Christmas Time!

I am back home in Hamburg. The Christmas time is over and it has been a good one! A. and I were in Finland with her family. However, since it took me three days to write the previous three sentences I decided now on the fourth day to just let the pictures speak and not write more than the annotations. So, enjoy!

Calm Finnish landscape

A. driving for the first time in a long time. We were coming home from the dentist, who had to fix something in my mouth.

Simply beautiful and relaxing

Getting the Christmas tree

Taking an evening stroll through the snow

A. learning from her mother how to make traditional Karelian pierogies

Putting the star on top of the Christmas tree

Wrapping the last presents

 The awesome Christmas dinner

A. with her niece N.

A. with her Christmas present

Christmas storm aftermath

N. having a morning nap

Little L. with the bear A. and I gave to her two years ago when she was born.

The women fixing the lunch

Playing with the kids - loving it!

~M~

Packed and Ready!

Everything is packed and ready. I did the dishes, brought the couch in order and made the bed. Today the postman again brought good news; for her birthday in September I gave A. a gift voucher for tickets for the musical The Lion King. We finally decided on a date and ordered them two days ago, today they arrived. Now I am just waiting for time to pass to finally hit the road... or rather the metro to go to the airport.

At the airport I will meet A. who is at work at the moment. She has our tickets and I hope she take me with her to Finland. We will go the wrong direction first, though. We will fly from Hamburg to Frankfurt and from there to Helsinki. What a waste!

Anyways, A's dad will pick us up. I will not take my laptop with me, wont need it. So folks, for now that will be my last post before Christmas, I guess. I hope you have a good one and may all your wishes come true.

 

Merry Christmas!

~M~

Back in HH!

After visiting my parents on the weekend I am back home in Hamburg. Today I am totally useless and not doing anything. I will go to pick up A. from work later on and we will go to the Christmas market. Tonight I will start packing for the Christmas holiday in Finland. I really can't wait to go there!

Christmas eve 2009!

~M~

Refurnishing!

Today we brought the sofa that A. and I looked at yesterday home. Actually it was not A. and me who got it home, but our landlord and me. Yesterday evening after looking at rental car and transport services prices I wrote Mr W. a text message to ask him if he knew some alternative. He has many contacts here in the city and I thought maybe he knew somebody or could negotiate a cheap price. Instead of that he offered to get the sofa with his own car.

So this afternoon, after A. and I did the last and successful Christmas shopping in Hamburger Meile, I went with Mr W. to the other side of the city. We carried the sofa down to the car and drove slowly back home. It was so nice of him to help us and I think we shouldn't take stuff like this for granted.

Now we are sitting on our new sofa and still have loads of space on it. That really is something that we didn't have for the last seven months and were missing badly. The old sofa was really, really uncomfortable and really, really small. It feels even more like a home now. Can't wait for the How I met You Mother Marathon to start. I will enjoy it with crisps and beer! Lovely!

~M~

Christmas Time!

Today we received an envelope with a beautiful Christmas card from Finland. A's friend K. thought of us and wished us Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2012, how nice! Furthermore our landlord knocked on our door and brought us a bottle of wine. And another neighbor, who locked herself out and whom we then lent the phone and some winter boots (so she could go over to a friend), left something at our door as a thank-you!

Anyways, before A. and I went to the other side of the city to look at a sofa and we decided to take it; that's our Christmas present to ourselves Now the problem is to get it to our place. We don't have a car nor one available for things like that. We are at the moment checking different offers to rent a car or transport services. We'll see how we will solve that, I will keep you posted!

One more thing I forgot to mention: Yesterday I signed up for a Swedish course, which will start in January. A. and I are nearly three years together and I still do not speak Swedish, which is - for me personally - quite disrespectful. Every time I am with her family everybody has to speak English just for me and I think it would be better if just one person - me - has to adapt, not twenty people. 

So that's it for now. Today was really a nice and eventful day. I am happy and hope this will keep for some time. On the weekend I want to go home to Aachen, but I didn't get any Mitfahrgelegenheit, yet. Will figure that out as well tomorrow!

~M~

Everyday life!

Today was a normal day. The alarm was ringing way too early as usual and then A. went to work, the first time in a week. However after half a day she already came back home, since she was not as fit as she thought she was. Anyways, I went to the shops and then prepared our lunch. Later I did the dishes, nothing special there.

Now A. and I are sitting in the living room doing this and that. We made it nice and christmassy with candles and music and all. I really can't wait to be in Finland again, to see all the people and spend the holidays with them. Most of all I am looking forward to the good food and the sauna evenings; really missing that!

~M~

My Sunday Program!

Today I was again quite active here at home and was doing many dishes and was cooking. After having lunch I took my bike down to Überseebrücke. An aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy is visiting Hamburg and today it was open for visitors.

When I arrived at quarter to four it was already quite full there and the queue was all the way from the ship to the beginning of the pier. In the end of the queue were some sailors to tell everybody that nobody despite the already queuing people could enter the ship anymore. So I walked around the pier and then took my bike through the city back home.

Now I am sitting on the sofa, watching a funny movie on TV. A. is slightly better and will go to work tomorrow again. After one week I finally can sleep in our bed again. The whole last week I was sleeping on the couch; now I know how comfortable our guests sleep. It was just for precaution to sleep apart not to get me sick before Christmas.

~M~

Preparing for Christmas!

The first snow this morning got me really into a Christmas mood. I was quite active the whole day, went, as I said in my last post, grocery shopping and on the way back I bought a small Christmas tree for our flat.

Before lunch I quickly went to Hamburger Meile, a shopping center near by, and looked for a Christmas table cloth to put on the Christmas tree table. In a One-Euro-Shop I found some and they were discounted to €0,50 and so I took two.

When I came home I cooked and then put the tree up, while A. had a shower. When she came out all was set and we started putting the lights into the tree, hanging up the decoration and listened to Christmas music.

When we were ready I sat down under the tree and had a piece of warm apple-cinnamon-pie with vanilla sauce and drank some coffee.

  

Then A. and I were just sitting in the living room together, looking at our first Christmas tree. We put it up so early, since we will be gone in 1 1/2 weeks and wanted to have some time with our tree already before Christmas.

~M~

Done!

I am done with everything basically. On Wednesday I had my thesis presentation and passed it with a good grade. This means that I am now not a student anymore and really have to look for work. I am unemployed now and that's something I dont want to be!

Anyways, now is weekend first. (Started this post on Friday last week!). I am back in Hamburg and am trying to fix A's bike, which is more difficult than expected. It's really getting christmassy here and we have more and more candles and lights everywhere. Also my mum gave us already an early Christmas present by making us a very nice Christmas calender.

In the time I again did not write - I wanted to but didn't find the time when I had the motivation and vice versa - we went to a concert of the Cat Empire here in Hamburg, which was nice.

 

Directly the next morning we took the plane to Cologne, where we were picked up by my brother. Together we went for the funeral of my grandma. She died in the age of 96, while I was on the Camino.

After that we went to Aachen. We were visiting my parents, the Christmas market and did already some Christmas shopping.

The next week was pretty eventless, but then on the weekend we had a full program. On Friday J. A's friend from Finland came to stay with us for the weekend. We did some tourist program with him and were walking around the city on Saturday. 

The funny thing was that also A's cousin T. from Canada was in Europe; he had some kind of conference in Amsterdam and had some days before and after to travel around Europe. As it goes they quickly changed their plans and instead of staying in Amsterdam the whole time they came to Hamburg to meet up with us.

J., A., and I wearing funny hats!

Even better, G. a girl from Canada I had met on the Camino, who was also traveling around Europe happened to be in Hamburg that exact same weekend as well. So we invited her over to our place for the evening. After some wine and beer we all went out together and had a good night-out in Hamburg.

After that weekend I went back to Aachen. I still had my mum's car and had to bring it back. Also I finally had gotten an appointment for my colloquium for that Wednesday that I didn't wanted to miss. I stayed in Aachen from Tuesday until Thursday and then came back to Hamburg.

The weekend was relaxed again. A. signed up for the Hamburg Marathon in April and on Sunday we went to L&A's place to have some Glühwein and play some board games. I really enjoyed that afternoon and it for sure would have been a long evening if A. would not have gotten sick exactly that day.

Now she is in bed already for four days, had a fever still yesterday and I am trying not to catch the cold. It sounds so bad, but at the moment I am sleeping on the couch, the bedroom is a quarantine zone and I am staying as far as possible from A. However at least Saint Nicholas came to her and brought her flowers instead of twig (here in Germany Santa's helper, Knecht Ruprecht, brings a twig to children who misbehaved during the year); I reckon that's how he treats sick people.

 

Anyways, I eventually fixed A's bike, made some really nice goulash and yesterday I used the time to bake an apple pie and make some roasted almonds. I will never get bored in the time before Christmas!

~M~

Fast-Forward!

Fast-Forward!

Unfortunately I don't really have time right now to write my blog and to post all the things that happened in the last couple of weeks. This is for three reasons: First of all I don't really have the motivation to write right now, secondly so much happened that I cant really recall everything straight away and it takes me quite long to write a post and lastly - and that's the real reason - I have a job now!

This actually is quite nice to be honest; using the time between the end of the internship and the start of my last semester to earn some money! I am working right now in a company that produces ready-made meals mostly for airlines; so if you are flying AirBerlin next time there is a high probability that I touched your food! (With gloves, of course!) The job, though, is not the most interesting or challenging, but at least I will have my bank account filled up at the end!

Anyways, since so much happened over the last weeks and I really do not have the time to write about everything and also because there were so many days in between where nothing happened I will give you a fast-forward of the last weeks!

Leaving Norway!

After being at the North Cape I continued with the Hurtigruten to Kirkenes from where I took the plane back to Oslo! I arrived in the afternoon, went home, started packing my things and went out in the evening with L., A. & J. to celebrate my last evening in Oslo. We went to eat a very good pizza at Villa Paradiso a, seemingly, quite famous restaurant in the heart of Grünerløkka. The girls got me a very nice see-you-later-present, which I unfortunately can not use right now, since it is way too warm here in Germany!

The next day got up early and packed all my things and was amazed, that I really got everything in and didn't had to throw away anything. I packed the rest of my food, the fan-heater that I had bought for the winter and also the blanket and pillow and walked down to the office. I gave all the things to L. to keep them for the next trainee, since I think it is stupid, that each trainee is buying new things and then throws them away!

I said good-bye to everybody in the office and made my way back to the flat, where I just grabbed my backpack, said bye to my flatmate and made my way to the airport! It was a weird feeling to leave, but I am getting more and more used to it. I had this feeling of leaving a place about 6 times in the last 3 years; I am becoming a pro in leaving! The good thing is, that I always leave with the good feeling of starting something new!

Christmas in Aachen!

Both A. and I arrived in Düsseldorf on the 21st; A. came from Helsinki and I came from Oslo - obviously! We were picked up by my mum and then headed home. The next days we spent Christmas shopping and well I spent it by trying to reconnect with my childhood home and hometown! 

We were walking a lot through the city and were walking in shops and over the Christmas market. A. bought some new shoes and we were looking for some presents. At home A. was arranging her stuff in her new home and I was trying to find my place again. I was amazed how much stuff I actually own and it made me sick! I have a room full of mostly useless stuff from which I still can not really separate, I hate it! I started to throw things away and luckily I continued in the new year with it! I am doing quite good right now and will go to a flee market when I finished working in the company!

Christmas itself was quite nice! We all came together and were celebrating Christmas at home. This year a bit different though; My brother got sick on the 24th and could barely eat and was going to sleep quite early. Also the normal Christmas procedures were changed this year. It had been snowing a lot in the two days before Christmas and the traffic in the city was collapsed. There were no buses going and the plows could not clear the streets anymore. Many cars got stuck in the deep snow and even walking was difficult. Therefore we decided not to go to church this year for Christmas!

It was anyways nice, we got very nice and totally unexpected gifts and it was just good to be with the family again. The Christmas days we spent at home with the family and good food. We were going out for walks and were relaxing at home! I had found my place at home again, was a bit more organized and was then looking forward to the upcoming trip over New Years!

New Years in Spain!

A. and I had decided to spend New Years in Spain together with our friend S., who I had been living with for the year in Helsinki. We hadn't seen each other ever since we had left Finland. He actually had wanted to visit me in Oslo, but he had been to busy traveling around Europe to visit other people; I guess I wasn't that high on his priority list :-P

Anyways, we went to Spain on the 28th and flew to Madrid. We had to change in Amsterdam and although the transfer was supposed to be something like 45 minutes and effectively was about 1 1/2 hours, our luggage didn't make it to Spain with us. We waited and waited at the belt, but nothing came. We went to the counter and told them the address we would stay at and also said we would leave Madrid the next day. This was a white lie, but we thought that this would speed up the process of getting our luggage and so it was; the next day, early in the morning our luggage was brought to S's place!

We were spending the days together with S. in Madrid and also met our other flatmate from Helsinki E. and his girlfriend in the city center. We went to a very nice place and were eating tapas and drinking sangria. The next day we were sightseeing in Madrid and had bocatas (sandwiches) at El Brillante, a bocateria that claims to have the best bocatas and the best calamaris in town! We had a lot of fun and were laughing a lot

On the 30th we went by train to S's hometown, Palencia. He had tried to get tickets for the fast train, but since everybody was traveling these days all tickets had been sold and so we had to go with slow train, which took double the time. We spent the three hours with sleeping, talking and other things you can do on a train. 

We arrived in Palencia, left our luggage in the hotel that S's father had organized for us and then went to S's family to have dinner! We were so warmly welcomed and treated so nicely during our whole stay. Firstly we stayed in the hotel for free, since S's father is basically the manager. Secondly we were all the time invited to have lunch or dinner or both somewhere. And lastly they were just so caring and were showing us around all the time. Family in Spain is just more important than it is in Germany for example!

The days in Palencia were really nice and we saw a lot! We had really good weather and we had two-digit temperatures ABOVE zero! It was good to finally have some more daylight and to have sun at all! We were walking around town and were visiting the cathedral with it's crypt and some of the cribs around town. 

We were eating churros and got invited by the friends of S's parents to have lunch. We ate traditional Spanish food and had to dance to Spanish rhythms. We celebrated New Years in a nice hotel with a five course dinner and an open bar at the end of the evening! In the new year we were taken around the region of Palencia, were visiting the remain of a Roman villa and took some steps on the Camino Santiago, when we visited Fromista.

After a couple of days in Palencia we returned to Madrid, where we stayed still a bit. We were again walking around town and went to places we hadn't had time to visit before. We still didn't see everything, the city is too big for such a short time and we were also not stressing. Instead we were enjoying the time together, eating bocatas and tapas and drinking beer and sangria. The time went way too fast and soon we had to leave back to Germany, this time our luggage came with us!

After all these 8 days in Spain were marvelous. We had such a great time together with S. and his family and were welcomed so warmly. This, for sure, wasn't the last time for me to visit S., no matter where he is. Maybe next time in South Korea, who knows!

Back in Germany

After the time in Spain it was again hard to be back in Germany. It was cold it was rainy... and still is! Luckily all the snow is gone and you are able to walk and drive again. However, the weather sucks and it is raining heavily. The first days after coming back I was doing some things for my internship follow-up and A. was looking for jobs and preparing for her thesis presentation.

It quickly got boring and we didn't really know what to do anymore, since there was no point of going outside due to the bad weather. We started playing board games and realized again how much fun they actually are. The problem was that we both didn't have a life, didn't have a rhythm, which can make the days quite dull. In summer this might be ok, because you go out and so things, but with weather like this it can get kinda boring sometimes!

Luckily I got a phone call from the HR department of the company I am now working for and they offered me a job! I had planned to go working in the time between the end of the internship and the re-start of uni, but I didn't follow through with this plan. Now I am happy to have something to do again and to earn some money. My contract is until the end of January, with the possibility that the company extends it until the end of February - fingers crossed!

A. is right now in Finland; she left Wednesday morning and has her thesis presentation at the moment! She will stay until next Sunday at home, will then come to Germany for 7 days and will then leave to visit her parents on the Canary Islands! I didn't book flights yet, since I don't know what's up with work, but maybe I will get a last minute thing and go with her, we'll see!

For now that's all! I know it is a long post, but is is a post that is covering nearly four weeks. I don't know when I will post next time, I don't know if I am up for posting every day. Right now there is not too much happening in my life, since I am mostly working and this is rather unexciting (but at least I get good money for it)!

Anyways, I will now upload the pictures, have lunch and then go to work again! That's my life right now (Thank God, it's Friday)! However, I promise to post more often again!

~M~