When I was moving back to the States, I looked for German meetup groups. I'd had great success with the Frankfurt Expats Meetup, so I searched for German meetups in Dallas. Lo and behold, there was one! So in August or September 2005, I attended my first meetup. It was awkward, I had no idea who I was meeting in this very busy Irish pub in Dallas, but I stuck it out and eventually saw two or three other people with a German flag on the table. We were a small group, just 4 people, but it was awesome speaking German with other non-German's who loved the language and experiences they'd had while there. The next month we met at an Austrian restaurant in Plano. So cool - speaking German in an almost German restaurant. And a different set of 4 people! Well, I was hooked. I try to go to each of our monthly meetings. It's great meeting new people and seeing (now) familiar faces and speaking German! In Dallas!
This last meeting I got to meet CAD Monkey and Man Thing. I tell you, the world is really small. CAD Monkey started reading this blog when I lived in Germany, and then I move to Dallas where she and ManThing live! They are very nice people and while I'm sure most of the evening was a blur for them, their German is pretty good. :)
Then this afternoon I was talking to my boss about the German Meetup and re-discovered that he took 4 years of German in High School and that one of my other co-workers lived and studied in Germany. I tried convincing the boss he should come to a Meetup, but he's shy. I might convince him one day though. Then I went and spoke with the other co-worker and actually surprised him into a (small) conversation auf Deutsch. He was surprised that he remembered so much German. I'm devious that way. He's agreed to come to the next meeting in Dallas. Woo hoo! I tell ya, I'm going to convert my company into German speakers. Oh, speaking of, apparently the CEO speaks ein bisschen Deutsch. I'll have to accost him the next time he's in town. Bwwhhhaaahaha.
