Winter Wonderland ...

The clock is ticking and I can not believe that within a week I will be home for christmas break... and while I am more than excited to be in Hamburg I can not believe that one term has already passed and that when I get back so many people will not be in this beautiful snowy town anymore!
Yes the snow has finally hit this town:

And yes i still love the snow even after a week of taking 5 to 10 minutes longer to get to the metro because walking through thigh high snow for parts of the way just takes its time! Christmas mood has kind of grown since having had homemade Glühwein twice this past week and the sight of everything being covered in sparkling white powder does its part of the trick... and if it wasn't for the fact that there was still one term paper to finish I would probably go nuts baking in the kitchen, but that'll have to wait until next week!
So there I am stuck at home thinking about causality, free will and fate when my fate should be to build snowmans outside, make snowangels, have snowball fights and slide oh wait sliding I actually did and I even got it on tape, but my attempts to upload it misreably failed due to the poor internet connection!!!
So yes I still manage to squeeze in some fun in here and there! there always has to be time, for chocolate fondue, yummy pasta dinners and drinks with friends! Because writing papers does most certainly not do the trick of making me happy!! But enough about university and being stuck inside, I am heading out but only after I leave you with my newest favorite film: In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-Wai – all I can say is that it truely is breathtakingly beautiful!!!
So that was it from the other side for tonight, thanks for reading and please tune in the next time we’re on bisous Merle-Perle

Où est la neige?!

So we had a day of snow and yes that was beautiful but did we really have to suffer two days of disgusting hamburg-november-rainy-weather?! seriously world, what is going on Europe is covered in snow and so is pretty much the rest of Canada, and Montreal gets this no snow bubble?? How am I supposed to get into Christmas-mood? No Weihnachtsmarkt, no Glühwein, and rain? I am sorry but this is not what I paid for... alright so I'll stop bitching, but only cause the weather forcast looks like this:



I know not the perfect temperature for snow yet but at least it's supposed to properly snow!!! Because seriously the less than fashionable winterboots i purchased need to be put to some use...

First good-bye tears have been shed and reaching december makes me realize how much time flies by. And as excited as I am to be in Hamburg for Christmas leaving in three weeks will also mean to say good-bye to many many new loved ones, and last Tuesday we all got a taste of what that will feel like! First one down and so many more to go, but thinking about that is not going to make this easier so instead of looking at all the seperation we're facing in three weeks I will focus on all the fun exciting christmas, winter activies the next few weeks will hold for us.


and on that note I am off to Ice Skating (sadly indoors, since the world climate has decided to cross me on a proper Winter experience, but not before you all get today's movie tip, I feel like december calls for some old school black and white chistmas-fun: Holiday Inn (1942) dir. by Mark Sandrich; btw the film where Bing Crosby berforms White Christmas for the first time ever!!! Could it get any better?


So that was it from the other side for tonight, thanks for reading and please tune in the next time we’re on bisous Merle-Perle

Being sick makes one grumpy Merle Perle

Once again a month has passed and I have failed to write more about what is on my mind... but juggeling life with all it's wonderfull, amazing and stressfull aspects turns out to be less easy than one thought!!!
The weekend consisted of me getting sick once again and Montréal's rather sad Santa Parade – I've gotta say I really miss Glühwein auf dem Hamburger Weihnachtsmarkt...
Snow has not yet hit the city and todays lovely drizzling rain just added to my personal comfort, soar body and a light pain in the head – could it get any better? But I think I should stop feeling sorry for myself, cause really, I am still in this amazing city and in less than a month I get to return to Hamburg for two weeks, which I will spend eating as much cheese as i possibly can! Because honestly as great as this place is, how much can you charge for a good cheese??? and while we're on it how much can you charge for bad cheese???

And since this kind of seems to be me on a roll how much can one charge for wine??? I have honestly taken it for granted to not have to spend 10 $ on a let's put it nicely average bottle of wine!
But thanks to lovely packages from home, and investing in some decent wine and cheese Pia and I managed to have a real night of treats!
I survived Halloween Madness as Go Go Yubari from Kill Bill and Daisy from The Great Gatsby – Yes I went all the way and had two different costumes ;) But I was just going with the Zeitgeist you know :P

"Zeitgeist" seems to be a word that one is hunted by studying and living in this country – I don't think I've even heard this word as often in my whole life as I've heard it in the past few months, and when I saw someone reading the Zeitgeist-Newpaper I just had to sneakily take a photo! Yep to a stranger I might have seemed like a PI or your average stalker but I just couldn't holg back!!!
And now it's late and I need to sleep but I promise I'll try to be more active on writing, and maybe a little more coherent I just realized that my short little text was more of a blurb of thoughts! So that was it from the other side for tonight, thanks for reading and please tune in the next time we’re on bisous Merle-Perle

P.S. movie tip of the week: Bella Martha (yes I am in desperate need of some culinary culture)

Into the wild ivy league life!

So I know once again it's been a while, but there is just too much that needs to be juggled around and really there is this stupid thing called sleep that's robbing me of precious hours every day – don't get me wrong I enjoy it but since the day only has 24 hours sometimes you just want to skip the sleeping and spend that time taking everything in...
It's been getting chilly and Indian Summer is almost over, I cannot describe how pretty it looks and even the picture will not do it justice:




But all beauty comes to an end, the leaves are falling and the last couple of nigths you could taste and smell the first chill in the air...yes it smelled like snow, and breathing in you could feel little ice crystals building up on your tongue, ok i might be exaggerating that one, but winter is just around the corner and you can tell...
apparently it will wait a little while longer and we'll have a week of rain and 15 to 18 degrees ahead but I don't believe that until I see it happening!


Above you can see some of my newest cheesiest photography that I could probably sell for a hell lot of money to tourists travelling through this beautiful country, but honestly that's what nature looks like over here! 4 days in the cottage, over Thanksgiving Weekend, were well, undescribeable – not only because of the amount of liquor consumed, but because you have never in your life seen this many stars at night until you've been out in the countryside of Canada. Luckily there were no encounters with bears, skunks or ghosts (yes ghosts would have been an option since we lived next to the haunted house, where the mansion owner shot himself in the 19th century and is supposed to be wandering the grounds of the area ever since...)
Yes this weekend was one to be remembered and maybe we'll return when we're in our 30s and want to travel back to all those happy memories that are documented on pictures but will only be alive in our hearts...

Leaving my little substitude family after those four days felt strange and weird, but weekly dinners make up for that!!!
And really if I was thankful for anything this Thanksgiving, besides having the chance of living in Montréal it is the people that are surrounding me and this is enough of me being all emotional about how I love my life... cause really life isn't always pink and blue, getting up at five a.m. after getting home at one from Boston is anything but enjoyable – and you can't even really complain about it if the only person to blame for that is yourself... but then there is times were it's just worth it. And the Auslandstreffen der Studienstiftung at Harvard in Boston was one of those things! Six hours road trip down south and a town that not only has to offer a pretty gorgeous campus but history and street artists that like to do adjustments to otherwise boring streetsigns :
Little advise to anyone visiting tha Harvard Campus just don't rub the foot of the statue at the center of the Campus, people might believe it's for good luck, but honestly for your own good stay far far away from touching it ;)
Since both last weekends were busy and away from home, this weekend I was in for some couch time and Montréal city culture for a change and luckily today I finally managed to catch a film at the festival du nouveau cinema. After a morning at the library (yes our library is open 24 hours seven days a week and sunday is actually quite busy) my afternoon was topped off with Mike Leigh's Another Year, highly enjoyable with a slice of depression and sadness to it... sadly it was the last day of the festival and as usual I feel like I've missed so many great films, but then that kind of is my life story and I am pretty sure everyone can relate to that feeling! And just to add one to everonyelse's list of things to do and see: movie tip of today, Once Were Warriors by Lee Tamahori.

So that was it from the other side for tonight, thanks for reading and please tune in the next time we’re on bisous Merle-Perle

why buy a bike when you can bixi & a tribute to lost loved belongings

Small and minor changes to the language used in this little thing here... since my german is getting worse and there actually are a couple of people that do not understand me writing in german from now on I will be posting in english, maybe mixed with a bit of german and french.
School has gotten the best of me, all the sudden it's texts, reading, studying and almost no social life... but my life would not be my life if I would not manage to squeeze in some dancing, dining and wineing ;)
So that's what I ended up doing on a lovely Tuesday night, reading and socializing just going out a little bit...wie sagt man so schön auf deutsch kleine Sünden bestraft der liebe Gott sofort – und als ich nach Stunden des Tanzbeinschwingens nach Hause wollte war meine Jacke leider schon gegagenn... so whoever stole my lovely green-yellow-squared jacket from a cute little vintage store in Williamsburg, I hope you appreciate it as much as I do! Luckily Montréal offers a great variety of second hand shops that have just been waiting for me to discover them...

the picture above simply had to be shared... it's a product of a lot of love! For lovely Hannah who's special day was celebrated a couple of weeks ago...

I know I've been bad with keeping posting on a regular basis and I do hope I'll get better at it but don't we all have that little problem of time?

Ok so it's fall now, it's cooled down and the trees on Mont Royal are turning colours it's gorgeous. The air is crispy and fresh and breathing in you just gives you that amazing fresh taste that a new season brings.
Thanks to my bixi I finally manage to get some sort of orientation in this city and after a few rainy days the weather is back to perfect-discover-the-city-sun-cloud-mix.

Life is pretty pink and blue, obviously there is things I'm still getting used to (besides the bread and cheese which I am giving up on getting used to)like Montreal car drivers that never pay any attention on whether or not there is a bike coming when they turn off the road – schonmal was vom Schulterblick gehört? – the sauna that the metro is and little tiny things like that...

Nein hierbei handelt es sich nicht um eine Parkuhr für Fahrräder...sondern man kann sein Kleingeld dem guten Zweck spenden...

OH yes movie tip of the day: The Pawnbroker by Sindey Lumet

I am sorry that this blog entry is a bit in bits and pieces but my head is swirrling with Marx and class and the masculinity of the 70s...
So that was it from the other side for tonight, please tune in the next time we’re on bisous Merle-Perle

Mais oui quebequien est vraiment bizarre

Die Zeit rennt und mit ihr der Sommer... langsam wird es Herbst und die Stadt ein bisschen regnerisch. Mein Deutsch wird wieder schlechter und mein Französisch leider nur schleppend besser!
Die erste Uniwoche liegt nun hinter mir und irgendwie werde ich das Gefühl nicht los, dass sich die Hamburger Uni mal was von meiner neuen abgucken sollte ;)
Filme dieser Woche: Experimental Shorts, auf Viedeobändern aus den 70er Jahren, Bonnie und Clyde und Under the Olive Trees auf 35 mm. Neben großartigen Profs, die mich nach der ersten Seminarsitzung mit Vornamen kennen haben wir eine Sammlung von DVDs, Blue Rays und 16mm Prints, die nur darauf wartet von mir gesichtet zu werden.
Die letzten warmen Tage und Sonnenstrahlen werden im Park um die Ecke genossen und nach und nach entdecke ich Lieblingscafés, Cupcakeries und eine Boulangerie nach der nächsten – ja im nächsten Monat melde ich mich dann auch mal im Gym an...keine Lust neue Jeans kaufen zu müssen ;)

Gewöhnungsbedürftig sind definitiv die überwarmen U Bahnen ich weiß noch nicht wie das im Winter werden soll, wenn man dick eingepackt in Daunen und Wolle in diese Saune kommt, aber gut we will see.

Der Versuch alles hier einzufangen scheitert kläglich und ich versuche meine Gedanken zu sortieren und aufs elektronische "Papier" zu bringen.

Mein Leben hier wechselt zwischen amerikanischem Teeniemovie und kultureller intellektueller Vielfalt – ja die studentisch organisierte Orientierungseinheit ist frisch vom Set zu uns gebracht worden and when you can't fight it you better join in – Ausgleich findet sich dann auf Fakultätsparties bei einem meiner Profs zu Hause: sämtliche Film geeks der Uni, Wein, Käse und gutes Essen ergeben einen wundervollen Mix aus kreativem Potential.

Am dankbarsten bin ich im Moment jedoch für all meine neugewonnen Freunde, die sicherlich mit dafür verantwortlich sind das mein Start hier verläuft, wie er verläuft. Yummy yummy dinner parties und Nachmittage im Park Mont Royal wenn sich Montreals Trommelszene zum sonntäglichen TamTam trifft. Still on the agenda: Picnic electronique, the art gallary and first film at one of the local theatres. So und jetzt muss ich True Blood zu ende schauen und endlich mit meinem Text zu the Graduate anfangen, denn cinma of the 60s und 70s wird wohl most definatly my favorite class due to awsome Mario, the professor that just reminds me of why I do what I do. That was it from the other side for tonight, please tune in the next time we’re on bisous Merle-Perle

Une semaine canadienne... und 16 safer sex practices

Wie soll ich nur zusammenfassen, was in der letzten Woche alles passiert ist. Die Zeit vergeht wie im Fluge und die Tage füllen sich mit Organisieren, organiesieren und Stadt genießen!!! Wenn man durch die Straßen von Montreal geht hat man einfach das Gefühl schon eine Ewigkeit hier zu sein und gleichzeitig ist alles neu und aufregend und soll bitte nie nie zu Ende gehen. Das mein Start hier so easy ist liegt wohl vor allem an glücklichen Zufällen. Großartige neue Menschen umgeben mich und jeder Tag wartet auf mit neuen Überraschungen. Es ist Hochsommer und bei guten 30 Grad pulsiert diese Stadt. Parks, Kanalufer und Mont Royal sind bisher unsere Restaurants und einfach wundervolle Gastgeber. Neben den vielen kleinen Bars – die tatsächlich gutes Bier verkaufen, z.B. mit Ingwer taste – hat diese Stadt ein überwältigendes Angebot der Kultur. Dank meines favorite Hostel workers Chris sind wir am Freitag in der wohl schönsten Kino Openair location Montreals gelandet. Man hat eine Adresse, gelangt in die Rue St. Dominique, geht durch das Apartment eines völlig fremden Menschen, um schließlich in seinem Hinterhof gute 60 Leute zu finden, die gebannt darauf warten, dass die heutige Vorstellung von Badlands beginnt – Martin Sheen im Look von James Dean. Es gibt Popcorn, Bier und zu wenig Stühle um alle unterzubringen, eine kleine Katze schlängelt sich zwischen der Beamer-Laptop-Boxen-Konstruktion und das Gefühl Willkommen zu sein bubbled up – ok ich werde ein bisschen cheasy, aber genau so wunderschön war es einfach. Neben Straßenfesten, Flohmärkten, Straßenmusikern und wenig behindertenfreundlichen U-Bahnhöfen halte ich noch für besonders berichtenswert die Ausgabe der univsersitären Health Notes, die wir zuvorkommender Weise in unserer Orientierungsmappe vom International Students Office vorfanden. Thema der Ausgabe: Sexuality and Relationships... Eigentlich müsste ich an dieser Stelle eine Kopie des gesamten Textes integrieren, ich werde mich zu diesem Zeitpunkt aber nur auf die wichtigsten und notwendigsten Informationen beschränken:
Hier also 16 Safer Sex Practices:
1. Abstinence.
2. Enjoy solo activities. E.g. masturbation.
3. Use a barrier consistently and properly. E.g. condom or dental dam.
4. Negotiate sexual activity with your partner(s).
5. Properly disinfect shared sex toys.
6. Participate in activities where body fluids are not shared.
7. Avoid contact with another person’s sores.
8. Limit the number of sexual partners.
9. Share relevant information with each other about sexual history and sexually transmitted infection (STI) status.
10. Avoid sex under the influence of an amount of alcohol and/or drugs that would interfere with decision making or sticking with decisions you have made about sexual activity.
11. Get tested for STIs
12. Get vaccinated for STIs. E.g. Hepatitis B and HPV.
13. Inform your previous partners if you dicover you have and STI.
14. Treat and STI.
15. Adopt positive attitudes towards safer sex.
16. Become knowledgeable about safer sex
So my friends please keep those options in mind!
Und bevor ich mich in das Reich meiner Träume in meinen eigenen vier Wänden begebe möchte ich kurz noch meine Wohnung, bzw. ich sollte besser Hausgemeinschaft vorstellen. Gerry ist mein sweet and lovely new roommate, der mich heute mit chickensalad and whitewine dinner willkommen geheißen hat. Unter uns wohnen Ragner, ein deutscher Regisseur, der seit nun mehr 9 Jahren in Montreal seine Lebensmitte gefunden hat und Zoe, die Masseusin aus England, die in ihrer Wohnung kanadischen Charme mit britischem Landhausstil mischt. Ich glaube einen besseren Einstand als hier hätte ich mir kaum wünschen können....that was it from the other side for tonight, please tune in the next time we’re on bisous Merle-Perle