My daughter is HOME SAFE!!!

reply to post by wildtimes


The closest I got to an european style was in NY... was the only place in the US were I could see an elderly woman fall on the sidewalk and I was the only one to get up and help the poor lady and every single person going by me on the sidewalk were not only NOT helping, were even giving me a "what yer doing dude, let it rot man... she may have something... go home and bathe with bleach".

In europe is almost the same... you live 20 years in the same building or neighbourhood and you dont even know your next door neighbour - ok I cant talk much because I was in the military and due to deployments and lots of time away doesnt make me an example but I can speak for my family and friends...

I have friends in the states for instance, all over the states and they all know their neighbours and have friends around where they live coming in for dinner and all - in europe, that is not common at all. Thats probably why guns arent allowed here - we'd probably shoot each other quicker than we'd shoot a burglar

reply to post by littled16


Those angels are SO IMPORTANT!!!
Really.
I totally believe....

reply to post by FraternitasSaturni

I have friends in the states for instance, all over the states and they all know their neighbours and have friends around where they live coming in for dinner and all

Yep! I have good relationships with my neighbors as well. We look out for one another. And we know each other. If there's trouble in the neighborhood, we band together and say, "Erm....no. Not going to fly here."

We take care of each other's homes when we're away, etc.
My across-the-street neighbor takes it upon himself to drag all of our "trash bins" back to our doorsteps!

People here are SO friendly, and SO neighborly.

EDIT: Sorry, I posted the wrong 'quote' before.
Now I got it right.

Oh dear lord! I am so happy your daughter is okay! I know that must have had you in a panic. I'd be beside myself in that situation...I'm nervous about plane travel as it is and forget my kids flying anywhere! The only time we fly is if good ol uncle Sam forces us to. And to think the bombing in Boston was happening...so much chaos added on top of it all....I can just imagine you not breathing there for a moment!

Side note: all this chatter about Europe has got me homesick

But I am glad she is able to have those sort of experiences, they are the kind that will stay with her forever

Luvs! Mija

She just flew in from Zurich to Boston....(she was in Germany as a Materials Science Engineer,

You must be very proud of her.

That is wonderful news indeed!
Very glad to hear she is safe and back home.

Originally posted by FraternitasSaturni
reply to post by wildtimes

 

In europe is almost the same... you live 20 years in the same building or neighbourhood and you dont even know your next door neighbour - ok I cant talk much because I was in the military and due to deployments and lots of time away doesnt make me an example but I can speak for my family and friends...

I found the majority of Europeans to be rude to Americans and to stare.........alot of staring. Alot of times though I noticed that if you tried to talk to them in their launguage (even if you totally butchered it), they were alot more receptive than the ones that asked right off the bat "sprecken sie English?" (do you speak english?).

Glad your daughter made it back safe and I hope you get to spend some time with her and get off of these often negative for a little while boards ma'am.

TO ALL OF YOU who responded,
thank you so much!
Manhater,
Night Star,
Iamschist
Mija
Athlon
Cancerwarrior -

YOUR thoughts and well-wishes are very much appreciated...!!! I APOLOGIZE for not personally responding to you ....

I can't reach her NOW, though! She doesn't live in any of the lock-down areas, but she might be there with her friends...
holy cow this is intense and scary.



OK SHE JUST TEXTED ME....

She's at work, and her work is outside the metro area and search area. She's fine, safe and sound. Whew.

Those poor people in Boston!! The phone circuits are all down.
ANYONE else who lives there - MY HEART IS FULL OF CONCERN for you all!

reply to post by wildtimes


That sounds so strange to me...the phone lines are down? What on earth? This is just bizarre. I didn't realize the people of Boston are going through all of this! I really, really hope you are able to keep in contact with your daughter!

I have a good German friend who is studying chemical engineering and he travels to Boston for study related seminars and events. He was supposed to be in Boston this month. We had talked about driving up to visit him. But his trip was postponed. Not due to the bombings, but for other reasons. Anyways...I am so glad that he was not in Boston for all this madness! I can't imagine what it would have been like if we had gone up to visit him.

I really am starting to get very bad feelings about this whole situation. My heart goes out to you Wild, your daughter, and the people of Boston!

reply to post by Cancerwarrior


I grew up in Germany so I am used to the stares...it is out of curiosity mostly I think. The most Germans tend to be straightforward and do not try to hide what they are, who they are, what they think...it can come across as them lacking a social filter or manners to Americans. But I think they view it as honest curiosity that they do not try to hide.

And yes....speaking German is the best way to get a smile on their faces....especially when you make lots of hilarious mistakes! They like that....I once was in a line with a bunch of little old German ladies at the butchers and when I asked the butcher for a pound of "sh*t beef" instead of ground beef...I caught my mistake immediately, but by the look on the butchers face I knew it was too late! I thought every little lady was going to beat me with their shopping bags, but instead I got everyone of them and the butcher to actually LOL....that is an accomplishment...getting old German ladies to laugh out loud!

reply to post by Mijamija

The most Germans tend to be straightforward and do not try to hide what they are, who they are, what they think...it can come across as them lacking a social filter or manners to Americans.

LOL!! Yep, and their offspring for generations to come, no matter where they live. My grandparents and their parents, all the way back to the 16th century, never had ANYTHING to do with what Hitler did - they had left Germany/Poland decades before - and were ALL here by the time the 20th century was underway...

I'm half German myself. So are both of my kids. So were both of my parents. My brothers and I are all outspoken...drives my mom crazy - but then, she says what she thinks, too!

I do think that there is some genetic personality transmission. Fascinating stuff.

reply to post by Mijamija

Thanks, Mija. You're a dear.

Originally posted by wildtimes
reply to post by Mijamija

 

Thanks, Mija. You're a dear.

I'm just putting myself in your shoes and I know I'd be climbing the walls with worry....not being able to communicate is scary! At least she is texting

I hope this gets resolved fast and you can rest easy knowing she really is ok. Maybe it's time for a mom daughter get together considering everything has been so chaotic? I know I'd want to drive right up to Boston and wrap my arms around her....kids are always kids in the eyes of their parents, no matter how hard we try to respect them as adults....

reply to post by Mijamija


That is a hilarious story.

I think the whole staring thing bothered me so much at first because where I live at, you only stare at someone who you are trying to pick a fight with. It took me a while to figure out most Germans really did not like to fight and like most rational people tried to avoid it and like you said, were probably just curious. I enjoyed Germany though and still think about what a pretty landscape the Bavarian countryside was. I think America would be a much more tolerant place if people traveled a little more to other countries and learned different societal norms.

Thanks for sharing the story, I needed a good laugh.

reply to post by wildtimes


Yes! At first I was unnerved by the obviousness of the stares....the direct unabashed questions, but then I learned there really is a curiosity behind it that is almost innocent. They really do just want to know things, just to know or learn more about a person. Very observant...I really see nothing wrong with it now. In a way I respect the honesty behind it, and find myself wishing Americans would drop their social fronts and "tell it like it is"!

And also if an American doesn't have a strong grasp of conversational German, the way they word and pronounce things in English often comes across harsh, but once you speak the language and understand their inflections and tones, you realize that the harshness or awkwardness of their words isn't how they intended to come across at all! It is very nuanced and most Americans, even those that learn hoch deutsch in school would not recognize their intended meanings behind all that hacking they do!

reply to post by Cancerwarrior


Okay so you know I said "ein pfund geKACKTES Fleish"

Instead of "ein pfund geHACKTES Fleish"

It was so bad...you got no idea! Well....actually you probably do know exactly how bad it was!

And I agree....Germans overall tend to be non aggressive people and the ones who are aggressive are called "Asi's" (asocials) and pretty much shunned by everyone.

That must be a huge relief for you.
Really pleased she is safe give her an ATS hug

Cody

reply to post by cody599

Thanks, cody! I will.
Sometimes I get nervous about talking about her on here - it's a generational thing, I guess - that "anonymity". I asked her once if she minded, and she said, "no, I don't mind." I mentioned the anonymity thing, and she laughed out loud and said, "Well, mom, that's a generation thing. People my age don't have "anonymity" - we're just out there, all over the internet, telling people about ourselves."

It worries me, but what can I do? Anyway, thanks for your thoughts.
This community means quite a lot to me, and to know you all care about her, too - even though she's not a member, and not a conspiracy theorist at all.

I'm sorry if this is a silly question.. but your daughter was out of the country as far away from Boston as any parent could hope. Why were you worried? One would think you'd feel relief instead of fear?

reply to post by Drezden


Because I'm her mom, and that's what moms do! We don't stop worrying. Yes, I was worried that she was touring that area by herself, and I'm very glad she wan't in Boston.
Still, last night was a little "window of opportunity" for her to get back to her home in suburban Boston - her friends there might have been injured or affected by the lock-down; and overseas flights always make me nervous anyway.

I was watching her flight on flight-aware, where the little green plane moves along the flight path as they fly...the flight path was marked as direct from Zurich to Boston - but the green plane instead went DUE SOUTH all the way to the Mediterranean, lost a bunch of altitude, slowed way down, and then seemed to be erratic with it's 'Trail' - then it turned directly North and headed back up to the flight path. So yeah, I was worried about the flight itself due to that unexplained and alarming "off path" thing - naturally I think "skyjacked?" or "mechanical failure?" when I see that.

But, she did make it back, her boyfriend was there to pick her up, and she got home safely. Actually, I feel like it was a small miracle that she was OUT of Boston on Monday - she might well have attended the marathon - she's still exploring the city herself, and has only lived there since August.