Happy Australia Day

To celebrate Australia Day my way in Berlin (working) I bought lemonade and biscuits of course Australian made and shared the Tim Tams with my workmates. 

Dressing with an Australian shirt and scarf walking into the Aussie shop in front of my work place with work mates...was fun...as I taught them to say "Aussie Aussie Aussie...oi oi oi" which we did. Even the Aussie bloke in the shop had to laugh....I might go there more often just to speak English.

Anyway...I was back in Perth in my thoughts....also checked Facebook a couple of times but hey, I'm here working and that got my full attention.

Happy Australia Day & stay safe

Australian Café = delicious coffee

If I could only remember the place I had this delicious coffee. I googled it and found the place however trying to remember now where it was and the name of it, damn.

This is an Australian Café in Berlin and the coffee is made by a Australian barista. Why it is so important that a barista makes the coffee, because you can taste the difference.

It can't be too hot and not too cold (lukewarm piss), the frothing of the milk is super important, not too much foam and not just pouring hot milk, the right combo and the coffee is will taste like a dream.

So, in order to get great coffee you'll just have to find an Australian Café, and don't go to STARBUCKS - they know nothing about great tasting coffee, oops....sorry.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Another eventful year comes to an end and around this time we should be grateful for what we have and think maybe of others that aren't so fortunate.

Merry Christmas to everyone - Let's toast to another eventful, healthy & Happy New Year

Berlin - Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is probably the most recognised and famous symbol of Berlin as it divided the East and the West in the past. No longer is there a wall that is dividing Berlin and these days you just simply walk through the gate and there it is - the most beautiful Christmas Tree of all Berlin.

I guess its that time of the year, Christmas markets, carols by candlelight, mulled wine (Glühwein), lots of sweets and hopefully some snow.

Wishing everyone a magical and peaceful Advent Season

Team X-mas Dinner

This is my first Christmas Dinner with the B4F-team I've been working for for almost 6 weeks. It feels like being part of the team for more than just a short time, so hanging out with mostly girls I was actually looking forward to.

We ended up having fondue, note to myself and others....it actually can be dangerous, who would have thought. Well, next time I'm bringing an apron. Anyway, it was a brilliant evening with lots of laughter and getting to know each other from a different perspective.

A Day at the "Neues Museum"

Living in the capital city means there are plenty of choices when it comes to leisure time and how to fill it. This Sunday I decided to check out the Neues Museum. It's almost winter over here which limits the possibilities considering the cold weather.



The Neues Museum on Berlin’s Museum Island is part of the world heritage. It houses the archaeological collections of the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, the Museum of Pre- and Early History, as well as works from the Collection of Classical Antiquities.

Looking at all the treasures from different cultures which are hundreds if not thousands of years old is impressive and hard to comprehend. What was actually possible back then and how well preserved those exhibited items are, unreal.



There is just so much to see and explore that a day alone is just not enough and I will definitely come back for more....maybe next time it will be the "Altes Museum".

Landing a job at brands4friends

Well, it took me about 4 weeks from starting to look for a job till landing a job. I might say I'm impressed with myself considering the comments and feedback I've heard from people and how hard it is to get a job. Worst of all was the pressure I put on myself but that just me! I proved you all wrong.

Congratulations to myself on the new job after such a long time of absence.

Where exactly will I start working? I will start working on the 8th of October 2015 at brands4friends in the great capital city of Germany in Berlin. Its not Engineering or the Oil & Gas industry anymore, over here it's eCommerce. And yes, I'm back in Finance.

Did I mention that I only worked so far in this profession in Australia and I studied Finance only in English!?! So that might explain why I'm so nervous starting working in a German Finance Team in Germany not knowing all finance vocabulary even tough I try to be prepared - dear Lord, please let me not embarrass myself.

The good thing is however, the company I'm going to work for is an entity of eBay therefore there will be lots of opportunities to speak English as it was a requirement to get the job - no worries.

So here we go, the pressure is off, I can breath again....first comes the job, next will be an apartment and before I know it I will be shopping for brand new furniture etc. Lets just say, settling back into Germany is WIP - work in progress.

Getting a New Job in Berlin

I slowly get over the hanging around, settling back in, doing nothing. Not quite true, Dad told me off to do the weeding, just like old times.

I decided to get started on updating my CV and looking for a job. My starting point would be Berlin, the vibrant heart of Germany, a city that never sleeps. As it’s pretty close to Ferdinandshof and only a day trip away for interviews and some shopping and sightseeing it would be the perfect place to settle.

I didn’t have to wait long before the first phone calls were made to get to know each other. Soon I was at least 3 times a week traveling to Berlin to various interviews. My days were finally filled with action, I was on a mission.

Ok, let’s see where, when and with who I will score a job, my first job in Finance, in Germany after nearly 12 years of absence. Am I going to make it – I keep you posted about the progress and the results.

Happy Birthday to Me

And it's time again to celebrate another birthday, the first birthday in 13 years that my parents and I are actually have the chance to celebrate it together.

We're heading to Bad Wilsnack, a spa town not far from Berlin to lay back and enjoy massages, sauna with special infusions and the healing waters of the thermal bath.

On top of the relaxing treatments we totally indulged into the German cuisine, sipping some Champaign and enjoying the company of each other.

After a wonderful birthday and a few more days in this beautiful environment where I could recharge my batteries we traveled back home.

Thanks you for the wonderful time, all the birthday messages and of course the phone calls I received.

New Project - wall tatoo

I thought I give myself a couple of weeks to settle back in but still need to keep myself occupied because doing nothing is not for me.

Now that I`m back in Germany, actually I`m in Ferdinandshof the place I grew up and associate lots of happy memories with, I`m onto a new little project, giving my friend Nancy a hand with her renovations. To give the bed room a little something Nancy decided on a wall tatoo.

When the kids went to bed we could finally start and actually finished the job in a couple of hours.  Everything was tidied up followed by some decorating in order to start the foto shooting. Just after midnight we were done.

Finally Home in woop woop

One of the first action I took when I finally arrived home aka woop woop (the girls know), taking my clothes off and diving into the water. What a fantastic sunny day to come home and enjoy the last couple of weeks of summer in Germany before autumn starts again and the fun season comes to an end.

 

Luckily I packed some summer outfits into the suitcase, perfectly right for weather like this. The temperature hitting the 30 degree mark just like a pretty average Aussie summer day. So far everything is alright....lets see what is next, first I need to settle back in here.

Berlin ist eine Reise wert.....auf geht's

Im Hotel, gut gestärkt zum Frühstück plante ich mir Berlin anzuschauen...heute mal zu Fuß. Gut gelaunt und super Wetter hatte ich auch dabei...los konnte es gehen.

Noch nie hab ich in Berlin Tourist gespielt, das muß sich ändern also habe ich meinen ganzen Tag gewidmet um Sehenswürdigkeiten zu bewundern, die ich ja eigendlich schon kenne und immer wieder gesehen habe, dran vorbei gefahren bin etc.

Also Neu war nichts gewesen aber heute bin ich halt zu Fuss unterewgs gewesen und eine Spreefahrt habe ich auch mit gemacht. Kannst glauben, mit wenig Orientierungssinn kommst auch ans Ziel auf Umwegen und mit viel Gelächter und Kopfschütteln. Zwischendurch gabs Kaffee (durchschnittlich gut/schlecht - zu heiß - zu stark - zu bitter - zu viel Milch etc. - diese Deutschen wissen nichts von guten Kaffee - STIMMT!!! - LOL)

Auf jeden Fall hatte ich einen von mehreren wunderschönen Tagen in Berlin herrlichstes Wetter und super Essen....super Verwöhnprogramm nur für mich! Danke

Hello from the other side...

As many of you already know, I made the decision to go back home, back to Germany where I left nearly 12 years ago to follow my heart.

What an amazing journey, great country and interesting people I've met from all different places and backgrounds, religions and race. I've learnt so much about myself and others, I broadened my horizon and I'm grateful for everything - thank you for the opportunity, the fun, the tears, the friends I've made and for all the support.

For now, I'm turning my back to Australia...and welcome a new chapter in my life, I'm looking forward to what Germany has to offer what it's like living and working in Berlin...as I've heard so many great things about it.

So....it's time to start writing again (in English) this Blog after a break while I was finding myself and getting settled into my new environment and new home. 

Welcome back....back in Germany

Last day in Perth - till we meet again

Toughest decision ever, to leave Perth to go back to Germany....where to, I don't know....let's see where I end up. To spend the last day I decided to go to one of my favourite beaches "Sorrento" and with me was David, he took that day off from work, thank you. For the first time in 12 Years I actually bought souvenirs for myself. In the evening David dropped me off at the Airport one more time. It's not a good bye just a "see you later".

And believe me David, we will see each other again, I'm sure of that.

Schon wieder Brotzeit

Anlässlich meines letzten Arbeitstages bei Weatherford haben wir uns nach der Arbeit noch einmal in der Stadt zusammengefunden unter anderem auch einen ehemaligen Mitarbeiter eingeladen (Boss). Da ich Bestimmer war gings in das neue "Brotzeit" um mal richtig deutsch zu esssen, na gut....ich muss mich berichtigen und sagen es war mehr Bayrisch, aber ist ja auch deutsch.

Mit dem Bestimmen ging es weiter als die Speisekarte gereicht worden ist, das war den Aussies zu kompliziert.....also hab ich für alle ausgesucht und bestellt. Auch das Bier wurde von mir empfohlen "Warsteiner" - dachte das ist schon ein gutes Bier, aber auch ganz schön stark für meine Verhältnisse. Ein Glas reichte dann auch, ich Weichei!

Anschliessend sind wir noch in eine weitere Bar gegangen und haben noch etwas getrunken und viel gelacht. Wie üblich war ich dann auch gegen Mitternacht wieder zu Hause. Toller Abend tolle Gesellschaft - Gute Nacht.

Celebrating End of Ramadan with my "Girlfriend"

Passend zu meinem RDO war auch gleichzeit die Fastenzeit meiner Freundin vorbei (Ramadan) und wir trafen uns zum Mittagessen, Kaffee trinken mit anschliessender Shopping Tour in Perth. Das Ende von Ramadan wird wirklich gross gefeiert....wie bei uns halt Weihnachten!

Getroffen haben wir uns in einem Restaurant "Gordon Street Garage" in dem ich immer gerne gegessen habe als ich noch bei WorleyParsons gearbeitet habe, da es nur um die Ecke war. Ausserdem gibts super leckeren Kaffee dort. Oooohhh, wie ich diesen gute Kaffee vermisse!

 

Wie gesagt, Shopping waren wir anschliessend und natuerlich ist ein neues Paar Schuhe gekauft worden oder sollte ich sagen es war ein Geschenk - Danke Suhaila.

Rachel Platten - Fight Song

Powerful Lyrics....can you hear it!!!

Ich hab die Brille auf

Nun hab ich die Brille auf.....ist schon gewoehnungsbeduerftig jeden Tag Brille zu tragen aber wenn man besser sehen kann und Dinge besser erkennt, dann ist das halt so. Eine Brille gabs in schwarz, die andere in rot = 2 zum Preis von 1, da kann selbst ich nicht "nein" sagen. Angebote muss man mit nehmen und was sein muss, muss halt sein!

Was ich jetzt auch glaube ist, das ich mich weniger verfahren werde, ich sehe ja die Strassen- und Hinweisschilder bedeutend besser & fruehr, von wegen kein Orientierungssinn. Wenn man richtig sehen kann dann faehrt man auch richtig und kommt da an wo man hin will, ohne Umwege!

Perth City von SOR

Ist schon super wenn man ein Appartment bewohnt suedlich des Swan Rivers und einen Ausblick wie diesen jeden Abend geniessen kann. Ich sag nur Location ist alles...dem entsprechend auch die Preise.

Bevor wir aber diesen super Ausblick geniessen konnten bei einer Tasse "Nespresso" waren wir in Fremantle unterwegs und sind Schlittschuh laufen gegangen, ist ja Winter hier und geschneit hat es auch fuer circa 10 Minuten (kuenstlich natuerlich), war halt im Preis mit drin. Das hat besser geklappt als ich gedacht habe, denn das erste und einzige Mal bin ich Schlittschuh gelaufen als ich 16. Jahre jung war...das war in Berlin - Klassenfahrt, lang lang ist's her, und das war eine wackelige Angelegenheit.

Danach wie immer gings aus Abendessen diesmal "Dim Sum" Chinesische Kueche....ich liebe Dim Sum!!! Und wie schon vorher erwaehnt den Kaffee gabs mit super Blick auf die Perth CBD.

Vitamine - Gute Besserung

Oh nein, mich hat's erwischt, passend zur Jahreszeit hab ich mir eine schoene Erkaeltung zugezogen. Da ich auf Medikamente verzichte gibts lecker Vitamine aus dem Thermomix natuerlich...Fruechte & Gemuese Smoothies - so einfach - so gesund - so lecker!!!