A Better World Through Blogging
Shortly after I started blogging last January, I met a fellow expatriate blogger here in Munich. I found her completely by chance because I just thought the name of her site sounded cool, “Raspberry World,” when I stumbled upon it via Blogger’s recently updated list. I had no idea she was in Munich when I clicked on that link the first time, but when I discovered she was, I sent her an email. We went out for “coffee” (OK, hot chocolate) a few days later and hit it off. From then on we met quite often and did fun things together until her husband got transferred back to the States in August.
Well, Susie is back in town this week! And tomorrow we are going to get together and have lunch and cruise town. I am so excited to see her! Shortly before she left, I discovered that she had cross stitched in the past and I encouraged her to start again. Together we are participating in some online cross stitching activities and tomorrow we will be visiting the stitching shops here, along with some standard shopping.
It never ceases to amaze me that I have “met” so many people through blogging. Sure, I have technically only met a few in person, but I feel like when and/or if I ever meet some of my regular reads we will have plenty to talk about and very little of those “awkward silences.”
For example, recently Vivi and Tracey set up The Great International Secret Blog Exchange. I didn’t participate in this round because I was already participating in something similar through a cross stitch board, but if they do a second round I definitely want to get involved.
And then, once again thanks to Vivi, I just learned about a proposed European English Language Book Exchange. I am very excited about this because though I am a librarian, I am not a book collector. There aren’t a lot of good opportunities to get rid of used books here and so if someone else would like something that I no longer want, I am happy to send it on to them. And of course, the major benefit is that I get something too! I really hope someone has Dean Koontz’s Whispers. I have wanted to read it for ages, but for some reason always forget when I order from amazon.de.
Since I am a housewife and have no job outside the home, sometimes life in a foreign country can get a little lonely. But through blogging I have discovered that I am NOT alone and that always makes things easier. Yes, I think it is true: It is without doubt “A Better World Through Blogging.”
17 March 2005 at 02:39
yup..i’m in the same place as you are. Being in a foreign country CAN get very lonely..and i have made so many friends from the blogging world who have been supportive and made it way easier, as you said
*huggles*
17 March 2005 at 10:32
I’m with you. I am new to your site, do you have kids? For me when I am at home, blogging is a great way to communicate. It makes me feel less lonely..American in London
17 March 2005 at 16:33
Just dropping by to say Happy St Patrick’s Day!
19 March 2005 at 17:43
I’m glad you’ve found some friends through blogging. Are you keeping up on library topics through LISNews.com? I didn’t work for 10 years to be home with the children, and when I went back–my what a change (the cusp of the computerized library era). But the changes are even faster today. A good way to keep up.
I’ve linked to your site under Librarian Bloggers.
20 March 2005 at 17:19
Last Wednesday, I went to a Baltimore-Bloggers-Happy-Hour. It was a lot of fun, and I got to meet a lot of people whose blogs I’d been reading for quite some time. One dude - a blog reader (not a blogger) - showed up and said, “It’s like meeting famous people!”