Heidelberg is such a tiny town, that it feels so safe to me. Apparently, that feeling needn't always be correct. Like tonight for example, when I left Ziegler's early (due to some real load of crap music, and a bit lack of energy) and decided to go back through Hauptstrasse, just to find my bike; I somehow got chatted up by some random stranger who just wouldn't give it up. It starts with a "Hey, I think I know you. Mind if I talk to you?" (note: all auf Deutsch). Obviously I did mind and said "Sorry, hab' keine Zeit." yet that didn't help so the man starts talking to me anyway. What do you anyway say in these situations!? This led me to lie through my teeth. I gave him false information, the same false information I always give and last time I used it was in Amsterdam. The story goes that my name is Emma (sometimes Anna), I study Law, I have a boyfriend and I am heading to his place because of _____________ (whatever stupid excuse comes up in that precise moment).
So this time "Anna" was in a hurry to get to her boyfriend because he was feeling sick and was completely alone (now that I think of it; it is the crappiest excuse ever!). Anna also studied Law and was in her fourth semester. Well... when that part came up (because he asked me what I studied and which semester I was in), he said "How come you don't know me!? I'm also in my fourth semester!" Hmm... maybe because I am lying through my teeth right now? However, I think he was too. Luckily he left me alone!
So as soon as I saw my bike, which now is again finally repaired, I hopped on it and peddled away along the then dark Neckar.
There are so many things that I love about biking at night in Heidelberg! Not only do you get to different places quickly but there are other things I notice when I bike than when I walk or even less, take the bus.
To list some, the first thing would be the quite empty streets in the calm quarters close to our residence in Feld. Beautiful houses with great big windows that I adore, clean smooth streets, pretty cosy street lamps and so on à la Wisteria Lane.
I also love biking, and then looking up at sky, trying to find star constellations. So far I can almost always find Orion's Belt and The Big Dipper - not that it is hard to find them in general. Then I recognize parts of constellations but I never remember the full pattern or the name either. Often when I stare up at the sky while the bike is continuosly rolling down the road, I need to remind myself to look down and focus, there were some times when I came close to knocking something over.
Then there are a couple of ponds on our Feld Campus. And after midnight, more like after 1am or towards 2 am, you can hear this massive noise of frogs "ribbitting" away in the night. Their voices just echo and bounce off all the building walls; it is pretty cool!
One sad thing that I just figured out is that I have a problem with lactose. I am not lactose intolerant but I do have some form of allergy. I get spots on my face when I eat an excess of lactose. And that happens quite often. Yoghurt and cheese are two of my most favourite food to eat! So I have to cut that out of my eating habits now..
Second my only pair of black pants are quite ruined, somehow when I bike the colour of those particular pants ware off, resulting in them having a very lighter shade of black on my pants' bossum, in a nice shape of my bike seat. Wierd isn't it?
PS. Mom do not worry about the Hauptstrasse-thingy..
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Das Erasmusleben macht mich müde
Also! (My favourite word and I think most of us know why...)
I have been sleeping these past days - like literaly sleeping between classes or the whole day long. I have absolutely no clue why I am so tired, and homeworks that are simple and take about five minutes to complete; are making me want to vomit. However, I did manage to get all of my French homework done today and I am through half of my "Language Acquistion"-homework so no problems there. All that is left is the translation paper.
Something that continuosly shocks me is the placements by our professors at Max-Weber-Haus. For the preperatory language class, I was signed up for the Mittelstufe II class (the supposed equivalent to B2) when I clearly stated that I was a Mittelstufe I (B1) student. Then for the evening courses I expected to stay in Mittelstufe II because I do not even know my Konjunktiv II and my vocabulary is so embarassingly petit. Little did I expect, that the lady (with whom I fixed my enrolement) blurted out Oberstufe (should be the equivalent to C1). I was pretty gobsmacked and thought "You're joking." She wasn't and she also persuaded me to stay in that Stufe, so now I seriously need to grab Konjunktiv II by the horns ...or is it ears? Oh well, people should be able to get my point.
Since I anyway am on the topic of courses; my Erasmus coordinator in Stockholm seems to find it okay to e-mail me after more than a week when my purpose of e-mailing her was quite important! Two e-mails and a response after more than a week. I might be a bit screwed because I don't have a literature course. Seriously though, none of the literature courses seemed to be exciting - more like boring or a "been there, done that" type of course. I am hoping though, that this one course will accept me. It is called "Magical Realism", which sounds really gay but the literature list was quite interesting; two books by Jeanette Winterson. I have already read one of her books and it was pretty good. So fingers crossed that I can still be accepted to the course!
I have missed travelling a lot and I am wondering where to go over Easter. I would like to visit Portugal, e.g. Lissabon, or maybe even Budapest. I could also go to Ireland or Scotland, but it depends on my finances and who I can convince to come along. Some friends of mine, aka. Hamad, Jenn and Mariana (now you are finally mentioned!), have decided to travel to Belgium and Luxembourg in one round which I really would like. So that will happen some time after I have returned back from Stockholm.
Hmm, I am starting to get some serious "resfeber"...
I have been sleeping these past days - like literaly sleeping between classes or the whole day long. I have absolutely no clue why I am so tired, and homeworks that are simple and take about five minutes to complete; are making me want to vomit. However, I did manage to get all of my French homework done today and I am through half of my "Language Acquistion"-homework so no problems there. All that is left is the translation paper.
Something that continuosly shocks me is the placements by our professors at Max-Weber-Haus. For the preperatory language class, I was signed up for the Mittelstufe II class (the supposed equivalent to B2) when I clearly stated that I was a Mittelstufe I (B1) student. Then for the evening courses I expected to stay in Mittelstufe II because I do not even know my Konjunktiv II and my vocabulary is so embarassingly petit. Little did I expect, that the lady (with whom I fixed my enrolement) blurted out Oberstufe (should be the equivalent to C1). I was pretty gobsmacked and thought "You're joking." She wasn't and she also persuaded me to stay in that Stufe, so now I seriously need to grab Konjunktiv II by the horns ...or is it ears? Oh well, people should be able to get my point.
Since I anyway am on the topic of courses; my Erasmus coordinator in Stockholm seems to find it okay to e-mail me after more than a week when my purpose of e-mailing her was quite important! Two e-mails and a response after more than a week. I might be a bit screwed because I don't have a literature course. Seriously though, none of the literature courses seemed to be exciting - more like boring or a "been there, done that" type of course. I am hoping though, that this one course will accept me. It is called "Magical Realism", which sounds really gay but the literature list was quite interesting; two books by Jeanette Winterson. I have already read one of her books and it was pretty good. So fingers crossed that I can still be accepted to the course!
I have missed travelling a lot and I am wondering where to go over Easter. I would like to visit Portugal, e.g. Lissabon, or maybe even Budapest. I could also go to Ireland or Scotland, but it depends on my finances and who I can convince to come along. Some friends of mine, aka. Hamad, Jenn and Mariana (now you are finally mentioned!), have decided to travel to Belgium and Luxembourg in one round which I really would like. So that will happen some time after I have returned back from Stockholm.
Hmm, I am starting to get some serious "resfeber"...
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Jetzt fängt es an
Yesterday was Helen's last day in Heidelberg, which also happens to be her birthtown and the town where she was raised.
Having Helen here was a lot of fun. She if anyone really knows what Erasmus is about! We saw a lot of Heidelberg and got to know a few people who apparently live in my building. I must say that I am very pleased with where I ended up at. True, Feld does look really communist and worn down but this is where everyone is and we have our own pub in our basement (Bar 3). It is starting to get cosy here.
Other than that, classes are starting and I am not all too excited. Hanging around doing nothing for two and a half months in Stockholm really killed my studious and ambitious side. And now I am not sure if I will be able to find my way back to it!
What bothers me the most is not my English courses, because I know that it will all be taught in English. However, I do worry about my French classes since that will be taught in German and it is not like I am completely fluent in that language yet. Hmm, it should be okay though...
Oh! And I am such a "Pechvogel" (kind of meaning "I have a lot of bad luck"). My bike has got a new flat tire and this time I am so not paying for it, so they better give me a new wheel. Last time I actually complained in German and this time I will complain bilingually (if that might have a better effect). The flat tire that I have now might not be a new damage because last time they changed my tire they didn't fully repair it. It was more like them using glue... Talk about no quality.
Having Helen here was a lot of fun. She if anyone really knows what Erasmus is about! We saw a lot of Heidelberg and got to know a few people who apparently live in my building. I must say that I am very pleased with where I ended up at. True, Feld does look really communist and worn down but this is where everyone is and we have our own pub in our basement (Bar 3). It is starting to get cosy here.
Other than that, classes are starting and I am not all too excited. Hanging around doing nothing for two and a half months in Stockholm really killed my studious and ambitious side. And now I am not sure if I will be able to find my way back to it!
What bothers me the most is not my English courses, because I know that it will all be taught in English. However, I do worry about my French classes since that will be taught in German and it is not like I am completely fluent in that language yet. Hmm, it should be okay though...
Oh! And I am such a "Pechvogel" (kind of meaning "I have a lot of bad luck"). My bike has got a new flat tire and this time I am so not paying for it, so they better give me a new wheel. Last time I actually complained in German and this time I will complain bilingually (if that might have a better effect). The flat tire that I have now might not be a new damage because last time they changed my tire they didn't fully repair it. It was more like them using glue... Talk about no quality.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Das Trio ist jetzt ein Duo
Yesterday was a good day but could have been so much better than it became. I was meant to pick up my beloved Louise at Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof yet to recieve an early-morning message saying that she missed her flight. Now, it was not her fault that she missed it - it was the stupid cab's fault. Somehow they just did not have a cab for her, even though she had booked one well ahead!
So jetzt gibt es keine Louise. Aber bald kommt Helen - and that is also great! I was hoping for the little trio to unite, however we are now a duo. That works too though and I am quite excited about showing Helen around (even though this is her birthtown). Only five hours left and I will be seeing a Mutti at the Haupbahnhof - awesome!
Besides just hanging around, being lazy and doing nothing, I have signed up for classes. As I looked through the classes they offered, not many were appealing to me. I did however get accepted to "Approaches to Second Language Acquisition", "Vocabulary and Idiom" as well as "Advanced Translation (from German) into English". These three classes actually tickle my fancy and I especially look forward to the first named class. Other than Anglistik, I have decided to proceed with German courses and also pick up my French again. However, classes will be held in German, so when it comes to French I think I might as well start over from the beginning...
I also should mention that my eating habits are getting so much worse. I know that I eat like a pig at home, but here I have nothing to entertain myself with besides food! So we have our daily trips to Aldi or Lidl and I just keep spending my money on food! And if not food, then it is clothes. Not good, but what can I say - I guess I am not as disciplined as I thought could be.
Oh! and P.S. I cut my hair last week - oh my God, it is so short (at least for me)!
So jetzt gibt es keine Louise. Aber bald kommt Helen - and that is also great! I was hoping for the little trio to unite, however we are now a duo. That works too though and I am quite excited about showing Helen around (even though this is her birthtown). Only five hours left and I will be seeing a Mutti at the Haupbahnhof - awesome!
Besides just hanging around, being lazy and doing nothing, I have signed up for classes. As I looked through the classes they offered, not many were appealing to me. I did however get accepted to "Approaches to Second Language Acquisition", "Vocabulary and Idiom" as well as "Advanced Translation (from German) into English". These three classes actually tickle my fancy and I especially look forward to the first named class. Other than Anglistik, I have decided to proceed with German courses and also pick up my French again. However, classes will be held in German, so when it comes to French I think I might as well start over from the beginning...
I also should mention that my eating habits are getting so much worse. I know that I eat like a pig at home, but here I have nothing to entertain myself with besides food! So we have our daily trips to Aldi or Lidl and I just keep spending my money on food! And if not food, then it is clothes. Not good, but what can I say - I guess I am not as disciplined as I thought could be.
Oh! and P.S. I cut my hair last week - oh my God, it is so short (at least for me)!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Mein Patensohn hat seinen Kindergartenabschluss gemacht
Yesterday our orientationsdays began and it will last until tomorrow. I seriously did not find yesterday or this morning helpful at all! We have all already done everything there is to do and we have fixed each card, each registration there is to register - there's really nothing left to do. Then somehow the people who are responsible for us exchange students find it witty to hand us all helpful information, about 4 weeks too late. Yeah... Moving on! I decided to skip today and spare myself some boredom and make my time useful. I finally came around to buying a present for my godson. I went with a pirate theme and bought some books. I think it is about time that he starts learning how to read and so on. He is such a bright kid, it is insane how proud I am of him! (Happy godmother over here!)
Janosch: "Little Tiger, Get Well Soon!", Capt'n Sharky on Prison Island, an eyepatch, and then letters to spell his nickname. :)
Soon I will be having some awesome company! Only one day left - can't wait.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Keine Zeit für verschiedene Dinge
Also!
Wow, blogging really has not gone as I've wished. So much has happened! I got a bike which I in total have paid over 100 Euros for, which annoyingly has been needing three repairs during the first week I got it. This bike store at Bergheimerstrasse 101 is SO NOT worth your money... Unfortunately, I always end up taing the expensive path, whether I do it on purpose or not.
This weekend I was in Strasbourg - beautiful city! Really cute, very German, yet the people spoke French. What was a bit fascinating was that I started remembering some of my French and somehow the five of us travelers decided to take up our French again (once we got back to Heidelberg). Honestly, French is harder than German...
Soon I'll be having my first visitors over: Helen and Louise. I am looking forward to it so much, I seriously can not wait for them to be here with me! Obviously I will be breaking all dormitory rules but hey - it is my Erasmus (and everyone is doing it too).
So that is all for now. Usually I would go in more detail but since it has been a while I can't remember all the details of everything, so this will have to be it.
Tschüss!
Wow, blogging really has not gone as I've wished. So much has happened! I got a bike which I in total have paid over 100 Euros for, which annoyingly has been needing three repairs during the first week I got it. This bike store at Bergheimerstrasse 101 is SO NOT worth your money... Unfortunately, I always end up taing the expensive path, whether I do it on purpose or not.
This weekend I was in Strasbourg - beautiful city! Really cute, very German, yet the people spoke French. What was a bit fascinating was that I started remembering some of my French and somehow the five of us travelers decided to take up our French again (once we got back to Heidelberg). Honestly, French is harder than German...
Soon I'll be having my first visitors over: Helen and Louise. I am looking forward to it so much, I seriously can not wait for them to be here with me! Obviously I will be breaking all dormitory rules but hey - it is my Erasmus (and everyone is doing it too).
So that is all for now. Usually I would go in more detail but since it has been a while I can't remember all the details of everything, so this will have to be it.
Tschüss!
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