"Kept on looking for a sign in the middle of the night..."

So long and thanks for all the bratwurst.

I've finally made the decision to throw in the towel here in Germany.  My last day as an English teacher/freelancer in Germany will be July 25th.

This was an incredibly hard choice to make, and one that I think you know I've been struggling with almost since I got here.  At the end of the day, there is a lot that I like about Germany and I enjoy the teaching (if not the commuting), but despite long working days I was simply not making enough to sustain myself long-term in this country.  I explored all manner of various avenues to make things work, but as a slow spring turned into a slow summer, the deadness of August loomed and I realized that I'd soon be coming full circle, looking at a slow autumn where "people aren't looking to start classes now, everyone is focusing on Christmas... there will be classes in January... in the spring..."

You get the point.

So, I quit.  It's ironic to me that the one country where I found I couldn't hang had nothing to do with hardships, with pissing in a hole or suffering continual illness, or even facing a truly wretched teaching situation.  Germany -- the epicenter of Europe and the modern world -- was simply too much for me.  The almighty euro sent me packing where an entire year of "-ituses" couldn't get it done.

I'm very sad to be leaving.  But I also know that, at this point, it was the right choice for me to make.

And don't worry, there will be more to come on the details of my situation here, because if anything I'd like to help someone else avoid the many mistakes that I made.  But for now, this is all I feel comfortable saying.

However.  The one upside to this depressing-as-hell post is that I must -- simply must -- see the best parts of Germany before I fly.  It would have been handy to have made this decision while there was still a veritable slew of (unpaid) long weekends, but such is life.  I will do what I can. :)  Next weekend I'll be off to see the beauties of Nuremburg and Rothenberg ob der Tauber, so there's a little something for everyone to look forward to.

And where am I going, you wonder?  Do I have a plan?  As a matter of fact, I do.  But that reveal is for another day.

Because this post could use some levity, here's the song that inspired my title, and has sort of become a bit of a theme song for this transition.  Enjoy.