October 22, 2013

A New Hometown (Again!)


After several busy weeks, the Hubs and I are finally settling into our new home. Our HHG (household goods) haven’t yet arrived, and neither has our vehicle. However, we’ve made some great new friends who are showing us the ropes. Thanks to them, our fridge is full, we have some loaner furniture and appliances from ACS, and we even have a borrowed car to get around. We’ve also tasted some of the amazing cuisine in the area (my favorite part, of course!).

There will be lots of posts coming over the next few weeks, as I get my rhythm back after this several months moving process. For now, I’d like to share some pictures of our new hometown. We love it here, and I hope you enjoy these photos and the stories that go with them.


This first shot is a panoramic of where we'll be living for the next few years... can you believe it?! Ha, me either! We love the countryside and the picturesque villages and (of course) the castles. We were surprised to be offered housing so quickly, with no wait whatsoever. I know this is often not the case, so we were very lucky.

The view from my kitchen window
Government-leased housing in Hohenfels
 We were also told that German housing is quite small, which was definitely not the case here either. I can't speak for other posts in Germany, but Hohenfels housing is roomy. Four floors, large bedrooms, and we even have a good-sized backyard. Before moving, I thought we needed to downsize, but instead I'll be purchasing furniture to fill the extra spaces (we'll get more in-depth on that topic later!).




In these first weeks, Hubs and I have explored our new town on foot. Almost everything we need is right at our fingertips. Grocery stores, bakeries, meat markets, restaurants... all that and more within easy walking distance.



Walking through one of the two remaining towers in Velburg

If you're a first timer here, I recommend signing up for the Hallo Hohenfels class offered by ACS. Not only is the instructor fantastic, but we toured the towns of Velburg, Parsberg, and Regensburg. I'm no expert (obviously), but the class helped settle some of my nerves about living in a foreign country. Plus,  it's fun!

Downtown area in Velberg

Almost every the night, the Hubs and I take a nice walk either around town or through the countryside. I love walking to the bakery and picking up a fresh baguette to serve with dinner.

Left: Local bakery Right: Hotel and restaurant 



Every downtown area I've seen so far is full of bold color and beautiful architecture. After a few quick visits, we were brave enough to explore the rest of town. What did we discover? The natives are friendly! You'd be surprised how far a smile will take you, despite language barriers. Everyone waves and says hello as we move down the streets. Some stop and chat, in a mixture of German and English. Sometimes we speak in charades, but it works. I'm excited to continue my language education so I can communicate even better (Hint: ACS often offers language lessons as well!).

Views in town 

Fall colors are all over town 

This past weekend, the weather was fantastic. Sunny skies with puffy white clouds, crisp air still warm enough for lightweight long sleeves...

The Hubs and I took advantage and hiked to the ruins above town. Or, as one my neighbors' kids seriously informed me, it's the "broken castle". You gotta love it!!

I'll be posting pictures of that hike soon, so stay tuned. The scenery was fab! In the meantime, here's one last pic from our town exploration. I couldn't resist this fella.

Random cat in a window 

I'll be back soon, peeps. I'm so happy to be connected again, I've missed you!



Thanks for reading, everyone!
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3 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Soon! I've already visited a really similar store called Mobilhof that is only 10 minutes away. I have a HUGE Ikea list, but it's got to wait until I have a vehicle I can carry stuff in, lol

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  2. I've missed your posts and am so excited to hear about Germany! Miss you, Allie, and I am so happy you guys are settling in well!

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