Benjamin the Berliner

Benjamin has began to really embrace life here... well, maybe that is a stretch but lately he just seems so much more mature and connected.  He still has his "dig in the sand" buddies and even opted to sign up for an all day camp/bowling thing yesterday with his school friends since the kids didn't have school. 

Have I mentioned how many vacation days these kids get?  It's nuts. So they had yesterday and today off (November 16 and 17) and then they get next Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving and then 3 weeks after that they get 2+ weeks off for Christmas vacation.  I'm not at all complaining and neither are the kids.

Josie took my camera and
as I was lamenting that I
didn't take any photos last
night she told me to
look on my phone! 

Last night the kids and I went to the home of some new friends for dinner. it. We met them at the swim meet and Josie has been good friends with their daughter, Suzy.   Marty hit it off with Suzy's parents, Katy and Bob.  And to top it off they have a son just about Benjamin's age.   Marty was the one who planned the dinner but ended up having to work extra late to prepare for his week off next week so sadly he missed out on all the fun. They are from Colorado and Katy teaches at JFK.  Such a fun night of endless conversation, connections and laughter.  Oh and Bob knows his beer.  I was lamenting at the swim meet that it has been impossible to find a good IPA here. So he bought several for us to sample.  And all of them were delish.  I know

Germany is know for their beer and I enjoy a good hefeweizen but it just doesn't compare to a tasty craft IPA. Thanks, Williams clan!!
On the way home last we arrive back in Zehlendorf around 10PM.  We have a 7 minute wait for the bus and right at our bus stop is one of the best DÖNER (I can somehow type a capital O umlaut but not lower case and so there you go...) kebab places.  So as we are waiting Benjamin says "I'm hungry, can I have a DÖNER?  And I feel like he has truly become a Berliner... out past 10PM, taking the S-bahn to the bus and wanting a DÖNER while you wait...
It was so late that I said no but Marty and I took Benjamin to lunch at the same place today for lunch as Josie stayed the night with Suzy last night and still hadn't made her way home (by herself on the sbahn and then the bus)

On a side note, I felt so completely safe being out in the big city- even if we were in our small section of the big city - by myself with a 7 year old kid in the dark and on public transportation at 10PM.   We are all learning and changing daily.  Both kids are really maturing and growing in confidence and independence daily.  It is SO fun to watch them grow.