Eurocation 2019 – Wednesday
So, on Wednesday of our first 6-people Eurocation, we woke up at the Gasthaus Rhymbecke in Bochum. Bochum is the city where I was born. It is also at the heart of the “Ruhrpott”, referring to the river Ruhr which runs through this part of Germany and where many of its coal and steel mines are located. I personally and jokingly refer to that particular area as “the Pittsburgh of Germany” 😉
So, naturally, and especially since 2017 was the year that Germany turned off its very last coal mine, we needed to go visit the Deutsche Bergbaumuseum in Bochum.
Our kids with the last piece of coal ever mined in Germany, on display at the Bergbaumuseum in Bochum, NRW.
Even though my kids had done the tour of the museum, courtesy of my Godmother in Bochum, back in 2014, it is still an experience to take the elevator down into the mine and walk the mine shafts, as I recall from my experience as a child. Growing up in NorthRhine Westphalia invariably includes a class field trip to the coal mines and, hearing how up until the 19th century when a law went into effect that kids could no longer be used for labor there, makes a child today more appreciative of living the life they lead, even if the newest x-box isn’t available to them.
So it was all the more important to James and me to take his children there. And, based on the discussions thereafter, we could tell that it left an impression on our children. I know it did on me, back when I was a child. Heck, it still does leave me in a tremendously grateful – almost depressed, if I care to admit it – state whenever I learn about other folks not being as blessed as I am, even as an adult(ish person). I even have the illusion that it might have carried over to Thursday, when we took them to Legoland in Duisburg, where none of them were too terribly disappointed if they couldn’t afford THE Lego-set they really really wanted, because they didn’t bring enough money with them. Here is how we deal with allowance at our house, btw. http://shakenstirredandblended.com/2019/04/29/how-to-allow-your-kids-to-get-and-use-their-allowance/
And the only reason I even bring it up is because I frequently have this conversation with people and it just happened again yesterday.
Ashley@Shakenstirredandblended
Hi, I'm Ashley and I am a freelance writer and editor for one local and one national publication. In my spare time, I teach foreign languages and manage two households. Oh, and raise four children. It's a crazy life that I chose and I love every second of it :o)
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Hi, thank you for commenting. I love your website and I wish you were closer for my hair and that of my children :). We went back in June/July and I got my hair done in Germany; I’ll try to remember to send you a link when I get around to doing a post on that 🙂 Happy New Year!
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