Sadmeh bil 7amam

ishe akeed kul muwatin 2urdini 3indo bil bait...

13th Venice Architecture Biennale

OMG. One of the best experiences of my life. Tomorrow, November 25, is the last day of this year's Biennale, and we caught it last minute!

We flew with Ryanair through Bremen and found the one-way tickets for as cheap as 9.99 euro! I totally advice everyone to visit the next exhibitions!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eml__8TKsrE

http://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/exhibition/

   

What do I really want to do here?

So I'm back in Hamburg. It's great to be back. Having the chance to go back to Amman in the Summer was like hitting refresh button! Mentally, physically, emotionally! The highlights I would say were the beautiful Sun, bumming on my couch at home for a week, eating something arabic everyday, and laughing with friends and family.

But now I'm back and about a third way through the semester already!!!
When I first got back I spent the first 2 weeks furnishing my room, orientating financials, and fixing my schedule for uni and my job. Those two weeks were not easy. But it was the most important phase and now I can stroll through my days without thinking.

Things that are different this time...:

My Schedule:
I work 19 hours a week split among 3 days and 4 days of the week I have classes. I have gym class at least 3 days a week and on the weekends I try to work on uni homework and prepare for the next week.

My Interests:
Living with a local makes the experience much more personal! This is the second WG for me and they have been both enriching experiences so far. My flatmate gives me tips on all the best food, markets, book stores, tea shops, shopping, galleries and opennings! Hence openning my eyes to details I didn't pay attention to before.

My Goals:
To gain as much as I can in the little time I have left and think about whats coming up next.

My Expectations:
To do what I came back to do and go back to Amman and finish my final year! Because I've already been through the year, this time I know how fast time flies and therefore am really trying to benefit from the time on hand.

A part of me feels like home here and another part of me that knows home is ready to go back and graduate :)

Bis zum naechsten Post!

Cheerio!

All my bags are packed and I'm ready to go...

Soon Departing: Amman

Destination: Somewhere in Deutschland...and the possibility of visiting other "Schengen" countries.

If you are planning to travel to other european countries, I know that all students have a top priority in making the best trip possible out of the lowest budget possible. And it is possible! Advice? Read on..

Things you should prepare before travelling:

1. Booking your tickets. Book your tickets early with flying using airlines like Easy jet, Ryanair. Also book in advance when you take the Deutsche Bahn (and think about investing in the Bahn 50 card if you are planning on using the trains a lot. Booking for carpooling Mitfahrengelegenheit is usually done tops 1 week in advance. If you are up for it, on a super low budget, and taking someone along with you, then you can also find Hitch-hiking hotspots. 

2. Where to stay? Hostels are very popularly used among students. Sometimes you can find Hotel rooms for very similar prices. Finding a room to your comfort is usually not a problem if you book in advance. http://www.hostelworld.com/ A lot of european students I met also do something called "Couch Surfing." We are not accustomed to this in our culture, but here its quite normal! http://www.couchsurfing.org/#

3. Transportation within the city. To stay on the safe side, you should just buy the freakin day ticket and prevent gettin yourself in trouble of paying the 40 euro fee for not doing so!

4. Google a map of the city and the U/S-bahn system before you go there. It takes 5 minutes and you won't regret it when you get there and have no idea where you are!

5. Keep your valuables with you at all times or locked in a safe location. I consider myself a pretty responsible person, and nevertheless I still got my passport, camera, and phone stolen from me! It was not fun replacing them, but I have alhamdulilah, so BE PARANOID and keep your valuables safe. Better safe than sorry.

I have gone to the Netherlands with my university for a 2-week Urban Design Workshop, and I visited family in the UK. NOTE: England is not covered in the Schengen Visa! I have spent most of the year in Germany visiting other German cities including Luebeck, Berlin, Stuttgart, Nuernberg, Koeln, and Frankfurt Oder.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

Again if you need any advice on any of the places I listed, I will do my best to help!

BonVoyage!  

My "Third Phase"

I have decided to stay another semester. So I'm sure you got questions for me right? So..Things that I have had to consider in taking this next step:

1. Applying to my university for Winter 12/13 as a "Free-mover" student. What is that? A Free-mover is basically a student who is enrolled in the home university but attending and taking the courses at the guest university. Super simple!

2. Applying for an extension of Visa. Sara7a this one is a bit more complicated and a little boring to type out. If yall need help just holla.

3. Finding a new place to live or extension of your living residence at your current residence. In my case, the girls I live with are moving out because the Bauherr is renovating this whole joint so I don't have the option to stay unfortunately because I love this apartment!

4. Finding a job...only if you want to of course! Most german/european students have a part-time job while they study. It can be in an office of your field of study or anything you want to do! You have to basically figure out what you want to experience, ask around/research for vacancies, and take on a new challenge. If you're already financially stable and see no need for it, then that also goes. Keep in mind if you do want another job or an extension at your praktikum's company, then you should organize your application process and prepare yourself a couple months in advance. 

How do I feel about it all so far?

Well..its mid August and my Praktikum ends in 2 weeks. Fall Semester starts in beginning October but I will take (and honestly need) a month break in between in sweet, sunny Amman. I have dealt with the University since June, and just finished managing the Visa-extension story today. I also found a wonderful place to live in the center near Stadthausbruecke, but it is unfurnished :(. After lots of thought crammed into a very short decision-making period of a week, I've decided to take it. Yes, I will have to deal with the furnishing once again, but I think its worth it because I already got half the stuff I need and finding a room in that location is very rare! My only worry real worry is moving furniture from A to B :S. I'm tough, but I ain't that strong hehe. I desperately need el 3amo with the truck in the souq down the street, who's available at almost any time and who's willing to take your stuff anywhere for 10 to 15 jd tops...but sadly its just not like that here!

Bis zum naeschsten mal..

Grocery Shopping

Most WG's or dorms you will live in do not have huge refrigerators and you'll think you have gone 3adi shopping and find that its way too much to fit in the fridge! 

And not only that, a lot of things you will end up throwing up cuz ma 7atla72o to eat everything! 

I know our parents and loved ones raised us with mounds of fruits and vegetables that break your back from the door of supermarket to the door of the car to carry...but you will not have a jaish to feed here! Ma tistaghribo when I say that things are bought here buy half a bateekha..o nus khyirah..bas mafi nus Bondura :P

So bottom line is..ma tinfij3o and waste your money haha...just shop practically :) 

A Typical "Praktikum Day"

Wow I haven't written in a long time! It's been busy with the praktikum...I can confidently say that this half of the year has gone by twice as fast as the last! Having dawam 5 days a week and no breaks is like a real job.

A Typical Day in the "Praktikum Phase":

My work starts at 9:00 and ends at 18:00. I had a 1 hour lunch break and they are usually all the same from 13:00-14:00. Most work you will get as a Praktikant is "slave work" (drawing a thousand lines all day and organizing what they stand for in some sort of excel table, filing stuff, printing stuff, model making etc.) and your day goes by fast cuz there is usually a lot to do!

Most of the time I was signed up in the gym or dance classes and ya dob I would get off work, have my work-out clothes packed with me from the morning, do my workout, go home, whip up something to eat as quick as I could because I'd be dying of starvation, and hardly catch to do some web-searching before I find myself asleep. On the days I didn't have classes, I'd meet up with Erasmus friends or other friends I met in Schanze (Chilled out Cafe/Bar/Shopping Viertel in Hamburg) to kick back and relax.

There will always be errands to run like grocery shopping, doctors appointments, favors for friends, or simply buying a new accessory for your room. Try to schedule them out before hand so you don't end up frustrated and not able to attend to your other responsibilities and interests.

When the lady at the counter says "Schoenes Wochende!" on a Friday afternoon with all enthusiasm, as well as every other person you greet, you will finally start realize why they say it with such enthusiasm after your praktikum! Weekends are worshiped and understandably so because the weekdays are taken very seriously and a lot of effort, focus, and diligence are put in to make every week a successful one. This is one thing I appreciate about the German culture.