Where in the world are the Kroboths? Back in the USA

After 2-and-a-half years of living in France, we are back!  Unfortunately, we are not in the lovely Southern California weather, but instead, in the swampy, bug-filled humidity of Washington, DC.

Wait, that doesn't sound great.  Let's start again!

We have returned to the amazing city of Washington, DC.  The city I have loved since I first visited at the age of 17.  The place where Dan and I met.  A historic location with many opportunities for a 10-year-old and 12-year-old to learn new things, or just hang out contemplating why there are more of Degas "Little Dancers" here than in the Musee D'Orsay.

That's better.  Now, where were we?

We are back!  Currently, we are in temporary housing because our new house exists, but our personal items have not arrived from California or France yet.  So, while our new place does have appliances, including a wine fridge, we don't have beds yet.  Yes, rental houses in the United States come with things like appliances.  Including, but not limited to: a stove, refrigerator, washing machine, and clothes dryer.  The house also comes with amazing amenities such as kitchen cabinets.  And, most importantly, instead of bare bulbs hanging down from wires, actual lighting fixtures.

Is that a refrigerator and a stove?

Rather than lounge around by the pool at our temporary housing, we are jumping right in and getting things done in DC.  The plan for our first week of defeating jet lag is to pick up the keys to our house, host a birthday party for Dan's sister in the empty house, then spend the week taking Will to AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning Camp.  Alex and I will be hanging out, joining the summer reading club, and searching for a job.  I need to catch up on my reading, and Alex should really start earning money.  :)  No wait, I'm the one looking for a job.

Here's (most) of the stuff we had to move from our temporary housing to our new rental house.  It includes the kids' scooters which will be helpful for us to get around our new neighborhood, especially without a car.  If you recall, we sold the Pilot and passed along the Leaf lease when we left California.  We sold our Golf before leaving France.

The boys didn't want me to post an obvious picture of them in DC.  You know, one with the Washington monument or Capital Building.  They picked this building to pose in front of:

Will & Alex Hang Out at The Cannon House Office Building Like Normal Pre-Teens

If Alex ever gets elected to the House, I am printing this photo really big and bringing it to his swearing-in ceremony.  

It's a crazy adjustment, but we hope to have great adventures here in our new home of Washington, DC.

Au Revoir, France

Sadly, we must leave the country of amazing bread and delicious food.  We shall return to the country where three out of the four of us in our family were born.  

During this particular international move, we are handling things a little differently than the move to France.  For going to France, we had a short house hunting trip when Dan was on a work trip to Toulouse and I came for a short visit without the kids.  I visited houses, apartments, and schools, then we decided which ones worked for us.  Then, without seeing any of it, we brought the kids to France with everything decided.  Because that's how the lives of adults and kids ultimately work.

Given that the children had never moved before, they were not happy about this arrangement.  In fact, they wouldn't have been happy had we involved them in the house/school choices either.  Of course, after a year or two of resisting life in France and exploring Europe, they finally settled into it.  Here are the things they do now, without thinking anything of them:

• Going to the bakery to pick up pastries and bread (on their own)

• Going to the market to buy their favorite cheese (it's still sharp cheddar)

• Listing "cocoa mass" when required to make an ingredients list for a chocolate bar (Alex was told later that level of detail was not necessary, "milk chocolate" would suffice)

• Traveling the 17 km to school by train/bus/tram/walking (on their own)

• Arriving in a foreign country and figuring out how the metro system works

• Recognizing specific types of art and specific artists (Picasso, Matisse, VanGough, Degas, Monet, Magritte, Kandinsky,  Münter, Rodin, Renoir, Vermeer, Dali, Warhol, Mucha, Escher, Calder, Černý, and all 4 of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Renaissance Artists)

• Spelling words in a British manner while typing them on a French-layout keyboard

• Talking to our neighbors in French

• Sitting down for a 2-hour dinner at a restaurant (3 hours is a bit much, they go home on their own if it lasts that long)

• Ordering food for delivery on a French website

• Understanding which activity involves wearing all white, with a red bandana

Overall, we had an amazing time living in France and are sad to leave.  Thanks to everyone who helped to make our stay here amazing!

Kroboths Toulouse Airport Departure