Tales of How One Ends Up In Deutschland

For those who don't know, I came to Germany because...well really because of a girl I once worked with named Kim.

I had adopted a nice habit of folding laundry at the end of my work day in basement of the Chico Hot Springs Resort with Kim. Because it was nice to have more hours, but more so because chatting with Kim was always a good time. Lately I had been thinking a lot about what I was to do this next year. I knew one thing that was absolutely going to happen and that was graduating early. But then what... At that point I was pretty set on going to MSU in the spring. Living at home, maybe still working a little, going to college and skating if I felt like it. Just to do something..to get my first semester of freshman year off my back.. I came at it with a real soft "well why not" approach.

Made my decision while gazing off into the Yellowstone. (Nah, this isn't fake. It's called Paradise Valley for a damn good reason).

This sunny afternoon Kim and I were jabbering on about how really all one should HAVE to do in the world is to make art. They should live with those whom they love...find their passion, make something out of it, and be happy. This should preferably take place in a forest, next to a river or maybe just on a beach... I'm still fascinated with those damn Italian beaches.. She told me that she got her GED in the middle of her Junior year in high school. That year she had tried to go to Park High and Bozeman High, but neither fit. Ever since then she's been bouncing around America, working and saving to travel to her next destination. At that moment she was saving saving because she wanted to go to Israel. I told her a lot about Israel, having been there merely half a year ago from then, and we were enthralled for awhile about each others traveling tales.. Then she went on a good little rant and said some of the things that I'd been trying to not think up in the last few weeks. "You don't HAVE to go to college.. you don't HAVE to do anything, you WANT to travel, so do it! Your free, what on earth kind of restrictions or responsibilities do you have right now? Fresh out of high school, no debt, no family to take care of, no job to do, no anything that MUST be done.. Do what you want." Hearing your own truths coming from a different voice is always a  little bit of  a shock. A shock met with a hug, in this situation.  On my way home I met this little shock with a few pages of written words, while sitting by the river. While mulling it over in my head, I took the second step and met the shock with a phone call.

The Larry Man and I in Disney Land:)

Larry Griffith.... How on EARTH does one begin to describe this cat... Let's start with the easy part. I know him because my dad was once his lawyer. Much before I was born, and since then he's been thouroughly integrated into our family. This man is the breathing and walking persona of 'jolly'. And once you get to know him, you'll quickly start to realize that he is also the breathing and walking persona of everything and anything that has ever been called 'the human spirit'. He's constantly battling sickness, has had cancer, has had some of the most gloomy events in his past, and in all reality probably has about 101 reasons to really hate life, while the 'normal', (goodness I hate that word) people of the world have about 20. This dude.. first got sick because his heart was getting to big. The most ironic thing that I have perhaps ever heard in my life. He is the epitimy of joy, the enthusiaster of will. He is the most egotistical and most lovable man I have ever met. He knows people..because he knows the core of the human spirit. He once told me that he picked his current church not because of the title, but because of the people in it. He leaves messages on voicemails with a shrill 'BE ENTIRELY GOOD TO YOURSELF' and wakes up everday, saying out loud, either to the first person he talks to or himself 'IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE!' You can not help loving this goof. If you don't love him after spending 2 days with him... something is dreadfully wrong with you.

Ahso! I know this character.

He thinks teenagers learn best with real life experiences, so he has set up the Institute of Effective Communications and Leadership, and through that has taken or sent young adults on Adventures throughout America and Europe. I previously had been on a few around California with him, and last year we went to Israel together. And he tells me every time we talk about our friendship "You didn't come with me on any of these Adventures because I know your family. You came and will continue to come because I know who you are." He's a dude that gives me faith in the older generations of our society that we all, sometimes unfittingly so call, Grown ups.  

Back on subject, perhaps?
Larry took a group of kids around Germany a few years back. The first Adventure in Discovery was in 2006, the second was (don't quote me) in 2008. Maybe 2007. In those trips, Larry wanted a young tour guide to accompany the group. He found one such Ben David Cuhls. The crazy 20 year old accompanied the kids around, being the obnoxious local that he is, and ended up bringing a lot of fun to the table. Everyone that I've heard talk about him give me the impression that he is THE BEST part of Germany. Larry wanted to meet the family that grew such a charming and fun loving youngster. I don't know if he was expecting it or not but he ended up meeting one of his absoulte favorite families. Anke and Klaus Cuhls met in their younger years and spent a lot of their lives being missionaries around Europe, but mostly in Papa New Guine. When they settled down they ended up in Königswinter, Germany. They joined an International Christian Church, started a Christian Grade School and raised six children. Larry fell in love with the family. He loves his stories of playing cards with Grandmarie-Anke's mother in her 90s, walking to the local market to cook feasts with Klaus and the boys every night, befriending the Muslim toy store owner down the street and mostly just surrounding himself with a wonderfully inviting and loving family.

From Larry and my Adventure to Israel

A year or so after that one of the children, Sara, wanted to travel to America to get some teaching under her belt for her teaching certifications. Child is definitely the wrong word, she was 21 when Larry invited her to California and taught at a high school in Corona. She always says that that was one of her most enlightening experiences. Larry set the trip up for her, and as he usually does with youngesters, threw her around with a few different families. She loved every second of it.
AHSO! When I called Larry this summery eve, I simply said I want to travel. I don't wanna go to college right now. I want to get out out out of Livingston, Montana and the USA. Can you help? In about a month he had me set up staying in Königswinter, Germany with the Cuhls:) The guy is way too amazing.  

Coming back to school in the fall, I had to convince my principal and vice principle to let me graduate a semester early, since I had all of my requirements fulfilled it wasn't altogether TOO dificult... Trying to tell my favorite teacher, Quigley, that I'm actually out of school is much more difficult. The crazy kid still sends me shakespear, expects my journals once a month and emails me when he'll be sick for a day. I love it. 

So with a lot of planning, detailed calculation, working to save up, and school work to get my butt out of high school, I pushed through, graduated early and everything worked out perfectly.
And THAT is how one such seventeen year old ends up in Deutschland. 

Images of Bonn, Germany started floating around in my head right about now...