Boyfriends and Stuff

Hi everyone :)

As I promised yesterday I have a little post for you today even though I am quite busy with studying for my upcoming exams. 

A couple of weeks back I managed to find someone who is probably as crazy as I am and who has since managed to turn my world upside down quite successfully. Not that I am complaining though :D

We all know that feeling of being fine on our own. At least I do. And I actually am fine on my own, granted I go for the occasional hookup but that's about it. I am perfectly capable of going my way without being in a relationship. Due to this though I always feel a bit weird going into one. 

I am good on my own have been for 2 years now and then suddenly there is this person that I can't seem to be without.

That concept just seems weird to me, always has! 

How after one moment you can suddenly become codependent and are just not able to be alone anymore. 

Just like someone snapped their finger and your ability to work on your own is being taken away.

I am not at all saying it is a bad feeling because don't get me wrong I love it but I just find it strange how it happens at all.

How you go from being an individual to being part of something so fast.

Maybe it just happened this fast with him now and is not usually this way but it's how it felt this time.

As soon as the question of whether what we had was actually something official or not was out something shifted in our dynamics of interacting with each other.

It's like he is that extended part of me that somehow belongs to me yet is completely it's own thing. 

And the scary bit is that it feels like it has been like this for much longer then we have been with each other.

Being with him is easy, strangely easy like breathing, it just came naturally.

And I sound really sappy right now :D Never thought I would be but hey... you never know till it happens :D

So yes I have a boyfriend who seems to be willing to put up with me and balance me out when I get a bit to crazy from time to time. That kind off works both ways though :)

I have stopped thinking about it too much and am just going with it right now. It feels right and good and as long as it stays that way I don't think I have much to worry about.

I have been in relationships before but it has never been quite this easy to just be with someone. There was always a lot more working for it involved, but I am in no way not grateful for the way it is right now.

He is crazy, weird, obnoxious (sometimes), makes me want to hit him hard now and again or kiss him silly just so he shuts up but that are all the things that make him that much more special to me, weirdly. I even want to be with him when he keeps joking around and can't take me seriously and when he keeps making fun of my English for no reason but the fact he's French and he can.

We are alike in more ways then are probably good for us :D 

And I did not realize that this post was kind of a love letter to him but hey :)

 If you read this (and I am fairly certain you will!) this is my moment: Don't steal it :D

Oh and just in case you are wondering: This is the idiot that decided it was a good idea to spend his time with me:

Okay you are not an idiot, love ...well you kind of are, still love you though :P

Oh and just so you know I am a fan of non-staged pictures they look a lot more real. And I don't think T. and me could actually keep a straight face for a decent picture. Our relationship kind of consists of us sending pictures to each other of the most ridiculous faces we can pull. You should try it some time it is hilariously fun!

So feel updated everyone :) And see you tomorrow!

x

J.

ps: I have just realized that I didn't upload this post.... well it is up now!

The Rickshaw Run

Hi everyone :)

I am guessing a lot of you have probably never heard of the 'Rickshaw Run', well neither had I until some of the YouTubers I watch decided to participate.

But first things first: What even is the Rickshaw Run?

Since founded in 2006 the Rickshaw Run has teams of 2 to 4 people driving a rickshaw through India. The town the run starts in and the designation are given everything else is up to the teams.

The purpose of the Rickshaw Run is to raise money for charity, so whilst driving halfway across India each team tries to raise as much money as they can.

Last year Jack and Finn Harries decided to take part in the run and take a couple of friends along for the ride, and you can tell from the little mini series the put up on their channel (Jacksgap), that the Rickshaw run was probably the adventure of a lifetime.

Also they managed to raise a total of 177,496$ for the Teenage Cancer Trust, a great charity that supports teenagers with cancer.

They documented the 2 weeks they spend driving 3 tuk-tuks through India in a 4 episodes series that is very interesting to watch. With beautiful sunsets, crazy drives through thunderstorms and some 1st class singing :D

It looks like so much fun but at the same time I would have probably shat my pants more than once during that trip :D Either way I think it is incredible that you can have that great of an experience and at the same time help out some people who really need it.
Well done guys :)

One of the YouTuber's that came along ( Ben Brown) makes amazingly beautiful little films called Visual Vibes, be sure to check that out on his channel as well. 

And Max Cantellow took some breathtaking pictures which you can find on his Instagram.

If you want to find put more about the Rickshaw Run, go check out their website.

x

J.

Food Friday - Porridge

Hi everyone :)

Who loves breakfast?

I have to admit I am the biggest fan of breakfast, that being pancakes, yogurt with cereal and fruit or eggs on toast with Marmite.

I just love breakfast in every shape and form it comes in, but lately and generally during the winter months I have been enjoying porridge.

I usually go traditional and have it with some sugar and cinnamon but I thought I would show try some different ones to give you guys a bit of an option :)

Since I am not actually a chef (sadly, but true :D) I have been looking around for some good recipes and have come to find one on a platform we all know: YouTube.

Not only do I quite like porridge but I also am a little fan of Jamie Oliver, so it's a good thing those to things go very well together :D

I am not only showing you these though, I have obviously tried all of them and the banana one is to die for. 

But being the creative person I am and having this need to not stick to recipes, caused me to mix the chocolate into the banana porridge, since we all know chocolate and banana is a excellent combination.

Let me tell you that makes the whole thing even better. As another option you can just eat some banana with the chocolate porridge, if you are not as happy to try out new things as I am. 

I can also imagine the fruit thing to be really good with fresh fruit. I used fruit from my grandma's garden that she had frozen cause she couldn't eat it all in summer. 

It wasn't fresh but still really good. And if you fancy your breakfast with a lot of calories you can eat the fruity one with whipped cream, heavenly!!

Enjoy your breakfast :)

x

J.

Just Don't

Hi everyone :)

We all have New Year's Resolutions I guess, more or less. Most of which probably have to do with living healthier or starting some sort of new sport that will get us to the perfect weight, but lets just be real for a moment here: those resolutions are gonna stick with us for about a month or something and after that we are back to eating whatever we want and have given up on trying to loose weight.

So why not do something else instead? Why not do a little spring cleaning and do it early?

Yes it sounds like work at first but that is not at all what I am talking about. I want you to clean out some people.

Some of those people that only take away energy but you never actually get anything back.

Know any? Get rid of them they will get you no where!!

This is what I am talking about. Just don't!! :D

I mean yes he doesn't say what exactly but don't we all still know what he is on about? It is that one habit we don't like about ourselves that one thing that really gets us nowhere and is absolutely not doing us any good. Maybe it is us procrastinating every chance we get (and yes I do that as well. Trust me my flat has never been as clean as it is during exams time) or some other thing that we immediately had to think of.

So why not try to stop it?

It'll definitely be better in the long run and we might as well start now!

Same goes for certain kinds of people we all have in our lives. The people we spend our energy and time on but get nothing from. Why do it? It's a waste!!!!

And I am not talking about getting rid of a friendship that has cost you a bit of energy lately but otherwise is absolutely fine. No I am talking about people that keep coming to you for help or things that benefit them but if you actually need them they are busy or just not available for you.

Don't spend your time on them!

I do it a lot. I have these people that I turn into my charity cases but what do I get out of it? Nothing but the fact that they eventually go on my nerves and I feel like strangling them.

Might as well just left it at hello and never talked to them again!

Sounds harsh but is so so so good if you actually manage do just say: Okay I have had enough lets stop this here. And move on with your life.

If they don't wanna change they won't even if you keep talking their ears of or if they don't want to listen they wont no matter what you do. And saying I told you so wont do either of you any good.

So just don't!

This is nothing that will be done in a couple of days but lets make it our resolution for this year. Lets try to not waste time with things that will not get us anywhere or with people that will only cost us energy and nerves but will give nothing in return.

x

J.

National Hug Day

Hi everyone :)

Did you know that it was 'National Hug Day' yesterday? No? Well neither did I till I heard it on the radio, so not to worry I am here to keep you updated.

I didn't even know that 'National Hug Day' was a thing, apparently it is which got me thinking, when was the last time I hugged someone just because I wanted to.

Not the sometimes awkward welcome or goodbye hug but a real one. Just going up to a good friend and giving them a hug.

Or another thing: When was the last time you asked someone for a hug? I am sure I can't be the only person who get's these days where you just feel like you need a hug because it has been s*** so far.

But we don't seem to just call a friend and ask for it, no instead we are miserable on our own.

In the radio show I was listening to yesterday they said that people in Germany mostly get hugs from family members. You don't have them around most of the time, well at least not as a student who lives quite a bit away from his parents or other relatives.

Is it strange to ask for a cuddle? I do it, if I really feel like one. We are humans we need human interaction and what better way then a hug? It's really nice, you should try it sometime :)

Also a hug is a great way to show someone your support or that you appreciate them a lot. 

I am sure we all know that awkward moment when you have a conversation with a friend and they start to cry and you are not sure if you should hug them. That moment only last for a couple of seconds and then you mostly do it but why do we even have to think about it? It is so comforting we shouldn't feel awkward for offering it.

So maybe today we can just all hug a good friend that tiny bit tighter and tell them that we care for them. 

It would be a sweet gesture and I am sure it would be a much appreciated one :)

Don't think about it too much, just do it!

x

J.

Musical Monday

Hi everyone :)

Lately I have really been one for covers. I don't know why, but sometimes I just like a cover better than the original, other times I find it interesting to see what other people are able to do with a song.

So here is one of those covers that I thoroughly enjoy :)

And here is a favourite of mine! Also a great film, if you like Burlesque stuff :) Cher is a legend! I will not start a discussion about that, so if you are going to object: I am having none of that!!

Our last song for today is a song that me and my mum listened to on the weekend. I hadn't heard it in quite a while but it is an amazing song :)

You can thank me for introducing you to this song later. 

For me this is one of those songs that you didn't know you needed in your life.

Enjoy

x

J.

Talent

Hi everyone :)

There are so many amazingly talented people out there it always blows my mind a bit.

I know everyone can do something particularly good but there are these certain kinds of people that are just outstanding.

Like this little 10 year old boy. I am sure a lot of people can play the drums really well but I have never seen someone do it with a washing machine.

I hope I could blow your mind a little bit as well :D

Have a good weekend everyone!!

x

J.

Everyday Makeup

Hi everyone :)

Since I don't have a Youtube channel where I post beauty videos such as everyday makeup tutorials or things of that sorts I have to improvise a bit on this one :)

I, like probably a lot of you out there, love to experiment with the makeup I put on everyday from time to time. It just gets boring if you always were the same things and just vary them for lets say a fancy dinner or when you go clubbing with you friends.

I for myself also change up my makeup depending on the season. I for example hardly ever wear lipstick put when I do it mostly is in winter. I also tend to wear darker colors in winter and autumn.

Today I have 2 tutorials for you with looks that are both really wearable. I do switch between both of them quite a lot depending on how much time I have in the morning.

The first one is from Tanya Burr. I am guessing most of you will have heard of her before, at least if you do spend a bit of time on Youtube.

Also do go and check out her channel, you will find a lot more helpful tutorials, some fun collaborations with other Youtubers and various other fashion related things.

The 2. tutorial is from a fellow blogger :) I have been reading her blog for quite some time and not that long ago she started her own Youtube channel. If you want to check out her blog as well, you can find that in the link section (Blogs I read) where I have recommended some blogs.

Her tutorial is a lot less professional but lets be honest for a moment people: Who of us is? I have to admit me putting on makeup looks a lot more like Lydia then like Tanya :D

I also think it makes the video a bit more relatable and more everyday-y.

My everyday makeup at the moment does actually look exactly like Lydia's minus the lipstick. I mostly wear the Dior 5th avenue with it, since I finally bought it at the airport :D

Have fun recreating those and maybe it helped you a bit :)

x

J.

Musical Monday

Hi everyone :)

Are we ready for some music?

Because here are this weeks tunes:

This song is a bit unusual for me but I kinda just fell in love with it?

I love the original but I seem to like this version a bit more. You can just hear the lyrics a bit better which always means that I will like it more than the original. And it is a Kurt Schneider version so there is nothing that can really go wrong, is there?

Enjoy :)

x

J.

The Tutu Project

Hi everyone :)

Have you heard of the Tutu Project? No?

Well don't worry I am here to tell you all about it :)

The Tutu Project arose out of Bob Carey's love for his wife. In 2003 Bob's wife Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer and Bob was trying to figure out a way to bring a smile back to her face.

He started this crazy little thing where he would take pictures of himself wearing a pink tutu. Much like this one:

He does these in all kinds of different places. Some in the middle of Times Square in New York or in the middle of a snow covered road.

This all started off with Bob taking these funny pictures to make his wife laugh but has turned into so much more now.

He is not only making his wife smile now but also many other women with breast cancer and his little photography sessions have turned into a charity project.

You guesses right: the Tutu Project was created.

The Tutu Project helps raise awareness for breast cancer and supports a charity called Carey Foundation that provides support to women diagnosed with breast cancer.

I think Bob's and Linda's story truly is an inspiring one. He only wanted to brighten his wife's day and it turned into something that is helping countless amounts of women who are going through the exact same thing as his wife.

His support and love for his wife are amazing.

Tutu Project website: http://www.thetutuproject.com/

I think we all don't value our health enough. We get to do so many incredible things every day and take them for granted whereas other people are just not that lucky.

That is mostly the reason why I try and donate to a variety of charities that support all different kinds of causes.

I feel lucky and privileged to have to life I do and if I not drinking coffee everyday results in being able to donate 10€ every month to charity then I am more then happy do to that. 

So if you can and fell as lucky as I do why not save up some money and give it away?

If not the Tutu Project, there are many other great charities out there that deserve to be supported :)

x

J.

Food Friday - Nando's

Hi everyone :)

While I was in London there was obviously no way around Nando's. To all of you who don't know what that is: Shame on you :D And to all of you who don't have a chance of going there because you don't live in the Uk or New Zealand: I feel bad for you because Nando's is probably the most amazing place in the whole wide world.

Ok I might be exaggerating a bit but they do really have amazing food there.

So if you ever walk past a place that has this sign outside

go in and I am about to show you why you should :D

All Nando's restaurants are different in their interior so don't worry if yours looks different from the one we were at.

My friend and I were lucky enough to have a Nando's just minutes away from the hotel we stayed at so we decided to go there one day since he had never been.

The Nando's restaurants originate in South Africa and therefore do specify in South African cuisine. It is sooooo good people :)

They have short texts written on the walls which describe the legends about the recipes for their most famous food. 

And yes before you ask: That is a picture of the toilets but look at those sinks I just really fell in love with them  :)

Okay since I can already tell no one is excited about these as I am: lets move on shall we. 

Ordering at Nando's is fairly easy and if you have problems, there are a lot of very nice people who can help you out. 

I honestly have never met an incompetent waiter in a Nando's restaurant. 

My friend and I settled for some garlic bread, coleslaw and half a chicken and I had 3 chicken wings and fries and a chicken breast filet burger. We are both not that brave and only went for the Lemon & Herb seasoning with it.

And I mean you only have to look at it and it will make your mouth water. Just writing this made me crave Nando's so make sure you are ready for what you are about to see :D

With your food you can also choose from a variety of sauces to have with it. And when I say variety I mean this :

I am sure every single one of you will find something to suit them :) 

But the other thing that I love so much about Nando's is that they have a really creative menu. I mean they tell you how to order best and it literally says on there: Grab yourself any cutlery you need ( eating with your fingers is heartily encouraged)

What restaurant would put that on their menu? 

We had a great time not only because of the food but also because of the eating experience. Things like that sentence on the menu made us laugh more then once. So did the napkins :D

So if you haven't been to Nando's yet, which I am sure you have if there is a restaurant close to you, go! Definitely go. 

I will leave you with their website for any further information.

x

J.

Lost

Hi everyone :)

I will say it now and I will only say it once because I am kind of embarrassed by it: I have writers block. I have no clue as to what I could blog about.

In addition to that: I have upcoming exams from uni and although I might only have 3 to write I want to rock those, so I have kind of been slaving away for uni.

And no my brain won't work anymore. Well it kind of hasn't for the past week not properly and the way I want tit to anyway.

So please be patient with my while I try to regain my creativeness and during that process jumpstart my brain so it does what I want it to again.

I feel like Middle High German has ruined me for all other studies, because I have been trying to get that stuff in my head for weeks now and I am still as wise as a potato.

Wish me luck and I shall see you when I see you.

x

J.

Ps: that post about being born in the wrong country is kind of criticizing the German's but more so the fact that we seem so boring to outsider's and that no on really seems to bother to change that. To all German people who really identify with this country: God for you I was not trying to offend you!

Thank you to the lovely person who pointed this out :) Your criticism was highly appreciated!

The wrong Country

Hello everyone :)

I am still sick and I am sick of it. I have had enough of feeling like I got run over by a truck and especially not being able to concentrate on writing a blog post. It is kind of hard to focus on this one right now which is why I have started as soon as I got up today and am still working on it now. 

Usually with a post like this it would take me 2 hours at most but with my brain clouded by my cold this has turned out to be far more challenging. 

I did finish it though which is why you are reading this right now :)

Weheeeeeee :P

The title of today's blog post might not make a lot of sense right now but I promise you will understand at the end of this post :) That is if I manage to explain myself properly but lets hope for the best :D

So ever since I have been to New Zealand I fell like I don't really belong here anymore and if you have been reading my blog for a while now you might know this. That is also the reason I started this blog, I needed a place where I could openly express myself without having to tell people in person. Although I might be good with words on paper or on here I am terrible at explaining myself while talking to someone. 

Weird but true :)

Now I know that there is the feeling of being born in the wrong body but I feel like being born in the wrong country.

German people are strange and I don't seem to fit in at all.

I mean if you ask people in other countries to name 3 things that remind them of German's they say things like: punctual, disciplined and organized. And what the f***. Common I can't be the only person who thinks that those are probably the worst three adjectives to describe a person because they say nothing about their character. I mean that doesn't tell people anything about what being German is like or how people are here. 

That is like saying you think someone has a big nose after you met them for the first time. It doesn't say anything about them as a person or how it was spending time with them.

Punctual, disciplined and organized: I would much rather be described as rude, humiliating and devilish because these at least say something about me as a person and will tell others what I am like. 

Punctual, disciplined and organized sound so clinical, almost like German's are robots.

So if these 3 things are what Germans are defined as I am definitely not German at all. Sure I can be all of those things but I would much rather not be. If I have to be these three things for people to like me hell I will live without friends for the rest of my life and happily!

But the worst thing about this is that if I had to describe what German's are like I wouldn't be any less clinical! 

Our whole culture is so fixated on learning so we can get a job and than getting a good job so we can have money and than just working till we eventually have a burn out. 

I mean if you would now tell all the working people in Germany to take a week off they wouldn't know what to do with themselves, since they had no time to plan anything. 

Why is it that in this country we feel the need to be able to plan everything? Can't we just take life day by day from time to time? Why does everything have to be predictable and if it's not it freaks us out? 

I honestly don't get it, someone please explain it to me!

All of this pressure to be something, to make something of yourself I am honestly not having it. I must be born in the wrong country because I am probably the least German person you can find. 

I don't care what others think about me when I jump around like and idiot just because I feel like it. And if I feel like singing out loud on the street I will do it, it is liberating. 

I am not some stuck up business person and I don't think you could ever turn me into one, but that is also the reason why I feel out of place most of the time. Because although all my friends seem to like my crazy it is kind of hard to find people who are the same, at least in Germany that is.

Which brings me back to my point: I was born in the wrong country. 

Just being in London proved that again. Get me into a crowd of people trying to get from A to B in Germany and I will very likely freak out. Put me in one in any other country: I am fine. 

People don't seem to notice this, but in Germany when you have a large crowd everyone just seems to care for themselves. Everyone tries to make their way along a busy street only thinking about how they are gonna make it. You will never have more body contact with strangera then walking along a busy street in any bigger town in Germany. It sometimes is plain rude how people tend to push you aside just so they can get along a bit faster (and yes I also find those people who stop in the middle of the road just to look at something annoying as hell).

However take a equally as busy road in lets say New Zealand and you will find that people are a lot more attentive and much rather walk a bit slower and accept their place in the crowd then to push people aside. Also this searching for gaps in between the people in front of you, that you can then fill doesn't seem to occur as much. 

I mean sometimes I honestly wonder if we German's are somehow related to snakes, because the way we wind ourselves through crowds is impressive and could be called a gift if we would respect other people a bit more whilst doing so. 

Rather than trying to make my way though a mass of people to get somewhere in time I would plan ahead and leave five minutes early so I don't have to rush and as a result of that wind my way to the tube station or bus stop or wherever I am going.

Not only does it make your life a lot less stressful but there also is a lot less skill required :D

I got thinking about this while being in London over New Year's. Because London takes winding through crowds to a whole new level, because lets be honest here: the streets of London are always quite full. 

But I was on holiday and had time, so I didn't have to make my way through! I could just stay behind and walk a bit slower. However that is so not typically German. Even when not in a rush and there being plenty of time German's don't seem to be able to let go of this stupid winding-habit. It's annoying really and absolutely uncalled for when you are on holiday. 

To conclude: I might be born in Germany but I certainly wasn't born with a German mentality. 

Also shown by the fact that I live in Bavaria and don't drink any alcohol which is probably unheard of :D

So if you feel like you don't belong from time to time: Find the place you do belong and make it your little escape when everything gets to much. It also helps a lot to have people who love you and accept you even though they might not be like you. 

I am quite often the weird one jumping around in a crowd of friend who walk calmly along the street. It's fine to be different as long as the people you surround yourself with don't try to change you :)

x

J.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hi everyone :)

Quick Update:

I have spend yesterday in bed sick which is the reason why there was no blog post. 

After freezing my feet of for 2 hours because I didn't wear thick socks it started raining on New Year's Eve in London just about 20 minutes before Midnight. So in addition to already having a bit of a cold, I had ice cubes as feet and was wet which is probably the reason I had to spend yesterday in bed :D

But there will be a proper blog post about celebrating New Year's in London, also I will do a lot less whining in that one, promised.

Currently I am sitting at London Heathrow waiting for Lufthansa to sort out there Gate situation that they seem to be having, as a lot of us have no clue where we actually have to go.

Sadly the airport Wi-Fi is to slow to upload my pictures so you will have to wait till tomorrow as I will be arriving at home at around midnight and don't feel like doing much apart from going to bed then. 

And I will hopefully be doing a lot of getting healthy again as well :D

But before I forget it:

Happy New Year everybody!!!!

I hope yours started as faboulus as mine did and you have kept your New Year's resolutions fairly doable  :)

x

J.