Weekend at my mother in law's

We were invited this weekend over at my mother in law's with my bf's brother, and his girlfriend. It was supposed to be just a little get together before we move to Berlin, which is a good 6 hour drive from here. Oh, and at the same time on sunday my bf and his brother could help just move the big furniture out of the living room because it was being re-carpeted and re-painted on monday and tuesday. yeah right.

Weel, we got there on saturday afternoon. You have to picture it, this is a small appartment, with a kitchen, 2 small bedrooms and a living room/dining room. I expected the living/dining room to be almost empty ( you know, crystal and silver packed, furniture empty, just the basic necessities so that we can have a pleasant dinner and maybe manage to eat breakfast the next day.) Well, absolutely NOTHING had been done. My mother in law really wanted us to go play tennis (even though that we were 5) so I'm thinking, since she gets up so much earlier than all of us she'll pack up and prepare everything tomorrow morning. So we go on and play tennis, it was fun, came back home, barbecued, went to bed. Sunday morning we get up... She had one, I repeat one box packed. I am not that all familiar with my mother in law, since we've been living in Canada for the past 4 years, and quite frankly I just don't know her that well yet. She had decided that we, the girls, could pack up all her stuff for her, that it would go faster. Umm, okay, would have been nice to have been asked first, but ok. Man. SO MUCH JUNK. THe furniture was dusty and she hadn't even had a look in the stuff! I found an old kleenex in her stuff. When we asked "where should we put these boxes now?" SHE HAD NO IDEA! But wait, then my bf asked exactly where the heavy furniture pieces ( 4 pieces) should go, she hadn't thought of it!!!!!! SHe just said " well actually I have no idea, it's quite difficult with my small appartment, but I'm sure you guys will figure it out." WTF?!?!?

She THEN started to order us all around like children who still live under her roof ( my bf has never lived with his mom, he was raised by his dad). I start taking pictures off the wall, and take them to one of the bedrooms. The pictures are so dusty I can't help but sneeze. At this point, we've been working for a couple of hours and I'm starting to feel insulted that she's making me do all this for her ( she is no old lady!) and then she sees me with the painting in my hands and says " well, can't you see that it's dirty?? you can go in the kitchen and wash it" (no please)

and NO, it's not over. We get a phone call from Berlin. You see, we know 2 people in Berlin: our friend Alex and his roommate. They were going to help us move in. Guess what? One broke his foot and the other hurt his back, is on bedrest and might have to be operated! Now THAT is bad luck! It really sucks for them , and we felt really bad for them, but at the same time I started panickin. We have some pretty heavy furniture and I'm not sure I can do it alone with my bf. Bf's brother, so sweet, offers right away to come with us to Berlin on Wednesday, so that he can help us unpack. Then the mother hears it. And here we go again. She claims he said he would help her move back in the furniture on wednesday. We say, well then maybe he can move back her stuff in on thursday or friday? ( her appartment is still liveable, with access to kitchen bedroom and computer) She starts FREAKING OUT saying that it's our problem and that then we should reschedule our move to thursday (oh yeah, that's really simple: huge truck we've reserved, friends to move out the furniture from here, 6-7 hour drive, appointment in Berlin with the owner...) and that there is NO WAY That she will let the brother come with us on wednesday. MY GOD. I swear, this woman will drive me nuts. I was furious. Then she suggested we all come to her house on tuesday night and move back in her living/dinning room. I say that wouldn't work for us, we have to pack our stuff up. ( we have a complete kitchen , bedroom and living room) She answers " what? no, you don't have that much" OH REALLY? thanks for telling me, you know, maybe we rented a 5.2 ton truck for nothing! Then, I say, we also have a goodbye family dinner at my bf's dad, and since we've been living here free for 3 months now and they've planned this dinner for more than a week now, unfortunately we really have to be here for the dinner. Her answer? "Well, that's not important, you can have your little dinner later" LATER? when? over the phone from Berlin?

Well, we finally left on sunday at least 3 hours later that what we had planned on and I managed to not run away from her apartment screaming. Please tell me all not mother in laws are like this.

EXEMPTED!!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I got up a 9 this morning, my bags were packed, I was totally nervous about the oral examination... Decided to call the university anyways,at least to get my appointment...

I got a 3 in every part of the written exam! ( it's the highest you can get) and so I was exempted from the oral examination! wouuuuuuuu-houuuuuuuuuu!

I did it! I did the DSH and got the best results possible!

yay me!

so, I obviously did not go to Berlin, I am now packing my stuff up for the move, which is next week. we heard yesterday that our appartment is ready... yay!

Last. Step.

I'm leaving once again tmorrow for Berlin. This will be the last step of the exam. Oral examination. Tomorrow i will receive the results of the written exam. If I succeeded, either I receive an apointment for the last part either on thursday or friday. I am nervous, because it is difficult to prepare for a discussion. I hope I don't get just too nervous and my german comes out all wrong...

Oh well, I guess this is it! it seems like all I do is ask for you guys to wish me luck, but once again, please do, and think of me on thursday and friday!

yeah, I am

You Are A: Puppy!

Beloved by all, puppies are energetic, playful, and loving. Your outgoing and friendly nature is part of what makes you a puppy. Known for their loyalty, puppies make great pets for young and old alike. And an innocent puppy face can melt anyone's heart!

You were almost a: Pony or a Lamb
You are least like a: Chipmunk or a TurtleWhat Cute Animal Are You?

500

so, in 5 hits I'm going to be at 500 visitors. Funny tha not a lot of people actually leave comments...

Everything is not so easy.

I try to be positive in life as much as I can, and believe in myself ( what other choice do I have anyways at this point?) but sometimes it's just too much.

Some days I just get in the shower and cry my eyes out.

so...

I'm back from Berlin! The test went well, i think.. I was so nervous I hardly ate anything the whole ay wednesday. I'm really glad it's over, but I think my body is really tired from all the stress. i feel like I'm just so tired all the time...

Of course the univeristy made a mistake with the papers and everybody has to do the oral examination. So I'm leaving again on wednesday for Berlin, I get my results ( actually I just get to see if I passed or not the written examination) and I then get my appointment for the oral examination, which is held either on thursday or friday.

It's really frustrating to not know until the last minute if I passed or not ( I think I did well, but you never know how they correct...) And I get my appointment at the last minute...


I feel like every single thing is so stressful, tiring and uncertain, and then when I finally accomplish it, I am totally relieved for like 2 or 3 hours, maybe half a day, and then I feel the anxiety starting to rise again thinking about how I have to organize my shit for the next step. For example I was really happy after my written test on thursday, well actually almost ecstatic and then I thought " Oh my god, now i have to find a connection for berlin for next week, find somewhere I can sleep for 2 or 3 nights... prepare for the other examination. Then, when it s going to be done, I have to buy governments medical insurance for students, then I have to register with the city, then I have to obtain my visa, then I get to officially register at the university... And we'll be moving short of 2 weeks from now, then I'll have to figure out how I choose my courses for this semester, THEN find a job (Oh my GOD!)than actually start to work with german people.

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

If I survive this, and get to the point where I'm registered for my classes, got a job and all, lets say by end of october/beginning november, I will officially proclaim myself super goddess of the world.

nervous.

Oh god, I am so going to die. So, my big language test is on thursday, from 8.30am til 3 pm... I'm taking the train tomorow morning to go to berlin, this time alone.
1st... OMG! alone in BERLIN?!?!?!?
2nd THIS IS IT! This is the test that will let me study in Germany or not..

I hope everything goes well, I have no idea of the level of difficulty of the test and I'm pretty sure I won't be sleeping much tonight or tomorrow night either...

The results will be in next wednesday ( the 21st) and these will determin if a) I am not fit to study in Germany b) I am so good I don't need to do the oral test (thursday is hearing comprehension, reading comprehension and writing) or c) My written test was good, but I still need to do the oral examination...

I'll tell all of you right here how it went.

If you have a minute on thursday, please think of me!

BERLIN

We saw the good. We saw the bad. We saw the ugly...

so, here are acouple of pics of our appartment hunt in Berlin.

We probably saw between 15 and 20 appartments. Curiously, many appartments in the same price range differ totally in quality. Also interesting, is that some builkdings are renovated and the building right next to it isn't here are some examples:


I was also surprised to fond that a certain number of buildings still have damage from World War II





































Sooo, our appartment is currently being fully renovated, so the only pictures I have are of the appartment full of tools and stuff, but still.. better than nothing!

Our appartment is small but comfortable, and comes with a built in kitchen. ( Most in Berlin come only with a sink and an oven) We also have a fridge, gas oven and washmachine with it!

so, here it comes!

the entrance and hallway:
























bedroom:




















kitchen:






















view from the kitchen and living room:


















the entrance to our builing:






















and finally, our building, seen from the other side of the street:

We were really lucky to find something like this.. nice floors, 3 meter high ceilings, nice kitchen and renovated...

We will be moving in around October 1st.... probably a couple days earlier.

Now I have to study, I have my big language test on thursday.. So i will be studying like mad this week. Think of me on thursday, this is the exam that lets me study in germany...

got it!

So, we have found our apartment in berlin, our move-in date is October 1st... I'll post pictures soon! sorry for the short post, be back in a while.

please know what you see is not the truth

so, this evening we decided to watch the north american ( canadian actually ) news as well as the german one. Both showed how people are in desperate need, both showed how anarchy is taking it's toll in new orleans...

One of them showed how help is finally arriving and that work is being done. the other didn't. I'll let you guess which one did which.

Yeah, I'm sitting here, FURIOUS. The german reporter was in Biloxi, LA. Stating that there are still people 4 days after the catastrophy. 4 days. That is too long for the richest country in the world. Other countries are sending stuff. For what? They do not lack resources, but rather are not able to organize help, or should I say, unwilling to help the poorest, blackest state of the US. Well anyways, the international press was not told that the president would be coming in biloxi. Actually, it was more by accident that this reporter was there and saw what she did. a SHOW

about two minutes before everywhere where the president was, were bulldozers, soldiers, HELP and search teams. Not for the president. For the north american press that travels with him. So that all north americans can believe that finally help is there. LIES

If you are in north america right now, KNOW that what you see on tv is not true. It is a show. What kind of government does the US have? Ask yourselves questions. Help is not there yet, and what is there is completely disorganized. This is what we see here.

Oh, and one last thing: one of the reasons why there aren't enough soldiers to help in New Orleans is because the "available" people were all sent to Irak. hmph

It has been 4 days since Katrina.

LA: estimated 10,000 deaths. thousands are still waiting.