Putz Frau

Many people here hire a 'Putz Frau' (pron: 'Puts Frow') or Cleaning Lady as standard help. It's not expensive and so not just for the wealthy. It's tempting. But I fear that having someone else clean for me would remove 80% of my reason for being. Measuring by time spent, of course, not by worth. I hope.

A few more ways i've been culture-resistant:

• I don't drink carbonated water (though Kevin does).




• I make sandwiches for lunch and hot food for dinner rather than the other way around.




• At 5:00pm I am starting dinner, not having tea/coffee and cake as an afternoon snack.




• I wear shorts. And my husband will never wear a speedo or manpris.




• I purposely teach my preschool-age kids academics. At home if necessary. Fully homeschooling is illegal here, and parents are consistantly discouraged from teaching their little kids the basics of reading or math as they would be 'bored in school.' Not many educational options here. But the preschools are thankfully terrific in all other ways.




• Our longest vacation might be a week long and we'll stay in 3 different places. We don't have the vacation days or patience to stay in one place for 2 weeks straight. Though I can understand the relaxation benefit potential.

That said, however, there are many ways in which i've adapted and embraced:

• I never use ice anymore and get annoyed if we're in a rare European restaurant that puts cubes in my drink.




• My children (and I) require at least one warm, salted pretzel a day. Usually as a morning shopping snack. They cost about 50 cents.




• I ordered a trend-fashion, black, rectangular-shaped cool pair of glasses yesterday.




• I like all hard floors in the main living areas. No stains. More fun for the kids and all their toys on wheels.




• At this time I am keeping 5 flower boxes / plants alive (mostly). Something I would never attempt if I didn't live where everyone was raised knowing everything about plants and showcased them in spectacular fashion.




• If we have a particularly busy weekend and are running all over I feel somehow robbed.




• We're rediscovering new uses for our legs... walking, riding, rolling.

Potty-Time Mary