Now February is also over – another eventful month. While world politics had some lows with the German federal election and events in the USA, there were at least some highs in my private life.

In my new apartment, all the baseboards, doors, and heaters have finally been repainted, and the old floor has been completely removed. The new floor is almost fully installed, with only two rooms left to finish, and some smaller tasks still need to be done. Then we can drive to Kassel and pack everything from the apartment into boxes, so that our move from Kassel back to Braunschweig can take place the following week.

It’s impressive to see how much a new floor and freshly painted doors and baseboards can improve the impression of an apartment. This investment was long overdue after over 25 years with the same carpet.

Since we’re thrifty, we decided against hiring a moving company after getting some quotes and instead chose to do the move ourselves. We would have had to pack everything ourselves anyway, and we found some helpers through a mediation website to assist with the heavy lifting. I was also able to book a large transporter at a really good price by booking early. Unfortunately, the no-parking zones that were necessary at both locations were quite expensive. Hopefully, the plan will work out! 🤞

Saying goodbye to Kassel won’t be easy, because the city has many nice sides. At the same time, it will be worth it to not have to commute anymore, which always took up a lot of time - whether for work or family celebrations. Additionally, it’s nice to finally have all our belongings together in one household again. Braunschweig also has its charm, and after a few years of living in North Hesse, we might take some more time to rediscover our old home.

I’ll probably write the next monthly review from my new office. 😄