Pics, Pics and Pics - Finally!

So I finally get around to uploading pictures! Yes, I know I'm home over a month at this point but in all seriousness I couldnt look at them until now, even now they are bringing tears to my eyes as I cry looking at pics of the Boys, Koeln, and all my friends in Koeln! Enjoy them!

Rheinpark

Around the House

Going Away Jamesons - Part 1

Going Away Jamesons - Part 2

Going Away - ExCorner

Enjoy and reminise!

I'm Home!

Hallo alles!!

So I'm back in Cork at home and sitting in the living room on mz sisters laptop! Strange to be home, I'm excited as I met a friend on the plane from Amsterdam! Amsterdam was great fun and I'll post up about it later!

Again thanks to ALL my friends who turned up at Koeln Hauptbanhof and made me cry and give me a lovely card and everything! I'll miss ye!!!!

Koeln was a great expeirence and will reminesce while trying to learn German and find a job!!

So anyway I'm off to bed take care.

Tschues,
Steve

So Long Farewell!

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
So long, farewell, au revoir, auf wiedersehen
I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
I leave and heave a sigh and say goodbye -- Goodbye

That among other songs in German and to do with saying Goodbye are flying around my head today. So today I leave Köln and I am genuinely sad. Köln has become my home, it is just fabulous. The people, my friends, everyone I have met has been wonderful.

So I leave from the HauptBahnhof at 15:25 on my 1st leg of my journey to Amsterdam. There will be four legs. I'll have a notebook with me, se expect to see random musings posted some time next week from the trip.

Im looking forward to seeing my parents today, I havent seen them for 5 months so it will be great to see them. I am also looking forward to seeing all my friends and Cork CSD! I mean Pride! I have definately gone native so will drive people crazy at home with my German mannerisms!!!

So again thank you to everyone I have met in Köln for making my stay so wonderful! Remember this blog is not over yet! I may no longer be an Au Pair, but I shall be learning German with a view to moving back here! My Mother didn't sound too impressed with that idea but anyway!

So Tschüs for now, the fun of job hunting gets into full swing also next week!!
Steve

Last 9 days...

Yikes, we are down to single digits! So I leave next friday at 15:25 from Köln Hauptbahnof for Amsterdam. I am all excited and sad at the same time, like I was before I cam here. I am of course going to miss all my friends here who have made my time here to enjoyable and am having going away drinks on Friday in Jamesons Bar, on Frisen STR at 9:00pm.

Im going to miss alot of things about Germany. The people, the language (surprisingly), the night life, the reliable public transport, the bakeries (yum...), Döner places and the cheap cost of living.

There are other things I wont miss, sundays with nothing open, expensive Irish Bars and hangovers from strong German drinks and German Customer Service.

As you can see I'm going to miss more things then not.

I am looking forward to going home, but I have to find a Job when I get there, so this blog may end up detailing that as well!

I do plan on returning to Germany, especially if I get my preferred course in College (Applied German and IT), so that will have be back here! If not I'll be back here for Karneval anyway!!!!!

Oh its another lovely day here, and I'm hiding in the basements, as I got sunburnt yesterday.... My knees of all places...

Any have a nice day!

Tschüs!
Steve

Less then two weeks left

So less then two weeks left and I nearly committed murder during the week! The boys were really acting up on Tuesday and Wednesday, but they have calmed now. We were fighting like Cats and Dogs. Me being stubborn though did not give in! As thursday was a Bank Holiday they had a sports thing so that allowed them cool off away from me as I stayed at home. So all is well!

I didnt go out for Tanz in den Mai as I bought my ticket for Amsterdam. I dont get how I can travel to Amsterdam from Cologne for 40€ yet in Ireland its 70€ for Cork to Dublin. I dont understand it at all!

Im getting that mixed feeling about going home. I am looking forward to seeing all my friends there at home but I will miss my friends here. The one thing thats helping is I get to see Amsterdam on the way home. We are going to Anne Franks house, so that will be well worth it!

Having leaving drinks on Friday, will post details when I have decided what Im doing!

100th Post: 42 days to go!

Well this is my 100th post! :D Wooo! But today I have also realised I have 42 days left in Köln before I depart for Amsterdam to meet my Parents and fly home! I will be sad leaving in Köln as it has become my Home since January and it feels like a home now. I actually know my way around Köln better then some of my friends who have been here since last year!

I will miss all my friends here, the Crazy Ukrianians I met at Karnival, the usual crowd in corner and of course the TT Crowd, who have been a great support!

At the same time I will be glad to be going home to meet all my friends again, go to my old haunts (yes I know it was only four months since I was there!) and just enjoy beening back in Cork with friends and family.

This post is not a reflection on my time here in Köln but that will be coming before I leave, probably in the last week or so! Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest!

Tschüss!
Steve