I won't go into all the details about the flights and airports. There were typical delays and bumps along the way, but the important thing is that we landed in Frankfurt and were met by Niko and his mother Ingrid. It was so good to see them! Niko lived with our family during the 2008-2009 school year and he instantly became a part of our family. He came back to visit last summer and went on vacation with us to Colorado. His mother and aunt came to visit him in Kansas City at the end of his year with us, so we got to know Ingrid at that time.
But when we got to his home in Braunfels, we met his other family members - father, brother, grandmother, aunts and an uncle. We were able to see in person all the things we had only seen in photos - his home, his room, and the view of the castle outside his window! His father and grandmother had prepared a wonderful meal for us - roast beef and roast pork, potato dumplings with gravy and a salad. They even made a special effort to have ice for our drinks :-)
We were really fighting the time change and lack of sleep, but we managed to gather the strength to go tour Braunfels Castle in the afternoon. Seeing the marketplace (where our hotel is located) and the castle looming over it made me know I wasn't in Kansas anymore. Our tour guide was part crumudgeon/part comedian. He spoke good English and as he pointed out the subjects in various paintings, he kept quizzing us on our knowledge of history (which we didn't know so well) and our Bible knowledge (which fortunately, I did know well). For this American girl, it was the perfect first day in Germany! We finished off with more food back at Niko's - hearty German bread and cheese and a homemade Black Forest Cake for dessert - and then we SLEPT.
I will try to have more insightful reflections in later posts, but all you get now is a travelogue. Photos will follow at some point, too.
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