying a house. All that to say, these apartment appointments were just to form a basic idea of the different neighborhoods and to see what's available to rent in our price range.</div>
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More on house-hunting in another post, but suffice it to say that Seattle is very expensive. Yes, even compared to Luxembourg. And yes, that's saying something.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgflwpxEL02CRkf4gDirg5GUCbre9JbBO8E0cdUc92BxC_u8SA8E9eHYfWPqhnM4VqGfWs7YL474oZ3RPjMshFtBnRxfxFx3ApYP2FGfDMmeAW3hMerisftmIh9NcZa92IxXSYa5bkDrepx/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+9.45.45+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgflwpxEL02CRkf4gDirg5GUCbre9JbBO8E0cdUc92BxC_u8SA8E9eHYfWPqhnM4VqGfWs7YL474oZ3RPjMshFtBnRxfxFx3ApYP2FGfDMmeAW3hMerisftmIh9NcZa92IxXSYa5bkDrepx/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+9.45.45+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once Monday rolled around, Pete was busy with work during the day and bonding with new colleagues in the evenings, so I was left to my own devices to "figure out Seattle." I had a couple more housing appointments on Monday and Tuesday, and also had planned to visit a few schools that happened to be hosting new student tours and orientations that week. Seattle Public Schools was in the middle of its open enrollment/school choice period, when you can sign up for a school that would not be your assigned neighborhood school based on your physical address. So a few of the more popular or specialized schools were in show-off mode.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFqDd_uTK45VualCrmCICyyXTLqI0oskOcbOo8zRLb_Go19H1eg0zvRrVwQxVK43QFL2LeLHptXYnFY1jSAapRMbxtKb2uf8JvK-tzzQmOt5EEI1fJqy3ef31onxcHWKPsUrQc90E63qf/s1600/IMG_2782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFqDd_uTK45VualCrmCICyyXTLqI0oskOcbOo8zRLb_Go19H1eg0zvRrVwQxVK43QFL2LeLHptXYnFY1jSAapRMbxtKb2uf8JvK-tzzQmOt5EEI1fJqy3ef31onxcHWKPsUrQc90E63qf/s400/IMG_2782.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sometime on Tuesday I decided it was a waste of time to continue forming emotional attachments to apartments we will definitely not be living in, and shifted my focus almost entirely to schools. Because what I really wanted to learn about on this trip was the different neighborhoods in Seattle, and it seemed to me that the neighborhood schools would be a starting point to compare and contrast. I began showing up at schools one by one, open house or not, asking whoever I could find in the office, hallway, or classroom (when I got that far) about the school and its demographics. Then drove or walked around the surrounding area. All told, I made it to about 20 schools in four days.</div>
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I spoke to secretaries, parent volunteers, principals, teachers, librarians, and school nurses. Sometimes I scored a visitor badge and a self-tour, while other times I was even treated to an impromptu guided tour. Occasionally I only managed a quick peak down the hall past the front office, or a "please come back at X-time next week," but in general everyone was friendly and helpful following my expat-mom-repatriating-with-two-kids-and-just-here-for-the-week-please-help speech. I had it down pat by the end.</div>
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Daphne had just under one year of half-day kindergarten in the US, so I had only barely dipped my toes into the American school system from a parent perspective before we left four years ago. No big surprise: there are many differences between Luxembourgish public school and American public school. Some of these I have already discussed at length on this blog. But facing school going the other direction is the real beginning of our reverse culture shock. This is a well-documented phenomenon, but when you return from an international move, you notice more about your home culture than you ever did before. The experience is an enhanced but somewhat distorted flashback that brings every difference into sharp, often garish focus. You begin to question the purpose or necessity of each aspect of your culture, wondering how it got to be that way in the first place. Welcome to your foreign-home-culture; it kinda makes your head spin.</div>
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Here are just a few of the differences that are currently setting my brain awhirl:</div>
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<b>Buildings</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVUaglI3KfOU77T-tmzT7u8LB00Pl6tmuDG4RZ2ontBkUVwxuHsFlronEaALzLXC24r5PaOlQf5v-9cL6IzD6tAyJs57D3CQRZlMvuUiVvdxzYLtPPZ4y2KHVvi9VaZ3-X8EgQXih5rR5/s1600/IMG_2826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVUaglI3KfOU77T-tmzT7u8LB00Pl6tmuDG4RZ2ontBkUVwxuHsFlronEaALzLXC24r5PaOlQf5v-9cL6IzD6tAyJs57D3CQRZlMvuUiVvdxzYLtPPZ4y2KHVvi9VaZ3-X8EgQXih5rR5/s400/IMG_2826.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seattle's Coe Elementary- built in 2002, but evokes the character of an older historically landmarked building that was destroyed in a fire</td></tr>
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There is a large variety of school buildings both in Luxembourg and in Seattle, primarily based on the era of construction or rehabilitation.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwl3_iVTtO0Bs6PtolS7e3vDGCNa8f0rwdMaOHTjgQ2XbzT12V-7Q0YDNCPKu7rFQz6a_oalMnE1bKDs4JT9PgXl1qQ0XFAxa0IeVZ1B7CRm9zAezNaTwmKgL4ehw6prAEtTkHJl6ls1L/s1600/IMG_2832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwl3_iVTtO0Bs6PtolS7e3vDGCNa8f0rwdMaOHTjgQ2XbzT12V-7Q0YDNCPKu7rFQz6a_oalMnE1bKDs4JT9PgXl1qQ0XFAxa0IeVZ1B7CRm9zAezNaTwmKgL4ehw6prAEtTkHJl6ls1L/s400/IMG_2832.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viewlands Elementary in North Seattle from the 50s</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVj_caaonTX2iFrRn46YwtufaAeHdpfTqaBXoA37qU1FljJAfEgZvnIZwF_3pR4B_0iLNiKojDvsJKREhIS7W0lt4Lk2e4Vk_8IMWoLREpqaK4EL_-QXkpCV3koy5JGgvke6ZnU7hgiprr/s1600/IMG_2836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVj_caaonTX2iFrRn46YwtufaAeHdpfTqaBXoA37qU1FljJAfEgZvnIZwF_3pR4B_0iLNiKojDvsJKREhIS7W0lt4Lk2e4Vk_8IMWoLREpqaK4EL_-QXkpCV3koy5JGgvke6ZnU7hgiprr/s400/IMG_2836.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">B.F Day Elementary. A lot more wood and brick in Pacific Northwest schools and homes. Luxembourg is made of concrete and stone.</td></tr>
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But the layout of a school is not mere surface aesthetics; it tells you a lot about how the school functions.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmajd3_kIHuphBn_R5otljhWO27El9FvBpY4XIoL1whhYd3dKCRuWoAI48-S0ceijzaT-FG5GMYuD02mt-MDm1_PlOuZFGh0kHQ0C7UtfGiWYhKFeTNis3OO8w5O-wTfVAie71Z-9HUUxX/s1600/IMG_2746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmajd3_kIHuphBn_R5otljhWO27El9FvBpY4XIoL1whhYd3dKCRuWoAI48-S0ceijzaT-FG5GMYuD02mt-MDm1_PlOuZFGh0kHQ0C7UtfGiWYhKFeTNis3OO8w5O-wTfVAie71Z-9HUUxX/s400/IMG_2746.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luxembourgish public schools don't have these!</td></tr>
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American schools have a main office, housing the administrative staff of the school. Growing up around school offices, it took Pete and me a long time to wrap our minds around Luxembourgish school buildings, consisting of only hallways and classrooms. That's because there are no admins, nurses, principals, or vice principals to put in any offices. More on principals later...</div>
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When we first attempted to contact and visit schools in Luxembourg, we were at a loss - how do you even approach a school without going to the main office or front desk first!? Now, at our kids' school, if we need to get in, we can ring a doorbell and the custodian (they do have those) might answer if he's around. Barring that, you call up the teacher's personal mobile or class phone and they'll come down or send a student. But this is not very useful unless you're already part of the school. I admit, I was quite grateful for main offices and school secretaries on this trip!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHVtb11bq9c-D7mve7n15_SHAZOi7FSbp65Kz66tVpz0TCNvDl7Wl3SvN3av3JzcPjjLxiaiAtW0AYHpqRHQsrPgSWoLTtfg351wrGOxz9aKF59geqZDnAGI5TVBcXi_3ybKw7dTSUG6J/s1600/IMG_2726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHVtb11bq9c-D7mve7n15_SHAZOi7FSbp65Kz66tVpz0TCNvDl7Wl3SvN3av3JzcPjjLxiaiAtW0AYHpqRHQsrPgSWoLTtfg351wrGOxz9aKF59geqZDnAGI5TVBcXi_3ybKw7dTSUG6J/s400/IMG_2726.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gotta have the school motto up</td></tr>
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And there is artwork all over the hallways in American schools. Somewhere along the line, the amount of art on the walls became one of the biggest measures of the quality of a school in the eyes of parents. But more on parents later...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpq_JlcgF8wWw5EWWRGFEwRvjJX9YroerNsY2XJffmPeMp3KdXamv1GrtOxXjyTzj3LXbJtI6xZ7hsB6XfjstdKK4amyrDIoVOUPhvUTse0c_yNAKn5LtZO2R9B-6UvLzh8b9sD3b4qlyb/s1600/IMG_2835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpq_JlcgF8wWw5EWWRGFEwRvjJX9YroerNsY2XJffmPeMp3KdXamv1GrtOxXjyTzj3LXbJtI6xZ7hsB6XfjstdKK4amyrDIoVOUPhvUTse0c_yNAKn5LtZO2R9B-6UvLzh8b9sD3b4qlyb/s400/IMG_2835.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more artwork and projects</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98HqDTW7ohBaxk2sFUoMHdrHW0M-nm9O1PbYRKTzF04oUcJxviRuY_4I3NHbGkHoys2zyfrHskzsxBx0zwH6TgES5VwN7rdyfasXnrvHmeFQuu-YoV0g6zfNZJnkgyVSJJx8chT_0XaCM/s1600/IMG_2831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98HqDTW7ohBaxk2sFUoMHdrHW0M-nm9O1PbYRKTzF04oUcJxviRuY_4I3NHbGkHoys2zyfrHskzsxBx0zwH6TgES5VwN7rdyfasXnrvHmeFQuu-YoV0g6zfNZJnkgyVSJJx8chT_0XaCM/s400/IMG_2831.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbllHocn0Xv0pyhOkplhT-7oGfhyphenhyphenINNXpCfb3FINdzl5Lup2LNFK83vhBIJQ_j-muDPDKlnmVJl1m3sYSPZ4vmqPE-d_LSAlF1ylYaq-gU5PxQDlqrzJOL-w2FxGTEjEjveDtbvkYTlV_/s1600/IMG_2829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbllHocn0Xv0pyhOkplhT-7oGfhyphenhyphenINNXpCfb3FINdzl5Lup2LNFK83vhBIJQ_j-muDPDKlnmVJl1m3sYSPZ4vmqPE-d_LSAlF1ylYaq-gU5PxQDlqrzJOL-w2FxGTEjEjveDtbvkYTlV_/s400/IMG_2829.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more</td></tr>
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And what would an American school be without the lunchroom or cafeteria? Answer: a Luxembourgish school!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaZcEDfoYEKG0hGRHXPMEIyoXMVmtIgdiPLYL1xRdWyV-4nPaBkAlEmxYioGOfNfPH87tW2mIp-efWZEBK36K-oSYCUZLT9iLKF3vidF8A3ob9rFpOPsaS68cL7A907tQO1Q4MVLFYaPB/s1600/IMG_2837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaZcEDfoYEKG0hGRHXPMEIyoXMVmtIgdiPLYL1xRdWyV-4nPaBkAlEmxYioGOfNfPH87tW2mIp-efWZEBK36K-oSYCUZLT9iLKF3vidF8A3ob9rFpOPsaS68cL7A907tQO1Q4MVLFYaPB/s400/IMG_2837.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you smell the cheese pizza? These looked almost identical in all the Seattle schools</td></tr>
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At Luxembourgish school, kids are on lunch break from 12:30pm to 2pm, give or take. During that time they either go home for lunch, or their parents pay for them to stay at the onsite daycare to eat there. In the latter case, they eat in regular-sized, multipurpose classrooms with their assigned daycare workers. The elementary school cafeteria is a strong childhood memory for me, and a completely foreign concept for my kids. They were absolutely blown away by that cafeteria photo!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpp1f3Qm2DIVWsgICf7M1uYMTwnqFvV_87B5ksglhKygE_SiLPI5_3rxNN2DgQxMmpuaZGnwi4E9AmuLocLzZfDbVaAoKgSYDe2_tO4QY5wKCOKuCWnJznupbFQ2iwTjsrpFVnxHGDkMO/s1600/IMG_2827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpp1f3Qm2DIVWsgICf7M1uYMTwnqFvV_87B5ksglhKygE_SiLPI5_3rxNN2DgQxMmpuaZGnwi4E9AmuLocLzZfDbVaAoKgSYDe2_tO4QY5wKCOKuCWnJznupbFQ2iwTjsrpFVnxHGDkMO/s400/IMG_2827.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the kids were also impressed with the photos I took of school libraries</td></tr>
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I have never seen the library at my kids' school here in Luxembourg. They tell me it's in the basement and about the size of their bedroom at home. They each visit and check out one book per week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7p5OQS0YBbJOcDiOFOdXa3JcIiE4UC-WfFbF0drLeTZn10hYksRC5qIZnWACBARIAzgeGeVtzpNmsEibg9e-518jOL0s65C-w2PMdHLexWRtoCVl3SXVpenizoUTxgsbxE3jZBPBtNlH/s1600/IMG_2839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7p5OQS0YBbJOcDiOFOdXa3JcIiE4UC-WfFbF0drLeTZn10hYksRC5qIZnWACBARIAzgeGeVtzpNmsEibg9e-518jOL0s65C-w2PMdHLexWRtoCVl3SXVpenizoUTxgsbxE3jZBPBtNlH/s400/IMG_2839.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American computer lab</td></tr>
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Perhaps some Luxembourgish schools have computer labs, but ours does not. Instead, there is one set of laptops that gets shared between all the classes at the school as needed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1X7fZpQA8ahIIEe7wDxy5f1i4_R8yMQWUP5jhTuJPaf3nlyEfhzm8OGBdzb_9SKFcwGkC1ItRgdz7GPdwgrS52v9Ii859T72FZk0nIQ-1tjBR8Cx3OwNUyj3s29eOcxTpWD1iVSBmH9l/s1600/IMG_2833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1X7fZpQA8ahIIEe7wDxy5f1i4_R8yMQWUP5jhTuJPaf3nlyEfhzm8OGBdzb_9SKFcwGkC1ItRgdz7GPdwgrS52v9Ii859T72FZk0nIQ-1tjBR8Cx3OwNUyj3s29eOcxTpWD1iVSBmH9l/s400/IMG_2833.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">classroom</td></tr>
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The above photo could easily be of a Luxembourgish school, except for the Welcome sign in English and the wood floors.</div>
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However, a handful of elementary schools in Seattle are "open concept" or "open space." When I first heard someone mention this, I assumed it must be part of an effort by Seattle schools to prepare kids for the modern work world of post-cubical, open-plan offices at places like at Amazon. You know, a great sea of desks with corporate drones typing away at computers. If you're depressed by that vision for an elementary school, you're not alone. But, as it turns out, open concept was an experimental trend from the 1970s meant to promote collaboration and flexibility amongst teachers and students. It typically looks like clusters of 3-5 classes in one large warehouse space, separated only by low bookshelves and other modular dividers. Some of the open concept schools I visited had since been remodeled slightly to put up some permanent walls and create a few traditional classrooms, but most still embrace their layout's positives and negatives as part of the school's DNA. The main downside I witnessed at one open concept school was when I could smell whatever they'd served for lunch--<i>everywhere.</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmDc54qtJtwxD0gKUEeXIkgBsxw8dOaVPUHzoSZOLNeKX7kb3HRlGw6FQ7rXhnWMDswsK6FdoDL7vhWvTVOf4EGK_Au0Hgt6Dx-KrZV0L2e_nq3x15BOKXJDPFKFcwvhHm24dicdVypDs/s1600/IMG_2792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmDc54qtJtwxD0gKUEeXIkgBsxw8dOaVPUHzoSZOLNeKX7kb3HRlGw6FQ7rXhnWMDswsK6FdoDL7vhWvTVOf4EGK_Au0Hgt6Dx-KrZV0L2e_nq3x15BOKXJDPFKFcwvhHm24dicdVypDs/s400/IMG_2792.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't get a great picture because most rooms were full of kids, but this room has another class behind and wraps around to the right into another class's space</td></tr>
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Several of the more culturally-diverse schools proudly highlighted this aspect.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6mN8966PY4I_zirx_j3yaD54GgodX8aEHReking_i4k4TBV23a9Wys2ZS4is4cg1b7kDMC34bQUuwpzmXOXcg5XjktO1RKgHCAdxHjtaaCrBDV0XEsc5LMJbliHNqcg0jtDLjmreD-Nj/s1600/IMG_2830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6mN8966PY4I_zirx_j3yaD54GgodX8aEHReking_i4k4TBV23a9Wys2ZS4is4cg1b7kDMC34bQUuwpzmXOXcg5XjktO1RKgHCAdxHjtaaCrBDV0XEsc5LMJbliHNqcg0jtDLjmreD-Nj/s400/IMG_2830.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kimball Elementary with "Welcome" in many languages</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpStINvjuf9EuWrCFCUgbIKthzCfyasqZpLeWhKAN-aSK3c6fTEk6QxgyEfp5vG3lJ3WV56YxsW2KHiX-xMj7gZL16OyGIgv2BVBhn1VWI-J_VIlPvAzD4iZ3Xp2hQ_MMQZ0c4dEwkeXu2/s1600/IMG_2828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpStINvjuf9EuWrCFCUgbIKthzCfyasqZpLeWhKAN-aSK3c6fTEk6QxgyEfp5vG3lJ3WV56YxsW2KHiX-xMj7gZL16OyGIgv2BVBhn1VWI-J_VIlPvAzD4iZ3Xp2hQ_MMQZ0c4dEwkeXu2/s400/IMG_2828.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this school in West Seattle has significant Somali population, enough to translate all its signs</td></tr>
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And one last building comment: portables. Although most of the schools I visited had them, I didn't think to snap a photo, probably because, let's face it, they're quite uninspiring. In the US, a school builds portables outside for additional classrooms when it's overcrowded. That probably happens sometimes in Luxembourg too, but I think it more commonly means they're in the middle of remodeling the old building or constructing a brand new one for the school. And what they call a "portable" structure here seems a lot like a standard quality, permanent school in the US. An American can't fathom that they'd actually tear it down once the "real" school is finished.<br />
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<b>Principals</b><br />
<br />
My first taste of principal-related reverse culture shock came before I even set foot in a Seattle Public School. It surfaced when I began researching Seattle housing online. For a each property, <a href="http://www.zillow.com/seattle-wa/" target="_blank">Zillow </a>displays the nearby schools and a link to their ratings on greatschools.org.<br />
<br />
The existence of the Great Schools website itself brought on flashbacks of struggling to find similar information for Luxembourg public schools. My inquires about comparing schools four years ago were met with either confusion or offense. "All our schools are the same" was the standard response from the relocation agent, the Ministry of Education, and even from parents. End of discussion.<br />
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But back to principals for the moment.<br />
<br />
On the Zillow Great Schools summary page, you're given the following for each school:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbrptsvGI4gbo3bWSIFWhGX4GAplHcDEp1jVa8AudaS4TIJHmyIaSrMWPBBT-Rzo5vMxnHAU1dlNRnQpSqMYN4VZMsNtXt0MV2ZhtA261iqKJBr29ghZ3dHtisAukwGboUfvjKLVMxHMm/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+11.14.22+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbrptsvGI4gbo3bWSIFWhGX4GAplHcDEp1jVa8AudaS4TIJHmyIaSrMWPBBT-Rzo5vMxnHAU1dlNRnQpSqMYN4VZMsNtXt0MV2ZhtA261iqKJBr29ghZ3dHtisAukwGboUfvjKLVMxHMm/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+11.14.22+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let's take those one by one. 1) Teacher quality: sure. Makes sense.<br />
<br />
2) Principal leadership. Wait, huh? Right, of course there are school principals in the US, I remember those. But then the bigger realization dawned....oh <i><b>right</b></i>. The principal is a <i>big deal</i>. The quality of the school is directly linked to the quality of the principal. The principal sets the tone for everything. The principal is the leader. A bad principal equals a bad school. It's a make or break situation, at least in perception and probably also in reality. We shall see.<br />
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And sure enough, I witnessed this effect, and even felt its direct effect on me, as I visited the schools. Overall I had contact with 7 or 8 principals, either speaking at open houses or in personal conversations. I picked up a clear vibe for each one: their personality, passions, leadership style, comfort in their role, vision for the school, etc. And I caught myself already forming strong opinions. From parents and teachers, I heard about how this or that principal left and who came on next and what that did to the school. I even heard of families and teachers <i>uprooting to follow a principal</i> to the next school. That's commitment.<br />
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Then I thought about our little Luxembourgish school, with a head teacher who lives a block away from the campus and who I've had personal contact with maybe once, and very indirect contact with a handful of times in four years. I thought about how at one time I couldn't imagine a school without a principal, office and administrative staff. I thought about the Luxembourg Ministry of Education, which I know monitors the schools, but I'm embarrassed to admit I have no idea what that looks like in practice. And I thought about the great salaries for Luxembourgish teachers.<br />
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"Low overhead" was the term that kept popping into my mind. <br />
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I think that's all I'll say about that for now! <br />
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<b>Parent Involvement</b><br />
<br />
The last difference I'll highlight in this mammoth of a post is the whole parent issue. "Parent Involvement" was number three in the review categories on greatschools.org and another big reverse culture shock moment before we even set foot in Seattle.<br />
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To help illustrate why, I will bring you up to speed on parent involvement at our Luxembourgish school:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Parents do not raise or donate money to help fund or run the school.</li>
<li>Parents do not volunteer in the classrooms or anywhere inside the school. They are barely allowed in the school building to begin with (I was kicked out by the custodian just last week). This may explain why although there is some student art in the hallways, it's not as intense as in the States; there aren't as many parents around to ogle it.</li>
<li>Parents do not chaperone field trips, including multiple night camping trips.</li>
<li>Parents can be part of a parent group that puts together 2-3 school parties a year. Money raised through small raffles and food sales at the parties goes to fund the next party. I am in this group at our school.</li>
<li>There is in fact a parent-teacher committee for the school, with elected parent members. I have seen the notice come through about nominations and elections (in French so I just got the gist). I have never had contact with this committee and have no idea what it does. It definitely does not raise money for the school from the parents or surrounding community.</li>
</ol>
<br />
But then I realized, or re-remembered (it's getting harder to tell which), that parent involvement is huge deal in American schools. The "good schools" are the ones with the most parent involvement. The "bad schools" have disinterested parents, or parents who are all too busy making ends meet to be super involved.<br />
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As I visited Seattle schools, "we have a very active PTA!" was constantly pitched to me as the prime selling point. Through annual auctions, jump-a-thons and the like, they had raised anywhere from $50,000 to $300,000 in a given year to fund things like after school enrichment activities, reading or math specialists, classroom supplies and equipment, and even extra full or part time regular classroom teachers to help reduce class size. Another frequent point of pride was "our parents are very involved," usually meaning they contribute many volunteer hours.<br />
<br />
A few of the schools in the "poorer" areas did not gush about their PTAs. I had to ask about it myself, since I was still curious. One secretary looked at me a bit like I was some pretentious yuppy snob and scoffed as she said something like, "no, we don't do that out here, those are the schools further south of us. We have a couple parents who do sort of a PTA." A principal at an inner-city school told me that in lieu of a PTA, they have a parent committee that helps advocate at the district for programs that support struggling families in the school community, since most of them are in need of support rather than being in a position to give financially or in volunteer hours.<br />
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The flip side is that the schools in the poorer areas typically have more kids with extra needs, so they receive more money from the district for during and after school programming and support based on need anyway. At least that's how I understand the system in broad, generalized strokes.<br />
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Side note: Luxembourgish schools don't have after school clubs and activities directly associated with the school. Any sports or extra-curriculars are run though completely separate, private organizations.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0SQYlPA3xaMxawOreh8P_2HGXhKoqHuux3Y8Mgotd6GEETgelC_Qfk0TxM8K99K9eInjpXqeohx_nogZCOo-Ogl4l94De1pzHI9Ub3W0-m0vb3P7LytTd68j2wQjUuNfpxK4K3IZ2rXZ/s1600/IMG_2834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0SQYlPA3xaMxawOreh8P_2HGXhKoqHuux3Y8Mgotd6GEETgelC_Qfk0TxM8K99K9eInjpXqeohx_nogZCOo-Ogl4l94De1pzHI9Ub3W0-m0vb3P7LytTd68j2wQjUuNfpxK4K3IZ2rXZ/s400/IMG_2834.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">peaking in at a little after school sewing club at a school without a PTA</td></tr>
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<b>In Summary</b><br />
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Whew, that was a lot of blog post! I could go on, but I will end with this review of a school that I thought sums up why I'm feeling all the weirdness I'm feeling. I didn't even go looking for it; it was the first one that popped up when I went to take a screen shot of a review. To an American who's only known American school, I suppose it seems completely normal. For me, it feels...vaguely familiar yet oddly foreign.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNybHft0COELCDF8RPVIOqFHzK3AJvmfw5oKpbUWTI-9WOm9XgJW6tMIR44vquU4s19DGOoR9AnFhXZKhRYYEULwM-lRaSoIZk5aSUY9NXRyUz72ayfiK_PFmfp_usdILhPpT4kms2ebp/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+11.13.03+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNybHft0COELCDF8RPVIOqFHzK3AJvmfw5oKpbUWTI-9WOm9XgJW6tMIR44vquU4s19DGOoR9AnFhXZKhRYYEULwM-lRaSoIZk5aSUY9NXRyUz72ayfiK_PFmfp_usdILhPpT4kms2ebp/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-03-21+at+11.13.03+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've got the "we're lost without our beloved principal" bit. We've got the general feeling of scarcity and desparation regarding parent volunteers and funding issues. And we've got a reference to the honorary 4th category for greatschool.org reviews: artwork on the walls.<br />
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So no, we haven't found a place to live yet, nor do we know which school the kids will attend. We missed the school choice window so they will attend whichever public school is closest to our home. I didn't do all this school research to hand-pick a specific school for our kids. Instead, I feel like we have plenty of suitable options. Ideally, we'd like a neighborhood and school with a bit of socioeconomic and cultural diversity, and we aren't on a hunt for "the best school," but all options are on still on the table. The experience of moving to a foreign country and doing the same - taking whatever neighborhood public school we got, but with even less control or understanding ahead of time than we have going the other way - has made us much less concerned about these things. Sure, if we end up somewhere and things go horribly downhill, we make a plan B. But our general attitude is that wherever you end up, you take the good with the bad and you bloom where you're planted.<br />
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If the kids can do that in a foreign country in a foreign language, they can do it in Seattle. </div>
Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-66501969135739505272016-03-04T15:13:00.003-08:002016-03-05T04:25:18.655-08:00A Busy February & An Announcement<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tO52EF-2M4VJ_kNwV-I5SYatoESyvxD8C7ScN0u9RJoO9FbUdUwCQBF_fubL8oODtgVn04vS9OsryhguDXO_bf_6tiKRGv53rFId9ZN1sL59Ixq5LmLv5qXHCHY4zEyCI4qKupgBuOaZ/s1600/IMG_2400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tO52EF-2M4VJ_kNwV-I5SYatoESyvxD8C7ScN0u9RJoO9FbUdUwCQBF_fubL8oODtgVn04vS9OsryhguDXO_bf_6tiKRGv53rFId9ZN1sL59Ixq5LmLv5qXHCHY4zEyCI4qKupgBuOaZ/s400/IMG_2400.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Uncle Lal and me - our birthdays are 2 days apart</td></tr>
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The last time we visited the UK was in February 2013 (and oh my word, <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2013/02/uk-2013-what-its-really-about.html" target="_blank">look how small the kids were!</a>). We swore we'd never visit England in February again. It's just the time of year when, if you're taking the trouble to go somewhere, it ought to be more...tropical.</div>
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But as Daphne is now fond of reminding us, "Never say never."</div>
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Our first stop was London to see my Aunt Melanie and Uncle Lal.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDD31rS5AUDs2WZqxIVTXp8kY4OHwRiu_wZNBMJBxC-pH-TDv0BDO7YfMrLPNErumyv2w7YGH7jYvsGAGGkUF_go2ERJML60opB28IS1FEO10LYDIYXHDGkJnPPz61b1_Dur5wmMvpll6/s1600/IMG_2394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDD31rS5AUDs2WZqxIVTXp8kY4OHwRiu_wZNBMJBxC-pH-TDv0BDO7YfMrLPNErumyv2w7YGH7jYvsGAGGkUF_go2ERJML60opB28IS1FEO10LYDIYXHDGkJnPPz61b1_Dur5wmMvpll6/s400/IMG_2394.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking "over the common" behind their house - a very British thing to do</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaohFK__8-4KzsEW48NNsJOcAGmARnHfhDrdRADKCUDqyjYpOL6u272w3c8IWp57tDNZ4gXyYbrBbsqPkTApOFEZVhyc9XtG-Ty2N3l6NdD_gCGa5FhaCGA3sXP6btk5XmSmKAy6l7K_p/s1600/IMG_2469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaohFK__8-4KzsEW48NNsJOcAGmARnHfhDrdRADKCUDqyjYpOL6u272w3c8IWp57tDNZ4gXyYbrBbsqPkTApOFEZVhyc9XtG-Ty2N3l6NdD_gCGa5FhaCGA3sXP6btk5XmSmKAy6l7K_p/s400/IMG_2469.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our family visits are usually pretty low-key</td></tr>
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We didn't know, however, that the whole London gang would be gathering at their place during our visit - to celebrate Lal's birthday, and to hang out with their nephew/my cousin Jesse before he moves to New York.<br />
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My Aunt (with Pete's chopping help) prepared an amazing authentic-Sri-Lankan-multi-curry-mega-feast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LFVyoeXzo7rmC5YKNaJohcA95eNziYZHPuSsvf9PZo-WJJLv5gG8HSSOUwApxpEAZYW-gx2oS0UWhy6v61P-PpsDm1JnPCy5-1w0TNxUiCeS6gjnkoLhjqnyNi-xmWfgxOQZYyStP-G4/s1600/IMG_2415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LFVyoeXzo7rmC5YKNaJohcA95eNziYZHPuSsvf9PZo-WJJLv5gG8HSSOUwApxpEAZYW-gx2oS0UWhy6v61P-PpsDm1JnPCy5-1w0TNxUiCeS6gjnkoLhjqnyNi-xmWfgxOQZYyStP-G4/s400/IMG_2415.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd say don't be jealous, but you really should be. So tasty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBBCAf7mDdqGHgFR2za2cjNCvggUMV0jrU91H7rpwSfKWeT7ea-uDQoFRUamtU1xAiBsH1tSJGfCNvGzbl0jRZaAsv6D4JDqhI0dPvJbLDQjcuPXomZV2nmckSdwuxWx2674X20VkLYWF/s1600/IMG_2427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBBCAf7mDdqGHgFR2za2cjNCvggUMV0jrU91H7rpwSfKWeT7ea-uDQoFRUamtU1xAiBsH1tSJGfCNvGzbl0jRZaAsv6D4JDqhI0dPvJbLDQjcuPXomZV2nmckSdwuxWx2674X20VkLYWF/s400/IMG_2427.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all my London family + significant others!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQk2FkOV3FjNioP1JQOUXVkA1RsMQS8GuufbUUTRnS3L0IN5KAulh2mx_wG5DQlVMBIGc31PZoEiAL2WA1OlQSgZFVdqTyyM5AjEEOycOzoobokzXwUt9Cn_TICcvvSdNQ282x4sTM-3R/s1600/IMG_2463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQk2FkOV3FjNioP1JQOUXVkA1RsMQS8GuufbUUTRnS3L0IN5KAulh2mx_wG5DQlVMBIGc31PZoEiAL2WA1OlQSgZFVdqTyyM5AjEEOycOzoobokzXwUt9Cn_TICcvvSdNQ282x4sTM-3R/s400/IMG_2463.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London cousins + me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicy2QiHaTeE6Xga1Fo-FV8Heyx5uz4ejQwtGvG9uWW16bKFb1q-bBc_9qppb9eVyiSSQPdenmLOx_SP4OUw30pVUZpGTNZk2mq7_vdjpMwT5o-sXG8luppTACjK3GI1kjISyEPCEQNjryl/s1600/IMG_2459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicy2QiHaTeE6Xga1Fo-FV8Heyx5uz4ejQwtGvG9uWW16bKFb1q-bBc_9qppb9eVyiSSQPdenmLOx_SP4OUw30pVUZpGTNZk2mq7_vdjpMwT5o-sXG8luppTACjK3GI1kjISyEPCEQNjryl/s400/IMG_2459.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, hey, it's our birthday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdjEp8wv5MwvhZhV_QXPkN9gV7fZ8rBbGuGFy8QgDE2lAczvhN0Oz9XwayK3v5z8B_u4P426JajwaRA0v41GxMoE80H_GRf_LRMXqM113YPBZ3NRFoxK1K5WQSkKvbU3_CcpaO3hvYeLm/s1600/IMG_2436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdjEp8wv5MwvhZhV_QXPkN9gV7fZ8rBbGuGFy8QgDE2lAczvhN0Oz9XwayK3v5z8B_u4P426JajwaRA0v41GxMoE80H_GRf_LRMXqM113YPBZ3NRFoxK1K5WQSkKvbU3_CcpaO3hvYeLm/s400/IMG_2436.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looking through family photos after dinner - my Nana and Granddad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On our way up to Chester to see the rest of the UK crew, we stopped to visit our dear friends who we met in Luxembourg but have recently moved to Peckham, and were expecting their second child any moment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQrhDy6ZJk-fJtj14uQ3N4f4f0IV5bXul3Oc5eXbxJAoXgSKoV5RskhwvNp9WbnkGn8SqoypJYf-DWGXTJ5cnq4pzwlOhfqlyD2GxTG-I6vLyO3ql2bKULXhxi4H0KJDyNbWYmmi4W7r7/s1600/IMG_2485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQrhDy6ZJk-fJtj14uQ3N4f4f0IV5bXul3Oc5eXbxJAoXgSKoV5RskhwvNp9WbnkGn8SqoypJYf-DWGXTJ5cnq4pzwlOhfqlyD2GxTG-I6vLyO3ql2bKULXhxi4H0KJDyNbWYmmi4W7r7/s400/IMG_2485.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few days to go!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bw7iFiLNyikMRG6iAaoA1V7SOZ05Qn-c0Oarfeci5XsbHh1N3CaGLbgST939fbkW21KF7wH6YTtqSwRjbaeYSHGq_erRpD4PH_eVwkbkUd8RGHZCQ8tXSmMB6SKWshQCL4UJn1ve66ct/s1600/IMG_2475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bw7iFiLNyikMRG6iAaoA1V7SOZ05Qn-c0Oarfeci5XsbHh1N3CaGLbgST939fbkW21KF7wH6YTtqSwRjbaeYSHGq_erRpD4PH_eVwkbkUd8RGHZCQ8tXSmMB6SKWshQCL4UJn1ve66ct/s400/IMG_2475.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First-borns</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWfjoMKsDtwcBWpYrhunhcBIkenB9Zl53kEZ-VzrCgxwLhrW7NCySmqe9Xe7hD2pftPDecNar696Flo57CMP33B40RJmOY9dVw0vrN-xwUDXOIQ-Nk_m_cOQGrw5smVdRTad1kmUnqeXH/s1600/IMG_2491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWfjoMKsDtwcBWpYrhunhcBIkenB9Zl53kEZ-VzrCgxwLhrW7NCySmqe9Xe7hD2pftPDecNar696Flo57CMP33B40RJmOY9dVw0vrN-xwUDXOIQ-Nk_m_cOQGrw5smVdRTad1kmUnqeXH/s400/IMG_2491.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More first-borns</td></tr>
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And then we finally made it to the north...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDf4udabKSlK8Q8XZgEcs-4pXWg18-xjZFK5w2Vo0pvJuRkSsCen4rcU6QxrLPa5rAS43gLmAMIO20CMAsvjCe2dxaz0Q19YDyjGjhgsbxQplfbEGuTwVMq7oF1o4h2ZsUPNFb-Fkk9cgf/s1600/IMG_2642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDf4udabKSlK8Q8XZgEcs-4pXWg18-xjZFK5w2Vo0pvJuRkSsCen4rcU6QxrLPa5rAS43gLmAMIO20CMAsvjCe2dxaz0Q19YDyjGjhgsbxQplfbEGuTwVMq7oF1o4h2ZsUPNFb-Fkk9cgf/s400/IMG_2642.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">typical Chester</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2c6DwOQnoXc9NN9asIdWf-tPobBXPCXzRecOckMqyZHnGKCMltR__u-Q_BNUQH-X2b9VjpErH6gj-m6B2_L7BeZYm_XLKyt3oDhC4bCDGNDXgsF21TVSzQAjIu4XHeXMtJMoc-8Y5APAJ/s1600/IMG_2530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2c6DwOQnoXc9NN9asIdWf-tPobBXPCXzRecOckMqyZHnGKCMltR__u-Q_BNUQH-X2b9VjpErH6gj-m6B2_L7BeZYm_XLKyt3oDhC4bCDGNDXgsF21TVSzQAjIu4XHeXMtJMoc-8Y5APAJ/s400/IMG_2530.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">typical Chester walls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nBScqslPgadMIlWkkO904nxsKfYYcLJVNG-3p1H5fveTjYI1vkLsMv0RfGuEuzKgh2uGShmn9JeP8HcSz-evvsLglDQiktJ8_0-uJqr0L8LjYzFjyoB6Z8KrBg7piGSJPYsc0sZGa4gS/s1600/IMG_2535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nBScqslPgadMIlWkkO904nxsKfYYcLJVNG-3p1H5fveTjYI1vkLsMv0RfGuEuzKgh2uGShmn9JeP8HcSz-evvsLglDQiktJ8_0-uJqr0L8LjYzFjyoB6Z8KrBg7piGSJPYsc0sZGa4gS/s400/IMG_2535.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February in Chester = fireside time at Aunt Susan's </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn0WZMRMKMBql_G-aK0ygYDTh810Un2h2vSlQksbLhQPcvIgK-gC9Xq6RXNKxDBc8P83J4vCyTbBGwPTj9dxsMcsR_9LSC4suTjnJjVyog9GkbDxnLytSf1aG2TK9g-rkYFNvUX5EiEmU/s1600/IMG_2603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn0WZMRMKMBql_G-aK0ygYDTh810Un2h2vSlQksbLhQPcvIgK-gC9Xq6RXNKxDBc8P83J4vCyTbBGwPTj9dxsMcsR_9LSC4suTjnJjVyog9GkbDxnLytSf1aG2TK9g-rkYFNvUX5EiEmU/s400/IMG_2603.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">her pink house</td></tr>
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We even took advantage of some sunshine and went to the semi-famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_Zoo" target="_blank">Chester Zoo</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PA_yU1LMOIcoIZxOe_hb3Iz509e2gW977KRaemygMVVjMvEJdKGv8AivmsFL6VcnsGUf4LdkHhPU553U_1h1nEOEXn-iP7-YBkecqzY1LqDjl9nsA1P6xJHjeyR033ajt4FamuG5RRNO/s1600/IMG_2562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PA_yU1LMOIcoIZxOe_hb3Iz509e2gW977KRaemygMVVjMvEJdKGv8AivmsFL6VcnsGUf4LdkHhPU553U_1h1nEOEXn-iP7-YBkecqzY1LqDjl9nsA1P6xJHjeyR033ajt4FamuG5RRNO/s400/IMG_2562.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeK8Kf8eSrWRAe8_GG041mjrCeOYXp7K9kOepobKdUH-2BmmdWXH0TAo2Bi_kQ4vxHMZOu8lisRdiibelIeBvVI_44Uqge6wUg0_WK-cCoKLOjna3E3pxW96se2ygLIDehQnBMzwCTcei0/s1600/IMG_2557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeK8Kf8eSrWRAe8_GG041mjrCeOYXp7K9kOepobKdUH-2BmmdWXH0TAo2Bi_kQ4vxHMZOu8lisRdiibelIeBvVI_44Uqge6wUg0_WK-cCoKLOjna3E3pxW96se2ygLIDehQnBMzwCTcei0/s400/IMG_2557.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">baby elephants are the best</td></tr>
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<div>
And the highlight of the trip: seeing my Nana Alice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTZaXNWLLFJgwIWb5i-1HsPK9OCSXEn2ccmnlQ8mD009sR-B5rM80_lOK5OJ_gQr80TIMI0HoXk4nnBHJloZ9XVYYn4_IY7Id4T-nVhAZsRltRwg3CMWGfrI7aB_io8dyJQ99mIsp3En4/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTZaXNWLLFJgwIWb5i-1HsPK9OCSXEn2ccmnlQ8mD009sR-B5rM80_lOK5OJ_gQr80TIMI0HoXk4nnBHJloZ9XVYYn4_IY7Id4T-nVhAZsRltRwg3CMWGfrI7aB_io8dyJQ99mIsp3En4/s400/IMG_2538.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly 94!</td></tr>
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Nana has recently moved to assisted living. Sadly, she mostly doesn't remember who we are anymore except for in fleeting moments. But her big personality and sharp wit is still there, and she sure loves the kids.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT878GGzo-evDd0biKTx1db7XHS4UCF3C4Um8AiLE9Bfin4hvfb5btH7HJhUSMfg478_gHoCr0k1rzyBW9mtdAMsa8Kcm2lTMepmeLeBXl64lHcMuwEDtpVQX1U9NZE3w5CqrMzHXzDY0/s1600/IMG_2641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT878GGzo-evDd0biKTx1db7XHS4UCF3C4Um8AiLE9Bfin4hvfb5btH7HJhUSMfg478_gHoCr0k1rzyBW9mtdAMsa8Kcm2lTMepmeLeBXl64lHcMuwEDtpVQX1U9NZE3w5CqrMzHXzDY0/s400/IMG_2641.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yep she's that short :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPm87GlAPfrsw3GdSJ5HMoE5n9O03RDnBbagoKnNeQJ8h7Z0qJhTvM_54-195svEj4ZHaQmOoPvmSWB0W5gr6pmN7q7jco6tMgtJYprIjFEqe39OT9ZHVKHaRTJ2aXNV2LFMxXRxvXwVM/s1600/IMG_2640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPm87GlAPfrsw3GdSJ5HMoE5n9O03RDnBbagoKnNeQJ8h7Z0qJhTvM_54-195svEj4ZHaQmOoPvmSWB0W5gr6pmN7q7jco6tMgtJYprIjFEqe39OT9ZHVKHaRTJ2aXNV2LFMxXRxvXwVM/s400/IMG_2640.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">goodbyes</td></tr>
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So it was a great and very worthwhile trip. If you're going to be cold and wet on holiday, you might as well be cold and wet with family. And we did have one minor excuse for squeezing in a quick winter visit...</div>
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We're <b>MOVING TO SEATTLE this summer!</b></h2>
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So the news has been out for a couple of months now, but this is the official Ts blog announcement. Pete has already started working remotely for the home office in Seattle, and we'll head back to the USA soon after the school year ends in mid-July.</div>
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But why, and why now? We do like living in Luxembourg, but the short answer is that we felt, for many reasons, that it's just time.<br />
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The strongest motivator is to be closer to family again (and the grandparents may be just a tad excited about the news!). Pete had already been looking for a change or new opportunity at work, and this new role fit the bill. Many of our closest friends in Luxembourg have either moved away or will soon. If we leave this summer, the kids will have one year together in elementary school back in the States before Daphne makes the intimidating jump to middle school. They've both especially enjoyed the teachers they've had in Lux the past two years and would be moving on to new teachers next year. The new teachers might be good too, but we could definitely leave now on a very positive note regarding the Luxembourgish school experience. The longer we wait, the harder it will be for the kids to reintegrate to US schools. And, the harder the school work and languages would get here and the less we'd be able to support them at home. And, we filled our original commitment to lead the music at our church for three years in January... basically, everything began to align to clarify the decision and its timing. But, of course, it's still bittersweet!<br />
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The last week of February, Pete and I went to Seattle to have a first look around. He had to go for work anyway and I decided to tag along. We've visited a few times over the years but not with an eye toward living there. So we left the kids with some kind friends for the week and set off to check out our new city.<br />
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But not before James broke his thumb on the playground!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His left/dominant hand, of course!</td></tr>
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More on our preview-to-the-preview trip coming soon. And no doubt I will chronicle our repatriation here at The Ts, so stay tuned!</div>
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Spoiler alert: I already have major reverse culture shock and we haven't even moved yet. And it's not even all Donald Trump-related.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seattle, here we come!</td></tr>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-81197871501348729222016-02-16T05:35:00.003-08:002016-02-16T05:35:53.796-08:00Portugal Trip: Food!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgouQMXK-mrVKyzszAEodou5qQI-z6MFB8hT7W3WnDtpw50dKMiuhHilfyDMBzvZ3M2XW_bYJ-pRRLn03VTLyIXKum1__X_UikXYpE5b5D1K6elLsMdktXbhXmPrek78VERPJtGyCUCR4/s1600/IMG_1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgouQMXK-mrVKyzszAEodou5qQI-z6MFB8hT7W3WnDtpw50dKMiuhHilfyDMBzvZ3M2XW_bYJ-pRRLn03VTLyIXKum1__X_UikXYpE5b5D1K6elLsMdktXbhXmPrek78VERPJtGyCUCR4/s400/IMG_1367.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think this is the final post from our Portugal trip. Hooray!</div>
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I don't often give restaurant recommendations on this blog, but since we did the best we could to sample as many classic Portuguese dishes as possible on this trip, I figure I might as well let you know where we went. We used a combination of advice from Pete's colleague who grew up there, our Airbnb host, and Tripadvisor. Also it should be noted that we are budget diners! I would recommend any of the places we tried.</div>
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The first night we went to the "second best" vegetarian restaurant in Porto, according to our Airbnb host -<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189180-d3204474-Reviews-Essencia_Restaurante_Vegetariano-Porto_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html" target="_blank"> Essência</a>.</div>
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It was really yummy, great atmosphere and reasonably priced; we would have gone back had we had time.</div>
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Of course seafood is the primary fare, and our first taste was at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g580268-d3568687-Reviews-Casarao-Vila_Nova_de_Gaia_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html" target="_blank">Restaurante Casarão</a> just down the road from our flat. We had a giant bowl of seafood rice with lots of whole sea creatures.</div>
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And we went back later in the week for the iconic Portuguese food - b<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacalhau" target="_blank">acalhau</a> - dried salted cod.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">surprisingly tasty!</td></tr>
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We also couldn't leave Portugal without trying the slightly terrifying <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesinha" target="_blank">Frencesinha</a> sandwich, which originated in Porto.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">multiple meats, bread, cheese, egg, beer sauce</td></tr>
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For this heart-attack special, we went to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189180-d1931762-Reviews-Cafe_Santiago-Porto_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html" target="_blank">Café Santiago</a>.</div>
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And we also visited a little pizza place on the beach south of our flat that was recommended by our host, <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g2480540-d4723287-Reviews-Ciao_Bella-Arcozelo_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html" target="_blank">Ciao Bella</a>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a great spot and yummy pizza - the bread they bring for an appetizer is also amazing</td></tr>
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And speaking of bread, we tried the Portuguese version of a croissant - buttery, soft, sweet, sticky and delicious.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So that's it for Portugal!</div>
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Here are all the posts from our trip:</div>
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<a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/11/portugal-trip-overview.html" target="_blank">Overview</a></div>
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<a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/12/portugal-trip-beach.html" target="_blank">The Beach</a></div>
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<a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/12/portugal-trip-city-of-porto.html" target="_blank">The City of Porto</a></div>
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<a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/12/portgual-trip-tiles-and-facades.html" target="_blank">Tiles & Facades</a></div>
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<a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2016/02/portugal-trip-braga.html" target="_blank">Braga</a></div>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-40314519120541211352016-02-15T02:37:00.001-08:002016-02-15T02:40:42.605-08:00Portugal Trip: Braga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5swOrikF02ET3T3N_zMpxwhq4FGmZ4fqAJGkF5unCbOVehwVyUHP33jwLmi643QpQZOejLyVU9BqtZxOpPRlC8Lh2MhHiH6kCkMhT1ocnNOF64ZE7_l5tg62P0o1ld9qupDhUgdodzXW/s1600/IMG_1473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5swOrikF02ET3T3N_zMpxwhq4FGmZ4fqAJGkF5unCbOVehwVyUHP33jwLmi643QpQZOejLyVU9BqtZxOpPRlC8Lh2MhHiH6kCkMhT1ocnNOF64ZE7_l5tg62P0o1ld9qupDhUgdodzXW/s400/IMG_1473.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yep, still Portugal. I'm behind. We don't really even still look like what we look like in these photos from November - hair grown or cut, baby teeth and/or fat lost, etc. I best get crackin'! Two posts to go.<br />
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Braga was a side trip we took on our last full day in Portugal, just under an hour drive from Porto.<br />
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Specifically, we visited a church at the top of a hill overlooking the city. It's called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bom_Jesus_do_Monte" target="_blank">Bom Jesus do Monte.</a> Great name.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">behind the church</td></tr>
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The grounds around the church were fun to explore.</div>
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I didn't get any good photos of the inside, but the organist was playing a Coldplay song, which we thought an odd choice. But a few minutes later a wedding party showed up, so he must have been practicing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">front of church</td></tr>
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We then made our way down the baroque stairway (which you can see quite well in the first photo of the post). </div>
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Then we continued down the hill, interspersed with more steps and several small huts depicting the various stages of Christ's journey to the cross. Technically you're supposed to make this pilgrimage from the bottom to the top of the hill, so we got the events in reverse order.</div>
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And then there's a funicular to take you back up if you've done the lazy version of the pilgrimage, or down if you've worked for it.</div>
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Bom Jesus was an enjoyable (and free, save the funicular) outing in northern Portugal.</div>
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<br />Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-24801982308092860582015-12-27T03:52:00.001-08:002015-12-27T03:52:37.866-08:00Portugal Trip: The City of Porto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0i6gSWPxjT1LA4Udm551GcfXMkqiceA346aXTcNGefHyF9dB6xMhlUWKhMNtlpfyP4oFzSYp9boDSWUonNCjM5jqGpwdc6FCYgDciJW3y8gm6M5ZOtUMK-ITRICmJzqUnPcwq6d6H3oYi/s1600/IMG_1123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0i6gSWPxjT1LA4Udm551GcfXMkqiceA346aXTcNGefHyF9dB6xMhlUWKhMNtlpfyP4oFzSYp9boDSWUonNCjM5jqGpwdc6FCYgDciJW3y8gm6M5ZOtUMK-ITRICmJzqUnPcwq6d6H3oYi/s400/IMG_1123.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here are a few photos from walking around the city of Porto.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">iconic Porto bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel of Eiffel tower fame.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">near top of bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">close-up looking across the river at Porto</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOufvrUmttcT3FoKrnP5TjCfsEUCEjijTjtD9ZPLD8lKGoJTu6cJNNwIP7mYv2LaPIkOBIGVFs_Yd1V6kapJljSQskMRpufF5Kyn2eeWWMw_dKPo9sUiW4Y_snAH1xtYIzqO2KCfCt3YEr/s1600/IMG_1122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOufvrUmttcT3FoKrnP5TjCfsEUCEjijTjtD9ZPLD8lKGoJTu6cJNNwIP7mYv2LaPIkOBIGVFs_Yd1V6kapJljSQskMRpufF5Kyn2eeWWMw_dKPo9sUiW4Y_snAH1xtYIzqO2KCfCt3YEr/s400/IMG_1122.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from Porto looking back toward Vila Nova de Gaia</td></tr>
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Shops sell Porto's <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/12/portgual-trip-tiles-and-facades.html" target="_blank">signature tiles</a>, as well all manner of items made from cork used for Port wine bottles.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cork bags are popular, although I don't think we saw anyone actually carrying one</td></tr>
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We also spent a few hours in one of the more famous bookstores in the world, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livraria_Lello_%26_Irm%C3%A3o" target="_blank">Livraria Lello & Irmão</a>. <div>
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JK Rowling spent time in this bookstore when she lived in Porto, and you can definitely sense the a Harry Potter vibe inside.</div>
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Still more Porto to come. I think food is up next!</div>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-60320093545375234312015-12-25T13:23:00.000-08:002015-12-25T13:23:29.195-08:00Portgual Trip: Tiles and Facades(Merry Christmas!)<br />
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My favorite part of visiting Porto was definitely looking at all the gorgeous tile work all over the city. It is called <i>azulejo</i> and you can read more about it <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azulejo" target="_blank">here</a>. The "azul" part will tip you off that blue is the preferred hue for these traditional tiles. I couldn't stop taking photos of them.</div>
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And here are a few other photos of building facades from around town. Even when tile is not used, the colors are lovely. Porto has a great "lived in" feel - it's a little run down, but in a very charming, approachable way. </div>
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More Porto to come.</div>
Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-89372318433123697802015-12-10T05:06:00.004-08:002015-12-10T05:09:33.250-08:00Portugal Trip: The Beach<div style="text-align: center;">
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In the fall of 2008 we brought our kids to the beach for the first time, in Oregon, and I wrote about how <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2008/10/beach-people.html" target="_blank">we are not really "beach people</a>." However, in the interceding years, I believe we've come around.</div>
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<a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/04/road-trip-to-spain-costa-brava.html" target="_blank">Spain</a> finally sealed the deal - the Ts are now beach people. Sure, the sand is still a pain and gets everywhere, but I think it also helps that the kids are older can can manage that better. The grown-ups don't even really have to get very sandy anymore. We've really grown to love the simple yet unending possibilities of the beach for vacation entertainment. Send the kids down to the water to stick their toes in, climb around on rocks, dig in the sand, find interesting objects, or even just watch the waves, and you've got yourselves hours of free and gorgeous entertainment, even when the weather and water is chilly. This is much more our speed than an amusement park or other form of manufactured fun.</div>
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Like in Spain, in Portugal we once again had a long stretch of boardwalk and beach to explore. The actual water was not as calm or inviting as the Mediterranean sea, and this was was mid-fall versus late spring, but the large rocks and boulders on these northern Portugal beaches were especially good fun. </div>
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And, even with hit-and-miss weather throughout the week, most days we found a decent stretch of time to venture down to the water in between sight-seeing excursions. The beach, we've found, is such a great way to break up the sightseeing part of traveling for the kids. Beach time bribes work wonders.</div>
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On one morning we drove down the coast 20 minutes to Capela do Senhor da Pedra, a chapel that's just about as on-the-beach as on-the-beach can be without being in the ocean.</div>
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We didn't even check the tide tables; we just hoped for the best. We were lucky and could walk up to and inside the chapel, which is not possible at high tide. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">intimidating walk around the back</td></tr>
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One thing we missed on our Spain trip, and something as born-and-raised-United-States-West-Coasters that we take for granted on a visit to the beach, is the sun setting over the ocean. After facing evening clouds each night of this trip, we finally got our ocean sunset on the last night.</div>
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More Portugal post coming, slowly but surely.</div>
Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-73782720794476046582015-12-01T07:15:00.000-08:002015-12-01T07:17:54.604-08:00The T Family Band Plays the Christmas Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I will eventually get back to the <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2015/11/portugal-trip-overview.html" target="_blank">Portugal</a> posts, but I need to tell you about a special milestone for the Ts. Our developing family band had our first ever paid gig last month - at the Luxembourg Christmas Market!</div>
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Last year, when we saw a small brass band play at the <a href="http://peteandrosie.blogspot.lu/2014/12/luxembourg-christmas-market-2014.html" target="_blank">market by the Golden Lady</a>, Pete and I looked at each other and said, "Hey, we could do that!" Little did we know at time that "we" would mean our kids as well!</div>
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A little plaque with the schedule of bands for the day was posted by the stage on Luxembourg City Tourist Office letterhead. So in October this year I contacted the office and asked them what the procedure was to apply.</div>
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It turns out there weren't really any qualifications. They didn't ask for a sample recording or credentials. We just described our band and they gave us a time slot the first weekend of the market. We signed a contract and we were set! </div>
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Who said everything in a foreign country is more difficult?!?</div>
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(Um, that may have been me)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loading up the gear in our elevator</td></tr>
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They gave us a two-hour time slot and told us we'd get a 10 minute break. In our email exchange they asked for our "financials." Embarrassingly, I had to ask if that meant we were paying to do this or they were paying us (hey, I have no clue how this works!). They came back and said they could offer us 300 Euros. </div>
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Uh, sure! Now that's just too easy, Luxembourg.</div>
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So over the next month we worked up an hour-long set of our favorite Christmas music with Dad on keys, guitar, and vocals, Mom on ukulele, auxiliary percussion, and vocals, Daughter on bass guitar and vocals, and Son on vocals. The market provided microphones and other sound equipment and we provided the instruments.</div>
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We played through the set once and then took a break and played it again. I had thought by playing in November we might get the warmer end of the market, but we ended up with freezing temperatures and even a little snow. The kids dressed in full-on snow gear and we all wore several layers of socks. But you can't play pianos and guitars wearing mittens. Honestly, I don't know how Pete played 2 hours of music. He said he really couldn't feel his fingers.<br />
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Holding a cup of glühwein/hot chocolate halfway through was an absolute finger-saver.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some kind friends braved the cold to come watch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">break time</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">finished!</td></tr>
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So, it was freezing cold, but I think it was worth it for the experience and memories. In fact, we decided to play our set one more time this Sunday - but indoors, at church (85 Avenue Pasteur), from 2-3pm. Come out and see us and stay cozy warm!<br />
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989206028118205690.post-72093629064891232322015-11-19T02:59:00.000-08:002015-11-19T02:59:16.972-08:00Portugal Trip: Overview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ts try Portugal</td></tr>
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We spent the half-term school holiday the first week of November in Porto, Portugal.<br />
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Portugal is sort of an easy country to overlook; in fact, several well-traveled European friends told me they've never been. But many of our kids' schoolmates are Portuguese, so they hear about Portugal a lot (albeit mostly football/soccer related!) and so they were keen to see firsthand what all the fuss is about. Plus, Pete said he has always wanted to go. Budget airline <a href="http://www.easyjet.com/en/" target="_blank">easyjet</a> offers direct flights from Luxembourg. And then we found a cheap Airbnb, so I was pretty much sold.<br />
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Easyjet flights go to Lisbon or Porto, and Porto seemed like the slightly less touristy option. The area is probably best known for originating Port wine.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a tasty sample left by our apartment hosts</td></tr>
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Our flat was actually near the beach in Vila Nova Da Gaia, across the Douro river from Porto. We opted to rent a car for our 5 day stay.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">making himself at home</td></tr>
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We split our time between the beach and the city, with the weather split between rainy...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porto from Vila Nova de Gaia side of the river</td></tr>
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...and pleasantly-partly-cloudy<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">also Porto from Vila Nova De Gaia</td></tr>
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So, a few further posts on Portugal forthcoming...</div>
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Pete and Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13781202225913573988noreply@blogger.com1