Cheers, Scotland.

We arrived on 3rd September 2012, and we're leaving on 16th April 2015. That's 3 years, 7 months, and 13 days. That small amount of time doesn't seem to equal the major ways in which this experience has changed us. With our move to Germany just 4 days away, I feel more prepared than I thought I would. Here's why:

Transition is complicated, but builds character. Our first flat in St Andrews was less than ideal. We signed the lease sight unseen, and the mould that greeted us upon arrival almost had me on the morning plane back to Seattle. That first night we slept in our sleeping bags on the living room floor, and I cried. Hard. The next day we walked to the East Sands beach and I told Garrick, "I guess I can live here."

In just a few days, we're moving to another country, Garrick is starting a new job, and we'll become parents in early June. These changes are all good and we cannot wait for our daughter to finally be on the outside. But we're going into this knowing there will be rough times. Garrick's German is decent, and mine? Well, I know how to ask for help at the grocery store. It will take a few months at least to feel settled, but I know we'll get there.

Our second day in Scotland at the East Sands.

Community is essential.  A week after arriving in St Andrews, we met our first friends at church. A year later, new faces arrived, and we made more friends. And, some left. This was our first taste of the transience of the academic life. While we were excited to make new friends each year, we were sad to say goodbye to others.We also made friends with my coworkers, and we tease them that they are our local tour guides.

During our time here, we had times of joy and times of sorrow. Academic accolades often came with lots of rejection. I had several job changes, some positive, some negative. There were deaths in my family, and also the birth of new family members. We are joyfully anticipating the arrival of our baby girl in June, but experienced two miscarriages last year. In these times, we had people eager to celebrate with us and to comfort us. As our families were thousands of miles away, these people became our family.

We are being very proactive about forming a community of friends in Wuppertal. It's slightly more intimidating as we are the only Americans we know of so far, and our language skills need work. But I know that we need community to thrive.

PC: Spencer Bentley

Living in Europe is a privilege. Being a Washingtonian, it takes at least a full day of travel to get most anywhere in Europe. Plus, jet lag is a pain. When I list the countries I've visited since moving to the UK, I'm immediately thankful. In Germany, so many beautiful places will be within driving distance. It's pretty cool that our daughter will have dual citizenship and travel to many different places from birth!

Different isn't bad. In Scotland, vegetables are tinned, not canned. Eye glasses have legs, not arms. "Hiya" means hello. "Cheers" means goodbye. Washing machines often are in the kitchen. And these differences are minor in comparison to accents or other cultural conventions. In our early days, I would come home exhausted. I felt like I was translating all day long. I would often revert to the thinking that my way was the best way, and anything different was bad.

But soon, I started appreciating some of these new ways of doing things. I'm excited to learn from the German culture and adapt to a new lifestyle. I'm sure some things will drive me crazy, but I'll be less quick to assume that the differences are negative. Also, I will actually be translating all day; not just trying to understand new accents.

We're on the same team. I'm competitive and so is Garrick. It's easy for us to forget that we are in this together. On days when I had to walk to work in gale force winds, or when we were tight on money, I would often blame Garrick. This was counterproductive to working through anything. I often remember the words Brian Muchmore said at our wedding, and the baseball he gave us with "Team Allen" written on it. This truth grounds us. 

We both decided to move to Germany. This will be true on good days and bad ones. We have been focusing on being good friends and supporting one another through this uncertain time. I even stayed up late to watch the first Mariner game of the season last week, and Garrick has been very attentive to all of my pregnancy needs and makes me laugh all the time. What a blessing it is to do all of this with my best friend!

Cheers, Scotland!

February Update

We have 45 sleeps until we drive to Germany. Our Bucket List is keeping us grounded as we prepare for the big changes ahead. And today, I added and completed another thing: breakfast at Balgove followed by a manicure with Liana! (Thanks, Garrick, for this thoughtful Valentine's gift.) There's lots to cover, so we'll just get started.

Pregnancy

I'm in my 26th week and now require at least 6 pillows to sleep at night. Our baby girl is most active in the afternoon and evening, and we watch in awe as my stomach moves and bounces. We have a name, which I'm sure we'll share here soon. Last weekend, my lovely friends planned shower for me, and I'm still overwhelmed at the kindness of the community here. Liana, Elissa, and Rachel made a delicious brunch that had everyone going back for thirds. (Thanks to Kate Sherrard for the photos!)

The Thesis

Garrick printed out a copy of his entire thesis and is reading through it one last time. After a short trip to Birmingham for a conference early this week, he plans to submit Thursday or Friday. Much celebrating will be required, and an entire blog post will be devoted to that momentous occasion!

Admissions

Monday marks three weeks until my last day. This job has been one of my favourite things about living in Scotland. The role suits me, and I get to work with wonderful people. Higher Education is a challenging and exciting environment, and I hope to continue to do this type of work in the future. It won't be too hard considering Garrick's chosen profession.

The Move

With just 31 days until we need to be out of our flat, I've planned a moving event for the end of March. We've found a new home for most items, and the rest will go to a charity shop. After we move out, we'll stay with Jesse and Liana for the remaining two weeks before Garrick defends his thesis on 14 April. We are grateful for this blessing of housing! Then, we'll be Germany bound. Our current plan is to drive to Dover, England, take the 30 minute ferry to Calais, France, and then drive to our new home, Wuppertal. It will be an adventure, and there will be several bathroom stops along the way.

So, how are we doing?

Some days we feel excited and grateful for the upcoming changes: moving to a new country, a new job, and baby due in June. Other days, we wonder if we're slightly insane. Having gone through an international move once before, we feel like we have a good grasp on what to expect. There will be tears, fights in Ikea, and doubts about our new life. But, there will also be a sausage stand in the town centre, new friends, beautiful places to explore, and the birth of our first child.

Moving to Scotland has been the best decision we've ever made. I have loved living here, and leaving is really hard. But, I know I will likely feel similarly when it comes time to leave Germany. For those who are curious, yes, we do hope to get back to the Pacific Northwest someday, we just don't know when that will be. I am sure of two things. God is faithful, and home is wherever I am with Garrick Allen.

Scotland Bucket List

Garrick and I woke up on 1 January and thought, "Here we go!" Our move to Germany is just three months away. We're getting excited about this next chapter, but are also sad to leave St Andrews and want to say goodbye well. Transition is messy and comes with lots of ups and downs, so I hope this list can add some structure and happy memories to our time of packing and preparing. Garrick will buy a car on his next trip to Wuppertal at the end of January and drive it back to St Andrews, so we'll be able to travel more easily. Here is our bucket list for our remaining time here:

Crail Pottery: Garrick has wanted a custom pottery mug since we moved here, and this is the place to go. Crail is also in the beautiful East Neuk and home to lots of sea glass filled beaches. (Completed 17/01/15.)

The Cocoa Tree: We've been here several times, but is there such a thing as too much chocolate? Also, their bean and chorizo soup is our favourite. (Completed 17/01/15.)

Isle of Skye: We visited here with Garrick's family during our first year, but we'd like to see the Fairy Pools. We have plans to go with friends around March.

Beach walks: The West Sands, Castle Sands, and East Sands are all gorgeous beaches in walking distance of our flat. I'd like to go at least once a week to one of these places.

Balgove: Hands down, the best breakfast in St Andrews. It's also a nice walk to get there on a Saturday morning. (Completed 10/01/15, but I'd like to go again.)

Edinburgh: We've gone on several day trips to this city, but I've yet to hike Arthur's Seat. I'd also like to visit our friends Will and Jackie one more time.

The Peat Inn: This is a beautiful 5-start Scottish restaurant near St Andrews. Garrick is taking me here for my birthday in February!

Burns' Night: On the 25th of January, we celebrate poet Robert Burns and eat haggis, neeps, and tatties. I think we have two celebrations on the calendar this year.

Jacobite Train: This 84-mile scenic railway journey takes you from Ben Nevis, this highest peak in Scotland, and ends at the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis. I'm not confident we'll have time for this, but I'd love to make an effort.

The Grange Inn: This is a 17th century farmhouse near St Andrews that serves Scottish food. We're going in early February with friends.

Tartan: I have a tartan throw, but I'd love to get a few other items before leaving Scotland. Our friend Chris recommended this site: http://anta.co.uk/.

Fish and Chips: Enough said.

Bonfires: Our Christmas tree is currently drying out in our back courtyard so we can light it down at the beach for a bonfire. Once it's a wee bit warmer, we'll be ready!

Castles: Our Historic Scotland passes proved the perfect way to see Scotland during our first two years here, but there are still a few more castles I'd like to see, namely Glamis, Kellie, and Balmoral.

Photographs: I need to get out and photograph our favourite places in St Andrews. Because we live here, I forget the charm of this cobble-stoned town.

Time with friends: In this case, this one is last, but definitely not least. In fact, it's the most important one of all! This community of people is so special to us. Garrick's viva date is set for mid-April, and as our lease runs out at the end of March, we'll get to stay with our good friends Jesse and Liana. I'm so grateful for this time with them before we leave and for their generosity.

Loch Fyne

A major perk of working for the University is that we have a full week off for Christmas and New Years. I've met some wonderful friends through work, so we all decided to rent a cottage together on Loch Fyne over the break. After many planning meetings and messages, we found a perfect place, organised food, and coordinated transportation. We even managed to go grocery shopping with all seven of us. On our first morning there, we went for a long walk on the icy trail near our cottage. 

Most mornings, we woke around 9:30am and turned on the kettle for tea and coffee. We spent three days working on a jigsaw puzzle, watched movies, knitted, and truly r e l a x e d.

Loch Fyne is famous for the best oysters in Scotland, so we visited the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar for lunch. The group ordered a plate of crispy oysters, and Garrick and I shared a plate of crab claws before our mains arrived. I had the Salmon and Cod Burger, and Garrick, the Hand Dived Scallops. This was one of the best meals I've had in Scotland, and would highly recommend a visit.

After lunch, the sun was setting (oh, Scotland), and I snapped this photo of the loch.

For Hogmanay, we stayed at our cottage for a game and curry night. I made naan breads and the rest of the group each made a delicious curry. On New Years Day, we went to dinner and a ceilidh at The George Hotel in Inveraray. Garrick and I partnered with our friends to learn the dances, and came back together for Strip the Willow at the end. At one point, Garrick missed a step and a member of the band said, "Pay attention!" in the mic. I couldn't stop laughing.

Garrick reminded me that next year we will be making new memories in Germany over the holidays. I am so grateful for our time in Scotland, and I know it's a blessing that we're so sad to leave. The night ended with a live piper, and then we were off to our beds.

We love these people: (left to right) Sam, Ken, Jane, Nicole, Robbie, and us. Happy New Year! 2015 is a big year for the Allens with another international move around the corner. Stay tuned.

Fife Coastal Path: Elie to Leven

We've now completed three sections of the Fife Coastal Path! Today, we hiked 10 miles from Elie to Leven. The scenery was beautiful, although we all agreed that it was a bit less interesting than other parts we've completed. Also, it was so windy. Upper and Lower Largo were our favourite towns, with many seaside cottages and quaint shops. I'm still amazed at diversity and beauty of the Scottish coastline. The views and beaches are truly stunning. After arriving in Leven, we stopped to take some group photos and then caught the next bus. We all napped the entire hour and a half back to St Andrews! As usual, we loved spending time with the Hargers and are excited to plan our next adventure.

Festival Fringe Fireworks

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world and takes place every August. There is a fireworks show to conclude the festival at the Edinburgh Castle. We attended this year with the Nickels, Kellys, and new friends, Benj and Amy.

After church, the Nickels picked us up and we planned to stop at Ikea on our way to Edinburgh. Halfway through shopping, Liana and I had to abandon our cart due to a fire in the warehouse. Garrick was second in line for meatballs. Ikea fail. Off to the city centre for dinner!

Liana suggested The Potting Shed, a restaurant serving rustic bar food. The girls ordered pretty cocktails and the boys, beer. After our meal, the Kellys arrived and we had fun catching up.

We waited on a crowded Princes Street for the show to start at 9pm. The fireworks were perfectly synced with an orchestra playing familiar pieces and ended with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Truly, this was one of my favourite nights in Scotland, and we spent it with wonderful people!

And please watch this. Absolutely amazing!