Geburtstag, mehr Besuchern, und Harry Potter -- Birthday, more visitors, and Harry Potter!
Hallo alle! Hello everyone!
So for the first time in my life, I actually celebrated a birthday while in school this year! On my actual birthday, I had champagne brunch with Mark, Maria, Maureen, and Hilary, complete with mimosas and bagels. It was so much fun! We had a field trip that day with one of my classes, so after that, Maureen, Maria (with matching outfits):
and I went to a Bier Garten to have a birthday beer:
before Maureen and I went to this Bible study that we've been attending.
On Thursday we celebrated more with sushi and 500 Days of Summer before heading over to the boys, where the girls gave me my birthday present: The Bro Code (a How I Met Your Mother joke):
Maureen and I have had a handful of conversations regarding church here in Berlin. We go to the catholic church by our student housing every Sunday, but the church is not particularly lively, the music is --- slow. And that's where this Bible study came into play. The Bible study is very nice, it's with other international students, and we get to practice our German. But the crowd is all a little older than us, so I thought I would check out a new church called The Berlin Projekt that was recommended to me by my friend Madeline who studied abroad here from January-May. I really like the service as an addition to Mass every Sunday! There are some upbeat songs, may of which I know the english version, a reading, a homily, and some more singing. Again, I get to practice my German. The one thing I wish is that I would've started going earlier this semester. It seems like it would have been a great place to meet people, but with only 2 weeks left, I don't want to start investing heavily in relationships that won't last long.
Other exciting things going on in Berlin: the Frauen Weltmeisterschaft ie Women's World Cup is going on this year!! I wasn't able to go see any of the games (there was only one in Berlin), but Maureen and I met my friend Hannah and her friend Matt for a game watch when US played Sweden. We got US leis and flags and everything! It was so much fun -- except for the fact that we lost : (.
This past weekend, my friend Susie who is studying through Notre Dame in Munich came to visit and stayed with me! It was so much fun being able to play tour guide because after Killian and Joey and my mom, I really feel like I can show the city. Susie got here Thursday night, so we went over to Charlottenburg (a younger western part of Berlin near Ku'damm, the big shopping street) for a drink and to see a little of Berlin before bed. We got up bright and early on Friday and walked along Ku'damm where we saw all of the Berliner Bears that are painted to represent different countries around the world!
Pappy, this bear is for you:
The US bear is pretty fun, too:
This reminded me so much of when Kansas City had colorful cows and Grandma, Grandpa, Mitch, Clara and I made it our personal goal to see every single one of them!
After our trip down Ku'damm, we met up with William Stewart for lunch, a friend who is spending a month or so doing research here. We saw the East Side Gallery and then the memorial for the wall, which I hadn't seen yet.
This picture is from the watch tower, and it shows what the death strip between the two walls looked like. The only things its missing are rabid dogs, barbed wire, electric wire, and guards with "Shoot to kill" commands.
I also got a great picture of the Berlin skyline from this tower:
We went to an ice cream shop where Susie and I got a Berliner Kindl Weisse -- a fruit flavored beer, apparently brought to Berlin by the french protestants a while ago. Anyway, it was very, very sweet and did not particularly taste like (or look like, for that matter) beer.
This, among other things, inspired Susie and I to have various conversations about the differences in beer in northern and southern Germany. Maureen helped us out by sending us this handy dandy chart:
Alles klar? Everything clear?
Later that night, we met up with my friend Andy, who Chris, Michael and I met in February and who visited us in Berlin from Budapest for the weekend! So normally when I have visitors, I've found this really great free walking tour (they accept tips) that I send people on/go on with my visitors. I've already taken the tour two times, so I decided to give the tour -- with added bonuses -- to Susie and Andy. So we alked around Berlin from 10:30am to 4:30pm. We were so tired but it was so much fun, and I was proud that I truly knew the city (at least that part) so well.
That night, Susie and Maureen and I went to a game watch. Unfortunately, Germany lost, but it was still cool to be at the watch and then see the town at night.
Sunday, Maureen, Susie and I all went to a cafe to do some work before susie had to take off. Helpful hit for future study abroaders: cafekulturberlin.blogspot.com . Maureen and I have been trying out many of these cafes and so far they've all been fairly successful. We also found a burrito place, not as good as Chipotle, but a nice substitute. Also with wifi, so you can work AND eat your burrito.
On Tuesday, we got to see the Pre-Premier of Harry Potter!!! That means 54 hours before US EST. I dressed up as the snitch, and most people wanted to know why I had so much gold in my wardrobe, let alone with me in Berlin.
Lauren (North Carolina), Niki aka Moaning Myrtle (Australia) and me (snitch) at Vapiano (favorite restaurant) before the premier at Potsdamer Platz
Niki (Moaning Myrtle) and Hannah (UNC, Hermione) SO EXCITED!
I think just as fun as the movie was after the movie when Maureen, her dad, and I went out for "breakfast" at this 24 hour cafe. Mr. Vigland was anxious about the beer-egg combination, but I think he deemed it a very good thing. I proceeded to invite him to have kegs-and-eggs with us before football games this year while Maureen is doing band things.
It's beginning to be the end -- I went over to my host family's house for the last time this semester because they're leaving on vacation. It was sad to say goodbye -- they were so, so great to me, and I had so much fun spending time, laughing, and learning German with them. I have no doubt, though, that we will stay in contact.
We also went to yet another Frauen Weltmeisterschaft game -- US vs. France and WE WON!! It was so much fun and we're now going to the championship! Afterwards we decided to go out to dinner and ended up at this Indian restaurant that promised us free drinks and then when they brought us the bill, did NOT take our drinks off of the receipt. After a fairly long argument, where I learned that the customer is apparently NOT always right, I checked another culture shock (yes, 5.5 months later) off of my list. Overall though, we had great conversation at dinner, and it's a fairly funny story to tell. Highlight: I walked in to find the manager (of course) and the Indian man running the store tells me: I am manager. I am owner. I am everything.
Yet another cultural experience that I honestly hoped not to experience was going to the doctor (no one panic, I'm a-okay). I have a history of eczema, especially stress induced. But not necessarily overtly stressed, more constant stress that I don't realize is actually happening (ie I usually get outbursts when I'm living anywhere but home or Notre Dame). So I had an "outbreak" about a month ago, but it continued to get progressively worse and worse and I finally went and saw a doctor. Unfortunately I couldn't find a doctor on our insurance list (there are actually not that many, and of the two I called that were relatively close to where I live, one was on the vacation and the other had a busy line the two times I called). Luckily there's a doctor's office right across the street, so I was able to talk to the receptionist (auf Deutsch) and explain what was going on, and then request an English speaking doctor if there is one (Ich kann deutsch, aber englisch wäre besser -- I can speak German, but English would be better). So I explained all of my symptoms in German, but when the doctor started using big doctor words (that are, surprise surprise, even bigger in German) he switched over to English for me. The good news is that the meds are working wonderfully and I'm feeling much, much better.
Anyway, sorry for the excessively long blog post! These next two weeks are going to be crazy with finishing final papers, packing, and seeing everything that I have on my to-do list! But it will be very fun, I'm sure. 13 days before I come home and see my lovely friends and family! Can't wait to see you all so so soon!
Liebe Grüße (LG), Love,
Emma
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