Back in the swing of things

Hello again, a couple of weeks later..
(picture right: Berlin street at night. Not alone Mum :P)
Last time I wrote I was definitely homesick and slightly uni panicked. This only really lasted the first two days back. Prayers, a revision plan and seeing Berlin friends again brought me round well, I'm glad to say (though I still miss you Brit-dwellers, or non-Brit but at least not here).

My flatmate is back from her US trip tomorrow and she will probably be thrown by a 9 hour jetlag, and I'm crunching through the wadges of German text that we've been reading this term, and making it make a bit more sense. One downside is that our lecturer tends to throw in comments during the lecture, dispensing with a couple of pages as 'rubbish - burn it' (and why do we have it? No I do understand why, flippant comment for those who might otherwise read that), which I'm never sure I always catch, but ah well. Me and one coursemate have started doing library work sessions together, and its always good to have someone you know around. Unfortunately shes a perfect English (as second langauge) speaker who is 'speaking too much German', so I'll have to do a deal with her sometime to keep my German going! Hopefully uni stuff should fit together, the plans looking a little tight, but its a never-before-tried-Katie-attempts-German-uni-assessment-plan, so I can only have a go!

I've sampled a couple of new bars with Vorkurs (pre-semester language course) friends these last few weeks. Kuschlowski's is a cosy little bar, with a log stove in the corner and stools topped with upturned buckets. An intensely smoky night, has to be said. I can appreciate why they banned smoking in the UK (in enclosed public places or whatever it is). The other was zu-mir-oder-zu-dir (translates "my place or yours"), which is very cool, good music mix and was packed by 10pm, you couldn't see floorspace for people somehow perching on some surface.

I've found next semester's flat (April - August) too, with a friend of mine from JKB church (later friends when other friend's current flat is filled). They're a couple, similar age as me (can I name you, Susi and Markus? I think I'm safe, and they could be bogus names for all you readers know). I'm really looking forward to it. They're at one of the city's uni/colleges doing social-academics/work stuff, not exactly sure of the titles (hmm, Hochschule isn't easy to translate. Not polytech, not just college..). And Markus has a chinchilla! I think thats the first thing I tell anyone about the flat, exposing my childhood vetinary dreams... its further from uni (1hr), but other pro-s weigh that out. Its near to Frankfruter Allee SBahn, the really wide street, which leads to the centre. That street also has an impressive Fernsehturm view and imposing communist housing too. But I'm off the side from that, up plenty of stairs to get me serviceably fit (I feel a little sedentary with all this U bahn travel). Spring and summer in Berlin, I cannot wait!

Anyway, thats all for now, I think. God bless, keep well. I'm not regretting the name of my blog one bit.

Left Berlin, and returned again the next year

I thought I better keep this blog informed in some way, so heres some holiday summary and 2011-ness..

I have had a brilliant break in the UK, treasuring time with people close to me, such as parents, siblings, and it. Sorry, and Mr. Luke Fletcher. (boyfriend, friend, quietly brilliant man..)
Anyway, in jokes aside, Derbyshire had a welcome lack of snow, and only an hour waiting for the plane to take off as they scraped snow away from roofs and runways. I did manage to seriously annoy the security woman, after i tried to helpfully drag my bag over the rollers, when it wasn't finished. If that wasn't enough, this silly girl then had a cable on top of a biscuit tin: "Do you read the papers?? Do you know Germany is on red alert?? Stupid!..". At home, I visited neighbours and friends, the meadows with the dog, and had time with mum just cooking or what have you. Frist Christmas without big bro! Odd but still lovely, and we got to see Mr and Mrs Ish on Boxing day and a bit after. Saw Narnia (quite good!). Bought a big rucksack. And a dress.

..before heading to Edinburgh//Glasgow! Caught up with friends, and spent a few days with Luke, in which time we tried to, but didn't, have any major disagreements. Loch Lomond, Hogmanay on Princes Street. Oh, and me and Luke went shopping. He hung around in womens clothes sections (for me, not himself). I was impressed and felt a little cruel. And I wasn't as interested in shopping, its quite a shared girl-y thing to go "ooh, pretty necklace..".

Back in Berlin, I am unwinding recanting all this. (I know this blog needed an update). Being honest, this year abroad is very hard. I have good friends who I miss, and find the isloation/individuality of German university quite alot to handle. Oh, and I think last years flatmates are hard to beat. My flatmate Nora is back two days before two weeks in the USA. Home Alone again! I don't relax too easy from work, and often I just get plain confused as to what end I should try and finish in order to learn. I'm trying to piece together plans, but falling asleep through a lecture or in the library the past few days has left me with a woozy messed head afternoon.
So, that gives you an idea of Berlin! What a downbeat paragraph that was! Struggles make you stronger, but I just hope I draw enough strength (not from myself alone) to do as well in uni as possible/needed. And appreciate this year, whatever God has in mind.

I'm yet to catch up with friends here in this city, yet to do my presentation tomorrow. Yet to finish the first semester in Feb/March. Yet to see what 2011 is to bring. God, bless this year for me and these friends and family reading.