As many of you know, my birthday was on 04 April. While restrictions at that time were in place for gatherings and parties, etc. I made the most of it. I ordered myself a cake, had a day with my roommate and an evening with friends–virtually of course. We took advantage of the Netflix Party extension and watched Ferris Bueller's Day off. I even got to connect with some friends in the States, which was such a lovely experience! Animal Crossing even through a party for me on my day, which was adorable and special.
The half marathon was scheduled for April 5, so that sadly did not occur. However, my roommate and I simulated the end of it (i.e. a whole 0.1 mile of it) with me holding my medal "from the race" proudly.
The following weekend, my roommate and I decided to have a pizza and movie, which I was thoroughly impressed. She previously worked at a pizzeria, so she created a fantastic sauce for our pizza, and we made (vegan) mozzarella! It was such a lovely way to spend time together and enjoy a nice relaxing evening. (Even though the movie was a thriller, which was far from relaxing... but the sentiment was there.)
I've been doing a lot of biking and walking lately, so pictured below are some of my findings. For instance, I found a place only 15 minutes by bike from my apartment with vegan Eis (gelato) along with local vegetables and fruits. Additionally, I have been walking in nearby woods and forests which lead me to be completely and utterly alone in the mornings for my walks/runs (which is amazing!), especially because I can listen to the birds singing throughout the trees.
Something I was really proud of was I went to order and then pick up my German as a foreign language book (from a local book handler of course), and noticed a book which looked familiar. I had done brief research on negative stimulus and negative associations with talking about periods, and this lovely lady came up because she wrote her bachelor's thesis on the "Red Revolution" (solely talking about periods here :) ) Therefore, I was so excited, that I bought my first book in German. While I have other books I bought from secondhand shops or found for free, this felt monumental to me because I did not have any anxiety about opening its cover and beginning to read (in German). If you are interested, feel free to reach out to me, and I can tell you how it goes :) (PS anyone in Berlin who wants a FANTASTIC and LOCAL bookstore to support, it's called the Buchkönigen / Book queen).
On the academic side of things, I am working nonstop. I began an internship in the cognitive science department at my university in preparation for an application for a Masters in Embodied Cognition. Additionally, I am still working with my professor on how phones are disrupting concerts and what performers are doing about it. Third, I'm completing an online (amazing) neurobiology course through the University of Chicago. And lastly, I am taking my next German course.
So this is the summation of my month. Of course there are other things which did not make this post, and there are not so great things happening, which I'm sure many/most of you can relate. However, I figured I may as well focus on the things that went right this month and be excited for how much I accomplished (which, going to brag because this is a blog about me after all, was a lot.) I'm working my hardest on my future plans, working on my university things, and keeping a consistent running, reading, and sleeping schedule. While there are so many things that are living in uncertainty for me right now, I'm holding on tight to those things that I have in my control. And while I definitely do not have things like the weather in control, I can nevertheless appreciate when it suddenly storms, and is somewhat perfectly timed with tea time.
Lastly, I bought a small notebook for the collection of my online studies that really spoke to me. The back is pictured below, but here's what the front and back says:
"Am Ende wird alles gut. Wenn es nicht gut wird, ist es noch nicht das Ende." - Oscar Wilde (“Everything is going to be fine in the end. If it's not fine it's not the end.”)
If anyone is in need of someone to talk to or wants an excuse to zoom or chat with someone, feel free to reach out to me. I'm struggling from time to time, but in order to get through these times, we should work together as a community and be a community filled with love and support. I love you all and am so thankful for the time you spend reading these posts.
Thank you and keep on keeping on.
Cheers x
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