Happy Holidays!

Hello world! Yeah, I am still alive, believe it or not, but I was so busy that I did not find time in the midst of life at L'Arche to get a new post going. But here it is, I actually felt kinda bad that there was no update or any Christmas wishes from my side. Sorry 'bout that.

But here I am, celebrating my first American Christmas with the community. It was great! There is no big difference to Germany besides that Christmas Day is usually a bigger day than Christmas Eve(24.) as the time to open the presents and everything. Oh and the Americans are all about lights. Lights everywhere. In Germany I felt like you had one or two crazy weird people in your neighborhood who seemed to take the Christmas lights a little too seriously. But here literally everyone is going crazy about those damn lights. But that's okay, everything is a little bigger and over-the-top-ish than in Europe I suppose.

I am doing very well, I got some (bad quality) pictures from my holiday impressions.. well, actually it's just some random snapshots. I got a photobook from my parents, like the coolest thing ever, about the first 20 years of my short life! Here are 2 of many highlights!

So this is just our fake-tree with way too much bling-bling.. right?

I got some nice presents from lovely people...

My new mug.. sorry for that

...and my new awesome shirt(don't pee your pants, it's real)

I hope you like what you see! I am right now enjoying a game, OKC is playing the Bobcats and it is pretty intense because Russell Westbrook is out due to knee surgery.. why do these superstars always have to have knee problems? Shit..
And tomorrow I am going to see the Wizards taking on the Detroit Pistons at 7 pm.. live, in person, for real! Oh, and on January 1st it's gonna be against the Dallas Mavericks with Dirk! ..And on the 5th of January against the Golden State Warriors, all in the Verizon Center, I am so excited!

I am celebrating life, as you should also do!
Take care!

Back on track!

Aight guys, it has been over two weeks! PJB is back with a lot of information.. nothing really important but still some things I want to share!
First of all: another German friend visited me a week ago and it was really good to see her again after a few months! We made a trip to DC, went to a museum, some monuments - and Vapiano. Same as in Germany, I know, but always great! It could have been better because we were both feeling a little bit sick - for whatever reason.
The past 2 weeks have been so stuffed that I am grateful for all the free time I can get. I am actually enjoying some time alone while writing this, listening to/watching one of my new Dave Matthews Band live DVD's!

Oh and also my parents sent me a huge (care) package from Germany! Wrapped up Christmas presents, some clothes and way more important: A German beer glass and German chocolate! I was craving the good stuff(Americans are terrible at making choc, no offense)!
What also was in the package:

How great is that?! I feel like a twelve year-old.. which is actually a good thing!
After having felt like a grown-up with discovering my love for cooking and having the ability to actually fix toilets or take care of finances etc... it was great!

I wanted to share more pictures with you guys(a great Christmas picture of all my housemates in the makin'), but I worked so much in the last 2 weeks that I did not really take too many good ones..
Oh I almost forgot: Thanksgiving was great! We ate the usual turkey/stuffing/pumpkin-pie things and I felt a little sick after all that. It was an honor to spent one of the most remarkable American holidays with L'Arche! Looking forward to bringing the tradition back home(yeah I know it does not really make sense as a German, but I love turkey)!

So lovely peeps I now need some rest and the live version of "The Dreaming Tree" from the DMB is coming up(it's f**king insane!!) and I have to be prepared!

Since it's Jim Morrison's birthday, this is the end:

Love y'all!

PJB