Random facts about my life in Germany
Interested in affordable trips to Germany? Check out some of these travel tips/packages!
Insignificant, small little things are what I will share with you in this post. They may be almost meaningless but these are the moments that I will actually remember the most.
So every morning, I wake up early to make breakfast and get ready for school calmly but surely. Sometimes even when I do not have school, I wake up early too, it's like my body clock is set to 7am or 8am daily. No matter how late I sleep (whether it is for a party, well mostly), it can go as late as 5am and my eyes flick open at 8am in the morning. I have no idea why but it happens every day, exceptional for a few days where I'm really tired and my body can't handle it anymore. I figured maybe it's because I have the mentality to make full, good use of the day so I don't waste time sleeping the day away. Personally, I don't sleep a lot either.
Anyway, other than making breakfast, I also cook my own everyday meals. I am not a creative person but I like to explore different things all the time so I find out and try new recipes (created on my own). This explains why all my dishes are first attempts. Being here helped me realise a hidden talent/hobby of mine – cook & bake
I am NOT good at it but for someone who hasn't had much of a cooking experience before, I think I did a pretty good job whipping up dishes as a beginner.
Stocking up my refrigerator has become a kind of happiness for me. I can spend more than an hour doing grocery shopping without even realising it until I get back home. Surprisingly, I don't prepare a list of groceries-to-buy before heading for the supermarket, even though I have a bad memory. I just buy whatever I need and if I forget something, I make do with it. So usually, I'll cook something that comes to my mind using the ingredients available.
Here are some of the food that I've prepared for myself and/or friends. I really wish I could make Asian dishes but European supermarkets limit the ingredients required, making it nearly impossible.
- LUNCH / DINNER -
Pasta salad with cheese and vegetables (pan-fried with garlic)
My favourite combination of pasta I've cooked so far – Carbonara with Bacon and Mushrooms
Sandwich – Ham / cheese / tomatoes / guacamole
Something Asian! Garlic and Egg Fried Rice
Fried Rice with Bacon
Mac n Cheese (check out the cute ribbon/bow pasta)
The only dish that I've attempted more than once because I can never get it quite right.
(23/11) Matt's reaction to my snap of the Mac and cheese I baked HAHA. I replied his snap, saying that it wasn't too good so I would make them something else. And he walked into my room, while I was blogging, and asked me about the whereabouts of my mac and cheese then joked about not having dinner as he was waiting for me to cook something.
Baked Mac & Cheese (first try), the texture was a tad too dry.
Mac n Cheese (2nd try), better than the first time!
My favourite first attempt dish so far👍!! Salmon with Garlic Mushrooms and Beans
- BREAKFAST -
My classic breakfast would be cereals with milk and bread with Nutella spread and sliced up bananas. Hot chocolate is also one of the best remedy for Monday mornings. I've also possibly tried every type of cereal and muesli.
Bacon and Egg Toast Cups
Favourite breakfast! I've made these for my friends and I was really happy when they liked them as much as I do.
...
I usually post my food pictures late on Instagram so I uploaded a picture of the bacon and egg toast cups a few days after I baked these little babies. Matt came knocking on my door, almost banging and went, "I SAW YOU'VE GOT SOME OF THAT BACON AND EGG THINGY. SAW IT ON INSTAGRAM NOW GIMME SOME OF THAT." I was stunned for a few seconds and burst out laughing. He thought I made them again and he wanted more. After I explained to him that it was an old picture, he went, "dang you". I can't even. If you're wondering, yes, he is still asking if I'm making these toast cups again. Matt is too cute. If you're reading this Matt, I will be making more okay, promise!
Just some bread and a lot of fruits ;-)
Parfait - Banana / yogurt / muesli
Bread with a variety of fruits once again. Accidentally froze my grapes, apples and kiwi HAHA.
Overnight soaked oatmeal mixed with vanilla yogurt, blueberries and raspberries
Slightly irrelevant but I kinda miss the hotel breakfast at Hamburg. Because it was always so filling (breakfast is the most important meal of the day, ain't I right?) and I love having jam and cheese spread on that bread!
- SNACKS / DESSERTS -
My only packet of Milo I had because they do not have milo over here, only hot chocolate.
I miss MILO.
Hot chocolate and apples. Apples have become a must-have-everyday for me.
To-go snack all day err day! I can grow a thousand bouquet of sunflowers in my stomach already.
Chewing gum has also become an essential need in my life especially for school. In class, I can pop 2 to 3 chewing gums, to keep myself awake. It helps sometimes, like 2% of the time. Maybe it's an excuse to eat more gum HAHA. But yes I love gum and eat it whenever or wherever I feel like!
Tidbits and chips are DIRT CHEAP in Europe! Reasons why I am still stuck in this size, I can have a bag of Nachos with cheese dips for 99cents euro each!
Red pepper! Love love love.
No I didn't make this donut hahahaha. I bought this for less than a euro. It was my first donut and it still is! Really good donut for such a good price, there is even chocolate filling, yummy.
Yogurt is another snack I can have all day everyday. I love my yogurt. Plus, what's best is that they pre-pack toppings together with the yogurt, my favourite ones are those with muesli! It's so convenient, just grab and go.
Milchreis! It's like milk yogurt with rice, tastes better than porridge. They also have additional flavours, for example, this one is chocolate. The chocolate sauce is under the Milchreis content, so you gotta mix all the goodness up!
Apart from buying gelato ice cream cones from gelato stores or push carts, I had to have ice cream sticks and tubs from the supermarkets as well! That's what ice cream lovers like me do.
Have never tried this brand before, it is an in-house brand, as seen 'Kaufland'. But I got it because I was craving for Macademia Nut ice cream (fav flavour) so bad, it was my only option at that time until........
I FOUND MY LOVE in the large Kaufland.
* * *
Just bringing the Singaporean style to Europe. Even though, it is less than 10 degrees outside, I can walk around in shorts and flip flops. My friends are always so shocked when I dress like that, asking in concern whether I'm feeling cold. At times, I realise passers-by staring at me and I wonder if it is because of the way I was dressed...
My extremely cozy room! If you remember, I have a beautifully crafted design on the ceiling. I like my room very much. My friends like my room too and they constantly say that they like it, how cozy it is and all.
I think I am really smart to have this idea of placing the lamp on the side of my bed, turning it into a bed lamp HAHA. Even though there is a bedside table, I was unable to put the lamp there as the wire was too short and there were no sockets near the table. On the wall is a wall plate (storing wire cables) that juts out, hence creating a tiny gap in between the wall and my bed. I place my plug extension on the wall plate, connect it to the main plug then plug in my chargers together with the lamp.
I like how I have 2 pillows, one is a big plush pillow, super soft one that I use to lean (like right now as I am blogging on my bed) and another flat, hard one that I use to sleep (it is exactly similar to the one I use in SG). I cherish both pillows very much because it guarantees a good sleep and comfortable rest. I also like how both pillows have my smell after staying in this room for months already. This room has become a part of me :')
It's a different environment altogether...
- Breathing out fog the minute I step outdoors.
- Hearing German or a foreign language and conversing/introducing myself in German.
There were scenarios where I introduced myself in English to Germans and the first thing they ask is, "Are you from the states?" I don't know why but it has happened pretty often! Possibilities of this perception of me could be either because of my name or my accent. Some have asked if 'Alexis' was my real name or if I have another name, with the thought that 'Alexis' is my nickname/made-up name. Then they mention how American my name sounds. Also, I have received comments on how my accent sounded almost American (quoted from Matthew) and that I don't talk like the rest of the Singaporeans. So maybe it's one of those 2.
- Entering the class and the first thing I do is to remove my coat and hang it on my chair. Being in a warm classroom with heaters indoors instead of air-conditioners.
- Going on internal holidays during lectures all the time. It's like the lights are on but no one (me) is at home.
- Spotting HUGE-ass dandelions and starry starry nights (with countless stars, it is so mesmerising) and even shooting stars!!
- Driving to the big Kaufland or having road trips because my French sis has a car (perks of having friends who bring their car abroad) and playing my music all the time as requested.
- No full length mirrors in toilets(?!)
- The vast amount of different trains, train connections and train tickets you can choose from to go from one place to another because the country is huge! It can be SUPER complicating, even the Germans can't get the hang of the train system in Germany fully. It took me some time to understand the connections and which tickets to buy in order to get the cheapest rate (even using the ticketing machine required effort to learn and adapt). Taking a train to my desired destination is not a problem for me anymore – having to transfer trains and get into the right connected train, realise which train is running late then catch it. But practice makes perfect because I have missed my trains before due to train delays, making it difficult to know whether it is the correct train to take (difference of train timings as stated on the timetable). Still, I have figured on my own on how to check if I'm taking the right connected train by looking at the train schedule on the board, the train information on the screen (train number, time schedule) and also asking the train officer (whom I seldom see). Oh, the tingling sensation of achievement when I've reached the train stop of my destination (usually return trip).
- Daylight savings occur in Europe. On October 26, daylight savings causes 1 hour to go backward so now we are 7 hours behind Singapore instead of 6 hours (time difference). As Winter approaches, the day gets shorter each day. Sun rises late (day gets bright @ 7:45am+/-) and sets early (sky gets dark @ 4:30pm+/-)
It took me some time to understand the concept of daylight savings.
Spring > Summer > Autumn > Winter
It is basically the practice of advancing or declining of clocks during changes of seasons. That means the clock is 1 hour forward during the summer months(start of spring) where light is extended in the evening hours, days stay lighter longer. On the contrary, the clock is 1 hour backward near winter/spring where light is shortened in the evening hours, which explains why the sky gets dark really early now. It always feels like it's 9pm already when in fact it is only 5pm. Also, people adjust their clocks back to the regular time when approaching autumn.
“The basic idea is to make the best use of daylight hours by
shifting the clock forward in the spring and backward in the fall.”
- - -
This is how my American friend (including Germans) pronounce my surname. Of course, I have taught them the right way to say it. FYI, he started singing Say My Name by The Neighbourhood because I wanted to record a video of him saying my name. I made him repeat and asked, "Say my name." and there was his reply. I've got cool friends.
His facial expression when I brought the camera up close to his face and he realised I was taking a video of him.
He's always making fun of me and my Instagram hashtags. I can't help it but laugh everytime he says it randomly or mention it before taking a picture of me or when he sees me taking pictures. Leon does that too sometimes and then Matthew will chorus behind. Gosh HAHA.
Wrapping up this post with some selfies of my friends. My phone just landed up in their hands somehow and they went snapping away. The last guy was drunk and he sent his selfies to a few of my Whatsapp contacts. So if you're one of them who received his selfies, yes he's Jan ["Yan"] HAHA.
No school Tuesdays and Wednesdays this week! Had a pretty fruitful day yesterday and I'll blog about it tomorrow :-) Meanwhile I have to ship back 20kg worth of stuff back to Singapore, the packing process is tiring me out, phoooof.
Till then, chao!
P.S. Finally adjusted the post settings to Central European Time, now it's GMT(+01:00) Berlin, Germany!
ASK: http://Ask.fm/AlexisAngx
at
Leave a comment? // 0 Comment(s)
