Hello 2006

Well, just to start things right off the bat, my gingerbread cookies were a success...everybody really liked them ;) Everything was well worth the effort, and I will keep the recipe for next xmas....
Now, on to other things: My two weeks in Germany were really nice, I spent it all with my family of course, so it was really nice and relaxing. To be honest, I didn´t do anything extraordinary, but that´s fine of course...it was my intention to relax, and boy did I ever! I went to Cologne, Bochum, Ferntal, Oberhausen, Roermond and Leverkusen to see my relatives and to do some shopping...it was great overall, and we actually got some snow! My first week in Germany was a white one...hehehehe
I got spoiled by relatives, they would always ask me what I wanted to eat and where I wanted to go...thank you so much everybody (yeah, they won´t read this since it´s in English, but anyways....). I don´t have anything out-of-this-world to report, only to say that I ate lots of good German food and watched a lot of movies (nothing new from the theatres though, and yes, of course they were all dubbed in German, hehehee).
Coming back to Spain was actually kind of a blow again....I am only realizing now how loud and disrespectful the spaniards can sometimes be. Also, the food options and choices are better in Germany, in my opinion....heck, I can find everything there that I can´t find here....
When people bump into you here, don´t expect a sorry, or an excuse me. In Germany though, even little kids (ok, there must be exceptions) say excuse me and things like that when they accidentally run into you...and don´t even get me started on the cashiers...they always wished us a great day with a cheery disposition...it didn´t matter where we went! Courtesy and Politeness is very big in my mother country, and I am proud of that. The spaniards have a lot to learn in that regard...
Hmm, it sounds like I am complaining, doesn´t it? Well, I still love this country, but politeness and respect have always been very important to me.... and my neighbour this morning really made me fume! Her door was wide open and she was talking really loudly to a little kid...wow, was she ever annoying! She must have stood in the hall for a good 20 minutes, talking with this really cootchy coo annoying voice so the whole neighbourhood could hear. Most Germans would not act like that.
Well, it´s all good...every country is different of course, different customs, etc. I have already adapted to it, and to be quite honest I didn´t even think about it too too much before going back to Germany! I guess now, with a fresh mind on Germany, I can compare the two countries better (something which I should avoid as much as possible, comparisons suck and can be neverending).
On the other hand, when I was in Germany I thought about how they were missing out on the great weather that we have here and the delicious tapas from Logroño. Plus, people go to bed way too early in Germany, lol! I have already gotten used to dancing all night, so it´s a shock to me now when I hear,"I came home at 3 a.m." Damn, how did I ever do that in Ottawa? It´s way too early, people should keep on dancing :)...and just sleep it off the following day.
So there ya go..different customs, different countries...I´m sure Eve has her own stories about the Japanese way of living :P
Tomorrow is Back to Work Day....oy, I hope that it won´t be too painful to get back into the groove! My next official vacation is only in mid-April (yeah, ages away).
We are getting a new coworker tomorrow, another guy from England. I look forward to meeting him, and hope that he will be fun to have around. I like meeting new people, and hopefully he will be friendly and open with all of us. I also hope that he won´t be old...I don´t know, I´m the youngest at work and it would be nice to have somebody there who´s around my age. Something tells me though that he will be in his mid-thirties. We´ll see if I´m right or not.
The weather here is still really good. I can´t believe that January can be this warm. Ottawa now has -17 degrees and here we have 7ºC...man, STILL don´t miss that city (just the people).
I can´t believe that we are in 2006...2005 was really good to me overall, so I wonder what this new year will bring. I wonder where I will be headed after June...now I am thinking of travelling in July and afterwards possibly heading back to Madrid to work there for a few months...(if I I find a good job that is, I wouldn´t go back to Canterbury and work for them). It all depends on job offers, in the end. I kinda miss that big city sometimes, so it´s a big possibility. I just wonder how much work there is during the summer (gulp).
I still have lots of time to decide....
On another note, me and Shane will see each other in London in February! I am so excited already..and so happy! What a great way to break the winter duldrums :) I am sure that we will make the most of our time together...and I will finally see the city of London for the first time! I am so very happy..and here I thought I would only see him in December again :) I am also excited for him, for his trip to Oz...I hope that it will be everything that he is hoping it to be!
Wow, I´ve been living here in Spain now for more than 6 months...
What will this year bring me?
Until soon, xoxoxoo Heidi