Halloween

On Halloween, we went to Kilkenny Irish Pub in the Hackesher Markt. This was the only place I could see any kind of Halloween celebration going on. We had some fun.



Oh and about the weather. It sucks. It's not terribly cold but it's always dark and cloudy all day long. It makes me feel very sleepy all the time.

Deutsch

Ich muss Deutsch lernen! Gestern abend war ich mit leute die nur Deutsch sprechen. Ich war frustriert weil ich nichts verstanden habe.

I'm sure I made some mistakes here.

I have to learn German! Last night I was with people who only spoke German. I was frustrated because I didn't understand anything.

I really felt like an outsider and it's all my fault!

Ich bin dumm. :(

here is a pic from the Mauer Park

summer

It's been a while since I posted here, but it's been a pretty busy summer for me. Things are going well and it seems I'm working less and having fun more often. This is a good thing, however, it's been a little tricky for me to keep up with the work over the past week.

The weather has been so unpredictable, however, pretty decent over the past week in spite of all these wandering clouds. I've been spending a lot of time in the park because the person I am seeing loves to go there. Well I like it too. As long as it isn't raining.

There seems to be a wasp problem here. I've never seen so many wasps in any city before. I expect to see them at the park, but they are EVERYWHERE, not just the park. Fortunately, they seem to be rather harmless, they don't sting aggressively, they just seem to be looking for sweet things such as honey and jam. The bad thing is, I've got a horrible fear of wasps, bees, and all those types of stinging things, so even though I logically know they won't bother me if I don't bother them, I still run in a panic away from them. If anyone sees me dancing in the middle of the sidewalk, it's most likely a case where I am trying to get away from a wasp.

I'm so curious, what has happened to this guy? I was following his blog since we both came to Berlin from Seattle, but he seems to have disappeared since sometime in February.

I still suck at German. For one thing, I guess I am not practicing enough. The people I spend time with can speak English and it's just easier that way. (call me lazy). And another thing is, I really don't have the "gift" of being able to learn a language very quickly. I'm slow to pick it up. Time. I just have to be patient I guess, and maybe try a little harder.

It's official

I'm a legal resident of Germany as of today!

Music in the Mauer park

Yesterday was the ONLY beautiful day we've had in a long time so I went to the Mauer park with a friend and watched him play drums with all these other people... I never realized how cool this was. With all of them playing together, it created a real energy and you could feel the rhythms vibrate through you. They played for hours and hours and I was never bored. The only unfortunate thing was that I was eaten alive by mosquitos which came out later in the evening. I must have 20 bites all over me, and the mosquito's fave spot was my arse. Somehow they were able to bite through my pants, the little bastards.

couple pics... though these don't really capture the energy or atmosphere that was present:





I think I will capture this on video the next time I go.

just pictures

This always puzzled me


This is a place down the street from me.











you get the point.... and drinks are only 1 euro.


Daily hangout and where Kent gives me German lessons.

been a while

Yep, it's been a while since I blogged here. I have been dealing with some personal issues and going through some major changes lately, but I think things are starting to feel a bit more "normal" now. I'm still in Berlin (of course) but living alone now which I actually think I like.

I'm sure it's dull as hell to read a blog where in every entry I'm talking about or complaining about the weather, but I just can't help it. For a while we were having some very hot and humid days, but now, it's just crap. It's cold. It's cloudy. It's raining. Am I back in Seattle? Come on Berlin, bring on the Summertime already. I really like to go for walks and shopping, etc. and I just can't get into it when it's pissing down every day.

Today, I must do some work, and then I have a Deutsch lesson with Kent. I'm not really looking forward to walking to Caras in this rain, but it's entirely possible that it will have stopped by then. Weather weather weather. Dull. Ok, sorry.

My friend Amal is still in Lebanon. It's seemed like an eternity since she left. I hope she comes back soon. She's a good friend, and has been there to listen to me complain about all my personal nonsense, and also partake in my shopping excursions. Please come home soon Amal!

yikes!

We have been having some of the most hellacious thunder storms I have ever seen. Right now, the rain is so heavy that I can't see the other building's balconies across the courtyards very clearly. The thunder and lightning is incessant and startling. Over the past several days, we have had so many of these. It's especially unusual because the day could start out very warm and sunny... then hours later it's almost as dark as dusk and pouring buckets. It's sort of exciting, although I wouldn't want to be out in it. Last night we stayed so long at this Irish Pub called Killkennys (I think?) because the storm outside seemed to never end.

EEk there was just now a sudden crash of thunder which made me jump. I wonder if it sounded similar when Berlin was being bombed in WWII.

hot & stormy

What an unusual day. It was a million degrees and unpleasantly humid all day long, yet now I am being held captive inside my apartment waiting for this horrific thunderstorm to end before I go out to eat. I hope it ends soon because I am hungry!

fuzzy things

There are fuzzy things everywhere! They are just floating around all over the place, and because I am such a strange person, I find this incredibly amusing. I noticed some of the stores are open today which is unusual because usually everything is closed on Sunday. We sat at Caras today for a long time watching all the people go by. It's very warm today, I hope this kind of weather is finally here to stay.

Sooooo I'm here Hello Berlin

I arrived on Thursday evening and I feel that Berlin has welcomed me with open arms. As sad as I was to leave Seattle, I haven't felt a touch of homesickness since I have been in Berlin. At least not yet anyhow.

Today I went to register with the "police", which I guess isn't really the police, it just seems to be a government place that keeps records of people that live here. I'm still a little weak on the German terminology for this, but as much as I had the impression that this would be a royal pain in the ass, it really wasn't. We didn't have to wait very long and I ended up leaving with a big grin on my face because the lady who entered my info into the computer said "Jetzt sind Sie eine Berlinerin" (now you are a Berliner!).

Monday I meet with the attorney, etc. to start the application process. I've got a 10 lb stack of papers in hopes that I have covered all bases and that anything they want documentation of, I've got on hand right away.

Technical stuff aside, it has been a pleasant surprise at how nice the weather here is. I feel like I'm back in California. (minus the smog etc.)

Tonight we are going to a Depeche Mode party. Wooo!

goodbye

Goodbye Seattle. While I'm excited and very optimistic about my move to Berlin, it is still sad to leave.

starting to feel it

Tonight as I stood in the kitchen looking at the countertops and appliances and hardwood floor, I felt the first signs of homesickness even though I haven't even left yet. In just 2 days this place will be empty. I got teary-eyed yet again. Yes, I'm such a sappy, mushy dork. It is such a strange mix of emotions because when I think of being in Berlin, I get this funny sense of euphoria and excitement, and I have no doubt in my mind that this is the right place for me to be. But leaving home isn't easy. It's not just the house or the *things*... I'm actually leaving the USA. That's certainly not a bad thing.. but I imagine anyone leaving their home country must have a lot of emotions about that, whether it is a good or bad thing. I know I will be sad. I know I will shed some tears. But in the end I know I will be the happiest I have ever been. A week from now I will be on the plane, probably somewhere over Canada or the Atlantic (or Arctic??), on my way to Berlin.

moving

I don't think I ever mentioned that I had decided to actually move to Berlin, rather than have all these 2-month visits here and there. Yes, I am moving to Berlin. On May 2.

I'm in the midst of all the chaos and work involved in moving out of here, putting things in storage, etc etc etc, the list goes on. At least my taxes are finally done.

This past weekend I spent some time with my family in Los Angeles. It was a bittersweet experience. As always, I enjoyed my time with them, but saying goodbye was especially hard this time.

I felt somewhat depressed all afternoon before I left for the airport. As the plane took off, I watched as the streets, houses and buildings got smaller and smaller. They looked like toys. It was only then that I realized I wouldn't be back for a long time. Once again I said goodbye to the place I grew up in.

The night my dad said goodbye, he had tears in his eyes. I was gutted. I had never seen my dad express his feelings like that before.

I never realized until now how much love there is between me and my family.

I hate to say goodbye.

the wrong train

I keep dreaming I am taking the S-Bahn in Berlin and I end up on the wrong train. I discover I'm on a train going to some rural area and there are no stops in between. But the last dream I had about this, the train fell off a cliff.

I am missing you, Berlin

I am back in Seattle now, however, I am in the process of preparing to move to Berlin permanently. There is so much to do in so little time, but I think it can be done! Inspired by another blogger, I am going to list the things I miss about Berlin already (not necessarily in this order):

- my friends Amale, Stefan and their little dog, Mikey
- Klaus and Ella
- German class at Goethe Institut
- Neue Schoenhauser Str.
- Shopping on Alte Shoenhauser Str.
- Alcatraz
- Hotel Mitte bar
- Katy from Spain
- All the folks working at Hotel Mitte bar
- Max-Beer Str.
- Hackescher Markt
- Breakfast at Hackescher Hof
- Sunday brunch at Hotel Mitte bar
- Sitting at Caras watching all the people
- Depeche Mode parties
- Andreas and all the rest of the DM party people
- Smart cars
- Karin
- That icky smell coming from the U-Bahn station
- Really inexpensive wine
- Currywurst or any kind of wurst (sausages!!)
- The little corner store that is always open, even on Sunday

bleh

I'm leaving tomorrow. This is the worst departure ever because this is the most attached to this city I have ever become. It's almost like a heartbreak. Oh, I know that is so dramatic but it's actually true. I'm only going to be gone for 6 and a half weeks but that just seems so LONG. I love Berlin and I know I must live here. It is where I belong. Even though I can't get a single English speaking channel anymore, I still know I need to be here. I hope it all works out. I need to get a resident permit here when I return in May and I think it will be ok, but I need so much damn documentation - I really have my work cut out for me until I return. That's ok. I can do it. I've always been able to achieve what I set my mind to do.

TV is messed up

Can someone tell my why the BBC World channel has suddenly become a German shopping channel by day and a German porn channel by night?

good things must come to an end

a photo of my main classmates at the Goethe Institut Berlin -learning to speak German. I am on the far right. Actually the one on the top row 2nd from left is the teacher, Monika.



It's a very international group - far left top - Ricardo (Brazil), Monika (Germany), Liza (Russia), Ferhat (Turkey), me (USA), bottom: Amale (Lebanon), Diane (Africa).

And I am fortunate to have become good friends with Amale, she is so cool.

Thanks to Misha (not pictured!) for taking this picture!

still here!

I am a bad bad blogger! Yes, I am still in Berlin. I am feeling very much at home here, more so than in my home in Seattle. I have made friends and can at least order food and drinks in German. The German course I am taking is great but I definitely need to practice more. I still have trouble forming some sentences and I still find it almost impossible to understand someone when they are speaking German to me, even when they are using words that I understand. I don't know how long it will take before I can really handle the language well. I understand the grammar rules but it is just so hard to put them to use. So much of this grammar isn't used in English at all. When I am able to speak German, I am told that I don't really have an accent. It will be funny, when I can finally speak fluently, people won't know that I am American at all. (Not that I care to hide it though).

I've started getting more excercise because I walk a lot. When I have been able to get my work done early and have some free time in the afternoon, I have gone walking all over the area, sometimes shopping, sometimes just browsing and walking around.

The weather isn't bad right now. It's been what I would consider warm for this time of year.

I slept like crap last night, so I'm a little tired today. I have class tonight and a test as well so I hope my brain will still be functioning by then.

I'm going to try to blog more. I have around 3 weeks left here. I wish it was longer!

snowy

Well it's been over 2 weeks since I arrived in Berlin and I have completely neglected this blog. Work has been very busy and I am also taking night classes to learn German at the Goethe Institute. The grammar is such a bitch. But I'm having fun anyway. On top of that, I've had to squeeze in time to get more things for the apartment, such as a TV, shower curtain, etc. etc.

There is this very cool photography book out recently called Schoenhauser Strasse http://schoenhauser-strasse.de/index.html. The photos are of the area all around where I live and where I spend most of my time. Not to mention, there is a photo of my boyfriend Kent's mom in it. I am going to get a copy of it and bring it home to show everyone what I see every day.

It is snowing and I love it. Even though I have a home in Seattle, I spent most of my life in Los Angeles where snow is pretty much non-existent. Because of this, it is quite exciting to me and I am enjoying watching the snowflakes floating all around from the window at my desk. I'm sure most people who are used to snow will disagree and find it more of a nuisance than anything.


View from the window.