BERMUN 2

Both kids have been active in the Model United Nations program at school.  Josie has been involved since 7th grade and attends every conference and weekly debate.  Ben has recently become involved on the technical side and is part of the behind the scenes tech crew making sure all of the computers and other technical aspects are all running flawlessly for the conferences.  In addition to the life and public speaking skills they are learning, it also requires them to dress up.  They seem so mature when they are in dress clothes. 

Spring is coming

After the worst of the long, DARK, cold winter it is always exhilarating to see the signs of spring.  Small little flowers are budding and the birds are coming back. 

The Allgäu

It's funny how we are still having some Covid do overs.  Two years ago we had planned a ski vacation down in the southern region of Germany, called the Allgäu.  Two years ago Josie went on her 9th grade ski trip.  Every year the school takes the 8th graders on a two week skiing trip to Austria. 

Students, obviously, REALLY look forward to this once in a lifetime opportunity.  Sadly for Josie, her 8th grade trip was in the middle of the worst of Covid.  But the school did the best that they could and gave them a one week ski trip during their 9th grade year.  So.. two years ago, before Josie was meant to go on her ski trip, we wanted to at least get her up on skis.  We booked a great place and were going to go with friends and shortly before the trip me, Ben and Marty all got Covid for the first time.  Needless to say, we had to cancel our ski vacation.  Josie ended up going on her 9th grade ski trip and had a ball. 

So fast forward two years and Ben is set to go on his two week 8th grade ski trip in March.  We had the same motivation as we did with Josie.  Just to get him up on skis for a few days so at least it isn't all brand new.  

We were able to convince one of the families who were meant to go with us two years ago to join us this time.  We booked a fun little place with multiple rooms and decided to bring Mogli along because some of the rooms had access to the outside.  

We rented an electric car which was great even though we need to stop much more frequently to charge.  It is funny how we have become so accustomed to not have a car that it felt like such a luxury to have one for a week.  The drive down was LONG (distance nearly the same as from Vancouver BC to Bend, Oregon without a mountain pass to cross.  The roads and conditions are really good but it was a LONG time to be stuck in the car.  Mogli did great and the kids were happy with the plethora of road trip snacks.    

The weather was FANTASTIC but the snow was really crappy and most of it was sadly artificial.  Ben did great for his first time up.  He picked up the skiing super quickly and seems to have a natural ability for skiing. We suspect part of his ease is that he is lazy and openly admitted that turning was "too much work" so he just decided to blaze down the mountain.  Fortunately, he could stop when we wanted to.. he just didn't want to much.  

I couldn't ski because I have a hip injury so Marty had to tackle the mountain with an absolute beginner and a one notch above an absolute beginner.  Mogli and I had a VERY nice time going on daily hikes and walking around the quaint little town.  I sat out in the sun and read my book several times. HEAVEN!!

Movie Star!

 

A couple of years ago Josie and I were hired to be some of the English character voices for a very popular German book series that had been turned into movies.  It isn't as big as Harry Potter but along the same lines with a a bunch of books in the series (now up to 14 volumes) and the books.  And then the books finding their way to the big screen. 

The German films have been out for awhile but the English adaptions, which is just English voices dubbed over the German voices, are slowing making their way to market.  Josie and I did the voice over work for film #1 three years ago and just recently we were called back in to do the voice work for film #2.  Both of our roles in the first movie were really small.  I was the mom of the main character and Josie was one of the mean girls in the friend group.  

Film number #2 was a bit different.  My part remained just about the same with about 15 lines.  But Josie's role went from about 15 lines to about 100.  She also had to go to a special recording studio to record a couple songs.  We both made some money and had fun doing something so completely different from our regular life.  
We are told that Josie's part for the next film is even bigger and is pretty much one of the main characters.  We will see. 

THIMUN

Josie spent a week at The Hague with her MUN group from school.  This was her second year going and as always, she had a fantastic time.  The took the train for about 6-7 hours on the way there but on the return trip a week later, the Berlin rail system was on strike so they had to take a bus for 11 hours 😒 She came home tired but super happy to have had the experience. 

Another student and Josie stayed with a super nice host family.  They lived about an hour away from the World Forum, where she had to go each day.  They managed the trains and food and most things on their own.  

One of her friends from JFK who graduated last year is studying at a university in Amsterdam.  They met up for dinner and I told Josie it must feel a bit like she is in college, too.  On a trip for a week without us, she is figuring out how to get where and when.  She is considering attending university somewhere in the Netherlands. It's funny, by the time I went off to college I don't think I had ever been away from home the way our kids have week long trips away from home.  Ben has a TWO WEEK ski trip coming up in March It, hopefully, makes them more ready for the adjustment to college life.  Not sure it is helping Marty or I come to grips with the fact that both kids will eventually be living somewhere other than with us.    I know, it is the way it is supposed to go but still.