Exchange Year ´13/´14 #2 ⎟I pack my bags and take with me…

Hey internet!  
(scroll down for the enlish version)
Teil 2 meiner "Exchange year" Serie! :D 
Heute wollte ich euch mal zeigen, was ich alles mitgenommen habe für meine Reise über den großen Teich.
Wahrscheinlich kennen alle die Situation, wenn man nicht weiß, was man für eine Reise mitnehmen soll.. also denke ich mal, dass sich auch alle vorstellen können, wie schlimm das sein kann, wenn man für 10 Monate oder ein ganzes Jahr wegbleibt! Ich meine, wer weiß denn jetzt schon was er in dieser langen Zeit alles brauchen wird?! Vielleicht möchte man irgendwann mal die weinrote Bluse anziehen, die man doch noch im letzten Moment ausgepackt hatte. Oder man braucht den dicken Wintermantel, der unbedingt mit musste, überhaupt gar nicht.
Allerdings ist es gar nicht wie viele immer denken. Man braucht fast keine Angst haben, zu wenig mitzunehmen! Denn eigentlich ist es immer so, dass man zu viel mitnimmt! Und da man nur 2 x 23kg/50pounds an Koffern mit ins Flugzeug nehmen darf (und Handgepäck), dachte ich, es wäre hilfreich denjenigen unter euch, die für eine große Reise packen, mal zu zeigen, WAS man/frau denn nun WIRKLICH braucht. (Allerdings ist das dann keine Garantie dafür, dass ihr das dann auch nicht brauchen werdet, jeder ist anders. Außerdem spreche ich hier für die Frauen, da ich leider keine Ahnung habe, was Männer so für große Reisen brauchen. Tut mir Leid, Jungs!) 

Allgemeine Tips:

• Passe deine Klamotten-Wahl an die Jahreszeiten in deinem Gastland an.
• Beschränke dich auf Grundausstattung.
• Packliste nicht erst 3 Tage vor Abflug machen, damit man sieht, was man möglicherweise noch besorgen muss.
• unbedingt (!!!) Probepacken! Und Probewiegen!
• nur die nötigsten Toilettenartikel, den Rest dort kaufen
• Kennzeichne Koffer und Handgepäck mit deinem Namen und der Zielanschrift (falls was verloren geht).
• Rechtzeitig über Vorgaben von Fluggesellschaft und Zoll informieren!
• Nimm genügend Bargeld für den Flug mit (ca. 200€ - 300€) (deine Eltern können dir ja schonmal dein Taschengeld für den Monat geben)
• Verteile das Geld in verschiedene Umschläge, die du dann an verschiedenen Orten (übersichtlich und fühlbar) versteckst, sodass dir im Notfall nicht alles auf einmal geklaut wird!

(unterwäschecartoon.google.com)

In den Koffer (im Wesentlichen):

1. Kleidung: denke an Sportsachen (wenn du dort keine kaufen möchtest), Abendgarderobe, Unterwäsche. Dann passe, wie gesagt, deine Kleidung an die im Gastland vorherrschenden Temperaturen an, also zum Beispiel dicke Winterstiefel und eine dicke fette Jacke für den Nordpol und Unterwäsche für die Wüste. 
2. Schuhe: Wieder; nur das Nötigste und an das Wetter angepasste. 
3. Hygieneartikel: nur die, die man in den ersten Tagen braucht und bitte in Reisegröße!
4. Adapter: Ganz wichtig! Informiere dich vorher, welche Art von Steckdosen sie in deinem Gastland haben und hole dir die entsprechenden Adapter (gibt es auch im Set für die ganzen verschiedenen Steckdosen der Welt:). Stell dir nur vor du rennst ohne los, aber mit Handy, Laptop, iPad, Fernseher, Glätteisen und Sandwich-maker! Die haben dort auch keine Adapter… 
5. Persönliche Erinnerungsstücke: Also die ganzen emotionalen, tränengetränkten Briefe, die dir deine Freunde und Familie geschrieben haben und die überdimensionale Bildcollage, von dir und Freunden in den unglücklichsten Posen. 
6. Apotheke: natürlich musst du die Medikamente mitnehmen, die du einnehmen musst, da es dort sehr schwer sein kann, diese zu bekommen (Du brauchst aber unbedingt für alle ein Rezept!). Außerdem wären so Dinge wie Sonnencreme ganz gut. 
7. Dein Gastgeschenk: Mache dir schon früh darüber Gedanken, mit was du deiner Gastfamilie eine Freude bereiten kannst! Sie nehmen dich immerhin für Monate in ihrer Familie auf, viele sogar, ohne dafür Geld von der Orga zu bekommen. (ich werde noch einen extra Post über das Gastgeschenk machen.)

In das Handgepäck: 

1. Flugtickets: Deine Organisation sollte dir diese schon zugeschickt haben. Nimm dir am besten eine Mappe oder einen Hefter mit, in den du alle wichtigen Dokumente steckst, damit dir nichts verloren geht und sie schnell zur Hand sind, wenn du durch Kontrollen gehst.
2. Visum: tust du am besten mit in die Mappe.
3. Personalausweis: den auch.
4. Reisepass: genauso.
5. Bargeld: Es ist wichtig, dass dir deine Eltern genügend Bargeld mitgeben (so ca. 200 - 300€). Stell dir vor, dein Koffer, obwohl du ihn bestimmt zig-mal gewogen hast und er immer 22,99kg angezeigt hat und ganz bestimmt nicht 23kg, wiegt auf einmal mehr. Das kostet dich dann 100€ pro Koffer. Ich weiß, das ist ne Schweinerei, aber so sind die Vorschriften. Manchmal ist es so, das ein Angestellter dir 1 - 2 kg Übergewicht durchgehen lassen, aber verlasse dich da nicht drauf! Hol dir lieber eine Kofferwaage. Verstecke außerdem, wie gesagt, das Geld an verschiedenen Orten!
6. EC-Karte/Kreditkarte: Ich hatte eine Kreditkarte von der Sparkasse dabei, von der uns versichert wurde, sie würde auch im Ausland funktionieren. Allerdings war das nicht der Fall.. Ich weiß nicht warum. Mein Gastvater war Chef einer Bank, also hat er mir dort ein Konto eingerichtet. Das könnt ihr dann ja vielleicht auch machen. "Fee´s" entstehen überall. 
7. Versicherungsnachweise: in der Mappe am besten aufgehoben
8. Adressen: am besten schreibt man alle wichtigen Adressen und Telefonnummern auf. Also die von der eigenen Familie, der Gastfamilie und der Organisation, damit man sie im Notfall gleich parat hat.
9. Unterlagen der Orga: ebenfalls in die Mappe
10. Impfpass: Die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass dich jemand auf deinem Hinweg nach dem Impfpass fragt, ist sehr gering, aber du könntest ihn im Gastland brauchen, also ab damit in die "WichtigeUnterlagenMappe"
11. Persönliche Wertgegenstände: Schmuck, Elektronik oder ähnliches sollten am besten in einer gut verschlossenen Box irgendwo unten im Rucksack aufbewahrt werden. Dort sollte sie so schnell niemand klauen können - Es sei denn er nimmt gleich den ganzen Rucksack mit. 
12. Wörterbuch: natürlich in deiner Muttersprache und der deines Gastlandes. Immer gut! 
13. Laptop, Handy, Digicam, etc.: alle elektronischen Geräte sollten besser in das Handgepäck gesteckt werden! Denkt nur daran, wie grob die Koffer behandelt werden, da kann schnell etwas kaputt gehen! 
14. Was zum schreiben: Um Gedanken und Gefühle zu notieren. Wenn du das später wieder findest, dann kannst du dich genau an diesen Moment zurück versetzen. Das wäre doch schön. 
15. Taschentücher: Abschiede können nass werden.

WICHTIG!

Ich hoffe, ich konnte euch ein bisschen weiterhelfen! Ich weiß noch genau, wie ich damals fast die Krise bekommen habe, weil ich nicht wusste, was ich brauchen würde und was nicht. Und natürlich habe ich am Ende viel zu viel mitgenommen. Ich hatte zwar nur einen Koffer mit, aber ich habe trotzdem längst nicht alles benutzt. Leider hatten wir auch keine Kofferwaage und haben auch keine gekauft, deshalb mussten wir uns mit unserer Personenwaage zufrieden geben. Die war natürlich total ungenau und zeigte 22, xx kg an. Wir dachten noch so "Hey, klasse! Gerade so geschafft." und dann mussten wir am nächsten morgen 100€ zahlen, wegen 3kg Übergewicht. pff.. Aber das gehört irgendwie dazu. Ist ja auch kein Weltuntergang. :D
Erzählt mir mal in den Kommentaren ohne was ihr überhaupt nicht verreisen möchtet!
Naja dann. Beim nächsten Teil der Serie werde ich etwas über die Aufregung, die Zeit und speziell den Tag vor der Abreise und dann die Ankunft erzählen. Also freut euch darauf!
Bis dahin,
hugs and kisses! <3 p="">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
English version:

Hey internet!
Part 2 of my "Exchange year" series! :D 
Today I wanted to show you, what I packed in my bags for my trip over the great pond.
I am sure all of you know the struggle before traveling: you never now what to pack! So I am guessing all of you can imagine how terrible it is before a 10-month-trip or even a 12-month-trip… I mean, who the heck knows he is going to need in that time already?! Maybe you want to wear the bordeaux blouse you sorted in the last minute, at some point. Or you Don´t need that big and warm winter coat, that had to be taken along, at all.
But I tell you what: it is actually quite different then everyone seems to think. You Don´t have to be afraid of not packing anough or the right stuff! Because you usually pack way too much! And because you can only have 2 suitcases with 50pounds each (plus carry on), I thought it would be helpful to show you, what you really need and what you really do not need! (but I cannot guarantee you that you won´t need that stuff because everyone is different. And also: Unfortunately I Don´t know what guys need for big trips so this list is probably more helpful for girls. I am so sorry, guys!)


Some general advice: 

• Pack only clothes you can wear in your host country. Think about what climate they have over there. 
• Only pack basics. 
• Don´t write your list of what you have to pack three days before leaving. Do it early, so you can see what you still need to buy. 
• Pack your suitcase a few days before leaving to see if it is too heavy. 
• only pack the most important toiletries, you can buy the rest in your host country
• label your suitcase and your carry on with your name and your host family´s adress, just in case something gets lost
• inform yourself about the guidelines of your airline and the costumes!
• Carry enough cash with you (about 300 - 350$)
• put the money in different envelopes and hide those at different places (places you can overlook and feel), just in case someone steels something, he doesn´t get all the money at once

I pack my bags with… 

1. Clothes: pack sports clothes (if you Don´t want to buy them there), nice clothes, underwear. Pack clothes appropriate for the climate. That means, for example, you need to pack winter boots and a tick winter coat for the north pole and underwear for the desert.
2. Footwear: Just the necessary stuff.
3. Toiletries: just the things you need on your first day (in travel sizes!). You can buy the rest there.
4. Adapter: Very important! Just imagine leaving without one, but with laptopt, phone, iPad, TV, hair straightener and Sandwich maker! They Don´t have the ones you need in your host country. 
5. personal stuff: all the letters that are soaked from tears, that you got from friends and family. All the really ugly (but mots beautyful at that moment) pictures you took with them,… 
6. first-aid kit: of course you have to take the medicine or the pills you need (but you need a prescription for all of them!), because it can be really hard to get them in a foreign country.
7. The gift for your host family: of course you have to bring a little something for your host family. They are Letting you stay with them and be a part of their family for months (many families do it without getting any money for it)! (I am going to make a post about the gift)

I pack my carry- on with… 

1. plane tickets: your organization should have sent them to you already. You should put all of your important documents in one folder, so if you need them, you are able to get them out rigth away and nothing gets lost.
2. Visa: put it in the folder.
3. Passport: same here.
4. Cash: You need enough cash, in case your suitcase is too heavy. In that case you have to pay 100$ per suitcase. 
5. Credit Card: if you Don´t want to open a bank account, you need to bring a credit or debil card.
6. proof of insurance papers: put them in your folder.
7. adresses: write down the Adress and Telephone number of your host family, your real family and your organization, just in case…
8. vaccination certificate: the chances you need them are very low but still..
9. Dictionary: you might need it. (No, you WILL need it at some point.)
10. Laptop, phone, …
11. Something to write: write down your Feelings and thoughts. 
12. tissues: saying good bye can be wet

I hope I could help you! Tell me in the comments below! Next time I will tell you more about the time before I left, especially the day before, the flight and the first time meeting my host family. Until then; 

xoxo <3 div="">

The Royal Llama

Hey internet!
how are you today? I have an hour lunch break right now, so I thought I could use it to create a blog post, since school goes ´til 5:30pm today and after that I have a Theory class for my drivers license. Yaay! :)
I had a pretty bad day today actually haha. Do you know that feeling when you wake up at 6am and happily jump out of bed, excited for school? No? Me neither.
But seriously, do you know that feeling when you wake up and just want to cry? Yes? Me too. So today I nearly cried when I woke up, then I couldn´t find anything to wear because all of my clothes had to be washed, so it took me almost a third of my time to find some appropriate clothing which made me want to cry even more and then I went upstairs to eat cereal but my lovely sisters ate all of my favorite cereal so that made me want to cry even more and made me want to Punch them and yell at them but I just sat there in agony, watching them eat MY cereal. Then I wanted to straighten my hair which didn´t quite work out because I washed them yesterday went to bed with wet hair so it was all messy and knotty today. Which made me want to throw my straightener at the ground, hoping to break it and the ground.

Then I went to school. My first class was biology. Great… Usually I love biology class, but right now it has so much chemistry in it - and chemistry is my greatest enemy just like maths - that I want to cry everytime I think about it. So you can probably guess what I wanted to do. I had to focus on not killing everyone at my way to class.
In maths we took a Test. I think I don´t have to say more.
And in english class we got back our Poem we had to write.. she didn´t grade it but when I saw my neighbours paper I wanted to cry and scream and yell and Punch the whole class in the face. You wanna know why? Because my teacher drew a smiley face on my neighbours paper, but not on mine! What the..?! And I helped my neigbour.. Fuuuuuuuu… Not sure if I am ever gonna help anybody again.
Sorry for complaining. I am shocked that you made it until here. :D
Anyways, I Don´t have that much time today, so I thought I cold make a funny post with my favorite GIFs. (haha yeah sure not much time but enough time for complaining..great, Anika..)

Enjoy <3 br="">

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Peasant!

Wait.. what?

That´s how it´s done!

Idiot.

Wait… shit.

buzzfeed.

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Feeding my Addiction⎟Too much "talking"

Hey internet! 💕
Ugh.. finally done with anything related to school for today! No more homework, no more studying…wait I still have to do some math tonight, shoot. Do you hate maths as much as I do? I mean, can´t we just decide what we want to do in the future - like what we want to study - before high school and then we pick the classes we need for that?! I mean, if we are not planning on studying math or anything like that: WHEN WILL YOU EVER NEED THAT AGAIN?!

And even if you decide to study math, you will have all of that crap in Uni again. So, why bother to learn that now? Why not focus on really important things like how to live healthy, how to find the love of your life, how to have sex,… all that stuff. The things Teenagers really care about. And maybe even a little general knowledge so that we can pretend to be smart and have (pretend-)"intelligent" conversations. Am I right?

Anyways, today I wanted to show you a list of books I am really want to read, a "ToRead" - list. But since I wrote so much crap already without getting to the point, I am going to create another post, just for the list, so you won´t have to read all of the stuff above again, if you decide to come back later, because you just can´t handle the awesomeness of my ToRead - list so you have to come back and read it over and over and over again. (I like that. 👊)

Talk to you in about a second!
xoxo, Anika

Click HERE to get to the actual list!

Feeding my Addiction

Hey internet…again! 
Here is the ToRead - list of books I really want to read in the next couple of weeks/months. 
Enjoy! 

1. Wait for you  - J. Lynn

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17314430-wait-for-you

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for… (goodreads.com)


2. The Life List (Morgen kommt ein neuer Himmel) - Lori

Tells the story about the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter Brett's Life List: Go to Paris; Perform live, on a super big stage; Have a baby, maybe two; and Fall in love Brett Bohlinger seems to have it all: a plum job, a spacious loft, an irresistibly handsome boyfriend. (goodreads.com)








3. Fractured (Die Achse meiner Welt) - Dani Atkins

Rachel’s life is perfect. A handsome boyfriend, great friends and the prospect of starting at university in a few weeks means she’s never been happier. But in a single heartbeat her world falls apart forever.

Five years later, Rachel is still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy that changed everything. Returning to her hometown for the first time in years, she finds herself consumed by thoughts of the life that could have been. But when a sudden fall lands her in hospital, Rachel awakes to discover that the life she had dreamed about just might be real after all.

Unable to trust her own memories, Rachel begins to be drawn further into this new world where the man she lost is alive and well but where she is engaged to be married to someone else . . .

FRACTURED is a heart-warming tale of love and second chances which will leave you wondering whether two very different storylines can ever lead to the same happy ending. (goodreads.com)


4. The irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe (Drei Sommer der    Blaubeeren) - Mary Simses

A high-powered Manhattan attorney finds love, purpose, and the promise of a simpler life in her grandmother's hometown. 
Ellen Branford is going to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish--to find the hometown boy she once loved, and give him her last letter. Ellen leaves Manhattan and her Kennedy-esque fiance for Beacon, Maine. What should be a one-day trip is quickly complicated when she almost drowns in the chilly bay and is saved by a local carpenter. The rescue turns Ellen into something of a local celebrity, which may or may not help her unravel the past her grandmother labored to keep hidden. As she learns about her grandmother and herself, it becomes clear that a 24-hour visit to Beacon may never be enough. THE IRRESISTIBLE BLUEBERRY BAKESHOP & CAFE is a warm and delicious debut about the power of a simpler life. (goodreads.com)





5. The one plus one (Weit weg und ganz nah) - Jojo Moyes

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied, and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever. One Plus One is Jojo Moyes at her astounding best. You’ll laugh, you’ll weep, and when you flip the last page, you’ll want to start all over again. (lovelybooks.com)

6. The Rosie Project (Das Rosie Projekt) - Graeme Simsion

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper. (lovelybooks.com)

7. The Humans (Ich und die Menschen) - Matt Haig

Body-snatching has never been so heartwarming . . .

The Humans is a funny, compulsively readable novel about alien abduction, mathematics, and that most interesting subject of all: ourselves. Combine Douglas Adams’s irreverent take on life, the universe, and everything with a genuinely moving love story, and you have some idea of the humor, originality, and poignancy of Matt Haig’s latest novel.

Our hero, Professor Andrew Martin, is dead before the book even begins. As it turns out, though, he wasn’t a very nice man--as the alien imposter who now occupies his body discovers. Sent to Earth to destroy evidence that Andrew had solved a major mathematical problem, the alien soon finds himself learning more about the professor, his family, and “the humans” than he ever expected. When he begins to fall for his own wife and son--who have no idea he’s not the real Andrew--the alien must choose between completing his mission and returning home or finding a new home right here on Earth.

8. Passagier 23 - Sebastian Fitzek 

Jedes Jahr verschwinden auf hoher See rund 20 Menschen spurlos von Kreuzfahrtschiffen. Noch nie kam jemand zurück. Bis jetzt ...

Martin Schwartz, Polizeipsychologe, hat vor fünf Jahren Frau und Sohn verloren. Es geschah während eines Urlaubs auf dem Kreuzfahrtschiff Sultan of the Seas niemand konnte ihm sagen, was genau geschah. Martin ist seither ein psychisches Wrack und betäubt sich mit Himmelfahrtskommandos als verdeckter Ermittler.
Mitten in einem Einsatz bekommt er den Anruf einer seltsamen alten Dame, die sich als Thrillerautorin bezeichnet: Er müsse unbedingt an Bord der Sultan kommen, es gebe Beweise dafür, was seiner Familie zugestoßen ist. Nie wieder wollte Martin den Fuß auf ein Schiff setzen und doch folgt er dem Hinweis und erfährt, dass ein vor Wochen auf der Sultan verschwundenes Mädchen wieder aufgetaucht ist. Mit dem Teddy seines Sohnes im Arm… 

9. Obsidian (Lux novel) - Jennifer L. Armentrout

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is. (goodreads.com)

10. Jamaica Lane #3 (Heimliche Liebe) - Samantha Young

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is. (goodreads.com)

There are some more books that I want to read, but I think 10 is enought for now. :D I hope you enjoyed this post and stop by again! 

Have a fabulous rest of the day/night! 

xoxo, Anika 👊

Sundaypost⎟L´appel du Vide ⎟Am I insane?!

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Hey internet! 

Are you all enjoying your weekend? What have you been doing yesterday and today? 

Since I was sick Thurday and Friday, I had 4 days off - but weekend was still way too fast!

So, I didn´t do anything special today. We - I and my family - went hiking in the Harz Mountains.  

It was nice, but I am afraid of heights, so I wasn´t really able to fully enjoy the hike on a small path with nothing seperating and protecting me from the steep and rocky slopes on the right and left of me. 

Anyways, we went to see the famous "Roßtrappe", which is a dent in a rock, shaped like a hoof. 

the "Roßtrappe"

The legend:

"A giant, named Bodo, once followed the King´s beautiful daughter Brunhilde, whom he wanted to marry against her will. Brunhilde fled on a white stallion, but her horse stopped in front of a deep ravine. She, scared of Bodo, made her horse leap in one bound to the rocks on the other side. Her pursuer tried to follow her, but didn´t make it, so he and his horse fell into the dephts below. The Impression of the horse´s hoof may still be seen today. The giant bodo gave his name to the small river, the Bode." (Wikipedia, Roßtrappe)

Brunhilde escaping and Bodo falling into the depths. 

That is pretty interesting, isn´t it? But that´s not what I wanted to talkt to you about. 

I told you I am afraid of heights. So today, when I was standing on one of those fenced "platforms", clinging to the fence while mesmerized starring into the dephts below me, I suddenly had that weird and unexplainable urge to jump off the rocks. Don´t get me wrong; I was not having suicidal thoughts, really. It was just a tiny little voice in my head telling me to leap off into the depths and it felt like some invisible powers were trying to pull me closer and closer to the ravine. 

my view at that moment 

Sounds freaky, I know, but I did some research and actually found an explanation and even a name for it: l´appel du vide. It is a french term (translates into "The Call of the Void"), used to describe a genuine, human feeling to make an impulsive move that will, quite frankly, kill you.
In other words, when you, for example, stand on top of a tall building, looking down and suddenly you feel the urge to throw yourself off. Or when you are driving and see a car coming at you from the other side of the street and that tiny voice tells you to jerk the steering wheel to the left.
According to a study on "high place phenomenon"  published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, researchers from Florida State University´s psychology department 431 undergraduate college students, who had to complete online measures of lifetime frequency of experiencing the HPP, suicidal ideation, anxiety sensitivity, depressive symptoms, and history of mood episodes. 

In most cases the urge to jump had nothing to do with a "death wish" (Freud) or any suicidal thoughts they might have had in the past. It is actually quite the opposite. The researchers even think that "the urge to jump affirms the urge to live." Such neurotic impulses may explain many crimes, such as stealing or killing or suicides. 

To make the thought process/ impulse process a little more understandible, I found a very good somewhat speculative scenario: "Imagine a person with high anxiety sensitivity. She leans over a ledge of the Grand Canyon. In super fast reaction to her physical sensation of anxiety - physical effects are faster heart beat and shortness of breath - , her survival instinct forces her away from the edge. Yet when she looks at the ledge, she sees it´s sturdy. There was never any danger. Her brain tries to process an answer to the question `Why did I back up if it was save?´ A logical answer is that she must have been tempted to jump."

I think this is very interesting! I have had the urge to jump off a tall building, a cliff or a bridge a lot and I´ve always been scared of it. I thought I was insane. But now I know that there is an explanation for it and that nearly everyone has it at least once in his life. 

There is a really funny YouTube video from my favorite YouTuber Dan Howell (aka danisnotonfire), called "PSYCHO THOUGHTS" (klick on the title to watch it, and subscribe to his channel!:D). But he explains it well. 

He talks about this complicated power we seem to have forgotten we possess. He says: "You realize in that moment that you have power over life and death." That is so accurate. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it interesting! Maybe you´ve had that urge before and wondered what was wrong with you. Well, I can assure you, that nothing is wrong with you! Nothing at all.

So, have you ever felt the urge to jump off a tall building or anything like that? Tell me in the comments below! That would be very interesting! 

Have a really nice rest of the day and a good start of the week tomorrow! 

Lots of love,

Anika 

 

http://www.soursprite.com/comics/2013-03-12-callofthevoid.jpg

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Showing you my art #2

Hey Internet!
I know I postet this one on my "my art" page already, but, like I told you before, I would love to know what you think of my drawings! Please tell me in the comments! <3 p="">So, this time I drew Cara Delvingne, the gorgeous model. I love her!!
Here it is:

It looks pretty yellow in this picture.. It must be the lighting because it is a little different in real life. ;) 

It is a Prismacolorpencil- drawing again, like the one I showed you last time (Dan Howell, aka danisnotonfire from YouTube). I really enjoy drawing with them, because they are so soft and you really can draw realistic with them. So, if you are looking for some good color pencils, I highly recommend getting those, you will love them!
I am planning on drawing a lot more hyperrealistic stuff, but right now I have to focus on my school project first. You know Expressionism? That is an art movement from 1905 - 1925, where artists expressed their Feelings and thoughts and emotions in an art piece. And what we have to do is a self Portrait, that describes us. So that is what I am doing right now. At least what I am trying to do, because I have an idea, but I just Don´t know how to do it. Well, we will see.
But yeah, I am planning on drawing more. The people I am going to draw next are probably Joko Winterscheidt and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf (both german TV stars). So I am looking forward to that and I can´t wait to finish my art class project and start!
Until then, take care!
xoxo, Anika

Art Journal #3

Hey internet!
I am not in school today because I am a little sick so I had time to create another page of my Art Journal. It is about reading. I love reading. Do you? What do you like to read?
I am going to make a Top10 or maybe even Top100 Book - list, since there are so many good books to read!
Anyways, this is my new Journal Page:

I hope you are having a great day! :) And that you are not sick like I am. 

Bye! 

Exchange year #1 / "Introduction"

Hey internet!

Since I created a page for my exchange year, I decided to start posting and informing you about my life as an exchange student (it wasn´t actually an "exchange", it was more of a "studying abroad" since there was no exchange student living with my family while I was gone). I´ve probably mentioned it before at some point, but for those of you who do not know already; I stayed in Manheim, Pennsylvania (USA). I know what you think: "Wut?! Never heard of that…" Don´t feel bad, that was my first thought, too! (Sorry to those of you living in Manheim/PA.. it is just the truth.) I mean, I had heard of Pennsylvania before, of the state where everyone gets stuck behind an amish horse buggy at least once and where there are lots and lots of Mennonites ( stereotypes that are true), but I had only heard of the Mannheim in Germany. Ironically, my grandparents live there. So sometimes, when would tell people about my upcoming 10-month-trip to Manheim, it would feel like I was telling them I was going to go on an exchange aaaaalll the way over at my grand parents house, which is about 500km away from where I live. Way to go, Anika! You really are brave. 

That is NOT where I have been staying all year but yeah.. This is actually not
that far away from where I lived. :D

Well, that´s not the case, in fact, the Manheim I was staying in, was about 7.800km away from Germany. Wo whataya say now, huh?!

Anyways, I stayed with a host family of course, where I had 3 younger sisters (at the ages of  now 15, 13 and 11), which is really funny, because in "real life" (not because I do not consider them my family but because they are just not my biological family, you know?) I also have 3 younger sisters (at the ages of 8, 11 and 13). So now I have 6 sisters and not a single brother, who wouldn´t want that? 

Well, umm.. I Don´t want to write too much because I Don´t want to spoil it.. there are going to be many more posts about my Exchange year. This one was just a "introduction" to the topic. :) If you have any questions about being an exchange student, feeling homesick, ANYTHING.. feel free to ask in a comment I will be happy to answer all of them! <3 font="">

Have a really good night, day, whatever you have in whatever country you are rigth now. 

xoxo, Anika

Picture from CARTOONSTOCK.COM

To Fall in Love with Anyone, Do This

Hey internet!

ich habe gerade im Internet einen sehr interessanten Post gefunden und wollte ihn unbedingt teilen, da ich denke, dass ihn so ziemlich jeder sehr interessant finden könnte. :D
Ist aber auf Englisch.. aber auch leicht zu verstehen.
Also hier:

Hey again, I just found a very interesting article and I thought you might find it interesting too, so I decided to share it with you. :)
here you go:

More than 20 years ago, the psychologist Arthur Aron succeeded in making two strangers fall in love in his laboratory. Last summer, I applied his technique in my own life, which is how I found myself standing on a bridge at midnight, staring into a man’s eyes for exactly four minutes.
Let me explain. Earlier in the evening, that man had said: “I suspect, given a few commonalities, you could fall in love with anyone. If so, how do you choose someone?”
He was a university acquaintance I occasionally ran into at the climbing gym and had thought, “What if?” I had gotten a glimpse into his days on Instagram. But this was the first time we had hung out one-on-one.
“Actually, psychologists have tried making people fall in love,” I said, remembering Dr. Aron’s study. “It’s fascinating. I’ve always wanted to try it.”
I first read about the study when I was in the midst of a breakup. Each time I thought of leaving, my heart overruled my brain. I felt stuck. So, like a good academic, I turned to science, hoping there was a way to love smarter.
I explained the study to my university acquaintance. A heterosexual man and woman enter the lab through separate doors. They sit face to face and answer a series of increasingly personal questions. Then they stare silently into each other’s eyes for four minutes. The most tantalizing detail: Six months later, two participants were married. They invited the entire lab to the ceremony.
“Let’s try it,” he said…

Wenn ihr mehr lesen wollt/if you want to read more KLICK HERE!

Art Journal #2

Hey internet!
wie geht´s so?
Ich für meinen Teil hatte heute einen total entspannten Tag, nur 7 Stunden, dann zwar noch mal zum Zahnarzt um meine Zähne mal richtig reinigen zu lassen (jetzt fühlen sie sich aber auch total schön glatt an und ich glaube sie sehen sogar einen tick heller aus :D), aber dann war endlich Feierabend. Ohne Hausaufgaben oder lernen. Top! Jetzt sitze ich vor meinem Laptop, einen Kaffee daneben stehen, schreibe einen Blogpost und höre Disney Musik.
Jetzt aber zu meinem eigentlichen Thema: mein Art-Journal.
In letzter Zeit komme ich nicht so oft dazu, mich in dem Tagebuch auszutoben, deswegen sind es eher unspektakuläre Einträge.

how are you, guys?
I had a really relaxing day today, since school ended pretty early (I only had 7 classes today). After that, I only had another dentist appointment to get my teeth cleaned (now they feel sooooo smoooth it´s increadible and I actually think they are a bit whiter.. haha), but then I could finally call it a day.
I didn´t have any homework or studying to do! Yaay. Now I am writing my blog post while drinking caramel coffee and listening to disney music (of of my obsessions.. I just think it can be really relaxing and I love disney!)<3 .="" :d="" am="" are="" as="" disney="" i="" music="" nbsp="" obsessed="" p="" with="" you="">I really have to get to the point: my art - journal.
I haven´t been able to play with it a lot lately, that´s why the pages are a bit unspectacular, but here it is:


Diese Doppelseite habe ich vor ein paar Tagen gemacht. Ein paar inspirierende Worte, wenn man mal wieder diese Zeit hat, wo man überhaupt nicht mit sich zufrieden ist. :) Hilft ungemein!
Also, wenn du mal down bist, in den Spiegel schaust und einfach überhaupt nichts an dir schön finden kannst, wenn du das Gefühl hast, du bekommst nichts auf die Reihe, … dann nimm dir einfach mal Zeit für dicht selbst. Setzt dich hin, gehe in dich (und sei ehrlich mit dir!) und schreibe auf, was du an dir magst. Danach fühlst du dich sofort besser. <3 p="">
I made these pages a couple of days ago. I was feeling kind of down (you know, feeling self-concious, thinking you are not good enough, not pretty enough, that kinda stuff;), so I wrote down some inspirational word, some things that I love about me. That really helps a lot.
So, I recommend that, if you are ever feeling self-concious, if you look in the mirror and see someone you really do not like, when you feel like you can´t get anything done and if you are just not able to find something good in you, then take some time for yourself, sit down, do some soul-searching :D (and BE HONEST with yourself!) and write down what you really like about yourself. You are going to feel a lot better, I promise. <3 p="">