and i go *poof!*

It's the weekend before I reach my 3 week anniversary in Dusseldorf and I'm psyched that I have survived so long! Ok - to be honest, the 6 weeks here sounded horrendously long when I first started out especially when I didn't know anyone, didn't know the place and last but certainly not least, couldn't speak the language. So far, I have accomplished 2 out of those 3 things and in my defense, learning any language is hard - not just German. Sincere apologies for sounding like a chicken (>.<) But on the bright side I have explored the city a little, seen some of the sights even in the middle of winter, some days with snow, some without and can even successfully get from the youth hostel to work and back everyday without getting lost! Actually about that... you see, normally there are 2 trains which I can take to get to work which is the U 74 and U 77, either to Holthausen or to Benrath and these are the same trains I take back to get into the city center area. And these 2 trains usually have an in-between time of about 8ish minutes, so waiting for the next one isn't such a biggie. It was worse in the beginning when I was getting used to the cold weather and all I could think was "where the hell is that god-damn train?" but now it isn't as bad especially if my earphones are plugged in and all I can hear is Cao Ge or Owl City's newest album *on a side note... I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!! you have to listen to it.. the album name is Ocean Eyes*. But one night I left work pretty late and didn't realise that the frequency changed depending on the time of the day which I guess makes perfect logical sense to people who are always using public transport but for a public transport virgin like me, its so foreign. I have to admit that in Melbourne I am kind of pampered because from Uropa, I can pretty much take any tram to where I want to go because I mostly head to the city or Flinders, and all of them pass by that route - so yeah, I have almost nil experience of being a public transport person. In Bangkok, I only use the BTS to go to the dentist and to the shopping areas and sometimes to school which already is like once in a purple dotted, pink striped moon. I am so "katak di bawah tempurung" on all these stuff :) Anyways, back to the story, when I checked the times on the board I saw that the next train (U 77 or U 74) will be in 20 or so minutes and I was like "WHAT!!" literally.. Ok - more like.. wtf.. but you know - censored stuff XD The only other way I could reach the city earlier was if I decided to go on one of the street trams instead of the trains which was kind of foreign to me because I didn't know what kind of route it took and where it went and all that. But I checked the table on the board and one of the stations was labelled "Steinstraße" which is the station I usually get off on the train. So feeling like taking a risk, I hopped onto the 701 street tram and hoped to heavens high that I would arrive at some place I actually recognise. The first few stations were all good, because they were the ones that the trains past by as well until we reached a fork in the road and the street tram turned the corner. Haha - after that I was seriously so so so so so so lost - I didn't recognise anything or any place! And the worse part was that I saw this whole load of Germans who got onto the tram and then get off after 2 or so stations because they realised they didn't recognise where they were going as well. Talk about freaking me out T_T~ But in the end, I got off at the station I intended to get off at even if I didn't recognise where I was. Panic did set in for sometime until I saw something like the U-Bahn sign which is a white capital U set in a light blue background in the distance (which is the sign for the train). I figured that if I entered the station I would know where I am at and if worse comes to worse, I could take the train to the next station which was also walking distance back to my place.

All in all, I did arrive back home after suffering severe shocks wondering whether I would make it back home. I really don't like that feeling though when you feel so lost it isn't funny anymore. So to say that I was relieved when I got back to a place I recognised would probably be an understatement. Hehes - so nowadays before I go out in the weekends I'm avidly checking google maps and drawing out mini maps on my notebook which I could show you guys when I get back. Google maps is my official saviour, plus it lists all the important stuff on the map like the 2 bookstores which sell english books as well as this famous chocolatier/dessert shop called Cafe Heinemann XD


As you see, it is the stuff that totally matters! :) Weirdly enough I have not had a Starbucks drink since I have arrived in Dusseldorf. Hhhmmmm, maybe it is time to change this record :) I did change my 'no shopping for clothes and other not so necessary stuff' record yesterday though - a slight shopping spree that I still cringe a little thinking about it. But I finally got a pair of converses after living in mid-calf high boots for 3 weeks. I really think that isn't healthy - and the boots are really heavy, I feel like I'm doing weights each day after walking around with them. Even in HK, when I got them from Tsim Sha Tsui area, walking around with it in a bag was knackering! Together with the shoes, I got 2 blouses from Zara (haha - old habits die hard! I have gotten clothes from Zara in all the countries I visited this summer hols ^^) and 2 books to keep me awake on the train when I go to work each morning XD So successful shopping trip? I would think so~ I think my dad wouldn't say it in those terms though T_T oopsie daisies~ In our defence, not shopping is like going against the laws of nature for girls - its like going against Darwin's theory of evolution. Lol - oh yeah, on that note.. there is some news that I read recently that actually suggests that Darwin may have been wrong and that Lamarck may actually have been partially correct on his giraffe prediction. If that is true, wow, it will just cause whole foundations of theories to fall through. Scary thought much....

Still on the bright side, I received word that the bags and the notepads for Orientation is ready! Yay!!!!!! :) Hehes - Super psyched about that :) I hope it came out as well as I expected it to~ Will have to see whether I can get photos sent to me :) *does happy dance* Haha - not literally, my roommate will think I've gone insane if I really did do some dance moves T_T I mean, she is a professional ballerina.. so not the best idea! But that is the only part of the whole CMG thing that I am happy about now because I don't since yesterday, some kind of gloom has set over me whenever I think of the club. I really shouldn't be this depressed about it but I don't know.. my heart feels heavy when my thoughts pass through that way - not a good start to a year that hasn't even really started. Damn! Hate this... 幸せ時間を思いたい I don't even know whether my 日本語 is correct~ Haha :) nvm