Reflecting on History.

Coming from the U.S. it is easy to forget about history.  Not to say America doesn't have a lot of history, it does.  America has lots of history, it is just most of our history happened along time ago and Americans tend to forget it.  If you live in the north, you are surrounded by the history of the Revolutionary War, in the south it's the Civil War or Civil Rights Movement and the west, filled with the expansion of America and the exploration for gold.  Since moving to Europe, I have discovered that I am constantly reminded by the history that took place here.  As I walk around my neighborhood, it is not uncommon for me to see a house that was built in the 1600's and still occupied by people.  Rembrandt is buried near my home, Van Gogh lived here and the Anne Frank house is just down the street from my house too.  It is the Anne Frank house that makes me think of history the most.  Everyone knows who Anne Frank is, but as a reminder, she is a Jewish girl who's family went into hiding during the Second World War to escape the Nazis.  They were able to hide for a few years before being discovered on August 4th, 1944.  It made me think, "surely Nazis have been in my house looking for Jewish people in hiding right?"

Recently I went to Cologne, Germany.  While I was there, we visited the National Socialism Document Center.  What is that?  A place that kept documents?  No, this was the headquarters of the Cologne Gestapo.  The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and German-occupied Europe.

Behind these doors people were tortured for information and most people didn't leave here alive.

It is in this prison where 400 people were murdered between 1943-1944.  Now unlike our history which happened along time ago, this history happened just 70 years ago.  Seventy years ago isn't that long.  Some of us have grandparents that fought in this war, my grandfather did.  It is hard to image that someone thought this type of action was acceptable.  It's amazing that all this type of stuff happened just a stones throw from where I live now.  I cannot image what it was like to live during a time of constant fear.  The point is to never forget about history no matter what kind of history it is.  The next time you pass a historic marker on the side of the road or the next time you pass a state/national historic site, take time to stop and reflect on the history that help form your country.

Who Can Afford to Drive?

One of the things I miss since I have moved here is driving.  I know that sounds crazy to most people, but for me I love to drive.  Most people find it stressful or a pain in the ass, but I see it as relaxing and a form of freedom.  Since moving here, I have only driven a hand full of times and in a city like this it can be a little stressful.  You have to watch for cars, bikes coming at you in every direction, people crossing the street at random times and you have to watch for trams that run in the middle of the street, all while driving a manual transmission.  Now luckily when I was growing up, my parents had manual transmission vehicles and I learned to drive on that.  In Tallahassee, that is no easy feat.  Tallahassee is very hilly, so having to stop on a hill and then go in a manual can be very challenging.  None the less, I learned how to drive a manual but only owned automatic cars.  Now in the Netherlands, almost every rental car is a manual transmission which is completely the opposite of that in the states.  Now why is this an issue?  It really isn't an issue for me, but I just thought it would be easier to learn how to drive on an automatic vs. a manual.  So why bother getting a drivers license since I don't own a car?  Well, my U.S. drivers license is only good for six months here.  After that I have to get a European drivers license.  If we rent a car to go somewhere, I will need to have a valid drivers license.  Plus the idea of having a foreign drivers license was really appealing to me.  I went to driving school's website to see if they teach driving classes in an automatic vehicle I found something interesting.

Like most Americans, I either have motor dysfunctions or have developed a fear of driving.

I was surprised to see how European's view driving an automatic.  I have been driving 24 years and never realized that I was either afraid of driving or had a motor dysfunction.  I called to get pricing on driving classes and was a little shocked.
     

                                                     -Driving manual:          € 99,00

                                                     -Theories class:          € 24,50

                                                     -Theories exam:          € 31,00

That isn't too bad, but that is just the start of it.  Now for the real cost.

                                                     -10 hours of  practical driving:   € 459,00

                                                     -Physical (really?):                     €   29,00 

                                                     -Driving exam:                            € 235,00

That is € 877.50 to learn how drive/take test (that is $1,124.87)  Who can afford this?  I wonder if they have a layaway program here?  We'll just have to see if it is worth it or not.  Maybe I ride dirty for a little while and if I get pulled over, play the stupid American card.