June Clouds

The Berlinersommer is in full swing. I just got done with my fifth five hour shirt at the new Cafe where I'm working.. It's right around the corner from the Bar, Silberfisch, where I've been working, and is a cute little spot. I worked today with a woman from Luxembourg named Sarah and really enjoyed getting back into making coffees, cute sandwiches, soups, etc.. It's also just a nice balance to the crazy and smoky bar.. Feels a bit like Silverbow in Juneau, only Jill's not there.

With my two jobs and babysitting and class, I've finally gotten into a routine, if not a strange one! As most people who know me are already aware, I work best under a bit of pressure and with a packed schedule, so I am actually very happy to be busy and be using my German often and meeting new people... On the other hand, I feel that my life has stopped being as interesting as it was for the first few months- which is, unfortunately, the reason for my fewer blog entries. I'm still throughly enjoying my time here, but hearing about all the beautiful weather in Juneau right now and having overcast days here everyday is making me miss my hometown a bit.

What did help this small bout of homesickness was seeing our good family friend, Petra, last week. Petra did an exchange year in Juneau like 25 years ago when she was in high school and now has three kids and lives in a small village on the German-Czech border. I had met her a few years ago and she has since come back to Juneau, so I know her quite well. This past weekend she was visiting Berlin because her brother and his family live in a huge house right outside the southern part of the city in Kleinmanchow. I went down there for a few hours last Sunday and then again on Tuesday and it was like a mini-vacation to be out of Berlin and with people who love me and my family. She and her family are doing fantastic and the boys are Lilly are growing up to be such beautiful, loving, and well rounded people just like their mother... In addition to the much cake we enjoyed, the many bouts of trampoline jumping and the short game of vollyball, I had a great conversation with Petra that was incredibly affirming - I think for the both of us- and left feeling confident and so very full of love.

So much of this year has been about coming full circle from my time in Bremen, and I know, I should quit talking about it, but I normally only talk about the theoretical, philosophical changes that I have made. However, last week, it became incredibly real when my first host brother, Carl, walked into Silberfisch, the bar where I was working. I didn't a chance to talk to him very long, but it was crazy just to see him and his friend Carsten who I only vaguely remember from my time there. Unfortunately, he was leaving the next morning, but it was neat to see him and speak German with him and see how much, very briefly, we had both grown.

Speaking of growth, I changed my own bike tire! It took me an hour, I almost cried/kicked Harriet to pieces, and the chain now comes off quite often, so it may not be quite correct, but I did it! After 7 years of liberal based, very unpractical education, I was incredibly excited to complete a task like that!

I should take off, busy busy busy!
Ciao,
Tess