This post is about Swedish tobacco and German customs. Here we go.
Sometimes I get so tried of this country and all the bureaucracy that surround it.
I ordered snus online, since it's illegal to buy here and in most European countries and I like doing it. I've been without snus for weeks and at the moment no Swedes are coming to visit me. That's why the internet exist, right? Every Swede (or Scandinavian) I meet I ask if they have snus.
I picked my snus and pressed order. A week later the was a letter in the mailbox for me. From the Zoll, the German customs. They had my snus and wanted me to bring the invoice and come to pick up my package. I though I might have to pay some tax for importing it. Wouldn't surprise me.
I took my bike there and got lost a million times on the way even if I was on the right street, they seemed to have hidden customs from me. I found it at last and stand in line ready and happy that I will finally have snus again. I came to a man and he checked the information I had with me.
The conversation went like this (translated from German):
- What is this? (pointing at the invoice)
- It's Swedish tobacco.
- Is it snus?
- Yes.
- Is it from Sweden?
- Yes.
- Then you have a problem. You can't bring that into the Germany.
- What? I thought it was just illegal to buy here but that you could have it sent by post. It's not illegal to use.
- It is illegal to send snus by post from Sweden. If you want it you can order a smaller amount from USA, for self consumption.
- I didn't know that. I thought it was just illegal to buy or sell here.
- It is and also bringing it in the post.
- Oh... Okay. But what do we do now?
- You have two choices. Either you let us send it back from where it comes from or you get the package, open it and we make a rapport and confiscate the snus.
- Oh... Well, I will take the first choice then.
- Just what I thought.
So I signed the paperwork that I had to and mentally said goodbye to snus and my addiction to it. Our relationship has been good but I guess we can't go on anymore snus. I will miss you.
Biking from there I was sad and wrote an email to the company I bought it from about a refund. They will not give me a refund since it's tobacco and it can't be resold since it's fresh and need to be refrigerated. Well, that sucked.
So to other people that use snus, don't do the same mistake as I did. Bring a shitload or make friends bring a shitload when they come to visit.
End of snus stories for now. I will probably not write about snus for a long time. Over and out.
torsdag 31 maj 2012
onsdag 30 maj 2012
Everyone is moving to Berlin.
I listen to the radio when I bike around in Berlin and a song that plays quite often is the song "Everyone is moving to Berlin" by Lail Arad. I like this song. It's a nice biking song to since I'm more of a slow biker, looking around and going on small streets.
A couple month ago I would agree. Now it feels like my friends are leaving Berlin instead. I wish that more of my friends where on their way to move here.
When I lost my bag about a week ago, the thing I will miss most is my notepad that I had in the bag. I really don't want anyone to read all my small texts, e-mail addresses, poems, thoughts and other texts in that pad. One of the scribbles in the notepad was a note that I should remember to listen to the song below. Enjoy.
tisdag 29 maj 2012
Divine Heights Queer Prom.
The prom we attended was a queer prom, Divine Heights Queer Prom, at 3 Schwester in Kreuzberg. Gender was a bit blurry, men in dresses, androgynous and girls in suits. As the website writes, a gender-bending formal.
Smooth was all suited up and looked great. I had my flowery 80's dress with a petticoat under. You can see our prom picture here to the left.
People where gorgeous. Prom queen, king and androgynous was elected. We danced to 90's music, smoked cigarettes outside in the garden and just looked around of all the people that where there. When I walked from the bathroom a person (gender unclear) stopped me to give me a compliment, telling me I was really beautiful which made me extra happy. Queer prom is something I found so fun and really want to go to again, or any gender-bending event basically. And I will as soon as I can.
torsdag 24 maj 2012
International Towel Day & Swedish book exchange.
Good morning. I just got up and sitting here with my cup of coffee and thinking tomorrow can't come soon enough. Not like I want to skip this day, the weather is perfect for biking and park reading so I will have good day before work. Tomorrow is International Towel Day! I don't know at all how big this day is in Germany or Berlin for that sake, but it's a day that I've been celebrating since highschool when I found out about it.
Every year, on the 25th of May, it's Towel Day. So what is Towel Day?
It's a tribute to the author Douglas Adams. Adams wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy among other things and died the 11th of May 2001. Two weeks later the first Towel Day was celebrated in the memory of Adams and his epic book series. This day is easy take part in, just have a towel with you all day. In the Hitchhiker's Guide a towel is the most important thing you can have. Read more here.
This is not a big thing in Sweden either, but me and my friends carry a towel on the day and every year we always find a use for these towels like to sit on while outside or to dry stuff when we spill and so on. We also talk about Adams and all the books in the Hitchhiker's series. Celebrate you too and see what how great a towel can be to have.
Tomorrow is also a book exchange day in Sweden, Stora Bokbytardagen, so me and Charlotte (a woman that has a Swedish online bookshop and is also opening a Swedish bookshop here in Berlin) are going to be at Boxhagener platz, F'hain, and change Swedish books with anyone who wants to join us. If you have some Swedish books and are in Berlin tomorrow, come to Boxi and get new books. We will be there from 12.
I'm looking forward meeting people and chat books all day. Hopefully the weather will stay this good also.
While I'm looking forward to tomorrow I will take my bike for a ride, find a park and read A Game of Thrones, the first book from the A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin until it's time for work. I just started reading the book and I'm so hooked. I'm (almost) surprised how good it is. Everyone should read it and I should continue reading it right now. Bis bald!
Every year, on the 25th of May, it's Towel Day. So what is Towel Day?
It's a tribute to the author Douglas Adams. Adams wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy among other things and died the 11th of May 2001. Two weeks later the first Towel Day was celebrated in the memory of Adams and his epic book series. This day is easy take part in, just have a towel with you all day. In the Hitchhiker's Guide a towel is the most important thing you can have. Read more here.
This is not a big thing in Sweden either, but me and my friends carry a towel on the day and every year we always find a use for these towels like to sit on while outside or to dry stuff when we spill and so on. We also talk about Adams and all the books in the Hitchhiker's series. Celebrate you too and see what how great a towel can be to have.
Tomorrow is also a book exchange day in Sweden, Stora Bokbytardagen, so me and Charlotte (a woman that has a Swedish online bookshop and is also opening a Swedish bookshop here in Berlin) are going to be at Boxhagener platz, F'hain, and change Swedish books with anyone who wants to join us. If you have some Swedish books and are in Berlin tomorrow, come to Boxi and get new books. We will be there from 12.
I'm looking forward meeting people and chat books all day. Hopefully the weather will stay this good also.
While I'm looking forward to tomorrow I will take my bike for a ride, find a park and read A Game of Thrones, the first book from the A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin until it's time for work. I just started reading the book and I'm so hooked. I'm (almost) surprised how good it is. Everyone should read it and I should continue reading it right now. Bis bald!
måndag 21 maj 2012
The story of how we got lost.
Janosch always begins his stories with an underline about what the book is about. This post could be called Friday night in Prenzlauer Berg - The story of how we got lost.
I was meeting up with Asaf at 23 to go to a club in Prenzlauer Berg. 23 is a really early time to go clubbing in this town. The clubs usually open about then, so I was a bit skeptical to Asaf plan to go there so early. Asaf and I like to go to indie rock clubs every now and then because the electro/techno/dubstep scene is't really our thing but we tend to go to clubs like that more often. So we need to break and go indie for a night and dance to songs we love until we're so tried that I almost fall asleep on his shoulder.
We meet up, got there and waited for Asaf's friend Chris, also known as the Aussie. He was late, so we got something to eat and came back a bit later to an of course empty club. What do we do? We got a stamp from the place and decide to go to a bar first and then maybe come back to the club. We got on the first tram we saw on the street and the guys convinced me we're going the right way though I thought we're not. We where so not going the right way and when This tram terminates here was heard from the speakers we wondered where the hell we where. They grabbed their smart phones and it turned out we're in the middle of nowhere.
We got on the tram going back of course thinking we would come to the place we started at least. Logic right? Wrong!
Somehow we end up in the middle of nowhere somewhere else when again out from the speakers come This tram terminates here. What the hell Berlin?
I started to laugh because it's so dumb. We all been living here for some time now but we still can't figure out how to the trams work and think that a tram from an end station would go back to where we where is apparently not true. The Aussie checked his phone and we where deferentially lost. We saw a little döner place where, just to do something out of a bad situation we got beer and got on another tram. You might think that by now we should know better then to trust the trams? We do not, but this time we end up at the right place. Close to a S-bahn station where got on a train to where we wanted to go. I argued all the time with the Aussie where to go and how to get there, since his sense direction had proven to be wrong all this time. By the time we got to civilization again we been lost for about an hour and a half. Very well spent time. I laughed so much and also swore to never trust the tram again.
I made us go back to the club and by the time we got there, it was packed. Asaf and I danced until we almost fell asleep. The Aussie was mostly gone and appeared when System of a Down and other awesome band where playing.
I had a great time even though we got lost more then I've ever gotten lost in Berlin before. Watch out for the tram, I'll tell you!
I came home when the sun just risen after yet another great time in this city.
I was meeting up with Asaf at 23 to go to a club in Prenzlauer Berg. 23 is a really early time to go clubbing in this town. The clubs usually open about then, so I was a bit skeptical to Asaf plan to go there so early. Asaf and I like to go to indie rock clubs every now and then because the electro/techno/dubstep scene is't really our thing but we tend to go to clubs like that more often. So we need to break and go indie for a night and dance to songs we love until we're so tried that I almost fall asleep on his shoulder.
We meet up, got there and waited for Asaf's friend Chris, also known as the Aussie. He was late, so we got something to eat and came back a bit later to an of course empty club. What do we do? We got a stamp from the place and decide to go to a bar first and then maybe come back to the club. We got on the first tram we saw on the street and the guys convinced me we're going the right way though I thought we're not. We where so not going the right way and when This tram terminates here was heard from the speakers we wondered where the hell we where. They grabbed their smart phones and it turned out we're in the middle of nowhere.
We got on the tram going back of course thinking we would come to the place we started at least. Logic right? Wrong!
Somehow we end up in the middle of nowhere somewhere else when again out from the speakers come This tram terminates here. What the hell Berlin?
I started to laugh because it's so dumb. We all been living here for some time now but we still can't figure out how to the trams work and think that a tram from an end station would go back to where we where is apparently not true. The Aussie checked his phone and we where deferentially lost. We saw a little döner place where, just to do something out of a bad situation we got beer and got on another tram. You might think that by now we should know better then to trust the trams? We do not, but this time we end up at the right place. Close to a S-bahn station where got on a train to where we wanted to go. I argued all the time with the Aussie where to go and how to get there, since his sense direction had proven to be wrong all this time. By the time we got to civilization again we been lost for about an hour and a half. Very well spent time. I laughed so much and also swore to never trust the tram again.
I made us go back to the club and by the time we got there, it was packed. Asaf and I danced until we almost fell asleep. The Aussie was mostly gone and appeared when System of a Down and other awesome band where playing.
I had a great time even though we got lost more then I've ever gotten lost in Berlin before. Watch out for the tram, I'll tell you!
I came home when the sun just risen after yet another great time in this city.
fredag 18 maj 2012
Berlin, sometimes you suck.
I was in a pretty good mood yesterday and was biking to meet Smooth (SHE'S BACK!) and Jake. I had my headphones on with indie popish music, a new route to take to the meeting point and the sun was shining.
I got to where I should be and notice that my bag, that was on the back of my bike was gone. Probably stolen somewhere along the way or fallen of which I didn't notice it. I started to panic and I didn't know what to do. I started biking back the way I had come hoping for a miracle that my bag was somewhere on the way. It was not and I almost wanted to cry. I wasn't like I had so much of valuable in it, like 20euros in my wallet but no ID or credit card. But my camera was in it. It's a shitty camera but anyway I felt bad losing it. No more picture taking I guess.
Thing that where in my bag was also: a comic about zombies, two books (one that I just started (sad face) and one that I had read), my gloves, a usb stick and batteries. Nothing that can't be replaced but my good mood turned into a bad one as I was biking home, not really up to meeting anyone anymore.
I got home and eat like five mango fruits and watch an entire season of Modern Family, which made me feel better. Just wanting to be alone and not socialize in any way. My phone rang a couple of times but I didn't want to pick up. This wouldn't have been as bad maybe if this was the first time my bag got stolen, this is the second. Last time was way worse but then I manged to save the camera. I just feel like a dumb ass every time I lose something or get my stuff stolen. I get so tried of myself sometimes. Can't I just be a bit better at holding on to my stuff? I was mad at myself, people and the world.
Berlin, sometimes you suck and sometimes I also suck.
I'm hoping that some nice person has found my bag and will give it to the police but the chance for this feels slim. I'm crossing my fingers though.
Note to everyone, fasten your bag to your bike good so that nothing can happened to it. I will do this every time now.
Let's not end this on a sad note.
It's a beautiful day, it's the weekend and I'm off work. I have a lot of books to read and time to write long emails to friends. Berlin is my oyster today.
I got to where I should be and notice that my bag, that was on the back of my bike was gone. Probably stolen somewhere along the way or fallen of which I didn't notice it. I started to panic and I didn't know what to do. I started biking back the way I had come hoping for a miracle that my bag was somewhere on the way. It was not and I almost wanted to cry. I wasn't like I had so much of valuable in it, like 20euros in my wallet but no ID or credit card. But my camera was in it. It's a shitty camera but anyway I felt bad losing it. No more picture taking I guess.
Thing that where in my bag was also: a comic about zombies, two books (one that I just started (sad face) and one that I had read), my gloves, a usb stick and batteries. Nothing that can't be replaced but my good mood turned into a bad one as I was biking home, not really up to meeting anyone anymore.
I got home and eat like five mango fruits and watch an entire season of Modern Family, which made me feel better. Just wanting to be alone and not socialize in any way. My phone rang a couple of times but I didn't want to pick up. This wouldn't have been as bad maybe if this was the first time my bag got stolen, this is the second. Last time was way worse but then I manged to save the camera. I just feel like a dumb ass every time I lose something or get my stuff stolen. I get so tried of myself sometimes. Can't I just be a bit better at holding on to my stuff? I was mad at myself, people and the world.
Berlin, sometimes you suck and sometimes I also suck.
I'm hoping that some nice person has found my bag and will give it to the police but the chance for this feels slim. I'm crossing my fingers though.
Note to everyone, fasten your bag to your bike good so that nothing can happened to it. I will do this every time now.
Let's not end this on a sad note.
It's a beautiful day, it's the weekend and I'm off work. I have a lot of books to read and time to write long emails to friends. Berlin is my oyster today.
tisdag 15 maj 2012
14 questions
I'm pretty sure that more people read this blog then just my friends, so I thought I've introduce myself with 14 questions. Hope you enjoy.
Who are you?
I'm Jenny. 25 years old. Swedish. Half Peruvian and half Finnish. City person.
I enjoy to read, write, drink coffee and beer, bike, languages, cook, play games, , Alice in Wonderland, history, sitcomes, old movies, art, meeting new people comics and music.
I moved to Berlin in September 2011 from Tensta, Stockholm where I lived in a 'collective'. Me and my friends has five apartments in that area close to each other with at least two persons per apartment, and we always went from apartment to apartment to hang out, cook and everything together. Something I really enjoy and I never want to live alone. I'm open minded, spontaneous, happy and trying to be organized. I can get super excited about anything and angry about world events among other things.
Where do you come from in Sweden?
I'm from this little town, Trosa by the Baltic Sea. It's about 100km from south of Stockholm. I lived there until I was 18. Then I moved to the student city Uppsala, about 100km north of Stockholm and when I was 19 I moved to Stockholm. It was in the 'suburbs' of Stockholm I lived before I moved to Berlin.
What is your family like?
I come from a very 'normal' family with a mum, dad and a little brother. I have two older half siblings, a sister, Teresia, and a brother, Fredrik. My mum is from Peru and my dad from Finland, so me and my brother Tim where raised with three languages; Spanish, Finnish and Swedish. My dad has his own company selling gloves and my mum is a doctor. Tim just started medical school, studying to be a doctor as well.
We're a loud family with a lot to say. To get heard you have to speak louder then everyone else.
What have you studied?
A lot of things. 1 year of Finnish, some Icelandic, some grammar, 2 years of history, rhetoric, children's language development, a course about the writer Tove Jansson (think Mumin), 1 year of art history...
I know a lot of stuff and I love to learn.
What do you want to do when you grow up?
I love books and museums, so I would love to work with any or both of those if possible. I liked being a tour guide and I can see myself doing that again. I would love to read for a publishing company or be surrounded by books in a book shop or library (yes, secret library dreams I have). I would love to curate a exebition on Propaganda in Sweden during the second world war or other things.
How come you moved to Berlin?
I moved to Berlin because it is a city I've always wanted to live in. I thought about it a lot and then when my friend Smooth also was up for it I decided to go.
In September 2011, I've worked my last days as a tour guide at the Chines Pavilion that was the last of the royal palaces I worked at. I've given up my room in our (me and flatmates Anna & Robert) apartment. I spoke good enough German that I wanted to improve and the time was perfect to do move, so I did. It help to have Smooth with me also.
What is you favorite part of Berlin?
I lived in three part of this city; Mitte, Fredrichshain and now Tempelhof. I really like Fredrichshain and have so many great memories there, but now mostly I spend my time in Neukölln and Kreuzberg. And I love the airport area in Tempelhof.
Someday I would like to live in Neukölln some day since that part feels like home to me, with people from all around the world, great foods and bars and just an area I really enjoy.
When did you start taking German?
In 6th grade when I had the choice to chose a third language (second being English) in school. Since my school couldn't offer Spanish that year, which I would have taken, I choose German since I didn't want to take French, which was the other option. I didn't like it much as first and didn't get into it until 9th grade when I got my first good grade in it. The whole of highschool/Gymnasium I took German with less and less motivation for every year. Might have been because I also took Spanish and Latin among all the other subject I had to take and that I was a teenager with a lot of things going and also commuting 2 hours to school every and 2 hours back.
My German was then pretty inactive for some years until I moved to Rostock in northern Germany and took it up again. I would basically say that I learned most of German there.
I can get by really well with my German now.
What do you work as?
I wok as an au pair for two children, Oskar (3 years) and Jonas (almost 1 year) for a young Berlin family. Mother Anika and father Benjamin are not even 30 yet. I live with them.. I work around 20 hours a week, so I have a lot of free time. I've been doing this since February and enjoy it. I'm good with children and I get along well with Oskar and Jonas. I feels like I get paid for playing and I'm good at playing.
How is your love life?
I get this question sometimes from friends and new people I meet in the from Are you seeing anyone? I consider my love life non existing. I don't really complain but I'm not really happy about it either.
What's your favorite way of transportation?
Train! I love going by train if I need to go a long way else I like biking a lot. Skipping is also a way to get around.
What do you enjoy to read?
I read a lot but mostly I read american contemporary fiction, classics and young adult.
I'm into dystopia at the moment and have read Brave New World, the first Matched book and two of The Maze Runner trilogy. I'm stuck reading Moby Dick. I on and of read the Wizard of Oz books. I read my favorite books, Alice in Wonderland and Though the Looking Glass at least once a year.
I enjoy comics like The Sandman, Swedish female comic writes like Liv Strömquist, Karin Bång and Nanna Johansson among other that are critical to society and gender roles.
What kind of music do you listen to?
I think I made it look like I'm a folk metal fan, which is true, but mostly I listen to indie-pop/rock most of the time. And many of the bands and artist I listen to are Swedish or Scandinavian. Bands like The Shins, Broken Bells, Kings of Convinces, Whitest Boy Alive, Gossip, Kaiser Chiefs, Robyn, Yelle, Those Dancing Days, Adam Green, Hello Saferide, The Wombats are a few bands.
How long do you plan to stay in Berlin?
I don't know. I have no plan of leaving any time soon. I really like it here and want to stay long. I will at least stay until fall but probably longer. I see no reason to move back to Sweden or move anywhere at the moment.
Who are you?
I'm Jenny. 25 years old. Swedish. Half Peruvian and half Finnish. City person.
I enjoy to read, write, drink coffee and beer, bike, languages, cook, play games, , Alice in Wonderland, history, sitcomes, old movies, art, meeting new people comics and music.
I moved to Berlin in September 2011 from Tensta, Stockholm where I lived in a 'collective'. Me and my friends has five apartments in that area close to each other with at least two persons per apartment, and we always went from apartment to apartment to hang out, cook and everything together. Something I really enjoy and I never want to live alone. I'm open minded, spontaneous, happy and trying to be organized. I can get super excited about anything and angry about world events among other things.
Where do you come from in Sweden?
I'm from this little town, Trosa by the Baltic Sea. It's about 100km from south of Stockholm. I lived there until I was 18. Then I moved to the student city Uppsala, about 100km north of Stockholm and when I was 19 I moved to Stockholm. It was in the 'suburbs' of Stockholm I lived before I moved to Berlin.
What is your family like?
I come from a very 'normal' family with a mum, dad and a little brother. I have two older half siblings, a sister, Teresia, and a brother, Fredrik. My mum is from Peru and my dad from Finland, so me and my brother Tim where raised with three languages; Spanish, Finnish and Swedish. My dad has his own company selling gloves and my mum is a doctor. Tim just started medical school, studying to be a doctor as well.
We're a loud family with a lot to say. To get heard you have to speak louder then everyone else.
What have you studied?
A lot of things. 1 year of Finnish, some Icelandic, some grammar, 2 years of history, rhetoric, children's language development, a course about the writer Tove Jansson (think Mumin), 1 year of art history...
I know a lot of stuff and I love to learn.
What do you want to do when you grow up?
I love books and museums, so I would love to work with any or both of those if possible. I liked being a tour guide and I can see myself doing that again. I would love to read for a publishing company or be surrounded by books in a book shop or library (yes, secret library dreams I have). I would love to curate a exebition on Propaganda in Sweden during the second world war or other things.
How come you moved to Berlin?
I moved to Berlin because it is a city I've always wanted to live in. I thought about it a lot and then when my friend Smooth also was up for it I decided to go.
In September 2011, I've worked my last days as a tour guide at the Chines Pavilion that was the last of the royal palaces I worked at. I've given up my room in our (me and flatmates Anna & Robert) apartment. I spoke good enough German that I wanted to improve and the time was perfect to do move, so I did. It help to have Smooth with me also.
What is you favorite part of Berlin?
I lived in three part of this city; Mitte, Fredrichshain and now Tempelhof. I really like Fredrichshain and have so many great memories there, but now mostly I spend my time in Neukölln and Kreuzberg. And I love the airport area in Tempelhof.
Someday I would like to live in Neukölln some day since that part feels like home to me, with people from all around the world, great foods and bars and just an area I really enjoy.
When did you start taking German?
In 6th grade when I had the choice to chose a third language (second being English) in school. Since my school couldn't offer Spanish that year, which I would have taken, I choose German since I didn't want to take French, which was the other option. I didn't like it much as first and didn't get into it until 9th grade when I got my first good grade in it. The whole of highschool/Gymnasium I took German with less and less motivation for every year. Might have been because I also took Spanish and Latin among all the other subject I had to take and that I was a teenager with a lot of things going and also commuting 2 hours to school every and 2 hours back.
My German was then pretty inactive for some years until I moved to Rostock in northern Germany and took it up again. I would basically say that I learned most of German there.
I can get by really well with my German now.
What do you work as?
I wok as an au pair for two children, Oskar (3 years) and Jonas (almost 1 year) for a young Berlin family. Mother Anika and father Benjamin are not even 30 yet. I live with them.. I work around 20 hours a week, so I have a lot of free time. I've been doing this since February and enjoy it. I'm good with children and I get along well with Oskar and Jonas. I feels like I get paid for playing and I'm good at playing.
How is your love life?
I get this question sometimes from friends and new people I meet in the from Are you seeing anyone? I consider my love life non existing. I don't really complain but I'm not really happy about it either.
What's your favorite way of transportation?
Train! I love going by train if I need to go a long way else I like biking a lot. Skipping is also a way to get around.
What do you enjoy to read?
I read a lot but mostly I read american contemporary fiction, classics and young adult.
I'm into dystopia at the moment and have read Brave New World, the first Matched book and two of The Maze Runner trilogy. I'm stuck reading Moby Dick. I on and of read the Wizard of Oz books. I read my favorite books, Alice in Wonderland and Though the Looking Glass at least once a year.
I enjoy comics like The Sandman, Swedish female comic writes like Liv Strömquist, Karin Bång and Nanna Johansson among other that are critical to society and gender roles.
What kind of music do you listen to?
I think I made it look like I'm a folk metal fan, which is true, but mostly I listen to indie-pop/rock most of the time. And many of the bands and artist I listen to are Swedish or Scandinavian. Bands like The Shins, Broken Bells, Kings of Convinces, Whitest Boy Alive, Gossip, Kaiser Chiefs, Robyn, Yelle, Those Dancing Days, Adam Green, Hello Saferide, The Wombats are a few bands.
How long do you plan to stay in Berlin?
I don't know. I have no plan of leaving any time soon. I really like it here and want to stay long. I will at least stay until fall but probably longer. I see no reason to move back to Sweden or move anywhere at the moment.
måndag 14 maj 2012
Just another weekend.
I had a good weekend.
Friday was a nice day so I decided to bike around. With no plan really but I went around Kreuzberg and then biked though Tempelhof airport where I sat down to read. I like the airport area so much. Biking around it and just hanging out. It's a nice park.
That night I had to work, ergo be home while the children sleep and the parents where painting the town red. Working nights is me being in my room reading until I fall asleep, which I did. The children usually sleep though the night so it's not really much else to do.
Saturday come and I woke up with a smile. Gratis Comic Tag was here. Since I always wake about around seven-ish when I hear Oskar running around in the apartment or baby Jonas testing his vocal cords making different sounds. So at 11 even the comic day started I was on my way to the closest comic store and when I got there I stood in line to even get into the store. I got my three free comics and biked to the next comic store and got yet another one. Happy I got home and started reading.
Asaf said that the weather was nice and that I should meet him so we could do something in the sun. The sun was gone by the time we where in Tiergarten looking at the women running the Frauenlauf that was that day, but it still was nice.
After some time we headed to book day, Lange Buchnacht and listened to some readings. Klaus Bittermann has written a book called Möbel zu Hause, aber kein Geld für Alkohol, read at the club SO36 at Orainenstrasse, Kreuzberg, and we all really enjoyed his short stories about Kreuzberg and Berlin.
We got dinner and meet up with Jack and headed to the upside down bar, Madame Claude, close to Schelisches Tor. The upside down bar is what it sounds like, a bar where furniture and other things are upside down. Luckily there are chairs and tables that are right way up also. I really like hanging out with these guys and I laughed so much to our stupid conversations and all the craziness that comes out of our moths.
Since the night was still young we went to another bar in Mitte this time and meet up with a friend of Jake's. Jule is a German teacher for non-Germans, ergo people like us, at a language school in Berlin so we talked a lot of German and she was kind enough to corrected us when we made mistakes while talking. I like being corrected when I talk. How will I else learn?
When the night got older, we walked to the club we where going to, Ballhaus where Soul explosion was happening. It was fun but not awesome and me and Jake got tried so we biked home together. Falling a sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Good weekend with so many laughs, just about it all makes me smile.
Friday was a nice day so I decided to bike around. With no plan really but I went around Kreuzberg and then biked though Tempelhof airport where I sat down to read. I like the airport area so much. Biking around it and just hanging out. It's a nice park.
That night I had to work, ergo be home while the children sleep and the parents where painting the town red. Working nights is me being in my room reading until I fall asleep, which I did. The children usually sleep though the night so it's not really much else to do.
Saturday come and I woke up with a smile. Gratis Comic Tag was here. Since I always wake about around seven-ish when I hear Oskar running around in the apartment or baby Jonas testing his vocal cords making different sounds. So at 11 even the comic day started I was on my way to the closest comic store and when I got there I stood in line to even get into the store. I got my three free comics and biked to the next comic store and got yet another one. Happy I got home and started reading.
Asaf said that the weather was nice and that I should meet him so we could do something in the sun. The sun was gone by the time we where in Tiergarten looking at the women running the Frauenlauf that was that day, but it still was nice.
After some time we headed to book day, Lange Buchnacht and listened to some readings. Klaus Bittermann has written a book called Möbel zu Hause, aber kein Geld für Alkohol, read at the club SO36 at Orainenstrasse, Kreuzberg, and we all really enjoyed his short stories about Kreuzberg and Berlin.
We got dinner and meet up with Jack and headed to the upside down bar, Madame Claude, close to Schelisches Tor. The upside down bar is what it sounds like, a bar where furniture and other things are upside down. Luckily there are chairs and tables that are right way up also. I really like hanging out with these guys and I laughed so much to our stupid conversations and all the craziness that comes out of our moths.
Since the night was still young we went to another bar in Mitte this time and meet up with a friend of Jake's. Jule is a German teacher for non-Germans, ergo people like us, at a language school in Berlin so we talked a lot of German and she was kind enough to corrected us when we made mistakes while talking. I like being corrected when I talk. How will I else learn?
When the night got older, we walked to the club we where going to, Ballhaus where Soul explosion was happening. It was fun but not awesome and me and Jake got tried so we biked home together. Falling a sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Good weekend with so many laughs, just about it all makes me smile.
torsdag 10 maj 2012
Gratis Comic Tag.
Last Saturday was Free Comic Book Day and I was of course there. I got stuck in the comic store for more then a hour just flipping though pages and looking at all the things I wanted to read. Then I got my three free comics. And some other comics from the 1euro bucket and biked home happy.
At the comic book store I also found out that this week, on Saturday the 12th of May, there will be the German version of Free Comic Book Day, that is american. Simply enough it's called Gratis Comic Tag (more info here) and can be found in 19 comic book shops in Berlin. When I was biking today and listen to the radio I heard more about it. There is about 30 comic to choose from, some specially made for the event. The rules vary a bit from store to store, but getting to choose three seams a bit standard. I guess one could also go to all the comics stores and make a collection of free comics.
The thing about Gratis Comic Tag is that a comic reader might pick up something that he/she normally wouldn't read and then maybe start liking it. There are comics of every kind, something for everyone. On the radio they also said that last year people queue up outside the stores long before opening. I will not be one of those, but I will be there. I'm all ready looking though the comics that are to choose from trying to decide which ones I want, something I didn't really do at Free Comic Book Day.
 |
| Adventure Times are awesome! Crazy but awesome. |
The thing about Gratis Comic Tag is that a comic reader might pick up something that he/she normally wouldn't read and then maybe start liking it. There are comics of every kind, something for everyone. On the radio they also said that last year people queue up outside the stores long before opening. I will not be one of those, but I will be there. I'm all ready looking though the comics that are to choose from trying to decide which ones I want, something I didn't really do at Free Comic Book Day.
Saturday the 12th of May will be a great day for me as a comic and book lover (see previose post). Looking forward to it a lot.
Book related activities.
Good day!
I'm having a book filled week this week. I'm in a reading flow and getting into book activities in Berlin. Yesterday I went to the first book club meeting. This is a book club that some people from couchsurfing organized. I missed the pre-meeting last week about which book we should read and how often we should see each other. The book we read is Mrs Dalloway by Virgina Woolf and we meet every other week. To the first meeting we where suppose to read the first 30 pages. I almost laughed then. 30 pages is nothing! Then I started to read and I found it way harder then I though. Woolf jumps between characters and there is a lot of thoughts in the first pages. It starts with Mrs Dalloway walking on the streets of London and then all these people are introduced though their thought they have walking on the same street. I sometimes feel a bit stupid reading in English as a none native. Even if Kindle has made it so easy to look up words and that I consider my English to be good since I mostly read in English, I feel I get lost sometimes. I felt a bit lost reading this book.
I was pretty glad when I meet the book club people that they also found it hard. We talked about we found the language. What we think will happened and all that.
I really enjoyed it. People where interested and really wanted to talk. They had a lot to say and the discussion was good. We where a really international group from Norway to Brazil and about 10 people came.
I was over-prepare of course, with underlined parts that I like and I read more then 30 pages without knowing it. Kindle reading just shows precents so I didn't really know when to stop. There is also no chapters in this 200 page long book. I'm really excited about the next meeting and being in a book club is something I've been wanting to do for many years. Next time we will have read half the book and I'm really looking forward.
In about an hour I will meet with Charlotte. She's opening a Swedish bookshop in Berlin and trying to organize a book exchange in the end of May. In Sweden there is a book exchange day every 25th of May and she's trying to spread it here. Last year I was a the book exchange at Stockholm university and really liked it. I got the book A short History of tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka. A book I recommend to everyone to read.
Anywho, I read about that Charlotte was going to do a book exchange here and e-mailed her right away. I want to be involved in some way. So we have been e-mailing back and forward ideas of how to do it and today we're going to meet for the first time. I'm looking forward. I do want to get more into the book scene (can you even write that? Is there a book scene?) here.
Other book related things that happening in Berlin is Lange Buchnacht in der Oranienstrasse this weekend. Read more about it here. A guy from book club told me about it and I want to go. It's mostly in German and a lot of things happening. So if you're a book lover is in Berlin on Saturday the 12th of May with a okay level of German, head there and maybe we'll see each other there.
I'm having a book filled week this week. I'm in a reading flow and getting into book activities in Berlin. Yesterday I went to the first book club meeting. This is a book club that some people from couchsurfing organized. I missed the pre-meeting last week about which book we should read and how often we should see each other. The book we read is Mrs Dalloway by Virgina Woolf and we meet every other week. To the first meeting we where suppose to read the first 30 pages. I almost laughed then. 30 pages is nothing! Then I started to read and I found it way harder then I though. Woolf jumps between characters and there is a lot of thoughts in the first pages. It starts with Mrs Dalloway walking on the streets of London and then all these people are introduced though their thought they have walking on the same street. I sometimes feel a bit stupid reading in English as a none native. Even if Kindle has made it so easy to look up words and that I consider my English to be good since I mostly read in English, I feel I get lost sometimes. I felt a bit lost reading this book.
I was pretty glad when I meet the book club people that they also found it hard. We talked about we found the language. What we think will happened and all that.
I really enjoyed it. People where interested and really wanted to talk. They had a lot to say and the discussion was good. We where a really international group from Norway to Brazil and about 10 people came.
I was over-prepare of course, with underlined parts that I like and I read more then 30 pages without knowing it. Kindle reading just shows precents so I didn't really know when to stop. There is also no chapters in this 200 page long book. I'm really excited about the next meeting and being in a book club is something I've been wanting to do for many years. Next time we will have read half the book and I'm really looking forward.
In about an hour I will meet with Charlotte. She's opening a Swedish bookshop in Berlin and trying to organize a book exchange in the end of May. In Sweden there is a book exchange day every 25th of May and she's trying to spread it here. Last year I was a the book exchange at Stockholm university and really liked it. I got the book A short History of tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka. A book I recommend to everyone to read.
Anywho, I read about that Charlotte was going to do a book exchange here and e-mailed her right away. I want to be involved in some way. So we have been e-mailing back and forward ideas of how to do it and today we're going to meet for the first time. I'm looking forward. I do want to get more into the book scene (can you even write that? Is there a book scene?) here.
Other book related things that happening in Berlin is Lange Buchnacht in der Oranienstrasse this weekend. Read more about it here. A guy from book club told me about it and I want to go. It's mostly in German and a lot of things happening. So if you're a book lover is in Berlin on Saturday the 12th of May with a okay level of German, head there and maybe we'll see each other there.
onsdag 9 maj 2012
Der kleine Tiger braucht ein Fahrrad.
This blogpost will be about two things. Books by Janosch with main point on the book Der kleine Tiger braucht ein Fahrrad and about my (new) bike. They go a bit hand in hand.
Have any of you read anything by the German children book author Janosch?
No? Then you're missing something. I mostly read his books about the little Tiger and the little Bear. I think, pretty sure, that he's most known work is Oh wie schön ist Panama, which is about the little Bear and little Tiger that find a wooden box (probably a banana box) on the shore with the text Panama on it. They start to wonder where Panama is and think is a wonderful place that always smells like bananas. They decide to go there. Pack a few things and start walking.
There are different version of this story, a TV show was made and so on. In Germany it's well known. I don't know how know is it outside Germany. It is translated to English but not to so many other languages.
I read this book 2008. I feel in love with it. The little Tiger and the little Bear are the best of friends, they live in a house in close to the woods and the sea. The little Tiger likes to go to the woods and pick mushrooms and the little Bear takes his boot and goes fishing a lot. I knew about Janosch before I read this book since there is a Swedish punk song about the story (Charta 77- Lilla björn, lilla Tiger). Me and former room mate and good friend Anna identify as the little Bear and the little Tiger, me being the Tiger and she the Bear.
Now that I live in Germany I decided to read more about the little Tiger and the little Bear. There are more stories about them that I was excited to read when the books came in the post. The little Tiger and the little Bear are, like written, the best of friends. The little Tiger has the bigger personality and when something goes wrong for him he gets really dramatic and doesn't want to live anymore. The little Bear is more organised. He cooks, fishes and sees that the little Tiger is doing well. The little Bear takes care of the little Tiger when he get's sick in Ich mach dich Gesund, sagte der Bär and doesn't complain when the little Tiger doesn't do what he's suppose to in Guten Tag kleines Schweinschen. The little Bear has a lot of patience with the little Tiger and does anything to make him happy.
And now we come to the book Der kleine Tiger braucht ein Fahrrad. (The little Tiger needs a bicycle.)
This book is of course about when the little Tiger gets a bike. The book begins with the little Tiger says to the little Bear that he urgently needs a bike. The little Tiger gives he's reasons why. There are three.
1. He wants to go acrobatics in the streets.
2. He wants to explore foreign lands.
3. He wants to be able to visit his fiancé.
The little Bears says that not going to happen because biking is to dangerous and the little Tiger not careful enough to have a bike. He could die.
Now of course, since the little Tiger doesn't get his way, he doesn't want to live anymore and the little Bear is such a good friend he asked the big forest Bear what he thinks.
The big forest Bear says that the little Tiger should have a bike as long as he bikes it careful, so they get the little Tiger a bike and the little Tiger is happy again. He visits his fiancé the Maya Papaya, and goes on a bike ride to town. On the way to town they learn all traffic rules and how to bike good. So children will know the rules.
This book has been read close to a million times in this household, since both me and Oskar(one of the children take care of) love it. He now quotes it quite often and if he's biking he always wants go on the bike line, since he has learned that is what he's suppose to do.
Since I got my wonderful bike (a old lady bike from the 60's or 70's without any gears) a couple weeks ago I also always go on the bike line if there is anything. And I explore new parts of Berlin and feel so free by having a bike. I think about this book almost every time I'm on my bike.
Having a bike in Berlin is something I highly recommend to everyone. Specially now when the public transport is going so-so due to many reparations on many lines. Berlin is a really bike friendly city and it is easy to find the way. If I knew that having a bike would be this good and easy before I would have gotten one a long time ago. It's so nice to just be able to go anywhere anytime instead of waiting for the u-bahn or night bus. The plus part is the exercise. I'm always tried in my legs now but it is so worth it.
Everything feels so close with a bike and when I'm biking it feels like I can go anywhere and just bike on.
I too, like the Tiger like to be a bit acrobatic in the streets and explore. I have no finacé to visit but friends. Jake also has a bike so we bike together sometimes, since we live close to each other, and it's really nice to have a bike friend to talk routes with and so sing with while we're biking. Oh having a bike is schön. I feel like I know the city a lot better now and find parks or other things that I don't think I would find otherwise. Other bikes look a extra second at me since I still have my dresses while biking, and biking with a big petticoat and high heels works way better then I thought. Berlin feels more like a small town when it comes to biking because it's so easy to get by. I remember biking in Stockholm and being terrified of the other bikers that seam angry and passes you faster on the wrong side. Here I feel safe in traffic and other bike riders are polite.
So my recommendation in Berlin is to get a bike, at least for a day and explore. You will see new things, maybe find a favorite spot or something that you else wouldn't see. Try it. At least once.
And if you know German, read a book of Janosch about the little Bear and the little Tiger as culture study or just for fun. I think they are good with both morals and fun.
Have any of you read anything by the German children book author Janosch?
There are different version of this story, a TV show was made and so on. In Germany it's well known. I don't know how know is it outside Germany. It is translated to English but not to so many other languages.
I read this book 2008. I feel in love with it. The little Tiger and the little Bear are the best of friends, they live in a house in close to the woods and the sea. The little Tiger likes to go to the woods and pick mushrooms and the little Bear takes his boot and goes fishing a lot. I knew about Janosch before I read this book since there is a Swedish punk song about the story (Charta 77- Lilla björn, lilla Tiger). Me and former room mate and good friend Anna identify as the little Bear and the little Tiger, me being the Tiger and she the Bear.
Now that I live in Germany I decided to read more about the little Tiger and the little Bear. There are more stories about them that I was excited to read when the books came in the post. The little Tiger and the little Bear are, like written, the best of friends. The little Tiger has the bigger personality and when something goes wrong for him he gets really dramatic and doesn't want to live anymore. The little Bear is more organised. He cooks, fishes and sees that the little Tiger is doing well. The little Bear takes care of the little Tiger when he get's sick in Ich mach dich Gesund, sagte der Bär and doesn't complain when the little Tiger doesn't do what he's suppose to in Guten Tag kleines Schweinschen. The little Bear has a lot of patience with the little Tiger and does anything to make him happy.
This book is of course about when the little Tiger gets a bike. The book begins with the little Tiger says to the little Bear that he urgently needs a bike. The little Tiger gives he's reasons why. There are three.
1. He wants to go acrobatics in the streets.
2. He wants to explore foreign lands.
3. He wants to be able to visit his fiancé.
The little Bears says that not going to happen because biking is to dangerous and the little Tiger not careful enough to have a bike. He could die.
Now of course, since the little Tiger doesn't get his way, he doesn't want to live anymore and the little Bear is such a good friend he asked the big forest Bear what he thinks.
The big forest Bear says that the little Tiger should have a bike as long as he bikes it careful, so they get the little Tiger a bike and the little Tiger is happy again. He visits his fiancé the Maya Papaya, and goes on a bike ride to town. On the way to town they learn all traffic rules and how to bike good. So children will know the rules.
This book has been read close to a million times in this household, since both me and Oskar(one of the children take care of) love it. He now quotes it quite often and if he's biking he always wants go on the bike line, since he has learned that is what he's suppose to do.
Since I got my wonderful bike (a old lady bike from the 60's or 70's without any gears) a couple weeks ago I also always go on the bike line if there is anything. And I explore new parts of Berlin and feel so free by having a bike. I think about this book almost every time I'm on my bike.
Having a bike in Berlin is something I highly recommend to everyone. Specially now when the public transport is going so-so due to many reparations on many lines. Berlin is a really bike friendly city and it is easy to find the way. If I knew that having a bike would be this good and easy before I would have gotten one a long time ago. It's so nice to just be able to go anywhere anytime instead of waiting for the u-bahn or night bus. The plus part is the exercise. I'm always tried in my legs now but it is so worth it.
Everything feels so close with a bike and when I'm biking it feels like I can go anywhere and just bike on.
I too, like the Tiger like to be a bit acrobatic in the streets and explore. I have no finacé to visit but friends. Jake also has a bike so we bike together sometimes, since we live close to each other, and it's really nice to have a bike friend to talk routes with and so sing with while we're biking. Oh having a bike is schön. I feel like I know the city a lot better now and find parks or other things that I don't think I would find otherwise. Other bikes look a extra second at me since I still have my dresses while biking, and biking with a big petticoat and high heels works way better then I thought. Berlin feels more like a small town when it comes to biking because it's so easy to get by. I remember biking in Stockholm and being terrified of the other bikers that seam angry and passes you faster on the wrong side. Here I feel safe in traffic and other bike riders are polite.
So my recommendation in Berlin is to get a bike, at least for a day and explore. You will see new things, maybe find a favorite spot or something that you else wouldn't see. Try it. At least once.
And if you know German, read a book of Janosch about the little Bear and the little Tiger as culture study or just for fun. I think they are good with both morals and fun.
torsdag 3 maj 2012
Walpurgisnacht & Tag der Arbeit
I don't know if any English native country celebrate Walpurgisnacht (valborg in Swedish) and since I can't find a English word for it, so I guess it's a northern European thing.
It celebrated the 30 April every year, and in Sweden we have a large bonfire that is suppose to protect us from evil spirits. One of the few hedonistic holidays that are left in Sweden, the other big being Midsummer. Basically is just a day when people hang out in parks and get drunk, like most Swedish holidays. It's a very popular thing to celebrate anyhow.
In Berlin Walpurisnacht has with witches to do (read more here), ergo also a hedonistic holiday. Walpurnisnacht is popular in folk metal songs to take up also.
There was a lot of clubs and bars that had events on this day. Tanz in den Mai (dance in May) partys and of course people hanging out in parks.
I didn't really celebrate this day though. I worked late and met up with Jack in Kreuzberg. We hung out by the Spree with one of his friends and before I know it we where at a house party not far from where we where. I didn't know a single soul at this party but I had a lot of fun. Talked to a lot of randomers and laughed a lot.
Monday nights in Berlin is really the night where the most unexpected things happened to me. I never know what to expected but damn sure something is going to happened that I wasn't counting on.
Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit) I was of and found myself looking out a window in Kreuzberg where the police was everywhere getting ready for the demonstration.
I heard the night before when I asked how Berlin is on Labor Day that it's pretty violent. If you had a car you moved it to a safe place to not get the windows crashed and stores cover theirs with wooden boards. I wasn't really up to violence or demonstrations so I headed home to Tempelhof and dance the whole day to great DJs at the old airport. So many people, so dance-able music.
The weather was perfect sunshine and summer warm when I met up with Mark and danced, danced and danced both half naked (clothes are overrated). This was what Swedish Walpurgisnacht is in student city's like Uppsala and Lund (but of course way bigger in Berlin). It was awesome.
It was impossible to get hold of anyone that day because everybody was calling somebody, but somehow we manged to meet up with Jake and Asaf as well and danced some more.
This day was one of the best days I had in Berlin so far. I was so happy and the day never seemed to end, in a good way. I just couldn't stop smiling and laughing.
The night ended after some adventures at Jake's looking at photos he's taken and almost falling asleep in his hammock.
It feels greater then ever being in Berlin now that the sun is finally showing it self and days like these are coming my way. Oh sweet summer, I'm ready for you.
It celebrated the 30 April every year, and in Sweden we have a large bonfire that is suppose to protect us from evil spirits. One of the few hedonistic holidays that are left in Sweden, the other big being Midsummer. Basically is just a day when people hang out in parks and get drunk, like most Swedish holidays. It's a very popular thing to celebrate anyhow.
In Berlin Walpurisnacht has with witches to do (read more here), ergo also a hedonistic holiday. Walpurnisnacht is popular in folk metal songs to take up also.
There was a lot of clubs and bars that had events on this day. Tanz in den Mai (dance in May) partys and of course people hanging out in parks.
I didn't really celebrate this day though. I worked late and met up with Jack in Kreuzberg. We hung out by the Spree with one of his friends and before I know it we where at a house party not far from where we where. I didn't know a single soul at this party but I had a lot of fun. Talked to a lot of randomers and laughed a lot.
Monday nights in Berlin is really the night where the most unexpected things happened to me. I never know what to expected but damn sure something is going to happened that I wasn't counting on.
Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit) I was of and found myself looking out a window in Kreuzberg where the police was everywhere getting ready for the demonstration.
I heard the night before when I asked how Berlin is on Labor Day that it's pretty violent. If you had a car you moved it to a safe place to not get the windows crashed and stores cover theirs with wooden boards. I wasn't really up to violence or demonstrations so I headed home to Tempelhof and dance the whole day to great DJs at the old airport. So many people, so dance-able music.
It was impossible to get hold of anyone that day because everybody was calling somebody, but somehow we manged to meet up with Jake and Asaf as well and danced some more.
This day was one of the best days I had in Berlin so far. I was so happy and the day never seemed to end, in a good way. I just couldn't stop smiling and laughing.
The night ended after some adventures at Jake's looking at photos he's taken and almost falling asleep in his hammock.
It feels greater then ever being in Berlin now that the sun is finally showing it self and days like these are coming my way. Oh sweet summer, I'm ready for you.
Prenumerera på:
Kommentarer (Atom)