Day 101: Arrived in Germany!

I’m finally back in Germany. It’s around 9:30am after I get through customs. I try texting Ted and even calling him but once again, the phone isn’t working.

I waited and waited and waited. Not only was I tired but I was getting nervous. I tried texting again. The phone didn’t say it didn’t go through but then again, it didn’t say it did. This is SO incredibly frustrating!

I waited outside the terminal where I arrived but unfortunately, it’s the smoking area for everyone. I’m having difficult time breathing so I get up and decide to walk down to the other terminal. Perhaps there’s not as much smoke there. To my chagrin, it’s just as bad, if not worse because there’s no breeze.

I figured he would not be able to pick me up until lunch. We probably should have coordinated better before I left the states, but you know…I thought I would at least be able to phone him or text him. The best laid plans…

It’s around noon now and I’m really tired. Hey, I’ll try calling from a pay phone. I knew they had them in the airport. I walked down to where the exit from customs was. There were a few policemen standing around talking. I asked on if he spoke English. He said, “a little bit.” They ALL say that, and usually they speak English REALLY well. They are such a humble people! I asked where the pay telephone was. It was right behind us! DUH!

It’s T-Mobile so it shouldn’t be too hard. I went over and of course, the instructions are in German. I tried every combination I could think of: With the area code, without the area code, with the country code, without the country code. I didn’t understand a word of the recording but I knew from my husband’s blackberry, that she was saying that the number wasn’t valid. UGH!

At this point, I just don’t know what to do! My phone suddenly rings! It’s Ted. At first he was angry, but then incredibly relieved that I was ok. He’d been looking for me since 9:30! I asked him why he didn’t call sooner. Apparently he did but my phone did not ring or I did not hear it. He also told me that he had gone looking for me at our place in Filderstadt and our new apartment. I would have gone, I told him, but I didn’t have keys for either place. It is SO frustrating when you don’t speak the language and have no means of communication. Since I’ve been in Germany, I TOTALLY value my cell phone!

He also told me that he had me paged. I never heard the page because of course, I was outside, not inside! I had no idea he was going to park the car and come inside. I assumed (and wrongly, of course) that he would just drive up to the door without parking. My mistake. We should have coordinated better before my return. We both have taken our communication issues for granted. That will not happen in the future!

We both were glad that he had found me and I was glad to be going back to the apartment. We took the suitcases up to the apartment and I fell into bed and Ted went back to work. I slept until 4pm and then got up and worked on arranging our 4th of July trip.

We went to dinner and then packed a very, very light bag for the next few days. I can’t wait to go.



Thursday 07/02/09