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The Thousand and One Nights- Part 3

We can’t overlook the tragedy that happened in Berlin especially when the wall was there. At first I thought the wall is just a straight border but I was totally mistaken, the separation from the wall was just unbelievably uneven. This part of the story I named it “Marlyns realized what strive is”

For me, visiting the debris of the Berliner Mauer is a must. However, since the wall was everywhere, means it’s not located in one single long space but it’s splitted into many parts of Berlin. I only went to Berlin Wall Memorial in Bernauer Str and visit Topography of Terror.

To begin with Berlin Wall Memorial, it seems to be “only a wall” until I joined Berlin-Unterwellten Tour where they explained more about what happened to Berliner during the Wall time and get ready, it is a tragic, sad, touching, full of emotional journey.

In Bernauer Str they built some memorial monument for the victims of either World War or Cold War and part of the walls still stands there. The victims are mostly younger than me and ended up losing their life 🙁

Then, I visited Topography of Terror, they have inside and outside museum mainly tell the story of how slowly Hitler’s gain the power, in economy, politics and army-wise. How he and his troops put a disgrace on hippies, homosexual and Jews. It is really sad for me to read how they turned homosexual in and force one to put a conflict to his or her partner. Nothing much to say about this place, it is a must visit but at the same time I become very upset because of what had happened to them in the past, how come such a sick mindset man gain so much power. What makes me even more upset is not all ex-officer got punished, especially the one who considered as “accessory of the crime” meaning someone who ‘just’ built the gas chamber but not the one who turn on the button, this people don’t get any punishment, what a fair world. They know for sure what the purpose of it but yet not found guilty of a crime.

I just want to say that Thanks God right now Berlin is one of the city where homosexual can express themselves as they truly are and not stuck in past’ mindset.

Another very touching story is the one I got from Berliner Unterwelten Tour. About how 4 peoples built a tunnel illegally to save people from East to West, the remarkable Tunnel 29 and 57, where they saved 29 and 57 people through unstoppable 5 months of digging for 145 meters long. These 4 heroes inspires other engineer, real diggers to also dig some tunnels and rescue their loved ones, very rarely succeed.

This is really sad and extreme scary of how people tried to escape, they would write a message on a paper, put together a rock and throw it over the wall hoping someone would read and prepare something to land on the other side. They would just jump from a rooftop, if the other side prepare a matrass or anything to land it’s good, if not… either they got injured or die. The border patrol will just shoot you and leave you bleeding to death for 3 hours at least and then moved your body and on and on and on.

The very touching and emotional part from the tunnel diggers are mainly they want to be together with their family again, the wall had separated them from their loved one for decades and the tunnel had showed me how they never gave up on each other, how they strive against all odds.

I can’t go on, Berlin’s wall history is really beautiful, it is so beautiful to the point that I can’t take it anymore. Berlin is really really must visit and can offer you 1001 things to do.

Thank you for the experience Berlin, we definitely see each other again. I can’t let you go yet, not ever <3

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The Thousand and One Nights- Part 2

The Clash has London Calling and Berlin has Marlyn calling 😉 This second part of my Berlin story I named it “Marlyn invited herself” as she starts to call her friends that might be available by the time she’s in Berlin. Lucky me, I got to see them all!

First, contact Nico! He has a brother that lives in Germany, I can’t remember where exactly in Germany but Nico made it so clear last year he said “Whenever you go to Berlin you need to tell me and I will tell my brother” Booyah!! Supporting reason to visit Berlin 🙂

Sebastian is really really cool guy, I like him and he looks exactly 99,9% like Nico! People definitely can see they are brothers, had Nico didn’t spend so much time in the sun, people will think they are twins haha. Sebastian chose a restaurant called “The Big Dog Berlin” what the hell is that? what a name for a restaurant 😀 I told him I wanted to have a Berliner wurst so this is the place.

Surprise surprise the place was closed! with no announcement what so ever, Sebastian was so upset, he complained to JW Mariott (because it owns by them) and JW Mariott just say “yeah, not so many people today so we just close” pffffff but kein Stress, we will figure somewhere else. We walked through Potsdamer Platz and Sebastian said the traffic light here was the first traffic light in Germany, oh cool! a bit of a history haha he wasn’t sure if it’s the first in EU but bestimmt in Germany. We went to Sony Center and in the end we had Obatza and Schnitzel in Paulaner 🙂

Then, I asked Radite-my highschool friend who studies in Landshut, he has many Indonesian friends like Christo for example. But more importantly (not that Christo unimportant heyyy), he connected me with one of my high school friend that I haven’t met for 14 years, Gita! Little that I knew she is heavily preggo now! what an amazing surprise!

Radites sister gave him a “wide angle” thingy for taking a selfie, because both of our iPhone is not the latest one so we don’t have this function but thanks to this thingy we can have something similar to that. We were so dedicated to test it at first but since the difference wasn’t so big and it’s annoying so we ditch it right away haha

When I’m with him, we had mainly Asian as a big meal but we also have Western breakfast, snack or brunch whatev. However, best of the best is Indonesian food! whoaaaa the taste really close to home! Thank you Nusantara for bringing our food to Berlin! We went to Gita and Budi’s house and ordered a Vietnamese food. We met with Christo and had Japanese food.

Of course I am a member of Girl Gone International Facebook group where I got to meet empowering ladies that lifting and supporting women. I joined a couple of GGI Zoom movie film meeting. The organizer named Trish from Ireland just moved to Berlin in July. Heyyyyy, Carlos also has a friend, why don’t I met her too? I actually already met Fabi one time on Carlos bday so just ask him for her number, easy peasy 🙂 We had a brunch at The Father Carpenter, this place is really good! Waited for one hour due to it was so crowded on Sunday but it’s ok, we have time 🙂

Last but not least, I contacted my online German teacher, Michael. I wanted to meet him because when you see someone all the time through a monitor, you feel like he is a movie star so you got to meet him haha. At the beginning, I can’t meet him due to the time doesn’t fit in his schedule, but one thing lead to another, good that DB Train has a streik and didn’t operate so I had to prolong my stay in Berlin, in the end I can meet him 🙂

I met him for a early coffee before I came back to Dortmund…..and….. being a German he said “He won’t smile on the picture” and he did it 🙂

Berlin is very very very international, we can meet all people from everywhere here. Reminds me of Shanghai, I miss my Shanghai people so much though XO but life goes on and I’m doing well in Germany 🙂

I like Berlin already and now I like Berliner, double thumbs up! Until next time, peps!

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The Thousand and One Nights-Part 1

I got the inspiration for the title from what we know of 1001 Nights because it represents of 1001 things one can do in Berlin! Julius also support this when I asked him what can I do there, he replied “1.000 Sachen!”

And this is only the first part of it, I named it the “Marlyns first try to conquer Berlin” 😉

When I get off from my ICE, read the sign “Berlin Hauptbahnhof”, breathed the air, I instantly feel “I’m in Shanghai”. For Germany, this Hbf is really big! It has 4 floors, many shops and places to eat but among all of that, there is one that really caught and got my attentionnnnnn, it was the Ampelmann shop! I have been wanting to visit this shop ever since I saw my Hermano Binbin wore an Ampelmann shirt while we were on Moganshan back then in 2018. He said he will get me one when he go to Berlin, no need Hermano, I’m getting myself one and few other stuff from the shop 🙂

Visiting scheduled already planned, no deviation allowed, first and foremost what else other than Brandenburger Tor! As expected, there were so so sooo many people there, regardless of cloudy, rainy or anything it will always packed! Thanks to my sister, she’s able to photoshopped all other people behind me so it looks like I have the Tor all by myself ha! thanks sissy!

Right next to it is a Holocaust Memorial, a place of remembrance to more than 5 millions murdered Jews during World War. It is stand on an uneven ground with many columns of different heights that was designed to make us disoriented, confused, dizzy and just hopeless. When I walked through in between those columns, it makes me feel so small and nothing. Not much to say about this memorial but it is a must to visit and to experience. Please pay some respect by not stepping it.

Still on the same area we have the Reichstag, unfortunately I didn’t get the appointment to enter. Then I visited Charlotten Burg, it’s already close by that time so I just stay in the Garden area.

Next sightseeing are Siegesäule (the Victory Column) and Charlie Check Point, but I only walked passed and visit the shop. I already buy the ticket but I’m saving it for the rainy day and I meant it! I only enter museum when it’s rain, can’t waste a sunny day in Germany, as it is a solar eclipse phenomena 😉

Ooopsss how can I forget Museuminsel and Berliner Dom! I got a WOW effect on this area, the Dom is so magnificent, the Museums are all awesome! Wait for a mega geil 360 degree view of Berlin from top of Berliner Dom!

Then, a very different area where East Side Gallery and Oberbaum Bridge located, as you read from it, they are on the East part of Berlin. I have a mix feeling about this particular area, a bit of a punk but at the same time I found it really cool too! I need to found the famous “Mein Gott, hilf mir, diese tödliche Liebe zu überleben” wall, I’m glad it’s not on the far end of the wall 🙂

This is my first time in Berlin and my first impression about it is really cool! I like it! Definitely there is much to see in Berlin, need to figure out about the people, food and history much more… but so far… Berlin got my thumbs up!

Follow my lead, we’ve only just begun 🙂

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Me After You-Part 3

When online meet offline, what? what is this and who I’m meeting with? It’s a he and he is our Grammar-Guru when I took my online German class 🙂 Ahmed from Egypt!

Originally we supposed to meet with Leon too but due to heavy rain disruption and a rainy day, we kept postponing our trip, in the end only me and Ahmed that can do it. I’m still happy we made it!

I insist to go on Saturday because Münster have Wochenmarkt and I specifically need to eat Reibekuchen. It is nothing more than an oily potato haha! Nothing worth to mention here. But! This Wochenmarkt is located in the city center, where the main attractions are.

I really like Münster Cathedral or also called St. Paulus-Dom and Ich muss unbedingt the Astrological counter-clockwise clock and “Paradise” (a hall lined with larger than life-sized status of Jesus and the 12 Apostles) finden. Okay, church visit started! Ahmed is Muslim so he doesn’t know the story and all the characters, me on the other hand is Christian so I know it or I supposed to know.

We walk inside the church and kept counting the statues because it has to be 12! but it always either 10 or 14! rrrrrr And it is written “larger than life” statue…..so….. it should be bigger than a normal person but I only see one statue that is bigger than Ahmed with a baby on his shoulder and Ahmed ask me “is it Jesus?” I said “No, Jesus doesn’t look like that, I don’t know who is this child maybe a baby Jesus, but Jesus is in the middle” I pointed to the one in the middle of the altar and we counted the statue surrounding Him, it’s also not 12 and we tried to guess maybe the small gold statue down there? but then it’s not a larger than life sized and Ahmed pointed on a 12 circles on the back of the church and ask me if those are the Apostles? and I said “no, Apostles is a person” Hmmmmm cannot find it….

I saw in the corner a “free-tour” and I always caught the word “free” 🙂 we had a very beautiful lady from Spain named Nuria and she explained us everything about the church from the very beginning, turns out Ahmed is not all wrong!

Okay, so the paradise is the place where we just got in which is a small “hall” before the main church I’d say. Why is called a paradise? Because all the statue on the wall is representing animals and plants. And yeah indeed it is, didn’t pay attention before so this is the whole Paradise things I’ve been looking for. Yes, found it!

Next is the larger than life statue and where is it? exactly on the entrance door to the main church! I counted…. “Nuria, it’s only 10?” and she said yes because the other 2 were lost, aaaaaaaaa haha who would have known?!?! and she said no one can recognize who is who unless for one Apostle called Bartolomeus because he wore a shoes, ahaaa can’t unsee it now!

Then, we went inside the main church, we started from the back side where we have 12 circles on the wall and she said “it’s representated the 12 Apostles” ahaha Ahmed was right and she turned to the very giant statue and a baby on his shoulder, the one that I forgot his name hmm…. can’t remember it but I knew this story, anyway…

So he is a very strong Saint, the one that always help people to cross the river….any clue about his name? hmmm… okay, let’s continue, one day there is a child that want to cross the river, he hold his child on his shoulder but the child is very very very very heavy, he made it to the other side still but then he asked the child “you are so heavy” (something like that, maybe not too direct) and the child said “you just carried the weight of the world on your shoulder” and that child is a baby Jesus.

P.s Marlyn was right 😉

Moving on to the astrological clock, at 12:00 they have some “show” where the devil rang the bell 3 times and of course I forgot what happens later but I got it on a video 🙂

For some reason I really thought the clock will ticking haha! Naja… Anyway the church visit need to end now because they will start the ceremony. But both of us were so happy to get this tour from Nuria.

Then, we went to Aasee, we don’t walk around the whole Aasee but we arrived there! The distance for all main attractions here is only 15 minutes to everywhere. We also went to Schloss Münster but it is on renovation, so skip it! let’s walk again. At some point we got hungry and we decided to have a food at Frauenstrasse. The moment we sat on the chair, we got somewhat a revelation that we were Kaputt! We have been walking for 4,5 hours! I’m immediately attached to the chair. But something pushes us, we remembered Nuria said the church closed at 5PM and there is still one more church that we haven’t visit- Lamberti Kirche- it’s famous because it has cages on top of it. We really really force ourselves and we hope there will be a tour but unfortunately they don’t have it. Nevertheless, I’m glad that we haben es geschafft! instead of keep staying in the restaurant 🙂

This mark the last Sehenswürdigkeiten for us in Münster before we headed to Hbf, we need some sugar intake so we bought a doughnut which I’m sure can caused us diabetes, chocolates everywhere haha anyway, imo, Münster is good! I like it!

Our physic was dead tired but there was one more mental examination for both of us! The journey is not over yet haha. Ahmed train were 5 minutes earlier. Mine was RB 89 but the train on my Gleis is written RB 69 I thought it will move and my train will come but 3 mins prior my departure time this RB 69 still there okay so I asked the passenger inside if this train will stop at Hamm as I have to change there and take other train from Hamm to Dortmund, they said yes hmmm then the name on the screen and on my App was wrong, naja egal, this RB 69 will take me to Hamm anyway.

I reached Hamm as planned, then I saw on the screen it’s my RB to Dortmund and the train already in the Gleis. I saw den Schaffner outside but I didn’t bother to ask, I jumped right in and so was he. He asked me to show my ticket, I did it and he said that I need to buy a new ticket because this one is invalid but why? Because the train that I took was an IC train! He was so angry and said “my colleague will come and you must buy a new one, you can ask me before but you just jump in” Oh gosh relax! it’s not that I rode without a ticket yo! and I asked him if this train go to Dortmund? and he didn’t reply, damn! I didn’t see any Dortmund on the screen and I don’t want to go to meet other passenger because I was waiting for his colleague, I don’t want he to think “oh this Asian lady is a free-rider blablabla”

What makes me more nervous is my battery already 18% and I texted Ahmed to find out where this train will takes me! I felt that my train was getting slower at least 3 times but it didn’t stop! And Ahmed cannot find my IC train from the Apps, perhaps it’s gone from Berlin or somewhere so he cannot track it anymore. I was total total total nervous, I don’t want to go to other direction on Saturday and how can I find the right train without my phone und so weiter und so forth!

It was only 10 minutes but it feels like an ewigkeit! haha When the trains really getting slow and I saw people started to stand up then I got ready to go out and tell Ahmed what is the name of the station and when I saw “Dortmund Hbf” oh my all the stress were dropped hahaha! Even Ahmed was stressed too hahaha

Thank you Ahmed for not only joining my Münster Trip that broke our feet apart haha but also joining my mental panic attack 🙂

Have a good time back in Egypt and see you when you come back to Germany again! Next trip is waiting!

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Me After You-Part 2

Next, I embraced myself to a city that took 3 hours away from Dortmund which is called Koblenz and why is that? Because Moni has a cousin there, she said “my cousin will be so happy to meet you, you will fit for each other” okay then, say no more! I’m omw 😀

Her cousin name is Aleja and she looks exactly like Moni haha! btw I’m not the only one, Moni’s boyfriends JP also said the same, he told me if I go to Mexico and meet all the relatives of Moni they all looks the same haha

The transportation in small city like Koblenz is not convenient, if I miss the bus then I will have to wait for 30 mins P.S this is for morning, in the not so evening which is after 18:00 bus will only come every hour that is why I have to walk more than 5km from Hbf to her place and I have to pass der Friedhof iiiiii spooky but I manned up! managed to reach her home and had a low connection video call with Moni and JP because they were on the beach! while we were on a rainy cold German summer >.<

I have never slept like a baby before, I think one of the reason is Ale’s curtain is the black out type that block all the sunshine haha I didn’t even realized it was raining outside so I wait until the rain is acceptable to take the bus and explore the city!

The city is so small and all tourist attractions are located next to each other, what a definition of perfectooo 🙂 I like the Alte Burg, Jesuitenplatz and churces.

And of course the main main main attractions is the Deutsches Eck! where Rhine and Mosselle river meets in the middle.

Not so far from the German Corner, there is a Biergarten, church and a cable car to one of the castle and of course I took it! On the way back I chose to sit on cable car number 17 because they have a part in the middle which made from glass so I can see what’s under me…. which is obviously the river 🙂

During my visit to the castle, rain starts to pour down but it didn’t stop me from enjoying it, I visited the museum for child. This museum is really really interesting, there are games, stamps collection station and was full of colors! Of course there’s a lot of kids but I don’t care, I have a traumatic childhood, they need to wait for me until I finish the game and collect those 8 stamps!

I had so much fun, I even don’t bother to check if it still rained or not and when it stops, this is the time for me to go out and finish my castle’s tour 🙂 The Deutsches Eck view from top of the castle is amazing! Mir gefällt es!

After my whole day tour, I reunited again with Aleja and her friends, Paula and Pamela, we had a Mexican dinner, ice cream, meet a funny statue and walk around in the city center.

Only Pamela came around one month ago while Aleja and Paula came almost the same time with me, maybe a few months earlier. So we all came during Corona time and travel was a bit hard back then but now I know they haven’t been to Dortmund yet, why not next time they stay with me 🙂 must be so much fun for us to travel together, I make sure I have my Indonesian chili sauce for Pamela 🙂

Koblenz definitely got a Marlynapproved stamp! I like it, it’s such a cute small city even they have a statue for #thumbs up! cool, eh?!

I’m ready for next one 😀

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Me After You

When Hollywood produced “Me Before You”, Marlynshood produce and keep producing “Me After You” me after who? who is you? is me after my vaccine 🙂 The rule in here is from the date of my second shot + 14 days later then I belongs to the category of fully vaccinated and are allowed to travel without PCR or Rapid test.

However, I am still not confidence to go outside of Germany because the list of “dangerous country” from Germans Authority keeps changing every day and I don’t want to risk it. Therefore I decided to start small by taking a one hour train to a neighbor city, Düsseldorf 🙂

I stayed over the night there haha when I told the Germans that I am staying in a hotel in Düs they all were laughing because the distance between Düs and Dortmund is soooooo close, yes I don’t want to go back on the train the same day, I’d rather chill a bit there, I have all the time in the world 😀

It’s all really big compare to Dortmund, Königsalle shopping district (not that I’m shopping btw), Old Town and Rhine Promenade seems to be the highlight of this city. It is so big that leads me to a confusion… like where am I? I am already in the area? Seems so, let’s walk around.

The city itself is not so interesting imo, it’s a big city with many options, nichts besonders…. at least until I went to Kaiserswerth area. It is like their own small city and I like it more 😀

It’s basically a ruined castle, so the main attraction is only it but it’s located in such a quiet and peaceful area. I met a very nice lady with her dog, I think she knows I’m a bit confused about the place and she told me there is a very very very small alley and they have trees next to each other, it sounds very normal but the alley is indeed small and to me it looks cute!

I am not a big fan of visiting a museum, but I will be when it’s rain 🙂 I visit Neanderthal Museum, it’s a museum about human evolution, located I think in the far end of Düs because it took me almost one hour to get there. It is interesting though and a good place to be when you are waiting for the rain to pass 🙂

I also went to a Castle that unfortunately closed but I like the building it’s pink!! Then I went to Hofgarten where I found out there are more ducks than people and I don’t even dare to cross them so I went back mwahaha.

All in all, Düs is just OK, good for an “execursion” outside Dortmund but what I really like about it is the FOOD! oopps I meant the Japanese Food there! Yes, Düs got another name and it’s “The Little Tokyo” Immermanstraße and Carl Platz are just amazing!! Next time if I want to eat Japanese food, I’d rather to take a train and go to Düs other than eat in Dortmund 🙂 it is just that good! #drooling!

Thanks, Düsseldorf, time to move on to the next one!

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The Feeling Of Know What Is Already Known

I noticed some bunnies and eggs chocolate in supermarket and my mind directly know “oh Easter is coming” but I never really remember what date is that as my feelings towards Easter is different from my feelings towards Christmas, not that I don’t know what Easter is, I exactly knew but… yeah

Few days before Easter, Moeke posted in one of my Fb group.

Hmm… I didn’t know that people give other people gift on Easter, this is totally new for me. I remembered that I was searching for eggs or decorated it when I was a kid but not really having chocolate or do any celebrations. Ofc Im one of the girls that commented hihihi…..

I directly forget again that Easter is real holiday until my colleague asked “What will you do on Easter?” hmm…. working? and she said “it’s a public holiday Marlyn” really?! so people don’t go to work? No! #mind blowing! This was the first time that I know, as in Shanghai we don’t have Easter and in Indonesia…. I can’t remember it… Im away from home for too long. So we will have a good long holiday! too bad it’s corona time otherwise I already go somewhere and explore, well at least now I know when to plan my holiday next year #schlau

I met with Moeke to get my first ever Easter gift! So happy there are still strangers that cares about other strangers and brought joy to my life, just one simple gesture of care in Fb group was able to restored my faith in humanity 🙂

Thank you girl, maybe it’s common for you to do that in Netherlands but little did you know that it’s my first ever Easter gift after almost 30 years living in this planet Earth 🙂

Since its a long weekend, Julia asked me to come over and have a BBQ together, why should I say no to that? Hell yeah! Took a train to Schwelm and found a “decoration” in my room 🙂

Another bunny and eggs! so it’s really a big deal yeah for the European country 🙂 We were sitting in Julia’s balcony to enjoy a bit of the sun with Decke on our body because it’s kalt! while Moritz prepare the BBQ, what a good combination.

This is also my first BBQ not only in 2021 but also since hmmm….. 2020 I’m not sure maybe also 2019! haha times fly so fast yet so slow in this special pandemic time. The next day which is on Friday, we aren’t supposed to eat meat but…. what can we do with the sausages? we can’t just throw it or leave it for the next day? Bring it to the table please!! Together with the colorful eggs and bunny Brötchen. Is it a front or back side of the bunny? Let you guess 🙂

Then I’m back to Dortmund and on Saturday I met with my ex-classmates when I learn German but since we had online class so this also my first time seeing her in real life, Silvia! and she’s just exactly crazy as what I had on my mind #Marlyn’s feeling is correct!

There are so many first things happening to me in this Easter time. Not only know what I already known that Easter is a holiday but most important is I finally get the feeling of it!

Marlyn ist einfach glücklich.

Thank you und Bis zum nächsten Mal 🙂

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When Life Gives You Lemon-Part 2

Beginning of March, there was an email from our board saying that NW will have an event called “Autokino” which means you watch a movie inside your car and they projected it on a big screen. I really think this is a very good idea because cinemas were and still closed until this moment. Actually this Autokino ist ganz alte Schule! existed since my parents generation mwahaha but no harm on bringing it back on 🙂 good stuff does exist longer!

Julia directly called me and asked if I wanted to join because…… I don’t have a car, I can’t just come and standing in front of the screen, if that’s the case then it will be hmmmm Stehenkino haha obviously I said yes to her. This will be my first Autokino experience!

We chose the Wednesday 24th March and the film that we watched called Nightlife. Since I am not in home office period so I could see their preparation before! they put the big screen in our parking lot, bin so aufgeregt!

Behind the screen 🙂

The film started at 20Uhr German (on) Time but we were advised to be there since 18Uhr. When we entering the parking lot, they gave us plastic with wet towel and flag hmmmm ok flag… Then we passed through a drinking station and to our parking spot. Our cantine provide us with nachos, popcorn, currywurst and ice cream! and the good thing is all kostenlos! do I need to tell you what did I have? auf jeden Fall, alles! nyam nyam nyam 😉

When the time getting near to 8PM the sky is getting darker and the atmosphere really suit for watching movie on a big screen.

Before the movie start, we saw our board standing in a “stand-thingy” holding a mikrofon and gave us some speech. I thought it will be just “welcome and now we will start” but nope nope, mistaken! He did a presentation about NW, I was quiet shock when he said ” Präsentation” heee? did I mishear? there was not on the email that you will do presentation! haha its quiet funny when I see a slide with an “agenda” for today event. #very German :p

Btw there was one important slide which is the increasing number of employee last year, the number is +7 and Julia said “Marlyn you are one of the +7” yes! I made a “contribution” to the ppt 🙂

After that, the movie began! it was no subtitles but to my surprise I can understand it! not all words but approximate and this is good enough for me. The most impressive things is during the movie if we want to eat something we don’t need to come out from the car, we just…..raise our flag! that is whyyy…. and when we finished we all drove out and there were 3 people standing holding a garbage can. My comment was “wow this is very organize! they did a very good preparation!” soooo German! 😉

I really like when Mr. Simon gave the speech and there was a slide about Corona, he said “please not only see the negative side from corona and just waiting this to end because we can still do our best during this bad time” and this Autokino is one of the good thing that can happened in a bad situation as for sure no-one will bring this event back when we can einfach go to a real Kino.

Overall, I am very happy and did very impressed with the preparation for Autokino event. I am so proud to be part of Nordwest employee, thank you for coming up with this idea. Nevertheless, thank you Julia and Moritz for inviting me to join your car 🙂

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Never Say Never

FYI, there’s nothing to do with Justin Bieber’ song or tribute for Belieber 😉

At first, I always say “Never take an online class, I will have zero motivation, it won’t be good and I will not like it, ever!” But the fact say otherwise, Covid case is not showing any sign of going down and they prolong the home-schooling time therefore a language institute is not allowed to have a student in their school, so my second German class is online as well pfff. I was hesitate at first but compare to doing nothing, in addition that it was still winter time in Germany, staying indoor and keep myself sane by doing online class seems not a bad option.

Okay so my class starts on 7th Januar until 25th Februar, still have a hope that they will lower the restrictions maybe by Feb and change to Präsenz class? Yes of course, keep positive and optimistic!

Yes people I keep doing a screenshot, it is important for me just to keep some memories. Hope you don’t mind!

Leon, Saurabh, Ramina and Ava were my classmates in my previous class but the others are new to me. On my previous class all of us are living in Germany, but for this we have Emily that is living in England, Silvia in France (but later in Dortmund), Firdaouss in Morocco and Ahmed in….. for the whole time I thought he is in Dortmund but I only knew he wasn’t up to the end of the class and I still vergessen of where he is haha! And the rest of the classmates like Ramina, Saurabh, Marina, Nenad, Andrez, Rachana are in Dortmund only Leon in Dülmen and Ava in Wuppertal.

Nevertheless, these people give me like some kind of “inspiration” or “motivation” or whatever words that fits for that (Emily you are the only native speaker, help me in this haha) to keep learning wherever you are, now we are more and more borderless. They really open my minds to show that the benefits of online is people outside one country can learn if they really want to. I know it sounds very not important but for some reason when I know where they wohnen it’s really inspiring and something inside of me was triggered to also keep learning and don’t let the place limited yourself. Turns out online class is not that bad after all.

We had a little bit of “drama” for this class, due to some organizational stuff, Frau Ziyadli asked if it’s possible to have a class on Friday? I mean, it’s that even a question? No way in hell I’m gonna study on Friday, I’m not a machine, I need to relax or else I would explode! But my answer wasn’t satisfying for the institute, of course I can it’s just I don’t want too, therefore I really thank to Nenad and Ramina as someone who has a child it is really hard to have a class on Friday so we keep our class the way it is unfortunately we need to let her go and Julia come to substitute her. Its hard for us to suddenly have a new teacher, we were very dramatic but on the other hand I believe it must be so hard for her too to suddenly get involved in the middle of the class but she is doing a really good job! I think she fits perfectly to us and to me it doesn’t seems that she’s a substitute teacher, seems like she knows us from the start and her method of teaching is really fits us… well, not sure about us but fits me for sure 🙂

The class keep rolling with our first teacher Frau Brzezina for Montag und Donnerstag and with Julia for Dienstag und Mittwoch… until the exam! None of us realize that exam is just around the corner, we are far and I meant faaarrrr from being ready for exam and yet we have a very good “drama” (spoiler: it’s really not a drama at all that’s why I have the quotes) with the coming back of Silvia! Our crazy Krankenschwester! she went for a week of class in the beginning and goneee for the rest of the class until one fine day on the weekend she texted us in the group.

We got our senior Krankenschwester back! I never met her in real life but you don’t need to do that to know that she’s such a crazy person 🙂 I know I will love her to death but I won’t give myself up to be treated with her haha there are many people in the class that have Krankenschwester as their Traumberuf, zum Beispiel Leon, Firdaouss, Emily and Ava and for some reason I feel safer to know they will be my Krankenschwester just in case I’m sick haha my trust issue is high, with Silvia I think she will make a “salad” for me “hmmm… yes ein bisschen this Medikamente, ein bisschen das, oh with this liquid, that must be good!” haha I’m more looking forward to meet you though 😉

Ok back to the exam, we have writing on Montag and speaking on Dienstag. For speaking I was with Leon. I need to have with my laptop and my Handy because my camera on Laptop is broken! I am so glad that the writing exam is over! and then we have another proper picture it was such an anstrenged 3 hours time of my life! Here we are after the exam 🙂

Andrez added a short comment about our group picture and it was really funny!

One thing I took for myself after this class is I will never be an online teacher! haha I know I said never say never but this I know it for sure, I have zero patient if I have student like Andrez that keep asking “which page?” thank you so much that we have Frau Brzezina and Julia that has the patient as long as Nil river if it’s up to me I would rather say “pay the Goddamn attention! it’s UNO UNO NUEVE!” haha

Fortunately we all passed! So here we all again on our online-certification day, this time we have Julia with us.

I like my classmates though, Ahmed the King of Grammar luckily he’s not frustrated because all of us not strong at it, Ava die Wahrsagerin that makes me want to go to Wuppertal and have my Kaffeesatz lessen, maybe you should pursue it 🙂 Andrez the architektur, Nenad the sporty father, Saurabh is always the one that surprise me sometimes he’s there and sometimes he’s not, Ramina and Rachana the one that keep motivating me to do homework, Marina the wonderful mom that homeschooled her two sons #crazy! Silvia, the one that I could feel she is larger than life, Firdaouss the amazing 18 years of age that is already fluent and somehow I thought when she read something it almost like a native German speaker! Leon, the same with Firdaouss amazing 19 years of age that’s very independent and strong, I know you two will be a good Krankenschwester, I’m glad I’m 10 years older than you so I will be safe when I’m old and sick to have you as my Krankenschwester 🙂 And Emily! the future Queen of England not because she’s drinking tee every afternoon but because of her voice is so soft and always so nice when for one day I got my camera back she said “Marlyn, du bist zuruck” and that voice is so soothing and calming the kind of voice that I would never have, bow to the queen! I am happy with my ex or no ex teacher, Frau Ziyadli, Frau Brzezina and Julia thank you for all the lessons, I know online class is hard for you as teachers too. Nevertheless, you successfully transfer all knowledge that we need, now is time for us.

Here are us once again in one edited picture 🙂

Thank you for all, hope you all healthy and wish you all the best in whatever things you pursue. Good luck in our German language journey and hope to see you in person when the circumstances allow to do so.

Take care and for now… auf wiedersehen!

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The Not So German… Germans-Part 2

I was so happy that I can spend NYE with Julia regardless corona regulations that Germany had. After our Silvester-lauf, we had a very faul afternoon of doing nothing because we definitely deserved ausruhen 🙂 Then around hmmm late afternoon Tina came and Julia prepared some new years decorations and our Raclette! No one sleeping hungry tonight! I repeat: no one!

Oh, i’m not in the picture! excuse moi! we need to re-do 😉 we tried with my phone but meh, then Tina has a new Samsung phone, the camera is wider, take it from her side then move to Julia’s, selfie, non-selfie, Moritz was a bit tired already but in the end we got das Foto that we satisfied, so, dinner officially started!

Still few hours before midnight, what did we do? we played game ofcourse! this house has every games but not on NYE haha so ironic! Julia’s sister borrowed one of the board game but we never lose sight, so we do our own DIY board game 😉

After our DIY board game, Julia introduced me to the NYE tradition, das Bleigiessen! We have to melt the metal and put it into the water then the chemical reaction of who knows what will shape that melted metal into a figure. We need to see that figure from an uncommon angle to find out what is it. On the back of the package it is written the meaning of any figure that might come out, this will be the “future” for ourselves.

I was so shocked when my figure came out, I was directly said it was Corona haha! but there is no Corona or virus behind the package of the Bleigiessen so in the end we chose it’s a nest 🙂 thanks God it has a nice meaning, haeusliches Glueck! Game-played, future-predicted, what’s missing? Alcohol!

With alcohol being getrunken, it is the signed that countdown is just around the corner! We were all very excited for the famous countdown from Berlin Brandenburg Gate!

And our countdown from 20 seconds then suddenly dropped to 13 then really countdown 🙂

Arrghh 2021, already a disappointment right after the clock strikes twelve haha not ready for this >.< however, no need to worry, Julia has another back up confetti, we put a big hope it will works.

And yes it does! With this, it is rightful to say that we welcome 2021 with open arms, big Umarmung for 2021 🙂

Me and Tina sleep over in Julia’s apartment and by the first January we had a very nice breakfast.

Life is good 🙂

Happy new year everyone! Sending you all virtual hugs 😉