Kristiy Dwijer- registered and ready to roll

Hallo aus Berlin!

So I made it here fine, and stepped out of Tegel airport into -5 and snow, which I didn't expect (stupidly). The journey to the flat was really easy- someone offered to help me with my luggage and carried my suitcase all the way to the platform! Germany, 10 points.

As predicted, I did get a bit confused. I did find the street easily but it looks like the street has ended, when it actually just goes around the corner...and even then, I wandered into some courtyard and had to waylay a bloke for some help. Turns out my building was next door.

The flat itself is amazing, and get this - I have a kettle AND an oven! Incredible.

my room

Anyway, it's been quite chilled so far. I've had a tour of the neighbourhood during which I nearly cried upon the sighting of  Woolworths, went to a burger place and felt ridiculously alien as I wasn't a massive hipster (there were vinyl stickers all over the windows everyone was wearing beanies, some dudes were playing old-school Mario Kart and there was graffiti all over the walls)  fell over a curb and bought some postcards (obviously.) Yesterday, I registered myself with Neukölln town hall, and got my registration thing stamped with a big Berlin stamp. One for the memory box.

where I registered and walked for about 10 minutes through the building before realising there were 2 entrances.

I've also got a bank account now, and I totally take back what I said about only French people having issues with my name. When I was setting it up, I saw how she'd spelt my name when I booked the appointment: Kristiy Dwijer. I'm fairly sure I spelt it for her actually, which basically means I need to re-evaluate my life if this is how I pronounce German letters....

My other flatmate, Katharina, is German and she's also lovely, even if she did call my mother 'peculiar.' (She meant 'particular') We all had dinner together last night and I did actually feel very comfortable. They're both okay with me smoking on the balcony as well, which is just awesome of them really.

I've also bought a crappy little hoodie for the flat, a hideous furry hat, a German phone, some shopping and have happily consumed two Brezels this afternoon. I'm feeling quite settled here already, which is great, just preparing to be overwhelmed on Tuesday!

Tschüss! x

12 hours till B-Town

Not long now until I touch down in the Vaterland. I feel much more excited than I did in the run-up to Paris, and I do feel less stressed (even if I have been stupidly disorganised), but I know what to expect from a move like this now - like, the days of crushing homesickness, the surrealism of everything, stuff like that. I bet you I'll also get lost tomorrow trying to find my flat and I don't even care, because that's just my life and so be it. By the way, my flat does exist (I'm 90% sure now) as one of them will be there to let me in tomorrow which is lovely but also terrifying- what if they are actually murderers? I'm sure they're not, but if I haven't updated this blog by the end of the week, send a search party.

Sums it up really. Also looks like I don't have a tongue.

So I am off to bed in Essex for the last time for six months. See ya later babes.

x

Berlin Bucket List

It's now 9 days until the Big B and I can't work out whether I'm prepared or not, which is always good...I think I have somewhere to live now, I'd say I was 90% sure, but I'm gonna stay true to my worrywart self and not reveal any details until my suitcase has firmly crossed the threshold of this supposed living arrangment- you know, just in case I've signed a contract with Nigerian princes, or the building falls down or something. So you'll have to wait for the juicy details.

I've also started a pile of stuff in the spare room, ready to be packed. So far, it consists of a pug calendar, some notepads and two tubes of toothpaste. I'm doing well.

I emailed my boss r.e what the hell do I wear to the office and it turns out it's just what you'd wear normally so that's a lot less to worry about. Though that doesn't mean I won't have a tantrum when I can't fit all of my shirts in the suitcase. Oh well.

So what's left now, is the Bucket List. Here's the updated Paris one, with some angry scrawl all over it, though I managed most of it and I'll try just as hard with this one!

• go to the Currywurst Museum because, obviously
• rave it up at Berghain
• watch a film at an open-air cinema and swing on some swings singing Sandy
• go on a daytrip to Potsdam (lots of palaces, a Chinese tea room and Alexandrowaka)
• shopping on Ku'damm I only bought one thing, but it counts okay
• eat at the unsicht-Bar (you eat completely in the dark)
• visit the Stasi Museum and Hohenschoenhausen Prison
• have a picnic in Viktoria Park, Kreuzberg
• buy some tat at Mauerpark flea market
• go to the top of the Fernsehturm and feel sick
• spend hours at Museum Island, mainly where the Egyptian stuff is
• revisit the East Side Gallery 
• visit the Reichstag Dome 
• v isit the Berliner Dom
• explore what's left of Anhalter Bahnhof
• pay respects at the graves of the Brothers Grimm
• look around the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtnis Kirche I also got very angry with a tourist who was taking stupid 'arty' Instagram photos of the candles and I was like, er do you mind I kinda want to light one, to like, remember my dead relatives
• take part in the Paddy's Day parade-I bloody missed it!! I thought it was on Monday, but it was Sunday :(
• Charlottenberg Palace I've seen it, but haven't been in yet...

I went to Berlin with Lewis in 2012 and I knew straight away that I'd live there one day. Aside from being psychic, I'm bloody excited.

propa Crimbo

After all the excitement of coming home for Christmas, it's done and pretty much dusted. I've stuffed myself silly with food, so much so that I genuinely might cry if I see a turkey in the next few months. It's been a bit up and down due to family issues and new arrangements but on the whole, it's been rather good to be home!

ja, I'm still wearing this. Problem?

 I have been missing Paris, more Joe and Niamh than Paris itself but yeah, it's been so weird not being able to rock up to the Eiffel Tower whenever I want and it's been even weirder to realise just how polite England is!!! A cashier in Primark wished me a good day and I didn't know what to do with myself. On Saturday, I went to Argos to get myself a Kindle (I KNOW, ME) and I panicked when she spoke to me in English because for some bizarre reason I'd programmed myself to French that morning and ended up saying a broken sentence like this "Hi, Kindle, er, reserved?" She definitely thought I was a few sarnies short of a picnic.

Yes yes, I'm sure you're dying to know what made me, Kirsty Dwyer, collector of bookmarks and loyal defender of the paperback, decide to buy a Kindle. I do feel guilt-ridden and I've avoided eye-contact with my book shelves just in case they choose to take vengeance and throw themselves at me, but I really don't want to stop reading while I'm in Berlin and that was one of the worst things in Paris- it's just so impractical to keep buying books and having to heave them home again. This way, I can read to my hearts content while I'm away from home. I know what I'm like though; I'll probably still buy the hard copies because I just want them on my bookshelf.

my claw hand and Lewis on NYE, poser

Back to reality- I've booked my flight to Berlin! I'll be starting the second half of my year abroad on the 29th Janurary....so freaking soon and I've got nowhere to live yet. Oops.

I'm not half as worried as I was before I went to Paris though, which is odd because this time I'm working and won't have quite so much free time and it's a totally different board game. However, we all know my love for Germany so I think that's helping. I can't wait to pretend I'm German for 6 months.

I still have a fair bit to organise, mainly actually finding a roof to sleep under, getting my training agreement signed and packing some appropriate clothing - e.g intern outfits (I don't even know what I mean by that).

I'll do a Berlin bucket list soon, so for now it's HAPPY NEW YEAR and ta ta x

Home Sweet Home

Hello from Essex! I'm currently sitting in my living room by my Christmas tree, drinking tea and watching Mock the Week. It really doesn't feel like I've been away for 3 months but I'm sure it will hit me tomorrow when I go into town for Christmas shopping...I've already been shocked by the politeness of the Tube, the friendly banter of a cab driver and the beautiful taste of semi-skimmed pasteurised milk. But what will I miss about Paris? Here's a nice list for you, to round off the first part of my Year Abroad.

The people I've met
I've literally met some brilliant people in the last 3 months and without them, it wouldn't have been very bearable. It also feels quite cool (soz) to say I have contacts in South America. 

The amount of bakeries
Self explanatory really. Tesco croissants have got nothing on the real deal. Anywhere, any time.

Cheaper tobacco
As a dirty smoker, this is something I will really miss. 30g of Pall Mall Red cost me €6,90, (£5.51) here 25g of the same costs just over £7.

Living on the same train line as Notre Dame
There's something pretty special getting on a train 5 mins from where you live and 15 mins later arriving in front of Notre Dame and of course, Saint Michel....

Saint-Michel
I know this place is teeming with tourists but there are some really cheap places to eat and the best crepes, in my opinion.

Mr Gould and Frau Horstmann
Easily the best teachers at ISIT. Gould's lessons were hilarious- I particularly enjoyed 'What's a sex nun?'. Horstmann is one of the most adorable people EVER and I wish I could just bring her back to Nottingham. EMPLOY HER PLEASE

Free'p'star
One of the best shops I've ever been to. It looks like your average vintage shop but climb a practically vertical ladder at the back of the shop and you'll find 3 huge boxes of of clothes, which you can rummage through to your heart's content. Best part is that everything the boxes is €1! There are three shops but the best one is on rue de la Verrerie in the Marais.

Hearing 'putain' all the time
'Putain' is a bit like 'fuck', in that you can say it on it's own or describing something but it actually means 'whore'. I literally it  heard thousands of times a day and actually found myself saying it quite a lot too. I missed the last train home once and loudly said it in response to being told I'd have to get a bus. I actually also said it today, to my suitcase when it got stuck on a corner. Am I Parisian yet?


And the things I wont' be missing....

The lack of manners
Parisians are just so rude and don't seem to grasp the concept of basic etiquette. They will literally push you with their hands and literally shove you. The other day, I very nearly slipped down the gap between train and platform because they are just incapable. They'll just barge past you and won't say excuse me. You'll normally only get a reticent 'pardon' if you breathe loudly and agitatedly. 

The price of everything!
Paris is ridiculously expensive, to the point where I now think a meal for 15 quid is the deal of a century.

Slimy men
I don't understand why people think it's normal to walk past someone and say 'oooh bonjour' whilst winking. Just let me walk to the station please without being propositioned by the scabbiest men this side of the Seine.

The stench of some metro stations
Some metro stations would have been condemned by British authorities. One of these was line 4 at Chatelet. There was a homeless man who was there for like, 6 weeks and he had an unfortunate habit of pissing and shitting himself. You literally had to hold your breath on that platform.

The lack of pie
WHY DON'T FRENCH PEOPLE EAT STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE?
that is all.

I'll add more as they come to me! This'll be my last post before Christmas, so Merry Christmas!

x

On a bus in the fog in a forest.

Welcome to what will be my last proper blog post from Paris! Tomorrow morning, I'll be on the Eurostar hurtling under the Channel towards home and I'm really excited- Mum's put all the decorations up, done most of the food shopping and will be waiting for me, with my sister, at St.Pancras. Yay!!

I can't really remember what I did last week before I went to Strasbourg to visit Sia, so we'll just start from there. The journey there was a bit icky, as I'd come down with a cold and spent most of the journey with a tissue up my nose. Sia was on the platform to meet me though, which was cute, and after heading back to hers for a little rest, we started my sightseeing tour.

I was quite excited to see the European Parliament etc and had compulsory pictures of me taken outside of it. They were in session as well, so God only knows what important things were being decided behind me (you can check on the website)

ridiculous fog!

We also went to this strange little zoo where I met some Strasbourg storks and a very curious looking duck. (there is a video of this, but it's 5 mins long..)After that, we headed into the city centre and I quickly came to the conclusion that Strasbourg is one of the loveliest cities I've ever seen, as well as being ridiculously Christmassy- there were literally decorations and lights EVERYWHERE, even on the cranes (building cranes, not the birds). Sia took me to this lovely little cafe where they do all sorts of tea and amazing cakes. I picked lemon and spice tea, but because I was so stuffed up, I couldn't taste it and it was just like hot water :( We rounded off the day with dinner at Vapiano which was excellent apart from the waiter thinking I said 'feta pizza' instead of 'the same for me please'. Is my French that bad?!

The following day we went on to Baden-Baden where we met up with Sarah. It was so cool (for lack of a better word) to get a bus in Strasbourg and just 10 or so minutes later, get off in the German town of Kehl. Baden-Baden is possibly one of the poshest German towns I've been to, but I still did some Christmas shopping, had lunch in a Chinese and dawdled around the markets where we had Gluhwein, of course. We spent a  good chunk of the afternoon/evening sitting in the famous Casino. We also tried our hand at Blackjack- I think the guy thought Sia was mental for buying 3 chips- and I won a tasty 6 euros! The day trip ended with us getting the wrong bus. We didn't realise for a while, until we could only see trees out of the window. Oops. We ended up in a town called Buhl... but we got home eventually. Sia and I watched Nativity! and I've had the song 'Nazareth' in my head ever since.

SO FREAKING CUTE

entrance to the Casino, Sia has better pictures than me so read her blog instead!

On Saturday, we climbed the Cathedral which was really tough and went to the Museum of Modern Art and were suitably terrified by some very strange videos. I enjoyed it though, mainly because I was with someone just as skeptical as me.

it's like a storybook

quite liked this - 'bit like Kanye West, innit'

Quoi le fuck?

 I tried my first Flammekuechen or tarte flambee that night- they're basically a bit like pizzas but very thin and instead of a tomato sauce base they have sour cream and onions. DELICIOUS. We went for dinner at a very popular restaurant with Sia's friends Nikita and Kat, who were lovely. I also bumped into Niamh! She was a party of one of Sia's friends...small small world. We finished off in a cocktail bar called Wakiki where the waitress seemed to get her sums wrong and we paid less than we ought to have done. Score.

Sia and I at Wakiki

flammekuechen

Sunday was dedicated to the Christmas markets, which were lovely and much more authentic than the ones in Paris. It felt so Christmassy! We had our last meal at a Mexican restaurant before going home, both grumbling about how early we had to get up (my train back was at 5.41 am.)

I arrived back in Paris on Monday morning feeling very Christmassy and refreshed after a long-needed break from the city. Niamh and I went to La Pagode to see a Chinese film which was very violent but quite enjoyable even though I did fall asleep for a bit but I blame that on the blankets that they give you...

Last night, we had a Christmas dinner at the residence which was really cute and everyone brought or made something from home. Naturally, I brought mince pies and there was only one left so hopefully they liked them. Mau gave me spices again but this time she'd thought of me and only put one chilli in the salsa so I didn't spend the evening coughing and going red. 

Elinor, Mau and Ines - will miss these girls!

So today was my last day in Paris and I spent it in a class, running around the St.Michel tourist shops for last minute gifts, sniffing various cheeses in Franprix for mum and packing the rest of my stuff. I also witnessed one last strange thing- there was a man on St.Michel bridge throwing sandwiches into the river for the birds. Yes, not slices of bread, but whole sandwiches.

Tonight, I'm off to say goodbye to Anja and Alexandra, who I've met for Starbucks nearly every week since I've been here. Sad times.

This time tomorrow I'll be in Essex again. Au revoir Paris!

xx

                                             

Bonus post (you lucky people, you)

Hello again hello

Just purely because I realised I'd missed out a day of sightseeing that I had a couple of weeks ago that involved the Rodin Museum, the Madeleine Church and the biggest and most chocolatey doughnut I've ever eaten (it was, quite literally, all over my face.)

the famous Thinker and the tour eiffel

I'm not the most arty person and I'm not usually into sculpture museums, but it was genuinely really interesting and the gardens were so lovely- have I found a new interest? (Probably not)

I had a little cry in here (I don't know either)

Now I will consume more ice cream.

x