American Women's Club of Hamburg Currents Magazine November/December 2013 | Page 2

EDITORIAL

P r e s i d e n t ’s M e s s a g e
The Christmas season is one of my favourite times of the year. I love
everything about it – from the smells of Glühwein and Schmalzgebäck at
the Christmas markets, to kitschig decorations in the supermarkets, from
leisurely walks beneath the twinkling Christmas lights on crisp evenings, to
the taste of homemade cookies. I love planning presents too – complainers
about commercialization and nay-sayers be damned! Even if it’s for a short
time, everyone is transported into a Normal Rockwell painting and good
cheer is in the air.
But the thing I love the most about the Christmas season is that it forces us
to slow down and remember how wonderful it is to spend quality time with friends and family, doing nothing
but eating and talking. For that reason, it can be a really difficult time of year for ex-pats when we are so far from
home and a lot of our families.
I really enjoyed the recent survey we did. It not only provided us with some valuable information, but it was also
touching to read members’ comments about what they value about the club. By almost unanimous consensus,
what members value most is not the newsletter or films, dinners or activities. What members value most is the
friendships we have made and the opportunity to meet with other women who not only speak our language, but
who also understand our culture and can identify with the sometimes difficult and sometimes exciting task of
adjusting to life in a different culture. Not surprisingly, the most popular events, according to our survey, are the
holiday events. This club is our connection to home, and that connection is more important than ever during
holidays.
This holiday season, I want to encourage everyone to make that connection and participate in some of the holiday
events we have coming up. On November 6 we will hold our Celebration of Membership event at the Consulate
and I think that will be a very special evening. Kara is hosting a book exchange and brunch at her home on a
Saturday morning in November. I had the honor of being invited to the new Consul General’s home for dinner,
representing our club. She is a very warm and lovely lady, and has agreed to host our annual Christmas Cookie
Exchange in early December, as past Consul Generals have. We also have our annual Thanksgiving Dinner and
Christmas Party to look forward to. There will be a lot of opportunities to meet up in the coming months, and
I hope to see each one of you at least once!

Love,Shawn

Message from the Content Editor
I’ve been spending a lot of time in the mornings going on long (5-7 km) walks with my massive dog. I love
watching as the green leeches slowly from the leaves on the trees, giving way to beautiful reds, gold, and oranges.
It lets me know that the holidays are slowly approaching and not long after, the start of the New Year. New starts
and beginnings!
Having two kids and being a holiday fanatic, I always find myself overwhelmed with the possibilities each and every
year. I enjoyed reading everyone’s suggestions and can only hope that you, the members, can feel the same way.
This should serve as a guide to you to receive the most enjoyable holiday season imaginable.
With the New Year will come a new Currents. I know several of you feel very strongly about this but if you think
back to the very first edition, when this wasn’t a magazine, but a newsletter, that Currents has come a very long way
indeed, changing and growing with the needs of the club and the advancements in technology. This issue holds a
lot of important information that pertains to the upcoming club year, please read through everything. As the club
goes into yet another membership year, I encourage you, yes you, to write to myself, to the editor in chief, Allie, or
to the board with any ideas you have for Currents or club. What do you want to read about? What direction do
you want to see Currents and the club go? No idea, article, recipe, or suggestion is too small; feedback is greatly
welcomed. Without readers, Currents is just a file on a computer or a piece of paper. It develops a meaning and a
sense of purpose as soon as someone picks it up and reads it. Let us, through you the members, give it that meaning
and purpose again.
I always enjoy reading what all of you have to say. We are such a diverse and fantastic group of women, that I’ve
always enjoyed having the sense of community the club gives me. Let’s keep this tradition going! Thanks to
everyone who has contributed, given feedback, or helped in any form or fashion. Here’s to stress-free holidays and
the start to another great year!

Kara W.

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American Women‘s Club of Hamburg e.V.