Posted on

How I Met Thomas’ Wife

On the 5th of July, one of our pioneer member of Food Nerds had his Civil Marriage in Bozen. They are legally married <3.

Alas couldn’t be there on their Standesamtliche Trauung, sure I’ll be on their Hochzeitsfeier at full length 🙂

They planned it so well for us all, shuttle bus pick us up from Castel Latemar, we had some time to get our first drink until Manuel and Rickard aka Thomas’ bestmen ~ not a typo, meant exactly for bestmen, as in men, not man, got it 😉 ~ guided us to sit on the benches.

Music starts, Thomas came out walking side by side with his mother, damn! it built up some feelings in me ~ not yet cry. Seeing Thomas stand at the sogennante ‘podium’ waiting for Janine who later walked with her father. Jackpot, this is the moment where I shed some tears, I’m sure Cecile and Sara too #The scene was just too beautiful.

The dual language bestmen explains who was involved in making stars aligned for them. Vows exchanged, put on wedding rings, opened up the champagne with knife! ain’t it cool? The both nailed it!

It was a very memorable moment when both of them looked at us from their ‘podium’. Come here, we are ready to give you hugs! We really did our job by blowing the bubble soap. Claudia, Sara and I was very total on it, we blew it as if our lives depends on it.

Before they went to have their own photo session, we gotta have ours, the Shanghai group. While they’re gone, we got many many Appetizers, lecckerrr!! At some point, me, Claudia and Nino decided to stay inside, it was warm + we could sit + quiet until…..

…..the Xelom guy arrived in style. I was like häää? what’s the sudden noise? what’s happening? oh we need to get out? we saw this giant machine ~ I think it’s called Tractor / Schlepper / Bulldog have no idea what’s the official name is. As a matter of fact, I don’t know how did it got there? We drove passed it with shuttle bus yet didn’t see those machine parked.

Engineers life, one wrong button caused whole gas coming up! just like what the Xelom guy said “this is how it feels like to work with Thomas every day” I said to Nino who is currently heavily pregnant “wear your mask”

Thomas’ colleagues prepare some games. First is Janine need to drive the machine, seems doable eh? no no no there are some tricks, they changed the program, I think left to right and front to back. She managed it! took the present out: its a Bobby car. Second game is Thomas’ turn to drive it, they played a Folk South Tyrolean song from the mountain haha #that’s what Philip said. Janine gave instructions how Thomas should drive, in the middle he need to sing a song whose lyrics was only “Auto fahren Auto fahren Auto fahren” for the whole 3 minute-ish, continued with parked the Bobby car.

Since I’ve never been to any of it, I use the chance to get in into this machine. At the same time, Sara and Fiona was on the back of the truck jumping, dancing, screaming whatever things they’ve done in Shanghai, they did it there. Of course its provokes other people too such as Cecile, Chris, Armin. Out of nowhere Rickard brought me there. Fiona said “the Xelom guy seems not very happy about it” Dude, we are doing a drop / endurance / jumping test on this machine, they better be grateful 🙂 Then one of the Xelom’s daughter also join us yeayyy!!! #We are TNT, Dynamite.

Getting in for Abendessen, there was no seat arrangement, me, Diego and Claudia need to count many times if the seats are enough for us or not haha. Appetizer, main course was very good! On the other side from my table is a group of football fans, I felt FOMO need to come over to see Switzerland vs England.

Followed by dessert and pinata. The Pinata was kind of a revelation how scary when two sporty people comes together. They didn’t hit it, in another word they missed… nevertheless, their swing was so strong! Everyone need to abstand halten, if they hit you with the bat you are having Feierabend.

Their first dance was so perfect! Have no idea how long they trained for. Janine was “be careful, we need this space” They really do need that space, spin around, backflip, what the hell just happening yo? Suddenly jingle “All the single ladies, all the single ladies” we lined up but none of Food Nerds get it. Claudia said to Sara “You didn’t even try to catch it” It’s OK Sara didn’t get the flower because Diego got the Garter #Same same but different 🙂

Remember I’ve told you about some people on the other side of the table was a football fans? She’s still going on, on the dance floor we knew Netherlands went to the next round! Janine moms change our Limbo game into tug of war #Impromptu games. The “Hey DJ, we want Avicii song” banner being showed, I’m sure this is 100% Rickard as a Swedish himself. What’s more? dancing after dancing after dancing!

At some point during the party, the hat occasion which worthy of story by itself. But for now, we can introduce it to the crowd 🙂

Obviously the Food Nerds took the last shuttle at 01:30 #Right on schedule. As I said we’ve been there at full length.

Thank you for letting me to be a part of your wedding. It was really herrlich you gathered up the Food Nerds Gang again! I miss you all so much! We should do this more often XOXO

I am very proud of my friends; Christian is a loving father to her daughter Juli who won’t put pressure on her. Ooops, wait let me correct my sentence directly, he put 北大 shirt on Juli when we met at the Bus Station from Bozen to Karersee, he did said “no pressure” hmmm…. right, that is exactly how no pressure looks like 😉

Sara & Diego is buying a house on the beach! They said the water from the beach is literally there, I gotta visit them yo, next vacation destination confirmed! #Take my money!

Fiona with business of homemade butter, chenpi lemon balm and jujube ginger balm. You gotta make more products for some people aka me who don’t eat bread hahaha I’m very excited to try two of your products!

Claudia & Giovanni, the power couple who constantly become the heart of every party. Always involving people, knows how to have fun, never missed a chance to party such as inviting us to come to their home for Oktoberfest where perhaps we will all sleeping together on the floor #I’m on! Claudia in any circumstances is very beautiful like a Princess but be careful she is very crazy at the party, we know her…. for a long time 😉

Last but not least, to the man of the night, Thomas my friend. I am very grateful we met back in 2016, watched F1 either live or in Cages Sports Bar, our eating rituals at Bar Centrale, explaining pros & con of studying MBA, introducing me to Food Nerds gangs with whom I’m still friends until now, you are a part of my Shanghai life that made it more colorful than it would be, I have you to thank for. I am very happy you met your other half, big congrats once again on your wedding, wishing you a lifetime love and happiness 白头到老！

It was a legend….. wait for it….. dary, legendary!

And that, kids, is how I met Thomas’ wife 😀

http://marlynpraseli.com/2024/07/13/kann-ja-nicht-alles-unter-einen-hut-bekomme/

Photos + videos was taken from all of us on the group, I can’t really remember other than Armin and Claudia’s. Visibly the high quality professional pictures are from Gabriel Eisath www.gabriel-eisath.com / @gabriel.eisath / info@gabriel-eisath.com

Heart icons created by Kiranshastry – Flaticon

Posted on

Je suis Susi – Part 3

Morning walk with Susi to the Hay, saw horses, wore Flannie together #Matchy matchy. We coincidentally met our Landlord, at first she spoke French to us, none of us understood here, we can’t say Je suis Susi or whatnot right. Schwager replied “Allemand” then she strike a conversation auf Deutsch with French accent. Whoaaa felt like home! it’s very useful to know German hay!

Second try of sightseeing in Colmar. We had our best ice cream so far. Kept coming back to the shop, from three Kugeln on a Becher to one Kugel on a cone to two Kugel on a Becher. The more Kugel in one purchase desto billiger, we should’ve have done the math pffff. Don’t worry, we didn’t overlook Susi, we also gave her some tiny bits 🙂

At some point, the beauty overwhelmed us, let’s drive home, we have some Boci to played. Put Susi to nap, while I prepared our Boci. We made our own rule, hit the ball to the stick. We were laughing a lot because Sissy didn’t even aim, she just hit randomly. It took her 6-7 tries on one stick before she get the grip out of it. See the glitch in Matrix where we laughed the same way 😀 We closed our Boci game after 3 rounds and had our kind of photo session.

It was our last night in this AirBnB, very peaceful, I like the idea of going to Supermarkt, cook at home, eat in the Patio until…. we got unwanted guess. Schwager suddenly said “Hello Buddy!” my back was facing the so genannte “entrance” therefore my first response was who the hell is Buddy coming in this hour?!?! Should I run? break the plate, take the fraction of the plate? In my mind it’s a lost person or thief, be aware it’s dark plus not to mention the obvious, we were in the middle of nowhere. Can you guess who is the Buddy he meant? it’s someone’s dog haha all good! he must have been smelling our food.

Sun rises, we didn’t want to leave the Tiny House but we have too. We need to leave Je suis Susi country to be back to Ich bin Wurst. Not gonna lie, I feel so good to be back to Germany haha the country where I can speak the language!

Before we moved to Wurst, I just want to clarify something. Susi ist the niedlichen version of Sausage or Sosis in Indonesian and here is the blatant proof of “why” 🙂

#Which one should I eat?

So far seems like a relax day closing our trip hey? just wait, it’s about to reveal sooner than later 😉

Alsace, you’ve been good! Merci!

https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/salami

https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/breastfeeding

https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/file-device-driver

Posted on

Je suis Susi – Part 2

Back to Susi! can’t be parted long from the cheeky chunk of meat 😉 Our next destination is Colmar. In between there is a castle called Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg, our pit stop.

Where to park? There were many cars parking on the so genannte “Parkplatz” 700 meters before the Chateau, we ain’t gonna park there, noone gonna carry Susi for 700 meters, proceed drive further. We parked 200 meters away, with this distance ist Susi tragbar #Agreed!

Susi was very aufmerksam the whole time, look here and there as if she understood everything whilst zip her mouth hmmmm or pull my hair.

The Chateau is quiet refreshing, was a good decision to stop there. We had a noice lunch at the Chateau’s Restaurant, looked at the cakes, yep we got it too! Susi had a Kindersitz with a little marbles on it for playing. She’s doing super great!

Before we continued our journey, she need to have a new diaper. Oh diapers! Remember I bought her diapers the day before right? it was the damn wrong one, there are two types heyyyy, the real diapers with straps or the pants diaper. Of course I bought the pants diaper which was meant for babies who has been potty trained. How did we changed her pants diaper? #Disaster! Went with Sissy to the bathroom, boah! Sissy said “hold her, hold her” I looked on the other side saying “my hand is holding her body, I think it’s her feet”

She managed it in the end, out from the loo, I felt I was grasping for air, wanted to put her back to either Baby Björn or Pram until she realized there were one dot of residue on Susi’s leg, Sissy scream “Bebesup, Bebesup (read: baby wipes), gimme now now now” Schwager searched for it, I tried to pour water to her leg. I don’t have any water on my bottle left but Susi does! Took her bottle who’s already Childsafe approved, you need to suck the straw, only then the water will come out. It won’t work by turning the bottle upside down hahaha! Well, at least I tried!

What’s more important is…. Susi is now clean, safe and sound, aman sentosa. Get going, makes our way to Colmar-Adjacent.

We need to turn around 2 times as google mislead us. Our second accommodation was in fact in the middle of nowhere, very very very countryside like a tiny house with everything you need! Never have I experienced it! Adults are happy, Susi is happy, everything just fell into place, we need this goddamn relax to close our trip #Slow life.

I chose to sleep on the sofa, it was only around 20:30. Sissy and Schwager decided to have something to eat, yet they rather eat it inside on the small round table next to the Sofa or my feet (if I lay down) than outside on the Patio. What a view they could have.

They prepared the evening + food, closed the curtain, there is still some gap. Schwager did a DIY curtain to block the morning sunniesssss. Hmmm still not enough, moved the table and chair where they supposed to eat, into other side to be able to hold the hanged the clothes. Looks good, all bedeckt…. but…. where will they eat? Right next to my face had I sleep in, so I ate too hihihi

Next morning, went to visit Schwager’s relative in Colmar.

Oh this City is welcoming me! Hello ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mar-Lyn. The Col is on my left hand side which is not something you need to worry about 😉

The food was good, the location is in the middle of city center. Susi is having her fancies Kindersitz ever! All went well!

Will we get a full relax to close our trip though?! That’s a mystery we were about to unfold, brace yourself 😉

Old icons created by smalllikeart – Flaticon

https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/salami

https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/breastfeeding

https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/file-device-driver

Posted on

Je suis Susi

We need to get ourselves used to “Bonjour” “Allemand” since we are in French bzw. Strasbourg!

Wawa booked an apartment which is much much much oh sorry we need to say beaucoup beaucoup beaucoup bigger than our pervious Unterkunfts, it’s also in a center-adjacent area. Susi (we are in French, do as the French does, not saying the word S in the end) and I got our own room… although she sleeps in a travel cot on the floor nevertheless 😉

It is boucu boucu boucu hot heyyyy!!!! at the same time boucu pretty! Were totally overwhelmed by the beauty of Strasbourg. Owing to the fact that none of us eingecremt, we went inside the cathedral to “hide” from the sun for a bit.

No…. it won’t cut it…. the heats makes us feels tired, Susi’s too, we decided to go back, do a bit of nap. Snoozed until I heard Susi’s laugh or her crawling sound. The cheeky baby has woken up 🙂 in another word, we need to transfer into “go go go” mode before she shut down again in 3 hours. Clock is ticking! Change clothes, wash face, sunscreen!

Our first destination is La Petite Alsace, instead of following Google maps, we were back to ancient times, pay attention to “sun time” as in where is the shade?!?! the path with shadow is the path we choose.

Oh ice cream, you are so delicious! We had three scoops of ice cream in one Becher. Susi was with her father on Baby Björn, I was taking her pram, left Wawa who’s in charged for feeding us the ice cream, shouldn’t have trusted her, she did cheat sometimes. For example “OK, last Chocolate” “No it’s not, there is still some spoons left, how can it be the last? it ain’t the last scoop yo” #I didn’t born yesterday 😉

Bridge!! you protect us!! we saw two dogs swams on the water, cathing balls, taking sticks, cool down… how I… still not want to do that haha I know it’s very hot yet not to the point I’m gonna jump into the water #facepalm. Few more steps later, I witness something really cool science in this canal. A tourist boat went in between two doors, then the level of water raised until it’s enough for the front gate to be opened so this boat can get through. It’s pretty cool in real life. This La Petite Alsace is very picturesque 🙂 Love it so much!

I think we called it a day, were satisfied already, went back home, bought KFC!

The next morning, we had our learning curve from yesterday, went in the morning right after Susi’s woke up before her first nap to walk to the bridge. The sun wasn’t too strong at that time, no need for sunscreen.

As we walked, we passed again the yesterday La Petite Alsace… Hmm… the geographic of the bridge is right above us…. where is the damn stairs? how about Susi? don’t worry, we carry her! if she could say perhaps she thought “Hello you all Peasant, I’m a Princess”

Before her first nap is her very fresh status, Susi is so kissable. Being kissed by a baby is what I called win in life!

Wait it’s not the bridge we intended to go! don’t let this win distract from the real destination! This is the bridge, we let Susi explore the pavement.

Time for her and ours first nap! zzzzzz. On the second time we awake, we think…. a good lunch would be great, let’s search something. We were back to the cathedral alley thingy. I have just learned that food isn’t the priority for us, rather if a restaurant have a high chair für Susi #Princess.

Susi was a bit uncontrollable, not sure why, maybe too hot? She did calm down when she hear the street performance played some music for a while. Susi touched the pot that still hot for a baby, not for an adult, screamed, huhu she isn’t kissable again, she became cheeky! Grabbing everything, taking my glasses #kiddos!

That was it! our afternoon, went back again for our second nap 😉 yes! travelling with baby is full with up and down sleeping. I am not getting not enough sleeping time, I got it, just in a different way, the accumulated hours way

Third attempt! we went to a Museum close by.

Because Susi went back to sleep, I left in the Museum alone… out of nowhere, I got an Archimedes EUREKA! What exactly is that? that’s story for another time 🙂

Salami icons created by Freepik – Flaticon

Breastfeeding icons created by Freepik – Flaticon

File device driver icons created by Freepik – Flaticon

Posted on

Not April Fool’s Day

What a day to get married hey?!

I can imagine this situation somewhere down the road:

  • Question: Oh you are a married couple, congratulations. When is your wedding date?
  • Answer: First of April.
  • Question: hmm….are you fooling me?
  • Answer: No, it was a real wedding.
  • Question: …..right, in Las Vegas?

Haha Mikha messaged me via IG obviously it was an automatic forward message #very not personal, at least my name was on it 😉 It’s about his wedding information for anyone who want to see via YouTube live streaming. It will be at 14:00 in Bandung meaning 9 AM in Germany. Yes, I for sure will wake up to watch his wedding!

I know Mikha since I was 12 years old from SD Yahya Bandung, Class 6C. To say he was my classmates is underrated as I remember I was sitting next to him. I’m not sure how primary school in Germany like but in Indonesia you always sit with someone. One table two chairs, the teacher rotates our seats from time to time either every 2 weeks or 2 months however she wants. I don’t know if it was randomly or it’s because his name is Mikha and my name (well hope you do know my name) is Marlyn. I was a new kid in Bandung in that class with no friends or ability to speak Sundanese. Mikha was my good sit-mates, no bullying although at that time bullying wasn’t a real word, I meant no make fun of me to the point where I almost cry, over joking etc. He was a calm and kind kid 🙂

We also studied in the same Junior High School also at Yahya Bandung, I think I was at the same class with him again on my 2nd year. How do I know that? Well, once he saw my picture with Aldrich and Alvin, he sent my picture from our yearly book when I was on the 1st and 3rd year of Junior High, he lost the 2nd year book somewhere, therefore there was no proof whether I’m on the same class with him, I do think so…. Mikhaaaa, find it please! haha We went to separate senior high school so we kind of lost contact, anyway there was one time a Reunion and there he was!

IG connected us again, talked to him long time ago while he was still in Manila, I was in Shanghai, we never met again ever since that Reunion. Thanks to social media I can still see what my friends up to, including him. That’s why when I received the message that he’s getting married, I need to goddamn watch the streaming!

He looks sharp on his wedding day 🙂

Excuse me, Mr Priest haha why you have to asked him in the middle of your sermon?!?! can’t you see that he was blanked? like he ain’t even ready to talk let alone answer your question! I was giggling as you can really see that he didn’t expect it. He handled it quiet well though 😉

Let me documented the most important part of the wedding.

First and foremost is the wedding vow. I was surprised he didn’t even need a paper to say that many sentences. Everyone can see how he took a deep breath, talk to Michelle or to himself to calm down. It is a big promise hey, you got to remember it for the rest of your life. Followed by the wedding ring, they measured it really well no struggle whatsoever to their sweet-finger 🙂 right after is opening bride’s veil plus wedding kiss, blessing from Mr Priest, signing the marriage certificate. Viola! they are legally married 🙂

Once they are legally married, they went to visit their parents. I really like the way Indonesian Photographer, saw a very touching moment where all of them cried, instead of giving time to absorb the moment, they just rushed in to take the pictures haha #such a solidarity #just doing my job

Right after the supposedly touching moments both of them are happy again #kids ckckck 😉

Basically the wedding is already finished only left for photo session from each family and friends. Congratulations for both family.

I really heard the MC said “please hold your selfie as our time is limited and we’d better proceed with the salaman” yeah Indonesian Netizen doesn’t even care #but first, let me take a selfie selfie selfie selfie

For all who watched online, Indonesian Netizen really have done their job, including me haha I’m afraid this streaming won’t work because I have seen the slideshows many times so I asked when will it start. However, I like the comment saying that the organizer need to find a better angle to shoot the event 😀 #top that!

Happy Wedding and Congratulations to you Mikha, I am proud to see you on your wedding day, to see what you’ve become. Have a blessed family ahead. God bless!

Posted on

Double-double

What is this double-double, is it a shopping deal? double 11 double 12? double date? yes, it is! but the literal meaning of double date which is double the date, not the people, just the date and that happened few days ago 12.12.2020 see! how many double is that? double-double 😉 what is so special about that date anyway, not because it won’t happen again, more important is because that is the day that my best friend for 12+ years (and still counting) got married!

Whether I am in Germany or not I still cannot come because of Corona the church only limited guest to 30 people and Indonesian people are a lot! 30 people won’t enough to cover one side of the family, you’re missing one 0 behind yo! haha so in the wedding it was only family of bride (my besties) and groom. Family here was literally father-mother and siblings and that’s it! because the rest was pastor, people who works for church, cameraman etc and 30 people filled up pretty quickly. So how do we watch it? via live-streaming! you’re wedding is like a celebrity that being live-streamed so whole normal non-guess people could witness it haha

I was really happy and close to cry the moment I knew she’s getting married and once I got the message via WA it’s all getting real, people! What can I do from my part is set the alarm, put it on calendar and make sure I got the time difference right!

Since I got myself a new TV so I need to test it and what is the best way to test a TV other than by watching my bestfriend got married in a big screen! I tested it the day before to make sure the link works.

AAAAA! So nervous… eh? why should I?

But just like every technical things can go wrong, right on the day I mistyped some words and it said “the video was unavailable” and I was like wtf! I saw it myself it was working yesterday so for few minutes I watched it from my phone while I re-entered the link and just the moment where she entered the church I got it on TV 🙂

Novi told me that she wanted to get married and got blessed by her favorite Pastor and that is the Pastor? he’s so young yo! are you sure you’re qualified to be a Pastor at that young age? haha 😉 The Pastor was funny he told how both of them started from friends then in a relationship and got married, he’s such an up-to-date Pastor huh.

Of course the moment I waited in a whole wedding was when they have their wedding promise, I could hear Novi’s voice break out and me- being on the other side of the world- was touched by it. You’d better keep your promise to her, Ricky! Just remember she’s got a psychopath 8!tch- on the other side of the world- ready to come and get you if you don’t #devil’s laugh haha

The second most touching moment was when (I’d like to say both of them but nope, only Novi) she went to her parents and ask for a blessing. I like that they didn’t give Novi or Ricky a microphone while they were talking to both parents. Seriously, in some wedding I saw how bride talk to her parents thank you bla bla bla on a microphone and of course what do you expect, both of them cried lalala but this is such personal things, no need to let everyone hears and who wants to hear you sobbing voice anyway #dunno OMG I sounded like a crazy 8!tch haha

With the mask, I’m not sure which one is your mother but yeah here is both of the pictures 😉

Then, the ceremony was almost finished, I think it took about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Last and not least is the photo session but since you’re watching it online so you can’t really see them closely because there were always a photographer’s standing in front of your screen. Here you can see the Pastor on and off his duty.

It was really like watching a movie, they had a “thank you note” and an “extra” and what is on the “extra” ? it was their pre-wedding pictures. In my opinion, it was a beautiful wedding, really simple but organized very neatly 🙂

Novi, my best friend, I am very lucky to have met you back then when we were only 17+ years old through thick and thin of our University life and still besties till now maybe I should also say “till death do us apart” <3 you are a beautiful person and look so beautiful in white, love you!

We have a German sentence that is “zu jedem Topf gibt es einen Deckel” the literal translation is something like “every pot has its own lid” I know it’s not very sentimental but its very make sense, Germans… what can you expect 😉 bottom line is “everyone will find their own person” and on this double-double, I am very happy that you found your other half. I am excited that you embark on a new journey, I wish you a happy life going forward, you deserve it.

P.S Ricky: you’d better love her, she’s my besties, biatch! haha 😉 Congratz on you, you just hit a jackpot.

Cheers to the newly wed.

Full of love, Marlyn.