An update of sorts
I really don't know what I want to update, but I know that I should. Ifeel in a sense that I have lost all interest in updating becuase I really don't have anything exiting to report.. or maybe its just me feeling out of sorts.
This month October marks the longest amount of time I have been away from home. I am now nearing on 6 months abroad and really the time for the most part has gone by really fast. I think I'll be saying the same thing in 4-6 more months.
I've been a bit pensive lately, and its the usual mix of thoughts that have recently been crowding my mind.. things concerning the vague future that awaits me once I set foot back in California and in reality...relationships not romantic, but friendships-- ones that seemed so close before now are miles away and some that didn't appear that strong or close have actually grown closer.. and of course some (not many) have stayed the same in sense. Since I've been here I've started up writing letters and it amazes me that some friends who I may not talk to very much, or didn't think we were that close have gone out of their way to hand write me letters- that to me speaks something. I love getting emails to don't get me wrong but a friend of mine who I am not particularly close with just sent me a long letter and pair of handmade earrings, another friend who I have only met in person once or twice has written me 2 letters- its wonderful but also sad becuase on the flip side there are those who have taken an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude, and to that- that can't be helped I guess.
I really wish I had a desk.
That is probably one of the most recurring thoughts in my head- before I got here I had the idea that on my free time I would be able to write- that this trip to Germany was like a writer's retreat wherein I could delve into my work surrounded by the beauty of the countryside around me. I would spend my late nights practicing figure drawing in order to be better prepared for my Masters. If anything this trip has stifled my creativity. Instead of attempting to cultivate my crafts I spend time sifting through endless internet pages.
My photography has suffered.. not only did I break my point and shoot camera (explained later) but I haven't even used my ("increasingly dated") DSLR on this trip at all.
My writing has been stifled-- before I left I was toying with the idea of writing a "story" of sorts, I delved ahead with the planning, backstories, character histories and even got half way through the first chapter. I had visions of this maybe being actually published
one day. I brought all my notes with me, and that is where that has stayed. My other ventures into blogging have made no progress and have been laid to waste I feel. I even have the possibility of writing an opinion piece for a different website/blog but so far I haven't been
able to write (or think) of anything pas the initial "I think that...../wouldn't it be cool if..."
My notions of teaching myself to draw never came to fruition.
All of this I think is partly becuase I don't have a space that I can claim as my own. I don't have anywhere comfortable where I can sit down and just create something. Anything. Even my bed (my go to spot for homework/reading/writing, etc) is unwelcoming; I am in the attic and the walls all slant in therefore I have nowhere to lean back and rest, my legs are constantly sore from sitting in the "Indian position" and I think I am developing a hump akin to Quasimoto from hunching over my laptop all the time.
This may actually explain why all my free time is spent on "easy" activities such as tv watching, article reading, and in general (useless) web browsing.
As for Oktoberfest. I went to Berlin to visit my friend Alyson again. I arrived Friday night and we had delivery Chinese food (something you
don't really get in California unless you pay out the wazoo to have it delivered) . Saturday day we spent walking around one of the shopping areas of Berlin. I ran some errands for Cat, we pieced together Alyson's halloween costume (Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's) and I got a nice/casual summer dress on sale for 10Euro. I know summer is over, but the dress was cheap and fit nice and I need more casual clothes to chase after children in. I have paired the dress with leggings and a cardigan and that way I'm not wearing sweatpants 24/7. That night we went to Oktoberfest. We had fun although we didn't stay "inside" the fest for too long (Okotberfest is usually held inside a
giant tent with traditional food, music, drinks etc. Outside the tent was a small carnival with a few rides and food stands. After we drank
our beer-- 1 Liter, we had some food and ventured outside waiting for the fireworks. Alyson had the idea of getting some Boule to drink, which is the German equivalent of Sangria with a shot of rum in it.It was tasty but that unfortunately was the first in a long night of
'mistakes'.
I'm generally clumsy to begin with, and I don't particularly enjoy getting drunk (thankfully it wasn't too bad). But on my 3rd boule my hand slipped and I knocked the drink over (brand new didn't even have a taste) when it was on the counter. The drink fell all over my apron and my drindl. I had my camera in a small purse which was under my scarf and somehow the liquid got in. I turned my camera on and
all was fine so I figured it didn't get wet but the next morning when I attempted to turn on the camera and the screen was a jumble of lines. I guess water did get in and ruined the screen.
Now I am faced with the quandry of going to buy a new camera- a very basic point and shoot, where I will be overpaying for (electronics are overall more expensive in Germany and also the euro/dollar rate will also affect the price) a camera I could get for 2/3 of the price when I get back. Or do I begin totting around my DSLR for everyday adventures. My DSLR is already dated as many point and shoots have more megapixels and features than mine, so really the logical thing is to use it and get the most use I can. However I am afraid of something happening to it and then I will be out 2 cameras. Yes, I was toying with the idea of buying a new DSLR in the future (and maybe even a bridge camera instead of a point and shoot) but I had thought maybe I could sell my old DSLR to make up some costs, or even get another Olympus so I could build on my lens/filter collection instead of having to start from scratch.
What do you guys think?
Poll Camera
Sunday was pretty uneventful, Alyson was horribly hung over (yay for Latin livers). We lounged around the house and saw episodes of this new "reality" show called Dance Moms which is basically toddlers in tiaras for dance people. I went home that evening, by train which was nice and while I was in the station buying a water bottle I heard these people speaking Spanish. I always love hearing people speak spanish because it reminds me of home and familiarity. Well, I was browsing and I heard the guy say something that is a typical Chilean slang- this word is not even a real word and doens't exisit anywhere else. It's purely Chilean. I turned around and asked them (in Spanish) if they were Chilean, and they were! We talked for 2 minutes, they asked me what I was doing and I told them i lived in in Hamburg as visiting Berlin. They wished me well and then we went our separate ways but as they left I heard them talking to themselves mentioning how wonderful it was to meet a fellow copatriot becuase it helps ease the feeling of being completely alone. I smiled becuase I felt the same way and that little encounter gave me a nice happy feeling the rest of the day.
Wow, that was long. Ok friends, please vote and leave comments. I need to go do some laundry.
This month October marks the longest amount of time I have been away from home. I am now nearing on 6 months abroad and really the time for the most part has gone by really fast. I think I'll be saying the same thing in 4-6 more months.
I've been a bit pensive lately, and its the usual mix of thoughts that have recently been crowding my mind.. things concerning the vague future that awaits me once I set foot back in California and in reality...relationships not romantic, but friendships-- ones that seemed so close before now are miles away and some that didn't appear that strong or close have actually grown closer.. and of course some (not many) have stayed the same in sense. Since I've been here I've started up writing letters and it amazes me that some friends who I may not talk to very much, or didn't think we were that close have gone out of their way to hand write me letters- that to me speaks something. I love getting emails to don't get me wrong but a friend of mine who I am not particularly close with just sent me a long letter and pair of handmade earrings, another friend who I have only met in person once or twice has written me 2 letters- its wonderful but also sad becuase on the flip side there are those who have taken an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude, and to that- that can't be helped I guess.
I really wish I had a desk.
That is probably one of the most recurring thoughts in my head- before I got here I had the idea that on my free time I would be able to write- that this trip to Germany was like a writer's retreat wherein I could delve into my work surrounded by the beauty of the countryside around me. I would spend my late nights practicing figure drawing in order to be better prepared for my Masters. If anything this trip has stifled my creativity. Instead of attempting to cultivate my crafts I spend time sifting through endless internet pages.
My photography has suffered.. not only did I break my point and shoot camera (explained later) but I haven't even used my ("increasingly dated") DSLR on this trip at all.
My writing has been stifled-- before I left I was toying with the idea of writing a "story" of sorts, I delved ahead with the planning, backstories, character histories and even got half way through the first chapter. I had visions of this maybe being actually published
one day. I brought all my notes with me, and that is where that has stayed. My other ventures into blogging have made no progress and have been laid to waste I feel. I even have the possibility of writing an opinion piece for a different website/blog but so far I haven't been
able to write (or think) of anything pas the initial "I think that...../wouldn't it be cool if..."
My notions of teaching myself to draw never came to fruition.
All of this I think is partly becuase I don't have a space that I can claim as my own. I don't have anywhere comfortable where I can sit down and just create something. Anything. Even my bed (my go to spot for homework/reading/writing, etc) is unwelcoming; I am in the attic and the walls all slant in therefore I have nowhere to lean back and rest, my legs are constantly sore from sitting in the "Indian position" and I think I am developing a hump akin to Quasimoto from hunching over my laptop all the time.
This may actually explain why all my free time is spent on "easy" activities such as tv watching, article reading, and in general (useless) web browsing.
As for Oktoberfest. I went to Berlin to visit my friend Alyson again. I arrived Friday night and we had delivery Chinese food (something you
don't really get in California unless you pay out the wazoo to have it delivered) . Saturday day we spent walking around one of the shopping areas of Berlin. I ran some errands for Cat, we pieced together Alyson's halloween costume (Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's) and I got a nice/casual summer dress on sale for 10Euro. I know summer is over, but the dress was cheap and fit nice and I need more casual clothes to chase after children in. I have paired the dress with leggings and a cardigan and that way I'm not wearing sweatpants 24/7. That night we went to Oktoberfest. We had fun although we didn't stay "inside" the fest for too long (Okotberfest is usually held inside a
giant tent with traditional food, music, drinks etc. Outside the tent was a small carnival with a few rides and food stands. After we drank
our beer-- 1 Liter, we had some food and ventured outside waiting for the fireworks. Alyson had the idea of getting some Boule to drink, which is the German equivalent of Sangria with a shot of rum in it.It was tasty but that unfortunately was the first in a long night of
'mistakes'.
I'm generally clumsy to begin with, and I don't particularly enjoy getting drunk (thankfully it wasn't too bad). But on my 3rd boule my hand slipped and I knocked the drink over (brand new didn't even have a taste) when it was on the counter. The drink fell all over my apron and my drindl. I had my camera in a small purse which was under my scarf and somehow the liquid got in. I turned my camera on and
all was fine so I figured it didn't get wet but the next morning when I attempted to turn on the camera and the screen was a jumble of lines. I guess water did get in and ruined the screen.
Now I am faced with the quandry of going to buy a new camera- a very basic point and shoot, where I will be overpaying for (electronics are overall more expensive in Germany and also the euro/dollar rate will also affect the price) a camera I could get for 2/3 of the price when I get back. Or do I begin totting around my DSLR for everyday adventures. My DSLR is already dated as many point and shoots have more megapixels and features than mine, so really the logical thing is to use it and get the most use I can. However I am afraid of something happening to it and then I will be out 2 cameras. Yes, I was toying with the idea of buying a new DSLR in the future (and maybe even a bridge camera instead of a point and shoot) but I had thought maybe I could sell my old DSLR to make up some costs, or even get another Olympus so I could build on my lens/filter collection instead of having to start from scratch.
What do you guys think?
Poll Camera
Sunday was pretty uneventful, Alyson was horribly hung over (yay for Latin livers). We lounged around the house and saw episodes of this new "reality" show called Dance Moms which is basically toddlers in tiaras for dance people. I went home that evening, by train which was nice and while I was in the station buying a water bottle I heard these people speaking Spanish. I always love hearing people speak spanish because it reminds me of home and familiarity. Well, I was browsing and I heard the guy say something that is a typical Chilean slang- this word is not even a real word and doens't exisit anywhere else. It's purely Chilean. I turned around and asked them (in Spanish) if they were Chilean, and they were! We talked for 2 minutes, they asked me what I was doing and I told them i lived in in Hamburg as visiting Berlin. They wished me well and then we went our separate ways but as they left I heard them talking to themselves mentioning how wonderful it was to meet a fellow copatriot becuase it helps ease the feeling of being completely alone. I smiled becuase I felt the same way and that little encounter gave me a nice happy feeling the rest of the day.
Wow, that was long. Ok friends, please vote and leave comments. I need to go do some laundry.