Are You Into Mini-Novels?

So. About a month has passed by already since my last entry! I sort of hate to think of it, but it's about time I start accepting the inevitable. One thing I am strongly considering is doing a Master's Program here in Germany! Not sure how that's all going to play out, but I've begun researching. That eliminates the hardest task a.k.a. starting...

I always want to write my blog entry in some awesome and cohesive format, but then I get bored writing it and feel like it's a chore more than something meant to be enjoyable. Currently, I am sitting the cafe of our hotel here in Frankfurt am Main! The CIEE group and I were casually strolling down the riverside and all of a sudden, it started POURING rain!! It was so funny. I ended up being able to wring out my jacket like a sponge when we finally got back to the hotel! Now we have a little free time to just work on schoolwork, relax, or catch up with family & friends. I am planning on accomplishing a little bit of all three :)

In other news, I want to catch up on the some of the fun events I have done over the past month! I will list them and then write a couple notable things that I like/remember from the events. (Post-Writing Note: I wrote a lot more than a 'couple' things haha) ...Let's begin!:

Easter in Oslo, Norway: It was so beautiful the whole weekend, and the history there was really interesting. We visited a park with a unique collection of totally nude sculptures. That was kind of unexpected haha, but we soaked in as much as possible...We even went to a museum about Vikings! The artifacts were unbelievable and I was able to read all the informational plaques since they had English translations everywhere. Can't deny that being a native English speaker has its advantages ;)  Back to Norway...we managed to book an awesome 6-person hotel apartment that gave us plenty of space for the weekend. We also took a GORGEOUS three hour boat tour around the fjord. We saw colorful houses all situated on the hillsides of the islands and even found a patch of water that was still frozen over. Can you believe that it was sunny enough to sit outside in the stern in such a chilly bay? That's what I meant by beautiful weather...check out these pictures!

      

Early Morning 'Bake-a-thon': So after meeting Caleb's, another of the U.S. students, host family, I was invited to go over early one Sunday morning to bake from scratch with one of the host brothers, Nicholas, who I guess finds baking as a kind of passion. Anyways, I went over a 7:30 am and learned how to bake homemade bagels (what what!), English muffins with raisins & cranberries (Cape Coddah fo' Lyfe), and even a special buttery pound cake with a sugary, almond topping! That sounds like we had a feast, but another 9 people live in the house, so it was all gone rather quickly! Unfortunately, I forgot to take some pictures. You'll just have to trust me that everything turned out delicious. It was so much fun learning how to make dough, weighing in the Metric System, and practicing the patience to bake/make things perfectly. I seriously completed one of my personal goals to learn how to bake from scratch!! Bonus: The cookbook was in German, which I correctly followed when doubling the recipes...woop woop!


Schnitzeljagd!: About two Fridays ago, I also participated in a Schnitzeljagd-which is German for scavenger hunt! Since the CIEE group is only 6 students, a couple other students came along to make the teams a little larger. Also, James and Caleb (two CIEE'ers) were quite cocky about beating me in the hunt, and I made it a point to say they were largely mistaken. We couldn't choose our teams, but it turned out Juan & I plus two guests students were pitted against Caleb, James, and a couple other students! I was so determined to win that we solved the riddles and found the hinted locations very quickly :) A great part was during a break at the Brandenburger Tor, where the woman who had created this whole activity gave us each a hot cup of coffee and a cookie--no big deal until you consider she made them look like the Tor! So cute hehe. I have to mention that one of each team's on-going tasks was to take pictures of as many Berlin Bear emblems as we could find. They needed to be authentic emblems, so that was part of the fun in what I am about to tell you...As we walked around the Bundestag searching for our tasks, we walked past a group of police officers. I remembered that they each have a Berlin Bear on their sleeves and sometimes on their hats, so I boldly approached them and asked in German in we could take a picture of them! They smiled as I positioned them in a line and had them sport their arm badges for the photo :) That was such a fun experience. Need I mention the icing on the cake when our team beat the other team (Caleb & James--mwahaha) by only one thing. All other points being equal, our team had 1 more Berlin Bear photo than theirs...so it's quite appropriate to say the police saved the day! ;D

Goya & Mauer Park Weekend: To start off this section, I find it relevant to briefly discuss my bicycle situation. Basically, I have not ridden a bike since I was about 8 years old. I practiced once or twice before coming to Germany, but I was still very nervous after arriving! Well, since spring is here, my host parents gave me my bike to ride when and where I want it. I needed my host dad to help me out the first few days I practiced. And then a week ago, my host mother and I went on an hour-long bike ride through the woods with the dogs! Safe to say I am gladly riding it to and from the U-Bahn stations, parks, and also through the woods at my leisure! I never thought I'd see this day so soon where I would feel so comfortable (and free!) on a bike. The breeze is always so nice--it makes me tempted to try a motorcycle, but no moves in that direction yet! Moral of the Story: On the Saturday evening before last, I took my bike to the U-Bahn and then took to the subway to Wittenbergplatz and met up with Sophia. We went to a club/theater house called Goya because there was a 'semester kick-off' Berlin universities party! There was a live instrumental band with a dance team when we first walked in (along with vouchers for 2 free Jaegermeister shots). Later, a band with two singers went on a stage and performed about 10 party-faves live for us! Mostly Justin Timberlake songs which, as a young female American, you know I enjoyed singing along to! To top off a great night out, we went to the Mauer Park flea market on Sunday morning! We didn't buy anything, but we just strolled about with the rest of Berlin's people and explored/teased each other with all the funny and weird things people were selling. Some things were cool like artwork, leather bags, and homemade jewelry, while other things like complete sofa sets and used thing-a-ma-jigs were outrageously bizarre!

Sophia's Birthday: Sophia's birthday is the first of  May, which here in Germany is a holiday! We had no classes and went to a HUGE festival near Warschauer Strasse--a very lively part of Berlin with a big park named Gorlitzer Park. There were literally thousands of people all over the place with bands playing, people dancing (including us), and plenty of food and drink to make the merry even more, well, merrier! One side note: I used my recently acquired baking skills to make Sophia homemade vanilla bean cupcakes with chocolate icing! They came out perfectly sweet, but once again were gone in a flash due to the 5 people living at my house--and also many of them going to Sophia!

I think I have given enough updates to take a breather and continue with the rest of my life ;) More to come soon about Frankfurt am Main and even about Munich--since I going there this upcoming weekend!! So much Germany, so little time...so weit so gut! By the way, I am improving my German at a rapid pace! I almost can't believe how much I can say and understand already!

Meine Hause und alle die deutsche Dinge

About my home-stay & host family:

My host family is amazing. They make me feel so welcome and comfortable! I think they are enjoying my company so far, and I am very happy about that...it is the best and most important thing to me since I am fortunate enough to be a guest in their home (which I love, by the way)! I have a host mother, father, two sisters, two brothers, & two dogs. I love feeling cared for and also invited daily to delicious dinners with the family! We speak only in German all the time, so my German is continuing to get better and better! Here is a photo of the view from the balcony off my room :) Also, here's the woods nearby where I walk one of the family's dogs, Filou-who is actually in one of the pictures! Of course, things look a little different now since the weather is starting to warm up and melt away the snow :)

About my Berlin discoveries:

To try and discuss all that I have uncovered and experienced here in Berlin so far would be too much like a textbook! I have gained a lot of knowledge about Germany and of Berlin's past, present, and somewhat unpredictable future. Three notable quotes which I have been told (more than once) are:

"Berlin ist arm, aber sexy." (Berlin is poor, but sexy) -Klaus Wowereit

"Paris is always Paris and Berlin is never Berlin!" -Jack Lang

"Berlin ist eine Stadt, verdammt dazu, ewig zu werden, niemals zu sein" (Berlin is a city damned forever to becoming, never to being) -Karl Scheffler

Basically, these short blurbs illustrate the reality of Berlin. It's a city where money isn't really the root of all happiness. New York is definitely the kind of materialistic city you would consider rich. I think of Berlin as rich in culture, diversity, and in the ability to accept people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and origins. I've crossed paths with nothing except genuinely nice people here in Berlin. Also, the Paris quote hints at the fact that no particular population dominates the city or determines its direction. There are so many small niche groups that make up the city as a whole. I mean, less than a century ago Berlin was destroyed in every way possible. It has been rebuilt from the bottom up with the intentions of starting fresh and with solid footings. The only real dilemma is that Berlin will--in a cultural and political sense--never be set in stone...Perfect for people like me because as an outsider, you're actually right where you belong :) My program leader said,  "Berlin can change you, but you too can change Berlin." We'll see about that, haha. It seems a little ambitious, but I am always up for a challenge!

I love learning about the city via tours, films, museums, etc...But what has truly been the most valuable are the people themselves. You cannot get an accurate feel for Berlin's disturbing past with historical sites alone. The DDR museum is memorable, but nothing beats talking to people who were alive during World War II. I was privileged enough to meet Günther Schaefer, one of the first artists to paint a portion of the official artwork on the Berlin Wall! His work is on the wall at the East Side Gallery. My program group went on a tour with him and even got to go to his private home/studio and hear a short biography about his life. Those kinds of human interactions absolutely top a museum. I could really feel the emotions he had about his childhood growing up in a divided Germany. His recent artwork insinuates that those experiences are still prevalent and influential in his life today...And to think he's only one of many here in Berlin who have their own stories from those hard times...Here's some pictures related to the wall, and also a few of Günther!

About other noteworthy Berlin sights:

On an excellent city tour with my CIEE group, our guide named Dennis was really entertaining! He was funny enough that you paid attention, but he was also thoroughly educated on the sights and could answer every question he was given. We went to points such as the Reichstag, Brandenburger Tor, and walked a fairly extensive stretch of where the Berlin Wall once split family-filled neighborhoods right down the middle. Certain stories were almost comical, for example why Victoria, atop the Brandenburger Tor, is looking towards the French Embassy in Pariser Platz. She was named 'victory' (instead of 'peace') when she was returned to Germany after Napoleon stole her. The plaza was deemed 'Pariser,' so that it symbolized 'Victory over Paris/France.' I think it's pretty clever and even funny that she was re-sculpted to stare right at the French Embassy. Anyways, there were also other stories that touched my heart and brought me close to tears. A prime example is the story of Ida Siekmann. She is known as the first 'victim' of the Wall...There are lots of other people who literally 'fell' victim to the wall's erection, as they sometimes tried jumping over and out of buildings to reach the other side. But since Ida's the first, here's her story. The Holocaust Memorial evoked lots of thinking as well. I was told the artist made it with no real, concrete, or intended meaning. It is what you make of it, so any and every interpretation is valid and acceptable. One detail I find interesting is that the actual Jewish Victim Memorial lies beneath the dozens of stone columns--almost as if to remind us (present-day visitors) that the past for Jewish people in Germany is always going to be dark and considered  something most people prefer keeping hidden...

       

Above: Me in the midst of the Holocaust Memorial columns, an appropriately dark and grim photo depicting a portion of 'No Man's Land,' a portrait of Ida near where she once lived, the Reichstag, an up-close view of what a person might have seen when peering into 'No Man's Land' (fantasizing about what lies beyond the Wall), and the Holocaust Memorial from afar.

Check Out My Clique

Time to update everything (for everyone, everywhere): Ready...Set...GO!

My CIEE program leaders & classmates:

I love my program coordinators. Benjamin and Maren are so much fun! Benjamin and I can pretty much joke about anything, so I always have a good laugh when I see him. Maren is basically my mentor/confidant and is so helpful with German & Berlin tips! This past Friday, we had a student and host family dinner at an awesome bar/tavern that's underneath the S-Bahn...Every few minutes the ceiling rumbled, but it wasn't startling-just kind of cool! It was nice to introduce my host mom and sister to the rest of the gang...and switching back and forth between English and German was fun too! Also, all the American students in my group (of only 6!) are a lot of fun to spend time with. We have already made some tours around the city as a group and have learned a lot. Including hot spots for nightlife, shopping districts, outdoor sport/relaxation areas, and most importantly historical landmarks and focal points! (More to come on those in another post) Also, we've sort of made a tradition of going to Sunday Brunch at a really nice cafe called Bilder Buch Cafe. The atmosphere is really relaxing and we spend a couple hours enjoying our meal and talk about upcoming events and even politics/economics. What can you expect from a bunch of business majors? :)  Below: My CIEE group and I standing under a famous meeting place called the Weltzeituhr (World Time Clock) in Alexanderplatz, which is a big plaza full of shopping centers! Also, at Bilder Buch Cafe--about to enjoy a perfectly-portioned assortment of  fresh fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, and bread :) Of course I had a nice cup of coffee to go with! ;)

My other new connections:
I have made so many friends! This is because in addition to my future German classmates, I will also be studying at HWR with 220 other international students! We are all bonding via our 11-day intense German lessons. I love the classes (although long) and know they'll pay off. Of the many students I've met, there isn't one person who isn't interesting or worth getting to know...everyone seems really great! In fact, I even booked my Easter weekend trip with five of them! Next Friday I am travelling to Oslo, Norway and staying in a suite at a hotel rated as Traveler's Best in 2012...not too bad! ;) Who'd have though some Americans, Brits, Scots, and Aussies would team up to celebrate in Norway? Haha, I wonder what kinds of fun we'll have while away...but I still have one more week of intensive German classes until I can find out! Below are a few pictures of myself: one with a new friend, Sophia, one of me at the international student orientation at HWR, and one with some friends at a pub crawl! By the way, Sophia is from Great Britain, but we get along like we've known each other for ages...so cool to bond with people from all around the world!





















Once again, more to come soon about my sightseeing adventures, home-stay and host family!

Better Late Than Never

Ich bin in Deutschland...
Alles ist wunderbar!
Das ist alles.


Das ist nur ein Witz ;)

Ich moechte nur in Deutsch schreiben, aber Ich brauche mehr Uebung! Here's a slice of my adventures so far, I still have a couple small texts to put on here, but I wanted to get the ball rolling. One thing I'll mention beforehand is that my whole entire atmosphere is absolutely beautiful and like a dream. Deep, huh? ;)

My arrival & first couple of days:

Juan and I said goodbye to our families and friends, headed through safety check with our most valuable assets, and looked ahead-leaving doubt and fear back in the U.S. of A. Our trek was a bit tedious at points, but we had fun surprises like a free bottle of champagne on the plane (for my birthday), Irish pudding with coffees, and winning lottery tickets in Dublin to keep us going! When we finally arrived in Berlin, I exhaled like I had been underwater for hours. The woman driving our taxi was my first Berlin encounter, and I think I handled it well! Forty minutes later we stepped onto solid city sidewalks. With luggage at our sides, we looked up at our hotel. It was just right and the staff were so friendly! We showered and then went out to a cafe for our first German lunch. I find myself wanting to write in German and even sometimes Spanish. But for now, English will do just fine. Back to lunch: we ate at a cafe and a woman named Kristina served us "Die Tagesuppe: Paprikasuppe mit Schinken und Penne." That's the soup of the day: red pepper soup with ham and penne. It was a tasty, hot meal to help warm our spirits...yep, it did the trick!

We walked around Prenzlauer Berg for more than 6 or 7 hours in the next day or so; exploring shops, searching for jump ropes, or going to a sports bar with a couple Irish guys. We even managed to stumble upon a park, some statues I can't name, and a big brown church. Belushi's was the name of the bar. We had a good time bringing some drinks back to the hotel on my birthday night to watch Real Madrid play Manchester United. There were also some yummy foods at the breakfast buffet in the hotel, but at least Juan and I did some goods sets of abs on Wednesday morning afterwards! All in all, my first impressions of Germany-and better yet, Berlin-hit the ball right outta tha pahk. I smiled when I saw that building covered in flowers...how beautiful and fancy free? That sight alone may have just set the tone ;D

More to come soon. Literally in the next couple excerpts I plan on writing in the near future!

Chapter Two is Knocking at the Door

Howdy! Country slang isn't my usual forte, but I am doing just dandy with only 5 days to go! I have plenty to talk about, but I wanted to first initiate blogging photos! I am new to posting pictures on here, so the layout may look wacky...Eventually I will incorporate them with ease, but for now please just accept my efforts!  On the left, I am with my best four-legged friend named Kia. She is too cute to boot & I can't believe we'll be apart for the next six months! Then on the right, I am clearly conceptualizing the creation of Planet Earth...those 20-page children's books sure get my mental gears grinding ;) 

              

My best friend Emily and I spent an extended weekend together and had such a fun time! We explored the Cape, did/ate all of our favorite things like running and ice cream (juxtaposed much?), and fooled around at fun places like Main Street, Falmouth and Barnes & Nobles (pic)! My dad even picked up a bottle of Sangria from Spain which we then mixed with Lemon San Pellegrino to replicate our favorite treat (oh you fancy, huh?) The mix turned out just like the Tinto de Veranos we had during our study abroad trip in Spain last summer! I think that was my dad's attempt at a 21st birthday gift for me since I won't be within arm's length next Tuesday ;)

A couple more pictures: My cat named Li'li (pronounced 'Lee-Lee') being an adorable snuggle buddy in my blue room...I'm gonna miss that! Also, these two swans were so flirtatious! They are still dwelling on the flooded bogs behind my house, but that day they swam to me and later stepped onto land! They walked right up to me, but of course I was a wimp and headed home. I might add that I was also really cold since I had been socializing with them for about an hour. Chilly, chilly...brr!

I find this last picture to be somewhat relevant to my trip. This is a picture of the house I was born and raised in. I still live here now, but my parents will be downsizing to a condominium while I am abroad. Inside and out, the house is tidy and neutral for the real estate agents (hence the recently painted white siding and absence of all our old shrubs & bushes). I am emotionally parting with its reliably comfortable atmosphere, but it's not easy. I trust that a house is just a house, but the people inside make it a home. My childhood-encapsulated in this house-ends on Tuesday when I turn 21. Moving on and out truly marks the start of a new chapter in my life! 

Just like the saying goes, "When one door closes, another one opens."

 ...I just didn't think it would be so literal!

Receiving with a Smile

Well, I just got back to Falmouth tonight and decided to blog again because a lot of awesome things happened this weekend!

For starters, the Valentine's Day dance and charity event was fun! I danced for hours with my friends and definitely polished up some of my signature moves ;) Haha. Then my friend Lauren's birthday dinner was also a great time. The restaurant I mentioned in the previous post named Barcelona was beautiful, the staff were totally fun, and the food was delicious! I only shared an appetizer with my new friend Michelle. She's vegetarian, so from the fairly extensive tapa menu we split a nice little taste of grilled butternut squash with honey and pistachios. It sounded weird at first, but it was definitely something I'd order again! Anyways, Lauren's friends were really nice and fun to hang out with. I am glad it was such a successful 21st birthday for her...she and the waiter took shots together at midnight, haha!

Another great thing about this weekend is that I was able to spend time with my close friends Maddy, Emily, & Alison! We always have such a blast when we're together because our senses of humor are all on point. Alison, Emily & I actually went to the movies and saw Identity Thief today! It was hilarious, I recommend it if you need a pick-me-up or just want to laugh hysterically. The best part was that I found a ten dollar bill on the ground the night before, so my ticket was free! That was on top of the fact that the commuter rail ticket collector only charged me $5 instead of $10. Then I also ended up at Il Mondo's Pizza on Friday night after the V-Day dance, and they gave me my giant slice for free too! People are awfully generous in the Bean, plus I had a bit of luck :)

So, the biggest news is tied between two things:

First, I finally received a boatload of information about my host family!!! The parents are Claus and Maike, while their four children are Jannik (25), Marlena (22), Lenja (20), and Lauritz (17). It's so cool that the kids are all right around my age because that means I'll get to meet and hang out with their friends too! They have two dogs :) , live near two lakes--Schlachtensee and Wannsee--love to be outdoors, play sports (like me), go to cultural events (yay!), and also are super interested in learning about other cultures. Can't wait to bring a little of the U.S. to their home. They live outside the city and have easy access to public transportation which is really nice! Apparently my room has its own terrace...that's exciting and sounds awesome! I am beyond ecstatic to have such a large amount of people to live with and get to know closely...can't wait! Plus the pups and two little guinea pigs will keep me from getting too homesick for my animals, hehe ;)

The second actually still hasn't hit me as reality yet. So. My professor, Petra, taught me German last semester at the Goethe Institute in Boston. We've kept in contact and she emailed me on Tuesday mentioning a friend she has named Peter from Switzerland. Petra met him since she taught his kids German as well. Moving on, he has a friend, Johannes, who still lives there. He has two kids who stay with him at his house in Lucerne for a month or two during the summer...Well, apparently I popped into Petra's mind first thing when Peter asked if she knew any enthusiastic, responsible, German/English-speaking college students. She referred me to Peter because Johannes is looking for a summertime nanny. I met with Peter this past Friday, discussed Johannes and his two kids, and then was offered the position yesterday!! So instead of leaving Berlin for Boston in July, I will be leaving Berlin for Lucerne! The kids are adorable as far as the pictures can tell, so I cannot wait to be their fun coordinator, English teacher, and also explore the Swiss scene with them! My weekends are free for me to do as I please, so I am definitely going to do some research!

...How many dreams can come true in one lifetime? God keeps giving me happiness with new opportunities, so I'll keep receiving them with a smile & tons of gratitude!

Last Hurrah

Seventeen days and counting, people! I have definitely been making progress in the right direction lately-starting with really enjoying time with my family. I took my grandmother to lunch at a French bakery in town for Valentine's Day today. The "Croque Monsieur" and "Tarte aux Citron" we shared were delicious. I was sure to make everyone I came across today feel extra special. 'Spreading the love' is typically a part of my daily life, but of course today's holiday gave reason to a little more icing on the cake :)

From a scholastic and networking standpoint, I am also staying right on top of things! This Wednesday I invested in my own hefty stack of business cards. They were super easy to design and really inexpensive. If I do say so myself, they look pretty awesome! They'll be perfect for occasions ranging from as formal as meeting potential employers to as casual as making new friends and/or connections in the world. I think the biggest obstacle for making them useful will be remembering I have them if someone asks for my information! 

In other news, I have been studying German everyday in some sort of fashion. I love practicing the lyrics of German songs I've bought and constantly find myself singing them-especially in the car! Okay, okay, so it's not exactly academic studying...but it's fun! Maybe all the grammar's not there and the songs don't necessarily provide real-life phrases, but the variety of new words and fun melodies hook me just as much as Britney Spears or Mariah Carey. Thank God for music! Anyways, I also sit at a cafe two to three times a week and spend several hours brushing up on the more structural aspects of the language.

Aside from the enjoyment I get from all of these activities, I am still making time for other sorts of fun. I will be heading into the 8th week of my new training and fitness program-which is amazing! 6 days a week I have completed a daily minimum of 30 minutes targeted strength training, 3 miles of running, 20 minutes of abdominal exercises, and 10 minutes of yoga! My flexibility and endurance are getting even better. My nutrition's been equally as good and I feel extremely accomplished. I pray that I maintain this healthy lifestyle for many, many years to come! I have also played with my pets a lot, made phone calls to more distant relatives, and read a few good books. One in particular, being "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell, is definitely a great book for people looking to learn the 'art' of becoming successful.

Tomorrow I'm taking the train off Cape to spend a long weekend with my college friends in Boston and I cannot wait! There's a Valentine's Day charity event at Wentworth tomorrow night. Then my good friend Lauren turns 21 on Sunday, so we're going to a new 'authentic' Spanish restaurant called Barcelona on Saturday night to celebrate until the clock strikes midnight! I look forward to being around all of my closest classmates and friends once again...it will be a great last hurrah before I leave!