Merry Christmas John!!

Dear Rat,

I wish you merry Christmas and all the best for 2008!!

May you travel a lot and eventually travel to Germany!

Just for you :)

xx
Frankie

Joyeux Noel!

À tous ceux que je vois régulièrement et ceux que non, à ma famille, mes amis, mes chums de filles si loin mais pourtant si proches, je vous souhaite un très joyeux Noel québécois. je suis dans le salon de mon chum, entourée de chandelles, une assiette de biscuits faits maison sur la table est à mes cotés... La dinde est au four, la sauce aux atokas est prete... Et la musique de Noel québécoise joue à fond la planche - un vrai p'tit Québec à Cologne...

23 décembre - Beau Dommage

J'ai dans la tête un vieux sapin, une crèche en d'ssous
Un Saint-Joseph avec une canne en caoutchouc
Était mal faite pis j'avais fret
Quand je r'venais d'passer trois heures dans un igloo
Qu'on avait fait, deux ou trois gars, chez Guy Rondou

J'ai d'vant les yeux, quand j'suis heureux, une sorte de jeu
Qu'on avait eu une sorte de grange avec des bœufs
La même année où j'ai passé
Le temps des fêtes avec su'a tête une tuque d'hockey
Parce que j'voulais me faire passer pour Doug Harvey

{Refrain :}
23 décembre, Joyeux Noël, Monsieur Côté
Salut ti-cul, on se r'verra, le sept janvier

J'ai sur le cœur un jour de l'an où mes parents
Pensant bien faire, m'avaient habillé en communiant
Chez ma grand-mère c'était mon père
Qui s'déguisait en Père-Noël pour faire accroire
Que les cadeaux ça v'nait pas tout de Dupuis Frères

Ça m'tente des fois d'aller la voir pis d'y parler
Fée des étoiles, j'peux-tu avoir un autre hockey ?
J'ai perdu l'mien, beau sans-dessein
J'l'ai échangé contre des photos où on voit rien
Une fille de dos qui s'cache les fesses avec les mains



Bon, ca pis du Francois Pérusse, que voulez-vous, les classiques changent jamais!!

Joyeux Noel la gang!

I'm off!

I'm leaving today for Cologne, to see my wonderful boyfriend and spent Christmas in his family!

I wish you all a merry Christmas and might be blogging from there before new year's.


xxx

me

'Tis the season...

I've bought all my Christmas presents, I'm sitting in my living room listening to Christmas songs and just really enjoying it. Last night I was with some friends of mine, and we drank some hot, spicy wine (a german Christmas tradition), ate together and played taboo... It was really nice and relaxing.

Next Friday I'm hoping on the train and finally going to spend two weeks in COlogne with my boyfriend!! We already have plans for Saturday: stay in our pajamas, crank up some Christmas tunes and bake Christmas cookies!!

On the 24th we're at his Dad's and on the 26th at his Mom's, so the 25th we're going to have a north american CHristmas for two, with Turkey and the works! :)

I know it might be cheesy, but I am totally a fan of the holidays. The only thing missing here is the snow... I'm still working on it.

The week's results

This week I have been walking, walking, walking and doing a lot of pilates...

and I lost 0,8 kg (800 grams, or 1.75 pounds)

Eric, my friend who is visiting, has been cooking for me, making my lunches and checking me to see if I really eat up everything he gives me...

So up to now, I have lost 5.5 pounds (2,5 kg) and still have 1.5 pounds to go til Christmas... It'll be difficult, because after Eric leaves, a friend of mine will be visiting from Switzerland and I know no matter how often I tell her "please don't bring any chocolate", I know she'll do it anyways... So I'll pass it on to my friends at a Christmas dinner two days later (Julius don't be mad, I won't give you any, it will be for the others, kay? ;)

Now that's what I call planning!

It's been raining non stop the past days, the weather is mild here. I think I'm going to miss Canada around Christmas time, the snow and all, but at least I'll get to be two whole weeks with my boyfriend. Yay!!

Results

Well, apparently I don't eat often enough and I don't eat enough protein. And I have an appointment after school today in my living room to do pilates...

woo-hoo!

KLM and personal trainers...

Howdy ho!

A friend of mine who I used to work with will be visiting me for the next 12 days... And he's a personal trainer, so I guess the next days can't go wrong, right? :)

His trip is horrible. He's flying with KLM and was supposed to leave Montreal at 6:55 PM yesterday, arrive at 7:45 AM in Amsterdam and take a flight at 8:35 to Berlin. Well. His flight from Montreal was delayed 3 HOURS and he missed his connection in Amsterdam, and all day flights are booked, so he has to wait 10 hours in Amsterdam and he'll arrive tonight at 10:05 PM here... That's 12 hours later than originally scheduled arrival time, and what does he get from KLM??

a coupon for one meal in the food court and a coupon for one 5 minute phone call. seriously.

I would expect a voucher, something, but NOT a meal coupon.

Anyways, can't wait till he gets here, I'm really excited about seeing him!

Ready to Rumble!!

Okay, here is my weekly sport report:

Wednesday - 30 minutes bike
Thursday - 30 minutes bike
Friday - nothing :(
Saturday - walking
Sunday - 30 minutes bike
Monday - 30 minutes bike
Tuesday - walking

And the first results are in!!!

I went in for my weighing today and... I lost 1,7 kg this week (3.75 pounds!!)

This challenge is going to be easier thatn I thought.. Not!

Let's make it a bit more challengin, shall we?
Instead of 5 pounds till Christmas, it will be 7 pounds until Christmas.

Now we're talking!

I want to be a babe

I really really really want to be super hot.

not skinny, but a curvy, hot babe. Like a suicide girl.

Yeah, that would be good.

What do you think? Ok, I'm off to try to find motivation pics...

Mmmmm

I discovered this great apple and cinammon tea... all the taste and NO calories. What can a girl ask for more?

Get a grip

Well, I made a commitment to Dean that I would report here every week on my exercise - to try and get back on track.

Here was last week:

Wednesday - 30 minutes bike riding, abs, legs, arms
Thursday - 30 minutes bike riding, abs
Friday - 30 minutes bike riding
Saturday - walking
Sunday - Walking
Monday - nothing :(
Tuesday - 30 minutes Yoga

My goal is to have every day 30 minutes of moderate activity, which means I haven't attained my goal this week, but it's still a good start.

I want to lose another 5 pounds before Christmas, so about a month, which would mean 1.25 pounds a week. Doable, if I get my food straight.

I need some motivation, people! Help me get back on track!

Me

Your Birthdate: October 7

You are an island. You don't need anyone else to make you happy. And though you see yourself as a loner, people are drawn to you. Deep and sensitive, you tend to impress others with your insights. You also tend to be psychic - so listen to that inner voice! Your strength: Your self sufficiency Your weakness: You despise authority Your power color: Maroon Your power symbol: Hammer Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

I have black hair!

Note to men: it used to be brown...

Zero

A Swiss Adventure!!

I just spent the weekend in Switzerland and will try to post photos this week...

MABR - Movement Against Barbecued Rat

Hey John,

Hope you're safe n sound in CA - been hearing about the fire on the news here since last night. If the fire comes too close, jump in your pool to keep wet. Fire and cats hate water.

Sincerely,

Frankie
Head of the MABR
(German Division)

I don't look back...

with regret, that is. I always find it interesting and important to look into my past to help me to deal with the present, and assure myself I'm going forwards.

Since August, the bf and I have been having a long-distance relationship. He works in Cologne and until now came back every other week. Starting November, he will be working there full time, and coming back some weekends.

We've already had a long distance relationship (Dean, you remember that period, right?) in 2004/2005, when he was working in Virginia Beach and I was living in Montreal. Back then, we saw each other once a month. We even didn't see each other between Christmas and Easter. But somehow, our relationship survived all the challenges with which it was presented.

Fact is, I find it more difficult now, even though we actually see each other more often and talk more often on the phone... So I started thinking. Back then, i was working three nights a week and on weekends at a gym, and was also living with a very cool roommate. So my evenings and weekends were full. My social life was really great.

Conclusion? I really have to work on my social life. But...

As I started university here, my grades were very bad. I passed everything, but barely... In my own defense I must say everything was in German, and I also had to write most exams in this foreign language. Well, in the meantime, I must say that my grades are more than acceptable, and I've even scored my share of "A+"s in the past two semesters.

Other than that, finding a job here was no piece of cake... Starting out here, I taught private lessons for school kids and in this situation, you really spend a lot of time travelling from one appointment to the other. At the end of one day, I remember crying, because I had been at Uni from 8 to 2, from 2 to 5 in the west end of the city, from 6 to 9 in the south end, getting home at 10pm and having made a grand total of 30 euros for that day... I was so frustrated.. I made rent and paid my insurances, but seriously, I couldn't afford a cup of coffee in the morning. I was also very proud and didn't want to let my friends and family from home know how much I was struggling. I then got a job in a luxury real estate agency, which was great at the beginning (can you say champagne!?!) but turned sour pretty quick - the owner, my boss, had financial worries and couldn't pay me for months at a time. And finally, after applying for countless uni jobs, after a couple of interviews, I landed one of these oh so perfect jobs. Not only do I work in my field of studies ( I teach french classes) but I also get 6 weeks paid vacation a year. Now, this job doesn't cover everything, I still have to teach a bit privately, but it sure covers 66% of my expenses.

Anyways, all of this to say I've also met people, made friends, good friends, but haven't been partying all that much and that is what I am missing now that the bf is away a lot.

So I guess I don't want to be too hard on myself, I've accomplished enough in the past two years, and still have a way to go...

And yet another question: will I move to Cologne next year when this course of studies is finished? on the one side, I have to admit that it does give me a rush, moving into the "unknown"... And, well, I guess you have to have experienced it to understand it, but the feeling that "you'll be okay no matter wherever you end up by yourself" is priceless. On the other hand, I left everything behind two years ago to follow my bf, am I willing to do it again? hmmm.. I must say, I do miss my life from back then some times, but I never regret the choices I've made. I feel happy.

I'm 25 years old now, and I feel life has treated me well until now. On my birthday, my Dad wished me a much better next 25 years than the first 25... I'm so young and yet have had the chance to experience so many wonderful, difficult, awesome experiences.. If the next 25 are even better... bring it on!!

More Music

German Music - again

I love this music...

German Pop

The Wedding

Well, I was in Cologne last weekend for the wedding of my boyfriend's brother. I already call my boyfriend's family my family in law, even though we aren't married, because we've been together for 6 years, he lived for years in Canada and I've been in Germany for two years, so since it's a serious relationship, I alreday consider them family.

Weddings here ( I was at the wedding of a friend in August) are very nice. Everybody dresses formal, but a German tradition makes the stuffy part go away pretty fast: friends and family of the bride and groom are supposed to think about presentations, games and something special they can organise for the day of the wedding. For exmaple, at both weddings someone had brought preadressed post cards and we had to write on them what we wish the newly weds, and we tied the cards to balloons and all let them go at the same time. during the weeks following the wedding, the newlyweds keep getting mail from the day of their wedding, if they're lucky enough that nice people find the postcards once the balloons come back down and these people bring them to the mail.

Otherwise, there are also some family members who sing songs, or organise games. For example, one game was that the bride and groom had to go to the front of the room, and sit on chairs, looking away from each other. They each had a womans'shoe and a man's shoe. Then, they have to answer questions, like "who cooks more often" by raising either the white shoe (representing the bride) or the black shoe,or both. The game starts out mildly, but soon gets interesting ("who proposed?" "who actually decides what goes on in the relationship?") It's really funny! ANd one variation of this game is that the bride and groom have to drink each time their answers differ.

There are tons of games like these, and it really is a big part of the wedding, which means that even though it can start off traditionally (champagne, three course dinner, etc) it gets pretty funny pretty fast.

On another note, I realised how weddings kind of accentuate existing tensions in the family. For example, my mother in law (boyfriend's mom). The first year that I was in Germany, every time my boyfriend would leave Berlin on vacation or whatever, she would call me and tell me I should go on a diet, suggest stupied recipies (cabbage soup for a week, wonderful) and I was really kind of insulted. Anyways, before the wedding, I hadn't seen her since June 2006, and had lost about 15 kilos (a bit over 30 pounds). I have a hard time believing someone doesn't notice that much of a weight loss. Heck, even the bf's dad noticed it! Well, my mother in law, the one for who it was SO important that I lose weight, didn't say a word. I was there for three days.

Then, it was my birthday last week. She knew I was staying at her place a couple of days later. I really don't care about the presents, but a card? Anything scribbled on a piece of paper? Nothing. Nada. Once again, even at the dad's house, I got presents and cake. At her place? hmm

Last but not least, for the wedding my boyfriend's mom had prepared a powerpoint presentation with the bride's mom in which you could see pictures of the bride and groom throughout ther lives. At one point, there were pictures of the bride and her family on ski vacation, and her mom says: "here is our family on ski vacation" and then comes up another picture, and my mom in law says something like "and here is OUR family on ski vacation". Who is on the picture? My mother in law, my boyfriend's bro, my boyfriend and ... his EX-girlfriend. How thoughtful. I've been with him for 6 years, you would think she might have the decency to leave that pic out?

I've left everything behind to come live here because I love her son madly, have learned the language, gotten a job, am studying all in German, and apprently, it STILL isn't enough for her.

Oh well. At least I have funny stories to tell. No family is perfect.

I wanna be a rockstar

at least two shots in this video were filmed in Berlin...

Quarter of a Century

Today is my 25th birthday. I got the greatest birthday card sent all the way from California from John. He rocks!

I had a party with some friends yesterday and spent the day with my boyfriend today. He was supposed to be away, but it got canceled. It was a very sunny day, we even had an ice cream cone at Alexanderplatz. My parents called me to wish me happy birthday. My boyfriend's parents did too.

I'm realizing more and more the impact of my move here. Certain people and some very good friends didn't call or write today. It's not a big deal, but I just notice it. And I've been suprised by calls or cards from other people who I didn't expect to call. I guess that's how life is, you don't get what you expect and you don't expect what you get.

This whole adventure has been a very enriching one. By moving so far away from my home, I have learned a lot about myself. How strong I can be, how determined I am, how weak I can be, and that I know I can count on myself in life. I feel I've also given up a lot by moving here, and I hadn't really realised it when I left. I'll probably not have much birthday dinners at my mom's or dad's places. That makes me feel really lonely, but at the same time, since I've been gone, it feels like some of my relationships, especially to my dad, has become so much stronger. It's like the distance has improved communication. I talk to my dad three times more often than I used to in Montreal. On the other hand, I get to see him once a year, if I'm lucky.

I don't think I could imagine going back, though. I have my life here, and I'm happy with it. This whole journey has been an amazing one. I just still have the feeling I'm missing out on a lot, and at the same time I know if I had stayed there, I would feel like I was missing out on my future life here.

I think life kind of shows me where I'm supposed to be. Among other things, my dad wrote me today that he was very proud of me, to never be afraid of becoming who I want to be and to never stop listening to my inner voice. It meant the world to me. I love you, pops.

Busy bee... :)

I have a very full week ahead of me. The bf is in Berlin for a couple of days.

Yesterday it was raining cats and dogs and pretty cold, but we still went to the museum of german history. Sheesh! That place is so big, you seriously need minimum 3 visits to see it all. Yesterday evening we went to a mexican restaurant close to our place. We hadn't done that in a long time and it was really romantic!

In ten days, I'm flying to Cologne for the bs'fs little brother's wedding. It's going to be really exciting!!

Bad vibes

I have no idea why, but it seems like right now there's a shadow hanging over me. It seems like many things that are important to me keep falling apart, people that are important to me aren't there when I need them. Where is the line between egocentric paranoia and solitude?

Why now? Trust me, I'm trying hard to find the silver lining here, to try and understand the deeper meaning of these days, but I'm not seeing it, not getting it yet.

Hmm it seems I still have some soul searching to do.

Acupuncture

I have 3 mini pieces of metal in my right ear and they're going to stay there for 3 weeks... Wonder if this thing works...

Loving Berlin

Berlin was a disappointment for me at the beginning. I guess I was expecting a sort of german Paris, and Berlin is sooooooooo different from Paris. In the last two years, I've learned to love this city, appreciate its charm, its alternative side, its underground side, its anonymous side...

Sometimes I dream of living in a smaller town, somewhere in the mountains or close to the Rhein... But then I think I would miss the new restaurants, new little streets you discover, going to a new cool place you never had noticed. I think I couldn't live in a town where everybody knows everybody. It would creep me out. I need to meet new people, make new experiences, develop further.

Britney Spears Gimme More VMA Performance

I have to say, it wasn't her best performance, but I like the song anyways...

I look like a hamster...

I got my wisdom teeth pulled out yesterday.




Thing is, I'm really afraid of dentists in general. So getting my teeth pulled out... Let's just say I was told four years ago that these wisdom teeth have to go, but it took all this time to make the appointment. It was yesterday afternoon, around 5 pm, and the whole day was horrible. I had hardly slept the night before, had a headache, a stomach ache and had a bit of fever. At work I couldn't concentrate. When I got home before going to the dentist's, I was crying and almost hyperventilating.

All in all, it went well. The dentist was really nice, she gave me a local anesthesia. The procedure itself was pretty quick, but one of the most disgusting this I have ever been through in my whole life. The cracking sounds and taste of blood were horrible. On one side, my tooth was deeper into the bone, and it really hurt when she took it out ( she had a hard time with it). I cried a bit because of the pain on the left one. After it was done, I felt in shock, listened to the dentists recommendations, got up to make a check up appointment at the front desk, and I kept thinking about the cracking sounds my teeth had made, and started feeling nauseous, everything went grey and the dentist had me lay down and put my feet up. I felt like I was going to either puke or faint. Good thing my boyfriend came with me. He took me home, changed me into my pjs and took good care of me. This is what I look like, a real home patient:



I actually thought I was smiling on the picture, but because my mouth was so frozen I couldn't feel it.

Last night the fever was really bad, and my left side ( the difficult tooth) hurt much more than the right one. On my left side, the whole area around the wound hurts, as well as the back of my mouth,my jaw and my throat. The right side is not a problem. I think if both sides had gone well, I would barely have any pain.

I got some painkillers so I slept well last night and this morning the fever is gone. My left side is way more swollen than my right side now, so I look like a really weird hamster.

My boyfriend is taking very good care of me, he bought some baby food (strawberry is the best) and vegetable broth and vegetables he can mash for me to eat. Honestly, I'm not hungry at all. Yesterday I had to force my self to eat something during the day, but I was so nervous. Last night I felt quite traumatised and barely ate anything, and I don't know if I'll eat much today...

All in all, I'm very happy that it's over, but I never want to have a tooth pulled, ever again!!

I'm back!!

I'm back from my vacation! We were in Cologne, then in South Germany, but the weather was bad, so we drove straight to the alps, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Then we drove to Freiburg, in Germany, and attended the wedding of a friend of mine - here are some pictures of the alps!!




cows in a clearing on the mountain - you hear them from far away, they all have bells.




view of the Rhine Valley between Liechtenstein and Switzerland



cute little house in the mountain - we had a beer here on the way down...




the trail close to the top...



view from the top - it was kinda scary and really windy - but hey, I made it up to 2000 meters... The whole hike was 1,2 km upwards and took about 3 hours.



this is me sitting on the border between Liechtenstein and Austria.



cute little door on the trail




Vaduz, capital of Liechtenstein ( has about 5 000 inhabitants - the whole country has 30 000)


This is our little group before leaving for the wedding:





and here we are with the happy couple.

It was a great, albeit short vacation. And a great wedding. I had fun!

ON VACATION!

Well, I'm off to COlogne to spend the weekend with the bf's family and then we're driving to south Germany, the black forest, the alps, etc. On the 25th friends of mine are getting married in Freiburg im Breisgau.

Be nice! I'll be back around August 27th!

Just because it's SO CUTE!!!

I have nothing to apologise for, but this was just too cute!

Bachelorette party

We had my friend's bachelorette party on saturday. It was my first ever, so I can't really say if they're different than what we have in Canada, but this is how it went.

We surprised our friend with a pick nick in the park. We were eight girls, had oppened a bottle of the bubbly stuff and were wearing these really cute head bands with hearts on them - she really laughed when she saw this. Then, we got her really drunk and then told her she actually had a mission to accomplish - she had a "letter" from the heavenly council, and she is the lucky winner of a place on cloud 9. The only thing is, she has to finance her way there. She is awaited on August 25th (wedding day). Then, we gave her a basket full of stuff she had to sell on the street to men (home made cherry and chocolate muffins) and we dressed her up as an angel (it was really funny, she had golden wings and all). Since she was really drunk, she seemed to have no inhibitions at all, and not only sold all the muffins, but also all the fruit we had brought along and one of our headbands for a grand total of 50 euros!!

This financed the second part of the evening. We went to the Ballhaus in Berlin Mitte, which is a cool bar where you can dance, and they also serve food. They mostly played eighties music and my friend kept her angel cosutme on - it was really funny. After a few hours of dancing and drinking we then went on to another smaller cosy bar where the waiter offered us cherry vodka shots on the house...

I was tired on sunday!!

But I still went kayaking with the bf on the Tegel Lake, which was great.

Yesterday I discovered a new location close to my home - on top of a mall close to my appartment, they turned the roof top parking deck into a beach bar - complete with palm trees and sand. Last night I went there with the boyfriend to watch the sun set, barefoot in the sand. It was really cool, and there were so many planes taking off from Tegel airport. I wonder if any were leaving for Montreal...

The results are in!!!

I got my results for 4 out of 5 exams....


(drum roll)

Well 2 of them were "A"s and two were "A+"s


yahoo!!!!!!!!!

Happy dance...

The waiting game

By this morning, yesterday's euphoria had worn off. Dancing alone in your living room is fun, but waking up and having breakfast alone? Not so much.

I also have to wait a couple of weeks before I get the results of my exams, and even though I know they can't possibly be there yet, I still am already checking on the university's website...

I am one impatient little person!

VACATION!!!!!!

I feel as happy as I look on this picture!

I feel like a 14 year old who gets to stay home alone for the first time when her parents leave for the weekend.

My boyfriend left this morning for his first day of work in another city. Wish him luck with his new job!!

I miss my long hair! now I have it only down to the shoulders


It's 4 pm and I've cranked up the music, I'm dancing in my pyjamas in my living room and will eventually start thinking abour making myself a radler.

What have I done today ? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Bad Weather...

It's raining again, and not too warm outside. Yesterday I went for coffee and shopping with a friend. I didn't find anything, but it was still a lot of fun.

Friday night was pretty cool. It was the going-away party for a friend of mine who will be in Seattle for one year. First we had Cuba Libres at a really cool bar a friend of mine owns, and then around 2 or 3 we decided to go dancing. We ended up in a club not far away, we were 3 girls and 2 guys... We payed the cover fee, got on the dance floor, and I realised we were in a gay club, and it was a ladies'night... I've never seen so many women kissing before!!!

It was pretty cool though, got home around 6:00 am, slept until noon.

Last night was a milder party, the Polterabend I wrote about. It was cool, a bit quiet, got home early, around 1:00 am.

Tonight I'll be taking it easy, cooking dinner for my boyfriend, having a nice romantic evening ( our last one nefore he leaves for Cologne on Tuesday.

Next weekend a girlfriend and I will be organising a bachelorette party!!

Now THAT is going to be fun!

Vacation!

Wahoo! Exams are over! No uni til mid october!

I don't even have to work until wednesday!

My schedule for tomorrow:

morning: appointment for a massage and some fango
afternoon: shopping!
evening: party! (a friend of mine is moving to Seattle and we're having a last big get together)

Saturday:
morning: sleep in
afternoon: meet a friend for coffee
evening: polterabend*

* remember the movie "poltergeist"? Well, a "Polterabend", or "polter-evening", is a German custom that people have before a wedding. One evening before the wedding, all the friends of the future married couple gather and through all the old dishes they have on the ground. The goal is to make as much noise as possible, to scare of the evil spirits, or "poltergeist" which might haunt the wedding. Funky, huh?

Sunday and Monday are still open, I think I'll work out, ride my bike, relax.

One Hour

In one hour, I will be writing my last exam... That means that in three hours, I will officially be on vacation!

Great weekend

We went canooing, paddling from lake to lake through the canals and stopping on some beaches to have a cold drink... ahhhh

Then we decided to do some wild camping. From the boats we had spotted a cool beach where it would have been great to camp. Finding the exact area with the car was another thing... We were driving on the little road going around on the lakes (keep in mind we're way far on the countryside) and at one point, the only possible road that leads to the little beach we saw is actually forbidden.... But, there isn't any fence, and it's getting late, so we just decide, what the hell. Bad idea. after driving through the woods for what seems an eternity on this little path (it really wasn't a road), we come to a point where the path has been washed out and there's no way the car can make it through. The path wasn't great before, and we can't turn around, we can't drive back... So we had to construct a mini bridge out of rocks and wood...



And finally were able to drive over it, but half of the path caved in under the weight of the car and we barely made it. The car isn't young either (1991 Mercedes) andthe water in the motor started boiling ( you could HEAR it boil when we turned the motor off) so anyways, we arrived to this mill and finally got back to a normal road ( Iwas so grateful no one saw us arrive with the car from this forbidden path, and that we were actually able to get to the road) we finally couldn't find the beach, and settled for a little spot off the road in the woods.

It was getting dark, and putting the tents together was no easy task. We get the grill going, open some wine, put some meat on the fire and can finally relax after all this comotion when... we hear some scratching noises in the dark and something rumaging through our food box, meters away from us.

Here is the culprit:


after eating, we went to bed for a good night's sleep.... and were woken up around 5 or 6 am by afull force thunderstorm... We had of course left the pick-nick blanket, clothes and towels out. We hoped it would stop raining in a couple of hours... Well, around noon we gave up and packed everything completely wet into the car.

as we were all pretty wet, we drove to the first coffee shop we could find, dried off and had café au lait. mmm

It was a funny, adventurous, crazy weekend.

Thursday will be my last exam day... yippee!

You know your Berlin friends really like you...

when they bake a cake with the flag of your province on it on St-Jean-Baptiste day... Now that, people, is true friendship!

Mon cerveau vomit!!

Yet another exam was written today - 90 minutes, 10 questions, answers were to be only in keywords... hopefully the professor will understand my german!

two exams left! Next week, one on wednesday and one on thursday. I still have to study a bit, but the "break" in between is more than welcome.

In other news, bike riding in Berlin is definitely a dangerous sport. After my two accidents in June, I must say that I really watch out now and am extra careful - my friends are thinking about buying me knee and elbow pads, but hopefully the madness has stopped.

I have a really good feeling about this exam period... The last semesters, I always just hoped to pass, and always did, but this time I actually feel like a have a pretty good chance of getting really good marks on all my exams. It's probably a sign of me finally being fully adapted to the german university system.

I also have to say, that as the semesters go by, I deeply feel that I have found my calling. I'm in the right field of studies! Yay me!

AND one of my really really good friends is going to be working in Switzerland for... FOUR MONTHS! I am SO HAPPY! I am so going to fly down there, or take the train, or hitch hike - hell, I'll even ride my bike there if I have to, but I'm finally going to see her! We've been planning for years to go hiking in the alps... It's going to be one crazy party. (She's the friend who flew to Berlin for my Birthday last year and brought me to Paris for three days - no comment!)

I can't wait to see her!!!!!

I kinda have no idea precisely what I'm going to do during august and september (no uni) but I do know I have 6 weeks of paid vacation I still have to use (okok, paid part time, but still) and will make the best of it... I think I'll just let life surprise me.

;)

Weight loss update

I found a new gadget to keep track of my weight loss!




cute, isn't it?

Well, all that studying has paid off!!

Guess what I did today?? I had an oral examination in history of english, dialectology and sociolectology. 20 minutes alone with the professor, having to answer tons of questions. I have been having nightmares about this exam for months. Guess what?

I got 100%, A+, 1.0, whatever your grading system is, ALL MY ANSWERS WERE RIGHT!!

I still can't believe it!

I was a bit sad though, cause a friend of mine who was also in my classes and with whom I studied for the exam got a 2.3 (I guess it would be a B-, but I'm not sure...) and she definitely knew more than I did...

I am so relieved!

Yesterday I had a written, today oral, thursday written again, next week wednesday oral and thursday written. If I survive until then, I should be ok...


In other academical news, last semester I had to give in a paper in french lexicography. Now mind you, the professor knew that I've been speaking german for only a couple of years, but still insisted on my writing it in german, not french. He also suggested a structure as an outline of my ideas, which I of course followed. I gave in the paper beginning of april...

Get this 1) he decided he didn't like the structure (uh, you kinda suggested it to me...)
and 2) he thought my german didn't sound scientifical enough (um, HELLO? I'd really like to see you write a paper in french!)

so basically I had to rewrite it completely. ugh. Thank god one of my classmates who happens to be the best in my program offered me to help me rewrite it. The poor guy sat down with me for FIFTEEN hours and rewrote the damn thing. I gave it in last week, and really hope I get a good mark for it...

Of course, just like last year, the exam weeks come and it's 37 degrees in Berlin

ok ok enough complaining, I did a GREAT job today! Yay me!

Can't wait to go camping this weekend!

ps. The bf is finishing his studies and will be living/working part time in Cologne, 6 hours away, starting in august, so I think I'll be back to posting more often by then !

What a ride!!!

Well, the past two weeks here were way cool. First of all, two weekends ago I was in Rostock for the G8 summit. I camped in "Camp Rostock", a piece of land given by the city for people who wanted to participate in the demonstration against G8 and needed a place to camp. It was great, so many people with a lot of diferent political opinions, but everyone getting along really well. The grounds were on the side of the river and there was aspontaneous rave that lasted the whole weekend. There were organised "kitchens" where the camp organisation cooked three meals a day. The Demonstration on Saturday was really super, but it got ugly and violent at the end. I am completely against the use of violence in demonstrations. Saturday night was a bit scary, because the police surrounded the camp and had a helicopter circle over us the whole night. All in all, it was a great experience and I had the chance to express my opinion.

Last weekend, I was in Dresden on Friday night with a couple of friends, it's really a beautiful city. It was weird cause on friday night we were in this cool neighbourhood, having fun until we realised that there was an alcohol ban for this neighbourhood, because certain political groups ( the same which turned violent in Rostock) tended to start riots in the streets. (Normally you are allowed to drink alcohol on the street in Germany) So we were allowed to go to bars, but not take our drinks to the street...

Saturday we went hiking in this beautiful rocky area in Saxony. The trails were so steep at many places you had to climb. There were metal bars sticking out of the rock to help you climb. It was a rough way up, but so worth it!!!

Sunday we found an old quarry that had turned into a lake and went swimming. There was this spot that was 4 or 5 meters high where you could run off the cliff and jump in the water. I did it!! ( I'm really afraid of heights, so the whole weekend was kind of challenging to me)

The next weeks I kinda have to stay put, cause I have to start preparing for exams in July... ut I can't wait till August to go explore more countryside!!

Tagged: 7 secrets about me

okok, it had to happen at some point: I have been tagged by Dino, and I have to tell you seven secrets abouts myself... Read at your own risk!

1) I get up EVERY night between 2 and 6 times to go pee. This has been like this my whole life.

2) I am a compulsive eater.

3) I care way too much about what others think of me. I want so badly everyone to like me.

4) I like to meditate every morning for 10 minutes.

5) I tend to worry a lot and am afraid of lots of stuff, but challenge myself, test myself, push myself.

6) I love to watch reality shows.

7) I loooooooooooove cooking

I won't tag anyone, whoever would like to do this can do it.

13%...

Is the percentage of body mass that I have lost since my highest body mass, in January 2005. It's taking a hell of a long time, but I'm noticing that my body is losing the weight in about the same amount of time it took to put it on... Logical, isn't it?

rewarding

Ukrainians crack me up!

Last night we had the Eurovision Song Contest, and normally countries choose serious artists singing heart breaking love songs... Ukraine chose... well, just look at it, I found it hilarious!

News from Berlin

Well, the semester is in its fourth week now, and this week I alreday had to give a 90 minute presentation on grammatical categories regarding universal grammar and syntax. I'll be starting to write my paper on the same subject this week, although I am expected to give it in before the end of september. Why put off to tomorrow what you can do today? Uh, yeah, I'm working on that...

Other than that, I'm working real hard on my job at the university as a french teacher. I've given two classes, and the first one went really well, two students actually came up to thank me at the end of class, but the second one I had a larger group and it was a lot more difficult to keep tem interested, concentrated and active...

I am also somehow managing to fit in 4 private clients in my schedule. (Most of whom I teach out of my home). So I'm getting tons of experience. My youngest pupil is 8 years old and my oldest around 31. So I get to try out teaching with a very wide range of groups, from private lessons to university class, from kids to (older than me) adults. It's really a great experience and even the "bad" ones turn out to be valuable.

I think I'm going to be a good teacher. Of course, sometimes I get afraid and worry if I'll ever make it, but in my gut, I have this feeling telling me I'm good at it, that I can do this, and do it well.

On another subject, I keep having these ups and downs concerning homesickness. I must admit though that being home for the holidays in December has helped me a lot because it made me realise that the life I was missing, my old life on the Montreal Plateau, just doesn't exist anymore. The people still do, the city still does, but my life in its particular constellation is gone. My home is in Berlin now.

I don't know why I needed to go so far away...

Summer!!

Today was a beautiful, 25 degree day in Berlin. I rode my bike to school and back and have noticed that my winter training was effective: normally It takes me 20 minutes to get to the uni (mainly downhill) and 40 minutes back home (up, up, uphill...)

But, today, after 3 and a half months of indoor training, I made the way back in 30 minutes instead of 40! And it felt a lot easier, too. So my 50 minutes of cardio today were spent in the sun, instead of having to cram myself into a crowded tram.

What can a girl possibly want more?

Sunny day!

It was 23 degrees today in Berlin! We had a barbecue and I got a little sunburn :(

But I wasn't lazy, oh no, I did 60:00 minutes of cardio + strength training!

tomorrow the summer semester starts at the uni...
Have a nice week!

Connections

Well, today my cardio was only 30 minutes... but at least I did exercise!

So, my question to you today: When relationships break down, i.e. you have a friendship that just fizzles out. Or an affair that just finishes kinda by itself. Is there a reason for it? Is it meant to be that you don't have contact anymore to this person? If you happen to stumble upon a person with whom communication has broken down, should you contact them? Or is it better to just let things be?


Somehow I think that the universe tells you what you're supposed to do, and if you stumble upon the person... let's just say I don't believe in coincidences...

What about you?

Happy Easter

I wish you LOTS OF CHOCOLATE!

The Easter Bunny came this morning, and as a result I did 63:00 Minutes of cardio...

I'm so addicted to chocolate, I prefer torturing myself longer on a machine than not eating any.

sigh.

hehehe... stole from Dean

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Not dead yet

Where do I start? Hmm, let's just say I am overwehelmed a bit by my real life.. In a good and a bad way. I'm actually on "vacation" (semester break) since end of february, but then I had 4 exams to write, 2 papers and one essay. My last paper has to be handed in tomorrow and I have written 2 pages out of 12. Yay! I'm kinda pulling out my hair, here, people!

Other than that I'm also working at the uni and will be giving my first french class on april 26th, to a group of about 20 students. I think I'm going to be a good teacher. I've been dreaming of being the boss in the classroom since my childhood and now it's finally becoming reality.

March in Berlin is kinda depressing, cause all my friends go "home" for the holidays and it kinda pisses me off, but at the same time maybe I'm just jealous cause my family is too far away for me to visit during the holidays. Plus, I have to work anyways and many of my friends don't have to work. Can you say "daddy's girl"? Whatever.

A year ago, my dad was in Berlin with me and I have to say I do miss him.

My bf is in Cologne, he has a job interview on tuesday. He'll be finished with his masters in the next months and up til now, it looks like the job in Cologne would be the best opportunity. However, it might mean that he would start in the next weeks while writing his thesis, which means he would live in Cologne two weeks a month. bleh.
It would also mean that I would move to Cologne eventually, after my studies. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in Berlin, anyways, but it kind of scares me, becuase I feel like I'm just getting the hang of it ( the uni just renewed my contract for 12 months) financially, my social life is good, the relationship with my bf is actually wonderful, and now the whole thing has to change again. it's really scary.

All around me, many people are living difficult situations right now, and all I want to say is life is the hardest teacher, cause it gives you tests before you get the lesson. I don't remember who said that, but it's a quote...

I wanna be daylight in your eyes

Wanna know you better
Wanna push you baby
But never too far
Wanna show you heaven
Wanna be like you
Just as strong as you are

I wanna be daylight in your eyes
I wanna be sunlight only warmer
I wanna be daylight in your eyes
I wanna be love only stronger
I wanna be daylight

Wanna live forever
Wanna touch your hand
And explode like a star
Wanna stand beside you
Always be together
Wherever you are

I wanna be daylight in your eyes
I wanna be sunlight only warmer
I wanna be daylight in your eyes
I wanna be love only stronger
I wanna be daylight

Good Morning!

Well, boys and girls, I yesterday managed to write not only my 16-page essay in one shot during the day, but I also sat down and wrote another 5-page paper in the evening. Now that is what I call a very productive day! Both were due for wednesday, and I am very happy to have it all done and tonight I can just relax, cook something noce for myself and watch a bit of tv.

I don't know what's gotten into me these last weeks, but even during my exam week, I took at least half an hour a day for excercise, and I've been living a very healthy life, something that I have been wanting to do for years and it seems like I'm getting the hang of it.

I have also started doing things just for myself. Last night, after working so hard on my essay, I exercised and then cooked a really good healthy recipe just for me.

In short, I have much to do, am as always really busy, but I am taking good care of myself and feel I deserve it.

And I feel great!

hurray!

Today, in one hour and a couple of minutes, I will start writing my last exam. hurray! After, I am going to work and will get paid. hurray! After that, I will come home and enjoy the first evening in a very long time that I can spend watching tv, relaxing, and not studying. hurray!

All that will be left in the near future is the paper I have to give in next wednesday, which I will write over the weekend. Then I'll be on vacation! (semester break, as the germans call it ) until mid april. (well, I do have one big paper to write and hand in beginning of april, but stil, it's a three quarters of a vacation.

I will be able to work more, get some cash together. hurray!

hmmm maybe I'll buy a lottery ticket...

BBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I am slowly going crazy...

I had an exam on Thursday, one this morning, one tomorrow, one on wednesday. Then I have to hand in a paper for feb. 28th. My brain feels like it's going to explode from too much information being crammed into it.

On a more joyous note, my boyfriend surprised me on Valentine's day with red roses and guess what... He managed to find red foil-wrapped chocolate hearts. He's the best and I was so not expecting it, I am so happy to have such a thoughtful guy.

He left on sunday morning for a 3 week vacation in Marocco. (Lucky!) Hope he gets lots of sun and fresh orange juice.

Last week I burnt my arm pretty bad on the oven and now it looks really weird and itches... maybe I should go to the doc? NO TIME!!

Back to my books.

Valentine's Day

John was the first one today to wish me a happy Valentine's Day. He's such a sweetie! Thanks John!

Here in Germany they don't really celebrate it, although in all the stores there are hearts everywhere, it's seen as mostly commercial and I think that sucks.

I want Valentine's Day to be filled with red tin foil wrapped chocolate hearts and pink roses, "will you be mine?" cards and little mini cinnamon hearts. And no, they don't have little mini cinnamon hearts here, not even in the stores.


Well, I guess I'm just going to have to imagine myself up a storm!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Superstar

Another season of "German Idol" has started and it wakes my musical side.

I will probably start singing again over the next weeks.

here we go again

I WANT A BUNNY + A PIGLET NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Snow

We had a great snowstorm here on Friday. The kind that makes me wonder about nature. The kind that also makes me miss home.

I miss wind stinging my cheeks.

I miss huge snowflakes landing on my tongue.

I miss walking in the mountain/forest, hearing nothing else than the crunching of snow under my boots. The absolute calm invading my soul when I walk in the middle of a blizzard.

I miss the smell, the taste of fresh snow. The intuitive feeling I used to get, as a child, in the morning, when it had snowed during the night, I just knew.

I'm losing my instinct.

Thanks, John!

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Viscountess Francoise the Eerie of Chignall Smeally Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Back to normal life

Well, 2007 has started pretty well for me. I'm inching back into normal life, and have started a new job after many difficulties with my last employer. All has resolved itself in the best manner possible for me. My new job is to assist a french teacher at the technical university in Berlin. I am helping in planning language trips to France and eventually Canada. I will get to give my own french class at the language insitute in April. It's really weird to see my name on the teacher's list. Some of the students will be older than me. I'm a bit afraid, but terribly excited!
The teacher with whom I work is really a great guy. He has 25 years experience in the field and just knows so much about it.

Much positive vibes in Berlin. New projects, new ideas, new moods - a new beginning.

Back in Berlin

Nope, I'm not dead yet!

I went home for the holidays, and it was great, stressful fun and hectic!

I thought I would be relieved to come back "home to Berlin, but I find myself REALLY missing Montreal, a lot more than I thought I would...

It was absolutely fantastic seeing my friends and family, even if I did only have a very short period of time to visit with each person.

At the same time, I know I was home "on vacation" so life seems a lot better without uni- or work related problems.

Nevertheless, I feel this hole in my heart whenever I think of Montreal. It just feels like home, my home.

I wish I could have dinner with my parents regularly.
I wish I could just call up my best friend and go out for a beer.
I wish I could meet on the street someone I hadn't seen in 10 years.

Sorry for the pity fest, it's just that this is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

On the other hand, I did settle a lot of emotional business while there and did realize that on certain aspects, I am very happy to have the chance to step back from certain issues and take a deep breath. What can I say, some relationships are just better with some distance.

I guess life'll just put me where I should be when I should be, but in the meantime I miss my "family": the genetical one and the spiritual one.


This is my best friend's daughter and she is the cutest little girl in the entire world. I want one JUST like her when I have kids. I must say it was really hard on the last night, after story time she did not want to go to sleep and started crying saying she didn't want us to go (another friend and I). I must say this little almost three year old has stolen my heart and after that I had to sneak in the kitchen and cry myself.





This is Elvisse, my beloved doggie. I have had her since I was 11 or 12 and she now lives with my mom. It probably was the last time that I saw her and I must say it was also hard to say goodbye.

Why does a flight from Berlin to Montreal cost so much money???