Meine haus part 2 (Part one is below.)

After leaving the kitchen, one enters the lebensraum again. I think the lighting in the photo truly shows the elegance of my sofa/chair set. (Take that Bravo's Design Star!)
The picture in the frame is a little freaky. I've covered it with a variety of pictures and am thinking about using a picture from the Glamour "Man Issue" next. In the background you might note my flowered bedspread.






Now you can see my sweet bedroom. This is def. my favorite room. It feels like a cozy nook for reading, sleeping, and relaxing. The open door leads to the bathroom. I love the technicolor bathrobe from IKEA. It is a burst of happy in my morning!

The bathroom is classicly teensy, but adequate for one person. In my next flat I won't settle for anything without a bathtub, though.

Mein haus

I moved into my flat more than one month ago, and still have yet to show you my "keebler" house despite many a lengthy email request. I kept waiting for a day when I didn't have laundry drying all over the house, or thinking first I would get a new couch to replace the current Adobe sofa and chair set. However, after all is said and done, I ALWAYS have some laundry drying, and I've decided that I won't live in Steglitz after my 6 month lease is finished, so why bother getting a sofa I'll eventually have to move. (Sorry to my visitors who are coming before February, you'll get an air mattress. Although you should know that Graham and Hillary, on separate occasions, assured me that the floor is quite comfortable.)

I wish I could charge you 8 Euros to slip on some earphones and listen to my commentary about my place, but you'll have to simply read.

The first picture shows that you see when entering my apartment. I'm sure you, as I do, would feel instant calm when you notice the infamous couch and chair. (Go on, click on the image for a real close up!) Actually, I love the big windows and glass china cupboard.

If you would turn to your left and enter the kitchen you coul see the second picture. You may notice the curtain detail. It reminds me a tad of Dolores Umbridge. HP fans wil know why. Everyone else won't care. the next image shows my kitchen. I wish I could be standing at the sink for a reference pint, but let me tell you that I can stand directly in front of the sink and my head barely grazes the ceiling. (If you're reading this from KY, that was the "silling.") My stove and oven are gas and after a few incidents of difficulty and nearly pulling a Sylvia Plath, I've decided I like cooking with gas. My tea is ready in about 30 seconds!

The other side of the kitchen holds the refrigerator, cupboards and makeshift ironing station. This way I can iron my clothes each morning while waiting for my Vitamin C tablet to fizzle. This is also the trash sorting center. I spend much more time each day sorting my trash than my laundry. V. Green, no?

I felt that the food station deserved a large picture so you could notice the details of my life- like my new penchant for drinking milk out of a box. This picture was taken immediately after a major grocery store excursion, and it is clear that I'm gearing up for a week without being home when stores are open.

NOTE: If your only mode of transportation is an Oma bike, DO NOT get a grocery cart at your local ReWe. You WILL fill the cart like you had your old Eclipse sitting in the Wal-Mart parking lot and only at checkout glance casually into your cart and wonder how one might get home with 65 Euro of groceries on a bike (including, but not limited to cleaning supplies, liters of Pfirsch Tea, and 2.5 kilos of potatoes.) It was amazing, but I made it the 6 blocks with only one minor spill- and I didn't want that jar of jam anyway.

Found them!

The missing blog entries following the pitiful epitaph have been found. (I heart my computer!)
Enjoy. (PS I'm picking up my apartment and doing laundry today in hopes of finally taking pictures of meine haus for you. Expect them soon.)

Saturday afternoon
Life is much easier when one decides to get a grip and get to work. Taking a deep breath and relaxing just allowed me to wallow, and although wallowing might taste good as you down a third glass of Nestle Quik, it doesn’t solve the problem at hand. Instead, I got off of my bum, dug in my heels, and got to work by shopping. Retail therapy really works for me and since Germany (as far as I can tell) only takes cash I didn’t do any permanent damage.
In fact, the only real impulse buys were a bathrobe (one worthy of Joseph… you know, technicolor) and a new lip balm. That is mighty impressive and, as everyone knows, one can never have too many lip balms. I think Germany is going to be a new testing ground for lip balm research and I am certainly the person for it.
All of the shopping here is individualized so I went to IKEA (hamper, bathrobe, bathmat, scrub brush, three trashcans-so I can sort my rubbish as the Deutsch do), 2000 Blume (flower pots so I can grow the seeds from Amanda and Adam’s wedding), Shlecker (laundry detergent, nail polish remover, cotton balls, conditioner, lip balm), Media Markt (blow dryer and straightening iron), and a bookstore whose name I can’t remember for some postcards, a map of Berlin, and a German/English dictionary. I’m enjoying choosing new things and putting together a flat. In fact, I like to set up reward systems for myself (I’m such a teacher!), and I’ve decided when I get my first paycheck I’m going to IKEA and splurging on a new comforter. The Germans use comforters which are not big enough to cover the whole bed, but I want a luxurious, fluffy, extra warm, bed covering- it is a good reward.
Now I’m off to meet some of the other new teachers for dinner. I’ll be careful with the menu tonight. I certainly don’t want to relive the Great Leber Catastrophe of 2007.
(Note:C ongratulations to Julia and Josh! I wish I could be there celebrating with you- wait, I’m am-ish.. Pictures will be posted at a later date.)

Tuesday
Things are going well. My German is slightly improving. In fact, yesterday I was walking down the sidewalk and heard a bike behind me (BTW. v. dangerous to walk down sidewalks in Berlin) I moved to the left to let it pass me by, and the rider must have had the same idea. We were caught in the move from one side to the other side dance and I laughed and said, “I’m sorry.” He said, “No problem.” As he passed by I felt like victory because I had a whole conversation in German… well, two sentences at least.

Wednesday
I think I’m regressing to my college self. When I first went to Centre I was so homesick, but felt better as I gained friends and had activities to keep me occupied. The same is true now I feel pretty bummed when alone, but as I go explore the town with my new teacherfriends, I feel happy. I know I should have more internal self-esteem, but too often I feel best when others want to spend time with me or praise my efforts. It is childlike, but I think this change has brought several insecurities to light.
Hillary, another new teacher, is saying with me right now until her apartment is vacated. It is nice to have the company for basic chat. Somehow life is just better with companionship. This is remarkably philosophical coming from someone who needs her alone time (like a baby needs her blanket. Fergie is SO inspiring, right?) And I really need my alone time.

Friday
The challenges of living in a foreign country persist. Today I thought about doing some baking, but since I’m still not sure about the gas oven or my measurement conversions, I though it would be best to buy a brownie mix. How badly could I mess it up? Apparently, pretty badly. I learned, however, that translating brownie mix directions (even with a great Deutsch/Englisch dictionary) can cause a person to create billows of smoke and a pan of something resembling burnt chocolate kisses. They tasted quite awful too…