The future is officially out of my hands. Well, at least, for now...
Today, Jack brought all our documents to school with him so that the program's coordinator could submit them for our visa extensions. For those of you who hadn't heard, this lovely woman was willing to group my application in with VLB's participants so that she could personally explain our situation to the Ausländeramt (foreigner's office? Best translation I could come up with). Yeah, not being married and trying to live together abroad is kind of a situation. As in, the government could decide for some reason that they believe I'm more likely to stay here illegally after Jack goes back to the states and predicts that I'll apply for German welfare...I mean, COME ON. Just let me stay here, you punks! I will HAPPILY leave when Jack completes his certification. I'm not sure you could pay me to stay here--well, okay. How about a trillion, gazillion, bajillion dollars?
In other (unrelated) news, one might notice that if one lives in or around Mitte (the center of Berlin), the only available dwellings to inhabit are apartment buildings that vary in size, shape, and color, although not much in style. Since much of Berlin's center was squashed to smithereens during WWII, the city has been in a state of continuous construction ever since. Okay, I take that back. I don't know if parts of the former East have been touched since 1965...my point? Ahh, yes. Well, the other day, my new aforementioned friend Monica (yay!!) and I ventured down to Steglitz-Zehlendorf, one of Berlin's 12 "boroughs," you might say, on the southwestern edge of Berlin. We visited a girl who lives with her husband down there, in a building (and subdivision) that was converted from U.S. Army barracks into luxury lofts. But on the third leg of our trip (U-Bahn, S-Bahn, then bus), I FINALLY saw houses! Single-family homes! Beautiful, grand homes with fences and yards, gardens and driveways! Oh, the suburban-like glory! No buildings haphazardly stacked up against one another! No graffiti covering entire faces of buildings! Boring, perhaps, but glorious, for certain.
Can you tell I'm not quite a fan of the ultra-urban environment that makes up much of the Berlin I know? Don't worry, Mom, it's not like we're living in the "bad" neighborhood, but Mitte and its surrounding areas, like Tiergarten, Wedding, Kreuzberg, and Prenzlauer Berg (where we are) are a bit more rough around the edges. It was just nice to see that green space does exist here within the city limits. Also, it will help when Spring decides to show its face around here, because there are some lovely landscaped parks here in the city--like Treptower Park--that I'm sure are gorgeous when they're green.
So I wait. Hey, at least the sun is out today! Happy Weekend, everyone!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
"Woman of your word"
So unless you live under a rock, you know the Chicago Bears fell to the Green Bay Packers this past Sunday. This is sad news. Trust me, for those of you still feeling the pain 48 hours later, I understand. Hell, it would be me, too--but probably not for the same reason as you. I should have been feeling the weight of another loss. Let me explain...
I had been fired up about this game all week. I mean, FIRED UP! I was telling everyone who would listen about the game and inviting everyone I knew to Belushi's, the sports bar we'd discovered that plays NFL games and other sports of the American persuasion. I was ready to wear my blue and orange, jump up and down, yell obscenities at the TV, and shove my fists into the face of any Cheesehead that challenged MY team's ability to win--wellllll, maybe not so much on that last one. Anyway, Belushi's attracted quite a crowd for the night's game, and an international crowd at that. As you all know, I'm quite the Chatty Kathy, and it was only a matter of time before I met a couple of fellows that pulled on the strings of my pride.
I met Fabian, a young guy from Argentina, outside while smoking a cigarette. He was really hairy (very important, obviously) and sort of an in-your-face kinda guy. His English was really hard for me to understand, but hey, I'll pretty much talk to anyone. He wished me luck, as I was decked out in Bears gear, and headed inside. A little while later, while on my way to the bathroom upstairs, I heard a slightly familiar voice shout out, and looked to see Fabian with some friends by the pool table. Since a Molly Shannon-Superstar-style "GO BEARS!!!!" had been my greeting of the night, I promptly said hello, but that was not well received. Eddie, a guy from Panama (why was he a Packers fan, anyway??) introduced himself and promptly told me that my beloved Bears were going to lose.
Oh.No.He.Didn't.
Helllllllll no! Who do you think you are?! Huh, huh?? To be fair, Eddie proposed a bet: If the Bears won, Eddie would buy me three drinks (because I so clearly needed more to drink). If the Packers won........I would give him my *new* Bears hat, right off my head. Oh, MAN. In that instant, I was flooded with thoughts: "If I say yes, then I might lose my hat. But if I say no, that means I don't think the Bears will win and I'm not a good fan. But if I do win, by some crazy chance, thenigetmoredrinks." Fabian chose at this point to egg me on in his undecipherable accent. "Be a woman of your word! Woman of your word! Dooooooo eeeeeeet! Woman of your word!" Aww, man, that put me over the edge. Deal. The bet was born.
Thanks to Jay Cutler and AWFUL Todd Collins, I was sweatin' it. I mean, each trip to the bathroom, I'd act with braggadocio, hoping I'd convince Eddie and Fabian that they would be out a big, cold, tall one--no wait, three big, cold tall ones. But I was nervous. And unfortunately, even though Caleb Hanie provided hope for quelling my fears, it wasn't meant to be. I mournfully trod up the stairs, ready to hand over my month-old Bears hat, a sentimental souvenir from my first Bears game at Soldier field, bought at the end of the big win over the Jets the day after Christmas.
Eddie and Fabian's friends were ready for the ceremonious handing over the hat. Eddie's brother was even ready with camera in hand, waiting to record my defeat speech.
"Tonight, on this harrowed evening, my Bears were outmatched. The Packers were the better team, and I have been defeated. Tonight, I give this hat to you, as a sign of the respect, for I am a Woman of My Word..."
Eddie stopped me--
"Keep the hat. Keep it, it's yours. Good game." And he took my hand, and shook it.
"Really?!? REAALLY?" I grinned. I victoriously stuck my hat back on my head, kissed Jack, and high-fived everyone in sight.
And Fabian became outraged. "What!!!! WHAAAAAAAT!!" Although I had promised to give Fabian nothing, it was as if I had owed him something. I mean, he was mad. At that point he started asking me for other things off my back. Sorry, buddy. I'm still a woman of my word, though. IN YOUR FACE!
The Bears lost. But I kept my faith--so I kept my hat. Here's to next season!!!
I had been fired up about this game all week. I mean, FIRED UP! I was telling everyone who would listen about the game and inviting everyone I knew to Belushi's, the sports bar we'd discovered that plays NFL games and other sports of the American persuasion. I was ready to wear my blue and orange, jump up and down, yell obscenities at the TV, and shove my fists into the face of any Cheesehead that challenged MY team's ability to win--wellllll, maybe not so much on that last one. Anyway, Belushi's attracted quite a crowd for the night's game, and an international crowd at that. As you all know, I'm quite the Chatty Kathy, and it was only a matter of time before I met a couple of fellows that pulled on the strings of my pride.
I met Fabian, a young guy from Argentina, outside while smoking a cigarette. He was really hairy (very important, obviously) and sort of an in-your-face kinda guy. His English was really hard for me to understand, but hey, I'll pretty much talk to anyone. He wished me luck, as I was decked out in Bears gear, and headed inside. A little while later, while on my way to the bathroom upstairs, I heard a slightly familiar voice shout out, and looked to see Fabian with some friends by the pool table. Since a Molly Shannon-Superstar-style "GO BEARS!!!!" had been my greeting of the night, I promptly said hello, but that was not well received. Eddie, a guy from Panama (why was he a Packers fan, anyway??) introduced himself and promptly told me that my beloved Bears were going to lose.
Oh.No.He.Didn't.
Helllllllll no! Who do you think you are?! Huh, huh?? To be fair, Eddie proposed a bet: If the Bears won, Eddie would buy me three drinks (because I so clearly needed more to drink). If the Packers won........I would give him my *new* Bears hat, right off my head. Oh, MAN. In that instant, I was flooded with thoughts: "If I say yes, then I might lose my hat. But if I say no, that means I don't think the Bears will win and I'm not a good fan. But if I do win, by some crazy chance, thenigetmoredrinks." Fabian chose at this point to egg me on in his undecipherable accent. "Be a woman of your word! Woman of your word! Dooooooo eeeeeeet! Woman of your word!" Aww, man, that put me over the edge. Deal. The bet was born.
Thanks to Jay Cutler and AWFUL Todd Collins, I was sweatin' it. I mean, each trip to the bathroom, I'd act with braggadocio, hoping I'd convince Eddie and Fabian that they would be out a big, cold, tall one--no wait, three big, cold tall ones. But I was nervous. And unfortunately, even though Caleb Hanie provided hope for quelling my fears, it wasn't meant to be. I mournfully trod up the stairs, ready to hand over my month-old Bears hat, a sentimental souvenir from my first Bears game at Soldier field, bought at the end of the big win over the Jets the day after Christmas.
Eddie and Fabian's friends were ready for the ceremonious handing over the hat. Eddie's brother was even ready with camera in hand, waiting to record my defeat speech.
"Tonight, on this harrowed evening, my Bears were outmatched. The Packers were the better team, and I have been defeated. Tonight, I give this hat to you, as a sign of the respect, for I am a Woman of My Word..."
Eddie stopped me--
"Keep the hat. Keep it, it's yours. Good game." And he took my hand, and shook it.
"Really?!? REAALLY?" I grinned. I victoriously stuck my hat back on my head, kissed Jack, and high-fived everyone in sight.
And Fabian became outraged. "What!!!! WHAAAAAAAT!!" Although I had promised to give Fabian nothing, it was as if I had owed him something. I mean, he was mad. At that point he started asking me for other things off my back. Sorry, buddy. I'm still a woman of my word, though. IN YOUR FACE!
The Bears lost. But I kept my faith--so I kept my hat. Here's to next season!!!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sorry for the hiatus! Up and running.
Hellooooo anyone and everyone reading! It's Katie! And it's still about 6am where you are! I like exclamation points!!!!!!!!!
Lots to update you on. So much, in fact, that upon reading, you will be overwhelmed with the amount of AWESOME information, your brain will explode and your eyes will roll back in your head. That's not what we want from our readers...we like the live ones! SO--I'll give you a couple teasers and elaborate as this week continues:
-Jack has completed his second full week of the program at VLB-Berlin and is totally and completely into it. He comes home talking about malt and barley and chemical processes and blah blah blah...I am REALLY proud of him. *Side note: "blah blah blah" is the way it's going to stay for me. From here on out, if you have any questions about beer and brewing, you cannot and will not direct them towards me. So there!
-I have a friend! Hooooooorah! She's from the states and her name is Monica and we get along really well and I am in 3rd grade again. "Moooommmm, I made a new friend today! Sheeeee's so cooooooooool!"
-Slowly but surely, I am figuring out how to stay here. "What? Stay there?" you might ask. Bad news: job prospects are slim to none. I'm not an engineer and I am in NO way fluent auf Deutsch. At least, not yet...
-I don't really like the Germans. Is there really more to say?
-Oh, oh, *NEW* mini-posts on why America is better (or in the RAREST of cases, what we can learn from the Germans).
As you can see, lots to know, lots to read. And on this end, lots to write, much concentration needed, ohh, pretty birdy outside....WAIT! Okay, I'm back. What can I say? Life comes in and consumes you. I just want to make sure that you stay a part of it...so I can stay a part of home, too. I love EVERYONE!
Lots to update you on. So much, in fact, that upon reading, you will be overwhelmed with the amount of AWESOME information, your brain will explode and your eyes will roll back in your head. That's not what we want from our readers...we like the live ones! SO--I'll give you a couple teasers and elaborate as this week continues:
-Jack has completed his second full week of the program at VLB-Berlin and is totally and completely into it. He comes home talking about malt and barley and chemical processes and blah blah blah...I am REALLY proud of him. *Side note: "blah blah blah" is the way it's going to stay for me. From here on out, if you have any questions about beer and brewing, you cannot and will not direct them towards me. So there!
-I have a friend! Hooooooorah! She's from the states and her name is Monica and we get along really well and I am in 3rd grade again. "Moooommmm, I made a new friend today! Sheeeee's so cooooooooool!"
-Slowly but surely, I am figuring out how to stay here. "What? Stay there?" you might ask. Bad news: job prospects are slim to none. I'm not an engineer and I am in NO way fluent auf Deutsch. At least, not yet...
-I don't really like the Germans. Is there really more to say?
-Oh, oh, *NEW* mini-posts on why America is better (or in the RAREST of cases, what we can learn from the Germans).
As you can see, lots to know, lots to read. And on this end, lots to write, much concentration needed, ohh, pretty birdy outside....WAIT! Okay, I'm back. What can I say? Life comes in and consumes you. I just want to make sure that you stay a part of it...so I can stay a part of home, too. I love EVERYONE!
Monday, January 17, 2011
DAAAAAAAA Bears DA Bears DA Bears DA Bears DA Bears!!!
Oooooh that game was exciting last night, wasn't it?!?
A dedicated sports fan, Jack was determined to find a place where we could watch the NFL playoff games--DA BEARS--and so upon our arrival, he immediately found Belushi's, a sports bar with comprehensive Sky Sports coverage, showing NFL games as well as the English Premiere League games, including last night's match-up between Man U. and Tottenham. So needless to say, yesterday was a big sports day!
But the Bears game was fantastic. We had gotten there early to watch the soccer game, so we had positioned ourselves in a prime spot for the later football game, but as the soccer game drew to a close, more and more people in Bears gear had trickled into the bar. I have to say, for someone who's been feeling a bit homesick, there was nothing better than getting to see fellow fans, revved up, united for the purpose of watching the Bears win. Speaking of some fellow fans, this young couple walked into the bar, and being one of the first pairs of Bears jerseys I saw that afternoon, motioned to them to sit with us. It was immediately clear that they weren't from Chicago...they were from England! Apparently, when the British chap was growing up in the 80's, the BBC would broadcast NFL games late at night--so our fellow Bear fan latched on as a kid the year after the Bears won the '84-'85 Superbowl. Crazy, right? I had no idea that NFL games were shown anywhere else except in America!
I was definitely proud to be from Chicago yesterday. Hell, I'm proud to be from Chicago every day! But getting that little taste of home, worldwide fans and all, was really what made the day. And I can't forget to mention that I hope Rick Reilly and all those naysayers will shut their traps about Cutler now...just because Cutler doesn't want to talk to media hacks like you doesn't mean he's worthless as a human being. Ugh.
Looking forward to enjoying the Bears beat the Packers next week!
(And Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!)
A dedicated sports fan, Jack was determined to find a place where we could watch the NFL playoff games--DA BEARS--and so upon our arrival, he immediately found Belushi's, a sports bar with comprehensive Sky Sports coverage, showing NFL games as well as the English Premiere League games, including last night's match-up between Man U. and Tottenham. So needless to say, yesterday was a big sports day!
But the Bears game was fantastic. We had gotten there early to watch the soccer game, so we had positioned ourselves in a prime spot for the later football game, but as the soccer game drew to a close, more and more people in Bears gear had trickled into the bar. I have to say, for someone who's been feeling a bit homesick, there was nothing better than getting to see fellow fans, revved up, united for the purpose of watching the Bears win. Speaking of some fellow fans, this young couple walked into the bar, and being one of the first pairs of Bears jerseys I saw that afternoon, motioned to them to sit with us. It was immediately clear that they weren't from Chicago...they were from England! Apparently, when the British chap was growing up in the 80's, the BBC would broadcast NFL games late at night--so our fellow Bear fan latched on as a kid the year after the Bears won the '84-'85 Superbowl. Crazy, right? I had no idea that NFL games were shown anywhere else except in America!
I was definitely proud to be from Chicago yesterday. Hell, I'm proud to be from Chicago every day! But getting that little taste of home, worldwide fans and all, was really what made the day. And I can't forget to mention that I hope Rick Reilly and all those naysayers will shut their traps about Cutler now...just because Cutler doesn't want to talk to media hacks like you doesn't mean he's worthless as a human being. Ugh.
Looking forward to enjoying the Bears beat the Packers next week!
(And Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!)
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Happy Weekend!
Hellooo there, good morning, happy weekend!
Well, it would be happier on this end if it wasn't so gray...but the sun keeps attempting to poke its way out of the clouds, so all I can hope for is its success. And it doesn't quite feel like a weekend here yet--sometimes Jack's program requires him to brew beer (oh, boo-hoo, right?) on a Saturday. This would actually be somewhat similar to what Jack might be doing at home in Chicago on a Saturday, but at least I'd be able to sit in the living room, watching episodes of How I Met Your Mother, willfully choosing to ignore him while he sanitizes his equipment for 9 hours. There IS a difference between choosing to do your own thing, and having that choice made for you...
...and that, my friends, is what we have in Berlin. At least, for now. The last couple days have been sort of difficult for me, as I've struggled with the "being stuck at home" feeling. Nasty weather always compounds this feeling, as it's easier to stay in during rain and slush and gray if you don't have anything you HAVE to do. Despite this, though, I've gotten bursts of creativity that produce hopeful feelings, like Berlin is going to be very fruitful for me. But this week, those feelings have faded before I've taken myself up on them. I think if my mother were here, she'd insist that I buy one of those light machines that you stare into for a half hour every day to elevate your mood. And she'd probably be right. God, I can only imagine what one of those things cost. Did I mention that I bought my usual contact solution yesterday at an Apotheke (pharmacy/drug store)...for 14€? GAHHHHHHHH! Highway robbery!
Well, more on the ridiculous cost of living in Europe later. As for my own weekend here in Berlin, I'm going to make it more cheerful than what I've felt "being stuck at home." I'm sure Jack and I will go exploring later this afternoon after he's done brewing, maybe I'll do a bit more writing, take some pictures, go out and see the Saturday-night-city tonight. And then tomorrow--BEARS GAME! Thank god it's on at a reasonable time that we can watch it here. We've found an English/American bar that plays NFL games, and they said they'd for sure be playing the Bears tomorrow, 7pm. Woot!!!
And that's your morning update. Happy Weekend, everyone!
Well, it would be happier on this end if it wasn't so gray...but the sun keeps attempting to poke its way out of the clouds, so all I can hope for is its success. And it doesn't quite feel like a weekend here yet--sometimes Jack's program requires him to brew beer (oh, boo-hoo, right?) on a Saturday. This would actually be somewhat similar to what Jack might be doing at home in Chicago on a Saturday, but at least I'd be able to sit in the living room, watching episodes of How I Met Your Mother, willfully choosing to ignore him while he sanitizes his equipment for 9 hours. There IS a difference between choosing to do your own thing, and having that choice made for you...
...and that, my friends, is what we have in Berlin. At least, for now. The last couple days have been sort of difficult for me, as I've struggled with the "being stuck at home" feeling. Nasty weather always compounds this feeling, as it's easier to stay in during rain and slush and gray if you don't have anything you HAVE to do. Despite this, though, I've gotten bursts of creativity that produce hopeful feelings, like Berlin is going to be very fruitful for me. But this week, those feelings have faded before I've taken myself up on them. I think if my mother were here, she'd insist that I buy one of those light machines that you stare into for a half hour every day to elevate your mood. And she'd probably be right. God, I can only imagine what one of those things cost. Did I mention that I bought my usual contact solution yesterday at an Apotheke (pharmacy/drug store)...for 14€? GAHHHHHHHH! Highway robbery!
Well, more on the ridiculous cost of living in Europe later. As for my own weekend here in Berlin, I'm going to make it more cheerful than what I've felt "being stuck at home." I'm sure Jack and I will go exploring later this afternoon after he's done brewing, maybe I'll do a bit more writing, take some pictures, go out and see the Saturday-night-city tonight. And then tomorrow--BEARS GAME! Thank god it's on at a reasonable time that we can watch it here. We've found an English/American bar that plays NFL games, and they said they'd for sure be playing the Bears tomorrow, 7pm. Woot!!!
And that's your morning update. Happy Weekend, everyone!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wilkommen! (Welcome!)
Guten Morgen, Amerika! (I think you know what that means!)
Okay, so it's not morning...anymore...in Germany...but most likely, you'll be reading this in the morning with your coffee, or at your office computer, or some place in the wee hours before you officially start your day. Since I'll most likely be writing in the afternoon, in the early evening, or even while you're still asleep (and I'm 6+ hours ahead of most of you), consider this your morning news from Berlin. Straight from the source, Katie here, reporting to you on German life as an American (Amerikänerin).
So please, subscribe to this Zeitung (newspaper) of sorts if you wish--you can choose to "follow" the blog and it will always tell you when the freshest, newest tidbit or exciting story is up and running. Got it? Good!
And as any decent Editor would, comments (aka constant contact & communication!) are always appreciated.
Many thanks,
The Jelly Donut.
Okay, so it's not morning...anymore...in Germany...but most likely, you'll be reading this in the morning with your coffee, or at your office computer, or some place in the wee hours before you officially start your day. Since I'll most likely be writing in the afternoon, in the early evening, or even while you're still asleep (and I'm 6+ hours ahead of most of you), consider this your morning news from Berlin. Straight from the source, Katie here, reporting to you on German life as an American (Amerikänerin).
So please, subscribe to this Zeitung (newspaper) of sorts if you wish--you can choose to "follow" the blog and it will always tell you when the freshest, newest tidbit or exciting story is up and running. Got it? Good!
And as any decent Editor would, comments (aka constant contact & communication!) are always appreciated.
Many thanks,
The Jelly Donut.
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