As Every Door Closes,...

I'm leaving Berlin soon. In fact, very soon which means there is little time for writing. But people keep asking me, "So what will you miss?" Well, since you know how I like to make lists, here goes:

Things I will miss about Berlin (aside from those lovely friends, of course):

- Public bathrooms which are always stocked with toilet paper, even without an attendant! (But speaking of attendants, as someone who has to utilize public restrooms far too often, I will always gladly pay a few cents for someone to maintain them).

- Mass transit's honor system which seems to actually work.

- Bakeries with gorgeous pastries and cheap, healthy sandwiches on every corner.

- German engineering. I am still enthralled by the way windows open two different ways or how my one house key opens three different doors. It's like having my dad in my pocket everywhere I go!

- Electronic boards on every subway platform telling me precisely how long I will wait for the next train so I know whether I have enough time to jump into the kiosk to buy a chocolate croissant. (Let me repeat: Baked goods EVERYWHERE.)

- Holy cheap beer, bread, cheese, and ice cream. Okay, the 80 cent ice cream cones are probably getting a bit dangerous. It's probably good I'm leaving while the clothes still fit.

- Old people cruising around on bicycles.

- Wastelessness. Whether it's taking bottles back to the neighborhood shop for recycling or shopping at any one of the ubiquitous second hand stores or incessantly polishing their shoes so that they last longer; whether it's about the environment or about their pocketbooks, I am absolutely impressed by the general conservation and accompanying distaste toward mass consumerism amongst the Germans.

- What seems to be a much healthier take on food and exercise compared to the American perspective. Here, people go ahead and eat that big piece of cake. But then they bike home. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

- Small children at art museums.

- That organic and eco-friendly is normal and cheap.

- Buying a cold bottle of beer at the convenience store, having the proprietor open it for me, and then sipping it while leisurely strolling down the street.

- Smart cars!

- The cafe culture that allows me to sit for hours at a table, reading a book and not feel any pressure to leave. The cookie or biscuit that always comes alongside my coffee is pretty great, too.

- That men actually look you in the eye (even though they still won't talk to you. I mean, who can have the moon and the stars?)

- Umm, superb health care that isn't linked to employment? And if that isn't enough, a holistic approach to health care? Wait, the mind and body are connected? Shocking!

But then there's everything I'm looking forward to back in Wisconsin (in addition to all those awesome people):

- Hello, mother tongue!

- Pizza served in slices.

- Speeding down country roads.

- Netflix (Sorry, it's true. True Blood, here I come!)

- Libraries filled with books and books, all of which I can understand!

- Not feeling like an ass when trying to order anything off a menu.

- The sound of the sandhill cranes.

- Not freaking out about the location of my passport every two days, even though it's always tucked safely inside the same pocket.

- Tipping procedures that I understand.

- AC (Yes, just once in a while. PLEASE!)

- Grocery stores that are naturally stocked with brown sugar, baking soda, and vanilla.

- The ability to chat comfortably with strangers.

- Ounces, pounds, miles, and my special friend, Fahrenheit. Seriously folks, as if the language translation hasn't been hard enough.

- Cereal that isn't chock full of sugar.

- The smell of hay fields.

- Staggering, perhaps epic de-hipsterfication.

- A good cup of black coffee.

- An automated voice on my cell phone that I understand so I'm not chronically erasing messages I don't mean to.

- Reeses Peanut Butter cups. (Can someone meet me at the airport with a bag of them please?)

- Not living out of a suitcase.

- My niece's almost uncontrollable excitement every morning about starting a new day.

Whew, I think I'm ready. So with that, I bid you a great big AUF WIEDERSEHEN! Til next time...