Frohe Weihnachten!

Washing's in the washer, Christmas pressies wrapped, and I'm sick of mulled wine....it must be nearly time to go home! I've had an absolute whirlwind of a first four months, and I can't believe that, weather permitting, I have two weeks on British soil with friends and family to enjoy. I, however, don't want to jinx anything...snow, I loveyou if you're nice.

Year Abroad is mental. It is nothing that you think it will be, it will be harder than you think it will be, however it's so much more fun than you think it will be ;)

I've learnt so much, about myself more than anything, and really would like another year abroad...wait, why am I talking like this, I still have a solid 9 months before going back to Edinburgh!

Having said that, it's made me realise how much I miss Edinburgh, and obviously, Yorkshire. Friends and family, I love you :)

My birthday week has been brilliant. I had been worrying, because one's 21st birthday is meant to be a little bit more exciting than a 20th, or 22nd. Thus the prospect of spending it teaching was not particularly appealing! However, I managed to make it brilliant....

Mum and Stephen arrived the night before my birthday, and came through to Diepholz (they stayed in the nearest city, Bremen) the next day. I had to teach until 1, however had informed my pupils the lesson before Wednesday that I was turning 21 on Wednesday and if they were mean and loud I'd be annoyed and I, quite similarly to the Grinch, would cancel their Christmas Party....it worked! They were all delightful, I'd brought sweeties, we played games and had an "English" Christmas. My Year 7s even sang Happy Birthday to me as I came down the corridor! What absolute loves. As well as all this, a few teachers had got me gifts, lots of people wished me a Happy Birthday and I just generally felt very much loved :)

Following this, Mum and Stephen came to the metropolis that is Diepholz.

We had a little tour of the town, lunch, and then they came to my house to meet Cornell, the lady whose house I rent. Cornell had made me Schwarzwild Kirschtorte as my birthday cake, which was SO riesig but yummy, and we all chatted and drank lots of tea :)

Mum, Stephen and I then ventured back to Bremen, where we all spent until Saturday wandering round Bremen, trying lots of Gluehwein, discovering cute little parts of Bremen and generally relaxing. I had so much fun showing them where I live...I guess I don't really live in Bremen, but I spend so much time there, it definitely feels like it!

The snow started whilst they were here, but luckily they flew home without a problem. I am starting to worry, because I am due to fly Tuesday afternoon...so far nothing is closed, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will be in order. I can't wait to be home!

Nathan and Annwyn came to stay last night, to celebrate Nathan and me turning 21 this month! We drank lots of wine, ate birthday cake and watched films :) It was nice to chill out on such a horrible evening!

That's it now, four months down, two to go. I'm now officially scared. This means I will have to probably book my flight to Almeria, make some form of living arrangements, and enrol in some classes. All these things scare me far too much for me to think about....so instead I'll plan my next two months :) I'm going to Warsaw at the end of January to see friends, and I'm planning a weekend to see Sam in Chemnitz. Time is running out!

Peace out, frohes Fest, u.s.w. :) xxxxxxx

Christmas time is fun!

I love Christmas. Oddly, the day itself doesn't always entice me, it's the days surrounding it, the people I see, the kitschy decorations everywhere and the cheesy jingly music tinkling throughout shops.

The fact that I get to celebrate two Christmas' this year is brilliant. Or at least that's how it feels!

My life is so intensely busy, and has been, for so long. This I *love*, and I hope it continues to be so brilliant and busy in January and February.

Since I last wrote....so many things have happened! I went for Advent breakfast at the Redetsky's last weekend, which was so nice, I really enjoyed partaking in a tradition that was a little bit different to in England....we ate whilst I spoke all about Christmas in Britain, and I even got to light the advent candle :) I feel really welcomed by the Redetzky's, as well as, obviously, Cornell and all the wonderful staff at my school. I do love Graf-Friedrich Schule.

Last week seemed to have flown by in a flurry of Christmas markets and other Christmas themed activities....Sunday evening I went to Bremen Christmas market with Svenja, and we had a lovely evening looking round and sampling Gluehwein :) Monday/Tuesday passed in a flurry of school work, Skyping friends and family and a lot of Christmas shopping....Wednesday we made decorations with the wee ones at youth centre....Thursday after school I went with Hanne and Manfried Redetzky to a cute little Christmas shop...my week flew! Thursday evening, Nathan and I attempted to go see some jazz in Bremen, only to realise it'd been cancelled on arrival...pfft. We have, however, planned a little birthday celebration for us both in Diepholz with other language assistants. So not all was lost!

My week was somewhat insane! And all of a sudden, Deborah and Sam had arrived! It was so lovely to have two such dear friends visiting :) In fact, I am, in my slightly loserish ways, sat in the bed I had to make up to accomodate extra friends....because I miss them....oh, Amelia!

Ryanair quite kindly decided to deliver Deborah to me 4 hours late, meaning that we missed our last train home to Diepholz....we survived in wine bars and McDonalds until 5am, when we fell asleep on the train home like the classy ladies we are, luckily waking up just in time to get off at Diepholz!

After a few hours sleep, we got up and set off on our travels to Bremen. I did my standard sight-seeing of Bremen tour that I am somewhat perfecting (:P), and before we knew it Sam had arrived with us in Bremen :) After mulled wine, sight-seeing and a lot of catching up, we decided to head back to Diepholz for dinner, a bit of wine and an early night...I was sadly a little bit under the weather on Saturday, but sleep did me the world of good!

Sunday morning arrived, we got up early and headed to Hamburg! It was so unbelievably cold, and it would seem that the weather is always against me when I go to said city! We wandered around the pretty little old town, looking at all the little markets and taking pretty pictures of buildings. The Rathaus in Hamburg is so grand, with such intricate architecture...everytime I see it, I forget how amazing it is! It (nearly) puts Bremen's to shame! Having sampled a bit of mulled wine, we decided to head to Reeperbahn, a very big wish of Sam Cosgrove's....unsuprisingly!

To those not in the know, Reeperbahn is Hamburg's apparently internationally reknowned red light district, this being something I wasn't aware of until reading my guide book! It is so, so, seedy. As you'd expect, I suppose! Bizarrely, there is a Beatles monument, and a "Beatles Platz", because this is where they also played their first ever gig...! Entirely out of place, but still good to see! We then went to the Reeperbahn Christmas Market, which was so funny! They'd tried to "sex" it up a little bit, by saying "Pfand oder Ficken", essentially meaning, you could get the money back for returning your cups, or you could get a free shot, also known as a "Ficken"....or, auf Englisch..."fuck". Oh Germany.

After far too much mulled wine, we stumbled back onto our train, where Sam got fined for drinking on the only train in Germany (to our knowledge!) on which you can't drink....and sobered up suitably, arriving back in Diepholz a little bit weary. Once again, we had an early night, all got pyjamas on and watched Aristocats! What sensible kids we are...

And then today I had to teach, so Sam and Deborah met me after school, and then I delivered my friends safely on their way to their respective cities :)

And now I'm just trying to get some motivation. Mum and Stephen arrive tomorrow night, then it's my birthday Wednesday! Then Mum and Stephen leave Saturday, Nathan and Annwyn are coming to stay in Diepholz, then I'll be home on Tuesday....all busy.

In other good news, Cornell is back home! I'm not sure if I'd mentioned this before, but the lady whose house I live above had gone into hospital a few weeks ago, and been quite ill...but she's back on her feet and back home! It's so nice to have her back in the house, we've become quite close, especially in the past month. It's nice to have people here that really care about me. I do love Diepholz, and I'm going to be sad to leave it in just under three months.....

And that's it for now!