Happy Birthday, Random Swiss Baby!

Today was the first time I touched a baby in over 20 months. At my new hospital the neonatal nurses get called back to every C-Section so the other new girl and I went back to the OR with our preceptor. While standing in the room waiting for the baby to come through the door, my preceptor asked us if we wanted to help...there is a high chance that I may have knocked her over/shoved the other orientee out of the way as I stepped up (more like leaped) to the bedside. Moments later in came a 4 kg, pink, screaming baby complete with frantic limbs and spread fingers! I only got to stimulate the baby and shorten the umbilical cord but I got teary-eyed as I whispered "Happy Birthday" to him. I'm back to doing what I love! Oh, in case you didn't know or you easily forgot - EVERY baby born healthy is a true miracle...ok even the ones that need our help at the beginning are miracles too. I'm blessed to have the job that I do.

(Note: NOT the baby I speak of. Photo NOT courtesy of JF Photography.)

Some of you might find that picture/what I do nasty but no worries. All the nurses here have enough time to bath the babies after like this:

I realize my last blog didn't have any facts in it. Please excuse my error and accept 20 more in this blog below. (No one else even noticed. I can see how much they're appreciated!) Hmph!

America vs. Germany

51.   Everything is cheaper in America. Everything is bigger in America...(cars, refrigerators, parking spots, people, and-so-on-and-so-forth).

52.   The quality of products is higher in Germany.

53.   "Diet" (as in pop) = "Lite"

54.   As most people know, Germans are more mobile than Americans. I found the amount of bicycle riders to be amazing at first. They have strict rules with their bikes/scooters too. You would get pulled over for not having a light on your bike at night. I couldn't tell you the amount of random people I've luckily seen last-minute riding bikes in the States. Also, if you biked most places in America, you would get made fun of. Kinda sad…

55.   Going to "university" is not as expected as it is in the States. Typically, Germans go to school for what would be equivalent to 13 years back home, learn a trade for 2 years at a business (like an apprenticeship), and then begin working.

56.   Ed drinks "vollmilch"…literal translation "full milk" aka vitamin D milk. Don't worry, in the stores, it's not refrigerated. No big deal. I’ve seen eggs not refrigerated too. Eddie gets frustrated when I bring that topic up but it blows my mind!

57.   "PickEL" in German means "pimple." You can imagine my embarrassment after expressing my love for "pickLEs."

58.   Similarly, “Gurken” means "pickle" in German. “Gurken” means cucumber in German. Are you understanding my frustration?

59.   Random American - "Did you eat wiener snitchel and sauerkraut?!?"

Me - "Yep, nonstop. It's weird how Germans eat nothing else yet still meet their daily nutritional requirements!" ::blank stare::

I must explain that snitchel can be any sort of meat. There is chicken snitchel, weiner snitchel, veal snitchel, etc. And to be honest, I don't think I've had sauerkraut since I've been there. I do like spätzel though. :)

60.   Saunas/Thermal baths are much more popular in Germany. Each one of Eddie's houses has at least one sauna. And yes, I've been to public nude ones.

62.   Fanta is a popular pop in Germany but I feel as though it is not as sugary/sweet as it is back home.

63.   I must also correct the pronunciation of the word "dankeschön" aka "thank you.' It is NOT "dankeshayne" like Wayne Newton might lead you to believe, but more like "dankeshoen/dankeshoon."

64.   "How much is a plane ticket?"

Well, it depends on when you go. I've paid as low as $500 something and upwards of $1,500 (round trip). Winter is cheaper, summer is more.

65.   It is about 5,000 miles/8,000 kilometers to Germany. Approximately 16 hours total travel time. The long flight over the ocean is about 8-9 hours...to which people respond "Oh my gosh! I could never do it!" Yes you could. It's not that bad. Myrtle Beach is a 12 hour car ride. This is more comfortable and you would do it for true LOVE.

66.   Germans' preferred shower temp. is lower than Rachel's preferred shower temp. That's just a scientific fact.

67.   Americans usually have fixed shower heads from above. Germans usually have hand held shower heads. Ed installed a fixed one just for me so now we have both...and turns out, I use the hand held one more!

68.   Germany no longer uses the Mark. Switzerland uses the Franc. Ed thinks the 1 dollar bill is stupid and thinks it should only be a coin.

   

69.   You can drink beer and wine at 16 and liquor at 18.

70.   You can get your driver's license at 18 but it is expensive to take the test. Everything totals to over $2,000. It is common for them to not get their license right away for this reason. What is it in the US? Like $200? Clearly 200 is better than 2,000 but I'm still undecided which is better - 16 or 18 years old.