Tag Archives: Germany

Sea Buckthorn and Hagebutte

Posted on August 12, 2022 by maryannniemczura

Taking our cue from a fellow traveler in Finland, we tasted a shot of sea buckthorn juice. First, the waiter cautioned the juice might be tart or sour. It was. It was also delicious! We drank this daily in Helsinki … Continue reading →

Posted in Finland, Hagebutte, sea buckthorn berry bushes, sea buckthorn juice | Tagged antioxidants, Germany, Helsinki, Prague, vitamin C | Leave a comment

How Was School Today?

Posted on September 10, 2021 by maryannniemczura

After sitting down to dinner with my parents at either head of the table, our Dad would ask this question after we finished saying Grace together before our shared meal. Memories flooded my mind as I observed how silent our … Continue reading →

Posted in dinner table talk, education, saying Grace, school | Tagged Colorado, Fulbright Year, generation to generation, Germany, Herr Bode, Massachusetts, parent teacher organization, planting seeds | 17 Comments

A Tribute to a Teacher

Posted on August 27, 2021 by maryannniemczura

Difficult as it is to recall the names of teachers, Mrs. Hughes was my ninth grade English teacher. In her class, I discerned that I wanted to be a teacher. From her I learned kindness and compassion. From her I … Continue reading →

Posted in diagramming sentences,, English teacher, grammar, learning to love learning, paying tribute | Tagged Germany, Heidelberg, how, to what extent, when, where, why | 32 Comments

Winter, Spring, or Winter?

Posted on March 5, 2021 by maryannniemczura

Winds howl. Buds appear. Snow on the ground. Eternal struggle ensues. Winter, spring, or winter? Stunning skies entertain. Vivid pinks and purples. Mail carrier squishes on wet lawns. Leftover snow piles up next to road and walkways. Under the raised … Continue reading →

Posted in howling winds, Schneeglöckchen, spring, sunrises and sunsets, winter | Tagged daffodils, Germany, rhododendron, Schweindorf, snowdrop flowefrs, songbirds, Upstate New York | 10 Comments

Have Suitcase; Will Travel

Posted on July 17, 2020 by maryannniemczura

They pack me full and sit on me to close. Then drive me to the airport and check me in. I am stuffed with beautiful clothes and shoes. I started my travels during my owner’s student days in Heidelberg. The … Continue reading →

Posted in airports, jet planes, packing, passports, suitcase, travel, turboprops | Tagged Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, flights, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, overseas, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland | 16 Comments

What’s In A Name?

Posted on February 21, 2020 by maryannniemczura

Turns out more than meets the eye. My Dad’s parents came to the US from Poland. My Dad researched his family history in Poland. Or was it Poland? Immigration papers listed the family as Austrians. Or were they? Maybe Prussians … Continue reading →

Posted in Austria, Niemczura, Polska, Prussia, Radgoszcz | Tagged Austria, genealogy, Germany, meaning of names, Polish, Prussia | 27 Comments

Recalling German Village Life in Advent

Posted on December 6, 2019 by maryannniemczura

We lived in a magical German village called Schweindorf during my first Fulbright year. Our children counted down the days until December 25 using Advent calendars. They put a BIG shoe outside their door the evening of December 5 for … Continue reading →

Posted in candles, Christ Child, Fulbright Year, gingerbread houses, Nikolaus | Tagged Advent, Advent in Germany, German Classroom in Neresheim, German customs & traditions, German village life, Germany | 23 Comments

A Letter of Gratitude to a Stranger

Posted on November 29, 2019 by maryannniemczura

Tasked with writing a letter expressing gratitude to someone who changed their lives but whom they never thanked, my students had a project for Thanksgiving to write the letter of gratitude and to surprise the person they were thanking by … Continue reading →

Posted in a German guardian angel, compassion of a stranger, Fulbright Exchange Year 1990-91, gratitude letter to a stranger | Tagged after a doctor visit, Fulbright Exchange Teacher to Neresheim, German stranger, Germany, Guardian Angel, icy hill, memories, teaching, two sick children | 18 Comments

Speaking of Bucket Lists

Posted on September 6, 2019 by maryannniemczura

Our trip of a lifetime included a singing engagement in Prague, Czech Republic followed by visits to Helsinki, Finland and Vienna, Austria. Unplanned bonus: a brief layover in Frankfurt, Germany. The new place on our bucket lists was a visit … Continue reading →

Posted in bucket list, Finland, lingonberry juice, schools in Finland, sea buckthorn juice, Stockman Department Store | Tagged Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Frankfurt, Germany, Helsinki, islands off the coast of Finland, Prague, sailboats, Vienna | 14 Comments

Climb on the Buckboard!

Posted on November 9, 2018 by maryannniemczura

Joining the ranks of Wild West cowboys we only knew from books, we moved from Massachusetts to Colorado as three young sisters with a fourth on the way. We donned Cowboy boots, hats, square dance skirts, and moccasins too. We … Continue reading →

Posted in buckboard, Colorado State Fair, pioneers, Prague, roots and tree branches, Yankee | Tagged Belmont, Colorado, creating cowgirls, explorers, from East to West, Germany, Massachusetts, pioneers, renegades and rebels, square dance dresses, square dances | 29 Comments