Happy Birthday, David!
Today is my brother's birthday. He's a 19-year-old freshman in college. Now, being the older, protective sister that I am, I had a dream about David last night which portrayed my subconscious worry about him partying too hard on his big day. Of course, in the dream, he was so drunk he couldn't walk straight. Then he threw up right there on the ground. Here comes the gross part: you know when you have a dream where it seems so true your senses actually really work like when you're awake? Well, I smelled the puke on his breath and it was so real that I almost puked too, and I think I even gagged for real. But I don't know. Anyway, that was gross, but I do have to call him and see if he was well-behaved on his birthday weekend... hmm.
I was, however, rudely awakened at around 5:45 am to the most horrible screaming outside my window. At first it played into my dream but it was so loud and kept going that I woke up. At first I thought it was a girl, then I thought maybe it was a dog being attacked. Whatever it was, it was either in true pain or scared to death, or just some drunk, rude teenagers coming home from the disco down the block. I ran to the window to try to make out what it was but to no avail. It was running and then the voice faded out. So there was nothing I could do at that point. If had been outside my window and not moving I would've called the police. But it really bothered me and made me ask myself, again, why I live in Berlin, let alone the largest Turkish (Germany's largest minority pop.) quarter. Of course, that was probably just because of the fact that I was half-asleep and assumed that whatever it was, was a girl being raped which really scared me.
As much as I don't love my area of the city, or even like it that much, I do love my apartment and the area is very quiet with lots of trees. So it makes living here worth it. I just always watch out and don't walk home at night alone. But bad things can happy anywhere, in any city. I'm careful and once I'm in my apartment I'm happy! It's better than being in the dorms where I was for the first 8 months, sharing a kitchen and (co-ed) toilets with too many others.
Anyway, onto less gruesome topics... This afternoon I went to my bible study leader's church. I ended up getting there about a half an hour late since there was construction on the tracks and I had to take different trains. But it turned out not to matter because they hadn't even started yet. I came in to find only a handful of people and some little babies. I thought, "where are all the people?" Turns out it is a just a very small church. After the service there was a little dinner. I was introduced to an American woman who's husband is from about 2 hrs. from my hometown. He wasn't there, but she and I chatted for a long time. They are missionaries living in a suburb of Berlin working with youth out there. She was really friendly and got my phone number because she wants to introduce me to her "missionary friends", who are several American girls around my age living in Berlin. She also invited me to their house for Thanksgiving. How nice!
I also talked to some other people there and everyone was overly friendly. I thought, "now this is the kind of feeling I want in a church." It may be small (considerably smaller than the one I'd been going to) and have less people my age, but I just felt so welcome. I don't know exactly which one I'll choose yet, but I did like it. I had been frustrated because I had the feeling of cliques at the other church, or at least people who already kind of had their circles and didn't feel the need to reach out to the new people. Of coure there were exceptions and some were really nice. But I didn't get a really warm overall feeling.
Oh, and I am starting to get used to my haircut. I was able to straighten it to lose the fluffy, bird-tail effect in the back and it looked like a more normal hair style. The American lady loved it so much she wanted to get the name of the salon to get hers done there too. I still think it's a little too short on top, and I still miss the longer hair, but I will be able to enjoy this more that I know how to style it. After all, I did want short hair. I'll enjoy it while I have it and see where to go from there.
And again, happy birthday little, big brother! You were such a cute little baby and little boy...and now you're a tall, handsome fella. Remember the golden rule: all girls are evil but me (and Amy)! Just kidding. Don't party too hard at my alma mater and I miss and love you a lot!!!!!
I was, however, rudely awakened at around 5:45 am to the most horrible screaming outside my window. At first it played into my dream but it was so loud and kept going that I woke up. At first I thought it was a girl, then I thought maybe it was a dog being attacked. Whatever it was, it was either in true pain or scared to death, or just some drunk, rude teenagers coming home from the disco down the block. I ran to the window to try to make out what it was but to no avail. It was running and then the voice faded out. So there was nothing I could do at that point. If had been outside my window and not moving I would've called the police. But it really bothered me and made me ask myself, again, why I live in Berlin, let alone the largest Turkish (Germany's largest minority pop.) quarter. Of course, that was probably just because of the fact that I was half-asleep and assumed that whatever it was, was a girl being raped which really scared me.
As much as I don't love my area of the city, or even like it that much, I do love my apartment and the area is very quiet with lots of trees. So it makes living here worth it. I just always watch out and don't walk home at night alone. But bad things can happy anywhere, in any city. I'm careful and once I'm in my apartment I'm happy! It's better than being in the dorms where I was for the first 8 months, sharing a kitchen and (co-ed) toilets with too many others.
Anyway, onto less gruesome topics... This afternoon I went to my bible study leader's church. I ended up getting there about a half an hour late since there was construction on the tracks and I had to take different trains. But it turned out not to matter because they hadn't even started yet. I came in to find only a handful of people and some little babies. I thought, "where are all the people?" Turns out it is a just a very small church. After the service there was a little dinner. I was introduced to an American woman who's husband is from about 2 hrs. from my hometown. He wasn't there, but she and I chatted for a long time. They are missionaries living in a suburb of Berlin working with youth out there. She was really friendly and got my phone number because she wants to introduce me to her "missionary friends", who are several American girls around my age living in Berlin. She also invited me to their house for Thanksgiving. How nice!
I also talked to some other people there and everyone was overly friendly. I thought, "now this is the kind of feeling I want in a church." It may be small (considerably smaller than the one I'd been going to) and have less people my age, but I just felt so welcome. I don't know exactly which one I'll choose yet, but I did like it. I had been frustrated because I had the feeling of cliques at the other church, or at least people who already kind of had their circles and didn't feel the need to reach out to the new people. Of coure there were exceptions and some were really nice. But I didn't get a really warm overall feeling.
Oh, and I am starting to get used to my haircut. I was able to straighten it to lose the fluffy, bird-tail effect in the back and it looked like a more normal hair style. The American lady loved it so much she wanted to get the name of the salon to get hers done there too. I still think it's a little too short on top, and I still miss the longer hair, but I will be able to enjoy this more that I know how to style it. After all, I did want short hair. I'll enjoy it while I have it and see where to go from there.
And again, happy birthday little, big brother! You were such a cute little baby and little boy...and now you're a tall, handsome fella. Remember the golden rule: all girls are evil but me (and Amy)! Just kidding. Don't party too hard at my alma mater and I miss and love you a lot!!!!!
posted by Heidi at 12:57 PM
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