My German Best Friend

So far along, I have never felt so loved and so much warmth. Until so much so today. Here's why:

When I joined the University, I was completely lost. Thats the least degree I can explain. While I was helped so much by Asja and Christoph, it was only limited to an academic level that they could manage. Asja went out of her way to help me as much as she could, with appointments, translations and what not. But guess I still couldn't figure out some stuff.

So then came the GBF (German Best Friend). My tutor told me she would assign someone to help me with my studies here. Well, I wasnt sure it would happen. I was pleasantly surprised to get a nice email reply filled with welcoming wishes and lot of help. W and I spoke through emails for the longest time. I asked her about everything and she patiently replied to everything, in the perfect way. Always. I found myself whining, asking, complaining and talking about anything and everything. Such  a relief it was.

Then we finally met. She helped me figure so many things from stationery, printing at the University, random information bits and what not. I ended up talking to her and sharing my work and ideas and discussing all sorts of things. So much I learnt from her. We have shared meals and she's helped me find a printer in the town, advised me on some shoes and I have given her random updates. We have had so many conversations over networking sites, W helped me through a lot.

Until recently, we never discussed things in German but  I started using few words and trying my German with her. She always corrects my tense, helps me get the correct word and quizzes me. I love answering them, because I know it'll only help me. But what surprised me was today, W handed me over a book from her childhood that was a nursery rhyme book filled with pictures of animals and illustrated beautifully. She also told me that it was filled with some scribbles of.

Well, I'm sure if so many people weren't around, I would have cried. I couldn't believe it. It was not about the book, but the idea and the thought of her, its difficult to explain the happiness and warmth I felt that moment. It was beautiful. I was so proud and so happy, that I flaunted the book to my German teacher and she couldn't stop smiling either. Here I was in a foreign land without too (m)any friends and no family, and one thing from a friend  made me so happy. It made me believe that its possible to feel warm when its cold, feel loved with new people and that small things can make so much of a difference. So much of a difference.


My German Best Friend. Here's to you, W.
Lots of love!

Pictures of the lovely book!

Sundays

Sundays are strange. In every way. Especially if I draw a comparison between my sundays back home and here. Not that its special in any sort of way, infact its rather the same as any other day. But its still different.

The only thing that makes me uneasy is that everything is shut, almost everything. Its wonderful that everyone gets one whole day to take a break but its scary because it males me feel like I am trapped. Its something that is rather difficult to explain.

Perhaps the only thing I look forward to are my Sunday brunches. I take full effort to make myself a hearty breakfast cum lunch and that makes me happy in sort of way. Its relaxing and allows me to free my mind a lot more.

Sundays are also days where I try and update my blog and relax as well.  Sundays are also days when I end being very grateful for a lot of things. Its a day I think a lot. 

First Snowfall

Its December. Finally.
What I expected was not the snow so early, I mean you dont think about when it will come along your way, huh? The weather predictions were made for snow for the Saturday, but that didnt happen. I was disappointed.

Sunday started early and suddenly, Tanya came running to the kitchen, all excited about the 'snowfall'. It had started! I screamed and leaped in joy and we did a small 'woohoo' dance!

It also took me back to the first snowfall I had ever seen. I was hardly 8, but I remember it clearly. My folks and I were in the house, cooped up, them drinking tea and me getting highly bored because of not  being allowed to leave the house, thanks to the cold. This time, Ma screamed and leaped. It was snow indeed. We went out, made snow men and played around. Oh what fun! I still remember the entire scene in my head. It was magical.

This time around, I was excited too, but maybe not so much because I knew it would happen. But it was my first German snow and we did make the best of it, by going out for a walk and sharing the white joys! I will always remember that Sunday, of my first abroad snow!

But that day also reminded of the fact that its going to be a long winter ahead. Im unsure how to feel about that. 

The beauty of communication

So, I needed a change and decided to visit the beauty saloon here. I mean it was about time. After some major searching and looking for the perfect one, I found this one accidentally.

I charged into the room, all excited, till I realised that Bahar spoke no English and I spoke no German. The first time, it wasn't an issue, since it was a small beauty thing to be done and I had my German Best Friend along, so that was cool.

The next time I was alone and well, pretty excited to try out a haircut, for some refreshing change in life and yeah, feel good. Bahar welcomed me with a warm smile and asked about my Mother (we had a broken conversation about my Mum last time). Bahar was loving and warm, if I could, I would give her a warm warm hug!!

What followed next was beautiful. She said something in German about my hair, I told her in English what I wanted, she said something again, we communicated through signs and actions and I closed my eyes for the rest of the haircut session.

Needless to say, it looked great and we both smiled like never before.

Ahh, so much happiness. For a change.
Here's to Bahar and to the beauty of communication!

Conditioner for Shampoo

I'd have to say this is the point when I feel helpless and extremely annoyed. Till now, I have told myself that stuff happens and its part of the deal, but today I'm plain annoyed.

It may sound like a petty issue, but an experience like that makes me think, wonder and question a lot of stuff. So I bought shampoo once, in the hope of some good care for my hair, it turned out that I had bought conditioner. Fair enough, my mistake, I didnt do my homework of word searching and associations. Next time I'll be more careful.

So I went to buy toiletries again earlier last week. Confident that I'll pick up the correct one this time, I headed to the shelf, picked up after some grave study, a nice, 'intensive care' shampoo. Great. Lets pamper the hair soon, I thought.

This morning, I wanted to apply it, only to find it was conditioner. My hair is now a wet mix of conditioner and oil, and its very very ugly. Its giving me a headache. Argh!  I cant even think anymore, Im so annoyed. Im not whining, I'm just expressing my concern for such bad experiences that happen 'once in a while' in a foreign land. This helpless feeling is one of the worst things that could happen. The worst.

Lonliness

Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I am where I am. Its great. But , there comes a time, when you feel low and lonely and its one of the worst feelings. I was warned by many that it would happen, I always thought that I would be prepared for it, but I guess you know only when it hits you.

I miss home, family, comforts and small smalle everyday things. But its all part of the deal, I tell myself.

Im hoping its a phase that will pass soon and it shall be fine soon.

Inclusion

At the Global Sustainability Jam, I was part of a Creativity Jam at Hamburg, North Germany. Initially I was skeptical to attend it, due to the fact that it would mainly be in German. But I was told that things would be translated as and when required, and shouldn't pose as a problem. I decided not to skip the opportunity and be part of something so global.

It turned out to be a lot more than I expected. Initially, things were translated exclusively for me, and the instructions I followed without much problem. It worked for me, somehow. But the team I was part of, made the effort and very wonderfully so, of talking only in English, to me and to each other. It was overwhelming, to say the least. The thing that changed and turned everything around was one presentation. The speakers asked what everyone preferred and the first answer was German. But there was someone, who strongly said that it should be done in English, not because he didnt speak German, but because he thought it would be correct to do so. I wanted to clap and scream bravado, but controlled myself. The only word that could define the moment was gratefulness and some sort of 'support'.

The next day, while the instructions were being given, there was a two language approach that was taken, once in English and once in German. To which someone from the participants, again, asked and I quote "Why don't we do a check of many of us actually need German, because we dont follow English" and not one hand went up. Oh, it was beautiful, I wanted to cry, I think. I was blown out of my mind, because it wasn't me who asked for it, wanted it, but one among the group itself. 

From that moment on, there was English and yes, spurts of German, but everyone was comfortable with how it worked.

I dont know how to put it in words, but its a feeling that I felt for the first time in Germany, of inclusion. Something I was yearning for. And it took me one month, away from the 'town I live in', away from aquaintainces and among a bunch of people I met over a weekend.

Inclusion, is a wonderful thing.