autumn's europe.

for hours in days.

2011-02-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

for hours in days he waited,
for months in years he yearned,
for hours in days he let it
become his heart in hers.

one day he whispered to her,
the secrets of his heart
they formed like scents of kings' myrrh
they touched her drop by drop.

and as he waited, she fell,
deeply.
as he waited, she fell
unknowingly.

lovers' hope, lovers scare
so beautiful, so magically rare
jumping in moonlight blankets
tangled legs, ruby red kisses

and as he waited, she fell,
deeply.
as he waited, she fell
unknowingly.

Christmas Country.

2010-12-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

It has finally snowed in Germany and it reminds me so much of Canada. It's not as cold as Montreal for example, but it's just as beautiful. I love the fresh, crisp white carpet of snow on the ground and the fluffy delicate snowflakes that fall, especially at night. There's just something magical about the winter and snow...

But what I love the most so far, are the Christmas Markets or 'Weihnnachtsmarkt' in Germany. Christmas is such a wonderful part of the German culture filled with festivities, traditional food and drinks all in good company. I absolutely love their hot sweet wine called 'Glühwein' that warms you up from the inside when you're standing in the cold waiting for your mini warm fluffy pancake-like pastries with butter and powdered sugar called "Poffertjes' which are just heavenly. One cannot forget the fresh sweet or salty crepes, german sausauges 'Bratwurst' and potatoes covered in your favorite sauce. And although I'm not a fan of mushrooms, I have to admit, smelling them sauteed in garlic sauce makes my mouth water! I pass by all of the food kiosks and have to selectively decide which kiosk to visit because there's only so much that I can eat!!!

But I think that the best thing about Weihnnachtsmarkt is the spirit, energy, and company that people share with friends and family. The religious aspect of Christmas is also still very much alive with choirs and bible story skits in the local churches that also reminds us of what Christmas is all about. I wish that I could be in Canada to spend this time with my family and friends, or that you could all be here with me, but I'm very thankful that I have met really great people already here in Göttingen. There is always so much to do at work during the week that I sometimes forget that I'm also here to enjoy my time, live and learn about the culture.
Last year, after my trip in Europe, my wish was to experience Christmas in Germany. My wish will be able to come true, and not only will I be in Germany during this time, but will also spend the holidays with a German family! After that, I'll be able to finally visit Paris and spend New Years Eve there, although I heard that Paris isn't a very eventful during that time. But it really doesn't matter to me, as long as I can explore the city before going back to work in the new year.
I miss everybody back home and hope that you are all doing well! Happy holidays! With love, erin.

Mice and dating.

2010-10-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

You will all have to forgive me for writing so rarely, but my blog entries now depend on how much time and energy I have after work. Yes! I officially have a work schedule!

At the moment, I am busy with the training, and working on a memory experiment for mice. It’s quite tedious because you need to repetitively observe them, take note, and run numerous trials every day, but it really is quite fascinating. The baby mice for my future drug experiments arrived today and I’m super excited to get started. Because there are so few in this generation, I will only be able to observe them, but it should be really interesting! Anyways, experiments, and tons of reading have been occupying my time. Things are slowly starting to pile up. Luckily, the people here really help each other out and nobody is left hanging.

On a completely different note, I wanted to share a few thoughts I had the past few weeks as I have been able to travel back and forth between Germany and Switzerland via trains. Firstly, the atmosphere here is different. Unless you are in a huge hub like Frankfurt, people in general are pretty laid back and mellow. Not only in their personality, but also with their views on life, like relationships. Maybe it’s because European countries are so small but relationships here are taken so seriously. And I mean that in a good way. Casual dating exists here too, but it’s rare, in my opinion. People that I know in relationships are really in love. And people really care about relationships. It’s an important part of their lives here. Personally, I felt that back in Canada, work, school and family/friends were top priority, in general. But I’ve noticed that most of my German friends here feel that their boyfriend/girlfriend are just AS important. And friends ask their friends how their relationships are going because it’s important for them that they are going well too. If it isn’t, they talk to each other to figure out a way to fix it, just like you would for university course selections, a deadline for a presentation, etc.

Just this past Sunday, I was on the train and I am going to unofficially say that Sunday night in Germany is a sad night for all the people in long distance relationships. At every stop, there were couples hugging and kissing each other goodbye for the week. I have never seen so many long distance couples part from each other in a group at the same time! It was so interesting to see and I truly felt like I could relate. And maybe I’m just being a romantic, but it made me really happy to see these people caring and loving someone so much at the train station. I should have been sad because they were leaving each other for the week, but it didn’t! Just picture a whole platform of men and women waving goodbye to their significant others, anticipating the next week until they can see each other. And until then, technology has to suffice.

Of course long distance is not ideal, but that is the situation for them. And this is how they are working through it. I admire that. It gives me strength and hope.

If any of you are struggling, I only hope that you do whatever makes you happy. Life’s too short.

Love you all,

Erin.

A Fest in Oktober. And Göttingen.

2010-10-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

I have finally experienced Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany and it is DEFINITELY an experience. I wish I could have spent more time there but I was only able to drop by in Munich for a few days to visit some friends on my way to Göttingen.

Firstly, I'd like to say that it is crowded. And it is huge! There are 7 million people who attend Oktoberfest in exactly 16 days. Luckily we went at night and it was raining so it was a lot less crowded. But Oktoberfest starts at 9am until 11pm. It's a full day of beer, pretzels, sausages, potatoes, not to mention amazing carnival rides and beer halls. I swear, I don't think I blinked once. I'm not even a huge beer fan but once you're there, it's all you can see.

And now, I'd like to also share a bit of the news on my status in Göttingen. I arrived about two weeks ago and I've been doing an internship trial session until now at the Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine in Göttingen, Germany. It was a time for me to get to know the people who work here, as well as become familiar with some of the experiments and tasks that would be involved in my project if I were to stay here. It was a lot to get used to, especially with the mice. The lab is cool because they cross molecular biology with clinical research and behavioural studies in mice. I've never seen such an integration in a lab before! Just last week, I learned how to surgically remove the brain from a mouse, and remove some of the sections for mRNA analysis! I thought it was super cool... although I won't be doing too much of the surgical work. Instead, I would be doing more behavioural experiments, which brings me to my main point: I have accepted the internship position here until the end of May! I have been assigned a project which involves studying mice behaviour, focusing on a drug tolerance and addiction. It's going to be a lot of work. I can see that in the solid group of the MPI team here, but I am motivated and eager to learn. But to be honest, it still hasn't hit me properly and it will probably take some time. I will most likely not be able to make it home for Christmas but would love to stay in contact with you all!

Thank you all for being so supportive throughout this whole process, especially this summer. It was a lot of work and preparation but in the end, it all worked out, even when it was really out of my hands. I have faith...

I hope that this update finds you all well, and keep checking back for more posts! :)

erin.

Zurich City: a glamourous one.

2010-09-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody,

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. I just caught a nasty cold and it has been too hectic around here! I am actually not in Zurich at the moment, but just wanted to take a few lines to share my thoughts about this wonderful but expensive city!

Yes, it's a pricey one. Switzerland in general is quite pricey, however the residents here to earn a lot more money than the foreigners. Thank goodness I have someone to mooch off of...
Consumption and goods are what cost the most. I would say they are just a little over double the price, so your money runs out fast! I.e. Burger King combo is about 15-17 Francs. Services, on the other hand are reasonable i.e. Boat tours, swimming docks, transportation, etc.

Since my swiss host here is quite busy with his work, I was able to take the time off to explore the city myself. I visited a very famous café called Le Péclard which won first prize for best café in Switzerland last year, and they are well known for their hot chocolate. But their cakes and macaroons are also divine. I interviewed them for a blogsite that I'm writing for (www.thepaperwhale.com/blog) and they actually gave me an Apfelstrdel on the house and it was delicious! Plus, the café itself is eye candy because of their antique and modern design. Check it out if you have time to drop by in Zurich!

I also took a lovely boat tour on Lake Zurich (only 4 Francs with a transit all day pass) which I was looking forward to since I was planning my trip in Canada and it was just glorious! I ended up stopping in a cute little town called Küsnacht and went for a spontaneous dip in the lake. I had no bathing suit and no towel, and totally had to depend on the sun and the warm grass to dry me up. When I got back into the city, I noticed such an elegance to it with their shimmering night lights, warm sunsets, not to mention that the border along the fresh water lake Zurich at Bellevue is packed with people to enjoy the last few summer nights! It's actually quite romantic...The water is so clean and fresh too! All over the city, you can find fountains to drink from... great way to stop by for some water.

On some of my last days, I did some window shopping and went for a quick dip in the public bath/swimming area too. It was about 21 degrees celsius and the water was about 11, so it was pretty cold, but summer is over which encouraged me to go swimming in the lake anyway. Europeans also love sun bathing, especially sunbathing topless for the women. That was also an interesting experience, and it really didn't feel weird. I think the environment was right for the situation...

Anyways, my cold is calling me to bed. I have arrived safely in Göttingen and will let you know what the city is like and my work situation as well!

Bis bald,
erin.

Heidiland!

2010-09-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I sort of wished that I was called Heidi, running around in an alpine skirt with cattle, goats and sheep, making my own cheese in the swiss alps... I didn't do any of these things but I came a little close to it. At least I think so! We went on a hike on 'Haldenberg' which is about an hour from Zurich. It was a delightful and magnificent day trip. The train ride was absolutely breathtaking. The pictures I took does not do justice, but I tried to capture a crystal green lake surrounded by sky-scraping mountains and farms.

The hike on Haldenberg was approximately 1000 metres high, and lasted about 5 hours. If it wasn't for my knee and ankles acting up, we probably could have done it faster. The weather was simply radiant and I saw so much including 'Alm', which is a mountain farm/pasture with cattles and their bells ringing, goats, sheep, hidden waterfalls, fresh mountain spring water, and of course, a remarkable view from the top of the swiss alps.

I think what I loved about this trip was that, everything that we did and enjoyed was from nature. I loved what I saw, heard, smelled and even tasted, like the fresh spring water! It costed nothing (with a Eurail pass) to get to the nearby city for the hike, we packed some bread, cheese and meat to eat with water and an apple for desert, sat in the sun when we were cold, depended on the shade for some coolness... all of this just from hiking in the mountains with our feet!

That's what I call a fun day! It's sad to think how much money we use in our spare time when we live in the city: I myself am guilty of that often, so these days, I am really enjoying God's beauty in nature around me! I just can't get enough of it...

I hope you have a little idea of what I experienced on this day trip! If any of you are heading to Switzerland anytime soon, hit up a hike in the alps, and you'll never forget it! Next stop... Zurich city!

erin.

erin.

swiss post.

2010-09-17T04:03:00.000-07:00

I arrived into Frankfurt yesterday afternoon, then took a train to Mannheim, then a train to Basel, then a final train to Zurich. I forgot how friendly europeans are. At the Deutsche Bahn train station in the Frankfurt Airport, so many people were offering to help with my baggage onto the train, stairs, escalators, etc They were just as nice as last year when I came to Germany to study in Kassel...

So, this is my first time in Switzerland, and even though I haven't seen much yet, I can tell that I'm really going to like this country. Even the train ride itself was a beauty. Maybe it's just me, but I got bored with the german countryside. Besides the canola fields, it really looks like a small version of Canada. Going into Switzerland was beautiful. Tall mountains, trees, fields ON mountains, etc. Pictures will be posted soon...

So far, since I've arrived into Zurich, I have been introduced to a swiss tram and swiss food. Apparently the food quality is really great, and I can say that I agree, at least with their organic raspberry yogurt. I can't wait to taste the rest after we go do our groceries later on today... After that, we'll go for a walk in Zurich and go exploring. It is a Friday night after all! Really looking forward to this week in Zurich... I'll let you all know how it goes!

erin.

Boarding Pass Please!

2010-09-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody!

I've decided to start a blog and keep you updated on my travels and adventures during my short trip in Europe. I tried to do this last year, and well... it didn't go so well. This time, I'm going to be more diligent about writing my entries and will do my best to give you an idea of what I'm seeing/experiencing!

As some of you may know, I was going to do a 6 month internship in Germany, but at the last minute, plans changed due to unforeseen circumstances. Yes, I was disappointed but that's life! And now I'm looking forward to an unplanned adventure at least until the end of October.

I am currently sitting in the Plaza Premium Lounge at Pearson International Airport with my friend who is working here. The facilities, view and the food/drinks are great. But I think that the best part about this lounge is that it's very relaxing and very secluded from the rest of the hectic terminal. Anyone flying from Terminal 3 should check it out!

I'll leave you all with a tentative schedule... I'll be arriving into Frankfurt and then heading to Zurich then back to Germany in Goettingen. After that, I'm not sure where I'll be but I am definitely going to visit Paris. I was in southern France last year and it was absolutely beautiful. Time to see a beautiful European city in the fall... Paris sounds divine...

I'll be thinking of everybody back home and will still be looking forward to be seeing you guys again very very soon!

erin.

hübsch.

2009-05-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I wrote an entry but this just means that my days in Germany have been extremely eventful and fulfilling! For those who have not been keeping up with my photographs, I have just recently come back from an amazing four day trip to Berlin, Germany. Not only that, but I was fortunate enough to celebrate my birthday there too. It's funny though. My friends and I did not go to a bar, instead we visited the STASI prison museum in the morning, headed towards a small park downtown and laid in the sun and ate baked goods, then saw The Blue Man Group right here in Berlin. It was the best birthday that I've ever experienced. I'm very happy with the way that I spent my time there. I was a little concerned about the fact that Berlin having so many things to see . My host mother and I were up the night before my departure with a glass of wine talking about the places that I should visit and the things I should do. She recommended a few museums and landmarks but I was more interested in simply observing the lifestyle of the Berliners. I wanted to see why this city was so amazing, with art on garbage cans and on the walls of the U-Bahn. And I did see all fo this. It was still very sweet of Martina to tell me about the history of East and West Berlin before and after the Fall. That's another thing too. I think it's about time for me to talk a little bit about my host family. I am so BLESSED. I live with a single German mother named Martina and her seventeen year old son, Tamil. I was worried that I would encounter difficulties with my host family but they turned out to be perfekt for me. I get along with both Martin and Tamil extremely well, sometimes it feels like Tamil has been my brother all this time. I guess it's because we are very open with one another and comfortable. They feed me extremely well, with both exotic and german dishes and other times I make my own food but that is not a problem for me. A few friends of mine came over for dinner and were so surprised at the quality and the amount of food that I am given. Although, I have to admit, I am a little concerned about gaining weight in this lovely country. I have been consuming cheese, beer, bread, meat, etc. but on the other hand, I have also been keeping up with my fruits and vegetables. I have, of course, also been speaking a LOT of German. Immer, immer immer. It's funny, my English is fine but I have been noticing my french becoming a little rusty. If I am speaking in German, it takes time for me to switch gears. I've also noticed muttering casual german slangs in my conversations with others. It's great to travel to different cities in Germany but I think that being in one city and living like a local has helped with my german speech. I am being immersed in the language perhaps? All in all, it's great. I am learning so many new things, in a way that is impossible to receive back in Kanada, in a classroom at Mcgill.
Not only have I been able to speak the language, but I was also able to experience some nature in my surroundings. On the last day of our Berlin trip, William and I visited Plötzensee, a nudist beach (FKK: Freikörper-Kultur).No, I was not nude but I will go to a nude park in München after the CSSG program. There was actually a wall at Plötzensee between the nudist beach and the more decent one. I didn't strut out naked but it was still so nice to get out of the city for a brief moment, sit on top of a massive jungle climber, look at the sky and feel both the heat from the sun and the cool breeze on your face. I was longing for that in Montreal during the winter semester.
Oh, how I longed for that. I was so happy this past Saturday. The Berlin trip really felt like a vacation for me. I think I needed it. I laughed like I've never laughed before, smiled about the smallest things and saw as much as I could in the small amount of time that we had.
It was also very nice to come back to Kassel and see my host family. I actually missed them in Berlin. When I got back, we had a wonderful little bbq with some of our friends and it was absolutely perfekt.

I wish I can say that I am homesick but I can't. I'm not at all. I miss my friends, and I would love to see them if I could, but I'm doing great. I have met amazing people on this trip and I know that there are still more to come. If anything, I have already started to think about how sad I am going to be when I have to say goodbye to everybody here.

Life life to the fullest, right?

God, I can breathe.

erin.

milch und gouda.

2009-05-17T02:49:00.000-07:00

It's only been one week since I left Canada but I'm already starting to have feelings for Germany. I know. It's fast, but I'm falling for this country.
But of course, no relationship is perfect.

There are way too many smokers in Germany. Just yesterday i went to a german soccer game in bochum (frankfurt vs. bochum) and it was insane. These soccer fans (mostly male) are huge, drink beer all day long, smoke endlessly and love to urinate along the side of the roads into the bushes. These men have no shame. It was definitely an enjoyable experience that i don't need to repeat for a long time.

But you know, all of this was balanced out by the amazing landscape. Germany is a small country (most are in Europe) but I feel like they conserve a lot. They take care of their water, electricity and really try to conserve energy. I was in the bus when we travelled to Bochum while listening to music and all I could think was, how can there not be a God? The colours, structure, their functions in nature. I can say the same thing from studying physiology: the study of the functions and integrations of the systems maintaining an equilibrium environment in the human body. There are precise signals in our body, i.e. a hormone that maintains the strenghth of your bones for example. I just do not believe that all of this, from the yellow pigment in the canola fields to the hormone erythropoietin necessary to make new red blood cells were made by chance. If anything, I am starting to see more and more that man destroy this beauty. I was also thinking how easy faith can be. To merely believe, without political religious views, controversy, hatred...

I remember maybe five or six years ago, I would pass by Algonquin or the East Coast but the nature never really got to me. I would only complain about the long ride. But yesterday I realized that I can't live without the nature this Earth has to offer. I know this may sound strange but I think that I am fully appreciating these gifts because of the hardships, challenges and hurt that I've experienced. We don't realize this at the time but often we can't help being selfish when we are hurt or fall. We are only able to think about the pain, how it happened in the first place and how to rid ourselves of our miseries.

This year was very rough for me. There were weeks when I just couldn't do anything, literally. But I don't think I was destroyed to the point where I couldn't remember the beautiful sights and memories in my life. And now, I am seeing such things that I've been anticipating through my rainy days and more. It's an amazing feeling that I hope everybody will be able to experience at some point in their lives. This is not the end for me yet either.

And lastly on that note, I've also realized that everybody has their own particular, unique pace. As many of you may now, I am quite the impatient worker. I need things done at my pace, on my watch, and it is stressful!1` I need to learn to accept that I think, both for myself and others.

I hope you are all doing well. I apologize for a much less eventful entry but I am sitting here in my host family's house, in my pjs at 1pm in Germany wanting to simply do nothing today.
I want to absorb all of this.

Until next time,

tschüss!

erin.

Hallo! Ich heiße Erin! E-R-I-N. Erin!

2009-05-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today was a long day. It was great but long and now I'm extremely tired.

I'm sitting at home at the moment. I just got back from Zum Remmelsberg, ein Brauhaus (german brewery) near the mountain. All of the CSSG students and the families came. There were approximately 200 of us.

I had wheatbeer and for dinner, we had potato salad, Bratwurst (german sausage), ham with a beer sauce and some colesaw-like salat. It was delicious but the food here is a little salty for me.
Today in der Mensa (cafeteria), I had a chicken soup and MAN, was it salty. I kept drinking water for the rest of the day.

I did some homework before the dinner though so at least I didn't waste my entire day.

It's really weird. I know that I'm not German but I really love their culture. I get it.
I understand why they do the things they do and I AGREE. My host mother and I were walking around the city and I was taking it all in. I came to Germany last year but unfortunately, it wasn't for long. I told her that I was in Munich for a short while but that I wished that I was able to stay longer and travel in Germany. We were discussing the cultural differences between Germany and Kanada and she was so surprised that I was not turned off by a lot of it. At the end, she told me, "Ich glaube dass du einen deutschen Mann heiraten wirst" which translates to "I think that you will marry a German man".

I laughed so hard because it was soo adorable. My host mother, Martina is really tall and shy and extremely nice. And for her to say something so forward like that shocked me. I didn't laugh so hard to the point where it seemed like I did not appreciate her comment. For some reason, I liked what she said. It's as if she saw me as someone who can embrace the german culture which is what I enjoy doing as well as discovering it more and more!
You know, in Canada, I had so much enthusiasm for it but no outlet and now... *sigh*... I feel so happy and relaxed here. I can't wait to go to Berlin next week. It's not for long (nur 4 Tage) but I can still get a lot out of it I think. Like I said, I met an awesome group of people. This is absolutely crucial because you can't all walk around and hang out with the entire 65 people. There are about 5-8 of us and we get along really well.

Normally we are on the same page about the things we want to do. And it's also so great to be surrounded (most of the time) with these Canadian students that want to dive into the german culture as well. Finally, people I can see myself being friends with! ;) Nein, es ist nur ein Witz...

I think that what I really like about the Germans is that they're efficient. (Of course I'm being general, but speaking for the most part) There are no stupid mind games. It's straightforward and to the point and they don't waste time. They take their time with the things that are necessary for it but normally they are extremely punctual and efficient with their time. I love that. Germans are also very direct and blunt. Not in a rude way, but in a straight-forward, factual manner. Believe it or not but it's so refreshing to be with people who get right to the point.
I used to think that Germans jump into relationships too quickly. i.e. saying I love you or not going on "real dates". But it's not like that. Here, when two people start dating, the two of them are simply together. A couple. In a relationship. They can tell each other " Ich liebe dich" after only 1 week and it is casual. It does not mean that it's not true but that is another cultural difference between the two of us. I really really really like that.

Another thing. Children here are so independent already at such a young age. I saw little ones waiting for the public transportation bus with me at my bus stop and they couldn't have been older than 6-9 years old. There are no school buses here (at least that I know of). In Toronto, it's a big deal to take the TTC alone for the first time, even the STM in Montreal because there are a lot of people to be careful of but here, the bus and straßenbahn (tram) are very decently safe. I found that pretty interesting.

Man, I'm beat. I still have some homework to do so I guess I should get on that. Strange.
I'm in Germany and I'm beginning to understand so much about what my other German friends who came to Canada talked about. i.e. Time zone difference, culture, social norms, etc.
But I am loving all of this.

Hopefully I"ll be able to come back at least once every year. And I told myself that one year, I WILL spend Christmas in Germany. It WILL happen.

Until next time,

tschüss!

erin.

Als ich zwanzig Jahre alt war, bin ich nach kassel gegangen.

2009-05-11T12:06:00.001-07:00

I hope you all enjoyed my first blog post.
It's still a little strange for me. I'm not too sure what I should write without giving away too much.
Just describing what I did doesn't quite see to suffice either. Aber...

Today was my first day of school at the Universität Kassel. Our classes are in a church on campus in the little bible study rooms. Our Kurs beginnt um 8h30 bis 12h00 but we have a break von 10h00 bis 10h20. Und dann we have lunch in der Mensa (cafeteria). It was so great to see so many German university students in der Mensa. We take a tray, and we take the food that we want in a huge circle (half of the building) and it's very cheap. The food comes up to be around only 1 or 2 Euros! It was weird to pay for a meal with coins.
Anyways, I ate fish and a potato salad. I was decently satisfied. It felt so strange walking around on campus today though. I truly felt like a Canadian exchange student in Germany. Having my schoolbag on me, walking around asking die Studenten, "Guten Tag. Wo ist die Mensa?" because we couldn't find the Mensa in the beginning. An interesting thing happened today though. While we were eating lunch, I was just looking and observing the people around me while the others were talking. At the far end of the table, there was a group of four male students and I definitely thought that they were studying medicine or physics. Something along the graduate level. I know that sounds strange but they simply "look it". So after I put my tray away, I asked them, "Hallo. Was studieren Sie?" One of them gave me a puzzled look. For a minute, I thought, I must have said it wrong but I knew that I didn't. It turned out that they didn't speak german. They were polish, that only speak english here. Of all people in Germany, the first acquaintences that I made at the university were with polish students. Anyway, they told me that they study law. I acknowledged that and was about to leave but one of them told me to wait. My friends and I exchanged confused looks but waited for him. He brought his coat and bag and continued to talk to us. It turned out that he LOVES Kanada. According to my friend, his lips were actually trembling when he was telling us that he even loves the smell of Kanada. It was quite strange. He told us that he hoped to see us again very soon in der Mensa. I don't know why but i thought that that was an interesting encounter. I hope to have more of those but with more German students. On Wednesday, we are going to be assigned Tandem Treffen (exchange partners) with some of the University of Kassel students. I am super excited for that.

Afterwards, my friends and I went to the mall to buy a few things and had a beer.

That's another thing. Beer is extremely cheap here. It's weird to have a few coins in my pocket that turns out to be more than enough to have a few drinks in eine Kneipe (bar) or Biergarten. Germans also really enjoy mixing lemonade or soft drinks with their beer. i.e. Sprite. At the moment, I am enjoying Radler which is beer and lemonade. It's delicious but I can see myself getting bored of it and wanting to try other things. I still have a lot of time.

At the moment, my host brother, Tamil and my host mother are eating dinner (I already ate with my hostmother) and watching TV. Tamil is seventeen years old and super nice. Like EXTREMELY nice. So is my hostmother, Martina. For dinner, I had bread, cheese and some ham. In Germany, lunch is the main dish. Dinner is usually simple and a cold dish like bread and cheese. I really like it. Sometimes I will have a meal with a beer but today I was too tired so I decided to just drink water with my dinner.

Tami came to pick me up from the Bahnhof (train station) last Thursday when I arrived in Kassel. He came with me downtown to help me buy ein Handy (cellphone). I have my first German cellphone! I'm so happy and excited about it, especially when I called my friend Anna who is in Munich right now. She went to Concordia last year and was so kind enough to offer me a place to stay for a few weeks. I'm a little stressed because I changed my plane ticket to go back to Toronto a few weeks earlier. So now I have less time in Germany but for some reason, I'm more stressed about what I should do. I cannot stay with Anna for that long and most of the students are going back to Kanada a few days or a week after CSSG ends. Hopefully I won't be homeless on the streets of Munich or some other city in Germany...

Aber I still have lots of time to figure this out. It just requires planning. I know that I will take a day to just plan my trip after CSSG. (Actually, I have already made plans for the rest of June. It is mostly July that needs to be taken care of)

Tomorrow, all of the students from CSSG and our families are going to a restaurant to meet each other at 17h30 zum Rammelsberg. I'm really excited for that too. We are a good group. Especially the people that I hang out with. I really like the first roomates I had in the first city we stayed in (Melsungen) and the guys that also hang out with us. We get along very well, and I am very happy to have met somebody who is also from Mcgill. It's nice to be with someone from home, even though we have never met until last Thursday in the airport.

I think that I should most definitely write blogs more often so that I don't write essays like this. So much is happening in the next few weeks i.e. Berlin, a soccer game this weekend, etc.

I hope everybody back home are doing well. I am very happy to be here right now even though I miss my family and friend back home. But I'm doing well. I feel calm. I'm doing a lot of things, and meetings lots of people, but at the same time, I'm resting. I'm really enjoying myself.

will keep you posted.

aus Deutschland,

erin.

einführung.

2009-05-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

I am finally in Germany.
Many thoughts filled my head.
In December 2008, when I registered for the Canadian Summer School in Germany, I wasn't sure about the program. I knew that I wanted to keep learning German in the actual country (learning a new language merely in a classroom does not suffice!) but living in another country for a few months was definitely new to me. In February/March, I bought my plane ticket and forgot about the fact that I will be going to Germany. I simply blame it on midterms. Finally in April, I was so psyched about going on this trip that it was an actual distraction from studying for exams. i.e. Checking facebook for responses to my comments on the CSSG thread, planning weekend/nach CSSG trips to Hamburg/Munich/Berlin, etc. But I did love every moment.

I don't know who's reading this right now, but for those who are, this is my first blog.
As many of you know, I am quite terrible with technology but I've decided to put aside my weaknesses and step up. I am on the other side of the world for three months after all.

There is so much to say but my internet will run out at the Jugendherberge (youth hostel) here in Melsungen, a sleepy little town that becomes boring after exactly two days, which is perfect because I have been here for a day and a half already and we are leaving for Kassel tomorrow.
I've already met awesome people. i.e. My roommates in the hostel: Morgen, Kelly und Kathlyn. They're super nice and I'd like to believe that we are a good group. I didn't want to come here at the last minute. i.e. 3 days before my departure. But now that I'm here, I want to stay here forever!

Being in Germany is definitely different from Kanada. It's hard to explain but in a few sentences, I can say that I have been speaking a lot of German. We get "gelbe Karten" if we speak in english. If you get three of these yellow cards, you can a certain percentage reduction from your final mark and potentially an exclusion from a planned excursion. Everybody was so tired last night after our flight that we all passed out. But this is why we are in Melsungen. We are free to do anything we want so that we can prepare for Kassel, the actual school part of our trip starting on Monday. And lastly, I can say that I'm loving ALL of this so far.

Tomorrow I will have a much easier access to the internet. Until then, I will have to go sleep and get some rest for the bus ride tomorrow to Kassel. Keep checking back and join me in my trip in Germany!

I'm very anxious to meet my host family! (Wish me luck!)

Thank you to all who were so supportive before this trip. I love you all!

Tschüss!

erin.