By ELIZABETH DAVIES

The Associated Press

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Standing in the shadows of a 55-foot printing press, these three men could easily be anywhere in the world.

They have been the power behind mammoth presses throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. They’ve done the installation, worked out the kinks and watched those babies fly.

This time, it was Rockford’s turn.

Lars Ahrens, Rene Grmling and Gerald Kunz are three of a total of six Germans who, have been installing the new press since September.

This month, they’ll pack their bags, say good-byes to their new American friends and head back to the homes they left nearly nine months ago.

After three months at home, the men will get new assignments and head off to another part of the world. They might be gone a few months or a few years. They never really know what the future might bring and that is the toughest part of their business, but they wouldn’t be doing this job if it didn’t have an upside.

“It’s the cheapest way to see the world,” said Ahrens, a 34-year-old from Hamburg.

It’s not, however, the kind of life that one leads forever. Ahrens gives himself another four years abroad then he’ll start looking for work that will let him stay home.

Although, Gerald Kunz, 34, of Homburg brought his wife to Rockford with him, he missed his family and friends. He was a bit homesick for the German way of life and particularly missed flying down the autobahn with no worries about police lights showing up in his rear-view mirror.

Wife Renata Kunz, 29, usually travels with her husband and considers wherever he is home.

“The travel is nice, meeting new people and learning new cultures,” she said. “On the other side, you don’t have your own home: It’s always in a hotel or renting an apartment.”

Two of the workers have been to the United States before, but never to the Midwest. Everywhere they’ve been, the Germans say they have been astounded by the hospitality.

“Everybody is friendly and asking how are you and helping you,” Kunz said. “If a foreigner came to Germany, it wouldn’t be that way.

“If you go to a German bar alone, you’ll spend the whole night alone,” said Rene Grmling, a 33-year-old from Wrzburn, said. “We’ve met some nice people here.”