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!
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