Missing Deutschland

I've been missing Germany so I thought I'd reminisce about my time in the country. This is where I lived for half a year in Germany. *Schützenweg 42. I took the first picture in September when the weather was still great, a few weeks after I'd arrived. I can't believe I thought it was cold when I first got to Oldenburg in September. I always wore my red sweater from Forever 21 and leggings under my jeans. Once winter came along I realized how good we had it that first month! The second picture was taken in February. By this time I was so used to the rain and snow (snow I never see in Los Angeles, rain I only see so often and always leads to news about an upcoming apocalypse). This was the view from my window after the constant snow turned into constant rain. From my window I had a view of the train and if I remember correctly the brick building across from this view is a daycare. It's something to do with kids. If you were to go down the path near the daycare you would be lead to the botanical garden. I went down to the garden once and saw a few animals and plants that weren't yet in season. So a lot of it was just brown and green. I also saw a cat chasing a mouse. The cat actually caught the mouse and was playing with it...like viciously playing with it. Then a German lady grabbed the cat and reprimanded it. I thought that was hilarious! ^__^


Now that I look at the pictures they sort of represent my outlook at the time of being in Germany. The weather definitely plays a big part of your outlook on the world. First arriving in Germany everything was new! The sun was still out (although there were rain showers all the time) and I had so much to learn about the German culture and people. I became comfortable speaking the language even though I knew I making a lot of mistakes. I feel like I transitioned really well into the German culture because I went there with an open mind.

There are so many differences between American and German culture and after a while I just got tired of it all. The picture from my window is just that. Me looking out into the cold German world. That sounds so dramatic but that's how it felt at times. I think it was the weather that did it! I figured that culture shock finally hit me because all of the things I was having trouble with were things I didn't mind when I first got to the country. Even after all the emotions and leaving the country abruptly to get home for a funeral I still have love for that country. Germany is das Land der Dichter und Denker. I can feel it in the history of the cobblestone streets and churches. I can't wait to get back to the country!

*I don't know how to type umlauts from my laptop so I copy and pasted the ü from the internet. That's why it might look weird.

I'll write more about my travels in Germany and Europe. Soon!!!!!!

A Day Trip to Catalina Island

More travelling! Last week a few of us went to Catalina Island to celebrate a birthday. I hadn't been there in yeeaaarrrsss! Last time I was there it was with my mom and two of my brothers and I think I was in middle school. I remember going snorkeling with one of my brothers and we went on a tour that went through the city of Avalon (which is really small). It's definitely a cute place!is

This time we got on the boat to Catalina which departed from Long Beach :)))) I Love Long Beach! The ride was sooo bumpy and took a little over an hour, nonetheless it was fun! The city of Avalon seems really small but there is actually tons of stuff to do. You can go bike riding through the city or rent a golf cart and see the city that way. You can go kayaking, there are tons of restaurants, bars and stores to shop at. There is also a museum that used to be a casino. And of course there are glass bottom boats that take you on short tours to see sea monsters...oops...I mean fish.

I would like to go back in the summer to try kayaking and explore the island a little more by bike. This time we rented a golf cart which was fun. We went up a wrong road and had to back up which was scary because we were on a hill. Basically it was like that scene from Austin Powers where he's trying to turn the cart around but just gets stuck in between the two walls. Seriously...IT WAS LIKE THAT. haha.

                              Getting off that bumpy ride and onto the Catalina Island pavement.

                                                                        Catalina!!!!!

                                                          Of course I got a German beer ;)

I was so surprised to see pay phones! I haven't seen one in forever. The woman that was there told me that only the one on the left worked and you couldn't just put coins in it. You have to have some type of calling card. . . So much for a pay phone -__- 

                                                                   That blue water

This was us getting back to Long Beach. 

Der Anfang

I'm sitting here on my desk chair wondering where to start. Should I start with why I decided to write this blog or should I start with the past week? Should I start with childhood? Ha. That's too far back. Plus, before a certain age I don't have a lot of memories of my childhood. Sad. I know. I guess I can start with the past couple of weeks and then slowly throughout my blog add snippets of other life memories and adventures. Basically I'm not done travelling the world. I've graduated college (university for those of you outside of America) and the one thing I know I want to do is travel. ohhh I think about it all the time. I think of myself on a dark night in a remote part of Norway discovering the beauty of the Aurora Borealis. I see myself hiking in Iceland, wearing a huge jacket, gloves and many layers of socks and leggings (because anything under 70F is cold to me). I even see myself road tripping through America, spending enough time in each state getting to know locals and how they live. But how can I live this life? Well, I became proactive and realized thinking these things was never going to make anything happen. And anything is possible, right? So I very recently signed up with International TEFL Academy and now I'm taking an online class to get a TEFL certificate. I'll be able to teach English practically anywhere in the world. I took the first step and by May 2nd I should be finished with the course. I really want to go back to Germany but my first stop will be in Southeast Asia. Just reading the International TEFL Academy website and talking with an advisor (who is really helpful) has made me decide to go this route. So this blog will basically be my journey from girl with a part time job in so cal to girl teaching English abroad and travelling the world (keep your fingers crossed!). Aventurera! Abenteuerin! Adventuress! That's what I aspire to be.