November in a Nutshell

I received a gentle reminder from my dad last night that its been a while since I updated the blog, so here it is. November was a very international month--fall break in Germany, Volleyball tournament in Zurich, and a couple American Thanksgiving celebrations. 

First up, fall break.  Jen and I headed off for a few days in Berlin.  A city filled with an interesting history, shopping, and entertainment; as well as beautiful fall colors.  I did not know what to expect, but its a city that many people I have talked have described as "great." 

The agenda for Day One was full of sights--we walked to the Bradenburg Gate (stopping for a delicious German pretzel on the way), to the Jewish Memorial, to the Topography of Terror (former SS headquarters), found a piece of the wall, walked past Check Point Charlie and finished off the day with a few hours in the Jewish Museum.

 

Where East meets West

Check Point Charlie

Day two we did a bit more exploring, but we also decided it was a girls' trip so why not do a little shopping.  We finished up the day by meeting up with a colleague, so we could enjoy a few German beers.

On our final day, we headed towards the Berlin Cathedral, Museum Island, and Charlottenburg Palace.  The palace is surrounded by a beautiful garden which we walked through and enjoyed the fall colors.

       

One of the bigger highlights came that night when we went to a show at the Friedrichstadt Palace.  The lead was a cross dresser who sang and danced, but it was the other performers that were most entertaining.  The show included every thing from trampolines, dancers, acrobatics and a creepy face on the ceiling that all added to the experience.

After two days back at work, it was time for the next adventure.  Erin and I headed off to Zurich, Switzerland with our team for the ISSTs Volleyball tournament.  Unfortuantely, our plane was delayed on the way and a lot of our time was spent in a gym, so we did not get explore too much of the city of Zurich. From our brief taxi ride through the city and short walk in the hills, it is definitely a city I would like to return to someday.
We played teams from Austria, England, Israel, Greece, and Switzerland.  The girls played well all weekend, we had a lot of fun, and finished the tournament in second place.  Last weekend, we held our end of the year party.  We had two players from Japan who taught us how to make sushi. 

A team picture at 11:11.11 on 11-11-11

            

 
 
Once the season was over, it was time to start planning my American Thanksgiving celebration.  I couldn't let my favorite holiday pass by without having some turkey and cranberry sauce.  So I held the second annual Thanksgiving and Minute to Win It night.  I am thankful to have found such great friends here that are willing to celebrate with me, even if I was they aren't from the US.  There were 7 Canadians, 2 British, and 1 Belgian, and myself as the American contingent.  Following the meal, we played the always competitive Oven Mitt-Dice game, introduced to the group by Will.  Then the "Minute to Win It" games began.  There were a few repeat games from last year, and few new one.  But most importantly at the end of the night, the ladies pulled out the overall victory! 

This year's Oven Mitt-Dice game winners

I am thankful for the experiences I have had over the last 16 months and for all the fabulous people I have met along the way.  I am also thankful for all the support I have from everyone back home. 

November was another good month, filled with more new adventures to add to the list!