Benchmarks

When I taught in Southern California the word "benchmarks" denoted a measurement, usually a test, of student progress toward an educational goal.  As I've thought about the term, benchmarks apply to our lives in Germany as well, but ours are fluid.  Sometimes the benchmark is intentional, a legal necessity,  and sometimes the benchmark flows out of some moment of time spent within the culture.  These benchmarks measure our transition to German living.

Today Smitty and I met one required benchmark.   We obtained our driver's licenses!  German licenses are required within six months of arrival.  Please don't think that we procrastinated, afraid of lines.  No, after we received our work visas (a required benchmark), BFA asked us for our documentation to apply for our licenses, around the beginning of November.  Just before Christmas we received our cards telling us to appear in Lorrach and pick them up.  Today we did so.  Once we found the office and parked, we walked in, gave the clerk our cards and she produced our licenses.  Done in less than ten minutes!  Another requirement checked off, a benchmark achieved.

Sometimes, however,  the surprise benchmarks satisfy more.  Those happened today, too. When my husband pulled into the parking space a big blue P sign showed that parking was ok, but there was a catch.  "Park Schein".  We needed a ticket to put in the window of the car.  We found the dispenser, put in the Euro, bought the ticket.  Not so difficult in English, but very different in German and a more satisfying accomplishment because of the language.

Next, I suggested that we celebrate our new licenses by going across the street to the "backeri" (bakery) for coffee and a sweet.  We managed the lines, eating in a crowded shop, and I even understood the amount I needed to pay for our treats!  I have struggled with the numbers here, but, today, I totally understood when the clerk said, "Funf und neunzig"  Yippeee!

I felt like we scored another benchmark when I ordered a 3 Kings bread.  They were stacked in the case, with a crown on top, an opportunity to participate in a local tradition.  Tomorrow, a holiday, is Epiphany, Three Kings Day.   Once I asked for the bread, the clerk began to give me an explanation of the crown and the bread-half in English and half in German.  Somewhere within the bread lies a king.  The person who gets the king in his/her portion gets to wear the crown.  We will eat part of the bread tonight, more tomorrow.  Who knows who will win the crown, but today we met some German benchmarks in our progress toward the goal of living well in Germany.