So at school some guys invited me and Jo to play poker with them. A guys evening.
Now it is the next morning and I am hungover to the days. They bought about two dozen beers, some martini mix, some vodka, some sweet liquor and yet none of them seem to drink.
Three of us drank.
Two of us threw up (Jo in a mercedes!)
One of us ended up writing this.
we don't remember the game finishing
we don't remember who won - Jo was doing pretty well we think though.
we don't remember coming home
we don't remember much really
but we do remember having fun! (o;
N.B (for future reference and laughs...) When Jo threw up I'm guessing i smelt it or saw it. What ever it was I followed shortly afterwards. Only I didn't want to be sick in the car and so opened the door to climb out first; we were going 100km/hr! The driver stopped pretty quick and i was thankfully pretty slow and so i stumbled out safely enough and made it to a hedge to throw up in. i then got up to head back to the car but gravity overtook me and i fell back and straight into my recent environmental contribution! Aaargh! Did make it back in the car and home too i guess. turns out the walked us in, Jo had an hour shower (perhaps cleaning himself up?) and I walked around (rather noisely it seems) repeating over and over "Neich gut, Johannes is neicht gut!". Haha. I also later learnt i had cracked onto the only girl at the poker game (who had a boyfriend; also there) but i figure that is ok as being the only girl present, what did they expect?!
Dec 14, 2007
Old school
"Huh? What? Wake up? It's not even 7am yet! It's still dark outside!"
So began our day. Woken at 6:30 we were told to get up and ready for school.
Yep, you heard me right. It was a school day.
Why did we VOLUNTEER to go to school? Dunno. But we did. And it was still dark when we started! And they don't even eat lunch! Crazy!
First class was Spanish. I can't speak it and in between was of course German. I can't speak that either. So I'm not rally sure what went on but I'm sure they learnt heaps. It was something about a glass house burning down near Barcelona and someone dying in it and the blame being put on racial minorities like the gypsies. Hmmm, yeah. Exactly.
Then was Biology (after opting to skip Maths). Only there was no biology class as such as they were getting a test result back and going over the exam so I just wandered around the school a bit and then listened to music. Tough times.
Lastly (they had three 2 hour classes), we were taken to Religious Education. First half was in German (somthing about Ijob) and the second half was a meditation session. This entailed getting a blanket, lying on the floor, turning the lights off, and getting to know yourself and the ground you're touching. Or something like that - it was in german? So of course I fell asleep. I mean really. What do they expect?
And this is the smart school. Schools here in Germany are split into three classes. Smart kids, average kids and dumb kids. For real. Then there are private and public. We'd gone private. I.e no eating, music, being loud etc.
But it was an, um, experience. I'm not too cool for school but maybe a tad old. I'll stick to teaching from now on (o:
So began our day. Woken at 6:30 we were told to get up and ready for school.
Yep, you heard me right. It was a school day.
Why did we VOLUNTEER to go to school? Dunno. But we did. And it was still dark when we started! And they don't even eat lunch! Crazy!
First class was Spanish. I can't speak it and in between was of course German. I can't speak that either. So I'm not rally sure what went on but I'm sure they learnt heaps. It was something about a glass house burning down near Barcelona and someone dying in it and the blame being put on racial minorities like the gypsies. Hmmm, yeah. Exactly.
Then was Biology (after opting to skip Maths). Only there was no biology class as such as they were getting a test result back and going over the exam so I just wandered around the school a bit and then listened to music. Tough times.
Lastly (they had three 2 hour classes), we were taken to Religious Education. First half was in German (somthing about Ijob) and the second half was a meditation session. This entailed getting a blanket, lying on the floor, turning the lights off, and getting to know yourself and the ground you're touching. Or something like that - it was in german? So of course I fell asleep. I mean really. What do they expect?
And this is the smart school. Schools here in Germany are split into three classes. Smart kids, average kids and dumb kids. For real. Then there are private and public. We'd gone private. I.e no eating, music, being loud etc.
But it was an, um, experience. I'm not too cool for school but maybe a tad old. I'll stick to teaching from now on (o:
Svenja's
We caught a train from Jo's grand's down to Vitzeberg or something where the other half of his family live. Picked up by his aunt, we first visited his other grandma and stopped in for lunch while we were at it.
-
Here in Germany there are three main activites. Eating, drinking and then sleeping when you have had too much of the other two. We honestly eat ALL THE TIME! You have breakfast (usually around 10 or so cause we sleep in) and then it's time for lunch at around midday. Only here lunch is the main meal and so it is huge. And you're still full from breakfast. And then there's dessert. And no, you can't just eat less cause if they catch you not eating enough (enough means about what you'd usually feed a small battalion of soldiers), then they just keep at you until you start up again.
Then you head home and usually meet someone else who you must then eat a few biscuits with or maybe some cake to be polite and then it might as well be afternoon tea time. So you eat some more.
By the time dinner rolls around, (and, after all the snacks that have been thrown at you left right and centre), you look like you're about to deliver triplets and a horse! And beer goes with most meals so that helps in filling you up too.
Jenny Craig could not live here!
For us? It's brilliant!
-
Oops, I'm meant to be writing about Svenja's (Jo's cousin's) place. So here we are now living with his two cousins (16 and 18yr old girls) and his aunt and uncle. As has been the case everywhere, they treat us both like family. Of course Jo is family, but they're nice to me too (o; (wash clothes, feed us, house us, drive us, bathe us etc).
First night with Uncle Joseph was a laugh. He brought us out a beer each and then before too long we'd each had 6 and these are 0.5L suckers with over 5%. After 2 months of near soberiety, we were all, well, pretty pissed really. Didn't actually feel it but the photos and lack of remembrance of conversations had is a good indication. And Sophia (who weighs in at around 50kilos and is half our height) drank the same us! Impressive.
Food is good too. Had a 'round' sausage the other night that was the best so far. Beautiful.
But as i write this I find that Germany so far really has been about the food, drinking and sleeping. As I joked earlier.
Mmmm. Fun, but life needs a little more. Poker tonight will be good and we're doing some sightseeing tomorrow too that should be a good change. And, hopefully, we'll go out on the town tomorrow too. That's what we really need...
-
Here in Germany there are three main activites. Eating, drinking and then sleeping when you have had too much of the other two. We honestly eat ALL THE TIME! You have breakfast (usually around 10 or so cause we sleep in) and then it's time for lunch at around midday. Only here lunch is the main meal and so it is huge. And you're still full from breakfast. And then there's dessert. And no, you can't just eat less cause if they catch you not eating enough (enough means about what you'd usually feed a small battalion of soldiers), then they just keep at you until you start up again.
Then you head home and usually meet someone else who you must then eat a few biscuits with or maybe some cake to be polite and then it might as well be afternoon tea time. So you eat some more.
By the time dinner rolls around, (and, after all the snacks that have been thrown at you left right and centre), you look like you're about to deliver triplets and a horse! And beer goes with most meals so that helps in filling you up too.
Jenny Craig could not live here!
For us? It's brilliant!
-
Oops, I'm meant to be writing about Svenja's (Jo's cousin's) place. So here we are now living with his two cousins (16 and 18yr old girls) and his aunt and uncle. As has been the case everywhere, they treat us both like family. Of course Jo is family, but they're nice to me too (o; (wash clothes, feed us, house us, drive us, bathe us etc).
First night with Uncle Joseph was a laugh. He brought us out a beer each and then before too long we'd each had 6 and these are 0.5L suckers with over 5%. After 2 months of near soberiety, we were all, well, pretty pissed really. Didn't actually feel it but the photos and lack of remembrance of conversations had is a good indication. And Sophia (who weighs in at around 50kilos and is half our height) drank the same us! Impressive.
Food is good too. Had a 'round' sausage the other night that was the best so far. Beautiful.
But as i write this I find that Germany so far really has been about the food, drinking and sleeping. As I joked earlier.
Mmmm. Fun, but life needs a little more. Poker tonight will be good and we're doing some sightseeing tomorrow too that should be a good change. And, hopefully, we'll go out on the town tomorrow too. That's what we really need...
Dec 13, 2007
The Olds
Jo's gramps, aka Opa, is hilarious, a real ladies man and go getter who still rock climbs (he claims) and speaks "the english good". His granny, aka Oma, reminds me a lot of mine. She's exactly as a grandma should be; snow white hair, nice smile, vertically challenged, always offering freshly made baked goods, wears purple and lavender, always offering tea and pretty much dotting on you 24/7.
Otherwise life carried on much as usual. We went to the Christmas market and had Gluwein and bratwurst. Also tried Fries with mayo which tasted, surprisingly, like fries with mayo. We wanderd around a bit and even went for a run one night! In sexy running outfits too...
Johannes, Sophia and I in our modern streamlined running suits:
Jo's opa is also really arty and kept photo albums dating back to the days of Christ lined up in our room which were fun to go through.
We stayed here until the 12th I think; so three nights. Yeah, it was good. And of course, grandma's cooking is always the best. Oh the roast! First roast in literally months!
Otherwise life carried on much as usual. We went to the Christmas market and had Gluwein and bratwurst. Also tried Fries with mayo which tasted, surprisingly, like fries with mayo. We wanderd around a bit and even went for a run one night! In sexy running outfits too...
Johannes, Sophia and I in our modern streamlined running suits:
Jo's opa is also really arty and kept photo albums dating back to the days of Christ lined up in our room which were fun to go through.
We stayed here until the 12th I think; so three nights. Yeah, it was good. And of course, grandma's cooking is always the best. Oh the roast! First roast in literally months!
Secret ingredient!
On coming to Europe I'd heard rumours of the young Germanic people who'd be like 7 feet tall and leave me feeling like an Ompa lumpa in Willy Wonka land. Seems the stories were true. Or for some at least. There are some scarely tall young guys around!
But putting my undoubtable 'murder she wrote' detective skills to good use, I've discovered their secret. So sure of themselves, they hadn't even hidden it really! Not Germany's finest moment.
Everyone here drinks "mineral water". Note the quotation marks. So expecting some water from the bottle I find squirreled away at the back of the bench (note it isn't clearly placed at the front), I pour myself a drink. Only what comes out is not water. Oh no, they've added grow juice bubbles or something to it.
All "mineral water" (don't forget to note the quotation marks) over here is full of bubbles and tastes crazy.
Water? I don't think so. And I've seen what else they eat and drink and there's nothing else to really explain the crazy heights except it.
Yep, case closed.
But putting my undoubtable 'murder she wrote' detective skills to good use, I've discovered their secret. So sure of themselves, they hadn't even hidden it really! Not Germany's finest moment.
Everyone here drinks "mineral water". Note the quotation marks. So expecting some water from the bottle I find squirreled away at the back of the bench (note it isn't clearly placed at the front), I pour myself a drink. Only what comes out is not water. Oh no, they've added grow juice bubbles or something to it.
All "mineral water" (don't forget to note the quotation marks) over here is full of bubbles and tastes crazy.
Water? I don't think so. And I've seen what else they eat and drink and there's nothing else to really explain the crazy heights except it.
Yep, case closed.
Hitchin to the olds
So planning to set off around 9am, we woke up around 10 or so and probably left around midday. Not bad for us really.
After some teary goodbyes (no, not really although it was sad to leave what had been so nice a home to stay at. And it really was a home.), Jo's uncle drove us to a good spot to start off from. He also gave us some sandwiches for lunch and some water. Two things we hadn't thought of and much appreciated.
So with signs proudly on display, thumbs stuck out like we were trying to give them away and bent over to almost touching the ground for proper hitch hiker effect, we waited on our knight in shining armour (or hot girl in skimpy bikini) to come to our rescue.
1 minute later? Hey, you can dream!
5 mintues later? Um, nope.
10 mintues later? Still nope.
15 mintues later? Couple of smiles but still no luck.
20 mintues later? Some cute girls have gone past but they must not have spotted us
30 minutes later?
45 minutes later?
1 hour later!!!!!?
Aaaarrrghhh! Friggin Germans! Can't they see that we are cold (it's around 7 degrees), wet (it's raining on and off the whole time) and want a lift?
But we keep on trying and when a nice new 2007 Lexus rolls past, the thumbs go up more out of habit than hope as since when do we get picked up in nice cars? But all smiles, we put the begger look back in our puppy dog eyes and drop the bottom lip to a quiver just in case. And lo and behold he actually pulls over!
400 kms and about two and a half hours later (autobahn plus nice car = driving at 200km\hr plus at times) and we pull into Jo's grandparents house. Such a comfy lift I'd slept most of the way in seats that rival our couch back home!
Now it was time for some grandma cooking! (o:
After some teary goodbyes (no, not really although it was sad to leave what had been so nice a home to stay at. And it really was a home.), Jo's uncle drove us to a good spot to start off from. He also gave us some sandwiches for lunch and some water. Two things we hadn't thought of and much appreciated.
So with signs proudly on display, thumbs stuck out like we were trying to give them away and bent over to almost touching the ground for proper hitch hiker effect, we waited on our knight in shining armour (or hot girl in skimpy bikini) to come to our rescue.
1 minute later? Hey, you can dream!
5 mintues later? Um, nope.
10 mintues later? Still nope.
15 mintues later? Couple of smiles but still no luck.
20 mintues later? Some cute girls have gone past but they must not have spotted us
30 minutes later?
45 minutes later?
1 hour later!!!!!?
Aaaarrrghhh! Friggin Germans! Can't they see that we are cold (it's around 7 degrees), wet (it's raining on and off the whole time) and want a lift?
But we keep on trying and when a nice new 2007 Lexus rolls past, the thumbs go up more out of habit than hope as since when do we get picked up in nice cars? But all smiles, we put the begger look back in our puppy dog eyes and drop the bottom lip to a quiver just in case. And lo and behold he actually pulls over!
400 kms and about two and a half hours later (autobahn plus nice car = driving at 200km\hr plus at times) and we pull into Jo's grandparents house. Such a comfy lift I'd slept most of the way in seats that rival our couch back home!
Now it was time for some grandma cooking! (o:
Last day down South
With Grease blasting away in the background, it is a little hard to concentrate on what to write. But we've been stereo deprived for 6 months and I just don't have the heart to turn it off. Or even down (o:
So last night with Jo's family we went out for some more gluwein (mulled wine stuff) and then just relaxed. Played some soccer in the arvo with his cousin and friend and um, can't remember really what we did, haha. Oh, we went for a bit of a bike ride around the town. And Katrin probably taught me some more Deutsch - seriously, she was the best 4 year old teacher you could ask for! Hilarious.
Then we packed ready to head off the next day to Jo's grandparents place up near Bielefeld. This included making our customary signs. One saying where we were headed and another saying "We've got chocolate". In english. More for the novelty than the chocolate this time we figured as it's christmas and there's a lot of Choc going around.
So last night with Jo's family we went out for some more gluwein (mulled wine stuff) and then just relaxed. Played some soccer in the arvo with his cousin and friend and um, can't remember really what we did, haha. Oh, we went for a bit of a bike ride around the town. And Katrin probably taught me some more Deutsch - seriously, she was the best 4 year old teacher you could ask for! Hilarious.
Then we packed ready to head off the next day to Jo's grandparents place up near Bielefeld. This included making our customary signs. One saying where we were headed and another saying "We've got chocolate". In english. More for the novelty than the chocolate this time we figured as it's christmas and there's a lot of Choc going around.
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