Today I am thankful for...

Welcome to my gratitude blog, which was formerly my 365 project (posts 5/30/10 - 5/30/11). I will continue posting 10 things for which I am grateful to help me (and maybe you too) stay positive.

Here's to optimism, gratitude, and all the simple pleasures of life :)

Hamburg, Deutschland

This post took me a while to start because I got SO nostalgic about this city. This was where I last saw my dear friend Chuaaa [Brack]: the first friend I ever made in college. We met at freshman orientation. We were put in the same group for some lame orientation activity, and she asked if she could put her stuff in my bag. I obliged, and a few weeks later we were singing along to Rent at the top of our lungs in her dorm room, eating spam musubi, and sharing music with each other. Now I’m here and she’s staying in Germany for her Master’s degree in biology. 

Roomie, Snail, and I arrived in Hamburg on our double decker bus on the day of Chuaaa [Brack]’s birthday. The timing was pretty freaking sweet.

So…something else also happened while we were in Hamburg. I met a boy. He was very kind and considerate; and although we only had a couple days, it was nice to share something so innocent and sweet like holding hands while walking around the lake. The next day the girls and I left for Italia and that was that.

Hamburg photos here

6/15/11 Day 13: Reunion w/my first college friend, meeting Singaporean Boy, and finally relaxing for a few days

  1. Getting to the wrong bus station w/an hour later departure time, but having more time to chronologically organize tix stubs, maps, postcards, and receipts!
  2. Hot coffee & chocolate croissant from the bakery we keep passing by
  3. “I’ll save this for later” …*2 minutes later, nom nom nom* “What? It is later!”
  4. Riding to Hamburg in a spatious double-decker bus
  5. A familiar face waiting for us at the bus station!
  6. Being in Hamburg for Chuaaa [Brack]’s birthday!
  7. Finally trying some curryvurst
  8. Frozen yogurt w/cherry chunks
  9. Not rushing anywhere - just relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere
  10. Showers & clean clothes
  11. Birthday dinner w/Chuaaa [Brack]’s friends
  12. Hamburg gummies for Sissy!
  13. Simon’s Katze in Deutsche!
  14. Pesto spinach pizza w/Snail
  15. The 2 guys who respected my space
  16. Singaporean Boy + Snail + me = nonclubbing club @ Reeperbahn
  17. “Lawnhopper” - charades while waiting for the Bahn at 4am
  18. Hearing a street musician play “Take Five” - never too far away from home <3 

6/16/11 Day 14: Running around in the rain at Speicherstadt (the warehouse district in Hamburg)

  1. Roomie treating us to breakfast
  2. Rich chocolate muffins & black coffee
  3. Journal time @ the bakery while waiting for Chuaaa [Brack] to finish class
  4. Walking around Alster lake & holding hands for the first time
  5. Taking photos in Hamburg w/Chuaaa [Brack] (someone else w/an SLR who understands!!)
  6. Running to the train station in the rain
  7. “Tschuss!”
  8. Dinner w/Chuaaa [Brack]’s mom
  9. One last night in Hamburg at the lake
  10. Saying “Gute Nacht”
  11. One last slumber party w/Chuaaa [Brack] 

6/17/11 Day 15: When we left Deutschland and arrived in Italia

  1. One last fluffy breakfast in Deutschland
  2. Porcelain mugs & glass plates instead of paper
  3. Journal time in the coffee shop
  4. Currywurst @ Curry Mama: our first and last meal in Hamburg
  5. Spending time w/Chuaaa [Brack] and her mom
  6. Moar cherry yogurt
  7. Not completely bawling when we saw Chuaaa [Brack] off at the train station
  8. Getting to the wrong airport early so we had just enough time to get to the right one
  9. Enjoying my brezel in line at the Lubeck airport
  10. My first interaction in Italian in Galla!
  11. Reaching our Milano hostel safely
  12. 24 hr hot showers, free towel, free linen
  13. Chatting online w/my dear Lezzie for her birthday
  14. SLEEP.