Stephen Goes to Germany

Last Post

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:06:00 +0000

Well I have decided to stop posting to this blog as I haven't posted here in ages and so in furture will post what I post here on my other blog.

This blog shall remain as an archive!

Random Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:23:00 +0000

So I set up a Flikr account recently enough and below is some random pics you will find on it!

I'll try to keep it updated!!!

It's been awhile!!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:58:00 +0000

So its been awhile since I updated this! Right then what have I been doing? Well for the Bank Holiday I went to Kerry to visit people and I came home no longer single! (Yes I know I haven't told you mum, but I have now!) Had a great laugh in the Brandon Hotel. Have pics up over on Picasa Webs

From October Bank holiday 2008 - Kerry

I have also been on Mid-term from College so have no classes in the last week but back to it tomorrow night!

Halloween was great fun. I went to Rubies as a Knight and came 3rd! Wooooooo! :D

From Halloween 2008

More over on Picasa Webs

Goldsoundz - Amazing Picture!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:15:00 +0000

So I went to Goldsoundz the other week and had my picture taken at it and I must say I love the picture! Its really classy!

I love the picture, it looks really cool! New profile picture I think!

Homework!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:12:00 +0000

Okay so I had planned at various times over the last week to do my non-compulsory homework, but I am only getting around to it now. Its kinda easy, I have to write 15 sentences like "Der Kaffee ist schwarz". Its easy enough, only one more left to do. I am loving the course, well last weeks class anyway and my German teacher is cool. I do know someone in the class so its great! Really looking forward to tonight. Last week we started on basic conversation, and other basics. Tonight we are moving on to Personal details! I must get the book for the course later today when I am in town! Looking forward to it. So glad I signed up for this course. Might do another after Christmas. Not sure if I will stick with German. We will see!

One thing about German that I am finding hard is making sure all my nouns start with a capital letter! Lots of crossing out on my page so far!

Right back to it!Tschuess!

I'm all nervous!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:15:00 +0000

I have that whole nervous/excitement thing going on at the moment. Mainly due to the fact that I am starting college tonight! I'm really looking forward to it! Thankfully I have the next three Tuesdays (including today) off so there is no rushing after work.

Oh and to remind ye, I'm doing Beginners German! I hope I can actually get the accent right and say stuff in Deutsch and Koelsch!

Chanto's 21st!!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:15:00 +0000

Well what an amazing weekend we had! My amazing boyfriend drove me and Claire down after work on Saturday (with a stop in KFC's). What an amazing night we had! "We had one-steps and two-steps and the divil knows what new steps" as the song goes (its stuck in my head now!)! I have posted some pics up on Facebook but Michelle has updated the purple house blog with a lot better post about then what i could do justice to so have a look and enjoy the photos! There isnt a lot, I was sort of emmm distracted.... :P

6 weeks no Alcohol!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:16:00 +0000

Well I made it! Its been 6 weeks since I was last drunk (on more the half a litre of beer!). I must say I am proud of myself! and I feel better too. I have lost weight, my skin and hair look and feel better, I have gained weight in my wallet (which means I can afford more shoes!)! I honestly didnt think I would last this long but I suppose it helps that himself (yes there is a boy on the scene! hes great) doesn't drink either so there is very little temptation to drink as I still end up having great nights out dancing on podiums! 7UP is great! It also helps that I'm a little mad and that Valerie of the Purple House also doesn't drink meaning a good night by a few sober people! And Val is normally the first person on the dance floor!

What I have had to do is get moisturiser as my skin is oilier as all the omega oils etc (its what the girl in the shop said) arent been washed out by alcohol no more! So maybe ill be smarter too! :D

anyways thats enough blogging for one night as the rest of the family are re-enacting a scene from "the little house on the prairie" or something saying goodnight! so im off too!

The Purple House

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:09:00 +0000

Okay, the last two Fridays the I went out (here and here) involved the Purple House crowd as well as few others. but who are the Purple house crowd (dont worry this is leading to a post in the next few days about the weekend), who better then to have them explain it from their bebo page!

Aaron: Lives on the ground floor in a sea of beer making paraphenalia and furniture stolen/"acquired" from various front gardens.

Valerie: Lives between the stairs in the room with the slanty floor, the radiois always playing! Thomas (the good step) will lead you there!!! but watch out for george, he's the bold one!

Jo: Lives in the attic aka HOGWARTS, she has a secret TV up there! but SSSH!!!

Michelle: Our future doctor, lives in the room beside chanto's with her ebay purchases and jewellery collection!

Chanto: Her room is for princesses and ponies only, is filled with clothes and shoes!!!

So thats who they are and more later! :D

Shoesssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:54:00 +0000

Well, I LOVE Shoes! Its offical! This week is my second week covering in the shoe in the Savoy Center and I love it!!! :D

I have greatly increased the number of pairs of shoes I own since I started working in the Center and have widened the colour choice! I now have Shoes in Black, Brown (first time ever), White (that arent runners!) and Red (no not my crocs actual red shoes!). So it mite seam a big strange but when you are surrounded by shoes you learn to love em! They are also quite stylish! So if your passing in the Savoy pop in and say hi!

More pics!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:58:00 +0000

More pictures! This time from last Friday! Enjoy! :D

Friday 5th September 2008 (facebook album)

Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:52:00 +0000

So as it has been absolutely ages since i updated this blog, I shall post a link to pics from last Friday where ye can see what I am up to since I got back which is going out without alcohol (6 weeks on Sunday) and having a laugh! :D

Full album: Friday 29th August 2008

A bit late I know

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:38:00 +0000

Well its offical! Im returning to education in a number of days! 27 to be exact! To study what? you ask GERMAN! Yes I am starting beginners German in the College of Commerce for a 10 week course to keep in the habit of learning! Hopefully it will help me get a better grip of the language and allow me to use the language more when I go over for Karnival! :D I'll try and keep ye updated on the lessons!

Yes I know, I'm back from Germany and its a bit late to be starting now but what the heck! :P

I'm Addicted to A German Soap!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Yes, I come back to Ireland and end up addicted to a German soap, which I never saw when I was in Germany! The show in question is called "Verbotene Liebe" (Forbidden Love) it is a fantastic program! Of course I don't watch on TV, i watch it on Youtube with English subtitles! The Youtube only follows part of the story really, the Oliver and Christian one, but that is good in its own right! (Yes it is gay!) I have embbeded the clip that got me addicted! (its all Cillan fault!)

Enjoy!

If you live in Germany, it can be seen Mon-Fri at 6.00pm on Das Erste.

Even the Italians think I'm Italian

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:39:00 +0000

So Cork is full of foreign students again all over here to learn English. I don't know why as they cant understand Cork people! Of course this also means a hard time for me as everyone thinks I'm foreign! I have posted about this before about it happening in Germany but over the weekend it bugged me on two occasions and three occasions where it was hilarious! I have blogged about mistaken nationality before, just ignore the bit about the bad German!

So to add to that list we have Hungarian! Yea, I know, a completely new one to bring the total of mistaken nationalities to 15!

So thats story was one of funny ones. One of the lads who works in the Savoy Centre was in with a relative. I was in one of the other parts of the shop and they asked her where did she think I was from, she thought for a while and came up with Hungarian. The lads said yea, but he has great English! So to play along the lads called out to me as "Stefanov", now I didnt hear the name I just say them waving at me. So I came up and they asked me to check to see did we have something in a 32" waist. I replied "I think I have alright upstairs, give me one second there and I'll run up and check". You could catch flies in her mouth! The lads then told her I was actually Irish!

So thats one funny occasion, onto the annoying ones, they are kinda similar so will get them out of the way. On Friday I was out in Rubys and I was a bit drunk having being in instinct before hand. This guy (who I have had encounters with before) stopped me with a hand out for a handshake and introduced himself. I replied, "I'm Stephen", he looked disappointed as I confirmed to him that I wasn't Italian!

Then on Saturday I was using the facilities (i.e. taking a piss) in Instinct when an old guy (I do mean old!!) stood next to me (I hate it when they do that) and asked "Where are you from?" I replied in a thick Cork accent "I'm from Cork", and got the same response! Thankfully I wasn't interested in either of them!

So back to the funny ones! On Saturday I was working when a group of foreign students came in. One of them wanted to try on a shirt. He spoke to me in his native tongue. I replied "Sorry , I don't speak Spanish". He replied by informing me that he was speaking Italian, not Spanish! Most foreign students in Cork are Spanish and I would have recognised French so it was an honest mistake. I of course replied as any Cork person would, "I don't speak that one either!" They actually thought I was Italian!

Then today, I came back up to the main shop from the shoe shop, (try saying that fast) when again the guy from the centre was there with more relatives, this time he asked me "What part of Italy are you from again?". I replied in a thick Cork Accent! "I'm from Cork, like". "Say something in Italian" he asked. "I can't" I replied, "French or German I can do". Then he turned around to his relatives and said, he actually is from Cork and they didn't believe him! I was in stitches!

I also have stories about people thinking I'm straight, but thats for another time!

arrivederci per ora! :D

Steve

German Language

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:14:00 +0000

So over the past week I have spoken German, surprisingly quite well, on two occasions I have used German. One was on Saturday night in the franciscan well where I was drinking German beer and suffered the usual German hangover, its too strong I tell ya!

Also today someone said "Dankeschoen" so said "Kein Problem" and then a conversation ensued in German about crocs! never knew my german was good!

SO if you see me talk to me in German people! LOL

Relationship

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:01:00 +0000

So a little bit of rant!

I'm in Love. But I cant tell him. Hes heading off to Oz in Jan and he dosent want to be in a relationship so he dosent break my heart. This is making me like him even more!!!! I don't know what to do!

I can't go with him, cause he needs to get away from Ireland and discover himself!

HELP! oder hilfe!!

Work

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:46:00 +0000

Well I have a job, surprisingly quickly! I got the job two weeks after I got home after applying for countless jobs online from Germany and while I was here I applied for quite a few jobs which are all getting back to me now and I am in my job now three weeks!

I work now for Zenith for Men, in a clothes shop and a shoe shop, which I know a few girls would nearly orgasm at the site of em!

I love the job so its fun. The lads (and girl) I work with are hilarious! That makes such a difference! I also have cool clothes now! :D

Pics, Pics and Pics - Finally!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:11:00 +0000

So I finally get around to uploading pictures! Yes, I know I'm home over a month at this point but in all seriousness I couldnt look at them until now, even now they are bringing tears to my eyes as I cry looking at pics of the Boys, Koeln, and all my friends in Koeln! Enjoy them!

Rheinpark

Around the House

Going Away Jamesons - Part 1

Going Away Jamesons - Part 2

Going Away - ExCorner

Enjoy and reminise!

I Never Knew I Meant So Much To People

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:54:00 +0000

I have stated since I left Germany that I plan on going back there, the problem is, its going to be very hard to that. The reaction of my friends since I got back has really touched me. Its been wonderful been back and meeting everyone again and all the hugs and kisses cause I know I have missed all my friends in Cork, I just didn't realise how much they missed me. This is going to make it so much harder to leave the next time, especially if it is more long/medium-term like I was(?) planning. I will face that when it comes, but it will make that decision so much harder.

Of course I miss all my friends too in Koeln and I will be back for a visit next year, more then likely for Karnival!

But back to my friends here, the things people have said since I got back and being out dancing in Freakscene and Ruby's has made my relationships with my friends so much stronger as I realise how much I appreciated them and what I mean to them. I actually have tears in my eyes writing this. I am not sure why, but it shows how touched I have been!

anyway ciao for now!
Steve
xxx

Jobhunting....

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:48:00 +0000

I thought this morning, when I was originally planning on posting about Job hunting that it would be a moaning piece about the lack of jobs and me not being contacted by anyone I applied to, but that all changed this morning when I got a call from Zenith Menswear telling me they had a vacancy and asking me to come in for a chat.

So "Woo!". I know a few of the lads in there and there was no job there last week when I went in, but that changed this morning. I was the first person I rang! I am so happy to have a job again!!

I start tomorrow at 9am, it will be interesting working in a clothes shop. I like a challenge so it should be interesting!

I'm Home!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Sun, 18 May 2008 22:17:00 +0000

Hallo alles!!

So I'm back in Cork at home and sitting in the living room on mz sisters laptop! Strange to be home, I'm excited as I met a friend on the plane from Amsterdam! Amsterdam was great fun and I'll post up about it later!

Again thanks to ALL my friends who turned up at Koeln Hauptbanhof and made me cry and give me a lovely card and everything! I'll miss ye!!!!

Koeln was a great expeirence and will reminesce while trying to learn German and find a job!!

So anyway I'm off to bed take care.

Tschues,
Steve

So Long Farewell!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:38:00 +0000

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
So long, farewell, au revoir, auf wiedersehen
I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
I leave and heave a sigh and say goodbye -- Goodbye

That among other songs in German and to do with saying Goodbye are flying around my head today. So today I leave Köln and I am genuinely sad. Köln has become my home, it is just fabulous. The people, my friends, everyone I have met has been wonderful.

So I leave from the HauptBahnhof at 15:25 on my 1st leg of my journey to Amsterdam. There will be four legs. I'll have a notebook with me, se expect to see random musings posted some time next week from the trip.

Im looking forward to seeing my parents today, I havent seen them for 5 months so it will be great to see them. I am also looking forward to seeing all my friends and Cork CSD! I mean Pride! I have definately gone native so will drive people crazy at home with my German mannerisms!!!

So again thank you to everyone I have met in Köln for making my stay so wonderful! Remember this blog is not over yet! I may no longer be an Au Pair, but I shall be learning German with a view to moving back here! My Mother didn't sound too impressed with that idea but anyway!

So Tschüs for now, the fun of job hunting gets into full swing also next week!!
Steve

Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:21:00 +0000

I would at this point like to thank everyone I have met in Köln ensuring that I had the best time possible here. I will not name names as I will leave someone out!

You know who ye are though, the Toytown Crowd, the MultiCulti, the regulars in corners, random people I meet from other countries (yes thats you Lee and other people also!), the mothers on the school run, my host family and their extended family, the teachers at the boys school, random people who stop and talk to me as I speak english, the boys (of course) without whom I wouldnt be here and life would have been very boring without!

Köln and the Kölner people have had a huge impression on me (with help of all of the above) in making returning to Germany and Köln in particular a life goal for me! So this blog will not disappear and I will continue to learn (well really start properly) to learn German!

So keep checking on the blog!

Ciao
Steve

Apologies!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen) — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:24:00 +0000

My mother has already tetxed me to make sure I was alright as I hadnt blogged in awhile! I have excuses, mainly massive hangovers thanks to two going away partys with my fabulous friends who I will miss alot!!! I have ideas for a few blog posts which I hope to post up in between packing!

Also yesterday was a Bank Holiday and today the boys are off, so not alot of online activity today! Hopefully all back to normal (for 3 days) tomorrow!

*Tries not to cry at thought of only 3 days left here*

Ciao
Steve