All Good Things.

This day exactly one year ago was the day I began my adventure so it only seems fitting that today I write my last blog post.
To those of you who have read from the beginning:
1. Thank you so much for your attention, and
2. If you were willing to read all that rambling then you probably should seek professional help.
There has been highs, lows, frustrations, anger, laughs, staying up until dawn, staying in bed all day and most certainly everything in between.
If for some unknown reason you want to continue reading the pixelated version of the nonsense that could only be from my mind (again, professional help. Just saying) I can be found here from now on. (Warning: Will contain ranting about Final year)

Thanks for giving me a place to rant and rave depending on the situation and hopefully managed to offer some nuggets of information that will actually be found  useful. This is now a place that can be revisited to relive some of the madness that has occurred over the last 12 months.

See you guys soon and all the best.
-Claire

Bureaucracy The Eternal Pain In The....

So I haven't updated in a while.
3 reasons:
1. Not being on Erasmus any more means there is a distinct lack of Erasmus-y type things to write about
2. The only Erasmus-y type things that have been going on have been insanely dull and bureaucratic
3 I've been watching quite a lot of Netflix.

However I said my loyal reader (thanks again Mom) deserved a brief run-down on the boring part because as I have previously stated it's not fun and games all the time.
So we all know that bureaucracy can be the world's biggest pain in the......neck, lets keep it PG. It can be an even bigger pain in the neck when you're trying to get things organised from a remote location. (More of which can be read about here. Hurray for shameless self promotion!)
All Erasmus students must apply for a transcript of records containing all their results for a date to be set by their home University. Unfortunately your home and visiting Universities may not work in tandem leaving you to send frantic emails on a borrowed WiFi connection on the outskirts of Manchester 3 days before you 'must' and I repeat 'MUST' have it submitted. Thankfully after many stressful hours and even more panicked emails said transcript arrived at the UCC international office just about on time....only to be followed by more requirements in the form of a confirmation that I sat the exam. Apparently the fact that I sat (and failed) the exam (with a 5,0 to prove it) isn't enough. Now tracking down these confirmations should be simple yeah? HA! Well this isn't entirely true.
Within 2 hours of emailing the Politics department I was in possession (we as in possession as a person can get of pixels on a screen) of my confirmation. Unfortunately the department of Economics, the department I was actually enrolled to keeps finding problems and issues and if someone was to tell me they invented the phrase passing the buck I would believe them without hesitation.
So in summation (the academic season is almost upon us. Closing paragraphs are now a must):

• Bureaucracy is a pain in the neck
• Getting what you need from offices without face to face communication is up there with becoming a fully fledged astronaut for NASA
• People tend to not be helpful over email and may refer you to an email that doesn't in fact exist
• Dealing with 2 Universities at once is hard

However I am glad to report that all remaining paperwork is simply to allow my final grade for the year to be finalised. A result which I am glad to report was a pass.
Yes dear reader, contrary to what I know you believed, I managed to undergo an academic enrichment worthy of the passing grade for a full University year.
Or at least successfully managed to convince someone important that I did at the very least.

A Pointless Ramble (Now With 100% Extra Rambling)

So it's August 3rd.
I find this very odd. My completely rational reasoning? To me this date never existed. I know hat sounds crazy, but stick with me on this one.
For the first time in about 2 years I'm not counting down to anything, be it counting down to leaving home and heading to Germany or vice versa. In my head life didn't exist past the end of July. This time last year I couldn't see past leaving for Germany and as I thought spending a year being lonely and miserable. 3 weeks after leaving I was trying to deny the fact that time was slipping (rapidly) away.
Now it's over and I'm trying to adjust to that. To the fact that having a chat with people will no longer be popping over for a cuppa but will require an internet connection and a screen (and before anyone breaks out the 'Back in my day....' speech I am well aware I'm lucky to have that much a'ight)
My only dealings left with Germany, for now, are getting results (any time you want guys. Tick tock.) and apply for my Transcript of Records. Expect an angry rant RE: Bureaucracy in the next few days.

I guess this post did have a point after all. Since I (in theory) set up this blog 1. As a way to keep track of everything I was doing and be able to look back on it when ever I wanted and 2. To give advice to future ERASMUS students. I  realise I failed miserably but you're the one currently reading this so who's the silly one in this relationship?
So this is my advice regarding going home: No matter how much you detest/detested the idea of going you will miss your host country. Like it or not it's a place you're going to have spent a year of your life which is quite a sizeable chunk. You're going to have met fantastic people that you're going to have to say bis später to, but as I've already mentioned it doesn't have to be goodbye if you don't want it to. Thanks to the magic of Skype if I mention them maybe they'll pay me for advertising? anyone that wants to can stay in contact. The magic of the internet. Well that and cat videos.
I think the biggest piece of advice I can give you is something that hadn't even crossed my mind: don't expect to just fit right back in to home life. You've been away, developed your own routines and ways of doing things, didn't have to answer to anyone and made your own calls on pretty much everything. You may think you'll slot back into your place at home and maybe you will, but for me it was, and still is a different story. Home may still be the same but I most certainly am not, and you know what? That most definitely isn't a bad thing.

Don't Expect It To Be A Long One.

So at time of writing I am homeless in Germany.
I am on the brink of eating a questionable yet quite delicious pretty haphazardly thrown together meal.
I am about to go out on what will be last night in Konstanz
and finally I feel like bursting into tears.
ERASMUS is on the brink of being over and I don't quite know how to deal with that fact.

Tick Tock Goes The Clock...

Today is the 27th of June. I fly home for good on the 27th of July. This makes me too sad for words.

Please don't get me wrong. I am truly looking forward to seeing everybody at home (both 2 and 4 legged) after 4 months but it will be very bitter-sweet.
Over the next few weeks I have a lot to do. So much we were even given a list. Packing must be done, paperwork submitted, essays submitted (having sat down to do the latter being the reason I'm currently writing this) and worst of all goodbyes have to be said.

It's bizarre to think that the thing I dreaded and couldn't comprehend doing is now the thing I am drawing to the end of. To think that this time last year moving to Germany was this big thing that I couldn't even wrap my head around.
Over the last year I would like to think that I've changed for the better. There have been a lot of changes, both personal and academic. (Yeah, I learned s*it. Who'd have thought it?) I have met the most maniac and interesting people from the broadest range of backgrounds. I've made what I wish to believe will be lifelong friends. Some of which I am lucky enough to be spending another year with in UCC. Some who are a little further away but still near enough to fly to in less time than it takes to drive to Dublin (Yeah, I'm willing to fly Ryanair for you people) and some who I will be saying goodbye to for an indefinite amount of time (or until I need somewhere to say on the continent of North America). All of which will be harassed mercilessly on social networks of every form.

I am most definitely not going to dwell on it too much though. What's the point? All I know is that the next few weeks are going to be all about getting as much as I can out of every aspect of life here which will involve a highly acrobatic balancing act between actually turning assignments in on time while the little matter of exams looms on the rapidly approaching horizon and having as much fun as possible.

In the meantime: Next stop Berlin.

...'Cos It's A Lovely Sunny Day'

So the sun (and some very dodgy tan lines) temporarily arrived in Konstanz.

Now being from the rainier part of Europe it's been long engrained into my psyche to never ever waste a moment of sunshine. This has caused  issues. The main one being I have oh so much academic work to do (who would have guessed) and unfortunately my brain has decided to go into sleepy holiday mode. This is a problem. A second problem is copious amounts of ice-cream and my ever expanding waistline but that's a whinge for another time.

So how have I been spending my time I hear you ask. I think spending the greater part of of a 27 degree Saturday afternoon lying by the lake and going for the occasional dip is a pretty well utilised day in the sun, is it not?
Also barbecues. Lots of barbecues.

Basically this was partly me saying 'HA. Sun. F*ck you guys.' partly a post to buy me time until I've something worthwhile to post about again. (You can never say I'm not honest)
Unfortunately the next one is probably going to be something deep and philosophical. I know, ewwwww feelings.
Bis dann!

Bambi, Ice Cream and a Whole Lot of Eating: An Impromptu Trip To Munich

So what happens when you combine wanderlust and a 5 day weekend? One of the most hastily planned trips to Munich you could imagine.

So as I may have previously mentioned (see every previous blog post) Germany can be a little crazy at times. Add the fact that one has the potential to have their weekend begin at 2pm on a Tuesday afternoon due to one of the 4 bank holidays during the month of May and you being to feel guilty if you don't go a bit crazy yourself. Now considering that the idea to go on a trip to anywhere was conceived at lunchtime on Tuesday and completely booked by 6 pm that very evening I think we did that justice, and a pretty awesome time was had.

So what to do in Munich? Well if the weather is sunny quite a lot. Having dumped our various items we decided to embrace all the cultural wonders Munich had to offer.....from a Biergarten. Don't judge me. I'm only a person. A person in the beer capital of Germany. After our much needed pit-stop we had a wonderful stroll in the evening sun beginning in Marienplatz. We even got the joy of seeing the famous Glockenspiel in action. Unfortunately having not gotten there almighty early what we could do was limited before the shops closed, so we had to go drink more beer. Damn. Life can be really hard sometimes.

The following morning once every member of our party were finally awake we decided to wander a bit further afield, taking in the Olympic Park and BMW Welt. The day was rounded up by a lovely evening in Hofbrau Haus, which if you're not lucky enough to get to Oktoberfest is the next best thing, and a mad dash to get a Canadian with timekeeping issues to his bus on time. We got there. Barely.

The weather the following day was, shall we say, less than stellar. Nevertheless we braved the elements and ended up in the Allianz Area. Which was pretty awesome. We also attempted to do at least one thing of an academic nature and visit the Bavarian Landtag. Upon reaching the security barrier conversation went as follows:
Us: Hallo
Security Guard: Grüß Gott
Us: Können wir besuchen?
Security Guard: Nein
Still it was the though that counts right?

Unfortunately if you're not prepared for the elements you could be lacking for things to do after 5pm bar spending your evening in a pub or in our case ending up back in Hofbrau Haus. Which was by no means a bad thing.

Of course it wouldn't be me if I didn't round up with a few nuggets of useless information:

•   You cannot go to Munich and not spend the entire time gorging on all things German.
• When looking for a seat in a Hofbrau Haus-esque situation pick carefully. Your choice of bench-buddy may lead to a free Maß and some interesting conversation.
• Similarly, beware, you may get pinned into a corner by walking stereotypes. Which can only be unfortunate.
• I missed my calling to be a professional Footballer.
• I cannot go to Munich without stealing a Maß glass.
• Before going anywhere check opening times.
• If the majority are walking in the opposite direction to you they probably know something you don't.

This was most definitely the most rushed and hastily planned trip I've ever been on and was definitely up there as one of the most enjoyable. What did I learn from it? If you want to go somewhere, go. Time is short and you won't have the opportunity forever. Planning is for losers.

Nothing Went Wrong: The Italy Chronicles

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Proceed With Caution

So I'm currently on semester break. Woo free-time!

However while academic holidays are full of doing nothing with a side of piss all (which I take to a whole new level) I urge both of you regular readers to take care if you do decide to vacate your host country, be it to make sure your family hasn't forgotten what you look like or to see what wonders are on offer further afield. The reason you  should take care? Well while academics may be on hold administration certainly is not.

The first thing to beware of? Banking.
Learn from my mistakes and take special note of your foreign bank balance particularly around rent-payment time. As all of my correspondence with the bank in through a physical medium I completely missed out on the fact that my rent transaction hadn't in fact been completed, (yes it was late anyway but that's beside the point) resulting in a panicked Tuesday afternoon and 'urgent transaction handling charges' otherwise known as a kick in the teeth.

Though a major pain in the neck, banking charges can be dealt with relatively painlessly. Unfortunately not everything can be solved so easily. My advice: double and triple check that you are on the mailing list for EVERY class you're taking. It's pretty easy to slip through the cracks resulting in not receiving very important e-mails. Such as e-mails telling you the sign up dates for a repeat exam and only finding out about said e-mail the day after sign up has closed. The cost? A very slim possibility of 4 credits.

So heed my warnings dear readers and beware of admin mistakes coming back to bite you in the arse.
Oh and if you're wondering I make my triumphant return to Konstanz in less than a week so expect late, less than informative updates on a slightly more regular basis and of course expect all of the shenanigans.

1 Semester Down...

 So last Friday marked the end of Semester 1 here in Konstanz. We will soon be saying hello to a whole host of new faces and for now have been saying see you soon to some old ones. With everybody feeling a little odd about the whole situation I decided to recall just a handful of the best moments from the last 5 months and because no words could do them justice here's the choice of the many many photos that have been taken.

Ho Narro: The Insanity Of Konstanz

OK so in a bid to avoid while taking a break from studying,  of which there was a lot of, I asked a few people what they thought 'Fastnacht' was, and of course no one had any clue. So I being the academic that I am did some research.
Fastnacht is defined as:
'the pre-Lenten carnival in Alemannic folklore in Switzerland, southern Germany, Alsace and western Austria. The festival starts on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, known as Schmotziger Donnerstag or Fettdonnerstag and continues until the following Tuesday. Fastnacht is also known as Fasching or Karnival' 
(Interesting facts also include: Fastnacht is a way of scaring off Winter and welcoming in Spring and the reason for all the mask wearing is to hide your identity from God during the shenanigans and tomfoolery)
This is:
1) A fair assessment
2) No where near enough information if you plan on surviving 6 days of insanity

So dear readers, this is where you thank me once again as I (hopefully) give you all the tools you need to experience, enjoy and come out the other side of Fastnacht.

It began late Wednesday evening. I, in my innocence, was wandering through town not really paying attention to my surroundings when a family of trolls walks around the corner. Life rarely offers a proper Hollywood style double take moment but I can assure you this was one. That was the moment I realized that this was a much bigger deal than I had previously thought.
The Wednesday night parade consisted of a long procession of everything that has ever appeared in your nightmares followed by a delightful Hellfire. Yeah, it wasn't exactly your average Wednesday evening..

The following day was the big one. 'Schmotziger Dunstig' otherwise know as the day Konstanz goes f*cking insane. I wasn't aware how insane until I was woken at 7am by a brass band casually meandering down the street. It was going to be an odd one, I mean it's not everyday you get on the bus with John Lennon, Elvis, a panda, 3 trolls and a family of cows. We went for a stroll around town which led to exclamations such as 'hey look a giraffe holding baby Elmo' and 'is that a group of mushrooms playing the drums?'. I think it's pretty clear that only pictures can do this day of insanity the justice it deserves.

Now if everyday was like 'Schmotziger Dunstig' then everyone in Konstanz between the ages of 16 and 80 would be on the list for a liver transplant so a few days of respite are more than welcome. The next big day is Sunday which I guess can be considered the most family friendly day of the festivities.
This is the day of The Parade. No, not a parade. The Parade. Now when you guys think of a parade you probably think of the 40 minutes spent freezing to death on St. Patrick's Day. That would be laughed at and scorned by the people of Konstanz. The Karnival Parade is where all laws and rules are thrown out the window. No seriously, kids are encouraged to take sweets from any and everyone, girls are literally lifted from the crowd, thrown into a cage and carried off, men are shut into a coffin and dragged down the street and women have straw shoved up their dresses by people in masks. All in the name of good fun of course.

Finally we come to the final day of the celebrations. Now with it being Shrove Tuesday I had to once again struggle through the usual ridicule associated with not liking pancakes (I know, I know) and then it was off into town not quite knowing what to expect. In hindsight there couldn't possibly be a better way to close the madness than by burning effigys at various points throughout the city, right?

To say that Fastnacht was a surreal experience would be one of the biggest understatements I've ever come across. It is quite difficult to properly express how amazing it really is and if any of you have free time at the beginning of Lent you know where you need to go.
As for me, I think it would be the ideal location for an ERASMUS reunion.

 

(All photos are as usual stolen from courtesy of Rhys)

I Ran Out Of Witty Post Titles...

So what have I been up to over the past week?
Well as next week is the last week of the Winter semester it's exam season in Konstanz. The library is full, the University is a buzzing hive of activity and I've found myself in the pub 4 out of the last 5 days.... and I wonder why I haven't ever been offered student of the year.

Now I do actually have a reason for neglecting my academic life (Not that I wouldn't have neglected it anyway, it's just nice to have a reason) and no, it's not a budding alcohol problem. I had a visitor! The lovely Miss Rachel Hanly traveled all the way from Cork just to visit little ole me. I was incredibly excited for 2 reasons:
1. I hadn't seen her in a month and couldn't wait to see her.
2. I got to prove to everyone here that I actually do have friends at home and am not in fact on temporary release from some type of institution.

It's odd showing someone around Konstanz. It's a little like seeing it again for the first time. Walking down by the lake with the sun glinting on the water and the Alps clearly visible in the background (yes I forgot my camera.) makes me realize that I take the beauty of this place for granted or worse ignore it completely in favor of cute animals on the internet.

So you're in Germany for the first time. You're looking forward to experiencing all the cultural delights this new land has to offer. What do you do? Well when the person you're visiting is me you spend the entirety of Saturday in an Irish pub watching rugby. Sorry Rachey, but rugby is bigger than both of us. I had no choice!
I'm going to attempt to describe yesterday with the help of my trusty bulletpoints.

• Rugby can be enjoyed even if you have no idea whats going on.
• The more people you cram around a small T.V the better the banter you will have.
• You will eat ALOT during the course of 2 matches.
• If you meet a former All Ireland GAA finalist in a pub they will be able to tell you where you're from within 12 miles.
• If there's a question of whose fans are louder, Rugby and Bundesliga, rugby wins. Hands down.

As to the result? Well out of respect for my Welsh counterparts I won't focus on that....all I will say is Éire Abú and roll on next week.

A Few Words Of Advice In A Time Of Crisis

So I innocently logged on to check the news at home as I do every morning and was horrified to find Ireland in the grips of a major crisis. No, not the financial crisis, this is much more terrifying. Much more sinister. It snowed.
Now for the last few days everyone at home has been watching with bated breath as our dear neighbors in Britain struggled to cope with this major upheaval in their lives. Well now dear friends it's your turn.

But Claire, I hear you cry, you deal not with our struggles. Well friend, I myself find myself in a similar position of fear and uncertainty. Why, as I gaze out my window the powdery white menace creeps ever closer.
It was that fear that pushed me into imparting these tips upon you so that if I become overwhelmed by the enemy you may escape and go on to live a full and enriched life.

• Stock up: Canned food is your new best friends. You have no idea when you'll be able to reach civilization once more.
• Hibernate: It may be the easiest way to ride out the storm
• Say goodbye to your loved ones
• If the unthinkable happens and you must leave the house. Layer. Set 16 layers as a minimum and work from there

  If you have managed to read this far then I will attempt to alleviate your fear,
if living in Germany has thought me one thing it's that a fall of snow doesn't have to end life as we know it.