ya era hora .... it was about time...!!!

Since my last entry passed sooo much time and there have happened so many things, that I didn´t have time to write it all down or that I needed some time to realize these things.
Well firstly I spent some time with Julia and Thomas here in Barcelona. Well I tried. But as Julia and I were so Jetlaged we didn´t do much. But I hope they enjoyed it a bit anyway.
With my new flatmates Izzy and Sonia I go on really well. We´re a good team and do many things together. We go to concerts, to the 250 year celebration of Guinness, and so on. Also, we declared the Sunday now as Cake-Sunday. Every sunday different type of cake or waffles. These are good sundays...
In september/october it was quite calm here. No visits, just work as usual.
Then classes of bookkeeping. Quite boring but I got a certificate for my curriculum, so I can live with that.

In the end of october I went home for 10 days as it was the 80th birthday of my grandmother. So I was able to see many people of my family. I also went out with some friends. Was really cool to see them again. Regrettably I caught the flu and was too sick to go out. Sorry for that we´ll do that next time! Promise that!

Unfortunately there are some people who decided, that I am no longer a friend of theirs, because i tell them the truth and see things differently as they do. That is really sad. But after a while and thinking about it, it doesn´t really bother me at all. I even realized that I am much better without these people and that I did not loose anything. They lost more than I do.

Back in Barcelona, a lot of work expected me, as always.

November started really calm, but then there was a new course. The Reservaton programme for our company. 5 days a week from 19-21h after work and until december 22nd. It was really hard, but worth it.

In December I went to Finnland with Tonia. It was really cool. We flew in to Helsinki and spend there some days. Also we went to Porvoo and Suomenlinna. Really cool places. Also I could meet again with Timo who now lives in Helsinki for some years already and whom i haven´t seen since then. He showed us around and gave us useful information! Thanks again for that, really appreciate it!!!
On the flight back, there was an Overbooking so that I had to stay the night in Frankfurt. There was no flight until the next day. So I went to stay with my parents and the airline paid me some money for compensation. Quite good.
But I came late to work and was really tired as I went directly with all my stuff from the airport to work.
So back to work, and back to the course...
Gina came in for a week. It was really crazy feeling like she had never gone...

On december 18th was the company´s christmas celebration. This year it was in the Hotel Hilton. Really nice. Small dinner and some games as well as prizes for some of the best employees.
On the next day I went with 2 of my colleagues to Andorra to take Snowboardlessons. it was really cool. hard work, but fun. will definitely do it again...

Then the Christmas week started. Had to work until the 23rd but its ok. But I am not alone. Sonia as well stayed here for the holidays.
On the 24th we went shopping for the Holidays. We have a (Plastic)Christmas tree and made some cookies, were listening to Christmas-Songs and are now enjoying the films that the spanish television shows these days.

In this spirit... I wish you all a very, merry Christmas and all the best for the new year!!!!!!!!

Hasta el año que viene!!!!!!!

yeah, you know ...

so, after more than one month finally some news!

The car was checked and everything OK. It was quite funny, with the Vocabulary, but that was ok.
Then there were visitors in town again. Timo & Becky were visiting Barcelona and at night we went out Sightseeing, eating, having fun... It was really funny!

On august 16th was Sonias Birthday. We made her a cake (well I did, Gina was just trying if the dough was good *lol*) and sang Happy Birthday for her. I think it sounded really bad, but it was really early, so I think she liked it.
Then we declared the Sundays as excursion-sundays, until Gina´s leaving.
So we went to the Botanical Garden, and to Caixa Forum (a museum) and to the Planetarium. I think that´s a good choice!
On September 20th Sonia went off home to get some things cleared and to spent som time with her family. On the 21st my Mom wanted to go on holiday to Alicante Spain with our dog Sunny to spent some time there with her friend Regine. Everything was checked and registered, but the woman on the counter said, that the box for Sunny is too small for her, and that my Mom has to stay in Germany. So they changed the flight and went back home to call me and to ask what to do. So I asked the company not to charge the new flight, and my mom tried to get a bigger box for Sunny. They accepted and my Mom could go on holiday 2 days later.

then we were changing the flat. Gina moved into Sonias room for her last few days in Barcelona and I changed my room to the bigger one.
To find a substitute for Gina we were "casting" many people. Many people asked for an appointment to visit the flat, but didn´t show up. Then a girl from Galicia said, she wants to have the room, but one Saturday night at 3 am she was sending me an email and a message to my mobile to tell me that she found something else and she prefers the other one. So go on casting...
Then there was a boy who seemed interested, but didn´t say anything for more than 4 weeks. Then he wanted to live with us. But we weren´t really convinced as it was the first time for him to leave his home and his Mom. But we had more people interested. The best casting was this:
A man called (voice about 40-50 years old) and wanted to see the flat. We said yes and he wanted to come the next day to visit it. Result of that was it was the father of a boy of 21 years. First time for the young to get out of Mom´s house. He wanted to be independent. But, his Mom lives in the house right next to ours, the father on the other side of our house and the grandmother in a flat behind our house. The boy didn´t speak a word. And said he knows everything, as the flat of his mom is exactly the same as ours. I wasn´t there when they were visiting, so they wanted to call me later. At 21h he was calling me asking if I was at home, so that he can ring the bell as he was already waiting downstairs. So I met him and he told me that he was really convinced of the room and that he wants it. And that he is working for the waste disposal from 7-13h (alarm: he is at home all day loooong). I said that there were more candidates and that i will wait until Saturday to decide who gets it...
Until then the father called me several times to tell me that his son is a good person and that he is perfect the perfect new flatmate. He called me Saturday (Decision-Day) 4 times. When he called the last time I said no. As we concidered the kid for not mature enough and there were too many people of his family living next to us.

So the casting goes on...

On September 01st my Mom came to visit me for some days. I was really enjoying it as I don´t see her that often.
The next day she went on a bus tour as I had to work in the morning. In the afternoon we went to Montjuic and to the Poble Espanyol.
On Thursday we were in the Boqueria and went for a walk on the Ramblas. In the afternoon my Mom was re-decorating my new room. It looks really good now.
At night we went to the Airport. Julia arrived and on our way back to the City we stopped at Plaza Espanya to see the Magic Fountain. After that we went home and Gina made one of her famous Tortillas for us. Really tasty!
On the next morning I had to return to the Airport as Mom had to leave again. Short stop but nice.
Then I went back home to talk with Julia for a while. At 11h we had an appointment for the room. A girl called Izaskun from Bilbao. She was really nice and seemed interested. We were really lucky, because she called us in the afternoon, that she wants to move in the next day. I was really glad to hear that. Finally found someone who fits perfectly!
But I wasn´t there to see her moving in. I was on my way with Julia to

NEW YORK CITY!!!!

Had to say Good Bye to Gina that Morning as she was leaving soon to Mexico. A sad moment. But I didn´t really realize it until I came back...
So...

Flight ok, Shuttle ok, Hotel ... no reservation... your reservation was cancelled in May, they said...
So I had to stay one night at the house of my flatmate Sonia (luckily she was at home in New Jersey). On the next day we could come back to the hotel and move into a hotelroom.
(the reclamation process is already started we´ll see what happens!)

We did a lot of Sightseeing. Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Uptown, Downtown, Central Park, Madison Square Garden, a walk over Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Rockefeller Center, Tiffany´s...
We went to see Mary Poppins on Broadway.
It was really cool. On Saturday we had to leave again... landings slippery but ok.

And now Jetlaged and working... Julia stays some days here with her boyfriend Thomas (he has arrived on Monday).

more details, later on!

Bye!

finally..............

... i hear some of you say. OK OK you´re right, but there was so much going on ...
Well, let´s start!
On july 2nd I went to see the 2nd concert of U2 in Camp Nou Stadium and it was amazing again! I hope that they will make a DVD of that. It is a really really good Show! This time I went with my flatmate Antonio, I gave him the ticket as a gift as he is leaving soon. He was really happy and stunning because of the amazing show! We had a lot of fun!
On Wednesday (july 08th) he left. He will now live and work in Mexico. The Goodbye was really hard for all of us. But now he is quite happy in his City and I am really happy that he found something he likes a lot!

On July 09th we have posted the first advertisement for the room we had available.
And on Saturday (july 11th) our new flatmate Sonia moved in! She is from New York, USA and studies Archeology. She is really nice and quiet She already acclimatized in the flat. Now we are looking for a substitute for Gina, as she is leaving on September 12th to be with her Antonio. The advertisement is already posted and there are already people asking. But there are many weird questions people can ask...
For example one girl asked me if I will give her a discount for being a girl. Another asked if the window was for real or if it was just a painting... Crazy, crazy... Up to now we haven´t found the right person, but we still got plenty of time...
My friends (Alejandra and Jose) finally came back from there Ecuador-vacation and we went to the beach on the weekend. We went to Vilanova i la Geltru a very nice beach on the coast. At night we have played Singstar on the Playstation. We dedicated nearly every song to Michael Jackson and Jose tried to sing with Michael Jackson voice and won nearly every song. It was sooo funny!
My colleague from work gave me a ticket for the Madonna-concert on july 21st.
The Diva made us wait for about 30-45 minutes and then nearly the whole concert was Playback and she went away after about 2 hours without any additional songs. That sucks. If I had to pay the 75€ for the ticket I would have been really angry.

Because after the show there was no metro, Gina was so kind to pick me up at Plaza Espanya by car. There started the worst day of my life...
At first there was so much traffic that we came home late. At home there was no parking space, so we had to park the car on the sidewalk. and we decided that Gina will use the car in the morning to go to work because otherwise she would have slept just about 2 hours.
In the morning she knocks on my door and tells me that the car was towed away. We had to go to the Hospital Vall D´Hebron to catch it. Had to pay 200€ for that. Wanted to pay by credit card, but the lady told me that it is not possible that there is something wrong with my credit card. Well, Gina paid for me, so that we could go on to work. She dropped me off at the bank, so that I can find out what happened with my credit card. Of course the system in the bank didn´t work so that I had to come back the next day. Came to work 1 hour late. Then my lunch was foul (spaghetti with spinach). After work I just wanted to go home and sleep. This was the worst day of my life...
But as it was just one day, it wasn´t that bad.
On Friday (july 24th) I went out to watch a movie. We went by car to Gran Via 2, a shopping mall with cinemas. Went there with Sonia and Alejandra to watch the new Harry Potter. After the film I gave a lift to Alejandra and then we went home. I already get around quite good with my car. On Saturday we went to another Shopping mall with Gina to buy her a new Suitcase, again by car so that I learn the routes (she said). It was really funny! An advantage is that my parents showed me how to park backwards. This is essential in this city. If you can´t park backwards, you´re lost!!! My flatmates were really impressed... ;o)

Right now we have a Heatwave. It is freaking hot in this city! And it seems as if this will last a while... Can´t wait for the rain, we would need a bit!
Tomorrow I have to go to the Technical Inspection Agency to get my car checked. Hope I can remember all the vocabulary and really hope they do it in spanish, not in catalan...
Well I tell you later!
Adeu

uiuiuiuiui ... long time ago ...

after a loooong time finally something new!

Lately have happened so many things and I had so many things to do, that I haven´t had the time to write!
So, empezamos:

On Whitsunday-weekend Valerie visited me. We went out Sightseeing and to eat out and have fun. I like having guests!
Then I went to see flats, as I wanted to look for something just for me, but it is really expensive.
But now my flatmates told me that they are leaving. They will go to Mexico to live there. I keep the flat and start looking for new flatmates. Antonio already leaves on Wednesday and Gina follows him in September. In fact it is sad, as they are already like my little family here. They help me a lot in everything!
I bought Antonios car, a little blue Peugeot 206. Now I am much more flexible.

Well then there has been a (for me) new Holiday: San Juan! It is the shortest night of the year and they celebrate it here with fireworks and on the beach! Also it is the night of the witches (Solstice in America). You jump over fires, walk over glowing coals, have fireworks (just like New Years Eve) etc.
On that day I met with Tina, a friend from Germany. She was here on that day and we went out to the beach to celebrate San Juan at one of the Chiringuitos (Bar on the beach) until late as I had the next day off!!!

Then on Tuesday (June 30th) I went to see the concert of U2 in Camp Nou Stadium.It was amazing. It was so amazing that I will go to see the additional concert today (July 02nd) as well!

So then, talk to you later!!!!!!

Adeu!

CAMPEONES CAMPEONES OE OE OE !!!!!!!! TRIPLETE!!!!

Once more, some news from me!!

There were so many things happening in the last couple of days, I don´t know where to start...

After the really amazing soccer-game on may 03rd the people were already crazy. So the thing was to be champion of the spanish premier-league. It didn´t work in the first of the last three games (Barças result was tie, but Madrid lost), but in the second one. Even though they lost their game, Madrid lost as well and so mathematically it was not possible for Madrid to be champion. A lot of Party around the City.

Yesterday evening was the Final of the Champions-League!

FC BARCELONA - MANCHESTER UNITED

The City was full of fans. At Maremagnum, the Rambla, in Camp Nou and the Mini-Estadi were huge screens for public viewing. Amazing Atmosphere!!!!!!!
Never in my life I have expierenced a crazyness for soccer like this, but it is really awesome. When Barça won this titel as well, it was like absolute crazyness...
People celebrating, chanting in the streets, cars with a lot of people driving around the centre with flags hanging out of the windows.
Today there will be a huge celebration when the team comes back from Rome, to welcome them with the cup!
On Saturday is the last game of the season!

The slogan of the FC Barcelona is really true: mes que un club (more than a club!)

So, that´s it for now from Soccer...

Well there are not so many things happening. Finally the sun came to us and there are about 30°C every day, but as I have to work I can´t really enjoy it.
Then my Grandmother and my Uncle visited me here in Barcelona. They stayed for a week, but unfortunately I couldn´t get days off, so that they had to do sightseeing on their own. But after worke and on the weekend I joined them to do something or to have dinner together, and on the weekend was were happened a lot of stuff...

Once we were leaving the metro and we noticed that my grandma wasn´t there. She stayed in the train and my uncle and I had left. So we waited for the next train, to see if she had got out on the next stop to reunite and to go to the fountain of Plaza Espanya. She was, and so we could go on.
Then on the way back from the Fountain we went to the metro and wanted to have dinner. But a really ugly and agressive guy robbed my uncle´s purse, so that we had to go to the police office and as well to the german consulate to get him a passport for the flight back home.

Adventure, adventure...
But it was really great having visitors from Germany here. That doesn´t happen really often...

On Friday (may 22nd) we went out again. This time we weren´t that many and we couldn´t enter to the disco that we wanted, but there is a substitute on every corner.
So we went to "Catwalk" to dance, sing and have fun. My colleagues were really enjoying. But then happend a little accident. One of my colleagues burnt me with his cigarette in my face near the eye. Luckily it was not in the eye! It´s already better, and there are worse things in life!

On Friday I get another visit! Val is coming over for a long weekend! Then there will be new stuff for sure!!!

Tell you then!

Adeu!

Olelee Olalaa Futbol Club Barcelonaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

Hola!
So now something new from me! Lately I post quite often, but there are many things happening!!!

My Dad was here for a week around Easter! We went to see the City, Soccer-Games and Montserrat. It was really great! I could show him my favourite places and where I live and where I work. Enjoyed it a lot!

On Saturday (April 25th) I went to the concert of Fito Paez with my flatmate Gina. Fito Paez is a so called "Cantautor", well a singer/songwriter from Argentina. It was a really good concert. Just his voice and a piano or a guitar. Also we were so close to the stage, we could almost touch him. A familiar environment.

Then on Tuesday (April 28th) I started with my second Catalan-course. Level B2 is equal to Basics 2. The levels B1-B3 are offered for free from the government. You just have to buy the Books which is about 10€, well quite cheap I think. This time I don´t pay anything, as my friends gave me the book as a gift for my birthday (on april 19th). I like that a lot! The new people that are with us in class are all supernice. Many Italians, but also Spanish, people from South America as well as 2 Chinese girls. Funny guys!

On Friday I had a day off. This is like in Germany. The 1st of May is Labour-Day and therefore holiday!!! We are fortunate that the weather is quite nice (some thunderstorms, but sunny nearly all day long!) so we can go for a walk at the beach or around the city. Really really nice!

Yesterday (May 2nd) was the day of the Soccer-Derby: Real Madrid - FC Barcelona. The whole City was really excited to that. All day long you could see people in the shirt of Barça. Even the Rambla was closed for cars, so that the people could watch the game in public viewing there. I went to Martorell to watch the game with my friends in there flat. It was really amazing! And of course won Barça:

MADRID 2 - BARÇA 6

It was a really good game, with good players like Messi and Thierry Henry. Piqué scored goal number 6 which was the 100th goal in game 34, a record!
The City was celebrating really hard! My friends and I we went in their car to the City Center to see the celebration. It was really crazy, just like they had already won the championships.
I am really looking forward to the celebrations when Barça wins the 3 titels (Champion of the spanish-premier league, the spanish cup and the champions league) I think this will be one week of Celebration!!!!

Well, I will tell you that then...

Adeu!

The adventure starts now!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the 18th of september 2008 I moved to Barcelona, Spain to start a new Job! To show the "Adventures" that cross my way to all my Family, friends, and all the other people that know me or don´t know me but are interested in the Adventures, I created this Blog.
It all started with writing emails to all my loved ones telling them what was going on, but there were so many people liking to read it and were enjoying the stuff I wrote that I decided to create a real Blog so that everybody can access it and read it whenever they like.
The next thing I´ll do is publish the already written emails here, so that you are all updated!
So, Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!