tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68523370259538915962024-03-17T20:02:35.719-07:00Dubliner In DeutschlandJust a girl from Dublin, Ireland, living in southern Germany with my German husband blogging about my experiences.dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-63580775018056169312023-07-25T08:03:00.002-07:002023-07-25T08:03:36.709-07:00Weekend lunch date #MicroblogMonday<br />
A new restaurant opened up in our area and hubby and I went to check it out recently. I had a tasty salad with goat's cheese and walnuts plus slices of garlic bread and apple. <br /><br />
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And for dessert a yummy chocolate cake. I can't resist a chocolately dessert!
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Have you had any nice meals lately ? <br /><br />dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-30130069463756895652023-05-23T04:47:00.000-07:002023-05-23T04:47:08.565-07:00Hurtful comments<br />
A few weeks ago my daughter (who I've nicknamed Mini for the blog), was interacting with a young baby lying on a playmat. It was a cute little girl around 3/4 months old who was smiling up at us. It was a sweet moment until the child's mother said to Mini, "would you like to have a sister?"
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Mini can be a little shy sometimes and wasn't saying anything and I just said "No, no.." and shook my head. Instead of noticing my obvious discomfort at the topic, the women then said to Mini "tell your mother to give you a sister!" I was quite shocked to be honest and because I tend to be a people pleaser and overly polite, I just said "No, she's enough for us" and then mumbled something about me being too old anyway. The woman wouldn't let it go and kept saying "No?" and being quite pushy about it!
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In the end I walked away with Mini but I was quite annoyed by the interaction. If you follow my blog, you'll know something about the <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/search/label/ivf" target="_blank">long arduous journey</a> we went through to have our daughter. I still think it's a miracle she's here at all!
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We can't have any more children, unless we were to go down the IVF road again and even then there is no guarantee it would even work again. Emotionally, physically and mentally, I don't want to put myself through all that again. We have made peace with the fact that we are a family of three and love our little unit.
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Insensitive comments like that are still a sore spot though and upset me. I wish I had spoken up and just told the lady we can't have any more kids and let her feel bad because then she would hopefully think twice before saying stuff like that to someone again!
dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-58896674201841653362023-02-27T03:06:00.000-08:002023-02-27T03:06:49.446-08:00Never ending winter #MicroblogMonday<br />
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A friend shared this image with me recently and it made me chuckle. The weather has been so up and down lately. We had some quite warm days the other week where it even reached 17 degrees (62 Fahrenheit) and was lovely and sunny! I noticed lots of flowers had started to bloom - pretty snow drops and crocuses, and I started getting my hopes up that the coldest winter days were already behind us.
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However it all changed again and now today it's a chilly -2 (28 Fahrenheit) with a bitter wind. There was even some snow falling yesterday!
I am very much ready for winter to be over and for Spring to arrive. dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-80214880110502938532023-02-07T07:01:00.002-08:002023-02-09T02:11:56.244-08:00Organizing kids clothes<br />
As most people know, babies and children grow out of their clothes and shoes pretty quicky. Sorting out the clothes by size, figuring out what to do with things that are outgrown, acquiring new clothes and shoes for the next season can be a whole job in itself! I remember the first year of Mini's life, she would only get several months at most, maybe even weeks sometimes at a particular size before having to size up.
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From around age one to two, she was finally able to wear the clothes for longer. Sizes in Germany are based on height, and I remember "92" size fit her well for at least a year. Then she grew out of the bottoms first but the tops still fit for longer.
One time I went up a shoe size and then those shoes fit for around a year which was great. However the ones afterwards only lasted a few months. It can also be very expensive having to go up sizes and buy a whole new wardrobe all the time, so I thought I'd share some of my tips. Many of which I learned the hard way!
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<ol>
<li> Ask around. If you're lucky you might some friends in your circle with children a bit older than yours who are more than happy to have someone to pass clothes and shoes down to </li>
<li>Keep clothes that are too big out of sight. We store ours in the attic in Ikea containers. Otherwise Mini would want to wear those things while the clothes in her size barely get worn </li>
<li> Look out for the Summer and Winter sales. It's a great way to get a bargin and you can buy things in the next size up for the following year </li>
<li> If something is really worn out / too badly stained or you just don't like it, then you can secretly get rid of it </li>
<li> Make a plan for what to do with clothes and shoes that are too small. I like to pass on as much as I can to family and friends. It's just nice knowing the things are being used again </li>
<li> There are also ways to sell old clothes that are in good condition, like via Flee markets, Ebay, Mamikreisel, Facebook </li>
<li> It's also a good idea to put things that are the wrong season out of sight </li>
<li> Mend and re-use! We use a stain spray on badly stained items before they go in the wash which works quite well. And if I find holes in clothes, I mend them with a needle and thread </li>
<li> Check out all the clothes, regardless of gender. You don't need to be limited by what is classed as "boy" or "girl". They are just clothes!</li>
</ol>dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-90091201461746420012023-01-24T04:31:00.000-08:002023-01-24T04:31:48.717-08:00Looking back on old posts..101 things in 1001 days In January 2020, I guess I was feeling pretty ambitious because I created a list of <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2020/01/101-things-in-1001-days.html" target="_blank">101 things I wanted to achieve in 1001 days</a>. My daughter, Mini (her nickname for the blog), was almost two and life was becomming a little less hectic, as it felt like we were over the hardest of the baby years and finally getting a bit more sleep!
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However as you know, in February 2020 everything changed when the world was thrown into <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2020/02/coronavirus-concern-levels-rising.html" target="_blank">a global pandemic</a> Immediately life became a whole lot more stressful. There were several <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2020/03/life-on-hold.html" target="_blank">lockdowns</a> that lasted months on end when our Kindergarten was closed and we had to juggle minding a toddler and doing our jobs. There wasn't a second to think, let alone complete goals. So needless to say, I soon forgot about the list and focussed on surviving the present as best we could.
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While looking over some old posts, I came across the list recently and thought I would read through it to see if I managed to tick anything off anyway. So let's find out...
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The first section was regarding "Health and well being". I did manage to get a skin doctor and dentist checkup, flu vaccine and even quit sugar for 3 days at one point, but I didn't find much time to exercise. I did a few walking challenges and managed 10,000 steps one week but didn't do any jogging. Still overall I did pretty well in that secion I guess.
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After that comes "House". Decluttering is constantly on my to do list. We managed to give away/sell a lot of old baby stuff, and I've been gradually giving away Mini's clothes as she grows out of them, however there is still a LOT of decluttering that could be done. So I'll give myself a score of "could do better, room for improvement" on that one.
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Ok, then we have "self improvements / style". My hair grew really long during the first year of the pandemic when I wasn't able to get to a hairdresser but not sure that really counts as updating my style! I've been to the hairdresser several times in the past year and I'm happy with my current hair colour. I would still like to update my style though. Maybe this year I'll have more time to think about it. I've been to the shops a few times recently but didn't particualry like the current fashion trends, so I'll keep working on finding my individual style. Still don't have much upper arm strength, haven't done a thing about that goal. So we'll move on..
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Hm, I'm feeling a little down while reading through the rest of the goals because I've managed so few of them. But perhaps I should cut myself some slack considering how crazy the past few years have been. Maybe I'll allow myself some extra time, like until the end of the year, to give myself more of a chance.
dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-79455213277172248652023-01-10T04:26:00.000-08:002023-01-10T04:26:40.813-08:00Christmas in Ireland<br />
We made it over to Ireland for Christmas 2022! The last time the whole family were together was <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2019/12/5-things-i-love-about-christmas.html" target="_blank">Christmas 2019</a> prepandemic. It was so lovely to see everyone again. Since we are a big group (with 5 grandkids) we decided to go to Center Parcs in Longford for 5 days over the Christmas period. That worked out really well. We stayed in two lodges beside each other, around a ten minute walk from the "village". Most of the restaurants there have play areas for kids which is great.
<br /><br /> Loads of the activities had booked out super fast unfortunately but my Dad still managed to book the Santa experience for us which worked out really well. Mini was a bit shy and barely answered him but we got some nice photos. They have a lovely spa at Center Parcs in Longford and really big indoor pool. The Christmas decorations around the forest were beautiful. So the whole thing felt really Christmassy.
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Pizza night!
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Spending time with her cousin
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We went to the Jungle Book pantomine in The Gaiety theatre one afternoon and another day we went to a fun fair in Dun Laoghaire. We also met up with several friends and spent time with relations. So nice to see people after 3 years! Unfortunately my sister and her family came down with a bad cold/flu during our trip so there were several days we weren't able to meet. That happened with some of my friends too. Then hubby also got a cold towards the end of our stay. (and myself a few days later!)
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Overall though it was a wonderful visit and I felt sad saying goodbye to everyone. Hopefully we'll be able to plan lots more trips over to Ireland this year though!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtUfcqS0jkD2SWguCnxSqF1pTWOvMrDBXJovgYRl6IE9z8YueRcJxZbXsYkCq1i3oXm8IXkHEw2f8yLJ_AV4zghE_sxIG7lLS58lq-YMmW30ivqLZtWPTRrh28a-qXTJCNKM52Oz2_EgI4_kRTuJHXJ0FpbUgoBInuiKoDng_lMLpX1Cx75UH8CtCzQ/s3840/PXL_20230103_144700914.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtUfcqS0jkD2SWguCnxSqF1pTWOvMrDBXJovgYRl6IE9z8YueRcJxZbXsYkCq1i3oXm8IXkHEw2f8yLJ_AV4zghE_sxIG7lLS58lq-YMmW30ivqLZtWPTRrh28a-qXTJCNKM52Oz2_EgI4_kRTuJHXJ0FpbUgoBInuiKoDng_lMLpX1Cx75UH8CtCzQ/s320/PXL_20230103_144700914.jpg"/></a></div>dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-45591271656715320302022-09-06T03:10:00.000-07:002022-09-06T03:10:29.611-07:00Random pandemic musings <br />
During the worst stages of the pandemic, many people stopped physically greeting each other in the same way. Elbow bumps replaced hugs. Waves instead of handshakes. People were advised to keep their distance. The pandemic isn't officially over yet, but many people have resumed many aspects of life before the pandemic. Some of my friends and I hug each other when we meet which is really nice. However with many other friends we end up automatically keeping some distance still.
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Sometimes I would like to hug a friend but I don't want them to feel uncomfortable if they are still anxious about catching Covid so I don't say anything. Personally I find it a bit of a shame and I hope the pandemic will officially end soon and that people will hug each other more again (with consent of course)!
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I get the impression a lot of people are trying to make up for lost time because all of a sudden this summer there have been lots of social events. That has taken some getting used to because during all the lockdowns there was very little social interaction, so it's felt like a lot to go from that to suddently lots of interactions and events. Nice but exhausting too!
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It's still required to wear a facemaks on public transport here and everywhere else is optional. Personally I have been mostly wearing mine still while shopping or going indoors because I still hope to reduce the spread of the latest variant. It's also just a habit now. It feels strange not wearing a mask after being so used to wearing one! I really hope there won't be any lockdowns this winter. dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-5538362544018749032022-08-03T06:02:00.000-07:002022-08-03T06:02:04.794-07:00Summer 2022In June we went on a family holiday to Mallorca for ten days. We've been <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/search/label/Mallorca" target="_blank">a few times before</a> but this was our first time going since our daughter was born. We love it because it's only a short flight away from Germany and it's a beautiful island. It has gotten a bad reputation at times in the past as being a hotspot for drunkenness and bad behaviour from tourists but it's very easy to avoid those areas! We stayed in the Play de Muro region.
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The beaches were long and beautiful. We stayed at a very family friendly hotel which was perfect because they had kids disco in the evening followed by an entertainment program with live music /dancing etc. They also had a kids club from age 4 which we brought Mini to a few times. My Dad and his partner as well as my sister and her family all stayed at the same hotel so it was a really nice way of spending time with family while also having a holiday! Mini hasn't learned to swim yet but she had great fun splashing around in the pool with her arm bands on. Oh and the food was delicious too!
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We finally made it over to Dublin! After two years and four months (due to the pandemic, otherwise we would have travelled many times). There's always something comforting and nostalgic about going there for me. It was so nice to spend time with family and catch up with friends. Hopefully we'll get over there in the Summer again. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJz8ZI0s6_tjns80ooR46u743axXZLbyhfk-kj6sYei5L6r1gwpjkjZEuGE_WSDiNm9eV9GsIR1cIPkdlwrk84PLV2pQftbDCePM2224RP19gEzM9wQKRQ5tJLuhT66Qyuw1DGM4095hlX9VFx45cpA4q1LcafK0iQpaGIJRcY3jpLdo-hQWGaOob/s4624/20220419_155727.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJz8ZI0s6_tjns80ooR46u743axXZLbyhfk-kj6sYei5L6r1gwpjkjZEuGE_WSDiNm9eV9GsIR1cIPkdlwrk84PLV2pQftbDCePM2224RP19gEzM9wQKRQ5tJLuhT66Qyuw1DGM4095hlX9VFx45cpA4q1LcafK0iQpaGIJRcY3jpLdo-hQWGaOob/s320/20220419_155727.jpg"/></a></div>
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Well of course we couldn't avoid catching Covid-19 forever and our luck finally ran out. We aren't actually totally sure where we got it from but we suspect it was probably from Mini's daycare. I'm actually impressed we even managed to go a full two years without catching it!
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Mini came down with symptoms first - a high fever and the first few nights were rough. She complained of tummy pains on and off as well as having a blocked congested nose. Luckily, she seemed to fight it off quickly and was back to herself after a few days. For me it felt like a really bad headcold and I felt crappy for around 4-5 days then very run down for several days after. For hubby it was more like a bad flu and he suffered the most with it. Thankfully we all seem to be fully recovered now.
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Timing wise it was unlucky because I wasn't able to go out on <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/search/label/Paddy%27s%20Day" target="_blank">St. Patrick's day</a>. I had been looking forward to meeting a few friends at the local Irish pub beer garden and the weather was meant to be sunny. So we just dressed in green at home and I cooked a wholesome shepherd's pie. I haven't been able to celebrate Paddy's day with friends for several years now due to the pandemic.
<br /><br /> In Germany, the plan is to drop lots of the restrictions from April. Time will tell whether that's a good idea or not! If you read my previous <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2022/02/pandemic-musings.html" target="_blank">post</a> you'll see I have somewhat mixed feelings about it all. The good news is that since we have recovered from Covid, we now have some immunity for a few weeks/months at least so we are getting out an about more which is really nice.
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(I guess from this photo it's not so clear but there's a faint second line on the Covid-19 antigen test.)
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Hope all my readers are keeping well and staying safe! dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-16384558946715690832022-02-23T04:25:00.003-08:002022-02-25T00:29:25.519-08:00Pandemic musings <br />
One of the aspects that has bothered me the most about living through a global pandemic is that it often feels like real life is on hold. That we are only passing time. I really hate that feeling because life is actually short but I certainly don't feel like I'm living life to the fullest these days. <br /><br />
Much like the majority of people I don't live to work. I like my job and I'm happy there for the most part but I am not typically jumping out of bed Monday mornings in anticipation of logging into my computer!
Pre 2020 on Mondays I would usually be looking forward to events such as meeting up with a good friend for mid week dinner or perhaps an upcoming holiday, or maybe a play date outing to the ice cream cafe after daycare pickup. During the pandemic our work lives have been expected to carry on as before - we are meant to be just as productive but we have often been made, or at least strongly encouraged to give up almost everything else : travel / visiting family and friends / going to restaurants, cinema, concerts, theatre, sports events, museums etc.. going almost anywhere basically! That's been so hard.
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There have been phases where the Covid numbers were low and restrictions were eased for instance during last <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2021/09/august-photos.html" target="_blank">Summer</a> which has been wonderful but there have also been several lockdowns and tightening of restrictions. Our daycare have had several mini outbreaks so we've had to keep our daughter home then which is sad for her missing out on seeing her friends and stressful for us juggling our jobs without childcare. I had a big birthday recently but wasn't able to celebrate how I would have liked due to the current restrictions.
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The frustrating thing is that I don't know when the pandemic will really end. Why are there so many new variants all the time!? The thought of my daughter or us possibly catching long Covid is scary because there are so many unknown about the long term effets on our bodies. I read something recently about people who have recovered (in paritcular over 65 year olds) then have higher risks of having heart issues or strokes the following year. That's not something I can easily get out of my head especially with a parent in that category. The idea that I might not be able to go to the cinema or theatre in the future without worrying about catching a desease makes me so sad!
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This is all hopefully worst case scenario.. I know that restrictions are starting to be removed in many places, such as in Germany from March, but part of me is just anxious that it might be too soon. I have been hoping and praying that it will be safe for life to return to normal and we'll all come out the other side because that is what I wish for more than anything.
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We still have lovely moments, despite the pandemic, as a family and I'm trying my best to stay positive and continue to make happy memories with my daughter but to be honest I've felt really low at times and filled with worry. There are so many conflicting articles in the media and it's hard to make sense of it all sometimes. We have tended to be very cautious this whole pandemic for instance avoiding indoor places as much as possible and trying to only meet people outdoors in small groups. However the downside to living this way is we have also been missing out on many experiences.
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What's even worse is that on top of a global pandemic, there is now a war in Ukraine! The world is a very scary place right now.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEFzjCsCtoTgFGO0X2VihrivIemy0lAqdMXhPxfyCJ8feCvDiWf0r_Xc4wVCXC0N_f6tmMT3srIBMiU4r4AVb2MVfvGiV_NB5oTqdck8pWc2QBhmyIuDXaIrfaxRFVIpe5dEfPg5wrQId0AcNgnmYlidz8CGmmnNWP6YJXBImbCYjJEZHUR10GjFS8=s712" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEFzjCsCtoTgFGO0X2VihrivIemy0lAqdMXhPxfyCJ8feCvDiWf0r_Xc4wVCXC0N_f6tmMT3srIBMiU4r4AVb2MVfvGiV_NB5oTqdck8pWc2QBhmyIuDXaIrfaxRFVIpe5dEfPg5wrQId0AcNgnmYlidz8CGmmnNWP6YJXBImbCYjJEZHUR10GjFS8=s320"/></a></div>dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-55624707593327747192021-12-07T05:49:00.005-08:002021-12-07T05:49:51.800-08:00Life latelyWell this pandemic isn't going away anytime soon unfortunately so we certainly haven't been doing as much as I would like but we still had a few fun events recently. Mini was invited to a friend's birthday party. It was one of her little pals from daycare who was turning five. Hubby wasn't sure about whether it was a good idea since it would be indoors but I spoke to the parents and they were vaccinated and had only invited us and one other family who were also vaccinated. The kids aren't vaccinated as they are too young but they are in the same daycare group anyway.
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The party was fun. Mini had a great time playing with her two friends and of course she love the yummy treats and cake! It was nice for me to chat to the adults and we all ate lunch together. Naturally the topic of the pandemic came up. Sadly, their neighbour had recently passed from Covid sadly. He was only forty-five and healthy with no precondtions, however he was unvaccinated. Germany has quite a low vacine rate unfortunately, compared to other countries. Ireland has one of the best Covid vacine uptake rates with over 90% of adults fully vaxed!
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Apart from that party, we have minaly been avoiding indoor events to keep Mini safe as the Covid incidence rate is really high in our area at the moment. However we try to bring her out for bike rides and to the playground with her friends several times a week if possible and recently we took her kite flying for the first time. <br /> <br />
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December 6th is known as Nokolaustag. This is a tradition that was new to me as we don't have it in Ireland. The evening before Nikolaustag the children are meant to clean their boots and leave them out and Nikolaus comes around and fills them with little treats/presents. Technically it's only meant for kids but as you can see from the picture, I left my boots out too and I received a vegan choclate Santa Claus. <br /><br />
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I would have loved to have visited the Christmas markets with Mini this year but the rules for visiting them are only vaccinated adults who had been freshly tested which was a bit awkward and hubby doesn't want me bringing her on public transport to get there. I walked past by myself one morning and took a few pictures. However they have since been closed completely. <br /><br />
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I have flights booked to Ireland for a short trip just by myself in a few weeks time. It would be two years since I've been there last. However, I'm not sure if I will end up needing to postpone the trip because of this new Omnicron variant. I don't want to risk having to quarentine in Ireland and not being able to come back to Germany! So right now I am just waiting to see how things play out and what the current travel restrictions will be before deciding.<br /><br />
I hope you are all having a nice Christmas season!
dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-12517833988394664652021-11-11T05:09:00.001-08:002021-11-11T05:09:06.870-08:00Pandemic TV<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUF7MuIIqN4/YY0SaAvr4DI/AAAAAAAABns/ud2cOffRzPkCnZARN5n1R0kA35dLcEcbACLcBGAsYHQ/s800/You_TV_Series-238941467-large.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 1em; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="556" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUF7MuIIqN4/YY0SaAvr4DI/AAAAAAAABns/ud2cOffRzPkCnZARN5n1R0kA35dLcEcbACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/You_TV_Series-238941467-large.jpg"/></a></div>
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We recently watched the third season of "YOU". It's a good show. It centers around a guy named Joe Goldberg who becomes fixated on certain women in his life and does a lot of creepy stuff. And worse. He's not someone I'd want to know for real! <br /> <br />
He does have a sad backstory and can be quite sympathetic at times so that you almost forget he's basically a sociopath. I'd describe it as a dark comedy.
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It can be difficult for TV series to continue to be as gripping after the initial season but so far it has remained entertaining. <br /> <br />
What struck me though, was how the characters in the third season speak about the Covid-19 pandemic as if it is already over. I guess when they were filming the show, they assumed life would be totally back to normal by now..<br /> <br /> No such luck! dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-22121133096881332832021-09-23T01:36:00.001-07:002021-09-23T01:36:21.536-07:00Invisible Women book review<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pSqIZPxKtdw/YUwtcKdGiVI/AAAAAAAABnQ/cPVJIiaclGAIsQNkW_MvbXao4LhEc9CAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210102_163629.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pSqIZPxKtdw/YUwtcKdGiVI/AAAAAAAABnQ/cPVJIiaclGAIsQNkW_MvbXao4LhEc9CAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210102_163629.jpg"/></a></div>
We read "Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men" by Catoline Criado Perez for my book club at the start of this year and it's taken me this long to get around to writing the review but I didn't want to miss this chance to talk about it because it's such a great book. It's based around the premise that the standard human is always considered to be a roughly 70 kilo man and all the negative repercussions that has for women when they are discounted.
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At the start of the book I found it very interesting hearing about how even language affects sexism. Countries that have more gender neutral words such as "doctor" in English versus "Arzt / Arztin" in German for instance tend to be less sexist in general. There were things that didn't surprise me such as how women's trousers generally don't have pockets and phones are designed to fit perfectly into a man's hand. However as I kept reading, I eneded up feeling more and more angry about how much women have been overlooked and how far reaching the affects of this are.
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For instance crash test dummies are based on men's bodies and so car seats are designed based around that, meanding women end up with higher chances of being badly injured in a car crash. The medical world studies "human anatomy" which is all based on men and their symptoms and then usually only have one course on "women's health". I was reminded of a tiktok video I saw recently where a male doctor clearly hadn't a clue about how periods work! Time and time again research grants aren't given in areas that primarily affect women such as period pain since issues that affect women are considered less important.
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There was a lot in the book that I could relate to and could see happening to my friends. For instance it spoke about the challenges for women who want to work after having kids. In Ireland there is good maternity leave, however the cost of childcare is extremely high and it's rare to be offered part time options so there are many women who quit their jobs afterwards. In Germany childcare is generally affordable and by law you are entitled to work reduced hours until your child is a certain age which helps a lot. However it is generally the mother who has to miss work and stay home if the child is sick. All over the world a significantly higher proporion of unpaid work falls on women - childcare, household tasks and care work. There are many women who end up having to leave the workforce in order to mind elerly or disabled relatives for instance. Being off work affects women's pensions naturally. Women tend to be exposed to more chemicals which also negatively affects our health.Not to mention women are more at risk of suffering sexual assult and abuse.
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I also learned how much representation matters. When young children are asked to draw a "doctor" for instance they were equally as likely to draw a male or female doctor however past a certain age, then they are way more likely to draw a male doctor. Young girls seeing images of female scientists in their school text books helps them see that this could be a career for them and something as small as that can make a huge difference. Having a female quota in certain jobs actually helps weed out the mediocre men while including more competent women.
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The book is incredibly well researched and it feels very sciency and heavy and times to read but overall well worth it. In fact I think it should be conpulsary reading for everyone! It did make me feel angry and upset at times at all the injustices to women. However the book gives many positive examples of things that are changing for the better so it's not all negative thankfully. The more women there are now in leadership roles for instance, the more younger women will see that as an option for them. Let me know you're thoughts if you've read the book or are thinking about it!
dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-57922094527094091632021-09-10T04:47:00.001-07:002021-09-10T04:48:41.556-07:00August photos<br />
The first two pictures are from the Center Parcs resort at Lake Bostlesee in Saarland where we stayed for several days. <br />
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<br /> The next pictures are from Ettlingen a pretty town near Karlsruhe where we visited. I ate some delicious duck and potato gratin at a French restaurant.
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<br /> It's rare to see hippos out of the water so I enjoyed seeing this Mama hippo with her baby going for a walk at the zoo. <br />
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The good news is I'm fully vaccinated! Such a relief. I got the Biontech (Pfizer) shot both times. Hubby is fully vaccinated too. <br /><br />
The bad news is the pandemic is far from over.. The Delta variant is raging through Europe but at least the hospitalization and dealth rates are decreasing as more and more people are vaccinated. Even though young children generally don't suffer badly with Covid-19 from what I've read, we are still trying to be cautious for our daughter's sake as we'd rather she doesn't catch it. On top of that we also don't want to contribute to the spread of the virus.
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That said, my Dad is planning to visit us soon which is exciting and we're even going on a little holiday within Germany for a few days. I've also been out a few times to outdoor beer gardens to meet friends which has been really lovely. Here are a few photos from a family boat trip we went on recently and some strawberries growing in our garden.
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dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-37530851255170671482021-05-11T01:44:00.002-07:002021-05-11T01:44:27.667-07:00Working from home <br />
For some people being in a position to work from home is the dream. They love the flexibility it gives them and it probably doesn't hurt that they don't have to change out of their pyjamas unless they want to! I have never particularly been drawn to the idea of working from home myself. I'm generally a social person and enjoy interacting with colleagues. For me, it's also important to have a good balance and to be able to keep my work life separate from home. I love when I can shut down my computer on a Friday evening and not have to think about work issues until the following Monday.
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Due to this pandemic, I have now been working from home for over a year and I thought I would share what I've found to be the pros and cons.
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<ol>
<li> <b>No commute </b></li>
This has actually been a mixed blessing. It's been great having extra time since I don't have to travel to and from work. Plus it saves money.
However, on the down side, I've realised that the journey home was a nice way for me to have a bit of time to myself to think. On days I finish working from home and then immediately take over from my husband minding Mini, I feel more drained without that tiny bit of "me time".<br /><br />Also, I used to occasionally cycle to and from work which was a nice way of getting some exercise in. I'm lucky to have a relatively short commute to the office usually though. I've spoken to people who are delighted to not have their long commutes while the pandemic is allowing them to work from home.
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<i>Verdict</i>: it's a tie
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<li><b>Comfort factor</b> </li>
When working from home, you don't have to spend as long getting yourself dressed and ready as you usually would. Personally, I prefer to make a certain amount of effort and still wear make-up most of the time even when I won't see anyone. Additionally, I generally prefer to wear smarter clothes as it makes me feel good. However, there have certainly been days when I wore comfy tracksuit bottoms or leggings and that was really nice. Working from home, I usually eat breakfast at my computer to save time which I didn't do before. That could be interpreted as a negative point though. <br /><br />
We still have video meetings so I do tend to make an effort to look somewhat professional still! However it's nice that for instance when my grey roots are showing, it's not as obvious over the camera as it might be in real life. I can also pop into my kitchen for snacks or drinks without ever worrying a colleague might be secretly judging what I'm eating. (I often wonder if they are thinking, "oh she's having ANOTHER snack!" Or "Chocolate again?!").
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<i>Verdict</i>: pro to working from home
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<li> <b>Handy for housework /deliveries</b> </li>
It is really convenient working from home when you are expecting deliveries. I remember how awkward it used to be trying to be home at certain times and still missing them. And you'd often need to go to the post office to collect parcels or go to your neighbours to collect things.
Another benefit to being at home is that you can get some household tasks done. Like occasionally I might put a wash on before I start working, or tidy away laundry while taking a break.
On the other side, it also bugs me when I am trying to work from home and I see a messy house. Whereas if I'm in the office, I can focus on work without noticing annoying things such as- oh, hubby STILL hasn't put away his laundry!
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<i>Verdict</i>: pro to working from home
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<li> <b>The social aspect </b></li>
This was something I missed a lot at the beginning. It is a big adjustment going from working in a busy office and spending lunch breaks chatting to colleagues to being on my own all day with no interactions apart from emails and occasional meetings. I definitely had some days where I felt quite isolated and the house felt really quiet. I've even gotten used to playing music or radio in the background at times, just to feel less lonely. <br /><br />I miss all the other social events too - such as team lunches, Christmas parties and so on.
The surprising thing is that as time has gone on I've gotten used to working on my own and these days I don't miss the social aspect as much. That said, I can't imagine being content to continue working from home in the long run.
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<i>Verdict</i>: winner is working in an office
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<li> <b>Working parent</b> </li>
Ok, there are definite advantages to being able to work from home when you have a child. When the Kindergartens were closed during lockdowns we were able to keep Mini with us. Don't get me wrong, it was incredibly stressful at times trying to juggle working and minding but it was an advantage to have that option. There was a phase where she wasn't napping anymore at the daycare but would happily nap here so working from home meant I was able to collect her during my lunchbreak, then while she napped I was able to get some more work done. <br /><br />On days she was sick, it didn't automatically mean my husband or I had to take time off work to mind her. Sometimes when we compared schedules we found we were able to take turns looking after her and still get our tasks done. Working from home means being around more for Mini too which is a nice bonus. Even if I still have a few more hours to work and hubby collects her from Kindergarten, I can still take a short break to welcome her home with a hug and ask about her day.
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<i>Verdict</i>: winner is working from home
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<li> <b>Work/life separation</b> </li>
Ok this is a point in favour of working in an office. As mentioned above I used to love the separation between working me and home me. Being able to turn off my computer in the office and not have to worry about work issues until the next day. That said, occasionally I would end up checking work emails on my down time but thankfully it was usually rare. I get the impression for Americans there is less of a separation for them. Correct me if I'm wrong, friends from the US, but it seems to me that it's typical there to check work emails on weekends and even holidays. In Europe that's rare and certainly not expected.
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Now that my "office" is in my house, I can't get away from work as easily. I don't have a room available to dedicate to just my desk -instead it's a multi-purpose room. So I pass my work to-do list and reminders whenever I'm going to my wardrobe for instance. It's tempting to switch on my pc in the evenings or even weekends to see if I got a response to something.
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<i>Verdict</i>: winner is working from office
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<li> <b>German practice</b> </li>
Not being in the office means I get less opportunities to practice my German with my colleagues so I have found my language skills can be a bit rusty.
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<i>Verdict</i>: winner is working from office
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<li> <b>Distractions</b> </li>
Initially I thought working from home meant way more distractions but that is only because when I first started the Kindergartens were closed due to the pandemic. Even when hubby was minding Mini so I could focus on work, there would still be many interruptions. For instance I'd have to take a break to mind Mini while he cooked lunch, or often he'd forget where things are and ask me. When I left the room to get myself a cup of tea, Mini would want to play with me. However, when she is in her Kindergarten then there are generally far less distractions at home. You aren't interrupted by your colleagues phone calls or other office noise.
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<i>Verdict</i>: winner is working from home
</ol>
<br />The interesting thing is that reading through these reasons it's clear that working from home is the winner. And yet I know I wouldn't be happy doing it long term. I guess for now it is working out very well overall and I am happy to have this opportunity. I'm aware that it's a privilege to even be able to work from home during a pandemic. When the offices do eventually open up again (this Summer? Next year?), it will also be a big adjustment getting used to commuting back and forth and being around colleagues again.<br /><br /> However, I do miss the work/life division and social aspect. So overall I will be looking forward to going back. Plus it adds a bit more variety to your day going into the office. Perhaps the ideal solution would be some combination of both. For instance if you had the opportunity to work one or two days a week from home.
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dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-14711453272802960332021-03-17T02:17:00.001-07:002021-03-17T02:40:57.696-07:00St. Patrick's day in lockdown<br />
It is already the anniversary of one year since the first lockdown in Germany during the pandemic. I certainly had no idea how long it was going to last! Recently Facebook reminded me of a post I shared a few years ago. It was a collage of how I celebrated St. Patrick's day in Germany over the years. What struck me now looking at the pictures was just how sociable a day it is.
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Every picture shows me and my friends having fun. Last year I had planned to throw a little Paddy's day party at my house but that had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. This year we won't be able to meet up with anybody either unfortunately.
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However I still plan to make the most of it. I'll be cooking shepherd's pie for lunch and baking scones for dessert. Mini and myself are both wearing green. (The GerMann says his only green top is in the wash!). I read her a story about how St. Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland last night. My family and friends have been messaging me with photos of how they are celebrating the day.
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<a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/search/label/Paddy%27s%20Day" target="_blank">Check out</a> previous Paddy's days in Germany
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Happy St. Patrick's day everyone!
dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-32421289855134320932021-01-07T07:08:00.000-08:002021-01-07T07:08:06.381-08:00Christmas in lockdown<br />
Since December 16th we have been in our second lockdown here in Germany. Similar to the first one in March, we suspected beforehand it might happen but then it still seemed to be announced very last minute. I wasn't really meeting up with people anyway due to Covid-19 restrictions, although I had planned to meet a friend in her garden for a mulled wine and another friend for a playdate. Both had to be cancelled once the official lockdown started.
Since then hubby and I have been at home with Mini most of the time. We get as much as possible delivered to us. We only leave the house for walks or to go to the playground. Life can feel quite repetitve at times! Like I mentioned in this <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2020/10/christmas-markets-cancelled.html" target="_blank">post</a> I was determined to make Christmas special despite being in lockdown. <br /><br />
This was our fist Christmas away from both of our familes and the first one where Mini, who is now almost 3, had a basic understanding of what was going on. It actually feels a bit surreal being on the "other side" of the experience. There is a certain amount of responsibilty in making sure that Santa's presents arrive, are hidden and then are wrapped and under the tree on time! At one stage in December I realised that Mini knew all about Santa and presents but didn't know about the birth of Christ! We didn't have her baptised but I still have been trying to teach her a basic understanding about God and the Catholic faith. Luckily I had a nativity book which we read. The next day she told me her doll was called "Baby Jesus". I couldn't help laughing when I heard her say "Baby Jesus, do you want to build a snowman?"
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A women I knew was collecting stuff to bring to a local womens shelter and when she mentioned there was a 2 year old there at the moment, I was able to use it as an opportunity to go through some of Mini's old toys and clothes and ask her to help pick out some things I could give to the little girl who didn't have as much. I'm trying to raise her to be grateful for what she has and also be charitable to others. Apart from that I also tried get into the Christmas spirt as much as possible myself! We decorated the tree (although that was put up already in November), we baked cookies, read wintery stories and sang and danced along to Christmas songs as often as possible.
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We celebrated both Christmas eve (which is the main day here in Germany) and Christmas day (which I'm more used being the main day coming from Ireland). It ended up being a really nice Christmas. We didn't have to fall in line with anyone else's schedule or timings, so that made the day very relaxed for one. We opened presents, wore out Christmas pjs and watched movies. We weren't able to get a turkey delieverd unforuntaltey so we had roast chicken but it was very tasty anyway! I also found a jar of sweet mincemeat so was able to bake my favourite Christmas dessert, mince tart!
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I also celebrated a birthday myself over Christmas. It was a little disappointing, I'm not going to lie. Last year I had been able to meet a bunch of close friends and go for birthday brunch and this year I wasn't able to meet anyone due to the pandemic. We had a cake though and I drank my favourite wine so that was still nice. Hopefilly next year I'll be able to have a much bigger celebration!
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I'd love to hear from my readers, how was your Christmas? <br />dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-53310907092166860872020-11-29T21:00:00.001-08:002020-11-29T21:00:04.701-08:00Quote of the day #MicroblogMonday<br />
Recently I came across this quote by civil rights activist, Maya Angelou; <br /><br />
<i>I've learned that people will forget what you said, <br />people will forget what you did, <br />but people will never forget how you made them feel</i>. <br />
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During my time on this Earth I would like to make a positive impact even if only in small ways. I often don't have the exact right words in the moment, but I like to think my friends and family know that I am there for them when needed. Even when thousands of miles away.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YBkbbcLTNTQ/X8DYHE4JsnI/AAAAAAABbqI/_qirHr02PmEbe4ckjOEvo-Jbs5K89if7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20201009_104223073.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YBkbbcLTNTQ/X8DYHE4JsnI/AAAAAAABbqI/_qirHr02PmEbe4ckjOEvo-Jbs5K89if7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20201009_104223073.jpg"/></a></div>dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-64091459086399910332020-10-26T01:00:00.001-07:002020-10-26T01:00:10.024-07:00Christmas markets cancelled #MicroblogMonday<br />
So now the <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/search/label/Covid-19" target="_blank">Coronavirus</a> is taking away our Christmas markets. I understand of course why the people in charge deem it necessary to cancel this year with the increasing Covid cases but I can't help feeling disappointed about it. In general, I'm not a big fan of Winter, but one of my favourite things about living in Germany was always the Christmas markets. They are just so pretty and magical.
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Getting together during the Christmas month with friends over a Glüwein (mulled wine) was such a nice tradition. I loved the cute markets themselves, the lovely decorations, the delcious smells and just the happy atmosphone. Our local market used to have an ice skating rink too which was lots of fun. I guess we are just going to have to come up with other ways to make Christmas this year special.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ibM8Jx_HIFc/X5LH4gWtBQI/AAAAAAABZHg/hNwO5Mg-RlYC3sGO-R5EfSGZmOCfgf59ACLcBGAsYHQ/s943/xmasMarket1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="817" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ibM8Jx_HIFc/X5LH4gWtBQI/AAAAAAABZHg/hNwO5Mg-RlYC3sGO-R5EfSGZmOCfgf59ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/xmasMarket1.jpg"/></a></div>dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-30886723290628769882020-10-05T02:42:00.002-07:002020-10-05T02:43:32.341-07:00Autumn during the time of Covid<br />
And just like that, October is here. Without traveling or celebrating big events, it can feel like the days blurr into weeks and the weeks into months. We had a lovely long Summer here in Germany which was wonderful, but it was almost like someone turned off a switch and suddenly the temperature dropped ten degrees and started getting rainy and windy! Autumn is usually my favourite season but since we are still experiencing a pandemic, I have been a little worried about what this Autumn/Winter will be like.
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Facebook and Google photo memories show me pictures from what I was doing this time the past few years, so already I have been reminded about a fun family holiday to the Black Forest five years ago, and going partying to Octoberfest seven years ago. When I see things like that, I choose to focus on the positive memories rather than the disappointment that we can't do things like that for the forseeable future (or until there's a safe vaccine?). I recently came across <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/sep/26/dreading-a-dark-winter-lockdown-think-like-a-norwegian" target="_blank">this article </a>from The Guardian on how Norwegians stay optimistic during their extremely long dark Winter season. Check it out if you have a few minutes.
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It's all about changing your mindset and reframing how you look at things: "People who see stressful events as “challenges”, with an opportunity to learn and adapt, tend to cope much better than those who focus more on the threatening aspects – like the possibility of failure, embarrassment or illness."
<br /><br />I already found this approach very helpful when I was going through years of <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/search?q=infertility">infertility</a>. Instead of letting myself dwell on what I didn't have (a child / a body able to conceive and carry a baby by to term without medical assitance..) and comparing myself to others, I would try to focus on what I did have (a loving husband, supportive family, good friends..). It helped me move forward on the particularly dark days.
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There have been many advantages to being able to work from home for sure, but the main disadvantage I find is that you can feel quite lonely and isolated at times. The house feels errily quiet unless I turn on music or radio in the background. I was able to take advantage of the lovely weather to meet up with friends outdoors the past few months in a way that would still keep us all safe from catching or spreading Covid. However, now that it's a lot colder and Germany is experiencing a second wave, trying to have some semblance of social life will be a real challenge. It's going to end up being partly a choice between mental and physical health risks. If I'm not able to meet friends for a long time, it could lead to me feeling depressed, but any potential get together could involve us risking catching the virus which I obviously want to avoid.
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I guess we need to look at this time as a challenge and do our best to find the joy in the little moments. Another line from the article above which resonated with me was: "We might recognise, for instance, that it’s a time for baking comfort food or cosy evenings curled up under a blanket in front of a box set – practising a little bit of the Norwegian <i>koselig</i>." Now, who doesn't like the sound of that?
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWvfySkEpA8/X3rpCqJqg3I/AAAAAAAABgo/GnsXQiRoIPkfnU2NWGjdwXMZey_PrI2wgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/koselig.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWvfySkEpA8/X3rpCqJqg3I/AAAAAAAABgo/GnsXQiRoIPkfnU2NWGjdwXMZey_PrI2wgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/koselig.jpg"/></a></div>dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-62434585688855706112020-08-28T07:46:00.002-07:002020-08-28T07:46:48.975-07:00Staycation<br />
Typically I try to save my holidays from work up in order to go on trips back to Ireland. This August I had some time off planned and initially it felt rather <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2020/08/feeling-distance.html" > <strike>sad</strike> strange not to be travelling </a> due to the pandemic. We had thought about the idea of going somwhere within Germany but hubby had a Covid-19 scare (negative thankfully) and we didn't get around to planing anything. So we ended up having a two week statcation instead and.. it was great!
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It was refreshing not to have the stress that comes along with travel actually. The planning, packing, unpacking, train and/or car journeys. I've heard that a lot of holiday spots around Germany have been extra packed lately as everyone has the same idea which carries a higher Covid-19 risk. The past few months have been <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2020/06/life-during-pandemic.html"> so busy </a> that I hadn't seen some of my close friends here since before the pandemic so I decided to use this free time to arrange meetups - some with kids and some without (having my hubby finally available for more minding was great!).
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We also filled up our days with some nice family trips too - going to feed the ducks, picnics in the park, getting ice cream, walks in the woods, spending time at lakes. Lots of cycling and time outdoors basically which was good for the soul. Having a break from work deadlines and stress is always welcome too, of course!
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Here are a few random pictures from my camera roll.
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How have you been spending your Summer?
<br /><br />dubliner in Deutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16531838540641364420noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-87662123950715392572020-08-05T02:04:00.002-07:002020-08-05T02:04:58.030-07:00Feeling the distance<br />
It is over ten years since I moved to southern Germany. Life has, for the most part, been good. There are many advantages to living in Germany. Of course there are times when I miss Ireland, although it is mainly the people there I miss the most. I think back nostalgically on my memories of growing up in Dublin. However, I am settled here now and Germany feels like my home.
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It has always given me great comfort knowing that if I ever want to go back to Ireland for a vist, I could. Flights usually cost anything from around 80€ to 350€ return depending on whether you book last minute or whether it's peak season. Between travelling to the airport, the flight and getting to my family home in Ireland, it takes around eight hours in total.
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Flying back to Ireland for every event I am invited to there of course isn't possible (unfortunately!) but over the years I have been able to make it over roughly 3 times a year. Friends and family have also visited me here which has been lovely, and between the various visits back and forth and the help of technology to keep in touch (whatsapp, skype/google hangout, phonecalls), Ireland hasn't felt all that far away.
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However, now with the current Coronavirus pandemic, all that has changed. Suddenly Ireland may as well be as far away as Australia, because that's how it feels. I am still in touch with family and many friends but it's frustrating and even heartbreaking at times not knowing when it will be safe to tavel again. Other expat friends I have spoken to here feel the same way. I have been comforting myself with the thought that once there is a vaccine widely available (maybe by next Summer?), we will plan a really long trip to Ireland to try to make up for all the missed moments now.
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Totally unrelated to the pandemic, my father has put our family home on the market. He had been talking about it for a several years so I did have lots of time to get used to the idea but there is something really sad about the thought of not being able to stay there when I do eventually make it back to Ireland.. dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852337025953891596.post-43824597710498292122020-06-25T09:55:00.003-07:002020-06-25T09:55:46.362-07:00Life during a pandemicIt's been almost three months since my last <a href="http://dublinerindeutschland.blogspot.com/2020/03/life-on-hold.html">Coronavirus post</a> which goes to show you just rare it is to have a moment to blog these days! During this time I feel like I have experienced the full range of emotions but these are some that stick out...
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<b>Anxiety </b>
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Initially hubby and I both felt very anxious about the situation - how could you not? We worried about our loved ones getting sick and were upset hearing about all the people worldwide who had lost someone- or even several people to the disease. Being an expat living in Germany I now feel even more isolated. Before the pandemic, Ireland was still "only" a plane ride away if need be, whereas now I have no idea when I will be able to see my family again. I would love if it could be this year at some stage but I am struggling with the decision because I don't want to put myself or others at risk of infection if I were to fly over there.
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In the early days of the lockdown, I had a recurring fear about my husband and I both getting sick and having to go to hospital and I worried about what would happen to our daughter in that case. There was also a time when my Dad had potential exposure to Covid-19 and I was convinced that he had it and I felt really worried until he was in the clear. I had heard horrific stories about people dying alone in hospital devoid of any visitors. Thankfully, my loved ones haven't been affected by Covid-19 and Ireland and Germany are managing to flatten the curve. This has helped with my anxiety over time.
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<b>Stress</b>
<br /><br /> The first month or two was extremely stressful as we were adjusting to life during the lockdown. For me the hardest aspect has been trying to keep up with my job without having any childcare. Initially husband and I were both working from home and we were able to take turns minding our daughter while the other one worked, even if it meant working in the evenings or at the weekend. I found it really difficult at times to focus on my assignments with all the distractions and my productivity was suffering though.
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Later on my husband was required to be physically present at work, initially only on certain days but then later full time making things more challenging for me. So my days would generally be spent working and only taking breaks to help mind my daughter or do housework. Barely any time to ever unwind for a moments. Hubby and I had a lot of arguments as is probably to be expected when you have two people who are extra stressed! I remember hearing that in China once lockdown was lifted there was a spike in people considering divorce and I could understand why! We mainly argued over things such as the division of labour and what we could or couldn't do due to Coronavirus. Anyway, thankfully hubby and I are communicating and getting on MUCH better lately.
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This graphic is just tongue-in-cheek by the way, I realize there are many people who have less free time during Coronavirus times, not just parents- for instance health care and other essential workers. It's just when I see so many suggestions on social media about how to use all "the extra free time" on projects such as de-cluttering your house or learning foreign languages, I can't help thinking how different that is from my house at the moment. I don't mean it as a complaint, having my daughter at home more is wonderful, it is just also difficult at times when I don't have any opportunities to do things for myself such as exercising. I have decided that I'm not going to feel guilty about the extra screen time my daughter is being exposed to, because sometimes it's the only way I can find a moment to prepare food for us or just sit on the couch and switch off after a long day. I will say, that Mini and I both love the movie <i>Frozen two</i> and Netflix's <i>Boss Baby</i> tv series!
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<b>Lonely</b>
<br /><br /> There have been times where I've felt lonely and isolated. During the first six weeks, the only people I saw were my husband, daughter and strangers out walking. Thankfully there were some Zoom calls organized with friends which did help but I barely had time to attend them since I was already so busy juggling everything. And then, once people were allowed to meet up outside at a social distance, we still couldn't do that much - we don't have a car and were too nervous to use car sharing, travelling using public transport was advised against and I was having some issues with my bike so I still wasn't able to see most of my friends. Even if it were possible to get together, I found that many people were still too nervous to meet even once it was permitted. That's still how it is actually. I did manage to meet a few friends individually over the past few weeks thankfully but it was been lonely and isolating at times. My daughter is great but you miss adult conversation..
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<b>Appreciation</b>
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It hasn't all been bad though. Since I haven't had to be anywhere by certain times, we have been able to move at a slower pace. I don't have that crazy rush in the mornings trying to get myself and Mini ready to leave the house early to bring her to daycare and go to the office. I realize now that I used to over plan my life a lot in order to maximize my time but that didn't leave Mini with enough moments to just have "free play". For instance I had signed her up for a gymnastics class but I think that she's too young to get much out of it and she's actually much happier with simple things such as going for a walk or playing with mud in the garden! We also feel very grateful to have each other and that none of our loved ones have gotten sick.
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<b>Resourceful</b>
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Since we were trying to avoid going to the supermarket as much as possible we would try to only shop once and get enough to last us for 2-3 weeks. This meant having to meal plan and use up items in our cupboards. We have been cooking much more often which has been a nice side effect. My husband even started baking bread. <br /><br />
Initially the playgrounds were closed in Germany. Devoid of play groups or other structured activities, I had to come up with lots of crafts and imaginative play we could do at home. It has been fun teaching Mini to paint and baking with her.
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<b>Gratitude</b>
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I guess this is similar to the appreciation post. Being able to spend this extra time with Mini has been something that I will always treasure. Her general development has come on in leaps and bounds and I do think the extra individual attention has helped her. Her English language skills have now overtaken her German which has been nice for me to see.
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It has been such a strange time in general. At this stage, several months in, many people are getting frustrated with the restrictions. I can completely understand that and of course it is a very difficult situation. However, I also know for the sake of those in the high risk groups who are in danger of becoming seriously ill if they catch the virus, it is a bad idea to let ourselves become too complacent at this stage.
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One positive aspect I notice is that without the distractions of a busy social schedule, I get the impression people have been being given an opportunity to examine everything around them and think about what new world we want to build after all this is over. Instead of just "going back to normal", let's create a better society for everyone! The coronavirus has been a tradegy for humans, no doubt about that, but there have been many <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-climate-change.html">positive effects on the environment </a>which I hope could lead to real action against Climate Change for one. I also fully support the peaceful protests for racial equality and against police brutality that have been happening around the world and hope we will continue to fight against injustice until all lives are valued.
dublinerinDeutschlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14804856792598440633noreply@blogger.com6