Can I ask for Money for Christmas?

Alas, I did my budget today. It's never a good thing.

I've found there is a very large gap between the things I want to do and the things I can do mit Geld. :'(

That trip to Amsterdam, that trip down to Stuttgart to visit my friend have to be put off until the Gods of Wealth smile upon my pitiless soul again.

Also, my i pod recently died. RIP Mojito Jones. So, it's a thing on my mind for future purchases.

Still, you know, I've done quite a few things here. I have to thank my friends for showing me a really fun time here. Their ambition to explore mixed with my follower's mentality and occasional proactive attitude has been the perfect blend :)

Zum Beispiel:

Have you ever watched a Countertenor Classical Musik Performance inside of a Leather Bondage Club?

Partied on a boat nestled along the Seine?

Have you drank Meade from the horn of a bull at a Viking Bar? (yes, there were Metalheads of all sorts!)

Had lunch inside an ancient Spanish Citadel, then have sat in a Cafe Ernest Hemmingway frequented?

Or that you chased and fought wild boars in a forest?
Okay, I haven't either. But I plan to change that soon. (Grunewald Forest bitches!)

The list goes on, for which I am forever grateful for my life.


Yeah. Yeah. Be Jealous.

Okay I swear to God after this paper...

I will go on a run. I need to run. Just run, like Forest Gump, until I can feel some sanity.

I will clean my room and stop re-wearing clothes from that pile I set up by my bed.

I will grocery shop and start eating fruits and vegetables again (I think I've developed an ulcer from all that crappy restaurant food here)

I will start applying to jobs.

I will re-budget and plan some upcoming trips (Amsterdam, anyone?)

I will paint my nails

I will go to Ikea and get some christmas stuff (you have to decorate early to get pumped!)

Start talking to people again... and doing that whole going "being sociable"...lol



Mein Gott!

Halloween

What a wierd day and a terrible night.

Maybe because it was Halloween, but there was a wierd feeling in the air. Heh
I should've known: at the bus station, Ashley turned to me and said "I think tonight will be a wierd night".

It..certainly was a night people acted out things I thought would never happen, did @_@
Just glad its over.

Fanni/Joel's party, however, was fun and rambunctious

Just arrived :)

After a picture with Man-Pig-Cow


Knighting Peter. Why? ~_~

It was an intense night, that I'm glad is over and hope will never repeat again. @_@

My Break

I spent a week or so in the Navarra , which was very refreshing and beautiful.

I didn't have the usual break, most everyone went to the Mediterranean or to Eastern Europe.
But I had a blast. I learned about myself and travels that I don't think I would have in any other case. I think my life is a richer now because of it ^^

Olite Castle


Inside the Queen's Chambers


San Sebastian (in the Basque Country)


Pamplona Citadel


Late afternoon in Estella

Coming back to Berlin is bittersweet.

The Sun Also Rises

Mm, it's not quite the same time as the Illustrious San Fermin Festival, but this place is fresh, beautiful, and sweet here.

Or maybe it is more because of whom I'm visiting ;)

Other students are out on their adventures out East or in the Mediterranean. But here is where the heart is, you know.

I plan to check out Café Iruña and Ernest Hemingway's old haunts while H is in classes.
Also, a few things on my mind to further:
Finish Darkness at Noon
Develop my Resumé and send them out to the listings I picked in the UK
Also start looking at jobs in San Francisco
and some other things <3 <3 <3

Hope everyone is having a fun adventure, I'm here making my own :P

Hotel Auserlitz

hERE I AM IN PARIS PAYING 5 EURO FOR 15 MINUTES OF INTERNET. THE KEYBOARD IS REVERSED I HAVE TO HOLD DOZN THE CAPS KEY TO MAKE LETTERS lowercase. ALSO THE KEYS DONT MATCH THE LETTERS THAT COME OUT....SO I.M GUESSING. THIS MESSAGE TOOK FOREVER TO WRITE.

DAMN STRIKE RUINED MY DAY...I WILL NOW GO TO THE TRAIN STATION TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN ORDER TO HOPEFLLY GET A 7AM TICKET....PLS PS PLSSDFSDFSDGET

Omg Spainien

It's coming soon. I am leaving for Spain tomorrow. :D? D:?

Downside: there is a major strike in Paris, so the train I was going to take is now cancelled. I will have to get to Paris and then try to exchange for the following morning train. So...I will spend the night either at a Hostel or back at the Airport, which I am okay with...like...Tom Hanks in the Terminal (-_-).

Still, I have to finish packing and my exam tomorrow! Gah.


Excited that I have a small adventure in Paris, but knowing I will be so tired. Then meeting Hugo's family, then seeing Hugo again, and all that jazz.


Wish me Glück!

California

I am loving Europe, especially Berlin, I can definitely see myself living here.

Still, I miss California, and I will always miss it. Maybe it is the rose-tint clouding over my lenses, but thinking about being back there, being with my friends and family, it feels good.

Ah, but if anyone knows me, they know I love to linger in past feelings. So it is really just a passing moment. The colder Berlin gets, the more I realized there are many strangers here calling this their home, which I can't, so there's a little bitter sweetness there.

This is a moment of slowing down and reflecting on where I went, and that in my rush to come here, I forgot how much I missed the people (and FOOD) of California.







Okay, I think it's just depression of midterms haha. Back to studying!

Last day of Berlin Oktoberfest: Thoughts

It was a day like any other - went to an Einstein Kaffee with Jessica to study and put together my German Presentation.

Come 4PM, I part with Jess and meet up with Ashley and the other Jess and we make our way to Tegel. (Jakob-Kaiser Platz)

A swig of some Egg booze (with a kick!) and 15 euros later, we make it to the Berlin Oktoberfest tent!



1.5 Liters of Beer, dancing on top of benches, fist pumping to techno songs about 20 cm penises, clinking beers with Benny, etc. etc. I don't quite remember how we got back, but I wonder what an ordeal it was. I just remember loving the sh*t out of this Burger King Hamburger and fries.
Oh Ashley, you and I do the worst things lol. With Jess, its Döner, with Ash its Burger King :P



I finally make it home, hastily prepare some Shin Ramen, and drunk chat some folks. I get the "sickness" and in my attempt to wait it out, I instead just pass out.

Today was a good day.

This was a busy weekend, eh? Sage club with Jessica Thursday night, Turkey-Germany Game (0-3), and Berlin Oktoberfest; all before my midterms. Work hard Play hard! (Or rather, the other way around ;P)

Memories in Motion

Here are some memories of Paris with a little more action.


Montmartre Jazz Scene

Montmartre Hippie

Wie finden Sie Escargot?

Panorama of the Pompidou

German Class

It eats my soul.

Hit the ground running

I returned from Paris with a lot on my plate:

Are there internships I can get involved in?
How can I find a tandem Deutsch partner?
Plan trips on my free weekends and break!
What do I get as a gift for H's family?
I need to go on my field studies!
How can I fully experience this program?
Etc. etc.


Also my language course teacher kicked into high gear us - I am not sure if it was the fact we lost a lot in Paris, or we were just learning harder material, but this past week was analogous to a training camp...or multiple root canals at the orthodontist. I do feel that I retain a lot more material, but I feel we're the only class that leaves the room with our heads hanging - I burn calories in that class for sure! Next door, I can hear the classroom singing someone happy birthday, or laughing and chatting, while we silently work on worksheets.

Haha, it's all good. I think it's worth it.

It came to me that Deutsch will be something I would like to know and keep up for the rest of my life.

I just found a possible Koreanisch-Deutsch tandem partner who is an Opera singer. Whoo! I can't wait to possibly meet them and work on both languages while I'm here!

I'm thinking, I don't have to travel all over Europe - I would like to get to know Berlin really well first. I love this city, so I should take the time. Also, I should take the time to find out ways to work here, even if it is an internship...or club work. I want to be involved.

Let's see what I can do.

She visited Paris

Paris, you stole my heart and my money <3>

The Eiffel Tower: can you believe this is what I saw?

Notre Dame

Wandering the streets of Paris at night

Paris (and France as a whole) is a fantastically beautiful place that can't be compared or repeated. My little romantic heart squealed at the sight of the Eiffel Tower at night, the beautiful sights atop Montmartre, and the bumbling night life in Bastille. Still, Paris was a city I felt very ambivalent about: I loved the art, the beauty, the romanticism, but in reality it was very dirty and people were generally rude.


Advice: traveling in large groups is always tough, but especially tough in a city such a Paris without working handy phones.


Versailles:

Montmartre:

Chartres:

Normandie:

Neukölln Flohmarkt

This is my new home away from my studio home in Osdorfer away from my Home in the Bay!
The following aspects that you'll love:

Fresh, Cheap, Large Produce

Cheese!

Amazing Ghanaian food with a pink spicy puree you'll love

Turkish Delight
Fresh Juices
Gypsy style music performances and sitting areas along the river

Gypsy style music playing by the riverfront

Can you imagine us: buying a 3 Euro plate of rice, chicken wings, fried plantains sitting along the waterfront listening to the soft crooning of street singers? I will indulge myself with those moments weekly at the markt.
I will try to take some friends - I am 100% sure they will enjoy it. yes!

I also need to trek back here to Prenzlauerberg to get some authentic Asian rice. The Ja! Rice mashed squares is not doing it for me. heh.


This weekend is the France trip. I'm so excited. However, first thing's first - there are a few tasks at hand before I leave:

1. Mail posters and postcards home
2. Email folks
3. Do laundry (pants)
4. Budget for France
5. Stop by Kreuzberg area and get some nice thick heels or loafers. Nothing too expensive. I don't know if I'm kidding myself, but Paris seems like a "heels" type of place >:3
6. Upload pictures to update blog.

Notice, these are not in any particular order of importance.

I am definitely seeing a side of Berlin I am loving. Can someone fall in love with a city like this?

A Long Friday, Jane Arrives, Panorama

I returned to Potsdam for a student trip. I initially thought it would be boring since I had come before with BH. But I went into the palaces, got to talk and get closer with some cool folks, and see a beautiful, sunny side of Potsdam. It's a city unlike any other. BTW: H&M and McDonald's everywhere. They're peppered in between the old picturesque tourist attractions.

We first went to the Celienhof Palais and saw the tables that Stalin, Churchill, and Truman sat at during the Potsdam Conference. It's strange to be so close to a history I studied and glorified (in a way). Seeing the tables, the accents to the rooms they stayed in, I remembered they were politicians and men like any other, who partook in extra ordinary events in our history. Cool.

Site of the Potsdam Conference August 1945

Afterwards, we took a tour of the Sansouci Palais of Friedrich II, which in some rooms had beautiful gilded accents, and others just a failed clash of jarring colors and decor. Generally though, it's way better than my pad (haha) so I wouldn't complain if i was stuck with it. I would show it off on MTV Cribs, and it would be tight.

All of us hung around afterwards at Rahaus Steglitz before the mandatory dinner, which was actually really yummy. There was minimal socializing outside of the table we sat at, which was fine - all the people I had interest in talking too were already at my table :P

We left around 9:30 or so and took the bus back home to get ready and go out again. We went to Kreuzberg area to meet up with J's German Buddy. The night was really fun! We met at Minaj and I watched my friends meet girls and girlfriends get hounded by German boys. tehe. We eventually and fist-pumped the night away at a 90's Rock Club. Jimmyeatworld and other songs of my youth!

Saturday, Jane and Maria arrived and I transited over to Prenzlaurberg to meet them after Lasagna with the homies. It's a cool area - they rented an apartment from a seamstress who lives in Oakland. The place is gorgeous it really harkens me back to the days in Prague, which I won't ever forget. We went out to the Panorama Bar, which was a ridiculous/strange/crazy/awesome/techno club hidden away in this factory warehouse - it's full of bald dudes in leather ass-less chaps and bondage belts. I thought "so this is the Berlin I've heard about in movies"


Sunday, Jane Maria and I woke up and trekked down the street to the flea market. It was rows and rows of different vendors: bags, antiques, glasses, knick-knacks, currywurst and pizza, etc. etc. We all bought bags for less than 20 euros or so and I finally got myself a backpack, that's a used one from the military. It has "Miller" written on it. I wonder who this soldier was like, I bet he didn't suspect a little korean girl would purchase this years later.

We made a killing here

Jane's "Hangry" face

Say "no!" to thongs in a box

Karaoke Contest at the Park

Jane and Maria leave on Thursday, so I plan to stay the night even though I must wake up really early and trek across Berlin to get to class. I only have so much time to spend good times with good people. I gotta cherish those short moments we are together.


Alles Gut!

So she went to Berlin...

Last fall, I was in Seoul. Gallivanting Sinchon with the glow of the Eternal Traveler, I decided to go I wanted to go abroad again next fall- to BERLIN. After all the fuss, the stress, the doubts, here I am :)


H met me at the airport, which I felt during his stay and after he left, that helped me adjust to such a huge change here in Berlin. Showing me around, staying with me, I got accustomed to the subways, and it didn't feel so overwhelming. Such a fun week with him! I will have to visit him in Spain, it's a country I'd like to introduce myself to and it'd be a pleasure to see him again :)


I've traveled through the tourist areas of Berlin, now its time to dig deeper :] and explore the nooks and crannies in between ~

-------------------------

After 10 hours of classes and one long, but peaceful subway ride to Osdorfer Str, I'm back home, tidying the place up, casually eating dinner and studying Deutsche Begegnungen with my mud face mask applied. Aside from the mild scare I had from forgetting about my face mask and looking in the bathroom mirror, It's been a good night.... a good week, a good end of the month, despite mishaps here and there - things that come with traveling on a whim.


I miss, however: