A Pleasant Day on Lake Constance, Germany

We rode down with the Class family to pick up Anja in Sinden, Germany.  From there we went to Uberlingen and walked along the lake.  We could see the snow on the Swiss Alps across the lake.

Reunited with Anja (our exchange sister/daughter)

Mallory wanted to visit Switzerland (to say she went to a country during her travels that her sister did not go to last year), so we traveled on the ferry over to Constance, Germany.

Dieter and Helga Class, and Mallory, having lunch in Constance, Germany.

After a nice Italian lunch, we walked out to see the famous statue in Constance, the Imperia.  This was a quite controversial statue when it was erected.

The Imperia on Lake Constance

 

Playing "Knobelkase" (Cutting the Cheese) in Muenster, Germany

Mallory and I joined Christof Backhaus for a drink at the Pinkus Blaues Haus for our last night in Muenster.  He taught us a relatively simple, but fun game.  It involves a thick piece of cheese, a match, a knife, and once dice.

Early in the game.

The match is stuck in the middle of the cheese.  When you roll the dice, you have to cut pieces of cheese off of the bock...whatever number comes up.  The object of the game is to NOT be the one cutting the cheese when the match falls.

My strategy was to cut small pieces.

Just before the match fell...I lost!

Finishing the Service Management Course at WWU in Muenster, Germany

We met for the final time in the Service Management class today.  As is my tradition, I treated the students after the class ended.  Normally it is a drink (beer?), but this time the students opted for ice cream!  So, we found the best ice cream store in Muenster to have an end-of-the-course event.  15 of the 20 students were able to attend.  

The 2017 Service Management class enjoying the sun and the ice cream!

My host, Thorsten Hennig-Thurau, has a tradition of taking a picture outside of the Marketing & Media Center at WWU.  We included Mallory in this picture!

What a charming trio...Dwayne, Mallory, and Thorsten!

"Service" Champions Being Created in Muenster, Germany

I walked into class this morning and found the following note on the blackboard:

Written by one of the WWU Service Management students!

Perhaps my lectures on Service are having an influence?

Mallory's Return (with Dad) to Maastricht, The Netherlands

In 2006 we lived in Maastricht for 7 months.  Mallory, then 8 years old, went to school on the other side of town.  We returned on Friday...her first time back in 11 years.  (I have been back to Maastricht probably 20 times since 2002.)

Maastricht is behind us, as well as the Sint Servaasbrug (foot) bridge

We revisited many places she remembered (or, that we had pictures of).

Mallory with our Wolder neighbors Ria and Ber 

Back to the scene of her 8th Birthday Date with Dad and "Sour and Spicy" Chinese soup. 

Statue on the way to the Maastricht train station in 2002...

15 years later!

Samantha and Mallory in two countries (Belgium and The Netherlands) at once!  (On the street in Wolder where we lived.)

Two countries with one (large) step!

Mallory's First Beer...in Liege, Belgium

We rented a car and drove from Muenster to Liege, Belgium.  We finally made it to Cecile Delcourt's house (GPS does not work well with Google Maps in that part of Liege), and prior to our meal Cecile and her partner Fabrice provided us with a Liege special...Curtius Beer.  (Interestingly, I had just driven Mallory past the Curtius Brewery at the bottom of the steps at Montague de Beueren an hour earlier.)  I believe (if Mallory was telling me the truth) that it was her first beer!

Mallory's First Beer?

We then had a nice spaghetti dinner prepared by Fabrice, with entertainment provided by my favorite Belgian four-year-old, Stina.

An excellent dinner in Liege with Cecile, Fabrice, Stina, Dwayne, and Mallory.

Service Blueprint Practice at WWU in Muenster, Germany

Four teams of five students worked on creating service blueprints for "Revive" clinic in Chicago. This session was a chance for them to learn how to use the service blueprint tool.  Based on the work they were able to accomplish in about 2 hours, I have high expectations for when they complete their team projects next week!

Team 1:

Team 2: 

Team 3:

Team 4: