JENNY M .
Twenty years a member ! Joining our club was one of the best things I ever did . First , we found a home , and then it was time to settle into our new environment . What better way than to join the AWCH ? In 2000 , which is when we moved to Hamburg after 20 years in the US , I went to a luncheon held in a restaurant that required a ferry ride across the Elbe . There was a terrific view across the water to the Fischmarkt with the Michaelis in the background . Here I met Becky , who suggested I apply for a teaching post at the International School of Hamburg . Her suggestion led to a happy time as a teacher there which lasted until I left Germany last year .
Our club has changed over the years because our lives are different today . Many members have German husbands or partners , and Hamburg is a permanent home for them . In the past , women came for a year or two , usually on a work assignment or accompanying a spouse . These women needed an instant set of friends to help them settle here . Today , most of our members are working women with no time for leisurely lunches , and our club has adapted and offers more evening and weekend activities . The emphasis on raising money for worthy causes , however , has remained a constant .
Even though I ‘ m no longer living in lovely St . Georg , I ‘ m still a member of the club . New members , I say embrace and enjoy a little bit of “ home ” in Germany with the help of our club .
Becky also told me about the Film Group , which I loved . As well as seeing movies for the small price of writing a critique afterward , I discovered that this group hosts an Oscar party ( no watching the awards ceremony live beforehand because we play film bingo when we watch the recorded ceremony on Nancy T .‘ s television ). We also have an annual brunch or afternoon tea where we get together to chat .
During school vacations , I had a busman ‘ s holiday and went to proofreading sessions for Currents . These meetings were usually held in the restaurant above Abaton Kino so that we could eat while we worked . These two groups were my staples , but I ‘ ve enjoyed many other activities over the years . A very , very hot Fourth of July barbecue stands out because the day was as hot as Independence Day usually is in the States but also because we sweltered in a glass-top boat taking us back to Landungsbrücken when the celebrations were over .
Nancy drew some of us for a Filmfest cover in 2006 . We don ‘ t look a day older !!
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