After dinner I met up with a friend here in the city and got to check out a neat little hole in the wall bar.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Thanksgiving Round 2
Thursday was American Thanksgiving here at the house. Julia and I spent the whole day cooking up a storm. I made a "pumpkin" pie (using squash since there were no sizeable pumpkins available) and turkey cupcakes! They both turned out really well! It was a really great night; amazing food, good company and stimulating conversation (well, when it was in English lol).
After dinner I met up with a friend here in the city and got to check out a neat little hole in the wall bar.
After dinner I met up with a friend here in the city and got to check out a neat little hole in the wall bar.
Thanksgiving Round 1
American Thanksgiving is upon us. Yesterday B's class came to the house for thanksgiving lunch. The turkey looked gorgeous. A difference I noticed was that people here don't use stuffing, and if stuffing is made, it is placed on the outside of the turkey.... Interesting.
The class showed up with flowers for Julia, it was adorable. For a class of 24 7/8 year olds, they were all really well behaved and the lunch went really well!!
It was also delicious.
The class showed up with flowers for Julia, it was adorable. For a class of 24 7/8 year olds, they were all really well behaved and the lunch went really well!!
It was also delicious.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Berlin Aquarium
Today the boys had the day off school, so we decided to head down to the Berlin Aquarium. The aquarium is one of the most biodiverse aquariums in Europe. Although I enjoyed looking at all the pretty fish and lizards, there wasn't a lot to interact with. Having been to the Vancouver Aquarium, which is very informative and interactive, this aquarium left a little to be desired for. None the less, it was a really enjoyable time. There were some really colourful fish and some really big fish as well. We also saw Turtles, P's favourite. Seeing the jellyfish never gets old, they are just so gorgeous.
After the Aquarium we walked around the area, checking out the LEGO store.
After the Aquarium we walked around the area, checking out the LEGO store.
Monday, November 17, 2014
I need to start getting up earlier
I have been pretty relaxed since arriving here, since I am not taking the boys to school, there is no set time for needing to get up in the morning. Most mornings I have been sleeping in, probably a little too late. I am hoping to revert this poor behaviour this week. The motivation behind this...well today I wanted to go check out some cute little christmas market stands about half an hour from the house. By the time I got down there, I realized I had about 10 minutes to look around before I needed to hop on a bus to pick the boys up from school.
This evening P and I baked chocolate chip cookies, it was really fun and he was a really helpful assistant. I learned that baking over here is a little different. Baking soda is hard to find, and therefore did not make it into the bowl. I used vanilla extract powder (although I was later informed that the liquid stuff was also in the kitchen) and the chocolate chips came in a bag inside of a box.
All in all it was a delightful (and transit filled) Monday.
I need to start writing more during the week
This week has been great, it was my first full week here, and I am really enjoying it. After today/ tonight I realized I need to start writing more frequently, as to not forget as much and to avoid writing a post at 3 am on Sunday.
I honestly cannot remember what I did early in the week, I don't think I did much, and nothing that was obviously too noteworthy...
Thursday
The most notable thing that happend on Thursday was that I got registered with the German Alien Authorities (yes, alien authorities...I am an alien) and I also got the paperwork submitted for my Berlin Drivers Licence!
Friday
Tonight I was babysitting the kids and we had an all out movie night, with popcorn, mac and cheese, and movie tickets! It was a lot of fun, the only hiccup for myself was that the movie the boys chose was in German...except for one song. Why, I wonder, was one of the songs in English and the entirety of the movie in German. Either way I have no idea what that movie was about...something with horses and a castle...
Sunday
Today I started off the day with the family at the local ice rink. To my surprise it was a giant outdoor area, with a speed skating rink around a hockey rink. It was larger than I expected with fairly good ice. The boys both looked a little nervous as we approached the ice, and as we put on their skates. B ended up being a natural, he was off across the ice before I good even get any advice out to him. P doesn't have as much rollerblading experience and is two years younger, so it was baby steps. By the end of the morning P was gliding along pretty well, and almost made it around the rink without slipping!! It was all in all a very successful morning. With (pretty much) no tears!
After trying our hand at ice skating, I got dropped out at Mauer Park to check out their famous Sunday market. To my disappointment there wasn't much going on there. Either I can too late in the day or vendor's closed early because the weather was getting pretty miserable. Either way I will have to try that again another weekend, hopefully earlier in the day. I decided to walk across the city to the Topography of Terror Museum. The museum i focused on the Nazi Regime and the chronology of the time and the horrors that resulted from the Gestapo and the concentration camps. I was exhausted at this point so I only got about 1/8th through the museum before I decided to head home. Entrance is free to the museum so I figured I would come again this week and see it in the daylight and when I have more energy to spend reading all the information.
In the evening I decided to meet up with a friend from Ottawa who also lives in Berlin. He and I went to go see Interstellar. WHAT AN AWESOME MOVIE. I highly recommend it. It was well directed, well written, well acted and also left you thinking. It is one of the movies that is on a whole other level when seen in theaters (unless you hate spinning).
I honestly cannot remember what I did early in the week, I don't think I did much, and nothing that was obviously too noteworthy...
Thursday
The most notable thing that happend on Thursday was that I got registered with the German Alien Authorities (yes, alien authorities...I am an alien) and I also got the paperwork submitted for my Berlin Drivers Licence!
Friday
Tonight I was babysitting the kids and we had an all out movie night, with popcorn, mac and cheese, and movie tickets! It was a lot of fun, the only hiccup for myself was that the movie the boys chose was in German...except for one song. Why, I wonder, was one of the songs in English and the entirety of the movie in German. Either way I have no idea what that movie was about...something with horses and a castle...
Sunday
Today I started off the day with the family at the local ice rink. To my surprise it was a giant outdoor area, with a speed skating rink around a hockey rink. It was larger than I expected with fairly good ice. The boys both looked a little nervous as we approached the ice, and as we put on their skates. B ended up being a natural, he was off across the ice before I good even get any advice out to him. P doesn't have as much rollerblading experience and is two years younger, so it was baby steps. By the end of the morning P was gliding along pretty well, and almost made it around the rink without slipping!! It was all in all a very successful morning. With (pretty much) no tears!
After trying our hand at ice skating, I got dropped out at Mauer Park to check out their famous Sunday market. To my disappointment there wasn't much going on there. Either I can too late in the day or vendor's closed early because the weather was getting pretty miserable. Either way I will have to try that again another weekend, hopefully earlier in the day. I decided to walk across the city to the Topography of Terror Museum. The museum i focused on the Nazi Regime and the chronology of the time and the horrors that resulted from the Gestapo and the concentration camps. I was exhausted at this point so I only got about 1/8th through the museum before I decided to head home. Entrance is free to the museum so I figured I would come again this week and see it in the daylight and when I have more energy to spend reading all the information.
In the evening I decided to meet up with a friend from Ottawa who also lives in Berlin. He and I went to go see Interstellar. WHAT AN AWESOME MOVIE. I highly recommend it. It was well directed, well written, well acted and also left you thinking. It is one of the movies that is on a whole other level when seen in theaters (unless you hate spinning).
Sunday, November 9, 2014
First Weekend
My first weekend here in Berlin has come to a close. This weekend was really great!
Friday afternoon I decided to take a little bike ride to the shops up the street from the house. I purchased the International New York Times and sat at a café with tea and a croissant. It was really lovely. After reading the paper I started on the Sudoku puzzle. Friday night I had a little adventure. I met up with my friend and learned how to play backgammon. It was really good to see friends I made in August once again. On my way home I took a different bus than I would normally, since the normal one was not running at the time. Well, the bus driver missed my stop right when a fist fight broke out in the back of the bus...a very drunk young man had begun to throw up and the bus mutinied against him, trying to throw him off the bus. I was safe and sound at the front of the bus with a very nice older couple that was joking with me in German about it... no idea what they were saying but they sounded friendly. Eventually we were allowed off the bus and I made my way home. All in all an enjoyable and eventful first night out.
Saturday we mostly hung out at home, I unpacked and got settled in. Saturday night we went to the celebrations happening for the 25th anniversary of the coming down of the Berlin Wall. I wrote about that in my last post. After walking around the area, we got Currywurst! so good. It was a great night all in all.
Sunday morning I went to one of the boy's field hockey tournaments. I have no idea what place he came in, but needless to say it was really fun watching him play. It was really interesting too because I have never seen field hockey played before, it was a lot like ball hockey, except with different shaped sticks and some different maneuvering by the players.
After hockey we ate brunch, and relaxed for the afternoon. I continued the sudoku puzzle I started on Friday...it's still winning. Sunday afternoon we went to the shopping centre (which is usually closed on Sundays but was open today), it was fun to fool around with some of the toys and look at adorable kids clothes.
What a great weekend to start my adventure here!
Friday afternoon I decided to take a little bike ride to the shops up the street from the house. I purchased the International New York Times and sat at a café with tea and a croissant. It was really lovely. After reading the paper I started on the Sudoku puzzle. Friday night I had a little adventure. I met up with my friend and learned how to play backgammon. It was really good to see friends I made in August once again. On my way home I took a different bus than I would normally, since the normal one was not running at the time. Well, the bus driver missed my stop right when a fist fight broke out in the back of the bus...a very drunk young man had begun to throw up and the bus mutinied against him, trying to throw him off the bus. I was safe and sound at the front of the bus with a very nice older couple that was joking with me in German about it... no idea what they were saying but they sounded friendly. Eventually we were allowed off the bus and I made my way home. All in all an enjoyable and eventful first night out.
Saturday we mostly hung out at home, I unpacked and got settled in. Saturday night we went to the celebrations happening for the 25th anniversary of the coming down of the Berlin Wall. I wrote about that in my last post. After walking around the area, we got Currywurst! so good. It was a great night all in all.
 |
| Currywurst...nom nom nom |
Sunday morning I went to one of the boy's field hockey tournaments. I have no idea what place he came in, but needless to say it was really fun watching him play. It was really interesting too because I have never seen field hockey played before, it was a lot like ball hockey, except with different shaped sticks and some different maneuvering by the players.
 |
| Field Hockey! |
After hockey we ate brunch, and relaxed for the afternoon. I continued the sudoku puzzle I started on Friday...it's still winning. Sunday afternoon we went to the shopping centre (which is usually closed on Sundays but was open today), it was fun to fool around with some of the toys and look at adorable kids clothes.
 |
| B fooling around :) |
What a great weekend to start my adventure here!
Saturday, November 8, 2014
25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Wall
This weekend marks 25 years since the end of the divide between East and West Berlin. Given that I was in Berlin for almost a month this summer studying the Cold War and the impact it had on the city of Berlin (both East and West), it was amazing to be present during the celebrations.
White balloons were positioned along the line where the Berlin Wall once stood. It was really beautiful and powerful, reminding us of what once divided the city. I especially like that the balloons, while showing where the source of separation once stood, in no way obstructed the roads or walkways, allowing people to move freely from one area to another. Emphasizing that although the wall once stood there, it no longer does.
At the Brandenburg Tor, Undo Lindenberg was performing a show with other German artists, it was especially amazing when he played the song Sonderzug nach Pankow, a powerful Cold War anthem.
It was an amazing spectacle to say the least.
White balloons were positioned along the line where the Berlin Wall once stood. It was really beautiful and powerful, reminding us of what once divided the city. I especially like that the balloons, while showing where the source of separation once stood, in no way obstructed the roads or walkways, allowing people to move freely from one area to another. Emphasizing that although the wall once stood there, it no longer does.
At the Brandenburg Tor, Undo Lindenberg was performing a show with other German artists, it was especially amazing when he played the song Sonderzug nach Pankow, a powerful Cold War anthem.
It was an amazing spectacle to say the least.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Arrival!
The day has finally arrived. I woke up this morning in my new house with the family I will be living with for the next while. Yesterday I travelled from Ottawa - Montreal - London - Berlin. Total travel time of around 12 hours! I slept almost the entire flight so time literally flew ;)
The boy's had an adorable little sign for me to see when I got off the plane, it was great. I did lose one bag on the way, but it should be at the house this afternoon!
This weekend should be interesting here in Berlin, it is the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I have yet to find out what kinds of events are happening, but my sources say there is a lot going on.
It feels great to be surrounded by German again, I understand more and I have already used what little German I have quite a bit.
I think my goal is to write a post every sunday night, since there will probably be a lot going on over the week, if not hopefully more than once a week to keep all you people informed :)
Till next time,
Madison
The boy's had an adorable little sign for me to see when I got off the plane, it was great. I did lose one bag on the way, but it should be at the house this afternoon!
This weekend should be interesting here in Berlin, it is the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I have yet to find out what kinds of events are happening, but my sources say there is a lot going on.
It feels great to be surrounded by German again, I understand more and I have already used what little German I have quite a bit.
I think my goal is to write a post every sunday night, since there will probably be a lot going on over the week, if not hopefully more than once a week to keep all you people informed :)
Till next time,
Madison
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