People leaving

I kinna thought that after my exams, I would have time galore - sorta like being able to blog everyday, being on top of my housework, go swimming more often etc. - As if. Needless to say, I packed my calendar like crazy thinking that I was Miss Superwoman and wanting to accomplish everything before my monthly-train ticket expired (yesterday) and before we go back to Singapore (next week!) Can´t believe that this time next week, I hope to be happily sitting at my hairdresser and finally getting a different hairstyle after 1 year!

Have no regrets though! I´ve met up with a couple of friends that I have not had the time to meet up with, said bye to a couple of friends who left. I think I will blog soon abt the people that I have had to say bye to in my past 1 year in Germany. The farewells are really sad, not outwardly, but like inwardly. However I´ll take it as a motivation factor to visit these people! This is going to be a really long blog entry btw...

Firstly, a BIG thanks to those well-wishes and people who prayed for my german exams. I got a 1.6 (1 is a perfect score), but the school rounds it off to the nearest whole number. So, I got a 2 overall. I was a bit disappointed at my listening compre. which was a disaster cos of the horrible tape, but I´ve gotten over it. Found out lately that only 3 out of 10 people passed the german exams. So I´m really grateful to God for my results. =)

Where I´ve disappeared to:-
- (25.07 )Summer Festival. The school has a yearly potluck in which people bring local fare for the international buffet. Free drinks are provided and there are various performances by the different classes. It was such a wonderful way to end my german school and I had a lovely time listening to Turkish songs, watching Bolivia dance etc. I made the mistake of taking whatever food that looks "exotic". I ended up spitting out a couple of them, cos being an "international" buffet, I had absolutely no idea what I was eating and looks can really be deceiving. I think I shall stick to the "known" food for now.

My german class with the 2 teachers

The restaurant tried to re-create a "beach" atmosphere

- 26.07 German class party. I organised a party for my class cos I thought that we would not see each other that often anymore. It was held at Laura´s place and the food was yummilicious again. A classmate from Thailand even made Satay! We had sushi made by A.and I brought Tiriamisu! Ha, my first attempt to make it, under the guidance from my in-laws. It tasted great but looked funny! Cos the mascaponi was too fluid. I must say that my last german class was the most fun, cos we had like a total of 3 excursions outside the classroom and it was simply more interactive. Or perhaps its just cos we could speak more german, cos this is afterall the "Abschluss" ("graduation") level. hah.

Party spread! See the satay in the backgrd?

Farnie moments

Candid shots

Reflective moment

- 28.07 We watched Harry Potter and were invited for dinner at A.´s place. They prepared Teppanyaki! Wow! That´s like so delicious! They marinated all the meat themselves and even had fish flakes imported from Japan - the one that we have in Singapore with Takopachi. =) I think Stephan and I must have stuffed ourselves. Oh as for the movie, I found it nice, with the effects and all, but I´m completely lost with the storyline. Didn´t read the books and I missed the previous episode too. Plus I´m not one who will remember what I watch, so yah, its an entertaining movie if you just remember that occult and witchcraft are not things to be played with.

-01.08. Shared a train ticket with my friends and took my first-ever train ride to the Boden See without Stephan - to Friedrichs Hafen. It was so beautiful, just to enjoy lovely sunny weather, walk along the coastal area and enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere, cos they were having a summer festival there.

The thing that struck me, was to see the Alps on the horizon of the Boden See! The Boden See connects Germany, Switzerland and Austria (I think). It dawned on me again that Germany is such a beautiful country! I'm such a "water" person, put me near any waterbody and I´ll be happy.

View from the top of the tower (previous pto)

That´s the Alps in the background!

Trust the germans to have cars on water

We took a super-rush trip to Ulm too, to see the World´s highest Cathedral. And boy, its so awesome! No time to climb it then, but would wanna return at some point in time to climb it. Ulm is super a beautiful city, only about 1.5 hrs drive from Stuttgart. Think I got a new favourite City in Germany. haha. Its a bit like Venice, where parts of the city are submerged in water. There is a beautiful house that is totally slanted cos of water-erosion perhaps?

The slanted hotel

My two friends Elena and Peter also left for Spain today too. I knew them since my time in Berlitz and they also attended school at IFA. They wanted to get a job in Germany but it was difficult, partially because they are technically not "official" EU-members (they come from Bulgaria). Hence, there was more bureaucracy in the job application process and they decided to go back to Spain instead.

- 02.08 Met up with Connie individually for the last time before she moves to Hong Kong in September. I so enjoy my time with her. Even though I only got to know her for a short period of time, but its like there´s this deep soulship that we share. The common background, the whole adjustment process, experiences with God, marrying a german etc. I could even picture her being my informal mentor.

Us sitting in Connie´s balcony. She grew all the plants in the backgrd herself

The coolest pancake making machine - with Bayern Munchen (soccer club). Her hubby´s a big fan of Bayern.

I just had to think of how my mom must have felt when I told her that I felt that God wants me and Stephan to move to Germany. I remember she used to tell me how she likes Stephan but the only problem she struggled with was me moving to Germany. Now I experience the same thing here too! Ahhh... I´m really happy for both of them, but its nevertheless still painful to know and to part. Plus her relationship with her husband is such a wonderful reflection of what Stephan and I share.

As I was praying for them yesterday, I suddenly felt this tinge of sadness! It was so weird, cos I´m normally not the type who cries when praying, but I was so close to yesterday! I suddenly realized what it must have felt for others who cried when praying for me before I left for Germany. Its like even though you know that that´s God´s plans for them, but being human we still feel the pain of parting. Plus when praying, its like I´m spiritually releasing them to the bigger plans that God has in store for them.

Oh God, please help me to deal with changes from people leaving. I don´t want to grow cold and like distant myself from people who are leaving, with the "what´s the point" attitude. But I still want to love people and be a part of their lives even if its hard, cos that would be what Jesus would do if He were in my shoes.

The amazing thing is that my friend Geli came over to my place at 10pm last night, cos I felt so sad on the way home! Its like I was trying so hard not to cry in the train, I mean like "duh!!!" And she drove over to my place just to spend time with me. I´m so touched! Plus, the funny thing is that she´s moving back to Korntal now too. So its like, wow! Like God knows how much changes I can take and He still gives me friends who stay.