Before we left Toronto, I assured Rafi that two things would give him instant street cred with German kids—soccer and Pokémon. He was skeptical about the latter, but to his delight, he discovered his classmates trading Pokémon cards the moment he stepped into his classroom on day one. As for the former, it took a few days for him to warm up to the other kids, but the day he was invited into a game of footy was a game-changer. I picked him up that afternoon wet, muddy, and smiling.
Recess Fußball has been a bit hit-or-miss, but we were quick to sign Rafi up for the Merzhausen Soccer League, where he now plays twice a week. He isn’t among the strongest players, but what he lacks in skill, he more than makes up for in sheer determination. It’s something else to witness grit developing in real time. Of course, he’s also old enough to notice his “shortcomings”—literally. “Lovis and his brother have muscles when they lift their shirts,” he told me the other day. “Why is my body so short and squishy?” I didn’t realize the dream of a Calvin Klein underwear model physique started this young.
On Sunday, we invited one of Rafi’s classmates and his parents over for brunch. After eating, the boys set off for the schoolyard soccer pitch. His friend’s mom handed her son a key and told him to scooter home alone when he was done. Turns out latchkey kids aren’t just a distant Gen X memory here in Freiburg. Rafi stayed behind after his friend left, practicing his Lupfer (I think that’s a “lob” in English) and eventually joined a whole new group of kids.
A highlight came last Saturday when our lovely neighbors hooked us up with two tickets to the Freiburg-Heidenheim game. I’m told the game itself was relatively uneventful, but Rafi was over the moon. He even learned the Freiburg anthem in advance, which begins, “SC Freiburg, immer wieder vor!” (SC Freiburg, always forward!), followed by something about Bavarians and Swabians taking a hike—very poetic. Erol bought Rafi a team scarf, which fans swing above their heads while chanting, and Rafi proudly joined in. Nothing says I belong like repeatedly flinging wool accessories in the air, right?
Rafi's newfound independence is a joy to behold. When a classmate invited a bunch of boys over after school, we sent Rafi off that morning with his scooter, which he dutifuly locked up in front of the building. Then, like a pint-sized biker gang, they zipped out of the schoolyard, weaving through 1.5 km of bustling streets—completely unsupervised. Well, almost. The only reason I have photographic proof is that Erol couldn’t resist a little undercover surveillance. Ever since then, my otherwise cautious, risk-averse kid is keen to do things by himself. I'm eager to import these new habits to Toronto when we return!
The other day, on a whim (and, admittedly, because he was getting on my nerves), I sent him to the bakery to pick up some bread. He took off on his scooter and was back in record time. When I opened the door just 12 minutes later, there he was—beaming, cheeks flushed, and giving me a triumphant thumbs-up. The next day, he decided to go back to get himself a hot chocolate at the adjacent bakery. Now he’s lobbying to go Einkaufen (shopping) solo every day after school. At this rate, we’ll soon be drowning in groceries.
Leo is similarly thrilled about the grocery store, mostly because of the Leergutautomat—a reverse vending machine that takes in empty bottles in exchange for Pfand (a bottle deposit), the proceeds of which I sometimes let him keep. When asked what he plans to do with his growing fortune, he always replies, “I don’t spend my money!” Good to know someone in the family is keeping the anti-Semitic stereotype alive. At the same time, he’s fully embracing a German stereotype, carefully sorting the remaining non-Pfand bottles at the glass depot. Recycling is a cherished pastime in this country.
Quick change of topic to plug another important F-word, namely Fasching. Also known as Karneval or Fastnacht, Fasching is southern Germany’s excuse to go absolutely feral before Lent. While we’ll miss some of the madness for a ski trip, the kids are excited for Schmutziger Dunschtig (“Dirty Thursday”) next week, the unofficial kickoff to the chaos. Picture kids in costume, jesters taking over towns, confetti flying, etc. Rafi will be a knight (sword in hand), and Leo is going as a dragon (also with a sword—because fairness). I’m not entirely sure what to expect, but if other German festivities are any indication, I imagine it’s another excuse to drink copious amounts of beer.
Last weekend, we had a wonderful visit from the boys’ big brother, Ruben, and his girlfriend, Janina. Ruben stayed on longer (he just left yesterday), and it was so beautiful to see how much Rafi and Leo adore him.
Happiness achieved through learning new skills is so beautiful!