Write Sunday, Post Monday

I wrote the beneath and left to polish it off as I was heading out, but then it was late.. So after a very nice weekend (and current pressure to really learn stuff now). By the way, more pics will be on Facebook soon, probably. I'm feeling a reluctance to put people pics here. So finally, another update.

Neglecting this blog stemmed from not allowing myself to write until my Hausarbeit was through, and now its been a while. Both Hausarbeits are done, the marks have been returned (very happy), and I’ve had a dream-like holiday in England, involving mutually visiting mine and Luke’s families (Dad’s birthday included!) and camping in Norfolk. The first week of the summer term has been survived well, and it looks like a full but productive set of classes I’ll be taking. I’ve been catching up with friends, meeting new coursemates and settling into the new flat of 3. I’m already feeling like I’ve not got so much time till I hop down to south Germany over the long Easter weekend, to visit my old guest family and a friend.

ENGLAND HOLIDAYS (pic right: Chatsworth)

Visiting the home turf was beautiful – I’m privileged to have grown up in such a beautiful area, and now visiting mum and dad is also a retreat, to be able to have time together with family and old friends, rambling the hills once more, popping in to town, cooking with mum… I’m trying to keep whittling down my junk too! It was actually a brief visit, Luke got to see the area (including a walk to Chatsworth and passing David Blunkett), and could meet my parents properly! It was great to show it to someone, especially..

(Pic left: our corner) Me and Luke then headed down camping to Norfolk – after an unrestful blustery first night (the tent next door got taken down), the weather continually improved, giving us sunburn on the beach after a couple of days. We wandered to Holkham hall, found a local pub with own micro brewery, good food and a pub quiz, went to the beach and chilled – a proper holiday for both of us! I’d quite like to introduce Luke in person to some of you readers!

(Pic right: Ship + London? Dedicated to Charles Berrisford) The final trip started with Luke’s parents meeting us for fish and chips by (wells-next-to-the) sea, and by the end of the day had met an aunt and uncle and Luke’s brother+wife, which made for a brilliant (and bubbly) day. I also met Luke’s grandma too… to have a family living so close to each other was something I always saw as odd when I was younger (“you have a class with your cousin?”), but the way it fits so naturally to structure a family community was great to see. The family of arrow makers are a brilliant bunch! Me and Luke took a day trip to London too, starting with a river trip from canary wharf, and including me having a knowledgeable personal guide to go round the Tate modern with, visiting Borough market, and seeing an old friend of ours who has just moved down from Scotland.

SUMMER SEMESTER (yes until mid-July)

I jumped back into term the day after I returned, and have a set of classes which expect plenty, but I’m at university to learn so that is well in order. Our language course teacher has given us a 230 page reader of articles, and we are developing our skills in writing this term, with a focus on “Berlin Reportage und Prose” in the 20s and noughties. We’ll be doing our own report, getting research and interviews and so on to feed back about and finally write up at the end of term as the main assessment. My English-taught linguistics course is semantics (I had the same teacher last term and he is really helpful), and my German-taught linguistics is second language acquisition, at the Humboldt University! That is looking like its going to be quite heavy learning, but it will be fine. The HU is only an easy half hour from where I live, in contrast to the hour’s travel for FU.

EASTER PLANS

For this easter I’m making the most of the lecture free days, and heading down to south Germany to visit my host family from summer 2009, stopping off beforehand in Freiburg to see a friend – such a long journey needs to be made the most of! As ever, going away makes me slightly nervous about keeping up with work, but think sensibly and I can plan around it fine. It will be good to spend Easter with the family. Christian traditional celebrations are still more important and well known here. There are chocolate easter lambs! That’s a quirky transfer of Christ-imagery to chocolate mass production I’ve never really seen. Though I’m not sure exactly what the family will be doing, but regardless, a weekend celebrating faith in what Christ has done for us is always good!

SETTLING INTO A NEW FLAT

I’m enjoying the new area I’m living in, Friedrichshain - “free - dri[h]s - h[eye]n”. Theres a park around the corner, a cute playground going up opposite, a playschool at the end of the street, and not far to get to the market of Boxhangener Platz and all the little cafes and bars around there. Go the other way, and you get onto the more industrial Frankfurter Allee, a big main street with S+U Bahn, your Takeaways and Bakeries, shopping centre and not far along, the Frankfurter Tor (two big towers on either side of the road). It leads to Alexander Platz (10 mins on the U5), you just have to go towards the very obvious Fernsehturm (which I find quite cool). And I'm blessed with great flatmates! Inclusive Harry the Chinchilla, who will sadly have to be taken away as Markus has found he has developed an allergy to them.

So, I think that’s plenty made up for the drought of updates, I’ll let you rest now, and I’ll get to work. A happy Sunday to you all – actually, palm Sunday. Till next time.

And a happy Monday too.

Kind of half way - adjusting lifestyle

I didn't quite realise I'd left this a whole a month..

I've practically done one Hausarbeit, with the next to complete, and just had my long-weekend trip for a wedding in Scotland.

This weekend, having only just travelled back this afternoon, is foremost in my mind. On top of being able to celebrate the marriage of two friends in the pretty little west-coast town of Largs, I was able to catch up with a few friends in Edinburgh and see Luke, who was playing at the wedding After two months of only electronic communication, actually properly seeing each other was brilliant. Skype and written text can never truly replace being with a person. Long distance relationships mean that the time you spend feels very - almost too - precious. There's little room for just an average evening, a greeting or goodbye that is not in some way significant, or sharing so much everyday ordinariness. But its better than no relationship, by far.

However, I should talk about the weekend generally, yes. Slept at my old flat (and other friends'), caught up with my old flatmate and a friend or two or more, got to know a few new people, was introduced to Dutch rap music, saw a new record in grinning from a groom, danced, saw Largs, had time with Luke, saw Romeo and Juliet, heard Scots again, went to my old church... that got a little more jumbled, but represents the weekend in a way.

I think I have realised that Edinburgh is comfortable, known, and safe in my head, while Berlin is somehow in a way disjointed and less sure. Not only in terms of a foreign culture and language. The geographical dispersion of friends, work and social life reflects the distance of isolation you can feel in such a large city when you live almost alone. Living as a two person flat, when you always seem to miss each other, makes 'home' much less of a community to relax in. And when you do meet with others, you'll need to take at least 30 minutes on the public transport to get there. I don't mean Berlin is not an amazing experience and an amazing city. I've realised how much your environment influences your lifestyle.Edinburgh is so much smaller, friends are around the corner, flatmates are around, university interweaves with the people who live in the flats near you, social life is provided in the student bubble... Maybe living as a three, by the end of this month, will change life here a little too.

Before my second term starts (April 11th - July 18th lectures) I'll be back in England for ten days in April, in the home town with mum and dad (and Luke!), then we go camping in Norfolk, and i'm meeting some Fletchers in Chelmsford too! For now, I'll get this next essay done, hopefully soon be able to choose courses for next term (Edinburgh are asking about next year), and right at the end, move flat.

For now (right now), my travelling has made me quite tired. This isn't the most polished entry - but I'm still thinking of you friends and relatives, and wanted to send a greeting and alls-well. Till soon.

Checklist items (political toothpaste, tick)

So, since last time... panicked about uni, calmed down, panicked again, calmed down... and now writing this blog after today doing my first ever proper German exam in Germany, and feeling that God will honour whatever work I put in (it was fine, I think). There has also been other stuff in the weeks I'll mention, and as I've titled, a few more 'should do that' expreiences from this year abroad actually got round to... (and the toothpaste -in picture - is my flatmate's, theres some subtle brainwashing here).

What a nice feeling of finishing an exam, having a chapter done - put those notes away, suddenly your life is no longer filled with revisereviseandrevise, and this time, it was do-able. And something never-done-before, which feels quite cool. The never-tried plan fitted well. Ok, I had made sizeable notes on large texts to needless avail when the Professor decided to sum the exam up in the last lecture, but I learnt more and practised German, no bad thing. Step two here is Hausarbeit frenzy - I think it should just about neatly fit, all being well. Not that I've ever done anything like it. It will have a scottish-wedding weekend of two Edinburgh friends at the start of March, and then deadlines/home trip with Luke and parents at end of March. So thats uni. Friends doing one semester here are leaving within the month, that will be sad, but plenty are staying, and we'll stay in touch.

I've done a few cultural bits and bobs recently too. Der lange Nacht der Museen was a couple of weekends ago. 10euro for students, for all participating museums, 6pm-2am Saturday night. A bunch of us went to the Museum for Photography (Alice Springs - brilliant portraits and brash nudity), Checkpoint Charlie (anti DDR, wild escape stories), and the Computerspielmuseum (you pretend to read the numerous snippet side texts about every game made but really don't and just try out all the demos). We also popped in the sankt Marien Kirche next to Alexanderplatz, just as it turned midnight. Thats a picturesque place with a decent organ.
This weekend me and a friend went to a photography exhibition Dignity in Willy Brandt Haus - a really clear cut impressive building that made me think of posh hotels, all glass and wood and carpet and brushed steel. After walking up to several locked doors, we got a good look round. The exhibition seemed to be pretty western-subjective, indigenous people were 'our roots' and 'how we once were', an American photographer capturing the soul of this era that we are about to lose or something similar. Undoubtedly good material to see, whetever perspectives we all took. And we found the italian opposite checkpoint charlie actually hasn't got such extortionate prices.

Other random items... had very good Kuchen at a very nice nearby vegan cafe Vux with Susi, and discovered Hasenheide park on a beautiful balmy damp day (where there was NOT a market on Sunday) -the parks will be brilliant when its warm enough. Strasse des 17. Juni does do a pretty Flohmarkt, which is open in the colder weather too. I've managed to uninstall my webcamera program (because it requested me to). I've got a bit more involved in JKB church and get to know a few more there, and thats good.

I'm enjoying the sounds of people here, travels in the SBahn give you a chance to hear... the turks always "eeeeh" and "eh", the germans "nayaa" und "zvo", the "rrrrrrringeinundfeertsig" SBahn announcers, the banterful "bwoah, richtig krass, geil!" from the guy on his mobile in the corner seat, berliner 'ik vill dat nix, so yuut...' (hope thats accurate) the definitely-not-german jabber...

To think 6 months ago I was walking down to a beach with a friend in North Berwick, at the edge of my summer in Edinburgh. And now... yes, an eventful time of life. Blessed to learn more and more, whether fun or not so. Next step of term, next few months, lets see how this goes. Empty boxes to tick. More than just boxes, of course :)

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.

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