November is still Beautiful

I was going to start out writing this blog with apologetic feelings of not updating it since September...with a sort of "shame on you" kind of feeling.

But who am I kidding? It's my blog and shall hold no obligations nor reservations over my head.

About the title, November has opened up new meaning to me, because truly...I don't think it can come close to topping what October represents.

October - fall foliage begins, transition from warm to cold, fresh blast of colors on the leaves and all things nature, and what really stands out in my mind - Our trip to Munich, Prague, and friends.

Have you ever been to Oktoberfest??
I was utterly blown away at the organization, fantastical, colorful display of a festival that I have ever seen in my life. And since Oktoberfest has been around a lot longer than Disneyland, I think much credit is due to festival for so many similarities it holds.

Walt Disney would agree, because there is evidence that he made Cinderella castle based on the one in Munich called, ' Schloss Neuschwanstein'.

Moreover, Michelle, a good friend of mine with her very hospitable boyfriend Vincent; opened up their apartment to Sebastian and I for 5 days. They made us feel so welcome. Preparing dinners, and breakfasts, showing us around the Wien, and my favorite part: introducing me to a good game of poker, sharing their specialty case of Cuban cigars, and sipping wine all night. Cheers! to good people!

Prague was mind blowing. I'll never forget, for as long as I live the kindness of the man, and generosity he gave to show me a good time on our two year anniversary of being bf&gf. We took a train to Prague from his hometwon Dresden in the early morning. We snacked on our lunches packed by his Dad, and gazed lazily outside of our private booth windows and admired the scenery of the Elbe river with it's green luxurious  trees and houses. We knew we were in Prague when the architecture started to change, and the radio we were listening to on his samsung switched into Czech stations.
Since our visit lasted only two days, and one night. We had planned ahead of time places to visit.
We were impressed, inspired, and grateful for the city which we both concluded on as romantic, dreamy, and sad to leave.

It was a nice reminder, why I love Europe...so much attention to detail, and so much preservation in the history of things. By things I mean, statues, gargoyles, door knobs, doors, windows, pathways, streets, and more.

Being a Leo, I am always flattered at the various displays of lions represented in different ways around the city. One moment it is a huge statue, the next a fountain spilling water, and the next a crafted door handle.

After Prague, Sebastian's very best friend Georgie from La Grande Motte, France came to visit. It was refreshing to see Sebastian with the man that he calls his very best. Friends come and go, but some stick around for awhile. This would be the case for them, something I call bromance, and true friendship regardless of space and time. These two know how to keep in touch and stay updated constantly. We showed him around a bit, and had a wild good time. Since his visit, I've considered sending Sebastian back his way in the South of France to experience more fun. I have a feeling we take things to serious sometimes.

Oh! I also found a part time job to help make payments for rent and tuition, what a blessing...I am truly thankful. sMeet.com will always have my blessings. Moreover, getting this job was a testament that things can happen for me, and I am not some hopeless English speaking American in a German speaking country. For some reason, I reasoned like that - pity. Self loathing is sickening for me. It un-motivates me, hinders me, and drives competitiveness in me against friends and family. Sick stuff low self esteem. But I kept working at it, sending out applications, refining my resume, and gaining experience here and there...sure enough.

The process can be endearing, but as Claude Sawtelle says from the Story of Edgar Sawtelle, "You can do anything if you're willing to go slow enough." Yes Claude, this is true...but in my opinion, perseverance has a lot to do with it.

About November.

I've been in a funk lately about it. Rather depressed at waking up to grey skies, cold skin splitting weather, puddles, and early sunsets.

All on one day when I started to miss Hawaii and let the change in weather affect me, I was struck suddenly after eating out with a nastyyyy stomach virus (details spared).

I spent days in bed starting Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I had a lot of time to lay in bed and look out of the window anxiously. I spent morning after morning opening my eyes hoping to feel better, and each day I didn't - I somehow felt like I was missing out on the outside world.

And then at some point, into my sickness, I didn't care what the weather was, I just wanted to be out! I didn't even care if it was raining. I felt cooped, warm, bored, and lonely.

And then this appreciation for the outside surmounted. I realized, perhaps I was being closed-minded and negative. I spoke with my Dad and he suggested I start running. Not for it's physical purposes, but mainly for it's "you learn to appreciate the environment better when you face it everyday."

I couldn't agree more...say, I love to read! Why shouldn't I do it out there in the nasty weather? So I'll get myself a warmer coat and a water repellent blanket to lay out in wet spots.

I don't want to consider myself hindered anymore. Just because there is no ocean and constant sunset, that shouldn't stop me from going outside, and laughing, and loving, and truly living with my best friend. I hope he hasn't missed me too much. Because, I am back with a readiness, and willingness to work at what we're given....kind of like creative mud.

Discovering Berlin: Pizza & Cappuccinos

Sebastian arrived a little later (as expected) because he went on a brief grocery run to purchase ingredients for Japanese Curry:

1) Chicken Breasts
2) Toast! for breakfast...
3) Carrots

We had plans per advice of sugarhigh to attend an event that took place in a garden with tons of accordion players.

We missed it, no drama there, but were left with the sunshine, blank ideas, and spontaneity.

It is advised that when faced with plans that fail, a walk in the sunshine as your next plan may stimulate other ideas of what to do.

SO we left the house and attempted to find a green park in which Sebastian could use as a new jogging spot. His handy phone sure did lead us there, but failed to indicate on his screen the gravestones sticking out of the lush greenery.

Change of plans! again! :)

We took the tram 40 minutes into Warschauer Str. found a cafe and ordered

"zwei cappuccinos und Pizza mit schinken" - it was cheap too!

On our way back to the apartment, we both concluded on not making dinner.

Ironic, the end.

Discovering Berlin

Monday 27.02.12


Tacheleles - "Plain Talking" Free artistic activity 

- galleries
- cinema High End 54
- Smell of spray paint and ...pee... in some corners
- lots of young hipster tourists with cameras and hesitance

Tuesday 28.02.12

Victoria Park - Waterfall and monument ending Napoleon's crimes 

- getting off at Merringdamm
- walking through Kreuzberg remembering our favorite buildings, cafes, and restaurants
- constant search for a smaller lighter bag that will house only my wallet and make-up purse
- an alternative and no-pressure sex shop (just for gags)
- Sebastian's contemplations concerning a 28 euro ukulele, we'll have to pick one up in Hawaii next time babe
- Finally, a fresh walk through the park downhills & uphills until we reach the castle-like monument
- wait, where was Napolean defeated? Where did he die? Leipzig? I thought he was marooned and died there
- 8)

Knickelkopp Cafe - Kreuzberg Str.

- underground basement activity cafe
- it's like walking into a fairytale granny's kitchen...and some indie lady playing xx and radiohead
- her dog ELVIS sits on a comfy leather chair with a bright green blanket - pretending to be invisible to people walking by wanting to pet it...I bet he hates that, for respect of the dog...I didn't touch him :( Sebastian did though - he didn't look pleased
- HEISSE SCHOKOLADE und KAFFE mit MILCH und ZWEI STUCK of PIES
- A depressing game of android - pool
- I guess inadvertently, Sebastian bought the loser a raspberry candy and rubbed in my loss on the walk home...I tried many times to change the subject because I am a poor poor loser, he is so funny

Wednesday 29.02.12


TU Tennis with my boyfriend the tennis trainer


- fuzzy yellow balls
- confusion...why does my forehand suck all of a sudden?
- should we go back to the baseline?
- "for the last ten minutes I want you to attack the ball" "Let out all of your aggression"
- I was really motivated to not let you down..I'm sure my body will pay for it tomorrow morning :p

Grunewald Tennis 


- two cheap slices of pizza and a bottled coke
- Sebastian's job as a tennis instructorrrrrrrr
- me sitting in Grunewald's cafe with cappuccino and pommes...and a fork to compliment the pommes, un-eaten mayo and OOPS I forgot my pin number to my Deutsche Bank card. How embarrassing, the kellnerin was not happy with me
- Russian Disco, BERLIN Hotels & More
- I watched the last 30 minutes of Sebastian rounding up little kids for a "friendly" fussball match
- His team lost - karma buddy!

Elise & Sebastian

En route to Honolulu - my thoughts while in-flight

My first day back on paradise island - and I have no idea with this Holiday will surmount to, each step I take is unfamiliar, and at the same time it feels as if I never left. To me, the world becomes so parallel when I travel. 
Below are some thoughts that arose during my in flight - en route hours:

Best Regards

It is mystifying how one puts everything (or nothing at all) into the application process of seeking internships, jobs, scholarships – or things we want that require a certain “letter writing” format.

It’s funny how in this desperate day and age, when we’re all struggling to find jobs to sustain ourselves somehow we place emphasis on those academic taboos that make us nervous just as we are to send out that letter.

Best regards?

Sincerely?

Thank you for your attention?

Who are we trying to impress and what kinds of format-nazis are turning down our inquiries because sincerely is too emotional or too touchy for this kind of work?

At which point in our lives, does that kind of simple thing govern our quality of work?

Personally, I always liked best regards, and of course – sincerely, so as to not sound like a repetitive 

e-mailing, letter writing robot, I combined the two … I wonder if its invented…sincere regards

Serving Mai Tais over nothing

How many post baccalaureates are truly searching for jobs (not even careers) that never suit their interests? How many of them are biting into the media frenzy that 80% of 2011 college grads move home and remain jobless?

How many of them are:

Prostituting

Waiting

Sales Associates

Flight Attendants

Basically searching for JOBS rather than careers with plans?

Personally, its intimidating, I try not to pay too much attention to what the media says, so I walk around with this determined attitude in my Master’s program and search for resume boosting internships or jobs. I feel that the waitressing days are over- given, I am looking for one for now as I return to Honolulu for six weeks, to be realistic a six-week vacation in Hawaii is not the most ideal environment for an individual hoping to be employed in good faith.

So for now, I’ll settle for nearly anything- but even I face the dilemma or elephant in the room that says,

“Yeah Elise, you’re great – but you’re not innovative enough, inventive, or creative to make it out there.”

It’s surely intimidating to think of some of the entrepreneurial ventures I would like to undergo, but the only thing I see stopping me are mental blocks.

I’m hoping to overcome some of them while I am out here with everything in retrospect

Hawaii – Berlin - Hawaii

I'm going to try - Berlin

Actually, I'm not sure if it's about trying at all.

It seems as if I have skipped an entire semester's worth of blogging - which is a shame since so much has gone on since the first day of Berlin, which was my last post!

Shame, shame shame.

I guess it's because I sincerely did not make time for myself to blog my thoughts and experiences.

Sebastian and I considered this semester (which is coming to an end on Wednesday) a crash course into Berlin living, a study hard semester - little time for play, and tons of work and studying with Dresden trips and parental trips in between.

It's been a busy one indeed.

What I should have mentioned before is, I will be back to the homelands sooner than expected.

The original return was set for Summer, but due to mis-communication and what not.

I'll be arriving in Honolulu on the 29th of December. Yay, sort of.

I will deeply miss Sebastian, and the charming life we've been nurturing out here in Europe. The fairy tale never ends. Did you know, that some mornings he prepares my breakfast setting

- teacup and saucer

- dipping spoon

- black tea bag

- toast

- bowl with spoon for cereal and a plate to lay my toast

- and a butter knife

- and an extra cup in case I decide to have milk or juice with my tea

Yeah, it's like that - he's amazing

My stay in Hawaii will be fortunately AND unfortunately short - 6 weeks

I need to make money too! But who's gonna hire a girl when most jobs take ten days to train?!

So it's interhsips, mini jobs, old employers and side jobs to the rescue - I hope.

Do you know how sickening it is to craigslist positions?

It's hard to depict fake and phony.

To summarize, I would like to state that I will be writing more often come vacation time.

How radical of a change to leave winterrrrrrrBerlinnnnn for sunnyyyHonolulu.

Things will be put into perspective, no doubt. And I will take the opportunity to unwind and reflect.

Deep writing, maybe.

Goodnight!

Herbst intended, this should have gone up!

FYI: This blog SHOULD have gone up in the fall...I don't know why I didn't post it-but here it is


To the vast:

I'm in Berlin now, and have been for two months.
How's it going?
In an odd way, I like the bump and grind of the city below is a list:

- the convenience of the U-bahn (metro)

• Although I'm a little weary of the underground environment, I'd rather be below the surface than above. Most of the attacks take place underground (thank God it wasn't me, prayers are rad). On a weekly basis over morning radio Sebastian and I painfully hear about a man that has been killed by a group of men, a man that has been beaten up by a group of other men, and on one occasion, a man's smart phone stolen by a group of men-most of the assaults happen at night. I don't mean to be bias...and so skeptical but...when I'm underground, I am nervous around groups of men. 
• The traffic in Berlin is a headache, anyhow I'd rather be stuck in people traffic than automobile traffic. People traffic is OK, there are many exits from the underground, instinctively people gather themselves accordingly to get to wherever they need to go. 
• The walk to the U-bahn is stimulating. We leave the house at a time to give us exactly 30 minutes to get to point B. When we exit our door, we're walking between trees that are yellowing, thank you Autumn, and walk down a brick street. Most times, there's this old woman with a white poodle that looks like it hasn't had a bath in six months. Sometimes it's fetching after sticks broken off branches. Other times it's chasing it's green Frisbee. I would stop and pet it, make small talk, but it looks obsessed with it's current activity. 
• We walk down a long street and cross two intersections of morning traffic. Once crossed, we pass Kral Discount (our grocery store for rice, meat, and vegetables) sprinkled along the street are our Turkish friends and neighborhood dwellers taking kids to school, entering the U-bahn and buying things like: döner kebabs, croissants, donuts, and fresh fruits.
• We exit the neighborhood and enter the underground en route (if we're head for uni) to Ernst Reuter Platz.
• Courses are somewhat of a...unexpected occurrence to me. I had this idea in my mind that the university is some professional, on time (very German-HA!), serious lecture like experience. 
• Actually, the professors are always late, all with different excuses too:
• One dude has a kid that goes to school on opposite ends of Berlin
• Another one just got off the train from Amsterdam/Zurich/w/e..
• Another one isn't usually late, but for some reason misunderstood the timing of his lecture
• Another one is distracted by student complaints.
• The list goes on. Therefore, I sip my green tea a little bit slower in the morning and add lip stick before walking out the door...taking my time, in a way. What's my excuse? I need not one, the professor is usually later than me anyway!

On a nature note: It's Autumn! (Herbst if you're wondering if I'm learning anything)

I am profoundly grateful to be here at this time of the year. Hawaii has signs of season change, but obviously nothing dramatic like the rest of the world. Aside from being able to tell that the season has changed by additional clothing items people throw on, the TREES are changing fashion also. All summer I danced among trees with gigantic green leaves and thick branches, watched squirrels scatter up and down, and birds flourishing in flocks in and out. Now it's cold, perhaps the animals have fled or have begun their sleeping :) 

The leaves have turned yellow, it seemed like an overnight process, as if, one day summer was completely over. 

To the world: we pray about you all the time...love from us to you