A New Year
A New Experience
“So, this is Solstice and what have you done
Another year over, a new one just begun
And so, this is Solstice, I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones, the old and the young
A very merry Solstice and a happy new year
Let's hope it's a good one without any fears
And so, this is Solstice for weak and for strong
The rich and the poor ones, the road is so long
And so happy Solstice for black and for white
For yellow and red ones let's stop all the fights”
Borrowed, with love, from the late and great John Lennon.
2017 was an unusual year for Julia and me - more turbulent than recent years, marked by choppy relationships and personal turmoil. I can't help but think our personal experiences were somehow influenced by America's public descent into division. This cultural shift has affected everyone I know in some way.
Of course, that's no excuse. We must own our mistakes. To those I've offended, I offer sincere apologies. To friends and family who still consider me a comrade, I'm deeply grateful.
Now we face a new year with new possibilities. Our first significant change is welcoming Anneli, a 15-year-old exchange student from Germany, into our home until summer. Pronounced "Anna-Lee," she hopes to attend Oakland Technical High School for its fashion programs.
Anneli comes from Kassel, Germany, a city of about 200,000 people on the Fulda River in northern Hesse. (The city changed its spelling from Cassel to Kassel in 1928.)
As former capital of Hesse-Kassel, the city boasts many palaces and parks, including UNESCO World Heritage Site Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe.
Kassel is also famous for documenta, a contemporary art exhibition held every five years. Founded in 1955 by artist Arnold Bode, it initially helped reintroduce modern art to post-Nazi Germany, featuring masters like Picasso and Kandinsky. Today it showcases global contemporary art.
documenta exhibition
Julia and I are thrilled to host Anneli. We admire her bravery in coming to America alone at 15 - an adventure I'm not sure I could have undertaken at her age. As immigrants ourselves, we hope to help her navigate American culture while supporting her goals.
