Kleo (kleopatra), the mama cat at our home in Werneuchen.
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Naehen, Naehen, Naehen! (Sewing, Sewing, Sewing!)
The dance studio has a public performance in two weeks, so most of my time at work this week was spent repairing and altering costumes. The dance costumes are made from a lycra based fabric, for stretch and ease of movement. However, for some strange reason, the company that sewed the costumes for TwS (Tanzwerkstatt) used a non-stretch fabric for the chest band of the dress. Therefore, if the girls grow at all the dress no longer fits. ::sigh:: I just made a simple fix for the costumes, but I stressed to the other organizers that the chest bands need to be completely reworked with stretch fabric to make these costumes last as long as they need.
The week really wasn’t that busy. In fact, I think I would call it comfortable. I wasn’t running around like crazy, but I always had something to do, which I really liked. Next week I get to start sitting in on classes and preparing a formula for leading my own class!
Lex has also installed Wifi in the studio, so we can now check our emails and do our work from our own laptops! Woohoo!
Hurrah! Ich lebe noch! (Hooray! I'm still alive!)
Our first Arbeitswoche (work week) in Germany is over, and we (Lex and I) both survived! I confess it wasn't that strenuous. Our main 'project' this week was to help keep the studio clean during the Theaterwoche, to meet everyone working (currently) at Tanzwerkstatt, and to help out whenever the teachers asked. This doesn't sound like very much, but trust me; 35 children (ages 4-11) being cooped up in a building for 7 hours a day means LOTS of cleaning and an extra set of hands to help is always wanted.
Berlin schools were all closed for Winterferien (Winter break) this week, so the dance studio offered a 5 day long theater day camp for children wishing to learn about performance art, crafting, and Tanzwerkstatt No Limit. The kids got to experiment with different forms of performance theatre (theatre, dance, story/radio theatre, and also crafting simple stage props and picture stories. The children had a blast dabbling in everything, and the parents really seemed to enjoy the exhibition at the end of the week. :o)
Next week is supposed to be more like the 'norm', as it won’t be a holiday week. I'm looking forward to that, as it means I'll have more to do, but also wondering just HOW strenuous it’s going to be... I don't think it will be too bad, as we are only supposed to work 35hrs/week. We are supposed to have a more ‘set’ work schedule laid out by the end of this coming week.
Last Saturday we drove to Bernauer for some 'richtiges Einkaufen' (proper shopping) at the E-Center (Can you guess what the E stands for?). Our main goal was groceries and SIM cards, which we completed with ease. However, with several hours of shopping, 2 hours walking the dog, and nothing but a traditional Deutschefruehstuck (German Breakfast, which consists of rolls, butter, cheese, jam, and coffee), poor Lex and I were exceptionally hungry by 6:00pm, when we got back to Werneuchen.
Though I am fairly certain these recipes are, in fact, truly delicious, I cannot be sure how tainted my perception was by my hunger that night. :o)
Guten Appetite!
Salatesosse (Salad dressing)
2-3 spoonfuls of fragrant Olive Oil
2-3 spoonfuls of lightly reduce Balsamic Vinegar (this vinegar should be distilled from grape, apple, and pear juice, or similar fruits)
1 spoonful of Clover Honey
Salt, Pepper, Tuscan spice blend, and Middle Eastern spice blend
Whisk all of these ingredients together in a salad bowl. Toss with salad greens to coat.
Kaese-Kartoffeln (Cheese Potatoes)
1 kg small/baby golden potatos, boiled
100-150g shredded Swiss cheese
Salt, pepper, olive oil
Preheat oven to 375F (C).
Quarter the potatos and place in a heavy casserol dish. Drizzel olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat.
Sprinkle the Swiss cheese evenly over the potatos.
Place in the middle of the preheated oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the edges have started to turn brown.
Though I am fairly certain these recipes are, in fact, truly delicious, I cannot be sure how tainted my perception was by my hunger that night. :o)
Guten Appetite!
Salatesosse (Salad dressing)
2-3 spoonfuls of fragrant Olive Oil
2-3 spoonfuls of lightly reduce Balsamic Vinegar (this vinegar should be distilled from grape, apple, and pear juice, or similar fruits)
1 spoonful of Clover Honey
Salt, Pepper, Tuscan spice blend, and Middle Eastern spice blend
Whisk all of these ingredients together in a salad bowl. Toss with salad greens to coat.
Kaese-Kartoffeln (Cheese Potatoes)
1 kg small/baby golden potatos, boiled
100-150g shredded Swiss cheese
Salt, pepper, olive oil
Preheat oven to 375F (C).
Quarter the potatos and place in a heavy casserol dish. Drizzel olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat.
Sprinkle the Swiss cheese evenly over the potatos.
Place in the middle of the preheated oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the edges have started to turn brown.
On January 27th our host family picked us up. We enjoyed a nice meal at their favorite Indian restaurant (which was DELICIOUS! I had the Chicken Tandoori and Lex had Snapper in red sauce), and then to their favorite Cafe for an after lunch espresso (in my experience this is very typically German after enjoying a large meal). It was wonderful to be able to speak German freely (during the Orientation Camp we were asked to speak English as not everyone could speak German), and I was very proud of Lex for practicing his German and enthusiastically participating in our conversations.
The Behms (our host family) drove us around Berlin center, pointing out important landmarks and sharing some of their own personal stories growing up in Eastern Germany/Eastern Berlin and living through the imposition and destruction of the Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall). Since both are artists (Our Host-Vatter (Host Father) is a percussionist (specialties are set/trap) and Host-Mutter (Host Mother) is a dancer (performer) and dance instructor) and both grew up in artistic families, their stories tended to focus on performance art and the use of performance art in political demonstrations. It's absolutely fascinating and I can't wait to learn more!
The Behms (our host family) drove us around Berlin center, pointing out important landmarks and sharing some of their own personal stories growing up in Eastern Germany/Eastern Berlin and living through the imposition and destruction of the Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall). Since both are artists (Our Host-Vatter (Host Father) is a percussionist (specialties are set/trap) and Host-Mutter (Host Mother) is a dancer (performer) and dance instructor) and both grew up in artistic families, their stories tended to focus on performance art and the use of performance art in political demonstrations. It's absolutely fascinating and I can't wait to learn more!
Here is the recipe the incredible master cook Maggi used for my birthday dessert during the In-Country Orientation Camp. No, there are no measurements, as Maggi, like all true Greek women, cooks by taste only.
Ingredients:
Baking apples of choice (think one apple per person)
Honey
Whole Cloves
Tahini
Butter
Almond slivers
Preheat the oven to 350F (C).
Wash and core the apples, taking care to keep the bottom of the apple intact. Butter the outside of each apple lightly then stud each apple with a few whole cloves.
Fill each apple with some tahini and honey, topping with the almond slivers.
Bake until a fork or sharp knife inserts easily into the side of the apple.
Serve warm as is, or with unsweetened cream (cinnamon or vanilla ice cream would be delicious, too!). Or, cool and serve cold. (They are great for breakfast, too!)
Ingredients:
Baking apples of choice (think one apple per person)
Honey
Whole Cloves
Tahini
Butter
Almond slivers
Preheat the oven to 350F (C).
Wash and core the apples, taking care to keep the bottom of the apple intact. Butter the outside of each apple lightly then stud each apple with a few whole cloves.
Fill each apple with some tahini and honey, topping with the almond slivers.
Bake until a fork or sharp knife inserts easily into the side of the apple.
Serve warm as is, or with unsweetened cream (cinnamon or vanilla ice cream would be delicious, too!). Or, cool and serve cold. (They are great for breakfast, too!)
Even though we tried to miss our flight by getting lost on the M25, we managed to return the car, check our bags, get through security, and sprint to the Easyjet terminal (on the far side of the airport, of course) just before they began loading passengers; thank goodness the flight before us arrived late. The flight was uneventful, much welcomed after a rather stressful day, and we actually arrived 10 minutes early despite our late departure. We were met at the Berlin-Schoenfeld Flughafen by two ICJA-volunteers, who accompanied us to the In-Country Orientation Camp in Prenzlauerberg (northern district/neighborhood of Berlin), where we were to spend the next 8 days.
I enjoyed spending some time with the other volunteers and the ICJA employees responsible for us while we are in Germany, but I confess I was a bit bored, too. In a nutshell, the orientation camp was an introductory German course (which I didn't need, as I've been tested and certified at C1 level already), and a Study Abroad/Exchange program orientation. For those who have never participated in such an orientation before, it consists of rules and regulations, program specifics, and visa procedures. If I hadn't already been through two of these as an exchange student and helped organize several as a Study Abroad Advisor, I would have been much more enganged in the camp.
I did end up spending my birthday at the camp, and our wonderful master cook, Maggi, baked me some incredibly delicious stuffed apples as a birthday 'cake' and everyone sang to me in their native tongue. I'll be sure to post the recipe later, as this is definitely something I would reccommend that everyone enjoy at least once in their lives!
I enjoyed spending some time with the other volunteers and the ICJA employees responsible for us while we are in Germany, but I confess I was a bit bored, too. In a nutshell, the orientation camp was an introductory German course (which I didn't need, as I've been tested and certified at C1 level already), and a Study Abroad/Exchange program orientation. For those who have never participated in such an orientation before, it consists of rules and regulations, program specifics, and visa procedures. If I hadn't already been through two of these as an exchange student and helped organize several as a Study Abroad Advisor, I would have been much more enganged in the camp.
I did end up spending my birthday at the camp, and our wonderful master cook, Maggi, baked me some incredibly delicious stuffed apples as a birthday 'cake' and everyone sang to me in their native tongue. I'll be sure to post the recipe later, as this is definitely something I would reccommend that everyone enjoy at least once in their lives!
Hello Everyone!
We are finally settled into our host family...FINALLY!
Internet has been EXTREMELY 'iffy' thus far, and, though the quality of our internet will be improving now that we have moved into our host family/work project, the frequency wont be much more often. Our host family doesn't have internet at the house (which is in a small village 15 minutes north of Berlin proper) and there aren't any wifi networks near the house that we can borrow. We will, luckily, have access to internet at the dance studio. However, this means that all blog posting will be confined to those days and hours.
It's a bit strange to me that so many people seem to be adverse to having internet or to being online. The last two times I lived in Europe everyone seemed much more internet friendly (and I was in Germany both of those times). I guess this time we are interacting with a different group of people.
What about in your country? Have you noticed a trend one way or the other towards the internet and being documented online?
We are finally settled into our host family...FINALLY!
Internet has been EXTREMELY 'iffy' thus far, and, though the quality of our internet will be improving now that we have moved into our host family/work project, the frequency wont be much more often. Our host family doesn't have internet at the house (which is in a small village 15 minutes north of Berlin proper) and there aren't any wifi networks near the house that we can borrow. We will, luckily, have access to internet at the dance studio. However, this means that all blog posting will be confined to those days and hours.
It's a bit strange to me that so many people seem to be adverse to having internet or to being online. The last two times I lived in Europe everyone seemed much more internet friendly (and I was in Germany both of those times). I guess this time we are interacting with a different group of people.
What about in your country? Have you noticed a trend one way or the other towards the internet and being documented online?
21 days left!
Our 'room sale' (our Seattle winter version of a Yard Sale) has been going well; we are down to about half the amount of stuff we started the sale with!
Now it's time to start packing away the items we can live without for the next few weeks. This post is going to be done in several parts, most likely organized by which suitcase is being filled. Expect to get an overview of the suitcase we will be using, the items going into the suitcase (possibly even HOW they are being packed, depending on the function of the suitcase and the item), and why we chose that suitcase and those items. I will cover some of those packing basics (maximizing wardrobe without sacrificing space), some packing theories, and my own approach to packing based on my experiences traveling.
A word for the absolute Beginner (or for those of you who have noticed that you could use a little help in the packing department) I HIGHLY recommend that you consider purchasing The Packing Book
. Most of my personal preferences regarding packing are a combination of the theories in this book and what I've learned (in the past 20 years) that works best for me. Absolutely wonderful book, well worth the mere $10.17, as it not only will give an overview of how to pack for multiple types of luggage, but also comes with several pre-made general packing lists and the author's recommended space-saver travel accessories. I've decided to start with the items we (ideally) shouldn't need until we get to Germany - these items are going into the large SwissGear rolling upright suitcase (28")
that we plan to check. The main idea is that whatever is put in this suitcase we should be able to live without until we get to Germany; ideally we should be able to live without these items for up to a week. (Have you ever had an airline lose your checked luggage?) Our carry-ons will hold the essentials to get us through at least a week.Here is my general (moving overseas) packing list:
| Clothing | | Accessories | |
| Underwear (10) | | Belt (2) | |
| Bras (5) | | Flip-Flops/shower shoes | |
| Socks (10) | | Warm Gloves | |
| Warm Tights (2) | | Warm Scarf | |
| Nylons (4; various colors) | | Light Scarf | |
| PJ’s | | Hat | |
| Pants | | Umbrella | |
| Top | | Daily purse | |
| Tops | | Earrings (4 pair) | |
| Tank Tops (4; good for layering, dark & neutral colors) | | Comfortable shoes Boots Dress shoes | |
| T-Shirts (3) | | Watch | |
| Long sleeved Shirts (3) | | Necklaces (2) | |
| Dress Shirts (2) | | Rings (2) | |
| Light Sweaters (2-3) | | Additional Items | |
| Bottoms | | Collapsible Drawers (2 small, 2 large) | |
| Pants (4) | | Light fleece blanket | |
| Skirts (2-3; varying lengths) | | Collapsible bag | |
Seem like a lot? Don't forget that most of those item values will be doubled because Lex's stuff will go in here too. You might be wondering why the 'additional items' category. I have found that having a few items from my old home that take up very little space in my luggage and have practical applications in my new residence can make transitioning into a new place easier. These items are so friendly on space that I can get all 6 of them into the mere 1/4" deep mesh pocket on the inside of the top flap of the checked bag.
Check back soon for "The checked bag pt. 2..."! I will actually take pictures of the packing process and discuss the ins and outs of choosing which clothes should be packed and which should be left home.
To catch everyone up on our current status: WE'VE FINALLY BEEN PLACED IN A VOLUNTEER PROJECT!
Dear Lex, dear Barbara,
My name is Liliane and I am working as an intern at ICJA Freiwilligenaustausch weltweit.
We are glad to inform you that we fond a project for you two. The project is called Tanzwerkstatt No Limit e.V. and is located in Berlin. You two would be living together in about 1 hour distance from the project, at the place of the project's manager.
Within the next weeks, we will send you a detailed description of the project.
[...]
Website: http://tanzwerkstatt-nolimit.
[...]
We are looking forward to getting to know you in January!
Whooohoooo!! This placement is PERFECT! Not only were Lex and I actually placed in the same project (something we've been told, constantly, is practically impossible) and not only are were we placed in the same living quarters (also something we've been told, constantly, is practically impossible), but we will be working for a DANCE COMPANY - a dance company that specializes in Arabic/classical western dance collaboration! Also, we were placed in BERLIN - our first choice of location!
Of course, we don't know what our job responsibilities are yet. Hopefully, those details wont be so slow in arriving as our placement notification was!
Dear Lex, dear Barbara,
My name is Liliane and I am working as an intern at ICJA Freiwilligenaustausch weltweit.
We are glad to inform you that we fond a project for you two. The project is called Tanzwerkstatt No Limit e.V. and is located in Berlin. You two would be living together in about 1 hour distance from the project, at the place of the project's manager.
Within the next weeks, we will send you a detailed description of the project.
[...]
Website: http://tanzwerkstatt-nolimit.
[...]
We are looking forward to getting to know you in January!
Whooohoooo!! This placement is PERFECT! Not only were Lex and I actually placed in the same project (something we've been told, constantly, is practically impossible) and not only are were we placed in the same living quarters (also something we've been told, constantly, is practically impossible), but we will be working for a DANCE COMPANY - a dance company that specializes in Arabic/classical western dance collaboration! Also, we were placed in BERLIN - our first choice of location!
Of course, we don't know what our job responsibilities are yet. Hopefully, those details wont be so slow in arriving as our placement notification was!
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