I heart Amsterdam!

Niklas and I had been talking about going to Amsterdam for awhile (I really wanted to go because it's SO close to us!) We were going to go in the fall, but as is life, time just slipped away. I decided for Christmas to book, as a surprise, two nights stay in Amsterdam! It was the perfect opportunity for us seeing as we were both off of school. We really lucked out with everything! The weather could have been better, but we certainly don't have "Ontario" weather, so we were actually lucky. When we got there we immediately hopped on the tram that was a 5 min walk from our hotel and started walking the streets. We didn't stay exactly in the city but we were only about a 15-20 min tram ride away, which looking back now was actually a really good plan. The city is extremely congested and most people get around with bikes so there are literally thousands of people riding bikes around, not ideal for driving. We stayed at the Fashion Hotel, which was nice. Being in Amsterdam is honestly one of those things you just need to experience to appreciate. The faint smell of weed as you walk down the streets, the red lights glowing around every corner, the bridges and canals winding all around... it was certainly a really great experience. Would I go back? Ya for sure! Would be nice to go in warmer weather. I feel like we really only touched the surface of the greatness Amsterdam has to offer!

 

Beautiful night view

 

In the Sex Museum

 

Also Sex Museum....

 

Fast food vending machines

 

Central Station

 

Dam Square (Wax Museum)

 

xo

 

Wax Museum ham time

 

A little Bob Marley

 

Locks on a bridge over a canal

 

Ice Rink we came across in the city

It's about time for an update......(part 2)

Between visiting people, German school, teaching, getting lost (with everything), Niklas and I went for a few hikes. It's funny to me that most people that I meet say, "Why are you in Germany?! Canada is so much more beautiful!". Ok yes, Canada is beautiful, but there's so much beauty to be had in Germany as well! They have great trails for hiking in the woods, and having grown up in Essex-County, I'm used to FLATTER THAN FLAT, and here they actually have hills? It's so nice when hiking! We climbed a look-out tower, saw the wild pigs, got extremely lost (like 3 hours lost), and it was all just so great spending so much time together outside!!

 

I will say this about November and December (well and January for that matter)....time FLIES! I can't believe that it's been over 5 months since I've been here. I'm having a hard time remembering exactly what's been going on in November and December. There was a lot of preparing for Christmas, school, some work, visa stress (which is STILL on-going).... German tradition surrounding Christmas is that on the 6th (I believe) Nicolas comes and leaves treats in your shoes (that you leave out for him one night). We also put our "Wish List" in our shoes too and Nicolas took it. From there on the 24th of December when we're at church, the Christkind comes and leaves the gifts which we open Christmas Eve. So that was what happened. The holidays here were absolutely amazing! I couldn't have asked for a better family (besides my own) to be with. There was an abundance of food and drinking! I was royally spoiled by everyone. It was also so great to receive so many Christmas cards from home! Over the holidays we went to Niklas's parent's work Christmas party. We stayed in a really nice hotel with a nice spa we got to enjoy the next day. We also went to a really nice place for a very traditional German meal (pretzels, beer, stomping on benches...etc.). Such a great time! I also went to a Christmas party at the townhall with my good friend Jasmin and her parents. It was so much fun!!! Christmas Eve consisted of a brunch with some family friends and their little guys. Then I made Christmas morning breakfast (which needs to sit over night and is sooooo good the next day). Niklas and I took his Opa to church and when we got home we were greeted with Raclette which is the same concept as fondue, but with a little grill on the table and also little pans you can cook stuff in (which you melt cheese on top). It's actually really hard to describe so the best I can say is google it! It was a good time for sure! After that we opened gifts - so great! As I said I was definitely spoiled. I'm so fortunate to be with such a loving, warm, amazing family! I can't say enough good things about them. All of the things they've given me since I've been here (not only material) I could never repay with all the money in the world! They take in, essentially a stranger (well not to Niklas obviously) and from day one, treat me as family. It definitely made being away from my own loved ones so much easier through the holidays. I did miss my parents and everyone so much, as I do on a regular basis. Ok Ok back to Christmas....so later that night we went to the bar. Yes, bar. And Christmas Day too!! It's not traditional, persay, but MANY people are there. I guess the one thing that I've really learned about German people is that they LOVE to have a good time. I don't mean as in getting wasted and that, but just being super social. They are always up for going out (rain or shine!). Ohhhhhhhh I'm forgetting one of the BEST things about Germany this time of year! The Christmas Markets!!! From the day they first opened, Niklas told me he would take me to two each week and he was pretty spot on. They are in all the small towns. I would say the one thing I'm very amazed at is how more German aren't fat. The Christmas markets essentially consisted of LOTS of food. LOTS of food being fries, sausage, deep fried other stuff and gluhwein. Hmmm.... gluhwein is a hot Christmas wine which.... I'm not really fond of. I guess it's more of an acquired taste.

 

Santa and his extremely creepy helper with no face who apparently visits the bad kids....terrifying

(Osnabruck Christmas Market)

 

 

 

Above and below, also Osnabruck Christmas Market

 

My advent calendar! Each bag had a little charm in it that I could put on a necklace or bracelet 

 

"Family" Christmas picture visiting an Aunt and Uncle from Niklas

 

Over the holidays there was also New Years Eve, which Niklas decided to have another party at the house and invited some people over. It was really nice to hang out at home and party in the deele (the deele is like a garage, but not). I will say the one MAJOR difference from NYE here and NYE at home are the fireworks. I seriously couldn't believe that literally every person in Germany lights off fireworks and not just at midnight, they start before, but obviously most happen at midnight. It was a really great thing to be able to start 2014 here in Germany!

Niklas and I before midnight xo

The deele!

Sarah, Yannik and I



 

Fireworks on the street



It's about time for an update....(part 1)

I haven't written since OCTOBER! Ya ya.... I owe you one about now. It's just so hard. I feel like every time I think about writing I find an excuse NOT to..... so here it goes (from what I can remember from wayyyy back when...)

The last post I had written I was very much looking forward to some upcoming things like Okotberfest and Niklas's birthday! Oktoberfest was great! So much fun! It was just in the small town I live near but there was still about 2000 people there! It was in a huge tent and we had 'VIP' so ate a really good meal before. There was tons of beer flowing, obviously we were in our finest Oktoberfest get-up as well. Niklas bought me my first dirndl! As soon as I put it on, I knew it was THE ONE (I guess I can now better understand when people try on their wedding dresses and know, it's THE ONE.... I guess). I wish it was a bit of a different colour seeing as it reminds me a bit of Christmas, but I still had to get it! :)

 

When I first bought it (I was pumped to try it on)

 

 

At Oktoberfest with Niklas in his Lederhose

 

Niklas's mom and I



 

Having lots of fun with our big German beers! :)

 

After our Oktoberfest activities were over, I had told Niklas's family I really wanted to do a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving, seeing as that's one of the best holidays in the year!! Well finding a turkey in Germany isn't exactly normal. Soooo they got one from a "Costco-like" store....boy was I surprised when they came home with a 15kg turkey! It was like a small naked child!! As if there wasn't enough pressure to cook this whole meal, now I had to do it with this enormous turkey! Well we decided that the best, and really only way to cook it would be to cut it in half. We saved the other half for Christmas. The thing about Germany is that their ovens aren't even really that big to begin with so having to even think about cooking this whole turkey would have been ridiculous. I was super impressed that I was able to pull the whole meal off without very much help! The menu consisted of turkey (which was amazing), sweet potatoes mashed with bacon and maple syrup (yep, from home!), regular mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, croissants, gravy, cranberries, cheesecake with blueberry/maple syrup reduction.... and I think that was all. I'm literally starving over here thinking about how good it all tasted!! Mmmm.....

 

 

The massive turkey!

 

After Thanksgiving came Niklas's birthday. He debated having a few friends over but after having spoken to one of his friends we decided to try and put together a surprise party for him! Not knowing all of his friends, I enlisted the help of the friends that I did know! Two of them are DJ's and volunteered to do the music. Another friend works for the company that has party equipment so he took care of turning the deele into a club (it was actually insane), his mom bought so much food and turned the deele into such a great space for the party and a few other friends occupied him at work.... well we got his boss to call him into work, but at the time there really was nothing to do except wash the tractor, yes, wash the tractor that would be going out into the field the next day to get dirty again. Luckily his friends were sneaky enough to go there and chat with him to distract him for a bit until some people came over. Let's just say we pulled it off pretty good!! It was so much fun and he really enjoyed the love from everyone! :)

 

The last few months also included two trips to Dortmund to visit my amazing friend Jasmin who is going to Uni in Dortmund. There is a 'Primark' there which I would say is the equivalent to Forever21. So much fun had in Dortmund from learning a new game (Looping Loouie), to taking part in an after bar teeter-tauter escapade (pretty sure it's the biggest teeter-tauter in the world). I also went to Cologne to meet up with my Korean partner in crime Susannah who came from Morocco to visit Germany! I wasn't able to see much of Cologne but we did see the Cathedral there and it was amazing!!! It was also so great to just be able to spend time and catch up with a dear friend I hadn't see in 4 years!! I wish we lived so much closer!! xo

 

 

Jasmin and I in Dortmund xo

 

Susannah and I in Cologne in front of the Dom Cathedral

 



 

Inside the Dom Cathedral, so beautiful!!