but wait...there's more!

I'm back my dear readers!

First, I just want to say that today's post is a little different than the ones you know and love.  Of course, this won't become an ongoing thing, but I just wanted to share something special that happened to me recently.

Enough foresight, I'll get right into it.  Wednesday December 18 was my 21st birthday.  A day my little American butt has been waiting for for what seemed like a million years!  However, being in Germany I knew it wasn't going to be as big of deal because I've been able to legally drink here for the last 2 years.  No big deal, right!?  Still, turning 21 is a major milestone for an American and I still wanted it to be a blast.

So as the day was nearing, Meri kept asking me what I wanted to do.  For some reason in the weeks nearing the special day I wasn't necessarily keen on really doing anything big.  I don't know why, but it seemed like it wasn't that big of deal to me anymore.  I told Meri, "Oh, I think maybe I will just ask a few people to go to Frankfurt for dinner or something like that."  Meri wasn't having that at all.  She would say things like, "Oh no you have to have a party. We can go to Frankfurt and drink and have fun!"  With all of the things going on I really just didn't feel in the mood for a party.  I posted in our ERASMAS group message on Facebook that I would be going to Frankfurt for a dinner on my birthday and if anyone wanted to join they were more than welcome to.

A couple days later I still had no response to it and I then realized, "What the hell am I thinking, I'm turning 21.  This is special!"  I wondered why no one had answered me back and even the people I had asked face to face had all said they had plans or had come up with some kind of excuse to why they couldn't make it. Really, I was beginning to be bothered, did I do something to piss people off and now they wont even come celebrate my Birthday with me? I told myself it was no big deal and that I shouldn't be upset, because in fact we were all nearing the Christmas vacation and everyone had a lot going on.  People were studying for midterms and getting ready to go back to their families for Christmas, I was the one being selfish asking for people to do this for me.  So I didn't ask anyone else.  I figured I would go to Frankfurt with Meri and make the best of my day and have a good time.

Well the day finally arrived.  I made Pie the night before, "because no one should be without cake on their birthday" is what I always say.  Instead I chose pumpkin and apple pie and another special treat.  Pekko arrived with flowers in the morning and we all ate pie and enjoyed the morning until it was time to get ready to go to Frankfurt.  And we were off.

We met Stuart at the train station and I was delightfully surprised by Zach and his girlfriend, Stephanie.  They also joined us.  It was a good thing Meri had made the reservation to the restaurant for 5 because now we were 5.  When we got off the train in Frankfurt was another surprise.  Natalia was waiting.  She said she was waiting for Bulat (our shitty Russian Friend).  So I simply asked her if they wanted to join us for dinner.  This is where it gets interesting.

Ok, so for the people who really know me.  Honestly I am pretty oblivious to everything.  I had no idea what was going on and I really just thought that everything was a coincidence up to this point.  I said to Meri, "We should call the restaurant and tell them we need a few more spots at our table."  All of the sudden Meri starts going off, "Ok ok fine! I got 15 of your friends and we have been planning a surprise for you the whole time.  That is why everyone has not been talking to you all week.  Everyone was going to surprise you at the restaurant! Uggg!"  Needless to say she was pretty flustered and cursing, in the middle of the train station, because she almost pulled it off completely.  The whole thing was rather amusing.

But for me it didn't matter.  It was the sweetest thing ever.  I actually started to tear up while she was having her little tantrum(Meri's English word of the day).  Really, the day before I had been so sad that everyone was blowing me off on my Birthday I actually started to cry at home the night before.  What wonderful friends for doing something so sweet for me.

We all ate an awesome meal and had some great drinks and then went back home.  I wasn't able to have a typical get drunk, drink 21 shots, and pass out 21st birthday because I had an early morning class, but it still was just what I wanted.  I enjoyed it so much.  I looked at all of the people there and thought.  These are the people who I want to be my friends.  These are the people that truly care, and it really warms my heart that they would do something so special and sweet.  I was a happy girl in the end of the night.

BUT WAIT....THERE'S MORE!!!!!!

The next day I didn't plan to do anything.  I had already had the greatest surprise party thrown for me so I was ready to relax.  I had night class that night and it was the last class before the Christmas break so everyone was having a party in the German Christmas Markets to celebrate and experience a little German style Christmas.  I did that and I was with everyone in my class.  When I was ready to go I texted Meri and asked her to come to the Christmas market and meet me and we would go home together. (She was already in the city center to do some other various errands.)

While walking to the bus she suddenly said to me, "Alex. I really have to poop."  I didn't think anything of it.  Just normal Meri.  Really, she does this kind of thing all the time.  I told her to go into the Mcdonald's and just use their restroom. No big deal right?  No! By Meri's standards that is not ok.  She kept going on about how she couldn't use public toilets to go number 2.  I don't neccessarily understand, but whatever. To each his own, right?  So we got to the bus and she asks, "Marjorie lives around her doesn't she?  I'm just going to call Marjorie and ask if I can use her toilet."  By this point I was just like, "Ok, whatever call her and see what she if she's home."  

Turns out Marjorie was home.  Meri started to head there but I was going to sit at the bus stop and wait.  She wasn't having that and told me I had to go with her.  I wasn't thinking anything of it and just going with it.  When Meri has to poop she has to poop.  Such a strange Finnish girl.  Anyway, we get to Marjorie's place and Meri bolts up the stairs to the restroom.  I start talking to Marjorie and apologizing for Meri's strange actions and then we continue to talk about random things and she keeps trying to get me to go inside the apartment.  Still, at this point I'm not thinking anything of anything and everything is completely normal to me.  "Do you want some tea," ask's Marjorie.  Well of course I wasn't going to turn down her offer! How rude would that be!?

When she opens the door...BAM! Everyone is there with Balloons and yelling, "Surprise!" Not only had Meri planned one surprise party, she had planned TWO! I couldn't believe it!  I really was so surprised and had no clue whatsoever that this was happening.

Anyway, that night turned out to be one of the best nights I have had in my life.  All my friends came together and threw me not one but two surprise parties for my 21st birthday.  I want to cry just thinking about how lucky I am to have met such wonderful caring people in this experience.  Now I know that these are the people who are going to leave a mark on me.  These are the people whom I will remember for the rest of my life.  Not only because they did such a wonderful thing for me, but because they are such wonderful people themselves.

I learned one big life lesson as I was looking at the people surrounding me that night.  Surround yourself with people who care about you and who make you feel good and people who want the best for you in your life.  All those other people in the world don't matter.  I really am a lucky girl to have all these great people in my life and I couldn't ask for a better or different exchange year.

Thanks to all the people I have met this past year! You have made it great and memorable!

With Love Alex

The story of kidnapped Alex

It was a normal Monday night, which means Ulenspiegel party. Alex put herself ready for the night but this time I decided to stay at home. She left, I went to sleep.

This morning I woke up; my alarm was set at 7.15 like always, and I was ready to do my morning porridge. Alex and I are shearing the same bed (nothing sexual, just the cheapest way to get a good bed) and every morning I'm trying to wake up really quietly so that I don't wake her up. This morning she wasn't there, she hadn't came home last night. What had happened?

I run out of the bed and checked the apartment - nothing. Not her coat, not her shoes, not her keys on the table. She hadn't come home and I know she wouldn't have gone to no-ones place to be filthy. 

I texted and called everyone - "where is Alex?" "were you late last night?" "was she drunk?". Thoughts went trough my head; maybe she decided to walk back home from the bar (because that stupid motherfucking thing does that, she doesn't have karate moves, I don't know how she is brave enough to do that kind of shit; walking alone on the scary Frankfurterstraße, psycho) and someone kidnapped her, or raped her, or she fell asleep on the street... I was worried and almost shitting my pants. 

I still decided to go out for morning run, but it didn't work out that well. I was just watching all the streets and thinking that everyone that passed me buy had taken Alex. I was sure that someone had buried her in the forest... And then this scary little fucker idea came to my head: our apartment. The nice people who gave us this apartment.

 Alex had told me how it's very unsafe to be american citizen, that there are people who are willing to kidnap you. I remember how surprised we were, when we were still looking for an apartment and our current landlord called us about they're having an open house. We didn't even remember about contacting them about the apartment, but we went to the open house and got it. 

Maybe our landlord was involved in Alex's kidnapping? They had been spying our house...? Maybe they were working for some kind of group?

So, Alex was gone. I came back from my morning run and went to have my private time in the "powder room" that has now toilet paper. I was just gonna start to cry and was texting with Dan when suddenly I heard noise coming from the hallway. Someone opened our front door - ALEX YOU MOTHER FUCKER.       

If I hadn't been sitting, I would have ran to Alex and hugged and kissed her. I was so relieved, she wasn't dead! Our landlord isn't evil, she is still amazing! 

Apparently Alex had stayed the night over our friends place - she was too tired to walk back home (and she still doesn't have those karate moves) and too broke to call the cab. 

Thank you rapers that you didn't take my dear roommate. 

Now Alex is very sorry for making me worried. And she cut her hair - not because I asked her to do it. 

This beautiful dance is for you, dear readers. Alex is doing that shit a lot.

With love,
Meri and the non-kidnapped Alex

Happy Rainbow Unicorn Poop

So hello our happy readers!

Halloween is coming and we're panicking about it - just like every day when we're going to the bus stop. Why the bus is always on time when we are late? Like today; we had to go to our german abend class and the bus was fucking 20 minutes late. Because of that I had to stand the nasty look from my german teacher. GERMANY, YOU'RE DRUNK again.

But happy thoughts!

First of all; I want to announce that we DID our laundry on Sunday! 

Alex working that ass even when she's asleep 

But it wasn't that enjoyable laundry night because my ice lolly dropped on the floor

The sunday laundry experience was so much better than the last one in Unterhof. Now I will tell you the whole story, the laundry night at Unterhof -story. Brace yourselves.


On Tuesday night we came back home from Unterhof. We had been sitting the night at our friends place and decided to walk back home, because it takes about 20 minutes. It was really dark and windy, like u can imagine a horror story, it was like that. Suddenly a black cat crosses the street - oh fuck. We didn't even spit over our shoulders! And because of that mulkku musta kissa our lives were ruined.

On Wednesday morning we were ready. It was one of those normal Wednesdays, the day in the middle of the week. We had planned this journey for one day, it was the first laundry day at Unterhof.
We had packed our laundry to our IKEA bags and took the bus number 1 to Berliner Platz. The bus was on time and we were two happy campers waiting for the Unterhof bus that was coming in 2 minutes - perfect! But then the black cat came to the picture; we missed that bus just because we were so excited about seeing Shannon who had came back from Ireland. Well, we just had to wait for the another bus to come, which took about 20 minutes. And that was the black cat -issue number 1.

Finally we got in to the bus. We got seats and we were happy campers again. The Unterhof stop was near and we prepared our selves for going out of the bus. The bus stopped, we pushed the button... Aaand the black cat came to the picture again! The fucking door didn't open, even though we pushed the button like 892837 times. We had to go all the way to Naturwissenschaften and walk from there with our big ass IKEA bags. The black cat -issue number 2.

We went down to Unterhof to do our laundry. We were tired of carrying those heavy IKEA bags and pissed off because of the black cat. We put our shit to the machines and wanted to pay - the machines didn't have numbers on them (if u live in these amazing dorms that Gießen has to offer, u know how to pay for doing your laundry) and we just had to guess which machine is what. The black cat -issue number 3.

The washing machines were supposed to be done after 45 minutes. During the machines were doing their thing, we decided to do some grocery shopping because we didn't have any food at our place. Grocery shopping was nice, and everything was fine. UNTILL we came back to Unterhof; someone had taken my laundry out of the washing machine and had put it on the laundry table - known also as "filled with international bacteria -table", and I hate bacteria. The black cat -issue number 4.

We put our "clean" laundry to the dryers and went home to put the groceries to the fridge. We came back to Unterhof and I found my laundry from the international bacteria table... And they weren't even dry yet; someone had taken my laundry out of the dryer and had put his/her laundry to the dryer instead. All the dryers were in use at that moment so I had to make my own journey to the other laundry place in Unterhof where my laundry was getting dry eventually. Alex also had to pay her dryer twice, because apparently the dryers weren't working that well. While waiting for the dryers to finish, we had to check the other dryer that had my laundry in it in the beginning. It was finished and we took it out... We took out just one little blue towel with pink dots on - like WTF?! Who wants to pay 1€ for drying one pathetic towel?! Who wants to take a bagful of wet clothes from the dryer and replace it with one towel?! Like this is the time, when you have another chance to think about the whole thing again - "do I really want to pay 1€ for drying this towel?" The black cat -issue number 5.

I know, I'm an evil person. But it was just because of the situation. I'm truly sorry, if someone felt bad after reading this - if it's you or your friend... I'm sorry. Well at least you can try to clone me, because I kissed that paper. Meri number 2, parteyyy 

Yes, I left that message for the towels owner. I really feel bad about it now, but I think it's still funny. Everyone can take a little joke, right?

Our little laundry day took us for five hours. We were exhausted. We were sad. We were ready to destroy all of the black cats out there. Five fucking black cat -issues. BE AWARE!  

And now Alex wants us to buy this kitten: 

She's out of her mind. All cats are evil. We're just gonna get two gold fish: Mac and Cheese. 

On last Friday I was on my regular run and I saw that black cat again. It was terrifying. 

BUT BACK TO HAPPY THOUGHTS:

WE HAVE TOILET PAPER poopie time, peace man 

The tango of the black cat 

Here is some inspiration for Halloween. You can also see those amazing subtitles on the Wrecking ball video - is it spanish? Black cat, Miley Cyrus or YouTube - hard choice...

Happy Halloween, peace and blessings! Watch out for those black cats out there, they're evil.

With Love,
Meri

It's Sunday....in Deutschland

Ok so for all you people who do not live and have never been to Deutschland(Germany) here is a little explanation of why Sunday in Deutschland is such a big thing:

ABSOLUTELY ALL THE SHOPS ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAY!

So in most peoples minds you would think, "Great a day I can be super productive and get so much stuff done like homework and housework and other miscellaneous random ass shit that I procrastinated doing during the week because I've just been to busy to even try to do it." That is not the case for Meri and I.  Here is a little look at our day that we should be doing shit that we need to do:

This is what I find when I come from the bathroom.

Highest level of Procrastination achieved. (Along with some salad dressing).

Procrastination!

We have been talking about doing our laundry for a week.  Sunday is usually laundry day in the Almer Forwie household.  Still procrastinating that one.

We would rather do shit like this.

my reaction to the above picture :)

 Oh yeah and we ran out of toilet paper.  It's sunday......

 

Meri really has to shit!

And just a little look at what we are listening to:

So basically Sundays are a fun filled day of procrastination and doing stupid shit that makes no sense to anyone but us! Peace and Blessings from this crazy bitch :)

With love Meri and Alex!