The Itch is back . . .

It has been a year since we last stepped foot in Germany.  Admittedly, as of late, I was very content (the word best describing my feelings about living in Canada) with my life but with our three year anniversary coming up I began to feel that itch.

What itch? The itch I get when I have been somewhere too long. Every few months or years, dependant upon the circumstances in my life, the itch comes back. This time we have been in Canada for three years, life is rocking and rolling along with our two children, golden retriever Maizy, four hermit crabs, one minivan and a suburban lifestyle like most others.  And I love it. And I don't. And then again I love it...and on and on. And so the itch is back.

On Facebook I see what my friends are doing living the life in Germany and Switzerland.  I am brought back to when I used to live there. But the difference is that, with time, my memories of living there become fuzzy so I dream about moving back (which is a real possibility) and embracing the expat-life again.  So I travel back to Stuttgart in the summer for a couple of weeks to have the kids reconnect with their birthplace, family, language and most importantly friends.  For the same reason I also I reconnect with my friends but, more importantly, I reconnect with the Schwabians.

Having landed 36 hours ago, today I had the joy of experiencing customer ¨service¨ at the local Lidl, a jolly old man who lectured me on teaching children how to open car door without hitting other cars, and Sassy von Sass at the Subway with her 80's hot pink acrylic claws and ponytail in my sandwich. This was all within the first day of our vacation!  Ah Schwabenlaendle, how I have missed you!  And thank you, my itch has now subsided.