Visiting Our German (Exchange) Daughter and Family in Schlaitdorf, Germany

During the 2013-14 school year, just as Samantha went off to college, Anja Class came to live with use for a year.  So, we spent the weekend (and Candy much of the next week) visiting Anja and her family.  We arrived quite late on Friday evening, but they picked us up a the train station in Stuttgart, took us to their village of Schlaitdorf, and served us pumpkin soup for dinner.  And, I had a special prize awaiting me in the pumpkin they had carved and set on their front step.

Candy, Dwayne, and Anja Class in the front, Helga, Kathrin, and Dieter Class in the back row

The next day the Class family took us on a tour of Tubingen, an old university town where both Helga and Dieter attended law school.  During the tour we saw two statues depicting two men arguing.  Dieter and I then decided to argue over who should get to keep Anja. 

Statues of two Tubingen patrons arguing

Dwayne and Dieter arguing over who gets to keep Anja.

The next day we visited the Mercedes Benz Museum.  In the lower level of the museum you could purchase a car.  Anja declared that whomever purchased a car for her could keep her.  Neither Dieter nor I were interested in making such a purchase...I suggested that perhaps that means Anja is now an orphan!  

Research Meeting at University of Paderborn, Germany

I spent the morning with the University of Paderborn Marketing Department.  We spent the morning describing various research projects we are working on and getting reactions and feedback from each other.

Eva Bohm, Andrea Hampel, Carina Witte, Dwayne, Christina Cramer, and Andreas Eggert

For dinner that evening, Candy and I were treated to dinner with Evan, Carina, and Christina.  We ate at a French restaurant, La Petite Galerie, that was once a brewery about 600 years ago.  The food, and the company, was excellent!

Dwayne, Candy, Carina, Christina, and Eva

The previous Wednesday evening we were treated to dinner by Andreas at his home.  He loves to cook and prepared a wonderful meal for us.

Cornelia, Andreas, Dwayne, and Candy enjoying the first course, lemon grass soup.

An Afternoon with the Gremmlers in Schwanebeck, Germany

We drove from Worbis to Schwanebeck (with a construction detour thrown in) through the Harz Mountains.  We arrived to Kurt Gremmler's house (yes...a Gremler with 2 m's in his name) just in time for lunch.  Kurt is a nephew of my grandfather Ernest, who was born in Borne, Germany and moved to the U.S. in the early 1920s.  (For a history of the Gremler/Gremmler family, click here.) His wife is Gitte; Gerhard is his son, Daniela his granddaughter, and Fabian his greatgrandson.

Gerhard, Daniela, Fabian (in front), Gitte, Dwayne, Kurt, and Candy in their courtyard.

Dinner with the Gremlers near Gernrode, Germany

We drove a rented (Audi) car to visit distant relatives in Gernrode, Germany.  We went out to dinner to "test" the food at Hotel und Restaurant Lengefelder Warte where Sebastian Gremler and his fiance, Karen Becker, plan on having their wedding reception next year.  The food was excellent, so they began negotiating for a date for the reception!

Dwayne, Candy, Detlef, Karen (Becker), Sebastian, and Mechtilde Gremler

My dinner: trout, cooked beets, and mashed potatoes.  It was great!

Sebastian also collects postcard...look out Samantha!!!

Oh yeah...a (very) distant Gremler cousin has a butcher shop in Gernrode!  "Good stuff Maynard!"

"Publishing Scholarly Research" Seminar, University of Paderborn, Germany

Yesterday I began conducting my "Publishing Scholarly Research" seminar at the University of Paderborn. The audience is comprised of PhD students from several business disciplines.  Here is the group:

Future business scholars include Carina W., Dominik G., Markus K., Hurrem B.-O., Katharina B., Akin A., Stephan A., Anja S., and Thomas J.

The Q building at Universität Paderborn...where the business faculty (Fakultät für Wirtschaftswissenschaften) are located.

My Paderborn office...quite spacious and with three HUGE windows!

Bratwurst, Fries, Beer, and Glühwein in Paderborn, Germany

Just around the corner from the "spacious" apartment we are staying in is a festival going on...I was told the name, but it wasn't Octoberfest, so I am not sure what it is about.  But, we did get to consume some traditional German delights, including a 1/2 meter long bratwurst, french fries with mayonnaise, and a beer (Warsteiner).  And then, for an after dinner drink, Candy had her first glühwein (warm wine with some spices).  We had to pay cash (euros) for everything, as none of our credit cards or debit cards have been accepted yet.  (I hope this does not continue for a long time...otherwise, we will have to pay for everything in cash.)  But, on the bright side, at least Candy was able to get her (old) mobile phone to work so she can send me text messages.

My first Warsteiner beer...it was quite good (and cold)!

They folded the bratwurst in half and put it on the bun.  And, yes, that is mayonnaise on the fries!

Candy's first glühwein.  

Travel to Paderborn, Germany

Candy and I left last night at 9:40 p.m. Sunday evening from Detroit, bound for Amsterdam and then Dusseldorf.  We both stayed up for almost both of the flights, in large part so that we would sleep well in the evening.  Once in Dusseldorf we took the  train to Paderborn, Germany. Along the train ride we had a miserable time in Hamm.  There was no one around to ask questions to, and the "lift" did not work, so we had to carry ALL of the suitcases up and down the stairs between tracks. To top it off, my phone was nearly dead (hence, I plugged it into my laptop to charge it).  We finally got to our "spacious" hotel at about 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

We spend a week at the Hamm train station on Monday afternoon.

Our living room, dining room, and study.

Our living room, dining room, and kitchen (you can see the sink, microwave, stove, and refrigerator all in one unit!).

Tammy Hale and Andy Irick Wedding in Springfield, Ohio

We had to postpone our trip for a day so that we could attend (my sister) Tammy and Andy Irick's wedding at the Springfield Museum of Art.  After the wedding we had a nice dinner in amidst the artwork.

Aubrey, Nathan, Tammy, Andy, Matt, and Kelsey

Pat Boggs with her three children: Cheryl Sigler, Tammy Irick, and Dwayne Gremler