Ok Ok, So I've noticed my last 3 blog entries have all started with me apologising for my tardiness...considering my last post was in March and it is now July and I'm supposed to write one a month I think that is beyond apologising for so I'm not going to even bother :D. Instead I'm just going to bombard you with everything that has happened between now and then...If I were you I'd settle in with a big bar of chocolate and be ready to be here a while!
Ok, where the hell do I begin....April.....
April was mainly made up of a made rush to write term papers (or essays as we call them) one on The representation of American Guilt in Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds and one on The Muslim Other in German Medieval Literature...riveting right? At least my insomnia dissappeared for awhile...in fact it almost turnt to Narcolepsy - HA!
Saying goodbye to my AMAZING class (blub blub), saying goodbye to some great friends, my love of running getting more intense, more ridiculous rugby parties, visits to the beach and a lovely bout of Mono (Glandular fever to you guys - and yes I've heard the "oooo, who've you been kissing??" remark plenty of times!)
Chops did well through that crazy month, got a little trip to the beach
As I said, it came time to give the final exam and say goodbye to my lovely lovely class, many of whom I've taught for 2 semesters. I was very very sad to see them go, especially as many of them graduated so won't even see them around campus. They were such a pleasure to teach and it turns out I was pretty good at it, well, some of them at least thought so. I got this amazing peanut butter cupcake from Eva (she remembered me telling them of my love of peanut butter and it being my Savior during a bout of Denghi Fever in Sumatra )
I also go this lovely card from Adrian and Nichole, I must admit it is a very rewarding feeling when you are told how much someone enjoyed your class :)
On the last day of the semester I smuggled Randle into the classroom so they could all meet him after 2 semesters of being told about him. He went down well as usual.
Unfortunately the end of the semster also saw the end of the time with my brilliant fellow German Ta's Michael and Larissa. We had a great year together but unfortuantely they were returning to Germany to continue their studies. Going back to Gainesville is going to be very odd without them there that is for sure. We partied hard one last time for memory sake.
Despite the month being hectic we managed to squeeze one last Lady Date night in at The Top
Oh yeah, I said that my running had got more intense, well I did my 2nd race, the Flatwoods 5km and not only beat my PB I got myself a trophy! 2nd Fastest in my age group!...Its a pine cone nailed to a bit of wood but hey, it still counts!
I then did my 3rd race, the Midnight Fun run on campus, I did it with the lovely Dana, we had a lot of run with lights for that one!
We also had time for one last party with the hogs, Nerds vs. Jerks. I went with Nerd, was a lot of fun as always....large hangover ensued, again, as always with the hogs!
There one was particularly momentous event in April - Randle turned 4! He got spoilt with a meatcake, a foot long chew and a bacon flavoured ball.
He's decide now he's 4 he's going to test out the Rude Boy look.
Unfortunately due to the lovely Mono I wasn't able to have a goodbye party and before I knew it all my stuff was packed up and was on my way back to Okeechobee for a few days before I flew back to Europe for a long awaited visit with my friends! Well, before I left I did get chance to dig out some more Postbox porn for you all.
So Europe bound...My first stop was in London, I got to stay with the beautiful Caroline and her lovely girlfriend Lucy.
Well...I say 1st stop...that's a little white lie....my first stop was to by myself an early birthday present with the money my parents gave me.... those who know me won't need more than one guess to know exactly where I went....that's right...SHOES.
LOOK AT THESE BEAUTIES!
Oh Irregular Choice, I do love you so!
From there is was on to Curryland...I mean Birmingham. I was so so excited to be back. I was staying with my fave family, The Griffiths and their menagerie. I somehow don't have any pics though :(. That evening we went and did something I'd been dying to do the entire 10 months I'd been away...CURRY AND GIN! For a girl who's lived 6yrs in Birmingham going without Indian food is a killer! It was worth the wait, the food was amazing, as was the company.
This was to be the first of 3 curries I had in 12 days.... I think I have a problem...
Not only did I get to eat my favourite food I also had a few trips to my favourite coffee shop for a bucket full of coffee...weirdly it's called the Boston Tea Party, the coffee is GOOD.
Obviously I was very quick to drink my fill of another beloved beverage....real English Cider...Oh how I missed thee....
Obviously more importantly I got to see my absolutely brilliant friends who I'd missed so much it frickken hurt!
I got spoilt rotten as usual by my favourite couple of all time, Matt and Jen Lou.
We celebrated our reunion by sticking with our tradition of Jen Lou cooking us an amazing feast whilst drinking cocktails and this time adding something a bit more random, tequila and pop rocks...it's gonna be the next big thing, honest!
Obviously once we'd done this we didn't want to sit at home so it was a visit to good ol' Cherry Reds where I got to catch up with another favourite, he was pretty sad that Randle wasn't with me as they are bestest buddies.
Before I knew it it was my birthday...31...and before you ask no I'm still not ready to grow up.
Got spoilt in the Morning by Ursula and Molly who put together this basket of my fave english goodies...it didn't last long I'll be honest....
I then went off to see many a fave face - starting with Amy, Liz and Sabia. Drinks all round and getting all scrubbed up nice ready to hit the town.
We went for dinner then stopped at my favourite bar - a victorian gin parlor called the Jekyll and Hyde - cocktails all round, including one specially made for me and named the Pogo - no idea why it was given that name - :)
Partied hard with this bunch of lovlies and got to rock the new shoes...
Next stop was Leicester to catch up with my traveling buddy Alex, unfortunately for my liver she runs a bar which we proceeded to take full advantage off, basically testing every cocktail on the menu...perhaps that's why I've ended up looking like Andy Warhol in this pic.
After this is was back to Birmingham to squeeze in one last curry and say my goodbyes (sob) and off to Berlin I went, to stay with the lovely Illy and hopefully find myself a job.
Berlin started, as usual, with a bang. It was Karnival der Kulturen so we slapped on some facepaint, courtesy of Illy's friend Anita and partied in the sunshine. I was lucky enough that another great friend of mine, Tansel, drove all the way up from Munich to Berlin so we could party together, along with a bunch of old faces and his new girlfriend, Szlvi.
After the fun it was time to knuckle down and find myself a job, after a few trial shifts at some not so nice places I managed to convince 2 Aussie guys to take me on at their great little burger place - Piris - totally the BEST burgers in Berlin! (Isn't that right Jordi and Jules!)
I was instantly in love with the place, great bunch of guys working there, they immediately starting picking on me for being vertically challenged and all they listened to was Hip Hop (mmmm my fave), but still I knew I'd be ok there. Luckily I often got to work with the lovely Uri who would save me from the Hip Hop onslaught and one of my bosses Jordi would take pity on me and play David Bowie whilst we cleaned. They even had a restaurant dog named after one of my favourite dishes - Laksa!
Alongside working I got to go and visit Potsdam which was beautiful.
By this point I'd been away from Randle for about a month and was having serious dog withdrawals, lucky for me one of Illy's friends found this out and asked me to look after her ridiculously cute French Bulldog - Pancho. Obviously I jumped at the chance and got to spend an awesome 3 days with the most handsome fella in Berlin.
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| I think he thought I was mental.... |
I stayed with my best friend Illy the entire time I was in Berlin, she put up with me stealing her scarves and hats (I was struggling a lot with the change in climate - HA - bobble hats in June) not only that she introduced me to her fantastic group of friends, many of whom I hope to see again in the not so distant future.
I was made so welcome and was having the best time, I don't think I realised just how much I missed European life, although I wonder if I'd feel the same in the dead of winter?!
Then came decision time, stay in Berlin where I was having the BEST time with some really really great people or return to Gainesville, a town I've really struggled with, and finish what I started....perhaps I am growing up finally as I decided, despite really not wanting to, that I had to go back. Before I knew it it was with a very heavy heart that I found myself flying to Scotland for a pitstop with my family before the long journey back to Florida.
Berlin it really was mind blowing and I guarantee you I will be BACK
So I arrived in Scotland and am instantly cheered up by the sight of my two beautiful nieces waiting for me at the airport. It was a whirlwind visit. For the first time in my life I was allowed to look after a child totally alone for longer that 20 mins....I took full advantage of the situation as you can tell....
We did lots of fun stuff all together, I may not particularly like children but man, these 2 are just too cool!
Then as is the story of my life it was time to say yet another heart-wrenching goodbye......but after tears and a mammoth journey it was time for big fat heart-warming hello with my ultimate favourite.
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| Reunited!!<3 |
Till next time folks
Love and Slobber
Me and that guy
xxx
