Wow, 3 years and 3 months have passed since I last blogged. And so much have changed!!! Most significantly are that I got married to a very loving man named Andreas on 18 January 2015 and am now living in Germany by his side as his sworn loving wife! I am officially his wife- Mrs Winarno!
5 months passed and I'm still not used to married life. There's so much responsibilities, factors and adjustments that are needed when two people live under one roof for the rest of your lives. For example, preparing breakfast for husband before work, doing the laundry more often that I used to do them, groceries for two people instead of one, budgeting expenses and savings, waiting for husband to take leave from work to go travel, family planning (conception and contraception) and learning a new foreign language "Deutsch". It's not easy but it is better than nothing. There is so much to learn and I am learning day by day as I go along. I used to have so many ideals in mind, but everyday reality wake me up from living in those shallow daydreams.
I am now learning Deutsch at a language centre every Tuesday and Thursday. I am free on other days. We attend the weekly cell group whenever possible. Andreas takes me out to for social gatherings with the Indos and around the city whenever he has no work or is not too tired from night duty. He works as an assistant doctor and usually works Monday to Friday. But every month, he will be assigned 4-6 night shifts and they can happen on weekends. It sucks and I feel especially lonely during his night shifts and I miss my family terribly. But what else could be done? He must go to work to earn a living for the both of us. So I must get used to it and find my own activities. Honestly, I don't have any close friend here yet since I don't hang out often with Andreas' friends. I should, but I'm somehow not that interested?!? Maybe because I know in September we'll be moving to a different city on opposide side of Germany and they are too Indo for me. I realise I can't click with people my age that speaks Bahasa Indonesia as their day-to-day language unless we share common interests. I am just not very comfortable and familiar with Indonesian slangs and jokes after living in Singapore and Australia for a long time since I was 7 years old. English has become my mother tongue, sort of. Even though, I believe that it is still not perfect and equivalent to a native English speaker. I am somehow caught in between English and Indonesia. Language can be problematic when you learn too many. When you are learning a new language, you may forget the others you know. The Germans here at East side of Germany speak mostly Deutsch and don't know English well. Hence, I find it hard to communicate with the people in public. I am fully comfortable only when I'm with Andreas!
I have got no work yet so I am 100% a housewife at the moment. Andreas thinks that it will be good for me to get a job and I agree. Or go to university here and learn new course which I'm not that keen of doing as I have already gone through 7 years of university and am honestly a bit sick of studying and attending lectures. I want to start earning money instead! However, my language proficiency has to improve, at least to B1/2 level to be competent in the workplace here in Germany. I am still at A2 level now and this is not intensive (everyday for hours) yet. I hope when we move to the other city then I will start learning intensively.
There are also so many places I want to go here in and around Germany, such as Prague and Italy. They are so beautiful and romantic! Hence I cen't wait to have driving license so I can share the driving load with Andreas when we travel. However, the language is an issue for its theory and practical exam here in Germany. Also the fact that Andreas is driving a manual car does not help in my confidence to drive yet. Hopefully we will get an automatic car! *fingers crossed*
It's 8pm now and the sky is still bright bright. That is how summer is like in Germany. So different to Singapore/Indonesia/Australia. And the weather fluctuates like crazy during summer. I always have to take a cardigan and sunnies with me everywhere we go. Also, things to watch out for during summer is "Zecken" aka ticks. They can be deadly. Otherwise, flies, spiders and weird-looking insects can be seen in our apartment when we open the windows for too long. No annoying ants and cockroaches, thank God!
Yesterday we returned from Munich. It was a 3 days and 2 nights. The city was beautiful. I will post photos soon and try blogging more routinely now that I am so so free.
Bis später und gute Nacht alle. ;)
