Wind, Strikes and Babysitting

I am not sure if anyone heard about the winds here this past weekend but they were crazy. We woke up early on Saturday and it sounded like a hurricane was on top of us. We later read that parts of Germany and Europe where hit with winds up to 150 m.p.h. There was even a plane that had to do an emergency landing in Munich I believe and couldn’t land straight. I am really not sure why they let the plane take off in the first place but who knows.

Then, this week we are facing strikes throughout Germany. Different public sectors walked out the other day demanding an 8% pay increase (wow, that would be nice) and were upset because the government came back with 5% and a longer workweek! So today the transit workers went on strike. But, not ALL of the transit workers. Only half. So the buses were affected and half of the underground/train system. There is the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn (not 100% sure the difference but I will leave that) and only the U-Bahn workers went on strike. Now, as a non-German speaker try to find this on the internet and you are out of luck! A day out with a friend was cancelled only to realize later that walking two train stops would have allowed me to take the right train! Ah well. Luckily the strike will only last today and everything should be up and working on Friday. Of course, there is talk of another strike on Monday so we will see.

I have started a new “business” here. I have decided that since I am unable to legally get work here I had to find something under the table. So I put an ad on an English speakers forum that I was available to baby-sit for those that spoke English in the area. I have already met with one family (Irish) and I am meeting with another family (American) next week! I have had a few requests for full-blown nanny positions but I don’t think that would be fair given the trips planned. So for now I am a free-lance babysitter!

Other than that things are pretty quiet around here. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the snow!