Paris

I've finished up my 5 months in Germany and have arrived in Paris.

It's been quite an overwhelming experience, despite previously living here, the change from my small town in Germany to the big bad city is taking a bit of time to get used to. However, after arriving here on day 1, I found a flat on day 2 and moved in a couple of days later, I am getting there bit by bit with the mountain of red tape. Slowly does it.

I am quite happy here in my room in the 19th arrondissement and have explored the area, which feels a lot more 'real' than strolling down dream street (aka the Champs Elysées) and such. I think I wasn't prepared for the sheer size of the city and being thrown into classes from day 2, struggling with my pronunciation and confusing the locals with my French/German accent. It's been tricky and I started off feeling extremely out of my depth, wanting to run back to England even, but I have two weeks worth of holidays now so I'm preparing to sightsee, study and take it easy. Oh, well I might have to find a job as it's ridiculously expensive living here.

Customer service, what's that?

A little rant here, I forgot to mention whilst I was in Austria I had the worst customer service experience ever. Ignored, shouted at and insulted, I had to laugh and walk away otherwise I would've burst into tears after I asked a simple question about which train to take. After calmly asking her not to talk to me like a child she growled I was 'too sensitive'. Well, yes I am but that's not the point! I would never have dreamed of saying such things to anyone, let alone a customer I am supposed to be doing my best to help. In fact, they all seemed to go out of their way NOT to help me... Whatever happened to 'the customer is always right'?

What is the worst customer service you've experienced? And let's weigh it out with the best?

I remember when I was working in retail, an elderly woman was so happy with my job she gave me a hug and a kiss... the person next in the queue asked if they should do the same!

Innsbruck 2012

Back from my interpreting post at the first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck! I was so lucky to have had this experience as interpreting opportunites often seem unattainable for us students! The past two weeks have been brilliant in every way; thrown in at the deep end with medical interpreting, getting to know a range of people from all backgrounds, ages with various experiences and fascinating stories, watching the best young athletes compete, learning Russian with my fellow interpreters, getting an insight into how the Games work from a behind-the-scenes perspective, exploring the wonderful city of Innsbruck and getting to grips with the dialect ;) and, cheesy as it might sound... the feeling of being part of history!

I am now back in Heidelberg and have had four exams. Only one more to go, a gruelling four hour German exam on Friday morning!

I can't believe January is nearly over, what have you been up to this month?

Beth.

out with the old, in with the new

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a good one wherever you are and all I wish for is health and happiness as well as lots of nice times with my family and friends and some good food as well!

Had a bit of a shock when I got a bill (which I couldn't understand, nice way to dent my German language confidence!) from the bank and then realised I am running extremely low on funds. Thank goodness for my student loan which will come in next week. I need it to actually pay rent, let alone do anything else! I can't believe that from this year student fees are doubling, or in some cases trebling...

Heimat

I'm back from my ever so quick visit home. Enjoyed a really relaxed Christmas which was lovely to see my family and friends as well as to see how much bigger our puppy is, but it's really nice to be back here. I feel like this is my new home, I feel like I belong here...

I didn't get back til 2am after waiting on buses, taxis, planes, trains and more buses! On the flight I chatted to a man who teaches golf in Heilbronn but I didn't enjoy the conversation too much as I spent most of it clutching the seat in front/armrest due to turbulance!

The new year sees me aiming to be more organised/read more/relax more which I have already begun. Also, is it just me or is anyone else absolutely shattered in winter? I sleep lots but it annoys me when I plan to read books before bed in order to relax (incorporating all three of my 'resolutions') and I end up waking up with a sore neck half an hour after beginning the first page...

Onto something completely random...after just pouring a cuppa, I've noticed icky bits of calcium floating around and have checked the inside of my kettle which is white, need to be a decalcifier (I doubt this is the word, I think the German is decalker or something!) Sorry to bore you all!

Hope you all (if anyone reads this) have had a lovely festive period and have a wonderful new year, wishing you all lots of health and happiness!

frohe Weihnachten! :)

With less than a week before I return to the UK for Christmas, I feel like it is the beginning of the end of my time in Heidelberg. I would've really loved to stay here a whole year, otherwise you up sticks and move just as you begin to feel settled. It's gonna be fun moving with all the things I've accumulated here, most notably seven pairs of shoes....a girl needs shoes!

Actually, living abroad and knowing you'll be on the move again soon makes you realise that material things really do not matter. I'll be giving a lot of my posssessions to friends and only taking with me the essentials. This whole experience has allowed me to meet some really amazing people from all across the world. I adore our group of friends and will never forget the time we have spent together, which always involves lots of eating and laughing. I've been truly happy here and I hope with my optimistic outlook I find another set of lovely friends in Paris.

However I still have around two months left here so I'll be making the most of it. I've got an amazing opportunity to interpret for two weeks in January, then I'm back for a week before exams start, then it's bye bye Heidelberg, city of dreams!

Before I get ahead of myself, above are some photos from our Christmas day we had at the weekend. It took us around six hours to prepare all the food, but it was the loveliest, relaxed day with my 'family' here.

Having a ball!

Ok, I know I know I know I know I was supposed to be a good little blogger and update every week. Maybe more. Butttt life happens and suddenly I'm having too much fun and going on spontaneous trips to Cologne and Venice to think about a blog. But I really should document my whizzing-by-in-a-flash Erasmus trip. Experience. Life. I don't know what to call it but it's pretty perfect.

Poetry Slam. A concept which I fear would be laughed off in the UK but me and my fellow Brit David were loving every minute. Contestents (mostly studends but a few middle aged) would read their poetry on stage for 5 minutes then we would applaud them. The contestent with the loudest applause/cheers wins. Simple, and in most cases, hilarious. Did wonders for my German too (I think!)

Cologne was great. We decided to really be cheap students and stay out all night, coming home on the first train back. Only do this if your immune system is tip top. Ours, after a few hours of Gluehwein (Christmas market, it's a must!) and banana beer plus no sleep and a dodgy kebab, we weren't feeling our best. However dozing on a train with the sun rising over the Rhine is the most gorgeous thing.....

Venice was like a dream. Like walking around in your imagination, so beautiful with an old charm. I am now compelled to learn Italian. I'll add that after Russian, Croatian and Maltese (I just want to spend my life travelling & collecting languages). Our hostel was really not the best and one night we were freezing cold, the next boiling hot due to problems with the heating but we had a brilliant location. Had a few problems with our airline, Ryanair, which has prompted me to send angry emails every day since returning and the flight back was pretty scary with turbulence. It seemed like we had landed a few times, we were rocked about so much! Hopefully everything goes smoothly when I fly back to the UK in two weeks exactly! Cannot wait!