Entertainment

I am almost ashamed to admit it that one of the things I miss most about the States, aside from our friends and family, is the various forms of media entertainment we enjoyed in America. TV, internet, radio, movie theaters, all easily accessible and a regular form of relaxing I was very used to. Granted, you can get all those things here as well, they are just in German. You know, its not that I was one of those people who is addicted to their TV and had to have it on all the time, but more like one who enjoyed a few hours of rest before bed time each day. I also used to listen to the radio daily on my hour long commute to and from work (something I DON’T miss- the commute, not the radio). The encouraging Christian music and occasional talk show made the time go quicker and gave me focus each day.

After we had been here for a while and I was starting to get really depressed and lonely, I realized a large part of that was because I had no outlet, no down time for myself. I was able to read some, a set of books Ken had bought for me, but that was about the extent of any relaxation I had. Oh, well, we did have the movies we brought with us but by that time, we had watched all of them at least two or three times. So for my birthday my wonderful husband purchased a VPN account for me which basically simulates a US router so allows you access to US websites like HULU and Netflix which we were otherwise unable to look at. I was able to watch Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, TBL and a few others again! It is almost embarrassing to say how happy that made me but it really did and lifted me up a lot. Since then, I have caught up on last seasons shows from a few that I (or we) watched regularly and will be able to watch on a weekly basis again this year. Through Netflix online, I have been able to watch some movies other than the ones we brought with us.

And then this week, I realized that I don’t want to fill all my time up with watching or vaguely watching shows or movies that I don’t really have a strong desire to watch but simply to fill the silence when I am cleaning or doing some other chore. I thought back to what I did in the States and that reminded me that the radio station I used to listen to in Oak Harbor (Seattle area) is also available to stream live online so I turned it on and have been listening a ton since. That has been a great mood booster too because it is all Christian music, and a good variety of it so I don’t get bored with the same artist over and over like listening to my CDs. It is also a little taste of home, a touch of the familiar and I think that goes a long way. And I also feel like I am a better mom when I choose to listen to music instead of actively watching something because I pay more attention to the kid’s needs that way and they know I am listening to them as well.

Another thing we do here more for entertainment is play games together. The kids and I tend to play a game of cards, Candyland, etc. once or twice a week. Most weekends Ken and I will play games one night, usually Settlers of Catan, sometimes Scrabble or another new one we bought called The Forbidden Island. Playing games together was something we did a lot when we were dating and it’s a great way to be together and talk while having something to entertain ourselves too. We just recently started working on a HUGE 2000 piece puzzle (I know, yes, we are that lame!) that will take us a long time to finish but is another fun way to be together.

I have been reading more since we bought a Kindle and my parents brought it with them when they came. So far, I have only bought one book but have read three because there are tons of free ones to “buy” as well. I also got a library card for the city library where they have a small English book section and I can find plenty to interest me there. I am really happy to be reading more again, I have always loved to read. I’d like to start reading some more child friendly chapter books to the older kids so I’m on the look out for good ones on the Kindle.

I have yet to go the movie theater here in town yet although Ken went and saw Harry Potter opening night. Most movies shown are in German which never ceases to amaze me that so much money and effort is spent on dubbing into German when this is such a small country and language by comparison to others. The local theater does play some movies in their original language each week but so far, they haven’t really been ones that I had enough interest to see or were the right times. Don’t judge me but I really hope they have the new Twilight movie in English when it comes out, otherwise I’ll be really disappointed. I’d like to go see a movie sometime soon, even if I have to go by myself and leave the kids with Ken, just to get out on my own and do something fun. I realize more and more that a little bit of entertainment goes a long way towards my sanity as a wife and mother living abroad.