I've never had a request for a blog entry before. Sure, people ask when I will write something again or what my next topic will be but this is the first time someone actually asked for something. She asked me a while ago and I bet she doesn't even remember asking. It very well may have been a joke but what better day to write her something than on her birthday. This post is for the first German girlfriend I ever made...my sister-in-law, Olivia Frick.
When I met Olivia, there was a bit of an age difference. I just turned 21 and Olivia was 10. Given that fact, you'd think we would have very little in common...but oh how wrong that is! Lucky for us, I stopped mentally maturing around that age too. We bonded over important matters such as Harry Potter and Disney - Disney channel series, Disney channel movies, and Disney movies. The day we met, she was frolicking in the waters of Riviera Maya, Mexico and I believe my first words to her were - "I like your bathing suit." 10-year-old Olivia was wearing a leopard one-piece bathing suit and we've been best buds ever since.
Here is an unclear picture of the scene of the crime in 2006 -
Olivia is responsible for making her brother's approach to my sister and I less intimidating. If Eddie had not had his little sister by his side when he came up to us that day in the water, I'm not so sure we would have stuck around to chat. She was his wing-girl and she did a darn good job!
The first time I visited Germany, Olivia made things a little easier and a lot less awkward when it came to the language. Even at 10 years of age, this little Fräulein spoke (almost) perfect English! Olivia has a gift of making everyone who meets her feels warm and welcome.
Over the years, we've bonded over the love of all things dog-...
...food-...
...and fun-related!
I don't know what I would do without my buddy sitting next to me at the dinner tables either. It's nice to crack jokes to one another without the others hearing!
It's funny to look back on all the pictures and see all her different hair styles/colors...while mine has basically stayed the same. Olivia's new job is pulling out my gray hairs. Yes, I have gray hair before age 30. But hey, Schnolivs (one of her many nick names), how about we don't comment on that anymore? How about you just pull them out when you see them and be done? K. Thanks!
I've done her hair...
I've taken her to get her hair dyed...
Her cancer diagnosis hit me hard. Our text conversation went something like this -
"It's cancer."
"Shit, Schnolivs..."
I'm pretty sure I told her "Ok...we'll get through this." Or something along those lines but you'll have to ask her.
What I didn't tell her was how scared I was. I was scared for her, I was scared for her family and I was scared for me. Did I really have enough energy left in me to support another person I loved through this cancer process? I hadn't accessed that part of myself for many years. I had hoped that that was over and done with...but it was back. How was a 16-year-old young woman going to handle this? We were about to find out.
Her treatment was hard. It was hard on her mentally and physically. She lost contact with friends during that time but, then again, who's to judge how other 16-year-olds handle such a complex situation? Hell, at age 26, I questioned how much more I could take.
I took her to chemo many times and sat and did my language course homework while she got the infusions. I watched the way she interacted with the nurses, doctors and other children/parents in the room and it made me proud. The only people who didn't receive the "Olivia Charm" were the hospital clowns. She hated them! Ok and maybe the one woman who came in to talk to her about religion. She was NOT in the mood that day.
One day, while walking out of the hospital, I was a few steps ahead of her and I turned around just in time to see her fall. It was the first time of many where her legs would simply give out on her. How frustrating must that be to be 16 and not have your body do what you want? I saw her fall in slow motion. I thought she was joking. I don't even think I helped her up. It surprised me and reminded me of the time Eddie and I went for a walk after his chemo and he puked next to a log. I bathed Eddie during his cancer battle and I can proudly say I helped bathe Olivia too. She wanted to take a bath and wash her hair but didn't have the strength so I had the honor of helping her with her hair.
When her hair finally began to grow back in, I had to honor of taking her to get her first hair cut.
Once her hair grew back, Olivia made the decision to never dye her hair again...and she's stuck to it! Not many girls her age can say they are comfortable with their natural hair color. As believers of natural hair color, Eddie and I support her!
Olivia is studying to be a nurse. I've mentioned in my last blog how proud this makes me. Like I said earlier, she has a gift of making people feel comfortable and I am excited for all of her future patients who will be lucky to receive care from her.
These days, Olivia lives about an hour away in Freiburg. I always get excited when she comes back home. We express our excitement towards each other by immediately stripping out of our jeans, putting on sweat pants and watching a couple hours of TV. Sometimes when I come home, it's nice to see Olivia's pants lying on my closet floor. It makes me smile even though it means either Eddie or I will be missing a pair of sweat pants. To me, it means Olivia's home!
Our favorite shows to bond over are 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom (1-3). I like to think her family has me to thank for the fact that she wasn't "16 and pregnant" and we only have 365 more days before we can officially say she wasn't a "teen mom." You're welcome, Frick family, you're welcome. She makes me proud with her decision to not smoke when so many people her age do. I can't take credit for that though. I think the majority goes to my husband Eddie and the fact that when you deal with cancer once, you rarely want to risk meeting it again!
If we're not watching TV we're playing video games. She's the only chick here that I know of that can keep up in Call of Duty. The only other girl I know lives in America and I also call her my best friend.
Olivia moved away about a year ago. I really don't know what I would have done without her over the years. When I moved here, I wasn't working but now that I am and she is studying our meetings are that much sweeter. Even my grandmother asked me "What are you going to do without Olivia?!" I never had a younger sister before and now I have 2 really great ones. I hope they're satisfied with their older sister!
Thanks for this roller coaster ride of a relationship!
(Being creeps - 2012)
When I met Olivia, there was a bit of an age difference. I just turned 21 and Olivia was 10. Given that fact, you'd think we would have very little in common...but oh how wrong that is! Lucky for us, I stopped mentally maturing around that age too. We bonded over important matters such as Harry Potter and Disney - Disney channel series, Disney channel movies, and Disney movies. The day we met, she was frolicking in the waters of Riviera Maya, Mexico and I believe my first words to her were - "I like your bathing suit." 10-year-old Olivia was wearing a leopard one-piece bathing suit and we've been best buds ever since.
Here is an unclear picture of the scene of the crime in 2006 -
Olivia is responsible for making her brother's approach to my sister and I less intimidating. If Eddie had not had his little sister by his side when he came up to us that day in the water, I'm not so sure we would have stuck around to chat. She was his wing-girl and she did a darn good job!
The first time I visited Germany, Olivia made things a little easier and a lot less awkward when it came to the language. Even at 10 years of age, this little Fräulein spoke (almost) perfect English! Olivia has a gift of making everyone who meets her feels warm and welcome.
(Europa Park - 2006 - Just a baby here!)
Over the years, we've bonded over the love of all things dog-...
...food-...
(At a street parade - 2009?)
(Movies 2008?)
(Europa Park - 2012)
She keeps me updated on today's music and I try to teach her all I know about old school rap.
(Bruno Mars Concert - 2011)
I don't know what I would do without my buddy sitting next to me at the dinner tables either. It's nice to crack jokes to one another without the others hearing!
(2006)
(2007)
(2010)
(2014 - Olivia usually always sits to my right.)
(Siski Sisters)
(Bad hair days.)
(Thanks for always being my wrestling watching partner!)
I've done her hair...
(2007)
I've taken her to get her hair dyed...
(2010)
I've taken her to get her hair styled.
(2011)
But I'll never forget the day she called and told me to come over to help her shave her head -
(2012)
I held the ponytail as I watched my 16 year old sister-in-law chop it off. With bravery I'm not sure I could have mustered up myself, she shaved the remaining inches off.
Her cancer diagnosis hit me hard. Our text conversation went something like this -
"It's cancer."
"Shit, Schnolivs..."
I'm pretty sure I told her "Ok...we'll get through this." Or something along those lines but you'll have to ask her.
What I didn't tell her was how scared I was. I was scared for her, I was scared for her family and I was scared for me. Did I really have enough energy left in me to support another person I loved through this cancer process? I hadn't accessed that part of myself for many years. I had hoped that that was over and done with...but it was back. How was a 16-year-old young woman going to handle this? We were about to find out.
Her treatment was hard. It was hard on her mentally and physically. She lost contact with friends during that time but, then again, who's to judge how other 16-year-olds handle such a complex situation? Hell, at age 26, I questioned how much more I could take.
I took her to chemo many times and sat and did my language course homework while she got the infusions. I watched the way she interacted with the nurses, doctors and other children/parents in the room and it made me proud. The only people who didn't receive the "Olivia Charm" were the hospital clowns. She hated them! Ok and maybe the one woman who came in to talk to her about religion. She was NOT in the mood that day.
One day, while walking out of the hospital, I was a few steps ahead of her and I turned around just in time to see her fall. It was the first time of many where her legs would simply give out on her. How frustrating must that be to be 16 and not have your body do what you want? I saw her fall in slow motion. I thought she was joking. I don't even think I helped her up. It surprised me and reminded me of the time Eddie and I went for a walk after his chemo and he puked next to a log. I bathed Eddie during his cancer battle and I can proudly say I helped bathe Olivia too. She wanted to take a bath and wash her hair but didn't have the strength so I had the honor of helping her with her hair.
(Trying on wigs together - 2012.)
When her hair finally began to grow back in, I had to honor of taking her to get her first hair cut.
Olivia is studying to be a nurse. I've mentioned in my last blog how proud this makes me. Like I said earlier, she has a gift of making people feel comfortable and I am excited for all of her future patients who will be lucky to receive care from her.
These days, Olivia lives about an hour away in Freiburg. I always get excited when she comes back home. We express our excitement towards each other by immediately stripping out of our jeans, putting on sweat pants and watching a couple hours of TV. Sometimes when I come home, it's nice to see Olivia's pants lying on my closet floor. It makes me smile even though it means either Eddie or I will be missing a pair of sweat pants. To me, it means Olivia's home!
Our favorite shows to bond over are 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom (1-3). I like to think her family has me to thank for the fact that she wasn't "16 and pregnant" and we only have 365 more days before we can officially say she wasn't a "teen mom." You're welcome, Frick family, you're welcome. She makes me proud with her decision to not smoke when so many people her age do. I can't take credit for that though. I think the majority goes to my husband Eddie and the fact that when you deal with cancer once, you rarely want to risk meeting it again!
If we're not watching TV we're playing video games. She's the only chick here that I know of that can keep up in Call of Duty. The only other girl I know lives in America and I also call her my best friend.
Olivia moved away about a year ago. I really don't know what I would have done without her over the years. When I moved here, I wasn't working but now that I am and she is studying our meetings are that much sweeter. Even my grandmother asked me "What are you going to do without Olivia?!" I never had a younger sister before and now I have 2 really great ones. I hope they're satisfied with their older sister!
Thanks for this roller coaster ride of a relationship!
(Pretending to be scared/excited on a really slow ride.)
It's been fun!
(Try to ignore the fact that that woman's face is abnormally blue and it looks like her right arm is bent at a weird angle.)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OLIVIA!
WE LOVE YOU!
-RETO
America vs. Germany
291. Levi's are popular in Germany and are expensive. They're cheap in the States...not to mention the fact that no one between the ages of 10-40 wear them. ($40 is <30 Euros)
292. Halloween is a lot more popular in the States but it is slowly growing in Germany.
293. Dog the Bounty Hunter is dubbed over on German television. I think that show plays in over 40 countries...
294. HORNHAUTVERKRÜMMUNG = astigmatism...in case you ever needed to know that one.
295. German doors are a lot higher quality than ours. You can imagine my frustration when Eddie taught our rottweilers how to open them. I'm sure they are not cheap to replace!
296. Not many Americans know what schnitzel is. We always say "weiner schnitzel" but actually schnitzel is just flattened, breaded meat that can be fried. There is pork schnitzel, chicken schnitzel, beef schnitzel etc. etc...
297. On the first day of school, German children get a bunch of candy in a cornucopia shaped bouquet. It's hard to describe, so here is a picture. It's a cute tradition!
298. I took Eddie to Schmidt's in German Village once. He told me they don't eat mac-n-cheese, he had a cream puff only once when he was younger, and they don't wear what the staff wear there...
299. Windpocken - Wind Pox - Chicken Pox (for once, our word is weirder!)
300. Sometimes I smile when I hear the word "über" used back home because it means "overly" in German and makes sense when you translate it in the English sentence.
