Montag, 31. August 2009

To Daniel


...31 Aug 2001 - 31 Aug 2009...



O my Luve's like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June:
O my Luve's like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I:
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry:

Till all the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt with the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only Love
And fare thee weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Love,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.
Robert Burns
______________________________________________________




...All I want is to love you for the rest of my life, to wake up every morning with you by my side knowing that no matter what happens, I'll be able to come home to your loving arms.

...All I want is to share everything with you, to talk to you about our ideas, our dreams, the little everyday things that make us laugh, and the not-so-little things that we can't help worrying about.

...All I want is to give you my love as a place you can always come to for acceptance or the simple comfort that silence brings, when things left unspoken can still be understood.

...All I want is to grow old with you, to watch our life unfold, our dreams one by one, come true.
...All I want is to love you forever!


....And even though we are not married yet, and even though it might still take some time, I promise you today to love, protect, care and be with you in times of struggle and hardship as well as joy - for now and forever! Thank you for the wonderful and amazing eight years, for all your company, understanding and patience through the last year, for your encouragement and your belief in me, what I am doing and most importantly in us!

Hab dich ganz doll lieb!


_______________________________________________________________


Sonntag, 30. August 2009

My date with Paul


Yesterday I had my first date for ages, which made me really nervous. However, Paul was really eager to get to know me and find out more about me, so we scheduled a date for 12.30 on Saturday. He really is a nice guy I think and totally understands my problems and the stuff I worry about. There was a connection right away. We actually met at his place (I know people say girls should not do that on first dates to go directly to the guy's house...but I was confident).

Unfortunately, he could not come to our date in person and send me one of his best friends to hang out with me...I still had a wonderful time. However, his friend was a bit slow at first which made me really sleepy and he not as experienced in dating yet, but well we will meet again...I think...I hope


(Too bad that I had to pay on our first date though...this is not how its supposed to be)

Freitag, 28. August 2009

Time flies...

Here comes the weekly update:

Coffee: more than ten
Cookies: also more than ten
Kilometres I walked: at least ten


Favourite Songs of the Week:
(check them out on www.youtube.de - its worth it)

Songs my Mother taught me - Antonin Dvorak
Waltz for Violin - Johannes Brahms
Ständchen (Schwanengesang) - Franz Schubert
The Swan (Le Cygne) - Saint-Saens
Ave Maria for Violin - Franz Schubert
Poet and Paesant (Ouverture) - Franz von Suppé
Open the eyes to my heart lord - Oslo Gospel Choir
The Tribute (to God be the Glory) - Sissel and Oslo Gospel Choir
Your Love (Psalm 139) - Oslo Gospel Choir


What happened to the Little Man this week?


Monday to Friday:

Actually the week passed without much excitement. The only thing which disturbed my heavenly attitude right now is a cold I unfortunately was too eager to catch. I certainly blame it on the air conditioning in every building which is set on "freeze students". Well today I at least feel a bit better than the days before, however it will hopefully soon be over (I remain calm, however, as the entire floor is somehow infected by now - either by a cold or an allergic reaction to some unknown substance floating around Manchester 9 - "Welcome to your new hospital")

Wednesday was supposed to be the German Movie Night... the highlight of German week, which unfortunately got also cancelled due to copyright issues.

Well right now its 11 pm on Friday night...everyone except Ludmila, I and Hans has gone to a party (while I am reading the letter of Alexander to Aristotle..or at least should be reading it) and try to get rid of at least three different types of guy's cologne or after shave stuck to my clothes and our room). Today was also the first German Stammtisch and time for my first beer in the US - Warsteiner and Coke (paid by my professor)


Generally speaking...the little man has a cold but he is doing well...

Donnerstag, 27. August 2009

...


Welcome to Your New Skyline
Manchester 9

Montag, 24. August 2009

Dorm Pics


Catherine and Gia


Ada, Nicci, Hans, Richard

me

Kelly, Felix, Gia, Nicci

Breakfast


...Ludmila's breakfast ...


...my breakfast...

Can you see the difference?

Weekend: Invitations vs. "I need to do stuff"



Saturday:
After an intense study period of medievel transvestites and AEthelbehrt's marriage laws, I was invited to one of the German professors house for an early dinner. He and his wife have lived a couple of years in Germany (Hamburg, Berlin, Marburg). They have been wonderful hosts for the day and encouraged me to spend lots of time travelling the country (yeah..I'd love to if I had a money tree in my back yard). Andrew's wife is actually from Austria and they have been living in Normal since almost twenty years now.

After dinner I was supposed to meet up with the German Rotary Exchange student, but unfortunately I waited for nothing as he didn't show up at all (you know me...the Litte Man is not amused if meetings are cancelled without knowledge)

The rest of the evening we watched 10 Things I hate about you...and Hans (actually Han-Lim Yee) tried to tell us a Malaysian ghost story with a flash light in his face which turned out to be the most funny ghost story I have ever heard. I haven't laughed that much in the last year as I have done in the first weeks here. Well, the more Hans tried to calm us down "its serious man, its serious", the more we laughed and giggled...he does not want to tell ghost stories any more he told me.


Sunday
Sunday started again with an intense study period: this time with the Polemics and Poems of Rachel Speght until at noon Ludmila and I were picked up for lunch at the Goeckner's place - a really nice and heartful Rotarian couple. It is soo wonderful to have someone cook for you.
Ludmila was even able to rent one of their bikes for the time she is here, while I can come and walk the dog and play with the cats as much as I want.

Back at our little luxury appartment, I helped Felix (HongKong) to get his German study book copied, which unfortunately took quite awhile, so that I was almost late for church...

Church...wait...Yes the Little Man and I have been to church last night together with a couple of other friends and yeah we enjoyed ourselves and might go back next sunday. Afterwards I helped Felix and Ruby with their German homework which left me with a sore throat from repeting German ch and r sound over and over again...

Ok friends of the Little Man...this was it for now...I should probably write a small entry each day instead of two big ones every week...but we'll see as its going to be a busy week again and again and again...

Love, Take Care

First Week


http://www.youtube.com/user/classicalmusiconly?blend=1&ob=4
(check out the classical music channel at youtube.de-its amazing)



Oh my gosh...the first week is already over and the second just started a couple of hours ago. Well here is however an update on what I have been up to in the last week.

First of all I have to say that right now I love it here. I am living on a wonderfull floor with awesome people from Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Hongkong, China, France, Montenegro, Serbia, Nigeria, Malaysia and so on and so on.

Sunday and Monday were still quiet days. We had a Pizza Party on Sunday night (the pizza came 1 1/2 hours late though..well) and monday I had to check with Mrs Gonzales in order to get my immigration status sorted out and met with Professor van der Laan concerning my internship. Hereby I also met the other German professors and it is really fun talking to them (but as it is the Little Man...I am mixing languages all the time)

Tuesday: Beginning of Classes
To be honest, it was better than I expected it. Day started at 11 with 18th century women novelists...awesome class, awesome teacher...

" Just that you now, I am pregnant...anyone else? Because children and grandchildren are an excuse for absense" (Well-good to know ;D).


The class will be really exciting and we just had a short introduction about the early stages of women's writing and to the virtual cyber reality of "Second Life" in which I am a member now...only for studying purposes this time of course.

Next was Contemporary Children's Literature. The professor is still a child in one way or the other and we had to compile a list of five books being not on the reading list as our first assignment. Even though we have to teach, present, write two papers, midterm and final, I am really looking forward to this class.

Last class for the day is going to be the most challenging, controversial and interessting class I've got Medieval Literature and Culture with a semester focus on cross-gender, cross-dressing and transvestism...isn't that amazing? I don't think that a Paderborn professor would ever dare to teach such an uncommon tricky subject (well I hope the Littel Man and I can change that in the future)...

I went to bed rather early that day...too much information at once...

Wednesday
Wednesday I can't really remember (which leads to the assumption that I should write on a daily basis in my journal without forgetting stuff)

Thursday: Second Day of Classes
The second day of classes went well... I have never realized how weird the Wizard of Oz is until now....Oz is no wizard - he is from Omaha. What was Baum thinking when he placed Oz into Omaha? Come on...wizards don't come from Omaha...
Oh and I introduced the Struwwelpeter to my fellow students who propably no think that all Germans are cruel, violent and crazy.

After a weird introduction into cyber reality then (where my new identity and I argued about wearing a skirt or not - isn't it fun to have multiple personalities)...I went to the German department and introduced German Youth Culture to some interested students.

People, I am on a mission to make Germany more interesting for students (I'll let you know if it has worked out in December!)

Friday
As a good and educated student I know that friday is actually free-day. However, after a nice late breakfast, Ludmila and I collected the last papers from the International Office for BaföG and my internship immigration thingy...

Yeah there was a slight moment of panic coming up, when Mrs Gonzales told me that it was against the immigration laws to do an internship during the semester...common what?? What the heck does the immigration office need to care about my internship, which is more of a volunteering than internship anyway...well to keep it short and simple:Everything is alright!

The rest of Friday was spent with studying and having fun with our floor community.


Concluding: The first week was great despite some minor difficulties (but wouldn't it be boring without them?). We are a fun group up here on Manchester 9...and usually in the evenings we have pretty intense games of Uno here, sing or just keep on talkin', talkin' and talkin'. I really like it here (yeah I know I did not want to go at first). However, studying at ISU grad level actually means studying, the amount of papers, chapters and books I have to read, assignments to make and papers to not-forget is amazingly huge and there is no time for boredom or homesickness while studying at least three to four hours until late at nights every day.

Samstag, 15. August 2009

By the way

By the way...as most of you propably thought right away mine is the brown bed not the butterfly violet one...

The litte Man says Hello to the world!

Second Life






















...Me, My room, my books, my drawer...



Donnerstag, 13. August 2009

Movin in...



Well...time is running fast over here as orientation fills us up with information, information and information. Its all spinning around in my head and actually I don't know where to start...

However, on Wednesday I moved into Manchester all, into the 9th floor. It took some time to get everything organized, but tonight will be my second night in my new home and right now, I am lovin it...Unfortunately, my room-mate cancelled her stay so I was supposed to stay alone and pay more, but Ludmilla, who was put into a suite (!) and was also supposed to pay more, has switched rooms and now Paderborn rules room 922 of Manchester Hall (pics will follow as soon as everything is done...in particular cleaning up).

We are actually a fun floor up here with a lot of fun people from many countries (mainly Asians and a couple Europeans). Today was the second day of orientation, and actually I just came back from a Potluck Dinner event for all the app. 150 international students. We all entered a draw..and two lucky winners are now the proud owners of a bike...which for sure will not fit into their bags when leaving...I guess.

I got my TB examination, and luckily as I am from a - you won't believe it - "low risk" country I did not have to do anything and actually am saving money...isn't that great? However, my first by payment is do sometime next week, but nothing is really calculated correctly as far as I know...therefore I'll need to cross the entire campus to find the Student Account's building in order to get that fixed...

Well..guys I am pretty tired and have been talking all day, assisting people to get their ID cards and medical appointments (even though I am new, too -- but its my German sense of organization I guess)..and am sure ready to go to bed now as I have a pretty full schedule for tomorrow.

I hope everything is fine wherever you are!
Take care...

Dienstag, 11. August 2009

Suprise


Did I tell you yet that Rachel actually knows Buchenau? She has been there in 1999 to celebrate our "Volksfest" Grenzgang with the German Natives.

Isn't that amazing that one travels thousands of kilometres in order to find someone whom you don't have to explain were you are from? I believe in fate!

Montag, 10. August 2009

Monday



....keeping the bathroom door closed reduces those morning noises due to air conditioning....

Isn't that fun? One travels all the way from Germany to find out that the "morning noises" in a Best Western Hotel are reduced through air conditioning!

However, today we checked out the Best Western University Inn, a nice hotel in case you ever want to come to Normal, Illinois...and checked in at Rachel's and Phil's place in a small room which is perfectly small to introduce Ludmila and I to the small dorm rooms we are heading to on Wednesday.

Rachel then dropped us off at the University, which then of course was conquered...we tried to get into the dorm...secretley but surely (and of course the little man was successful), and talked to a nice lady at the University clinic in order to get an appointment for our TB screen which needs to be done soon. Then we took a long, longer, Ludmila walk to the closest mall in order to buy our bedding supplies before a) everybody else does and b) everything good is gone and actually I got a pretty good deal...
....for the next couple of months I will sleep in niece 100% cotton coloured brown... isn't that perfect ;D..

We then used the local transit system, which except for us, nobody uses, as everybody has a car and people really look at you strangely when you ask them which bus to take. However, in Normal everything is organized according to colours and letters, so today we rode the brown line all the way for more than an hour in order to go back to Rachel's and Phil's place.

Tonight we then went out with Rachel and some of her friends from church in order to watch a Softball game in which Phil actually took part...There we also met Shannon from Taiwan, who will also be staying with us at the International House at the Manchester Hall dormitory.

The first "real" week in Normal, consequently, started out quite nicely...and I hope that this will continue and everthing will work out perfectly.

Samstag, 8. August 2009

Today

...Welcome America, welcome Normal, welcome Little Man....


Well, I am on the way of no return at least not until December. Flight went well, squeezed between two guys who did not need to go to any sort of washroom for eight hours..rspct! However, arriving was also without difficulties and thanks to many nice people I easily found my way around and finally to Normal...


What about Normal? Well its normal in Normal, nothing spectacular, typically American town. However, we were picked up by Rachel and her husband Phil, who took us for Dinner at Olive Garden and brought us to our hotel were we spent the first night in a nice but awfully hot hotel room. And today...today I met Jeff, the caretaker of the hotel and had a chat...a friendly person more or less teethless ;D...

However, starting problems as usual...the technical equipment does not work properly...we cannot fit our notebook plugs into the converting plugs....need to fix that soon...Furthermore, Skype is not working properly at least not on my computer so I have to call via Ludmillas. I hope that that'll be fixed soon as well...


So much for now...
Love to each and everyone...

Donnerstag, 6. August 2009

Tomorrow


...my heart is beating like a jungle drum...


a) I am nervous
b) my 1st suitcase is too heavy...which is clearly the result of its own weight of 6kg
c) consequently I had to rearrange things and take out my gym shoes (too bad)
d) now it weighs exactly 23kg...and I hope my scale is working correctly
.
.
.
e) but now my other suitcase is too small to fit the rest in....

...what a vicious circle...its nerve-wrecking...

However, next to that I am close to paranoia thinking all day about plane crashes, lost luggage and crumpy security officers who will make me leave stuff behind, open my bags etc etc...and of course of a constantly noisy, snorring and talking neighbour in the plane next to me....

...and worst of all the little man is not shutting up for one moment...