Lidl and Lorelai

Took my first trip, alone, to the German grocery store for milk.  I came home empty-handed.  Either they don’t refrigerate their milk, or they only come in a litre size, only one kind, and may or may not look like it reads “buttermilk.”  I probably need a little German handbook before I go back.  Somehow, coffee and chocolate are universal, though.  I didn’t need to read German to know what those were!  Oh well, it was a nice, kid-free, five minute stroll.

Tonight, Lorelai broke down and said she didn’t like it here.  She wants to go home and see her North Carolina friends.  I’m sure it was a mixture of her being tired, hungry (she refused dinner – which was pizza – seriously!?) and she hasn’t played with another kid besides her sister since we got here.  She said that nothing looked like home.  I’m trying to see it from her point of view.  I know what she’s saying.  Everything is different here.  She’s sharing a room with her sister, they’re both in new beds, we are staying in an apartment, rather than a house, and we haven’t had regular playdates like we do at home.  So, aside from the Lego Museum we plan on hitting this week, my goal is to get with some friends of friends to let the girls have a playdate with English-speaking children.  I really hope that helps!!

Those of you who have been stationed in another country, or visited for a long period of time, I’m assuming this is typical?  Will a playdate help?