When my daughter and her husband were stationed in Germany she bought me a Pfaff sewing machine. She got a very good price and carried it home on one of her trips. I learned to sew on Singer machines and that was what I was using at the time. I still like that old singer but don't ask me to give up my pfaff! It is a wonderful machine. Check around and see what kind of a deal you can get. I can't remember where the kids were stationed but it was close to the pfaff plant.