just keep swimming.....

Today was lovely in the land of Germany. The sun came out, finally! I got the day off even, and went for a nice run. I then went on to planning various tours for my upcoming trips. I booked a tour to Brugge. No I have not seen the movie In Brugge but maybe I will before I go there. I know that they have a chocolate museum, which sounds rad. I am also excited to see the canals there, as it looks very beautiful. I read it has been a UNESCO heritage site since 2000, and has really amazing architecture too. So it should be interesting.  Secondly I can't wait till this weekend to see my sister! ekkk.... I know a bit to excited maybe but whatever. I read the OMG news today, one of my favorite gossipy pages I read on a semi regular basis along with my news paper needs. I find it really funny to see the candid shots they take of celebrities. Like really who cares if Britney spears goes to Whole foods or Starbucks?  So weird. I as well have been reading about the Japan crisis. It is so sad, and I really feel sorry for the people that are going through all this right now. I hope that good things begin to happen there and that this disaster will end.

earmilk....its like nourishment for your ears!

http://www.earmilk.com/

So I had to share this link, Earmilk.com, its one of my new favorite places to visit on the web. It has a lot of great music that you can listen to or read about. I especially like the monday mash-up. It contains some their mixes on all different genre's of music.
As for this weekend, well it has been rather uneventful, big surprise. I know.
cheers!

März....

I haven't had a chance to solidly place a good, long blog post in a bit.
I decided to change my background today, give it  little more "pep". I had just finished admiring my friend
Jordan's lovely background, and read where she got the background for her blog. Thank you for that link dear Jordan!
Here has what has been going on.
I have been on a quasi break since Feb. from school. I have to admit it has been nice to do nothing much, wake up unreasonably late, eat at random times, and catch up on my doing nothing skills. I went to Paris at the beginning of my break, where I got to see my mom and aunt. What a fantastic trip I had seeing them and exploring a lovely city as well. I finally got to see Paris with fresh eyes and really appreciate its beauty.

I then came home to relax for a very long two weeks, it seemed. I decided mid two week relaxation time to go to Erlangen. I went to Erlangen to see my friend Emi, who lives there and is attend the University there. I had a wonderful time.
After coming home from that weekend with Emi, I felt really happy. Oh my was I tired though, so I decided to rest. Although it didn't last long, until I was awoken by my sad little ghetto cellphone. I love to hate on my ghetto phone, but the thing works pretty good to be honest. I got offered a small job, helping at the Uni in Germany. I was so excited. The only problem was I had just finished planning an amazing two week adventure. I went and talked to the department that was interested in hiring me, and surprisingly they were okay with my two week adventure plans. I now have a job here, and I am thrilled. Its not the most interesting job, to be honest, but it is good to be doing something aside from doing nothing and waiting for school to start.
Another great thing that is going to happen soon, is I get to see my dear little sister. Well she isn't so little I guess, but to me she will always be that 3 year old with the goofy hat running around in her pjs all day. She is flying to London for a week and meeting me, for a whole week. I am really excited, as I haven't seen her since September when I left out of Seattle.  After I see her I will go on a week and a half adventure to Brussels, Copenhagen and Prague. Short adventures, but adventures none the less. It should be interesting to see these places during this time of the year.

Feb.U.hairy

OHHH thank goodness. End of the semester is here. Woo.
So after a uneventful trip to London, I am now celebrating the end of a semester.
I am happy its over because well January was not fun. I had a presentation or a paper due each week
which can really wear down your health and happiness levels.
Tomorrow I go to Paris. I am excited, because I get to see my mom and my aunt.
I am especially excited to see them because its been awhile since I have seen any family.
Like family I'm related to. I have many friends whom I would consider family too though.
There has been little events to document in Germany. It snowed again, but has since melted. I am really quiet happy about that to be honest. I cant take the snow much longer. A friend of mine introduced me to the most amazing wine place in town and a bakery where everything is half price. exciting !  hmmm what else. nothing really has been going on. I am sure I will have lots to write about when I get back from my Paris escapades.
bis spater!
I thought I would include a photo from a while ago that was taken when I went to Erfurt/Gera to see a dear friend of mine. It was a great adventure, in this park.

Der Schnee kommt zuruck!

Sooo its nearing the end of January....
There is not much to say...
Except I have been doing a lot of homework. I have been cramming homework down my throat these days, I am becoming so utterly educated it hurts.
Also the snow has decided to show its little scrunched up face again. woo. Back to winter clothes which I thought I could retire a few weeks ago. I was so ready to send you silly winter shoes back to the US with my dear mom ...Lucky for you that wont be happening ~

My very dear friend Caroline and I went
on a hike on christmas day. This is us at the top and the photo below is the view.

Over christmas I went to Norway and visited my other family ~ The family that has adopted me. I adore them and had a lovely time spending the holiday with them :) Here are some fotos of my Norwegian Christmas :) Enjoy -

<<< Christmas with Caroline ~

cheer

This was meant to be my  holiday post, but due to some technical difficulties with my mac book I have just now been able to post it. ~

Sitting on a chilly train ride with the retched smell  from the bathroom creeping on me each time the door is swung open, I see the most beautiful of sights. Parts of Barvarian forest and hills covered in fluffy white snow. I have decided to reflect upon the beauty of Christmas. I think as an exchange student it is difficult at times to say good bye to seeing your family or signifgant others that mean the world to you and more, especially when you cant see them during the holidy. Here though, it is easy to get lost and ponder ones thoughts.I wonder if you haven’t felt seasonal cheer wrap around you and pull you under its snowy blanket with green,red and silver bows. The spirit of Christmas is here,and I’m not talking about discount prices or free wrapping It doesn’t hide behind price tags or fake smiles either that we are often tortured with in the US. I feel here in Germany Christmas is for some reason more alive. It hangs on the trees in the form snow, it takes you by the hand and warms you with sweet pungent Gluhwein. It brings cheer too, in all different forms to the heart,  to feel this you can just gaze upon the children ice skating and sense the sheer enjoyment. Germany will touch each sense simply and take you away with seasonal delights. The lights dancing on the high wires down each walking path,will imprint the idea of a time far from the modern commercialized garbage. I haven’t felt this kind of joy for Christmas for a long time. I always feel bombared  with having to make other people happy( thanks to retail work) and rather stressed during this time of the year. All the loud Christmas music that is pasted on each department stores speakers and employees donning fake green and red attire make me want to vomit. You want a unique present for a person you love and care about? How about spending time with the person you care about and strolling through one of the various paths in a German city. The lights and the atmosphere will enchant you. Christmas markets that are special to each city will turn your eyes. Crafts of various colors made by artisitans and craftsman alike. Ribbons float in the wind with cookies caked with frosting. Chocolates and treats are showcased with warming golden lights. Hold the hand of a loved one and smile as your heart becomes warm with cheer. Christmas isn’t about the greatest gift or the most money spent. I think we often get lost in the monetary value of material things. We often forget in our individualized lives that it isn’t what someone purchases it is the time that they spent with you or the memories you have accumulated over a number of experiences. I catch myself staring into space often alone during this time of year as I look back on christmas’s from the past. I remember being a child. Christmas as a child is so vibrant and fresh. Each sense takes you away, and you let it. I wish for a child like appreciation for the holidays, I wish for joy and love to capture me and take me away. I hope for time with loved ones and for lasting memories to be made.  I cannot tell you how forward I am looking to spending time with my dear friend in Norway. I treasure her friendship, I think without her, well life would not be so wonderful.I may not be able to go home and see the most amazing people in my life that I have the honor to call my family. I miss them dearly, and I care for them more than any word in any language can ever express. I hope they have a very amazing Christmas. The friends that are in my life that I don’t get to see each day and talk to, I miss you all too. I hope you all have a beautiful time this holiday. Just take a moment and feel the Christmas spirit, its there.

Weihnachten~Schokoladenmarkt~Gluhwein

So my dear friends- I have made and executive decision. I will commit to writing two blogs a month.
I didnt write much since Oct.
Here is what happened from Oct 17 on-----
Oct 23 I had a birthday party, it was amazing. I celebrated it with my dear friends and my wonderful roommates. We had a pizza party of sorts and drank a lot of beer/wine. This was followed by going to a student bar called kukuks. Upon arriving at the bus stop via the bus aka the limo that holds thirty people- I got sang to. It is a German tradition apparently to celebrate ones birthday the night before, so that at midnight they can be wished a happy birthday and sang too. Wishing someone a happy birthday before midnight is rather bad luck. I think this is rather interesting, and well quite smart too. I as well went on an adventure to see a friend in another city that is near mine. I had a really nice time there and got to see the city a tad too.

Next was halloween, I got to carve pumpkins with my friends from OR and we went to the student club but it was not as much fun because it was so utterly crowded.

Lady November then creeped upon us, all. Not much really happened, except well thanksgiving and seeing the epic Harry potter movie. Thanksgiving was celebrated in Tubingen, and on this night we all welcomed the first snow by walking 40 mins to dinner, since the buses werent running. It was slightly annoying but fun too. It has been snowing here ever since. This means that sometimes the buses come really late, or not at all. Its a new game I like to call guess if the bus can make it up the mountain!!!

Now December is here. Which means one of the most coolest traditions hits Germany like leparosy everyone is suddenly infected with the christmas spirit and the urge to drink yummy warm "Gluhwein" and be all merry. Christmas Markets spring up all over Germany! These lovely contraptions are called Weihnachtenmarkt. I personally like them and find them rather charming. You can get christmas presents such as oranments or candy or maybe cards, and other crafty homemade goodies. These markets feature the Gluhwein, which is a german wine/orange-ish/cinnamon-y drink which is warmed up and served in cups that are unique to each christmas markt. In Tubingen we have not only this epic Weihnachtenmarkt, but we have Schokoladenamarkt. This other market is the chocolate market, the reason Tubingen has this is because their sister city is Perguia Italy, which is renouned for their chocolate. This chocolate market is pretty awesome I have to say. I went there today and found out that there are such things as chocolate beer, chocolate named Jungle Christmas and Carribeanean Dream. I think I've fallen in love with chocolate market a tiny bit because well I love chocolate! its so interesting all the different kinds of chocolate you can purchase or try there.
My Next Adventure is.....
 On December 22 I get to fly to Bergen Norway to spend Christmas with my best friend Caroline and her family~ I am so so excited to get to see them and I can not wait to share this holiday with them. I hope everyone in Oregon and elsewhere in the US is having a great holiday and enjoying their time with their families.
Bis Spater!