Hallo! Ich bin Simon....

Well, I always read the previous entry and think, crikey that was ages ago, when I do read it it always says that I am going to update my blog soon...

So,hopefully this will be the new and improved blog, the one I write in frequently.

Right then, I have been in Germany for nearly 3 weeks now. 2 weeks into my first proper German course. I can honestly say I am thoroughly enjoy the whole experience and also the opportunity to once again live in a different country.
All in all Germany is not that different from England and Wuppertal is not incredibly different to a large town in Hampshire. There are differences, there is a large proportion of different nationalities here, Turkish, Italian and Polish make up the large percentage but you will find people from every corner of the globe. My course has a Colombian, 2 Russians, a girl form the Dominican Republic, 1 from Thailand, 1 from Vietnam, a Ghanaian, an American and a Jamaican!
It makes for interesting lessons and a variety of different takes on both English and German.

I have been incredibly lucky to be welcomed into a great family and a really special group of friends here. Natascha's parents are great and supportive but I am lucky to have a very cool 86 year Grandma who speaks to me as well! Nat's sister is an English teacher and her boyfriend is also a teacher, all speak fantastic English, this is great for sticky situations but at times I think it may hinder my German speaking progress. I have been told that after the month long course this "English" will stop!

Right, so this is the start of frequent blogs (been said before), would love to have something to look back on to remind me of what I really got up to here.

This weekend we went to the Bayer "Sommer Fest 2011", Nat's friend Steffi works for them and invited us and her brother. Great event laid on for friends and family of employees, including heaps of food and free beer.
We also went to a pre-wedding party at Hammes Bakery in Remschied, for friends of Natascha and her parents. Another do with free beer! but also a TV to watch the Womens World Cup... shame Japan beat Germany in extra time.

Right, so today was the start of week 3 of my course. Today we did some more on the shopping front and then moved onto telling the time. Pretty pleased with my progress and definitely not the slowest in the class.

Also joined a gym today, had my first training session, they have the Milon system, pretty good considering the 4 months off I have had, will have to see what the morning feels like though.

Catch you later,

Simon

Bad Blogger in Deutsche...

I am in Germany buy have failed to write anything since I have arrived. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon and can stop and take stock of everything. Been busy with Ikea and now school.

Night.

Bad Blogger is blogging mobile! #3

Just trying Blogger on my phone...
Finished work on Friday, had a works night out which turned a touch messy, all done now though.

Been doing a mad catch-up of friends and family over the weekend which has both been nice but also tiring.

Packing is going ok, just need somewhere to put the bits I don't want to take...

I'm getting there,

Si

Bad Blogger #2

As I said, I am a bad blogger, I'm now down to 8 or so days before my flight to Germany. Flying from Southampton to Dusseldorf with Flybe (how Posh).

Just had a fabulous weekend in Wuppertal (Easyjet), did all sorts of normal stuff, shopping at OBI and also Akzenta. All very mundane but also very real. We had an amazing night in with friends and had an indoor BBQ, with Lamb, Pork and Chicken. We also visited H20 (in Wuppertal) where I had my first experience of a German sauna...

All in all a great weekend, nothing that put me off my move :)

Did some paperwork this evening, more stuff for my house with my letting agents and accountant. All should be finished and straight by the time I leave.
Still not made any huge progress on fitness (think its a bit late now) or my German.

So, its VHS for my course on the 27/06/2011

Night!

The Worst Blogger ever...

So, my blog is called "100 Days..." this was meant to represent 100 days before moving to Germany!

Now its actually 24 days until I fly from Southampton to Düsseldorf, this time with no date of return. Now you might know that I have spent my fair share of commuting backwards and forwards between England and Germany over the past 18 months, but now I have finally made the step to move there.

So, this is my attempt to start blogging, not only the last few days of working and sorting but also when I finally arrive.

Onwards and upwards I say!