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Deutschkurs

The month of May is going to be really busy. German class has started again, but this time it’s intensive. The worst part is getting up early. Every night I have Spätzli to tend to, and by the time I get to bed, it’s nearly 1am. It’s a real struggle to not have dark puffy eyes every morning. Why couldn’t they have afternoon intensive classes as well? I would pounce on those in a heartbeat.

Raccoon busy studying. I need a name for this guy. :)

I ended up taking a Perlsacktier friend to class with me one day. His name is Herzig, the Swiss word for “cute” and “hearty”! He is a raccoon with purple stripes.

Affoltern

The entire week since class started, Michael was away at a conference in Paris. I was so lonely, and I must say that I hardly looked after myself when it came to meals. I was so relieved when he returned. We had a fun time out on Saturday. The above photo was taken at our bus stop in Affoltern. The tree is so beautiful with its pink flowers. So many other trees had red leaves; they reminded me of autumn.

Hubert has found a new friend!

I took another Perlsacktier out with us, this one called Hubert, the spotted goat. We found a new large white Furby plush at Manor. It’s surprising how much cheaper some toys are at Manor (department store) compared to Franz Carl Weber (specialist toy store). I couldn’t resist.

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Finally, we had a short break sitting on a bench and watching people go by. Later that day, we watched Iron Man at Kitag (cinema). Yes, we love action movies. They are worth the money spent, if only for their loud sounds and visual effects.

Now to study for Monday’s German test. Argh!

When Daylight Savings Time began just days ago, it became very difficult to even see my little guy. He would start coming out at 1.30 am, which would be impossible for me to manage in the long run. I was worried, unsure of what to do.

Spätzli

Yesterday, I decided to wake up earlier to see him before he retreats to his bed. I got up at 8am on the dot, and there he was, running on his wheel. I took him out, got some photos, fed him his treats. I noticed that he hardly ate the vegetables and nuts, instead storing them in his pouches. He was also too excited or in a hurry for some reason; He didn’t want to sit still. It was basically no fun seeing him before he went to bed.

I did notice one other thing. I opened up my curtains to let some light in, and after I locked his cage doors, he gathered some dry food, had a drink and then went into his burrow for the day. The bright daylight signalled to him that it was time for bed. So… I figured this was how I could train him to get up earlier at night. My brown curtains were always closed until I woke up; They must have been too dark all along.

Spätzli's home updated

Since he went to bed early after I opened the curtains, he got out earlier at night, more in line with the time he used to wake up. Success! Last night, I opened up my curtains just before I went to bed. I think this is the only way to get him up earlier, but I’m now happy there’s a trick to this. Hopefully, he’ll soon even wake up before midnight.

Drinking Spätzli

As you know by now, we have a hamster!
We originally wanted to have mice, so they could fit into the smaller Ferplast cages. However, we could not find any mice to adopt. It is not a pet that is popular in Zurich. We even looked for breeders, but there were none. So, we chose the next best: a Syrian hamster. They live alone, which is a plus. Even though I wanted a pet, I didn’t want to be overrun like before.

Originally, I wanted to get one from a breeder, but I have no idea why we ended up choosing from a pet store instead. It was probably impatience! I did not know he was not tamed, until I saw him try to bite the shop assistant’s hand. Oops…. but it was too late to change our minds. We adopted Spätzli on 4th February, and had to work hard to get him to trust us, or rather, me. I deal with him the most. 😀 He is black and white with short hair, and he was already 7 weeks old at the time of adoption.

Spätzli the hamster

At first, the very sound of my voice scared him. Then, changes in my voice scared him. After that, my angry voice scared him when he bit me. He slowly got used to me, but still didn’t like being picked up. I bribed him with treats of fresh veggies and almond pieces, and only gave them to him when he sat on my hands. If he did not let me hold him, there would be no treats.

Late night excursion

Fast forward five weeks, and we have one tamed little cutie that really has an odd schedule. He would only get up after 12 midnight, and would be in bed by 8.30 in the morning. Since I am no early riser, I wait until after midnight to see him. I change his dry food and water just before midnight, so these noises wake him up gently. If I have to do some cleaning of his cage, I would wake him up earlier by lifting his house. It’s evil and I don’t like doing it, but I cannot clean his place at 12 in the morning! It’s a good thing he doesn’t really soil his home like rats and mice would. I just need to change his tissue paper bedding and perhaps scoop out a bit of his litter. He is the cleanest pet I have ever had.

Spätzli's new interior. Such a fun space now! He has a new bigger house too.

That brings me to the topic of his litter. I did some reading, and found that using soil is very effective in cutting down smells. Others have tried it with good results. The soil absorbs urine and masks smells, just like in nature. Of course one can’t use garden soil because of all the insects and fertilisers present. What I use is compressed soil blocks you can get at the reptile section of the pet store. I used Plantation Soil by Exo Terra. I expanded the bricks with water, then partially dried off the soil by airing some in broad, shallow containers. Baking would be faster and better since it also kills insects and germs, but it requires much more work, and you could potentially end up with a dirty oven. I give my little guy a lice, mite and worm treatment, so I’m not too troubled by simply air-drying the soil. I also mix his soil litter with bark and wood chips, which seems to work fine too.

We also got a Wodent Wheel for him, which he absolutely loves. He uses it every night after our play time. He is a pro runner!

New wodent wheel for Spätzli

Playing the guinea pigI also give him back rubs while he lays on my lap. He loves it! It’s so fun to see him stretch, yawn and grind his teeth while on my lap.
In the above photo, you can see he has the cutest little lower jaw which is white, while the rest of his head is black. To me, this makes him look like a little guinea pig! <3

Here is one last flattering midnight photo of Spätzli, but not so flattering for me:

SpätzliI find it too cute when he looks at my phone while I take pictures! He’s become quite photogenic after only a short time.

 

I’ve finally allowed myself to accept the Swiss-style of ‘high’ German. It means no “ß” in the alphabet, and the inclusion of certain words like “Velo” for bicycle, “Grüezi” for greetings. My school of choice is the Migros Klubschule in my old area of Oerlikon. It’s just a short bus ride away from Affoltern. I won’t lie, I picked this school because we cannot afford the more expensive and prestigious one in the city centre, but it still had good reviews and the location is ideal.

As it turns out, the Klubschule isn’t that bad. I started off with an interview and a short multiple choice placement test, and I qualified for the second part out of three for the A1 level. I still wanted to start at the very beginning, just to get my bearings and ease into the new bi-weekly schedule that I would have to endure for the next 6 months. It’s a good thing too, because I have forgotten a lot of the articles for even the most basic vocabulary.

My new books These are the books I will be using. I already have the German German version. This is the Swiss version. The main difference is the exclusion of the “ß” from words, replaced by “ss”, and the images are now of Swiss locations and brands. Other than these changes, the class is very much standard German, including pronunciations.

Quite accurate!

First exercise in class: Make a poster with things that you like. We were given some material to cut up. I was lucky to find the two most amazing pictures (to me) to cut out and paste. I love gardens, plants, and collecting toys. I do like cheese too, but I only used that picture because I thought two wouldn’t be enough. Everyone asked me about the toys, whether I made toys. My grammar and vocabulary being so elementary, I could not write down that collected toys.

The class is rather big, about 14 people, but things still move along nicely. My teacher is very good at explaining things and is very friendly. Almost everyone in the class can already speak English. Communicating with others is easier with a fall-back language, though this isn’t really ideal for practising German, is it? 😀

Time is whizzing by… I fly on the 20th, from Melbourne, AU to Zurich, CH.

Large suitcase

I’m not properly packed yet, but I tossed a lot of things inside the suitcase already. I chose the lightest and largest suitcase I could find. Let’s hope it doesn’t break as soon as I arrive. I also bought a new toiletry bag that’s purple/silver and very light, too. I’m obsessed with weight. When one is migrating across continents by economy class, there’s a desperation to keep unnecessary weight to a minimum.

Some clothes to pack

These are some clothes I planned to pack. This isn’t everything yet, there’s still another pile of clothing to gather, and lots of underwear. I will probably go over my 20kg weight limit, but I think around 22kg is still acceptable without having to pay for it.

Almost time to go...

This hand luggage is all packed. I carefully weighed it so I stay under 7kg. I’ll hand carry a heavier coat and my handbag. Thank goodness women are allowed a separate handbag. I  ought to take advantage of this and carry the largest hobo bag or something HUGE, but I think my normal-sized 30 cm x 20 cm bag is fine and can still leave me enough leg room while it sits under the seat.

Now… I’m considering doing a bit of shopping at Singapore Airport, while in transit. What to buy though? Everything duty free is still rather pricey for a poor shopoholic like myself. Best to just sit quietly with some food and read my ebook.

I feel obliged to make a new year’s post, for some reason! Let’s start it off with a new year dolly photo: 😀

Parsimony's new year cheer

I didn’t attend the fireworks display or watch it on TV. I just sat back and listened to one of my Agatha Raisin audio books. That Agatha character really makes me laugh. I need to get my hands on the latest book, Hiss and Hers by MC Beaton.

This morning, I picked up my sister from the airport — she had been in Malaysia for the past three weeks. It’s nice to have someone in the house again. She brought back a few goodies for me, some of them were from Hong Kong too. One of them is the doll’s shoes (shown above). It smells like fresh leather. The other things included a set of lucky figures, the Fook Luk Sau, empty red envelopes for Chinese New Year and some Chinese doll clothes. Why I have an obsession with Chinese things right now, I don’t know.

I hope 2013 will be a good year. My goals were already listed in 13 Goals for 2013, and I think I’ll take them quite seriously. Oh, except for ‘going swimming once a month’. I doubt I will stick to it. My cozzie will just be unused. I will stick to the ‘no pets’ goal like glue. We probably won’t afford vet bills with my bad spending habits any how. 😀

 

A good friend of mine, Juanita Tortilla, tagged me for this award recently. I really enjoy writing up these things, it must be my next guilty pleasure. You also get to know me better, but I hope you like what you find out, and not run away screaming!

About the Liebster Blog Award: It’s an award that was reputedly started in Germany in order to give smaller bloggers recognition for their hard work. You receive this award from a fellow blogger that feels your blog is both worthy & important to them. The rules: Post 11 facts about yourself. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create 11 questions. Nominate 11 people to give this award to (with fewer than 200 followers) and link them in your post.

Eleven questions from Juanita Tortilla:
1. What are you looking forward to, in this new year?
I think it’s very obvious to those that know me, that is to start a new life in Zurich with Michael, I have the right visa this time! I’m looking forward to decorating the new apartment too.

2. What is the best gift someone can give you?
Something I admire or look at often, but never push myself to buy. I know that makes it very difficult for gift givers… I am also happy to get anything I don’t already have. 🙂

3. What did you aspire to be when you were younger?
I wanted so much to be an airline pilot. I just loved the thought of controlling those magical flying machines. But I only wanted to be a commercial airline pilot; I didn’t want to fly military jets or small propeller planes that always seem to crash when the weather gets bad.

4. What was your most dramatic hairstyle?
When layering goes wrong (too much layering), I would call that hairstyle dramatic because it’s ugly. Makes me look like I have a pumpkin for a head.

5. You have a free travel ticket. Where would you like to go and what will you do?
I’m afraid I’m not very adventurous… I would go somewhere I have not been to before, but they are places that every other traveller has been to. My main objective for travelling somewhere is usually for the shopping. 😛

6. How do spend your weekends?
In Australia, I would normally go to a shopping mall for a few hours, then spend the evenings doing some gardening with my sister. Some weekends, we would do absolutely nothing.

7. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years’ time?
I see myself maybe doing more jewellery designs in a dedicated home studio. Some will be available for sale. I would make more Blythe pull rings too, in more styles, although I can’t really do custom orders (not economical)…  and of course I’ll have a hearty collection of dolls, toys, bags and other things that take my fancy! 😀 No, I don’t see myself with kids.

8. How do you like to spend time with your friends?
I like going for a small meal or coffee, while we chat, then walk around the city and do some (window) shopping. A movie is fun, too.

9. Is your blog different from the rest? How so?
That’s difficult to answer, I don’t consider my blog to be anything special. I used to blog only about my crafts, but now I’m just going to blog about what ever takes my fancy. I’ll still post my work when I make something new.

10. In the parallel universe, who and what is your alter ego like?
I’d like to think my alter ego has everything I don’t, and is also better in personality! Or it could be the opposite, she could be the most evil person in that universe…. or perhaps I would be a man instead. 😀

11. Never say never. What did you say ‘never’ to but now find (or have found) yourself happily guilty of?
I said I would never pay the exorbitant prices for a used, broken and messed up Kenner Blythe doll. I thought they were so stupid, and who would pay so much for broken old plastic. Now I have one, with another on lay by — it’s my latest doll obsession. I always think of the time I posted on a forum in reply to someone’s question on whether to get a Kenner or a newer (but quite rare) release. I said, don’t go for the doll that could form a butt crack once you get it. Ha.

Eleven facts about myself:

  1. I don’t really play competitive games because I don’t like losing.
  2. I drink one cup of caramel latte every morning, unless I need to rush somewhere.
  3. I feel that animals without tails, or those that have stubby tails, are strange and not very cute.
  4. I form bonds with some inanimate objects and the thought of them being mistreated upsets me.
  5. Trees have souls. I often admire and pat my trees after I water and fertilise them.
  6. Classical orchestra and instrumentals for me, any day.
  7. Gambling is not a favourite past time. I can’t stand the thought of losing money in just a split second. If I do gamble, I only do so in tiny amounts and quit while I’m ahead. A $20 win makes me ecstatic already.
  8. The teeniest noises can stop me from falling asleep.
  9. I don’t follow trends — I wear or carry what I feel comfortable with.
  10. I can’t ever have a successful business because it gets boring after some time.
  11. I do like driving, but only on familiar roads.

Eleven questions I would like to ask you:

  1. What would you create or make, if you could make anything you wanted without issues?
  2. Which would you choose first and why: Owning your own house or spending all your earnings on travels?
  3. What is the most extreme sport you have ever done?
  4. What is the one thing you seriously want to do but have not tried yet?
  5. What do you collect?
  6. Who could you spend a whole week with without getting tired of him or her?
  7. What do you enjoy blogging about most?
  8. What is your favourite nail polish?
  9. If you could relive one part of your life, what would it be?
  10. Is being popular important to you? Be honest!
  11. What is your greatest pet-peeve?

My 11 nominees: I don’t think I really can list any one, and certainly not 11. I don’t know any person that would feel comfortable being tagged (because I mainly stalk blogs but I don’t interact much). So I think, everyone who sees my post and wants to play is welcome, even Juanita again because I think she’s cool!