My real name is Amanda. I grew up in the Pittsburgh, PA area, but spent 5 years in Blacksburg, VA with my husband, George, and an assortment of amazing people. When I left for Germany, I had Oreos, a journal with Dorothy’s ruby red slippers on the cover, a faded Virginia Tech T-shirt, and my neti pot wrapped in a Terrible Towel in my carry-on luggage.
I earned a Fulbright Scholarship for the 2011-2012 academic year and was an English Teaching Assistant at the Gymnasium Damme in Damme, Niedersachsen, Germany. I started this blog to share my experiences in Germany. I also hope this blog could provide some insight &/or assistance to anyone thinking of living abroad.
I returned to the US in July to begin a new adventure in a new city: New York. If you have a question or something to add, please feel free to post it in the comments. Thanks for reading!
If you’re wondering about the title of this blog, read about it here.
The Adventures of Heidi Hefeweizen 
I have visited Germany, Austria and Switzerland numerous times and served in the US Air Force in Europe in the 1960s. When I was there you could get 4 German Marks for 1 US$. Big change. Hope you enjoy traveling and teaching.
I’m loving every minute of it! Thanks, Richard!
Dear colleague Amanda, I was also a gymnasial teacher at Damme. That was my last of five years in 1977, the previous four years were at Holzminden (south of Hanover). In the early 60s I had met and married my German wife while stationed with the American military in Bavaria. After finishing my studies in my native Arizona, we returned to Germany for those five years with our then 3 children. I am delighted to read how you enjoyed your stay there, which I can well relate to. I happened to find you while searching for our old address in Osterfeine. It was a small apartment complex for teachers like us. On Sandstrasse, I think. Did you also live there? Know the street number? Thank you, Paul
Hello Paul. I am currently back in the US, but while I was in Damme, I lived in the Wienerei. I did spend a good deal of time in the Osterfeine tent at Carneval, though.
Hello! I Wanted to let you know that I am nominating you for a Versatile Blogger Award. I enjoy your blog; it reminds me how much I miss Germany! Keep up the great work!
Would you be open to a dialogue about your Fulbright application? I’m interested in the process and the grant in general.
Heidi, I’m so glad I stumbled across your blog! How receptive did you find people were to you being American?
I myself am embarking on a indefinitely ending journey to Europe, and have been trying to lose my American tendencies!