Diving into pages

As I am sitting here typing, I feel that inner tugging that you get when you have a real good book waiting for you to be continued. Reading is one of my greatest passions. I just love to dive down into other worlds (not just in fiction, obviously) and explore.

I think it was last year that I tried to keep track of how many books I read every year. For two or three months I meticulously wrote down every book I had read but then it got all muddled up because of all the stuff I was reading for my tesis.

I remember when I was a teenager I got so annoyed that books were so short. I would read a book of 500 pages in two hours. Later I began to read almost exclusively in English. At least that would take me a couple of hours longer. I'd say that now I am just as fast reading in English as in German so the next thing to do is read in Italian, which at the moment is still a bit tiring and a lot of times I'm not up to it because for me reading is all about the pictures in my head. If I read too slow it's like a film that doesn't move.

But then reading is not just about the speed. It's about imagination about getting lost, forgetting where you are. Seeing the impossible, getting to know people who do not esist but seem so real, learning things you never knew before. And now I'm returning to read "The Oxford Murders" a book that is about mathematics, logic and philosophia and at the same time a crime story which I'm already in love with!!

The things that change

My life has changed a lot during the last year and it is going to change again this year. I can definitely not complain of being bored!! There are quite a few plans and ideas at this point of time, hopes and fears. I have sent out my first application Monday. With all the horror stories in mind of how long it took some of my friends to find a first job I wonder how many will follow.

Surely my case is different as I'm looking for work in another country. There are some things that speak in my favor (having lived abroad and speaking two linguages fluently and all the little but important jobs I did while I studied at the WWU) and then there are things that are not so cool like that I'm still learning Italian, being a stranger, not having a car etc.

But then the unemployment rate in Switzerland is three times lower than the one of Germany. At the same time I'm not quite sure whether I want to stay in Switzerland or work in Italy.

This year will definitely be very exciting and I wonder where will I be next year at the same time? Will I finally find a place where I want to settle down and stay? Or will I once again feel the great urge for more adventures, to see more of the world, to experience more, to live free as a bird?

Der Papa

Kommt uebermorgen!! Er hat eine Schulung in der Naehe von Zuerich und kommt nachher hier hergefahren. Beim Fahren ist er in seinem Element, er ist naemlich frueher immer sehr viel gefahren weil er in ganz Deutschland gearbeitet hat.

Und dann sind wir jeden Sommer 8 Stunden lang nach Oesterreich gefahren wo es ihm auch richtig gefallen hat die ganzen Berge rauf und runter zu fahren. Da wird er jede Menge Spass haben von Zuerich hier her zu fahren. Hinter dem Gottardo ist jetzt auch alles schoen weiss. Hier ist es schon wieder geschmolzen-zuviel Sonne!

Aber zum Thema Papa-wenn das aufkommt muss ich immer damit angeben, dass wir am gleichen Tag geboren sind! Gute Reise, Pa!!

Sciare

Sono andata sciare lunedi sopra Cari. Era molto divertente però non so ancora se mi piacciono lo nuove sci o no. Sono più corti e non mi sento così sicura con quelli di con gli altri. E' stato un bell weekend, tranquillo e a stesso tempo ho visto tanto.

Sabato siamo andati a Ponte Tresa per prendere gli nuovi occhiali di Nico. Eravamo anche a Luino e abbiamo fatto la spesa. Ancora non ho trovato questi cantuccini senza latte o burro che ho mangiato una volta. Però ho trovato taroncini con il gusto di caffè-buonooooooo!!

La domenica sono andata con Sascha e Nico a Coira e mentre loro hanno arbitrato ho fatto sight-seeing di Coira. Una bella città!! E dopo alla sera siamo andati a Vigera. Carì è proprio sopra Vigera però la strada che va a Carì è chiuso in inverno e si deve prima andare in giù e dopo in su. Non sono mai andata sciare così alto (erano quasi 3000m) e con così tanta sole. Neve non c'era tanta più ma abbastanza per divertirsi!

Am Freitag bevor die Danny kam. Ja, wirklich das ist ein Photo vom Januar. Wir waren grade in Ponte Tresa einen Kaffee in der Sonne trinken. Vor lauter Sonne konnte ich nichtmal grade gucken. Guckt mal rechts hinter mir. Was ist das? Richtig, ein Stern! Richtig, das ist noch die Weihnachtsdeko und ich sitze ohne Aermel in der Sonne weil es so heiss war. Am 19. Januar 2007. Beweisphoto!

Rabadan

Arriva il carneval! Jetzt kommt der Karneval nach Bellinzona und der heisst hier Rabadan. Die Schulen machen sogar eine Woche lang zu damit auch alle richtig feiern koennen. In den Geschaeften gibt es mehr Karnevalskostueme als ich jemals gesehen habe.
Gestern nacht kam aber erstmal der Schnee runter bis zur Haelfte der Berge und dazu eisiger Wind. Der Winter ist da!!!!

EasyJet not so easy

Yesterday we missed the flight to Germany. We didn't have the car and took the Malpensa express (a bus) to Malpensa from the central station. The bus driver, however, was intend on filling the bus to the max, which meant we departed 20 minutes late. People were already calling, "Daiiiii, andiamo!!!" Then we slowly made our way through the Milano traffic until we reached the autostrada. We made some speed for maybe two minutes when we arrived at the end of a traffic jam. There had been an accident. We krept along for another 30 minutes and arrived at Malpensa 35 minutes before the flight departed, yet they didn't let my friends board the plane any more, che stronzi!!! They had to change the flight to the one of tonight and also had to pay 100 Euro for fees! I'm not impressed with EasyJet, no neanche un po'!!

De Gustibus

My friend Danny is the same as always, always makes me smile. For the last two days she's been keeping to say "De Gustibus" because she liked the sound of it and she has read it here on the Migros building. She has also learned "mucca", "andiamo", "si", "va bene" and a few other words. She is very happy to be here and everythings so easy around her. She also is a lot like me. When she sees a sunny place she wants to stay and enjoy the sunshine.

However, there's one thing that makes me very afraid for her. If someone here found out how she likes her coffee they'd send the mafia and have her decapitated. I offered her a very good Italian espresso today and what did she do? Mixed some water with a bit of milk, put it in the microwave until it boiled and then added a little bit of espresso. Ma, che schifooooooooooooo!!!

I'm also glad I got to know her husband (how weird that sounds) a little better and I must say, he's fine!!! I think he will take good care of her and make her happy. If not, I will send the mafia. He was mostly fascinated with the cultural differences here, how relaxed everything is, how there is no hurry and no one gets upset over a bit of a mess. He is very impressed with the differences in quality of life here and there.

Tomorrow we will go to Milano again. It better not be ice cold... We have had il favonio for two days and it's been about 30 degrees Celsius in the sun.

Kyrill

Well, the storm is over and I can't believe it was raging so hard in Germany when we there was really no wind at all here yesterday. What a difference it makes on which side of the Alps you're on! My mom said three trees in front of the house have fallen. I haven't heard from anyone else yet. So please let me know you're all okay.

Orkan!!!

Wowowow, da braut sich was zusammen!! Ein aktuelles Photo aus meiner alten Heimat! Aiutoooo! Haltet euch gut fest!! Und nachher will ich alles hoeren wie es war! Sylvana, wie schade dass wir jetzt nicht zusammen am RHW am Fenster sitzen koennen...

Schreibt mir doch mal was bei euch so passiert ist! Zum Trost- bei uns scheint heute tatsaechlich auch mal nicht die Sonne!

Kalkidan schlaeft grade friedlich auf dem Sofa. Was so ein kleiner Mensch alles fuer Ideen hat! Ich musste heute blaue Nudeln essen die aus Knete gemacht waren. Buon appetito! Morgen kommt die Danny!! Wenn der Wind nicht alles weggefegt hat vorher... Wir muessen schon nachmittags losfahren weil es viel Verkehr gibt auf der Autostrada nach Malpensa.

Due giorni

Noch zwei Tage dann kommt die Danny, freuuuuuuuuuuuuuu wie ein Schneekoenig!!! Gestern nacht vor Aufregung nicht soooo viel geschlafen aber heute alles super gelaufen mit den Kindern. Seit grade hab ich auch einen Fernseher und kann Ticinesisches Fernsehen empfangen. Deswegen gehe ich gleich noch ein Stuendchen gucken bevor ich schlafen geh.

In Deutschland solls angeblich einen Riesensturm geben. Mist, schon wieder verpass ich was!!! Das ist doch immer so wenn ich weg bin. Einmal gabs ne Sonnenfinsternis, wo war ich? In den USA! Dann gabs den Kissenschlachtweltrekord in Muenster und wo war ich? In den USA! Und jetzt kommt der Jahrhundertesturm und wo bin ich? Im Ticino!! Oh MANNNNNOOOOOOO!!!! Und wehe der bleibt bis Freitag nachmittag und die Danny kann nicht kommen! WEHE!!

Heute auch an die dritte Email geschrieben an die Uni. Wo bleibt das Abschlusszeugnis!!?? Hallo, jemand zu Hause? Zitter!! Und was ist wenn ich jetzt doch die Klausur versetzt hab? Zitterzitter...

Heute noch brav Konjunktiv gelernt... credo che sia meglio se vado a letto ora... ciaociao!!

In TV

Shortly before New Years I was in the Ticinesian TV TSI1! They asked me what I whished for for 2007 and I said I wanted to improve my Italian. In the background you can see the town hall and the market of Bellinzona. Of course later everybody called and wanted to know what I was doing in TV!

Click on the photo to see me!
(Realplayer required)

Benvenuti!!

Welcome to my new blog! Usually I don't like to change email addresses or websites but after my former webmaster cancelled all of the blogs on his server and I lost everything I had written at Muenster before coming here I was already annoyed.

Now the tags don't work at the old blog, it is very complicated to insert an image and have text in the same line, plus it seemed to me that most of the other blogs where written by such characters as "Deathangel" and other depressing names whereas here you can find a mixture of blogs from all around the world. And those who know me personally know that I like to mingle with folks from everywhere.

Ed eccomi, my new blog is kept a little simpler which I think provides a nicer background for the images I'm going to insert. However, pretty much nothing else has changed. There are still the links on the right (instead of the left) and there's my profile above. I have added a list of the books I am reading (sto leggendo...) and the stars next to a book correspond to how much I like/d it. There's also a list of the places I have recently been to, which I keep mostly for my own pleasure... However, there's one thing this blog can't do and that is have a photo album as nice as the old one. I have decided that I will put the nicest photo here and maybe use the old blog only for photos. We will see... It seems I don't have the time to always put the photos online, anyway.

However, I hope you all stay with me and keep reading! I enjoy sharing my thoughts and pictures with you as I go on exploring the Italian culture...

Die Glocken von Zurigo

Boh, hab mich grade total erschrocken! Auf einmal ein Riesenkrach! Um halb acht bimmeln hier die Glocken dass einem die Ohren droehnen! Heute morgen auch schon um 10. Kein Wunder dass es hier ne Initiative gibt die Glocken wenigstens nachts stillzulegen. Die Glocken von Zuerich sind wirklich die lautesten die ich kenne. Und dabei kann ich von hier gar keine Kirche sehen!

Muenster: Im Sommer auf dem Domplatz, das Kopfsteinpflaster bruetet in der Sonne und ich auf einer Bank unter den Baeumen und die ganze Stadt ist erfuellt von Glockengelaeute. Das ist ein Klang so alt und schoen, wie Musik.

Einmal im Hoersaal im Fuerstenberghaus direkt neben dem Dom. Seminar von vier bis sechs. Vorne redet der Prof aber dann die Glocken vom Dom und die gehen ganze fuenf Minuten. Ohhhh, so schoen!

Und in Vigera um 10 und um 8 Uhr abends mache ich das Fenster auf und strecke den Kopf raus und hoere einfach nur zu wie die kleine Glocke an der Kirche klingt. Und in Amerika hab ich ihn immer vermisst, den Klang der Kirchenglocken...

Le mie parole

Si, sono a Zurigo ancora una volta. E una città simpatica, ormai tutti parlano un tedesco stranissimo. Ogni volta che sento svizzera tedesco penso delle cose brutte è così duro. Si dice che tedesco non è una lingua bella ma davvero dipende quale tedesco. Penso che il mio tedesco di Muenster sia davvero bello perchè non suona così dura, non usiamo la "R" e non amazziamo la "CH". Però c'é una lingua più bella che si chiama italiano. Quella mi piace così tanto che ora non ho voglia più di tornare in Germania e parlare tedesco.

Invece per il mio inglese mi preoccupo. Ho ancora paura di perderlo. Lo capisco ancora come il tedesco e leggerlo è faccilissimo però se provo di parlarlo mi vengono sole le parole italiane... beh, le parole sono ancora qui solo non hanno voglia di uscire per un po' di tempo... però le parole sono mie e se vorrei per esempio posso dire "parole" in tre lingue diverse. Woerter, words, parole. Posso fare così con quasi tutte le mie parole. E posso scrivere le posts in tre lingue anche. E oggi avevo voglia di usare le mie parole italiane anche se la maggiorenza di voi parlate tedesco o/e inglese...

Arriva la Danny!!

Yay, heute hat mich meine Danny angerufen und sie kommt am Freitag mit dem gleichen Flug wie die Mona und bleibt bis Montag abend! Freu!! Wir sind schon beste Freundinnen seit 15 Jahren, wow!! Wir haben uns in der 7. Klasse kennengelernt, in der ich gelandet bin nachdem ich ironischerweise wegen Latein und Englisch sitzengeblieben bin. Sie heiratet am Donnerstag standesamtlich. Im Mai fahre ich dann nach Deutschland um bei der kirchlichen Hochzeit dabei zu sein.

Back at Bellinzona!!

After four days at Vigera I'm now back with the little one, who at the moment ist peacefully suckling at her bottle of milk. We have read two books, played hide and seek, played princesses, have listened to music and she has rearanged my room. She has also told me all her new words!!

Yesterday I received a long letter from my ex-roomie Anke. She has worked as an au pair in Ohio some years ago and enjoyed it a lot.

Then last night I went to my Italian class and after class we went out for coffee at the pizzeria nearby like we usually do. There's the possibility of going skiing next weekend with Dimitri and his family.

I still haven't heard from my best friend Danny but my Dad has written and will arrive the first weekend in February.

Meanwhile the secretary of my prof has written that she's no longer working at the English Seminar and doesn't know about my diploma. Daiiiiiii!!

Well, the little bug has finished her bottle and wants some attention. Gotta go!!!

Benvenuto 2007!!!

Tre, due, uno....!!!!! Und dann war es da, 2007, in Lugano am Lago Ceresio! Rueckwaerts auf Italienisch von 10 bis 1 geschrieen zusammen mit den anderen, und dann ein bisschen Sekt. Buon Anno!!! Nur das bisschen Feuerwerk, was die Italiener mitgebracht hatten weil es in Ticino traditionell um Mitternacht gar kein Feuerwerk gibt. Dann am Montag um sechs nach Ascona und das riesige Feuerwerk auf dem Lago Maggiore angesehen was wirklich toll war mit dem mondbeschienenen Schneegipfel im Hintergrund und den Spiegelungen auf dem Wasser.

Und auch schon das erst mal 2007 in einem Datum geschrieben, in der Biblioteca Cantonale. Gestern der Markt in Luino und heute Mailand. Hab sogar im Dom eine Kerze angezuendet fuer einen Freund ders grade brauchen kann. Und natuerlich auch schon die ersten Sonnenstrahlen des Jahres genossen. Und jetzt? Warten auf den Schneeeeeeee!!! Und Vorfreude mal wieder, denn meine allzeit beste Freundin Danny kommt mich am 19. fuer drei Tage besuchen!! Und mein Papa auch noch!

Also noch gar keine Zeit gehabt nachzudenken was ich mir fuer 2007 ueberhaupt wuensche. Obwohl ich ja letztens im Ticinesischen Fernsehen war und die mich genau das gefragt haben. Oh ja, ich bin jetzt hier beruehmt! ;) Ich hab gesagt ich moechte noch besser Italienisch lernen. Aber sonst? Ein wenig mehr Ruhe und weniger Stress als letztes Jahr, bitte, bitte. Einen Job finden. Das sind so die grossen und wichtigen Dinge.