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Ice Rice Gummi

#Marnilla Ice

During the dinner of my belated birthday celebrations last year with my Freunde-Gangs, we discussed about Karneval 2025, how they have a friend who could get us the ticket. Hell yeah to my first Karneval! Julius immediately got a brilliant idea “Du kannst als Asiastischer Reis verkleidet” LOL. I kind of like his proposal, stay true to my roots plus experiencing German culture #Why not?!

That evening, I got serious, couldn’t sleep, was searching the possible Reissack material for my costume. Initially my concept was to buy a big bag of rice maybe 25kg one, cut the label, sew it on white T-Shirts. Or I could be a rice cooker? Claudia said, “no, people in Germany will think you are an Air Fryer”, back to Reis.

  • How about this packaging?
  • No, if you wear the real Asian Reis, no one in Germany would understand. I think you should go with the orange “Uncle Bens”
  • Mehhhh, then the Asians wouldn’t get it.
  • It was actually easy, your costume will be all white, take “Jasmine Reis” buy some alphabets and sew it on. Hmmm maybe not Jasmine or else people will think your name is Jasmine, Basmati Reis to the rescue!

Everything’s set! Feli came to sew my rice!

She was very dedicated!

Julius was “wow! Es ist wirklich gut geworden” yeap, all thanks to her 🙂

I’m very satisfied with my costumes, it’s a normal one, doesn’t have to invest too much money. We are not a crazy Karneval fans after all, perhaps….. I might can wear it again? or I become a hardcore fans? #Who knows?!

D-day, I did home office at Claudias, Alina arrived later, we inaugurated Karneval with Berliner then off to Stadt mit K! Alaaf. Arrived our Hotel, since our idea were only to drink, therefore had early dinner at Olymp.

Draumfess is the name of the place where we will go celebrate Karneval, about 300 meters away is our Hotel 😉 The celebrations starts at 19:11 but we weren’t there on time haha still on preparation. Claudia thought I could have the white hair spray too, as the color of the rice is white, turns out it’s only enough for hers haha

On the Draumfess itself, they have a system where we need to buy some coupon, no card transaction, everything is with Bar #Germany, come on. We exchanged it with the drinks bzw. Schnapps, Feigling, Kölsch und Wasser.

There were performance from Tanzgruppe Flamme vum Rhing and Porzer Dreigestirn that we didn’t see, that’s why we couldn’t beuerteilen. However we saw a very very superb band called Aluis! I like them a lot, they are all handsome too hahaha what a bonus 😉 They’re really good, not only their faces but also their music, swaying from left to right, jumping #Top top top.

Next band is Fiasko, I only like their last song, sadly I couldn’t find it anywhere on YouTube, the lyric was “machs Gut! bis zum nächsten Mal” 🙂 There was a kind of Coldplay moments where one or two giant balls were thrown away, confetti, etc.

In every Karneval, they have Princess, Bauern and someone else.

Then the Guggenmusik Zieefägge, I don’t know what to expect, they are coming with a Truppe. I felt a bit weird for the flag holder… I mean can’t you have a stander for your flag then play some instrument? Hmmm

Not forget to mentioned DJ Pultt for all the music in between live performances 🙂 Without you, who will accompany our drinking session?

After all of that, I’m d-o-n-e! When we return back home, we arrived exactly at 11:11, the special number for Karneval fans! I even sofort got back to Dortmund, need to lie down on my bed, getting old has never been real #Snozzzzeeee

Thank you my friends for the evening, I really like it! any events to let me turn a valve, let off steam, verkleidet, drink and dance to the…. Karneval music hahaha. Will join again! Perhaps I’ll upgrade myself by taking a day off on Rosenmontag! #Man immer schlauer werden.

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It’s Me, Hi!

I’ve got my first visitor ever from the Hungover Games, yeay! finally can show the city I called home for the past… ehem…. 4 years 5 months 21 days #Still counting ~ till the day Dennis arrived. I really needed this day-off more than anything therefore I was genuinely happy he visited me 🙂

On his first day, I showed him what Dortmund has to offer, which are: our version of 南京西路, instead of having 外滩 at the end, we went to Ubahn Station to visit our second destination, Dortmunder U. Dennis, the U is from the Dortmunder, not from the U-Bahn 的 U.

They offer free Museum entrance, it has two floors with quiet interactive videos or “sounds” instalation if we press the very well hidden button. At first we were confused on where does the sounds come from until the security told us then we proceed with moving our asses from one button to the next haha

There is a room where they explained about one specific painting, how they transported it around Europe. While we looked around Dennis realized “oh this is the real box”.

Dennis wanted to have a magnet of Dortmund, I brought him to BVB Fanwelt. When we’re done we went back to the Ubahn Station where I almost brought him to the wrong direction. He said “Darling, we just went straight, did you already forget when I said ‘such a nice path’?” haha

Off again to our version of 南京西路 to have coffee at Maximilian. Once recharged, continued our daytrip to Phoenix See, it is always good to show the manmade lake alongs with the big houses from rich Dortmunder. Closed the day by having dinner at Mukii. We weren’t convinced if we want to have All You Can Eat, our response was: are we gonna able to eat more than 36 Euros? Dennis answered, “well, we will make sure we reach it!” It was like a fun and strategic eating, in order to reduce food waste, we can only order 8 dishes within 10 minutes.

We formulated so many strategy such as “okay maybe not all rice, let’s do some skewers” Followed by “let’s have snacks like Edammame” Done it. No matter how perfectly our plan in the brain, the executing was a bit difference. After 3 full rounds, the Ipad will be unlocked within 10 seconds, Dennis said “Darling, we need to order again” Boahhh…. were really full. In the end we can only eat full of 4,5 rounds, they did forget one menu which we were so greatful #Thanks God!

On his second day, I do HO whereas he went to Düsseldorf, only to come back ontime to see our Proud Dortmund: Signal Iduna Stadion. Hainka picked us up at my place, we went to the Schwimmbad not for schwimmen, only to gangged up with his friend before the game started. Okay, this is the moment, moving on to inside the Stadion. We were there one hour before kick off, they have the Camera shot to audiences, I realized they shot our area but I didn’t see myself. Dissappointed…. no more! the camera rolled once again. Hiiiii, it’s me! me me me me, here! 😀

We did felt the Euphoria for 3 seconds before BVB Goal was considered as Offside 🙁 Nevertheless, it was a good experience, at least I was on the screen! although it’s not for people outside the Stadion, yet it’s good enough for my existence 😉

Tausend Dank für Hainka and Kowal um Ticket zu besorgen, 谢谢 Dennis for being my guest #Till we meet again 🙂

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Reel to Real

I spent too many times on my phone, saw one reel on IG where Mercado in Spain changing the way of dating, by simply putting upside down pineapple in their shopping cart for someone who open to date #I know, it does have another meaning in the USA. Sent it to Feli saying “I gotta go grocery shopping in Spain”, be careful what you wished for #Genie is hearing. Few weeks later she sent another reel showing the same concept in Edeka Germany. Do I have Edeka near me? Yeap about 1,5km away.

As if the distance is not a problem, it came literally to my Rewe!

They did put it in the middle, instead in the front where people getting in #OMG, complaining, proof I’m already eingedeutsch. Even Hainka texted me saying “you could change the basket”

It’s real, not reel anymore, didn’t I wished for this? After hearing Sophie grabbed the pink basket, can’t remember if Feli did that too hmmm… well, I’m not on any App, this is the traditional way where people got rejected for real and not with Emojis.

Proud me, I took it! did someone talk to me? of course not, they’re Germans! What do you expect 😉

Nevertheless I have done my part #Klopf mir stolz auf die Schulter.

First step is always the hardest, from now on I’ll be brave on taking any baskets.

#Anytime, anywhere 😉

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Good Karma

It was end of January when I #wie immer sleepover at Claudia’s, we were in the living room, Alina proposed an idea “let’s do Murmeltierlauf for 7,5km” it’s the virtual walking activity, you walk on your own then upload your results.

She meant to do it only for the three of them as they always do Sport on Saturday, the place was about 3 km away therefore they thought let’s walk to Sport and walk back. The Mascott is a very cute Murmel, Claudia even thought to buy the Medallion too, decided against it, cost too much money, let’s just pay the registration fee 5Euro. Alina clicked next “oh the Mindesteilnehmerzahl ist 4. Julius immediately “Marlyn, danke dass du da bist” #ins Schwarze getroffen. Haha Okay, let’s do it then, I’ve done the 12km Firmenlauf, I can do 7,5km lauf. “Willst du aber?” fragt Claudia, yeah, it’s OK but then we have to do it on a Sunday as we can’t really time the Saturday if the Bahn will be on time or not to catch your time after sport. With that say, I came back to Claudia’s the following week.

I’ve got the favourite number for every Chinese, 800! This will brings me luck!

Julius does have an extra tracker that he couldn’t wear anymore due to Metal allergie, he lend me #behaupte his Withings. We did the set up, at their place there are a lot of Bluetooth devices, “maybe this one?” nope it’s my watch “how about this?” also no it’s my phone.

We managed to find the correct Withings Bluetooth, we couldn’t connect it because Julius still have the App on his phone. He removed it and I said “don’t do that, I will only wear for today” of course not, it belongs to you now. Whooaaaaa!!!! good karma, what goes around comes around 🙂

I simply have to be on the right place at a right time so they can participate, in return I got a new watch with Fitness trackers! Thank youuuuuuu.

Since it will be like a normal spazieren at Nordwest, I wear jeans + leg warmer + sunglasses + heiße Veste + Jacket; while the three were sportier, they all have proper Wanderschuhe #Germans, always prepared!

Alina brought Wilma, a very smart dog! we walked on the Berg, the weather really plays a significant role, it was brezzy yet bearable. I did have a Gevelsberg view from the top. In the km where I thought already half done, only to get it shattered completely, was barely 2km hahaha oh nooooo. Julius commented “my friend, you need to walk” Hey I’m moving but I need to decide where to put my feet to the not so muddy grass.

Almost at the end, Alina found what could be my Lebensversicherung for this year Kirmes? Had it’s not broken, we already saved 13 Euro 😉 How long did it take me? Almost 2 hours haha FYI Father, don’t worry I’m not the last 🙂

Egal, Hauptsache we made it! #Sunday well spent, good job! Here is the compilation videos made by Alina 🙂

http://marlynpraseli.com/2024/06/30/lebensversicherung/

http://marlynpraseli.com/2018/09/13/daddys-rules-number-1/

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When and What?

It was just a normal Saturday, I’ve done my Yoga class, at the end of the course my Yoga teacher Anke said “there is a Demonstration against one politic partei in front of Reinoldikirche at 11:00 AM and BVB Spiel at 15:30” I thought she was just reminding us about traffic possibility or crowd to avoid. Little did I knew she asked me if I also joining the Demo. Hä? What?

I’ve never been participate in any Demonstration regarding anything, let alone Politic in a country where I’m not a citizen of. Well, I’m going to the city center anyway, read: to DM which is located around Reinoldikirche. “How about if we meet in the city center?” I’m thinking…… komm, give it a try, how does it looks or feels like.

Once we were there, she was satisfied that quiet people do showed up with their childrens, dogs, having some banners although the info was relativ kurzfristig. We followed a car a.k.a voice quelle where one lady keep screaming all the time, chill out gurl, all the people gathered there sind schon einig, there is no need for shouting.

The demonstration continues, while we biegen ab to DM for me and to Bank for her. She was so happy I participated otherwise she would walk alone, we also took some merch home 😉

What a turns out of an event O.O, can’t say if I really one step smarter in politic, was there just as a begleiterin for her.

Happy voting Germans, use your voice correctly!

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It Ends Tonight

Nordwest would give a Lotto for the employee who had their Rundegeburtstag. Didn’t know about it but Julia did, she contacted Personalabteilung when I still haven’t received mine. At that time, Hainka & Me were the two who already works at Nordwest while had our Rundegeburtstag. He told me to download the Aktion Mensch App therefore they would inform us if we win it.

I looked at the Lotto, “Julia, if I win, does it means I got 3.000 Euro Netto each month for 20 year?” Yes, du kannst sofort NW kündigung. “Oh, mache ich! ihr werdet mich nieeee wieder sehen. Chao Kakao!” 😀 she said “don’t forget to invite someone ~me who make sure you got your Lotto” Never Julia, never! #Promised.

It became a habbit that every week I received a notification from Aktion Mensch to see if my number is winning.

It never does, 52 weeks are over 🙁

It ends tonight!

Seems I need to go back to work work work work work #Phew!

Or…. try my luck 😉 buy another Lotto mwahaha #Two sides of everything

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The Moment I Knew – Safe Version

A peculiar traditions millions of German do on NYE is watching a black and white English language television sketch called Dinner for One. First time I watched it in year 2020 with Julia, they were all laughing ~ only one not. It’s safe to say “we have a different kind of humour” don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad or so, it’s just not as funny as what the Germans thought.

The whole sketch was about 2 same sentences repeated by James the Butler to Miss Sophie and her answers. What are those two sentences? You’ll see 😉

One day, Hainka texted me regarding Kirmes Soest in November, ah yes! need to remember the dates; Gevelsbergs is end of June, Schwelm is at beginning of September while Soest ist November. We decided to go on the first day because other than that day I would be in Berlin, when I’m back the Kirmes is finished. Me, Hainka and Lena were the fixed member, Hainka said Monicita & gangs will join too. Well, in that case I’ll ask Feli + PV. I know PV is not a big fans of Kirmes but I don’t want him to feel left out. In the end….. it doesn’t even matter ohhh ohhh why? Only the fixed member made it 🙂

This guy inspired me! I told both of them we need to dress the same like last year. Check our photos!

We reminisce our last year path; repeated the one we liked : Ampelschnapps + try the Bullenaugeschnapps #Lecker! + skip the one we don’t #No crazy carousels #Safe Kirmes I want

My favourite game which I cannot restrain from: Froggyyyyyy still with Promat Hammer. I will keep playing until I got the froggy!

Oh gosh 😀 was very confused as to why the frog is still there when I know I hit something, I could hear the sound yet no Frogs jumping haha #Nicht den Tisch kaputt machen

What was the two sentence from Dinner for One that they said over and over again?

In less than 24 hours we will step into new years, will we have same procedure as every year in 2025? 😉

Salute to the next 365 journey ahead!

#Let’s do this!

http://marlynpraseli.com/2023/11/25/the-moment-i-knew/

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The Last Man Standing Crew – Part 2

Last working day in year 2024, Monday the 30th of December. Rise and Shine, no-sunny-day in Germany. #Somethings stays the same.

Empty the Bahn, were only 2 including me in the wagon O.O

Arriving NW at the same time with Thomas, Krissy and Matthias were already in the reception. Hallo! Kollege des letzten Arbeitstages 😀

Who else? meet the last man standing crew from 2. Flügel 2 featuring Pörtner, Christin, Sebhil, Dennis, Thomas, PV und meine einjährige Tasche #Toddler who has a sister now! Stofftasche von Alina 😀 #Work work work work work

We have more or less the same member with last year #Wir halten die Stellung! Are we (still) the fittest amongst the fittest or maybe the one that should’ve planned their holiday better haha #Always 2 ways to see it

See you in year 2025 Nordwestler!

http://marlynpraseli.com/2023/12/30/the-last-man-standing-crew/

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Ihr seid verrückt! – Part 2

October 22nd, Chantal messaged me that she and Sophie were planning to celebrate my nachträglicher Geburtstag. She asked if I will be free on 28.12. My initial reaction was “Hä? Dezember? it still far… however knowing I don’t have holiday no more which means I’ll be in Dortmund, I said yes.

I received this message on Christmas. What?!?! was in shocked! #Never see that coming!

Sophie told I need a DE Ticket, maximal I can think is I’m going to their Heimat. This birthday gift was so above & beyond from both of them, voll ins Schwarze getroffen, can’t thank them enough!

Took the train from Dortmund Hbf to Köln at 08:45, mind you they were not from Dortmund ~ both started their journey one hour earlier. Heading to Brühl then took a shuttle bus cost 5 Euro on top pfffff on Lego Land they didn’t charge you more money, I only have 6 Euro on cash #Knapp!

Phantasialand opened at 11:00 we arrived around 11:40 ish. First attraction is Berlin area. We went to Das verrückte Hotel Tartüff, it’s like a fun house where they put furniture upside down, crazy elevator, moving carpet etc. In the end we can slide down only had to took off our shoes, oh yeah, saw it “Sophie, it’s quiet deep” she responded “Ach Marlyn, egal” #Fun 😀

Chantal want take Wellenflug carousel in front of fake ice-ice skating, let’s gooooo. It’s very relaxing to see the view from the top.

Walked passed Mexico, what do they have here? Wasserbahn mehhhh don’t want to get wet; the free fall towers auch mehhh; Talocan 13 x award winning top spin oh neeeee; Colorado Adventure it is! the descriptions were multi award winning family mine roller coaster. I’d say it fits for adults too, the track was outside + inside the dark tunnel, most thrilling was when we were in the dark tunnel, I thought it will go up only it goes down.

Moving on to Deep in Africa, Sophie recommended we must ride Black Mamba ~ the 18 x award winning suspended roller coaster in the heart of the jungle. Bring it on! I like the way we waited for Black Mamba, we do not go to a maze like normal, we “were” in the jungle vibe area, feels like I made a circle to it’s track. Right after, while we casually walking, I said “let’s go here, waiting time is only 5 minutes” it was an Adventure Trail which was easy, yet at the end there is a slide, boy oh boy my Ass hurt! the Slide is not like in das verrückte Hotel Tartüff, it’s made out of round steels like the type where you put your bag into an X-Ray #Poor my bones.

China Town is the area where we sit down in warm inside Restaurant Madschu for refilling our energy. We had a meet & greet with Dragon Wang, went to Europe’s longest underground ghost train Geister Rikscha. It was just sitting, chilling & seeing, we need it for Verdauung.

Reality kicks in, we are still missing 2 areas, Mystery and Fantasy. Los geht’s! Mystery Castle is next, we saw a seat that for me was familiar, reminded me of a screen illusion where they take us to a journey somewhere as if we were flying or tauchen, at least that’s what I expected in mind. We were seated, it was pitch dark, any moment the screen will appears. Holy guacamole! it was a free fall tower to which has awarded 16 times! None of us expected it! My feet clinged onto Chantal’s feet, shocking wasn’t do the justice. Turned on the dim light, we were somewhere on the top, going down, middle back to the top finally back to ground. I thought they will rocketed us again, thank’s God that wasn’t the case. I was gobsmacked “what the hell just happened?!” laughing as it was so much entertainment! The Mystery castle indeed a mystery.

At 17:00 they illuminate whole places, it was wonderful, Christmas spirit’s everywhere, walked around, took some beautiful pictures, absorbing these keepsakes <3

There are still some roller coasters left alas we couldn’t do it, only went in to Fantasy area then gift shop then ab nach Bushaltestelle. Unfortunately we didn’t see any shows, there was a fireworks at the end at 19:50 but since we took public transport, the connection wasn’t in our favor, we need to leave earlier. I think for next time I would stay in one of their theme park hotel and really take the paper Landkarte other than downloading the app. We did have the physical map in the end, only didn’t realized every ride has a descriptions, well! had we read it, we would miss the element of surprise from mystery castle 😉

Really appreciate both of you Chantal & Sophie for thinking to gift me this. What a brilliant way for us ~ me especially to mark the end of the year with Wintertraum.

Wondering what would the three of us would do next year? #alle guten Dinge sind drei.

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Ce Christmas Chronicles Conmigo

What kind of Christmas sequence I’ve done this year? Surprisingly didn’t go as much to Dortmunder Weihnachtsmarkt as before, perhaps A. I always passed by City Center every time I visit my doctor or buy something at DM. Therefore B. I didnt feel the necessity to dedicate really some time to physically be there.

Nevertheless I went to two cities 🙂 exploring Soest with Hainka, Lena and Freundin. They know what + where to get. We three #Not Lena did the “challenging” task mwahaha which was went to toilet at Extrablatt because we dont want to pay the fee mwahaha Don’t like to break the rule yo! #Eingedeutsch but still Asian in blood, give my jacket to Lena so they thought Im one of their customer, entered with confidence! Steady, slow #Misschief managed! Only then we can explore in Ruhe, we had Wurst & Chocolates. I also tried some Probe they put in front of the stand.

Our annual Nordwest Weihnachtsfeier! Still remember how we weren’t being picked up from the bus station therefore Monicita & Ignacio drove us there, Hainka also didn’t take the bus. We sat with our QM Thomas, when the dance floor opened, he was very excited to start dancing yes we three were on the Tanzfläche. Hainka spent almost all the time I was there on the Theke drinking Beer. When the strikes hits 00:00 I still want to stay, timeline for bus is either at 00:00 or 02:00. Monicita came to me “I’m going back” “I’m not” “Yes but Aylin drove me back to my place” “Whatt? OK then I’m going back too” Fabian picked us up, he bekommt Beilage 😉 P.S I had some improvement, didn’t get sick this time #Yeay!

We didn’t go to Dortmund Weihnachtsmarkt mainly due to a super unangenehmen conversation PV heard during his time there, urged him to report it to Police. We opted for dinner at Base Kitchen with Weihnachtsspirit ~ Nikolaus sponsored by Freundin 🙂

Andrea made up for missing my birthday & combine it with Münster Weihnachtsmarkt. There is no special Baum like the Dortmund one and quiet separate, there were 6 of it scatter around, we only went to 5 as it was raining. Then we had my favourite cocktail of all time from a Peruvian Restaurant: Pisco Sour! #Baby you’re all that I want. Afterwards went back to her place, took a bit of Pause, I gladly became her Elf on packing Christmas gift. I requested her for a Pasta allo Scoglio dinner #Never better 😀

Heiligabend went to Cafe Helene at Recklinghausen + Weihnachten with Freundinnnn #4 years and keep going. It was amazing wie immer! look at these meat! #Carpaciooooo #Nomnomnom

I got a tons of variety presents, from symbolic to useful to meaningful to ‘so me’ look how creative all my friends are. I am so proud to be able to call them friends. Nothing more perfect other than wrapping the year with counting your blessings.

Shout out to Claudia & Gio, Freundin & Freund, Selina, Julius Mama, Alina Penguina, Andrea, Martin. Professionally to Kubala and Flexport #If they want to keep getting order, better treat me right 😉

Merry Christmas, everyone #HO HO HO