Returns on Investments

We actually live in Germany (Busingen). But, we stay confused. Busingen is a village that sits on a piece of land about 3 miles square and is surrounded by Switzerland.  When we leave campus in our little borrowed Ford, we take our GPS, our passports, and a rabbit's foot (just kidding!). Leaving for us means we are headed out for a Saturday day trip or for our once-a-week grocery shopping excursion, which is rather time-consuming because we don't speak or read much German and often are unsure of what we are buying. Depending upon our intended destination, we often weave back and forth through Germany and Switzerland as the highway leads. All roads through villages allow for 50Km.  Go over that and we will sorely regret it!  But on the open road, we can drive 80-100Km depending upon the country.  Exceed that and we will more than sorely regret it.  Since the borders frequently coalesce, border signs are oftentimes not posted.  Indeed, to avoid a very stiff fine, which may have to be paid on site, Jim drives only 80Km on the open road all the time to the dismay of the seasoned driver behind us who knows which country he is in.  So, weave across borders with us and let's go to the supermarket.

Once we arrive at our market, which we know is in Germany because we have memorized the way and the speed limits, the cultural education continues.  Upon our first visit, we notice the absence of abandoned grocery carts in the parking lot. This is because all supermarkets here use the "Aldi grocery-cart system," put a coin in when taking a cart and retrieve the coin when returning the cart. Return on investment! At first, we had great difficulty determining which coin since we mix our Euros and Franc coins (but not anymore!). When shopping is completed, we are given a VAT Tax Return form (Ausfuhrschein) to fill out (see above photo).  We are in Germany, remember, but we have to weave borders to get back home. Careful attention is advised here.  Between the supermarket and home, there is a German Zoll (customs) booth.  We can, of our own accord, stop, show our supermarket receipt and passport, and get our VAT paper stamped.  The next time we return to that supermarket, we get the tax (above, it's 3,06 Euros) deducted from our grocery bill. Return on investment!  On down the road, however, we might have weaved back into Switzerland at which point we can be stopped by the Swiss police who may inquire of our outing and ask for our passports. They can also ask to see our supermarket receipt.  Since the German Euro buys more than the Swiss Franc, many Swiss citizens buy food in Germany and bring it home to Switzerland, and the border guards are particularly alert to any kind of hoarding or large quantity food purchases.  There are restrictions upon the amount of food that can be brought from Germany into Switzerland per person in the car per day. And, there is a food list, including milk products, vegetables, oil, juices and even horse and mule meat!  If violated, both fines and taxes are enough to make shoppers cry.  Switzerland doesn't mind where you shop, but their laws secure their economy.

Germany is serious about recycling and to make it alluring to its citizens, this symbol of an arrow encircling a person and a container is printed on the side of plastic bottles and/or containers.  We are totally on board with this!
At the entrance to supermarkets, customers form long lines to drop their plastic items into a machine that tallies up about 25cents per item.



The machine spits out a receipt that the customer can either receive as a refund in cash or apply to his purchase. Return on investment! This symbol is for German plastics.  Switzerland has its own symbols and German machines refuse Swiss plastic! 

Every Sunday after our International church meets, we all go into the fellowship area where coffee, tea, juices and sweet biscuits are served.  No one is in a hurry to leave.  They linger with their coffee and tea, absorbed in the activities and news of each other and of the past week.  Initially, this fellowship time seemed long - you know, Americans - get their early and leave early. But, we have begun to relax and enjoy this fellowship time.  We meet people from all over the world and hear about what brought them to this church. We share how the church has changed our lives.  We are discovering connections and interests that we would have otherwise missed.  We are extending these new friendships outside the church now. 
Return on investment! 



(The best return on this list today.)


Returns on investments surround us, but what do we
invest in that will last?


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Keep looking up!
J:m and L:nda