Ticks are widely spread all over Europe and especially Germany. Ticks themselves are not dangerous, yes, they bite… but the bite itself isn’t any worse then a mosquito bite. What makes the ticks so dangerous is that they carry diseases and pass them on to their host.
You may have seen them on the news, or even out when you are walking around town or the woods. I am talking about caterpillars, oak processionary caterpillars in particular.
Living in Europe, traveling, seeing the old world…these are usually the visions families have when getting the news of a new duty station overseas. But then reality hits and there it is, the pile of “what to do next” and “how to do that”. Thankfully the internet has made things much easier and google can be a close friend during this time of need. While your move and tickets and or hotel may be all paid for by the government, try putting some extra cash aside in the months before the move, you may encounter some unexpected costs. If you end up not needing the back up money, treat yourself to your first European trip with it.
With May come the big fairs with rides, games, beer tents and great food. The city of Stuttgart kicks off with the Fruehlingsfest on the Wasen, the big fairground in the city. In Kaiserslautern, one of the biggest fairgrounds in the Palatinian region opens its doors, the Lauterer May Kerwe.
Like many others, Americans love researching their roots. May it be heading you south of the border, to Asia or perhaps towards Africa… but if your family lines bring you to Germany, you should definitely come prepared if you want to pursue your research “in the field.”