The Roden Expat Adventure

Oh the places you will go said Dr. Seuss. I didn’t realize how true that would be as we started this expat journey mid-year of 2015.The first year is tough. Really tough. You do not know the language or the culture of your work place or the rules…and in Germany there are many. How to sort the trash? What do all those traffic signs mean, (I failed miserably at this many times before finally passing the tests and receiving my license which I will never give up!!) and you really miss your family and your friends.

But you soon meet new friends on this expat journey and you are quickly pulled together because of that common thread of missing home but at the same time thrilled to explore new lands. You start trading ideas on travel and tips on how to navigate the grocery store! And before long you are making plans for dinner at our favorite Massimo’s or to attend one of the many awesome festivals with the expat crew AND the new people you have met in your new home: Oktoberfest, Japan Festoval, the Wine Festival, Gourmet Food Festival, French Festival, May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Karnival, World Cup and oh my all-time favorite, The Christmas Markets! I was on a mission to collect as many adorable mugs from as many Markets as I could visit during my time here. With COVID I missed a whole season and for that I was super sad!

And while the local experiences in Dusseldorf/Kaiserswerth and Cologne are fabulous, it is also the ability to explore new lands that makes this journey feel like you are almost living a dream!!! My cousin said I should be writing this all down so I could make a t-shirt at the end – Roden Clan Expat Adventure! Our first trip was Paris where we explored the beautiful city and enjoyed the wonderful food and wine. From there it was trips to England, Wales, Belgium for the great chocolate, fries and beers, Netherlands for groceries on Sunday to Amsterdam for fun to see the tulips and the beach to a few cruises, a Mediterranean and Baltic Cruise, to London for a few country concerts, to Egypt to Iceland to Spain to Portugal to Italy to Scotland to France again to Ireland to name a few with the family. This adventure has been by far the best experience for all of my family. The places we have seen and experienced will never be forgotten.

I am blessed, really, to have this awesome job at Bayer where I have had the chance to live my motto: ‘Work hard. Play hard.’ I have so enjoyed traveling for this role and meeting colleagues around the world and learning about their culture and how ag is practiced there. My adventures brought me to Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Brazil, Spain, France, Australia, Canada and of course luckily back to the US as well.

And to the team who accepted me and grew with me in Germany, Singapore, France, Brazil, Basel, and the US, I am forever grateful for your trust and belief in what we could and did accomplish together. To my leadership team, your agility, passion, and commitment to our work will never be forgotten. Just remember to ‘Slow down to go fast. Don’t pass the fruitcake. And no boring Sh*t!’

For all those who ventured out to experience the shenanigans in Europe, I will always cherish those memories. The tours, trips to the ‘window’, dinners at Massimo’s, drinks in the Alstadt to dancing at the 80s bar, you made this experience all the better! And for all of you who joined in my big 5-0 celebration in a castle in Italy, words cannot describe how awesome that time was. My heart will forever be full from that magical time.

I know I am a better human because of this journey and appreciate and value the differences we all have. I will carry that with me forever.

Today is bittersweet as we leave our home for the last 6 years. The home where my youngest grew up and spent her high school years. Where my older girls and nephew visited to explore and spread their wings to the house that hosted numerous Thanksgivings and so many backyard gatherings –welcoming people to sending people off in style!

These 6 years are life changing…for the better. Thanks to all of you who made this journey some of the best years of my life! This is not a goodbye but only a see you soon. Stay well friends. Tschuss!