I have all this week off which although will be absolute bliss, I know it will fly by incredibly quickly. Especially if, like today, I spend it in bed doing absolutely nothing. Hopefully, the weather tomorrow will improve and I can enjoy some London sunshine!! I'm heading home on Wednesday and staying up in sunny Yorkshire until Sunday. My mum wants me to go through all of my stuff back home..... dunno whether I'm dreading it or looking forward to it. I might end up finding some hidden treasures in the loft! My sister, Shona messaged me on Facebook earlier and suggested we do something like shopping or a seaside trip which would be lovely.

I don't know if I ever really mentioned my sister much in here. We never really used to get along, especially when I first moved out to uni. We fought like cat and dog in the holidays, but after I came back from my year in Germany and France, we both seemed to have grown up. I'm 23 and she's now 20 and that three year gap seems to have massively shrunk. It is really nice though as, no-one else quite gets you the same as your family. My little brothers are growing up crazily fast too. I have an alarmingly similar music taste to my 12 year old brother, Jordan. In fact, we're alarminly similar in lots of way as everyone seems to keep pointing out!

( We are family! )

my last attempt at trying to start this up again didn't go too well! one entry.... well here goes this attempt.

so, i'm now living in London. i managed to get a job two days after i graduated. i'm working for a travel company who basically organise and operate tours for japanese people across europe. i started off being the department dogsbody, but now i'm actually in charge of my own tours which is a bit scary. at times, it's not the most intellectually stimulating or best paid but i enjoy and it's all experience for the tourist industry, which is for the moment, the direction i want to take. i get to use my languages without them being the sole focus for my job.

life is london is ok. i miss my friends living two minutes away and i do find everything so expensive but the shopping is good and there's always something going on. furthermore, i could not have moved home after uni..... the whole thought of it almost brings on a panic attack! don't get me wrong, i love my family to pieces but i love my freedom and independance.

hhhmmmm that's basically it at the moment. i'm having a lazy day today, and not really moving from my bed (i will attempt the supermarket later as i'm starting to get hungry). i went to matter at the 02 arena on friday night as hospitality records were hosting. i was a bit wary as i like the occasional drum and bass but i wasn't sure if i could take a whole night. however, it was AWESOME i absolutely loved it!! i just danced and danced and danced and eventually got home at 5:30am yesterday!! here's a couple of choice photos



( matter @ 02 )

i also agreed to move in with vicky again on friday night. i do really want to as i miss living with her sooooo much. last year was such jokes, i'm just worried about the location. the flat's in bromley so for work it's easy, but i'm liking being in central london for nights out. however, the people i go out with the most are vicky and parita (who also lives in bromley) so a cab between people will really not be that bad. hmmmmmm i think it will be best decision to move though as living with strangers, as nice as they are is not too great and rent is cheaper.......
anyway enough of me going on....

i'm thinking of resurecting this... although, as yet i am undecided.
a lot has changed since my last entry over a year ago, in a good way though

i'm single for what feels like the first time in forever and i've just finished uni (2:1 YESSS!!!!)

so yeah... that's me

so here i am, on my last night in germany! what a six months it's been, filled with some good memories, mine and harriets random nights out getting drunk and chatting to randoms and trying on the most god awful outfits we can find! there are also times i'd rather forget but we won't dwell on those!

my last week has been pretty boring actually, not a lot really been happening apart from packing which has been a nightmare -lol- how did i end up with so much stuff?! but i'll go on to that later! last friday, harriet came out of rehab and i went round to hers and spent the day there, watching crappy shows on mtv whilst pigging out on all the food she got given whilst in hospital! fun times! she flew home on saturday to finish recouperating there - i can't believe i won't see her until august unless i either come back to hamburg or she comes out to paris, but we'll see! i'll definately miss her, it's such a shame that we didn't know each other during the first two year of uni.

saturday, sunday and yesterday were mainly spent running around clearing my room out and having screaming fits at my suitcase for not being able to fit everything in! i ended up sending some home by dhl instead as it means i don't have to lugg it to the airport and i don't have to pay £5 for every extra kilo. i sent 7kg and it was only €22 and will get there in 3 or 4 days so that's not too bad. my case weighs at the moment about 27kg which means paying £35 extra baggage but i love my stuff and i can't leave it -lol- i'm definately gonna try and be more minimalistic when i go to france!

today i my second to last day at school which was a little sad really, i am gonna miss some of the kids. i made the mistake of giving them my email address so i'm gonna have loasda random german kids adding me to msn! one teacher bought some german gossip magazines - the equivalent to heat, closer etc which i was excited about as i've been too skint myself and stand reading them in the shops! it made me laugh though cos on in one of the magazines, on the worst dressed pages, it had hannah from hollyoaks, they don't even have hollyoaks (so wish they did though) in germany so she's not even really famous - it made me chuckle! then this afternoon, some of the teachers at my school took me out for dinner which was lovely! they bought me a big book of hamburg too filled with beautiful pictures and the texts in the book are in french, german and english - how appropriate -lol-

i think that is about it really! i have school in the morning 8:50am until 10:45am and then gotta sort a few last things out before leaving for the airport at about 2pm-ish. i don't fly until 5:50pm but i need to be there early - i'm paranoid i'll miss it, plus waiting around at the airport makes it more real that i'm actually going home! andy is meeting me at kings cross station and i really can't wait to see him - so much so that i'm counting the hours -lol- at the moment it's 21!

mel xoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxox

days until my whole year abroad is finished: 154

i really shouls be asleep seeing as i'm up at 8am tomorrow for school but i'm not tired and i felt like updating. i've been meaning to do it all week but i never got round to it, probably 'cos it seemed pointless as i don't really have much to write about!

i went to see harriet last saturday at her rehab centre which was fun, it was good to catch up - i miss her, going shopping and trying on the most ridiculous outfits we can find, and going on our infamous nights out, i'm so glad we're at the same uni so we can carry on the fun into fourth year! she's coming out of rehab tomorrow and i'm going round to hers for the day to pig out and watch crap telly but most importantly to gossip and bitch -lol-

school has been ok this week. my mentor drives me crazy though. on tuesday i was with the 5th class which is 10 and 11 year olds and she gave me the text book and said "we're learning about clothes today can you do some warm up exercises whilst i quickly go to the staff room and get something." so i just explained to them what we were doing and told them what articles of clothing were what etc. and then played a game where they put their hands up if they were wearing a jumper or a t-shirt. my mentor was ages and i was running out of ideas. she eventually came back though and critized everything i did, saying very loudly that i needed to write things on the blackboard, i needed them to do repetition. so i wrote the vocab on the board and then my handwriting wasn't clear enough. i could've screamed, well when you tell me two minutes before the lessons what to do, i'm not going to be best prepared. and then at the end of the lesson, she started telling me about what the best teaching methods as if i should know them, but i've had no teacher training so i'm not aware!!! i said well, i didn't really enough time to think of what i was going to do with them, and i wasn't aware of the best methods because i haven't had any training, i wasn't rude, i told her politely, but i don't think she was best pleased at my answering her back -lol-

it's not always as bad as that though. today i had my last lesson with class 8a and the teacher had bought me this really nice magazine on hamburg and they gave me a card which they'd all signed, bless them! it's quite sad in a way to leave, i've really enjoyed working with some of the kids and most of the teachers have been great! i do feel i am ready to move on though, life here is getting too tedious!

i've been packing the last couple of days and i have so much crap, seriously, i don't know how i've accumulated it all!! i'm gonna go over my baggage limit of 20kg for definate! when i go to france, it's ok because we are travelling on a bus down to dover and then on the ferry so there are no restrictions as such -lol- i can't believe in two weeks i'll be in france - it's too scary to think about, but i'm looking forward to it too, just a bit nervous that's all.

i'm feeling a bit weird at the moment. andy went out last night and there's pictures on facebook so i had a look and don't get me wrong there's nothing bad about them, he's just having a good time which is why i'm feeling weird. i dunno, course i don't want him to be sad but at the same time sometimes it's hard seeing him have such a good time when i'm not there -lol- i know he misses me, and i know that just because he's having fun, doesn't mean he feels any less for me 'cos it's the same for me, i go out with my friends and have a laugh and a good time but it doesn't mean i don't miss him. argh - just ignore i'm being daft and just feeling a bit homesick!! plus, it's the time of the month (course you wanted to know!) so i'm feeling more emotional than normal!

i'll end with some pics...

( pictures of when i went home and last week! )

god, i'm so bored. i'm sick of germany now i'm so glad i've only got 13 days left! it's really dragging though. i think the reason i'm so bored and fed up here is because harriet is in hospital so i've had noone to go out with and meet up with.

in some ways, i can't believe how quickly my time here has gone. but then it also feels like i've been here forever! on the whole i have enjoyed it, and i've got some fantastic memories of my time here but at the same time i'm glad to be leaving and i'm glad this chapter of my life is almost done with. i've just gotta get france outta the way now. another 5 months in which i'll be living away from home. i'm feeling quite nervous about going. i'm worried i won't make friends, i won't like where i live, i can't do the job etc. deep down, i know that once i get there i'll love it - on paper it sounds like a fantastic opportunity, tour operator in paris. i'm organising and giving tours in and around paris, what is there to compain about?! i dunno, i guess it's normal to be a bit apprehensive and nervous. i tell you what though, i can't until august when i'm back in the uk for good.

school has been ok the past couple of days. i haven't really been doing anything interesting. i just turn up and help if they need me which is hardley ever! i've only got one lesson tomorrow which i'm glad about because i can't be bothered -lol- i can home and go straight back to bed!!

yesterday was quite a good day. it didn't feel like valentine's day though. andy has sent me a card but i haven't received it yet. i keep checking the post like a maniac but still nothing. i met up with huw for a drink because we hadn't seen each for ages. we went for a beer in alex and just caught up. he's leaving germany and going back to wales tomorrow 'cos he's just not enjoying himself. he's spoken to his year abroad tutor at uni and he said that he's fulfilled his uni requirements. i think he's basically just chucking it off cos he can't be bothered anymore. he basically has two weeks to go, then the schools break up for two weeks and after that, he's only got two and half months left. i don't see the point in giving up at this point. fair enough i he really isn't enjoying himself but he's not having that crap of a time, i just don't think he can be bothered anymore. i'm probably just bitter cos i've got another five months before i'm finished! we decided to go on a harbour boat trip too so we did that but it got a bit boring after a while so we just sat in the bar bit of the boat!

i think that's me all updated.

days until i go home: 13
days until i'm back for good: 166

well, i think i'm long overdue an entry! sorry i haven't been around much lately and i will try and catch up on my friends page and comments today and tomorrow. the readon i've not been on is because andy was here in hamburg from the 26th january until the 1st february and then from then until yesterday, i was back in england!

( warning: long entry ahead! )

Each player of this game starts off with ten weird things or habits or little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged must write in a blog of their own ten weird things or habits or little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you must choose six people to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks!

1) I'm really funny about wearing all my clothes an equal number of times, so i always wear what is at the front of my wardrobe and when i've done my laundry, i put those to the bottom of the pile, and so on and so on. i hope that makes sense!

2) i always try and read my current book and magazine equally, so if i read my book for ten minutes, then i have to read my magazine for ten minutes

3) i have a fear of crossing over roads, incase i get run over - i really don't know where this came from.

4) i was born 6 weeks premature

5) i don't drink tea or coffee and the majority of people think i'm weird for this especially here in germany!

6) i used to play netball as goalshooter and loved it but gave it up when i left school

7) for three years in a row (5,6 and 7) i got 100% attendance at school and i won best student for a level german at my college

8) i have worn glasses for short sightedness for 11 years

9) apart from when i was born, i have never had an overnight stay in a hospital and i've never broken a bone. i've also never had chicken pocks.

10) i still sleep with a teddy bear and get anxious if they aren't there.


i can't think of 6 people who haven't already been tagged so i'm just gonna tag everyone on my friends list :)

xxoxoxoxo

i haven't done a lot since i last wrote. yesterday i went to the hospital to see harriet again. she was looking better again but still in loads of pain. i met her parents too who seem really nice, they also explained what was happening regarding everything as when ever we visited there weren't really and doctors about. i'm not going today for two reasons really. one, i needed a break. it might sounds selfish but it takes it out of you. it's an hours travel for me there and back and then sitting for two hours. i get faint sometimes too, when they are given her the injections and prodding with the tubes. i have to go to the toilet and cool down. i'm just not very good with hospital. i feel really guilty though. the second reason is that i thought she'd want some time alone with her parents. i'm going tomorrow though.

i haven't really done a lot today, i just tidied and hoovered my room. i've still got my desk to sort out but i thought i'd leave it until tomorrow! germany is so boring on sundays. there is nothing to do as nothing opens, not even the corner shop -lol- also, i just want sit in front of the telly watching the hollyoaks omnibus followed by the eastenders one and then have one of my mum's sunday roasts! that would be heaven - that is what i'll be doing this time two weeks when i'm back home again! the weather is so crap at the moment too. i checked the five day forecast earlier and even the highs are going to be in the minuses!!

i think i'll leave this here as i've clearly got nothing of importance to talk about. andy will hopefully be here on friday and it's only 11 days until i'm home and 38 until i'm finished in germany for good. i've just got 5 months in france to go after that..... why does this year abroad feel so neverending.....

love and kisses
mel xoxoxoxoxoxo

i did mean to write a lot sooner but things have been a bit mad since i've been back here in germany.

( why i haven't wrote and pics! )

i guess it's time for an update! i'm doing it now whilst andrew is at the pub :)

so what have i been up to? well, spending time with the family and the boyfriend before my depature back to germany! i've done some shopping but was quite disappointed with the sales and in most cases i really couldn't bothered. i'd walk into a shop and see that the sale looked like crap and walked straight back out again. i did manage to get a really nice jacket from topshop and some boots from johnathon james, although like an idiot i picked up two right feet and had to go back the next day and change them! i spent most of my christmas money in primark, on various tops, bags, belts and shoes.

new years eve was really good. we started the night off by drinking at andy's house. i managed to drink almost a full bottle of rosé before going out so i was well on my way! firstly we went to haworth for a drink, and then worked our way down bev rd calling in mainbrace and picturehouse before heading into town. it was fairly busy but as busy as i was expecting, we got served pretty much straight away and getting a taxi was really easy too. when we got into town, we went to revolution first for a drink in there before heading down to waterfront! they were playing a really good song in tunnel though which is the bar part of waterfront so went in there too. it turned out to be a good idea too 'cos we got straight into waterfront through tunnel with no queuing outside!! it was pretty much countdown time when we got into waterfront so we got a drink and headed down to the dancefloor! i can't remember much of the night after that as i was pretty wrecked -lol- i took absolutely loads of really bad pictures of myself in the toilet and i looked so pissed! i was falling asleep on the big comfy sofas and andy suggested that we go home but then i managed to sober up a bit and we danced for almost an hour before going home! i made friends with a man in the take-away too who has the same landlords as what i did last year and then when i return to hull. i don't have a clue what i was saying to him!

i was suffering on new years day though! i was spewing my guts up nearly all day and spent the majority of the day in bed recovering!

i didn't really do much inbetween new years and now. i went home and spent a couple of days with my family, doing nothing but eating and watching tv! i also bought myself a new camera as just before i came home, my camera broke, the screen started going all funny and you couldn't view pictures. i tried taking it back to currys but the woman was really short with me as i didn't have all the things with me such as the software disc 'cos its in germany so rather than wait until the next time i'm home, i bought a new one! it was £90 from tesco so quite a bargain!



i came back to andy's on thursday and we went out that night! we were only going to the pub because it was £1.25 a pint but after about 3 pints and a double vodka, lime and lemonade we decided to go to welly! i felt a bit out of place at first as i'd never been and we went up to the top floor and i didn't really know the music. after a couple more drinks though and after going downstairs i relaxed more! i saw kathryn as well, one of the girls from my block in first year and it was nice to catch up with her! we left quite early because tom got thrown out!! he didn't like the music the dj was playing so stood at the front of the dj box giving him the Vs, so the dj came and had a word with him, he told the him he didn't like any of the songs he was playing and to play some better ones, so the dj called the bouncers over and ejected him!! we got a taxi to the takeway and then walked home, well to andy's house!!

i was so ill again the next day though! so was andy so at least i had someone to sympathise with! once we managed to feel better though, we ventured into town and after a burger king we both felt better. i didn't buy anything though. i saw some really nice trousers on a mannaquein in primark but then couldn't find them anywhere in the shop but i'm gonna have another look tomorrow. i wanted tetris for my ds too but i can't seem to find it anywhere, game, virgin, argos, and other type shops didn't have it, i think i'm gonna order it from play.com.

today i ventured back home again to see my family and pick up all my stuff from home before going back on monday. twas sad, i don't wanna go back to germany :( my mummy bless her, cooked me a big nice roast dinner which was gorgeous, definately gonna miss it when i go back! i came back to andy's at about 8pm and we just messed about arguing over who wants to be a millionaire answers before he went to meet tony in the pub, i was gonna go but couldn't be bothered, and i wanted to watch soapstar superstar.

I DON'T WANNA GO BACK TO DEUTSCHLAND

only 206 days until my whole year abroad (inc. france) is finished, even more scary - only 53 days until i'm finished in germany :/

( pictures :) )

i hope everyone had a great chirstmas, i did! christmas started on christmas eve in my family, we all opened one present each which is tradition as we get new pjs so we can open our presents in our new pjs! both mine and my sisters were tinkerbell ones!

my two brothers woke up well early on christmas day. they came into our room at 6:15am and showed me what they had gotten in their stockings, but i told them to go back to bed and not to come back until at least 8am. they didn't listen though and came back again at 7am! they were making loads of noise though so my mum shouted at them! shona's boyfriend, anth, rang her her about 8:30am and that's when we all eventually got up. in my stocking i got some sweeties, a new bra and some beads!

after some breakfast downstairs, we all got tucked into opening our presents! i got:
some jeans and a fleece lined jacket from republic - andy
two sets of smellys which are spa sets - one from my mum and dad and one from some family friends
hair straightners - my brothers
slippers which are like mini uggs - my mum and dad
anna sui - secret wish prefume set - my mum and dad
a top and a bag - andy
three day rule - josie llyod and emlyn reese -mum and dad
further under the duvet - marian keyes - mum and dad
boots gift card - andy's grandma
white, short belted coat - andy's parents
big fluffy socks - mum and dad
the oc series two - andy
bag - mum and dad
some smellys - andy's aunty
big pjs and socks - my brothes
pink nintendo ds with brain training and nintendogs - my mum and dad
sonic and scabble for ds - my sister
42 various games in one for ds - my nanna

so yeah i didn't do too bad really. i also got money, £70 from my parents, and £20 from my other nanna! after we'd opened all our presents we had a few visiters, my mum's friend came round and then our old next door neighbours! after they'd all gone we had bacon sandwiches and i got dressed!

i didn't really do much all day, in the afternoon my nanna and uncle came round to see us, and i played on my ds! i am officially addicted. tomorrow when i go shopping, i'm buying some more games! we had our dinner at about 3pm and as always it was delicious, it went really well neither, no-one was being fussy and my brothers didn't start arguing! after dinner was all done and dusted and everything packed away, my mum and dad surprised us with some more presents! well, it's not actually a surprise anymore because they do it every year! i got a really nice photo album and £40! altogether i got £130 and i can't wait to spend some of it!

my sisters boyfriend came round later on and my mum gave him his present, she'd bought him and my sister two tickets for lemar live in concert but they hadn't arrived yet, so my mum gave him the cd and a note saying "you have three months to learn the lyrics to sings long live!" and being as daft as he is, he thought he was actually going to have to sing live in stage with lemar, he shit himself -lol- it was really funny!

later on in the evening, my other nanna and cousin came round to see us, as did my mums friends and my old next door neighbour, kezia 'cos she's got a new boyfriend and she wanted to introduce him to us. we didn't really do much, we just drank, ate and chatted! we played a few games too including "who am i?!" where you have someone famous stuck on your head and you have to guess who they are! it was really funny as some people were just crap! i was given hitler which my parents thought was funny as i'm living in germany! i think everyone went home at about 2am and we went to bed.

i had such a long lie in today as i was so tired! i didn't get up until anout 12:30pm! i haven't really done much apart from go for a walk up town with my mum. there was only really new look open but i managed to spend £22 on a jumper, and two dresses! now i'm just chilling out and relaxing! the tv looks good tonight so......

tomorrow, i'm going down to andy's but before that, i'm going sales shopping! i'm so excited!

xoxoxox

( some pics of xmas and what i bought today )

i managed to get home ok, without any problems which was really lucky, quite a few people i know weren't as lucky. harriet was hovering in the air for ages before the air was clear enough for them to land, and then a few of the other assistants had their flight cancelled and had to get a train home right across europe! our baggage took ages to come off the plane and onto the baggage reclaim though and i was paranoid i would miss my train home but i was fine! it was so nice having andy meet me at kings cross too - it made the 3 hour journey so much more bearable!

on friday, we got up nice and early and went to visit andy's grandma, she was looking after his cousins little boy, harvey so we went there. he was so cute! he was really shy at first but then kept on making me and andy play games with him! i was playing peek a boo with him and he loved it! they had laminate floor too so andy was sliding with him along the floor! he kept giving me cute little kisses too! i got really broody but don't worry it will be a long time before i'll be having any!

after visiting his grandma, we went into town so that andy could get me my christmas presents. i saw charlotte (my old housemate) whilst we were in prospect centre, so i spoke to her briefly which was nice! i was really disapointed with primark, it was really plain, like pretty mucha ll work stuff etc. i got a few nice things from andy and a few which i bought myself. andy got me a top, bag and gorgeous white coat, it's like mid length mac and i felt all grown up in it, 'cos i only ever have scruffy coats! i bought myself some dogs tooth flats as i didn't bring any flats home with me! then in republic andy got some jeans and a fleecy jacket. the jeans said £20 on them but they ending up being £35 so andy paid a little bit more for them than we thought! he got me something else from virgin too but that's a surprise! it's either desperate housewives series two or the oc series two but i dunno!

after twon we went to my house and spent the rest of the weekend here! friday's in our house is sort your self out for tea so we went to the chinese and i made a right fool of myself by speaking german to the woman behind the counter -lol- i kinda forgot where i was! i think that was about it for friday night!

yesterday, i just went uptown to see if any of the sales had started but i was disapointed. i did manage to get myself a pair of shoes from new look for £7 though. they are cream with a round toe and a little heel! i got my mum some beads too. after getting back from town i sorted out all my clothes too and threw loads away. i don't know why i was hanging on to them for so long, i never wear them. i managed to get all my presents wrapped too. i hate wrapping them and got andy to do most of them!

i went into town again today just 'cos i was bored, my town is so tiny though that it was pretty empty. despite being skint, i treated myself to two tops in select. well, andy bought one of them for me :) one is a sleeveless long jumper and the other is like a dress kinda thing. so bad at descriptions i know! that's all i've done today today apart from chill out in front of the telly and stuff my face with celebrations! that's what christmas is about though isn't it?!

andy went home earlier and i'm missing him already. he was going to come down tomorrow but seeing as they don't have a second car anymore as his brother crashed it, he can't cos it's too far for his mum and dad to bring him and then they can't have a drink with their dinner. i won't get to see him boxing day either as trains aren't running but i'm going down to his on the 27th so i haven't got too long to wait!

i'll leave this here now with a few pictures :)


( random pictures )

i thought i'd better write an entry seeing as i'm going home for christmas tomorrow, well at least i'd planned to go home but it's looking unlikely at the moment 'cos of all the bad weather. im expecting delays at least which is not good considering i've got to get a train 8:27pm from london to hull. argh it's a nightmare, trust it to happen to me -lol- andy was coming down to london to meet me from the plane but i dunno if there is any point at the moment with all the delays and cancellations. although it would be nice to be with someone whilst i'm waiting to travel home. argh, why me?!

( long entry written last night but my internet spazzed out so i couldn't post it! )

i'm so tired, i didn't get to sleep until about 4am last night which was not good considering i had to be up at 8am for school! i battled through though! school was pretty boring. one of the lessons got cancelled which i was glad about! then in another lesson i had to talk about british stereotypes and german stereotypes which was funny. the kids said they thought of island monkeys when they thought of england/britain so i said "two world wars and one world cup!"

after school i went into the centre of hamburg to meet harriet and we went for a wander round the christmas markets! they were so pretty and all the food stalls smelt gorgeous :) i wanted to take pretty pictures but my camera on my battery died. ggggrrrrr. i think i'm going to buy a charger and re-chargeables cos my camera eats batteries. our legs started to hurt so we went and sat in this bar which was made from ice! it was so cool but so cold! they had lovely fleecy blankets to keep you warm though!

i went into town yesterday too because i had to take some library books back. seeing as andy had left me €40 i decided to treat myself too and i bought myself a scarf in h&m which had been reduced to €1 and some headbands and lipbalm. then i got a top from zara for €5.90 and a jumper from c&a for €9 so not too bad!

i think that's about it really, i'm going to finish this entry with some photos :) but if anyone can recommend me any good books i'd be grateful!

xoxoxox
( more pics! )

the time andy was here was just fantastic, the only bad part about it was that he had to go home.

i met him at the airport on wednesday night. i originally told him i wasn't going to met him and that i would just meet him when he got off the bus at hamburg hauptbahnhof. i decided to surprise him though by turning up at the airport. it wasn't much of a surprise though as he'd guessed that i was coming! it was so great to see him and the bus/tube ride back was just a big babble of both telling us other the lastest gossip on each side! i was so happy to see him!

when we got back to mine, we dumped his stuff in my room and went down to the kitchen where i cooked a delicous chicken tikka for us both! then after tidying up we went to my room and snuggled up in bed watching the messiah on dvd which i'd got from the library. you can't beat snuggling up in bed watching a detetive programme :) i just wanted up to stay up chatting and snuggling but i had to be up for school at 8am so we went to sleep.

school on thursday was ok, nothing too exciting. i had a break in from 9:35am - 11:55am so i came back home and laid in bed with sexy boyfriend! i really didn't want to get up and go back to school. when i finally finished school, i made us both some lunch before we had little wander into hamburg city centre so i could show andy the christmas markets being set up, although he didn't seem to be as excited as i was -lol- we also did a bit of window shopping. i saw a gorgeous coat in h&m reduced to €40 but seeing as i only had €50 in my account i couldn't buy it :( andy did offer but i felt too cheeky accepting after he'd paid over £100 on flights out to see me.

on thursday night we met up with harriet and went to he fair! our first stop was the bavarian beer tent which harriet and i went to on friday night! again we had one of the big masses of beer which made me and harriet slightly tipsy, so much so that we even started to join in with the songs and the chanting! the people dancing at the front kept us very entertained too - they were dancing like a drunken dad at a wedding party! it was hilarious! when the rain had stopped, we ventured outside so that we could go on some rides! the first one we went on was the funhouse! i've never laughed so much - it was clearly meant for little kids but we loved it, the spinning disks, the wobbly bridges, the hamster wheel! harriet couldn't do the hamster wheel though and fell so she wet all her bum! the next ride we went on was a go-cart one in which you raced around a track but the track was on different levels! only me and andy went on and again it was so much fun! andy said i was a crazy driver though, especially going around corners, i got really competetive too, and kept trying to overtake andy! i spun right round in my car at one point though and i couldn't get it back in the right direction and the man doing the ride had to help me! andy had two goes on this ride because some russians had a spare token! the final ride was just a spinny round one that me and harriet went on! it was too slow though and we wanted it to go faster -lol- we went home after that because it was about 10:30pm. like little geeks, andy and i watched the second part of our detective programme!

i was so tired on friday and didn't want to get up for school at all. i had a break between 9:35am and 11:55am again so i came home and slept again. i didn't get to see much of andy though as after school i had to go and do my private tutoring. it's pointless though 'cos the last thing four 11 year olds want to do when they get home from school on friday afternoon is extra english! they were playing with a dollshouse, and i made them play it all in english -lol- then we did some reading and played another game. i really couldn't be bothered and felt guilty taking the €20 because i didn't really do anything. i aren't doing it the next two weeks because they are at a party next week and then my mum is coming to hamburg the week after that.

after i got in from there, i jumped in the shower and was about to get ready to go out but i was that tired that after my shower i just fell asleep again! it was nice though cos me and andy both just fell asleep cuddled up together and i love doing that! we did eventually wake up and go out, we went for a meal to a place called Louisiana's which is not far from my house, and both had a burger which was delicious! after that we decided to go bowling. i was pretty crap as usual and andy won both games! at the very end of the second game though, i started to get good and got two strikes in a row, it was a case of too little too late though! they had disco bowling on too which the lights are dimmed and they have a dj! the music put us in the mood for going out so we headed down to the reeperbahn for a few drinks. we went to o'brians which is where me and harriet spent the whole night on a podium lol! we just sat and had a few drinks and watched everyone dancing like idiots! it was a good night but we were both tired so at about 2am we headed home.

yesterday was a very sad day indeed. i really didn't want him to go home. whilst we were getting ready to go to the airport though, he wrote me a letter and told me i wasn't allowed to read it until i got home. in return, i wrote him one whilst on the bus. at the airport we were both in pretty sombre moods and just sat and had a drink in the bar. i couldn't stop hugging him when he was in the queue to go through to departures. i managed to be strong and not cry, even though i really wanted to. when he had eventually gone through, i was like a bear with a sore head with everyone getting on my nerves, even the woman who dared to sit next to me on the bus! i tried to cheer myself up with some shopping but nothing stood out to me so i just came back to read my letter. i did cry a little bit then! the sweety had even left me €40 to "have a few drinks!" or "buy myself something nice!"

i hate being so far apart but it's not long until we are together again. it's only 25 days until i'm home for christmas which i really can't for! plus, i've got plenty to keep me occupied until then. my mum and sister are coming out on the 6th - 9th december and then i'm going to see dirty dancing the musical on stage on the 14th which i'm looking forward to soooooo much, plus there is all the christmas markets and christmas shopping to be done.

anyway, i'll leave this here 'cos today has been pretty pointless and i'll update with some photos soon!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

It's been a while since i've written a proper entry so i thought it was about time.

( it's a long one!! )

i'm so excited at the moment though because andy is coming to tomorrow. i told him i would meet him in hamburg but i'm surprising by meeting him at the airport :) my mum and sister are also coming out to hamburg on the 6th december until the 9th which i can't wait for either, i wanna show them how great hamburg is!!

anyway, i really should go now seeing as i have to be up for school in the morning!

bis spaeter
xoxoxoxoxo

more pictures, i have got so many to post, these are ones from when andy came and that was way back in september -lol-

( more pictures! )

i finally have internet at home, but it is quite tempremental and stops working sometimes and then i won't be able to get it back for ages. oh well, it's better than using bloody internet cafes all the time like i was before! it also means i can talk to andy for ages on skype without worrying about how much its costing. i really do need to write a proper entry about last weekend in osnabruck and other various things! oh and andy is coming to hamburg on wednesday until saturday and i am so excited it's unbelievable, although it only seems like yesterday since i was stood at liverpool airport going to to cologne in august!

anyway, photos.....


( les pictures! )

School this week didn’t really get any better. I got shouted at on Wednesday morning because the two lessons that were cancelled on Tuesday weren’t actually cancelled. Normally when a teacher is ill or away, the lesson is something other than English. I checked on the board to see what lessons 9C and 10B had instead of English and it was said Material, so sorry for thinking I wasn’t needed. I apologised and tried to explain that it was a misunderstanding and not because I was just being lazy but she was still really pissed off with me. I’m beginning to dislike my school. I’m just the dogsbody sometimes. I get messed around all the time, I turn up week after week to some lessons and they tell me I’m not needed, that they don’t have English, I get shouted at by the teachers and there are so many times where the teachers just give me a textbook and a passage and ask me “to go through it with the children” which I hate because I’m not prepared and I’m not a teacher, I’m an assistant. Sorry for that rant!!

The weekend has been really good though. It started on Thursday night as Huw and Harriet came round to mine for tea. I was supposed to cook Harriet tea on Wednesday night but she had a bit of a nightmare with the person she’s living with. It’s sorted now though and she’s moving out at the end of the month. As we hadn’t seen Huw for ages because he went back to Wales for whole of the half term, we invited him too! It was a really good night, we cooked a gorgeous curry, had a few drinks and just chilled out! Huw is going to return the favour and hopefully cook for us sometime this week!

Friday night was the first night of Dom, a huge fair that comes to Hamburg 3 times a year! Harriet and I have been excited for it pretty much ever since we first arrived so we couldn’t wait to go. First of all though we me up with Harriet’s friend from home, Jo as she was visiting her boyfriend in Luneberg which is not far from Hamburg. Her boyfriend, Rowan, has a friend from university who is studying in Hamburg and she came to meet us too. We were waiting for her for ages. It was so cold, by the time she eventually showed up I couldn’t feel my feet! Linda, Harriet’s roommate from Altenberg also came for food with us as she also wanted to go to Dom. We went to Frank und Frei for food because it’s delicious and cheap! The sauce they bring with the bread is gorgeous! Harriet, Linda and I all chose the same thing, turkey breast with fried potatoes and vegetables which was so nice! After we’d finished eating, Harriet, Linda and I said goodbye to the others and headed off to Dom!

We were like little kids –lol- it was amazing! We were amazed at the cheapness of everything. In England, rides on average cost about £5 and most of the rides at Dom were 3/4€ which we thought was really good! First of all we went on the Ferris Wheel which was great, you got to see pretty much the whole of Hamburg whilst you were at the top. After that we just had a wander around looking at all the stalls and rides! We finally found a ride that we dared to go on, it was like the waltzers but just you just went round in a big circle instead of just spinning! It was so funny, it went so fast at one point and because of the speed and the gravity, poor old Linda who was sat at the side got squashed! Then Harriet and I went in a mirror maze and got so lost, it took us ages to get out and I kept on walking into the panels! Even though it’s November, there was log flume at the fair and being the idiots we are, we just had to go on! We got quite wet, my bum got the wettest because I’d obviously sat in a damp patch, it was pretty uncomfortable for the rest of the night. It was so funny though! As we got a bit wet and cold on the log flume, we decided to warm up with some Glühwein except it was horrible! We all had a couple of sips each but then decided we couldn’t take it anymore! After the Glühwein, we watched the fireworks, which were excellent and then went home!

It was Cat’s 21st on Saturday so we out to celebrate. Harriet and I being the cheapskates that we are decided to get drunk before we out! She came round to mine with a bottle of rose which is €1.29 a bottle! It’s so nice though and strong! We drank that and then drank a little bottle of Asti which Leonie had bought me for my birthday! We’d just missed a train so we bought a big bottle of beer each from the station shop which we drank in about 20 minutes! By the time we got to Sternschanze to meet everyone we were pretty pissed! We met everyone in Oma’s but they were just leaving so we didn’t bother with a drink there and just got one in Goldfish (I think that’s what it’s called)! We spent most of the time in the toilet with Kim and Cat taking pictures –lol- when we looked at Harriet’s pictures the next day there was loads of us in the toilet!

After Goldfish we headed up to the Reeperbahn. Everyone was saying “Look after Harriet and Mel!” but we weren’t that drunk, ok we were but we looked drunker than we were because we were being daft and just laughing at anything. We went into O’Brian’s, a supposedly Irish bar but there is nothing Irish about it! Harriet and I danced on the podium in there pretty much all night! It was so cool though ‘cos it meant we didn’t get all hot and sweaty and crowed as we would’ve done on the main floor! They played Three Lions at one point which was really random and we went crazy singing at the top of our lungs and then shouting “England!” at loads of Germans! They played so many tunes and were dancing pretty much all night it was good!

We noticed that everyone had left without telling us so we left too and started making our way to McDonalds to get some food before heading home. However, outside O’Brian’s we started talking to a Mexican and Brazilian guy! They were heading up to a karaoke bar and Harriet and I were so drunk that we were in the mood for Karaoke so we went with them! They were really nice guys, they’re studying law at the university in Hamburg and we were just chatting shit to them, I was trying out my best Spanish on the Mexican! They made us sing Las Ketchup song on the Karaoke but Harriet and I just got lost ‘cos it was all in Spanish but then we got them back by singing S Club 7 – Reach –lol- we were so out of tune it’s unbelievable!

We were starting to get tired by this point as it was about 4:30am so we made our way up to McDonalds and had some food to soak up the alcohol we’d consumed! I was so tired waiting for my train and really had to stop myself from falling asleep whilst I was on it! I finally got in to bed at about 6:45am – it was such a goodnight!

As you can imagine, I spent pretty much all day Sunday in bed! I did get up and manage to meet Harriet to go to the cinema. We decided on Borat because we didn’t want anything too taxing on the brain! It was pretty funny despite a bit stupid and very un-politically correct! But like we said we didn’t want anything that we needed to concentrate on.

Yesterday Harriet and I ventured Lubeck for the day. We went to the ticket information to book our tickets to Osnabruck on Saturday and just decided to do something a bit different. We just wandered around looking in shops and at all the pretty buildings. I forgot my camera though so I had to buy a disposable one. It was so weird to actually have to look through the lens and to not be able to see your pictures as you take them! Lubeck is gorgeous, lots of pretty churches other pretty-ness. We didn’t get to see it all yesterday though so we are going to go back when the Christmas markets come. We found a really cool restaurant too. We went in when happy hour was just starting so we got half price cocktails and it was two for one Monday on food so it was all dead cheap! We got three cocktails, two small beers, a starter of fresh vegetables and dips each and a main course of chicken enchiladas each and it only came to €25!

I mentioned earlier that we booked train tickets to Osnabruck. We decided we wanted to travel a little bit more and Osnabruck is between where Emma lives in Nordrhein Westphalen and Hamburg so we are going there on Saturday until Monday. I don’t think there is anything too excited there but it’s a change, we can do some exploring. The train only cost €60 altogether and that’s for both me and Harriet and the youth hostel is only €15 a night, there might be a reason for that but we’ll see when we get there!!

I would write about today but I don’t think there is anything really to write about. School was ok. I took part of a lesson on my own which was scary as it was a proper chav class but I managed to do it! I’m doing part of my own lesson tomorrow too but it’s with 7th class and they are easier! I went to the library to take some DVDs back and got some more out. I should have internet in my room soon though as the woman said she was going to sort it out for me!! I really hope I can because it would be so much cheaper for me!

Anyway, I’m so tired from getting up at 7am so I’m going to leave this here.

Days until I’ve finished here: 113
Days until I go home: 43