Before I was free. An honest society.

Our first day in Berlin was a deeply moving one. Our host was kind enough to drive us to downtown Berlin and point out key historic sites. He started by showing us the remaining parts of the former Berlin wall, old Soviet buildings, and areas that were rebuilt after the American bombers destroyed just about everything as they stopped Hitler's bloody reign. During the time that Berlin and Germany were divided he lived on the eastern side of Berlin, which was the communist side. He explained to us that Germany itself was divided by a wall that stretched thousands of kilometers. Armed guards stood in towers every few hundred feet or so. On the eastern/ communist side of the wall laid the capital city Berlin which was also divided in two, by a wall. If you can visualize this west Berlin stood as an island in a sea of communist run territory. He talked about the amazing day that the wall came down. That day there was no violence, no fear, no killings. The soldiers that guarded the wall just left peacefully and the citizens themselves took down the wall that had divided them for decades with their own hands, piece by piece. He even made us laugh as he described how surprised the East Berliners were to see that there was a river on the other side of the wall! It was a total surprise to them! I remember seeing the video footage of The Berlin Wall coming down in 1989; I was twelve, at that time our host was 30. When he speaks to us about his life he refers to the first thirty years of his life as "Before I was free...".
Before he was free, he like many others, planned an escape to the other side of the wall. He was allowed to move to an apartment near the wall so he planned to dig a tunnel under the wall and even had a secret area to dump the dirt without getting caught. Before he was free he was not allowed to make any major life decisions without the government's permission. Before he was free much of his family lived on the other side of the wall and communication with them was forbidden. Before he was free he could not say the things he wanted to say, travel abroad (only with special permission he could go to other socialist countries), he was not allowed to own anything, or read a long list of forbidden books. Life was not all bad before he was free , however, he was able to begin a career as a radiologist and marry the woman who is now his ex-wife.
Hearing our host talk about his life is like sitting in the presence of a deeply peaceful part of a violent history. I've experienced this feeling talking to my 80 year old neighbors as they describe to me how they desegregated our neighborhood, schools, and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hearing these stories of oppression and separation make me even more determined to live a life that promotes unity, love, bravery, and compassion among the people on this planet. We are forever grateful for our Berlin host not only for sharing his home but for also sharing his life experiences in a way to teach the vitality of peace.
After our historical tour our host took us to the heart of Berlin and we all shared a meal of CurryWurst. Wurst is the German word for sausage. This meal is prepared as sliced sausage sprinkled with curry powder and covered in a tomato sauce. You could chose a side of bread or a side of pommes frites (French fries).
After our lunch, our host left us downtown and went on to run errands. We walked around, took pictures, and visited the Berlin TV Tower, the tallest building in Germany. After picking up take out for dinner we made our way to the metro train station, we knew which train to take but we had no idea how to buy our tickets or where to swipe them. It literally took us 35 minutes to figure it out and that is only because once again we talked to strangers. We were so confused we decided to step aside from the tickets machine and think. The couple who we let get in front of us were American and explained that they themselves had just figured out the machines the day before. You could buy a variety of tickets. Single fare, two hour unlimited, 10 stop fare, two day unlimited, 1 month pass or a one year pass. Our next question was after you buy the ticket and put on the validating stamp where do you swipe it? Well, in Germany it is trusted that you will do the right thing a pay fairly as everyone else does. Random ticket checks are performed, but not often. This is definitely not how things are done in Atlanta, or anywhere else in the US, that I've heard of. I tried very hard to think of anything at home that is somewhat based on a system of honesty. Can you think of anything? We boarded are train proud that we were getting around independently. Dude fell asleep on the ride home and This time Zane led the way on the walk from the train station. He was confident that he could find his way around in a foreign land and foreign language, He was right. Once we got home to our homestay, I also knew that we were right for taking all the risks to get here.

Talking to strangers

In my post from yesterday I said that I would elaborate on the important friend that Dude made on the plane. That new little friend was key to us finding our way to our host's home.

While waiting in line to board our plane from Brussels to Berlin Dude made a friend. First it started out as peek-a-boo, then a chase, finally a full blown attack on Dude ending with his new friend slapping him in the face twice. Dude's reaction was unexpected. If you know Dude like we know Dude you know that he is a lethally trained ninja in the art of spinjitzu! (only parents of ninjago obsessed children fully understand what I'm talking about). Instead of attacking his new friend he just laughed. "Daddy, the baby hit me in the face two times!" The baby's French speaking mother was apologetic, we were understanding. His mom was beautiful! In stillettos in a flowing dress, perfect tiny braids, smooth brown skin, and a permanent smile.
Once we collected our luggage in Berlin and exited the airport we realized we had no idea how to get to where we were going. I could see our French speaking friends greeting and hugging their eagerly waiting relatives and I had to take that chance to ask for help, so I did! Our friend was unable to help, but her sister knew exactly where we should go. In French she tells me,"We are going the same way, follow us!". So there we were bags and kids in tow following our new French/ German speaking friendly African friends. I was elated to have a guide to help us find our way.
You know what happens next right? Zane my voice of reason starts asking questions. "Mommy, do you know these people? Where are they taking us? Mommy, are you talking to STRANGERS!?!"
"No Zane, I don't know these people, they are taking us to our host, and yes I'm talking to strangers.".
"But mommy, it's bad to talk to strangers!"
"Not all the time. Sometimes it's good to talk to strangers if they are friendly"
"How do you who is a friendly stranger or a crazy stranger?"
"You just feel it..."
Ok people, I need help here. How do you explain breaking a rule to you kids? How can I explain my unacceptable behavior to my 8 year old?
Well our helpful strangers accompanied us on our bus ride and got off of our train 4 stops before us. Once we arrived at the Wuhletal train station we felt relieved. I pranced over to the first taxi I saw, showed him the address and he looked at me like I was crazy. A nearby bus driver gave me the same reaction. It took me about 10 minutes to connect to directions on google maps, we were an 8 minute walk from our destination. We began following the blue line that marked our path in my iPhone. As we walked through East Berlin we watched our dot move along the directions' line. We arrived at our host's doorstep. He eagerly awaited us with a smile. He converted his first floor into a little apartment for us. The dining room had 3 comfy looking mattresses on the floor and they looked like heaven to us all. We slept for two hours then walked to the nearby Aldi's market, bought enough food for sandwiches, then we returned to our homestay and slept for hours. Dude slept 15 hours and the rest of us 12. That was the most urgent night's sleep we'd ever had.

Making history with Brussels Airlines

When we arrived at New York's Kennedy Airport there was quite a bit of confusion, we couldn't find the right terminal. The airport employees that we asked for directions had never heard of Brussels Airlines. To be honest neither had I until I bought the tickets. Finally we found a ticket agent from another airline who called around and found out that we should be at terminal 1. "Yea, today is their first flight that's why no one knew where to send you!". If you could have seen the looks on our faces!
Come to find out this new airline has been in existence in Europe for some time but it is new to New York. Whew!! It all started making sense this is why the tickets were so cheap and why there was no curb side check in sign for them. We were so happy to discover that Brussels Airline was child friendly beyond belief and the plane was gorgeous. As a token of our history making flight we were given 2 tiny silver planes wrap in small gift boxes and certificates marking BA's first new York flight. The back of each seat had a touch screen computers that offered movies, games, music, a real time global flight map, service call buttons, you name it... It was on that screen.
I settled in with a tear-jerker movie. The boys played endless games but after about 3 hours started watching a kids movie. Before that, however, the flight attendants gave them removable sticker story boards that had them fascinated. All the games and toys I prepared for them were unnecessary, Brussels Airlines was 2 steps ahead of me! And that ain't easy to do!
Before the flight I per-ordered our meals on-line. Dude got a kids meal, which consisted of spaghetti and meat balls, a salad, a fruit cup, and water. Zane insisted on the seafood meal that included a piece of fish, rice, veggies, and pasta salad. AlphaPoppa and I had chicken and rice with salad and a slice of cheesecake.
Our flight was 7 hours so halfway through our flight I forced the boys to turn off their seats' computer screens and go to sleep. This was my attempt to lessen the effects of jet lag. If they did not sleep on that flight they would miss Friday night's bedtime. So the plan was to make them sleep so they would not drop from exhaustion during our layover in Brussels. My plan helped but was not jet lag proof.
Before we got off the plane we were also served breakfast, a fruit cup, brownie (or muffin), and juice. Yes, we were served two meals on one flight! Once in Brussels we had a 3 hour layover, for those of us who need geography help with this city, it's the capital of Belgium (bordering France to the North East). There we passed through immigration and got our passports stamped. Woo-hoo you know how much I love that!
One thing I noticed is that we didn't have to fill out immigration paperwork on the plane. Most countries want to know where you will stay, for how long, and why you are visiting. In Belgium they just smiled, stamped our passports and sent us in the direction of our connecting flight. The airport there was almost entirely glass and sort of futuristic. While waiting for our flight Dude made a very important friend who later help us find our way in a new city. I will elaborate in my next post.
The second flight brought us into Berlin was smaller but great none-the-less. We grabbed our bags and left. The airport to find our bus.... There is only one problem, we have no earthly idea where to go. We just set foot out of the airport and we are already hopelessly lost!

Chinese Bus and New York Pizza

We boarded "The Chinese Bus" at 8pm last night at a Chevron gas station near downtown Atlanta. There weren't many people on the bus, which was good, since the ride would take approximately 14 hours.

The Chinese Bus

Before we got out of the Atlanta area Dude was fell fast asleep. AlphaPoppa and Zane played iPad and Nintendo games while I cuddled up and slept with Dude. The ride was loooong. We woke up and fell back to sleep many times. The bus made several stops and changed drivers a few times. By the time we arrived in Maryland it was clear that we'd arrive in ChinaTown,NYC 3 hours later than anticipated. AlphaPoppa started getting uncomfortable from sitting for so long, but the boys found ways to play across the seats to stay busy. We all stayed in good humor though.

Dude and me in the front.  Zane and AlphaPoppa in the back.

As always when you are on an adventure something out of the ordinary must happen. This trip was no exception. Have you ever been pulled over by a cop while riding on a bus? Thanks to the New Jersey Police Department we now can say we have! To make a long crazy story short our driver was ticketed for driving in the left lane and for having a tail light out. This angered on of the passengers so much that she approached the front of the bus and cursed out the driver for getting tickets then cursed him out for not knowing enough English to understand her insults! Lady, this bus is known by all as "The Chinese Bus" did you expect it to be operated by Australians?! Zane was so excited to hear new curse words from this lady. For some reason polyglot children love profanity more than their monolingual counterparts. We don't curse at home do when he hears them in public or on TV, his face lights up like Christmas. Whenever I tell the story he say,"Don't forget to tell them that the lady said bullshit!". He mouths the last word.

Riding through the Holland Tunnel

Zane said,"Wow this is the longest bathroom wall EVER!"

It took us a moment to realize that he was referring to

 the tunnel's tiled wall as bathroom walls.

Finally after 7 states, 2 tickets,13 naps, about 90 stops, and a bag full of snacks we finally made it to NY. For $60 I'd do it again. AlphaPoppa says the bus "gave him arthritis" and will catch a flight with Delta Airlines for his return trip, because Delta wouldn't have gotten pulled over. I find that funny and true. The kids enjoyed the ride and were in awe over my home city.

As soon as we arrived to my sister-in-laws apartment in Brooklyn we ran to the nearest pizza joint for lunch. Zane and Dude devoured their slices and declared that NY most certainly has the best pizza ever! I knew they'd love my city, I can't believe that I'd stayed away so long.

Tomorrow we leave for Berlin so we must rest. I am, however, plotting for a NY adventure after we trek across Europe. Stay tuned my friend, stay tuned!

Apps for easy travel

Here are the free apps that I plan to use on our trip.

The usual suspects:

Blogger
FaceBook
Twitter (follow me @Global1Echo)
Wells Fargo Bank
Weather
Skype
Worldwide news apps (CNN, BBC Mundo, etc)
Flashlight app
Compass
Maps
Find My iPhone- for both my iPhone and the kids' iPad

First time use apps:

iTranslate
After working many years in translating and interpreting I'm always sceptical of electronic translators. They usually suck and are far to literal.  So far, we've been playing around with this app and we like the audio component so we can actually hear the correct pronounciation of the words.  We try to say the phrase/ words on our own at first, then we laugh at ourselves once we hear how ridiculous our version is compared to the iTranslate voice's correct pronounciation.

EasyJet
EasyJet is a low prices European airline that takes your from country to country for as little as $30 one-way.  We will use them to get to Paris.  Unless we get an amazing last minute deal EasyJet is much cheaper and faster than Europe'a Rail Way System, The Eurail.

Instagram
I have not used Instagram yet, but this has been highly recommended to me by my students and other bloggers.  I'll use whatever down time I can get to figure it out.  I'll keep you updated.

Berlin Metro
This app gives you subway directions while in Berlin.  Perfect for sight-seeing on a budget!

Guide Metro Paris
This app works off line and, according to the description, if online it will automatically detect the closest metro station to help you start your journey.  I look forward to using this app.

New York Subway Map
Just like the Berlin and Paris apps above this will help use get around during our short stay in NYC.

Currency app
This will help keep me up to date with the exchange rate and also help with budgeting.  Currently The EuroZone is experiencing high unemployment and political turmoil, two things that may affect the currency value.

Airbnb
This is a vacation home rental app hosted by the website airbnb.com.  I mentioned this website in a previous post and I'm happy that they also have a free app to support the website.

I'm having a good time playing with my new apps and I hope they are still useful in my times of need.  I also hope to visit European cities other than Berlin and Paris guided by apps to make that visit more enjoying.  As a search for, find, and use these apps I'll keep you updated.  After all, you will need useful information for your upcoming trip to the same cities ☺

What's in the bag?

My bag (left) Zane & Dude's bag (right)

I spent all day washing clothes and packing.  I put much thought into what to pack.  Our trip to Berlin and Paris will be quite different from our recent trip to Panamá.  Europe is much cooler this time of year, we will visit at least two countries this time, and we will stay in a combination of host families, rental apartments and god knows what else.  Our packing needs are definitely different this time around.  I think I did pretty well for 3 people for 1 month of travel.  So, let me cut to the chase, here's what's in the bag:

For me:

A bunch of underwear/ 2 bras
a few pair of socks
one pair of cute heeled shoes/ one pair of flip flops (I'll wear my sneakers on the plane)
2 pair of jeans
4 pair of crock pants
1 pair of black tights
1 pretty red wrap dress
2 short summer dresses
7 fitted shirts
1 light sweater
1 pair of pajamas
bikini

I packed mostly gray, blue, and cream colors that can be mixed and matched and can be worn many times.  I did, however, add in a few colored shirts to jazz up my small wardrobe.  I was able to fit all of this in a small carry-on size bag along with some toiletries that I will list later.

For the boys:    Zane 8 years old & Dude 3 years old

2 sleeping bags
5 pair of shorts (per child)
2 pair of jeans (per child)
a bunch of socks and undies
1 pair of pajamas (per child)
7 pair of short sleeve shirts (per child)
2 pair of long sleeve shirts (per child)
swim trunks

All of the boys belongings fit into one medium size suitcase.  The sleeping bags were bulky and if not for them I could have used a much smaller suitcase.  Since these are all children's summer clothes they take up less space and made up for the puffy sleeping bags.  We will also bring Dude's stroller, it travels free and we plan to do quite a bit of walking.

I could have packed a third bag since each child is allowed a free bag but I decided against it since the flight from Berlin to Paris charges for checked bags.  As for our carry on bags I packed a lonely planet guide book "Europe on a shoestring", phone chargers, camera, pull-ups for Dude, passports, e-tickets.  I will also pack a few things to keep the boys busy on the bus and plane.  I'll allow Zane and Dude to pack their own carry-ons and of course AlphaPoppa packed his own bag which will probably be a very simple guy duffel bag type deal.

Our toiletries are packed mostly in my bag:
toothbrushes (non-electronic)/ small toothpaste tube
child Motrin/ Amoxicilin (in case of child illness)
allergy meds for my hay fever (just in case)
nail clippers/ tweezers/ safety pins/ ponytail holders
soap
lotion/ sun block
wash cloths/ towels
eyeliner/ mascara
dental floss
pillow cases
clothes detergent capsules

Some of these things can be used for multiple purposes.  If I need to hand wash underwear or other clothes the dental floss makes a good clothes line.  Pillow cases can be stuffed with clothes from the suitcase to serve as a pillow.  One of the most important things I packed is an electric chord adapter.  The plugs in Europe of different from the plugs in America, so to keep our many electronic devices up and running adapters are a must.

Adapter, passports, Lonely Planet guide book,
soon-to-be unloaded BlackBerry, iPhone 4

Speaking of electronics, I will be trying something new (for me) on  this trip.  I recently upgraded my cellphone to an iPhone 4 (AT&T refurb discount) but I am still in possession of my BlackBerry Torch.  AT&T is in the process of unlocking my BlackBerry so while overseas I can get a European sim card and phone number to make keeping in touch this family and friends in the US a lot easier.  For those of you unfamiliar with what it means to unlock a cell phone, it means that a restriction is removed from the phone allowing it to carry service from any carrier, including international cell phone companies.  While my BlackBerry can be used for calling home and contacting future friends in Europe, my new iPhone 4 will allow me to Skype, blog, upload to Instagram, etc. to keep in touch with my loyal blog readers. 

I called my bank earlier and alerted them that I will be traveling in Europe.  They made sure my card will not be blocked and that I will have access to money while in Europe.  I contacted our Berlin host and checked to make sure all bus and plane tickets are in order.  We've done all we can do to prepare now all that is left is to get a good night's rest and let things fall into place.

Did I miss anything?  What do you think will be useful to have in our bags?

Not rich

With less than a week before our trip I'm still counting pennies and finding cheap, safe living arrangements in Berlin and Paris. Despite all the planning I'm doing, people seem less interested in what I'm doing, and more interested in a certain question that I've been hearing over and over:  How are you able to afford this, are you rich?

It takes all I have to not roll on the floor laughing at this question. The answer is absolutely not! We are solidly middle-class, but not rich in anyway... what-so-ever... at all.  And if you haven't noticed middle-class ain't so middle anymore! In order to make these trips happen we live a minimalist lifestyle, we save our money, buy cheap plane tickets, and we do not stay in expensive hotels.  Please allow me to break down each of these things for you.

Live below your means
This is the most difficult part for most people to grasp, but it is very natural for us.  We live in a house we can afford, we don't eat out often, and we drive used cars.  We purchased our home based on just one of our salaries and we did not go for the 5 bedroom house that we qualified for.  We instead decided on a smaller 3 bedroom house that did not have the high ceilings, walk-in closets, granite counter tops, and large bathrooms that most Americans go crazy for.  Our house is cute, practical, and lived-in.  We also do not hold car notes.  Im currently driving a 1988 Grand Marquis.  Yes, you read that correctly 1988!  The car cost us $500, is in great condition, and surprisingly good on gas.  Living a minimalist lifestyle takes a lot of guts, especially in a city like Atlanta.  People look at me in my car as if I've broken the golden rule of conformity.  Many people reading this have experienced what it is like to live beyond their means but have not taken the leap into living with what they need as opposed to what they think will impress others.

 My old school car

Cheap plane tickets
There are many ways to purchase cheap plane tickets.  Personally I just stalk all ticketing websites.  Lately I've been finding the best deals on cheapoair.com.  We are also open to taking lower-priced mutli lay-over flights or red-eye flights, which is actually helpful for jet lag and traveling with sleepy kids.  I know some travelers that make all of their purchases and pay all of their bills with their airline reward credit cards, which allows them to earn points to go toward plane tickets.  Some travelers also take-on part-time jobs with airlines that offer free-flight benefits for the whole family.  We are currently looking for an airline to sponsor the flights for our blog... I thought I'd just put that out there! ☺

No hotels, no resorts
After purchasing airline tickets your biggest expense will be living arrangements once you get there.  To cut back on these cost we have several tricks.  One option is to stay with family or friends who live in the place you are visiting.  My family is very international and we have friends or family on every continent.  We always buy groceries or chip in financially in some way while staying with them. If you don't have friends or family abroad find some!  You may have a co-worker from Korea or a neighbor from Italy who has a ton of family back home that can use a little extra money for hosting you and will gladly show you around their city.  You may have international contacts right under your nose and you didn't even know it.  A second option, is to find host families.  To do this you can look on websites like homestays.com or just do a google search for homestays.  The website will find the host families for you, and the arrangements can even include breakfast and dinner.  Not having to search for food is a huge help while traveling.  When I'm traveling with my students usually I find a local language school that offers packages for language lessons, homestays and tours.  This is a great option for people who want to learn a new language and meet new friends. 

Host student in Nigeria- found on google images

So many people tell me that there is no way that they are living with "strangers".  From their perspective I see how that can be a scary thought, but from my experiences I see a missed life changing opportunity.  I have stayed with 8 host families around the world and each and every one treated me with love, kindness, and respect.  I've never felt unsafe and each house has been comfortable and clean.  I actually feel safer living with local families than in isolated hotel rooms.  Local homestays are the ultimate intercultural exchange, it introduces you to new foods, new customs, a new language, new friends, the list goes on and on.  When I visited the British Virgin Islands 13 years ago, I found a local friend who later introduced me to AlphaPoppa... need I say more?!☺

This will be our first time using couchsurfing.com and the most amazing website ever airbnb.com. Couch Surfing has become very popular among travelers who are looking for a free and authentic traveling experience.  Once you join this online community you offer a space in your house to travellers for free.  That space can be anything from a couch to a whole room.  Your membership also makes you eligible to be a guest in the homes of other members, for free.  First, you create a profile about yourself and simply search your travel destination for available couches and send requests.  Before sending a request I highly recommend reading your potential host's reviews.  Airbnb.com on the other hand is a website that allows you to rent a room, private apartment, or house for a day up to a month or more.  You can pay anywhere from $10 a night to $9,000 depending on your destination and budget.  The apartments and rooms on this website are so cute that I often get stuck on here for hours ooh-ing and ahhh-ing.

There is a huge misconception that traveling requires a big budget.  Travelling is more a matter of faith than finance.  I have had people plan and save to travel with me only to back out at the last minute.  They get afraid and find an excuse as to why the trip will not work out.  Fear is a bitch and if you don't watch out it will sneak up on you and paralyze you.  When you travel you must go into it knowing that something you planned will not go your way, but things will still work out just fine, often times better than your plan.  You may be uncomfortable at times, but in safe location.  You will be scared sometimes, but that fear is usually from something imagined and not based in reality.  I'm an optimist to my core and in my mind things are perfect at this very moment and something amazing is always waiting for me around the corner.  If things don't go as I planned that OK because an opportunity for something better is now available.
  

Take a leap of faith

I hope you find these tips helpful and I hope you take a moment to reflect on how you can save money on flights and live below your means.  If you live above your means I'd also like you to reflect on why and if a desire to impress others causes you to over-spend.  Please also think about fear and opportunities that you've passed up because of fear.  Are you ready to get out of your comfort zone? Ya know that is where the magic happens...