Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Katy Perry

Sunday, July 27, 2008

What a great weekend!

Yesterday I went kayaking with my bf and it was great! the weather was wonderful, and it felt good to be out on the water and still enjoying the sun.

Today, it was sunny and 32 degrees Celsius, so I sat outside did nothing and had a couple of beers... NOT!

No, I didn't sit outside and do nothing, I was inside, doing my cardio, training my muscles and rounding it up with a little yoga.

I'm proud of myself!
:)

Friday, July 25, 2008

The problem with german youth...

is just out of control. Once again today I experienced a crazy situation with teenagers, except this time I was in the middle of it. I left this afternoon to go teach a class, and just as I was waiting to cross the street to get to the tram station, I noticed three teens waiting next to me: a guy, maybe 16, a girl maybe 15, a smaller guy, probably 13 years old. I noticed they were looking in my direction, but I ignored it, thinking they were looking down the street.

When the light turned green, I crossed, and the little guy bumped in to me. I look at him, and just as I was going to say something along the lines of "hey, careful there buddy", he looks at me wth crossed brows and says in German, roughly translated: "hey watch where you're going!". To what I answer "hey, relax, you can't just talk to people like that". Then he answered "shut up, bitch". At this point I looked at the sixteen year old boy, which I assumed was his older brother, thinking he would tell his little brother to be quiet or be polite to strangers or something. But he kept quiet, and looked on, amused. I looked down to the 13 year old and told him "how old are you? I'm sorry we bumped into each other, but you can't go around treating people like that", smiling to try and deescalate the situation. To this, he started getting in my face, bumped me again and told me to wipe that stupid smile off my face!! All the while I'm thinking "this can't be, he's a thirteen-year-old kid!".

Anyways, as we arrived at the tram station and it seemed as though I was going to have to wait for the tram with these devil kids, I decide top go further down and at least get on another wagon than where they're getting on. As I pass in front of the sixteen year old, he looks me straight in the eye and says: "I always wonder how come people as ugly as you dare to come out in public during daytime". What the??

I'm just ignoring them, open a book and try to concentrate on that. The tram finally comes, and they follow me. As I sit down, they pass down the aisle next to me and the thirteen year old hits the book out of my hand. There are 2 other adults who just keep on minding their own business (thanks for the help there) and I just keep on reading. As the kids sit down I think I'm in the clear, and start enjoying reading, and just before they finally get off at the next stop, the thirteen year old creeps up behind me, takes me by the back of my neck and rams my head into the seat in front of me, saying something like "here, have a good look at your stupid book"!!!!!!!!


I really, really, really don't understand what motivates children to think and act like this, but one thing is for sure: their parents should be in jail for creating sociopaths...

And I'm going to be a teacher. Lucky me.

Barack Superstar!

We were a bit more than 200 000 people this evening at the Siegessäule to listen to Barack Obama's speech, and I didn't regret going! The city had prepared an "Obama-Fan-Mile" complete with sausage stands and beer stands and giant screens for those further away from the stage.

Obama held a great speech, talking about many subjects that are so important and haven't been so much taken into account by the Bush administration in the past seven years, like environnement, nuclear weapons, and TRUST and COOPERATION between America and Europe (and I'm sure somewhere in his heart he was thinking about Canada too, but he just didn't mention it).

I met a lot of nice american people, and all in all, I really had the feeling that I was experiencing history as it unfolded.

Citation of the day (American dude): "It's nice to finally have somebody articulate represent the USA abroad."

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Barack in Berlin

Barack Obama will be holding a speech in Berlin on Thursday night... 20 minutes away from my job, and I'm wondering if I should go to see it. On the one hand, experiencing history as it unfolds, actually seeing an american presidential candidate in person and on the other, the (maybe paranoid) possibility of an attack/bombing?

What should I do?

Monday, July 21, 2008

A lesson in life about letting go

I haven't been ok in the last weeks. Driving myself nuts, waking up at night, staring at the ceiling, worrying about the future.

What will happen if? I have to apply now for the Master of Education. I literally made myself sick with worry about what would happen if I wasn't accepted.

Until. I reached a point where I just couldn't do it anymore. Three years ago, when I moved over here, I just sent my applications, quit my job, rented my apartment, gave all my stuff away, not knowing if I would even be accepted in my study field. I couldn't really speak the language, didn't know how uni worked here... I just trusted life and that all would be good. And everything worked out just fine. After three years, my grades are excellent, just as they were in Canada.

And now I'm driving myself crazy worrying about details and being afraid of everything.

Kind of pointless, because up til now, life has taken very well care of me. Everything works out.

Sometimes I have to accept that who I am and what I do is Good Enough.



Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars (Les Brown)

What the hell have you been up to?

I've been working hard on my final paper before I get my bachelor, applying for a Master of Education, and preparing my well earned and long overdue vacation.

I'm leaving for a week in August and going to the "countryside" in Brandenburg - the area around Berlin. We rented a small house on a lake, where you can go swimming, paddling and bike riding. Friends of ours will be visiting for 2 days and I can't wait for the R & R!!! And knowing myself, I will be in the lake about - oh - 8 hours a day!! and the rest barbecueing!!

Then, in September, my Daddy is coming to visit me (yay!) and we'll be visiting Dresden for 2 days and Prague for 3 days. It's been way too long since I last saw him (21 months) and I really can't wait. He loves Berlin, too, and has been dreaming of Prague for years, so it'll be fantastic.

In October, a very good friend of mine and her husband will be in Frankfurt for a couple of days, so I'll be heading down there to meet up with them and visit the city with her (hubby will be working at the bookfair). Right after that, I'll be back in Berlin, where my aunt will visit me for 4 or 5 days - that'll also be great.


And at the begining of December, I'm heading back home (finally!!!) for Christmas. Haven't been there for 2 years and am totally looking forward to catching up with friends and family.

the next months are very promising...

Everything New - Peter Fox

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tori



Sometimes music expresses things better than words...

Monday, July 14, 2008

Home

I'll be going home for Christmas!!! I know this must seem weird and far away for a lot of people, but for me, it's an incredible thing. My ticket is bought, I really will be able see my family and friends. I guess it's an expat thing. I'm so happy I could cry.

Let go - Frou frou