(an I-love-my-life moment)

The rollar coaster of being abroad continues.

Spring is coming and I can already tell it's going to change my life completely. I think it's going to make everything not so goddamn depressing.

I've finally been interested in taking walks again. Exercise and sunshine make everything so much better. If I'm depressed when I leave the house, I'm not depressed when I come back.

I'm starting to remember why I love Berlin so much. I leave the house and within 20 minutes I've found something weird.

On my last walk I found a outside petting zoo that just takes donations. Today I was also lucky enough to find a good cup of coffee and a view of the TV Tower and river. Not so weird, but still great.

There's also this amazing smell. I don't know if it's the grass or dirt or throw up that's not covered by the snow anymore or a mix of all three plus dog poop, but whatever it is it reminds me of what I think of as my crazy Berlin days, which may or may not have been so crazy.

I never remember the weather affecting me as much as it has this year. I get depressed and I think, why? Whyowhyowhyowhy, I don't want to be depressed. Then I think, oh hey, the sun hasn't shown it's bloddy face in OVER TWO WEEKS MAYBE THAT'S WHY.

But that's all different now. Now the weater is just going crazy. It's raining, it's snowing, it's sunny, it's cloudy. Usually it's doing at least three of those things at once. Sometimes it's schneeregen (sleet-ing?). I teach the kids "it's raining cats and dogs". They laugh. I cry.

My favorite fruits and vegetables are getting better and cheaper. And since in Europe it's the law that you go grocery shopping every day this makes a pretty big impact on my life.

(homemade salsa. homemade by me. be astound)

I've been pissed at both German and English lately and have mostly tried not to speak at all. This has proved to be difficult, but people seem to like me more.

(Germans: this is one of those things we Americans call a "joke" or "Witz" in your language. Now start taking some initiative and start recognizing them yourself. You don't have to laugh or anything crazy like that, just make a small polite smile.)