25 Jun 2014

DÈJÁ VU IN KARLSRUHE


Last weekend, I visited Karlsruhe in southern Germany. 

When I left Hamburg it was grey and raining; but a summer breeze and sunshine greeted me when I arrived in Karlsruhe. This country is definitely divided into two when it comes to temperatures. I love Karlsruhe for so many reasons. It was the first city I lived in when I moved to Germany and to me, it feels like a miniature version of a big city, and it embraced me like a warm hug.

The phrase "déjà vu" is French and means "already seen". When I returned for a short visit, it felt like the town hadn't changed at all as if I had left it in a time capsule. Only the construction sites had moved a few kilometres down the road. But the castle was still there, the large gardens, the people still spoke their wonderful dialect (there's something so charming about the southern German dialect), and the shops, pubs and restaurants I had often visited were all the same.

When I first arrived in Karlsruhe, I was twenty-four, "fresh off the boat" and spoke imperfect German. Everything was new for me from: shopping at Aldi or Rewe, using the tram system or finding a flat share. It might sound like a cliché but everything is different in Germany. There are so many cultural differences that are impossible to list. And I don't mean that different is bad. It's just different. And so, Karlsruhe represents the beginning of an exciting journey. It's where I first found an internship, a WG, German friends, and ultimately where I learned to navigate life in Germany.

Fabian also happened to be down in the south (he's living in Holland now with his girlfriend) and it was awesome to be back in an old place and see how much we'd changed and how much we'd experienced. And goddammit...I love the south for its rad weather, blue skies and endless green!

18 Jun 2014

SPEEDSTER ROADTRIP




Not only is the beginning of summer refreshing for the soul — it’s an ideal time to leave the noisy city behind. Hitting the road and venturing into unknown land, through small towns and past idyllic farms is like hitting the refresh button. 

10 Jun 2014

WOAH MAN...


I want to take this opportunity and just thank all the women out there who have inspired me, and who continue to inspire me. Sometimes I feel like the world wants us to be hard and cut-throat. But I think that god placed women on this earth to add some emotion, fragility, fiery spirit and tears. We are the beauty that decorates this world. This beauty isn't something outward but that sensitive spirit we carry with us that allows us to look into someone's eyes and see a potential, a journey or a desire.

Here's to all the women who are strong - even though the world makes us think we are weak. Here's to loving our family so much that it makes you hurt when you see someone fall, to doing a job interview even though you're running a temperature, to encouraging a friend all night long on WhatsApp because she's going through crap.

Here's to us!

Here's to our beautiful, messy selves and to our big hearts.