Dec. 8th 2018
~~~~~~~~~~It's cold here and I'm starting to hate. I know I know...I have to be proud to be out here. Mama and Papa as well as Auntie and her husband put in a
lot of work to get me here...but I don't understand why it has to be so
cold! Ugh, back home, the weather would only change by two degrees and you could still leave the house in shorts and sandals. Out here, you have to wear literally three
years worth of winter clothes because the temperature can drop into the negatives.
It sucks but I shouldn't complain. Most would sacrifice a lot to be where I'm at and a whole lot more could be in a worse position. I don't honestly, I have only a few more years left. I can make it (I hope). My professor does his best to make the lectures entertaining but honesty, it goes better watered down afterwards. I wish Mama and Papa Merry Christmas in a letter recently. I hope they get it soon, I have all my joys and woes in their for them to sympathize and laugh with me! <3
-
Love, Lea <3 Dec. 11th 2018
~~~~~~~~~~Christmas nears and I'm starting to get a better understanding of how they celebrate it here in Germany. They have these thing called (in English Translation),
the Advent Calendar. Families but a little Christmas presents filled with trinkets on their Christmas trees for 24 days. Speaking of Christmas trees, the university put a 20ft tall one up in the main lobby! We had played secret santa throughout the campus and now the tree has a steady growing amount of presents under it. I got a guy in my class. I don't know much about besides the fact he likes gloves so I might give him a pair (I know, it sucks)!
Anyways, today I was walking around campus after classes when I noticed a tree in the middle of the campus garden. Clinging to the very tip of a black, shriveled branch was a blooming pink flower. It seemed odd. No flower should be blooming but it was lasting in that frost. Just gazed at it honestly. Wanted to pluck it off because of the beauty but couldn't bring myself to do it. I was just about to leave when someone else appeared beside me...
Dec. 11th 2018 {continued}I was a bit shocked at her presence but she wasn't harming anyone. She was looking at the flower just like me. She wasn't wearing layers like me but was wearing a red fitted trench coat, black tights, and some fur boots as well as her hair tied into a bun with her ears exposed. I know she was cold but she wasn't shivering at all and here I was trembling like a wet puppy.
She pulled back the black scarf wrapped around her mouth and asked me if I thought the flower was beautiful. I told her yes and she proceeded to introduce herself.
Her name is
Sayuri. I foolishly asked if it was foreign and she happily told me it was a foreign name given by her grandmother. I told her mine was Azalea but most called me Lea and she told me my name was pretty. I never blushed so hard ever. Anyways, we chatted for a while, longer than I expected, and she asked for me to come back tomorrow. I laughed, more out of nervousness, but promptly told her sure. I wonder how well this will go.
- Love, Lea <3Dec. 13th 2018
~~~~~~~~~~Sorry for not being able to write before, yesterday was just great! Sayuri took me to a local café and we had some delicious apple strudel as well as a nice cup of coffee. She told me a little more about herself as well. Her father and mother had passed when shenwas young but her grandmother took her in. She's now been traveling to different countries every month to explore them in the sake of her grandma who can't travel. I asked how she's able to do all that and she says she just knows people all over.
I told her about my small town life in Arizona back in the states. She joked telling me that she understands now why I wear so many layers, I'm so used to the desert heat! Told her that I didn't grow up with riches so I'm very lucky to be here right now. She makes me fill so relaxed around so easily.
She then told me about this talent her grandma gave her, making origami flowers. She made one of the pink flower back in the garden which I thought was extremely nice. She even offered to teach me! Maybe I will try it, it seems hard but Sayuri told me it's quite easy with patience. Maybe I'll try it and ship some over to Mama and Papa
- Love, Lea <3Dec. 14th 2018
~~~~~~~~~I thought she was joking when she offered to teach me how to male origami flowers. I got a text from her one mourning asking to meet up at the tree again. (I gave her my number, she seems nice enough!) I threw on a thick fleece sweater and dragged myself out there. Low and behold, she was waiting for me with another paper.flower in her hands!
We walked the distance to her little studio apartment uptown, it wasn't for from the campus. It's a cute thing, cramped but cute. Her dog, a shiba inu named Kimi, was quite happy to see us. I complimented on her little home and dog and she gladly told me to make myself comfortable. I plopped myself on her sofa and myself acquainted with Kimi and his wagging tail when she came out with stacks of colorful paper! Here we go!
Sayuri spent a good hour and a half teaching me the basics of origami and how to start folding different flowers. I missed up a few times but eventually I caught the swing of it! She told me to come back tomorrow to help me brazen up my skills!
- Love, Lea <3Dec. 22th 2018
~~~~~~~~~~It's hard work but once you get it, you can master it. I've been making about a good 100-200 origami flowers by myself since the 16th. It's not so hard but speed counts. Sayuri has been making just as many with the help of some of her own friends. We have this big surprise coming for central Berlin, Germany Christmas day!
- Love, Lea <3Dec. 25th 2018
~~~~~~~~~~Merry Christmas! I got some gifts from Mama and Papa and my secret santa, a girl named Liza, gave me a really pretty t-shirt!
Anyways, I had to meet Sayuri in the middle of the town square with some of her friends. It was cold but I really wanted to do this. She led me to her guy friend's truck that had all our paper flowers carefully packed in various backpacks. The townsquare was bustling with happy people. Once we had all we could carry, Sayuri gave the signal.
I have to say, it was a really amazing feeling. Going up to random people and handing them a flower. Some were confused but thankful while others gratefully took it with many thanks. Its so wonderful handing them to others and watching their eyes turn bright. I gave many of mine to folks that were alone, children, and even to the homeless. Watching Sayuri as well give flowers was just as wonderful.
Once our backpacks were empty and literally everyone had a flower, we took a good long break by the truck after. It was a wonderful moment I would love to re-live again!
- Love, Lea <3