Rain!

The last few days here have been humid and hazy. The light is strange making for some eerie moments. Last night, however, while at the big festival, Ryan and I noticed that the clouds were suddenly going to break and that our window for getting home dryly was small. We ran back to his place where I grabbed my rain jacket and bike then I raced home making it in the door in just the nick of time. My door closed and the clouds opened. This was one HUGE dump. Sitting on my bed I enjoyed the light show for at least half an hour...the sky was a strobe and the street temporarily became a river. What was the most amusing, however, was that whenever there was a slightly quiet moment I would hear music coming from the stages in the city center and the people cheering. I couldn't believe they were out in the middle of it.


Around one a.m. the doorbell rang and it was a neighbor wanting to go down and check out the basement where each flat has a storage unit. It was flooded. Of course, while everyone else was muttering, "Scheisse, scheisse," I was down there taking pictures and enjoying the spectacle. Sleep didn't come until hours later after the excitement and worry wore off. The whole neighborhood was out and about. Today I realized that my sleeping bag was down there and had been underwater all night and I got worried about it, but it ended up being fine. Johanna and Alvaro were, I am afraid, not so lucky. We spent part of the day draining the basement, clearing things out and chucking things to the curb along with the rest of the neighborhood. Mmmm...wet soggy cardboard.

Allwetter Zoo

Went to the Zoo today for "work". More photos here.

EuroCityFest 2008

Last week was HafenFest and this week we get EuroCity Fest. Another excuse to party for three days, eat food, drink beer, listen to music....this time spread out over downtown, mainly on church plazas and the prinzipal markt. The last photo is of my favorite discovery at the festival, the Sangria booth. Yep. I went with black and white because with the impending storm (more on that very soon) the lighting was all sorts of funky.

Senden

Here are a few pictures from the ride Ryan and I took today. In Utah I would never even consider going the distance I did today, regardless of where I ended up because the route would, more than likely, not be enjoyable. Either because of traffic or terrain (I am a big wimp when it comes to hills). Our trip was somewhere around 50-55 km roundtrip, not too shabby. The route took us along the Dortmund-Ems Canal on a foot and bike path. Following the water was lovely as we passed by fields, farms, forests and industrial areas. Occasionally we would see a yacht or barge pass by. At one point we crossed over to the other side and lost the trail therefore bushwhacking our way through. Ryan payed the price later with an awful and painful rash (below). When arriving to the small town of Senden we had to find a drugstore and hook him up just so he could actually enjoy his time.

After taking a break for hydrocortizone and some lunch we made our way to the Wasserschloß (Moated Castle) just on the outskirt of the town. Just as I stopped to ask a couple how to get there they pointed and said, more or less, that's it. We were looking at the back of it. Hmm. It should be noted that the area surrounding Münster, called Münsterland (magical eh?), is known also as the land of 100 Moated Castles. This makes me quite happy because it means there can be many more of these excursions out of the city throughout the summer. Hooray.
Initially I was disappointed. I had seen pictures and thought that it was kept up and open to the public. Wrong. Currently it is empty and on the market which means the closest we could get was the bridge crossing the moat. In the end it was nice that there were really no other people around. The weather, too, was a bit overcast and gray. Very good abandoned castle weather if you ask me.

Of course Ryan, being the rule breaker he is went into the courtyard! PAST THE SIGN! Naughty Ryan.

In the end it was my ass that got tired before my legs. After all that riding we were in for a treat when we got back in the city. Two scoops lemon for Ryan and an iced coffee for me (more like and iced coffee float with chocolate covered coffee beans and coffee syrup to top it all off). Yum.

For more photos and a few other comments visit here.

get local with Etsy

For those of you that don't know my love of Etsy or even know what it is then shame on you. You probably haven't paid enough attention. I &hearts this online marketplace for all things handmade. And when I paid a visit today I saw that one Kali was the featured seller! An it just so happens that this particular Kali is a Salt Lake artist and I happen to own a belt buckle of hers much like the one photographed above. All her buckles and pendants are made with found and recycled objects like shattered mirrors or rusty nails. Very exciting. Check out her shop and the rest of the Etsy site for some browsing fun. That is, if you can stick just to browsing.

Song for You: June Tabor

This song seems to be speaking to me in the moment.



Lay This Body Down
The Acoustic Folk Box
June Tabor

Botanical Garden

and this video of all the frog sounds....

Cactus in the rainy season

This is one of my three succulents I bought at the cactus sale on Saturday and at a very good price. The three of them cost just 6 Euros. I always forget how much I love having plants in my space, and I also always forget how easily I kill things. Yes, even a cactus or two. So wish me luck with these ones. I must also note, too, that this one is surrounded by driftwood I found in California while at my Allison's wedding almost three years ago. I love you Allie!

The sale was held at the Botanical Garden behind the castle. Yes, castle. Love it. Ryan and I spent one of our first days there, but with the jet lag, tired feet, and Ryan's hay fever it wasn't so enjoyable. One month later, however, Ryan has his sinus' under control and we own bicycles making it much less tiring just getting there. Everything was lush and lively. The frogs especially were on one. We sat for quite a while next to the large pond in an opening in a mini bamboo forest just listening and watching them. Two in particular were a little frisky. I want to share pictures but all the ones I took were on Ryan's camera so....later.

I went to my first dance class tonight and think I will go back. It was pretty basic and oh so very modern. A little Graham, a little Limon.....but I think at this point it is just good practice for me to take class in another language. I know, too, that I will get as much out of it as I put into it.

missing something

The above photo is old but it seems to express how I am feeling today. Feeling sad. Feeling lonely. Wanting something, but I don't know what. Wanting to talk, not knowing what to say. Nothing I think. Maybe this is not a time for speaking, just a time for feeling.

Happy Anniversary

Tonight I went with my roommate, Alvaro, to my first dance concert in Germany. I could think of no better way to celebrate the month anniversary of my arrival here. The performance itself I didn't love, but it helped push that voice telling me that I need to dance. And the word need is very important here. I need it, I crave and want it. It was lovely to see people, in the new city I live in, dancing. Modern dancing. And on the cities largest stage with a decent sized audience. The costuming was elaborate and the set was major. With a set like that the most exciting thought was....funding! Granted, the choreographer is established and well known in Germany, but still gets funding for a set like that. And beautiful dancers! I found the actual performance dreadfully over the top and predictable, but the knowledge that there was interest and support for modern dance made it bearable. So, with my lungs back to full capacity I am going to my first technique class tomorrow evening. We'll see how it goes.

Also....I have a new camera I am picking up Monday at the post office. The thought of really dealing with getting mine fixed again seemed too hard. So I am working out a refund situation with the man who fixed it originally and bought a new one for nearly the price it cost to fix mine. I feel excited.

Creating Community-Part 1

(photo)
Everyone speaks English here. Really. And there are times when I go into a place armed and ready with the German phrases necessary for the situation at hand only to be answered in English because of the detected accent. Frustraating. It would be very easy, I think, to stay and not really learn German. Knowing just enough to get by. Younger Germans, especially, enjoy practicing English so finding friends is no problem.

But I feel like I can't communicate freely with Germans. While I can get my point across I feel like it is never fully expressed. And my sarcasm is never understood. I am so NOT FUNNY here, completely uninteresting. Last week I met a Canadian couple and shocked myself at how well I could keep up a conversation. It is so much easier when I don't have to slow it down or fish for an alternate word. And I especially like not having to say, "Never mind," all the time. I could seek out other native speakers to create my community, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a move to Germany.

So here I am, very ready to tackle a language that is complicated and feels like cotton balls in my cheeks when speaking. I am ready because I know the key to creating the kind of friendships I want rely on being able to communicate clearly and I know that having a community of people to share with is what creates a sense of Home, not the space I live in. I am ready to make a home here.

NRW Day

Above is the coat of arms of the Bundesland (state) Münster is in. The state was formed after the second world war combining three culturally separate areas, Rhineland, Westphalia, and Lippe. Today it is known as North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW).

Since I have been here there has been one Feiertag (holiday) each week which means nothing is open. Well, there are a few Kiosks that are open (similar although smaller in size and selection to a gas station) and a few restraunts. Oh, and all the ice cream shops. Germans love ice cream more than Utahns, it's strange. Cold and rainy? People are still walking around with their cone and a scoop or two. Anyhow...today was another holiday which meant planning ahead yesterday and making sure you had food for today. It also means that everyone leaves the city and there are really no people on the streets. This specific holiday, Corpus Christi, is celebrated only in NRW and not the surrounding Bundesländer. Being this way everyone leaves Münster for the day and heads to Osnabruck or the Netherlands to go shopping and play and so is known as NRW Day in all the surrounding areas of Münster. It's a little strange, I think next week there will be no holiday. I don't know what I am going to do with that extra day available for shopping!

a day in my new life

M: Let's play horses.
B: Okay.
M: I am the horse and you are the little girl. The horse is sleeping.
B: Good night little horse, sweet dreams.
M: The horse doesn't like you.

Great.

Bed Birds

These little ones will watch over me at night.

Nooooo.....

Turned the camera on today. Snapped some shots. Turned the camera off. Er...tried to turn the camera off. The gears are catching and sticking like they were before and I fear that before long it will, again, no longer focus. I feel sad and upset. The man who fixed the camera was quick and professional and he guarantees his work, but he lives in California! I have some emailing to do and decisions to make. Bummer.

Don't be caught in public with a naked upper lip.

This is the the inspiration for a new craft. I am loving the moustache right now and yes, I am so jumping on this bandwagon. Keep your eyes peeled...


tee shirt

bag

wallet

The Real Münster

Münster has had some unusually, well, unusual weather since I arrived. Temperatures have been in the mid to upper 70's and for over two weeks straight the sky was completely clear. The idea that Münster gets more rain than the rest of Germany isn't necessarily true. The amount of rain is the same as throughout the rest of the country, it's just that it rains ALL THE TIME here instead of just picking a few choice days to dump. So the sunny days have been blessed and welcomed. Yesterday, however, just as I was going into town to find some shorts and tanks for the weather I was unprepared for, everything became usual again. Rain, rain, all day long. Today too. I had to ride my bike to the northern outskirts of the city today (I live in the southern area) in pouring rain. The above picture is a blurry representation of what my pants looked like a quarter of the way there. I was soaked by the time I got there and the thought of bringing a pair of pants to change into didn't cross my desert mind. The day was spent drying off only to get back on the bike in the continuing rain. Not, of course without a pit stop to buy some rain pants. My ride tommorrow will be much more enjoyable.


Last night I walked over to the Promenade with Ryan and his roommate, Mitja. The Promenade goes along the old city walls and is a green space specifically for pedestrians and bikes. It is always a fun way to get from one side of the city to another meanwhile avoiding car traffic. Anyhow, today was the first flea market of the year along the Promenade. This thing is HUGE, at least a mile long. Everyone sets up on Friday night so the fun can officially begin at 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning. We went around 10:00 p.m. to get a little preview and the place was already buzzing (the above picture is an attempt at a photo in front of the pommes stand). It was a good time. Walking around with a beer and a flashlight looking for the goods. I saw a lot of stuff I don't NEED and it was a test for my inner shopper. Such a test. Until next month....

A Song for You: Le Tigre

I am missing Gabe and, while this is not something I listen to often, I listened to it often with the little boy. We both love to dance and after hearing it in Pibs one day this became a favorite of his, I think because he could sing along a bit and it was funny. He even started calling me Nanny Boo Boo occasionally. So here, have a little dance break today.



Nanny Nanny Boo Boo
This Island
Le Tigre

View

Now that I have my camera I thought I would share a view from my bedroom window. Above is looking straight out and towards the city. The spire you see is St. Josef Church which is a five minute walk from my front door. Of course this is just one of the some 55 old churches in the city. No matter where in the city you are you can rest easy knowing you are very near a church. Sound like Salt Lake? Hmmmm... on that subject... I passed my first pair of LDS Missionaries on wednesday. I could swear one had a distinctly North American accent, Utahn maybe? They were walking in the opposite direction I was cycling. Darn....no opportunity to stop and chat.


This picture is looking down and to the right on my street. Really, not much else to say about that one. Except maybe to note the unusual size of the cars. Small! Even a car the size of my Honda Civic back home is pretty rare except in the more expensive cars (like 30-40,000 Euros!). However, when gas prices are equivalent to $9.50/gallon (no lie) I don't think I would find myself driving some large, heavy piece of steel either.

Take a hop on over to the photo blog to see the wall next to the window and what a girl does when she has to assemble the necessities before she can really start buying art for the wall. Hmmmm....

What I do after a 6:00 p.m. shower...

This is what happened when we took a random direction from the city center. First a marshland/preserve, then a forest, then a farm, and back to a church plaza with cafes. It was a nice surprise for an evening ride.

You do realize what this means right?

Yeah, that I got my camera back! Woo hoo! And that I will now shower you with all the wonderfully random shots I will be taking in celebration.

I had to go to the customs office to pick it up and thank the lord that I live in a larger town. Even here the office is in a completely random, obscure, and hard to find spot. What could have taken me 15 minutes to find took me forty five and the building was hidden and unmarked. Not until you got up to the door (which was very far back from the street) did you see a very small sign that said "Customs". I then was asked to give some sort of proof that the camera in fact belonged to me. Of course I have owned the camera for over two years and had no kind of receipt or anything. In the end, however, I got to take it home with me.

Germany leaves me brothless...

Coughing fits woke me up throughout the night and when waking up this morning my back and stomach muscles were sore. SORE! While this illness could prove to be a great workout I would really enjoy my days more if it were gone. Soooo...This afternoon I thought it would be wonderful to whip us some of my wonderfully spicy Thai Chicken Noodle Soup to help burn up all the nastiness in the chest. I don't think there is any scientific proof to back up that this method works, but it always seems to make me feel better so I just go with it.

There is an Asian grocer just on my corner so all those things that are usually more difficult to find were there and cheap. Turmeric? Check. Soy sauce? Check. Curry paste, coconut milk and fish sauce? Check, check, and check. Now, for a quick walk to the large grocery store on the corner for the chicken and the.....what? No chicken broth!!! Lots of soup, no broth. Okay, a little lie. There were two options for me. One, a very small and expensive jar of broth with herbs and CHICKEN IN IT. Two, bullion. Both with very high sodium content (yes, even more than it's American counterpart) and MSG. I don't like salty food and I really am not a fan of meat in a jar or can. Dunno. Call me weird. I know there is always the option of making my own stock, but with a freezer the third of the size of mine in the U.S. and two other people to share it with I would like to save my little corner of frozen space for, I don't know, ice cream. Anyhow, I went with the bullion. The soup was fine and I wasn't as disappointed as I expected. When I got home I Googled, "buying chicken stock, Germany," and found a discussion forum on the subject. Glad to see I am not the only one with a boggled mind.

A Relaxed Room

I am still waiting for my camera (USPS tracker says it landed in Germany yesterday) so this was taken with my laptop. I love it. Regardless of the time of day my room is sunny and bright. My windows are constantly open so I can hear the neighborhood traffic and conversations and listen to all the birds. And check out my new bed!

Below is some inspiration....some ideas I eventually have for my room. Steady job first...

Landing

It has been nearly two full weeks since my plane landed in Germany launching me into this new chapter. Today, fourteen days after that fateful day, I am noticing that I am not really here yet. Not one hundred percent anyhow. Pieces of me have slowly been finding there way to stable ground, but I have yet to allow my entire self to experience what I am doing. I have been using small excuses such as jet lag, no room of my own, illness, or lack of a bed to rest on to get around completely showing up. "Well, when I just have (insert silly whatever here) I will feel like I am really here."

Uh, wake up call Amanda, you are really here. You are already immersed in a city and by accepting more jobs or invitations you are strengthening your bond to this place.

I noticed this disconnect for the first time today. It usually takes me less time to become aware of such a situation. In such a new space it is easy for me to fall into old unconscious patterns. What is is I feel afraid. Through all the excitement and anticipation I haven't given love to the part of me that is afraid. That part of me will, if I continue to ignore it, bring me down. And I don't want to be down.

I henceforth commit to loving myself for feeling afraid. And to being conscious of my fear when it shows up so that I may have a connected and honest relationship with each person and situation I come into.

Country Sunday

First is a little disclosure for those of you that happen to read both my blog as well as Ryan's. If you see duplicate photos it is because I am waiting for my camera to be sent from California to Germany. So....for now Ryan and I are sharing which means we may end up with the same photos at times. However, I take photos more frequently so I will have a lot more photos to share once I recieve my camera. Okay...on with the post.
This Sunday was spent at a lovely country ranch. Another potential counselor of the camp I am working at this summer teaches riding in Amelsburen, just outside of Münster. The point of the trip was to meet her and watch how she works. She is German and grew up just outside Münster, but has family in New Zealand and has spent a lot of time there. So, naturally, her English is very good. Aside from teaching riding she also coaches vaulting teams. I felt a little silly. I am sure I have seen this before, but it never really clicked that it was popular anywhere. Vaulting is a combination of dance and gymnastics all done on a trotting horse. A team was practicing while we were there so we watched for a short while. Impressive.
The day was warm and beautiful and the relaxed atmosphere was welcome. Aside from the many horses were a few goats, rams, kangaroos (yes, kangaroos) and a peacock. A very colorful cast of characters indeed. I loved how green and vast the space was, beautiful flowers. Just once we saw a regional train quietly whiz past in the near distance. It is nice to know that sort of tranquility is so accessible from the inner city. By bicycle I would be able to be in similar surroundings in 20 minutes. And it is flat so riding the bike is not even so tiring.
Now, two days later, I am quite sick. It seems to be going around here and I usually have a pretty good immune system, but I am all out of wack with the time and climate change. My body doesn't know what to do. I finally got my mattress today and am so happy. Tonight will be my first of many nights in my very own bed in Germany. WooHoo! I will now celebrate by passing out in said bed. Good night.