Nearly time to greet Britain

I'm writing a quick little post, before I get caught up in plans with travels and such and forget all other things. This week is getting progressively Chrismassy/end-of-term/holiday-goodbyes, and less academic. I'm trying to still get a bit of work done before I fly back!

The snow here is lyrical. Its like God is a child with a pot of icing sugar, shaking and shaking until at some point the lid comes off and it all falls out in a rush, and the pot needs to be refilled again. I returned to a neat cone of the stuff swept up prettily to our front door last night, and if you touch it its like candyfloss, sticking to your your hands but then condensing to a solid ball, then the soaking wetness of melted icicles chills your hands and washes them fresh. Last night felt particularly like a glittery snowball, the snow particles were so tiny and like ice - like what you get from scraping a freezer out. Very pretty indeed, and hopefully not too much of a hinderance (not yet).

I've pretty much got my Christmas shopping done, almost, and hopefully it will all fit! Come on, I have check-in luggage as well as hand luggage, it has to. Events like a friend's English-practice Love Actually evening, breakfast out with my flatmate (thank you mum and dad!), "how to write Hausarbeit" talk with Gluehwein and Stollen, and a language course outing to a cute trendy russian bar, all have helped me feel I'm entering holiday season. Last few days! Shopping, wrapping, work, season's greetings and goodbyes, boyfriend's birthday (and a friend's for that matter), boarding passes, packing... pray the Sunday travels will be complication free.
Jesus, I look forward to celebrating your birthday!

Weinachtenzeit in Deutschland// Christmas time in Germany

Frohliche Advent!
(Picture below: Gendarmen(weinachts//christmas)markt luxury)

So, first advent Sunday was almost a week ago, turned on the radio to find the first advent weekend was the hot topic. It also means the offical opening of Christmas markets here, as well as the traditional lighting of a candle each Sunday, and lots of families put up a start latntern at their window or porch. Its still almost as much part of the culture as a 'happy chiristmas' is in Britain. Its really nice :)


Last weekend I took the oppourtunity to see the christmas markets, and was amazed at how big they could be. There are big central ones at Alexanderplatz, at Potsdamer Platz, Gendarmenmarkt (more upmarket, pay a euro to go in and they have whole restaurants set up... so not for me - yet?), and more.... however, these have been overshadowed by my visit to my the market in my Kiez (means your area, more the central hubub streets of a certain area, where everyone meets up). Its only on Friday to Sunday. Helena's (in in her room) brother came by to pick up post, so we wandered round.. its all the local church groups and charities and such, and they put on an impressive display. including 3 CAMELS walking through. However, Mauritz had never seen that happen before either, so its not your standard German market feature. (No, I did not take a picture, just enjoyed the moment, and also for the sake of not cramping Mauritz's style). (Photo on right:Richardplatz :) )

And yes, its finally snowed here. It started Wednesday night, as I had dinner with a friend, and I left her house to find my feet crunching through the soft white blanket that had fallen. Bliss. The cold is allright-ish, though I have a policy of layering until you can't imagine more. Walking back Thursday evening home, my assessment of clothing was thus: so, you have layers of tights, socks, thermal top under long top, woolen fleece lined hoodie, large khaki eskimo coat also with hood, huge mittens, bobble hat with ear flaps.. are you warm enough? Yes, but I could do with my woolen socks actually, can't feel my toes.. Mother, have no fear, your daughter will not catch hypothermia. I have actually started easing up on the layering! Never thought I'd see the day. And its getting milder, -5c not -10c. My hands are the usual elastic bands white-finger story 5 minutes after I remove a mitten. Oh, for ultra warm gloves you can still operate a camera/sort small change with.

After having told you more than you need to know on my dressing habits, I'll tell you about the coming weeks. Its actually only... (checks).. two more weeks before christmas break! (Note this is not end of term, that is March time). A presentation each week, one for each of my English classes, so no complex German to learn, but decent themes to get to know. Development of languages in Scotland, and the theme of Linguistic typology. Hopefully they'll be ok.

Fail moment of the week was last Monday in German linguistics: Me: "it's funny how he asked us to read Semiotics, isn't it? We did that in week two, I got to read it properly this time." Coursemate: "No, he wanted us to read SEMANTICS, not Semiotics" Me: "Oh."
You can laugh/sympathise as much as you like there. I try, I do! Its going ok in Uni.

Christmas plans.. I'll be flying back to the well loved home town on the 19th (well, nearby airport), and a weekish at home, see bro and sisinlaw boxing day(s), then Scotland for Hogmanay! Looking forward to possibly catch ups with a few friends as well as time with Luke, when he is free (so new year def). Then back to Berlin on 3rd! I'll enjoy the Britain-time with friends and family :)

Thats plenty for now, so till next time, some nice weekend plans coming up.. love to all. God bless a happy advent time! Kt