Berlin!

It’s a late Tuesday afternoon and I’m waiting on my bus to start its engine and take me back to Hamburg. I spent the last four days in Berlin! It was a nice trip, though it flew by really fast. I stayed with Greg and he was a great host – I had my own pullout couch to sleep on and everything – he really made me feel at home. (If you’re reading this, thanks again Greg, you’re a great friend!)

I left for Berlin early Saturday morning and arrived at the bus terminal at 2 pm, where Greg was waiting to greet me. From there, we went straight to his house so I could drop off my things. Before we parted ways, Greg gave me some tips on how to figure out Berlin's (super complicated) transit system. I hopped on the u-bahn and headed for the station near Iwona and Kasia’s hostel. I ended up waiting for them outside of a shopping centre because I couldn’t figure out the directions to their hostel. So while sitting around waiting to be found, from behind me I heard a familiar voice say, “are you lost young lady?” Haha, it was SO great to see one of my best friends after so long – in a foreign city nonetheless! The three of us ended up having a lovely day together, as we explored the city and had dinner at a delicious Thai restaurant. From there, we headed back to the girls’ hostel to get ready for a night out. Greg joined us for the night and the four of us checked out a couple of cool places, including a beach-themed rooftop bar, where people were sitting around and listening to live music. We then went to what Greg described as a “club,” but what was really a bar in a basement. The girls and I were keen on experiencing the livelier scene which Berlin is so famous for, so we convinced Greg to take us to Berghain – a club that I’d read about in nearly every “must see” list on Berlin. Greg tried to deter us from going, but finally gave in, which we all very much regretted later. This is because after lining up for about two hours in the freezing cold and watching about 50% of the people in the long line get turned away, we too were turned away by the doorman at Berghain. SO, of all the times I’ve ever been out I’ve never experienced anything remotely close to this – not to say I’m some spoiled, bouncer-schmoozing, expectant girl. But come on, to be turned away in a foreign city? We were all shocked, and Greg was just left shaking his head. So, why were we left to such unfortunate circumstances, do you ask (and why did my poor friend Greg try to convince us not to go to this ridiculous club)? Because (after doing some research I learnt that) Berghain is one of the most exclusive clubs in the world, specifically because of its social engineering. They award entry to people based on who has already gone inside so that you never get too many tourists, or too many straight people, or too many white people, or too many women, or too many coloured people, or too many men, or too many... you get the idea. I learnt that this specific system of selecting who can and cannot be given entry into Berghain is ultimately what makes it “special,” as it ensures an eclectic mix of people are present inside the club at all times. I also learnt that some people (specifically electronic music lovers) make trips to Berlin specifically to attempt (up to several times on any given weekend) to be awarded entry into Berghain. This is made possible for these poor souls because Berghain is open continuously for about 4 days in a row every week – God only knows how that’s possible, and one is left questioning what the hell is going on inside. After that failed adventure we were all exhausted, cold and ready for bed!

Gendarmenmarkt

My second day was spent with just the girls at what was hands down the coolest flea market I’d ever been to. It was massive and sported lots of funky vendors, goods and fashion. The market was nestled alongside a park that was packed with people who were lounging and picnicking on grass fields. There were several live musical acts stationed throughout the park, including a giant communal karaoke event. It was so much fun! From there, the girls and I parted ways, as they were due to take a train to Paris that evening. I spent the second half of my day adventuring on my own. I saw remains of the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Tiergarten Park, and the Holocaust Memorial. I then walked to Potsdamer Platz, where an Italian Cultural Festival was taking place. It was small, so I checked it out fairly quickly before heading back to Greg’s for some much needed rest. 

The following day was spent with Greg, who did a great job of showing me a local experience of Berlin. We started our day at “Dali Berlin,” an exhibition that I had anticipated seeing since I’d arrived in the city. Salvador Dali’s work is incredible, and to have seen some pieces in the flesh was a real treat. From there, we headed out to a funky, multicultural neighbourhood where we ate delicious Lebanese food at a little place Greg frequents. The shops and cafés in this neighbourhood were great, and when it began raining we had the perfect excuse to check a couple out. Once the rain subsided we saw a handful of other places – including Mauer Garten; the East Berlin Wall Gallery, a beautiful old church that’s been taken over by squatters and artists in protest of the city’s previous attempts at destroying it (where we got to see a small art exhibition); YAAM, a cool reggae beach club that sits along a river where you can find everything from rickety beach chairs to ganja-selling Africans; and finally a view of East Berlin, where we also saw a piece by Banksy (or so the rumors go) sitting proudly against a brick wall. 

Today was my last one in Berlin, and I wanted an early start. After getting up, saying goodbye to Greg before he left for work, and having a quick breakfast, I set off for the famous Pergamon Museum. The museum is located at Museum Island, the name given to the space where several great museums sit alongside each other amidst manicured gardens. Immediately upon walking into Pergamon, I understood the reason behind museum's notoriety, as I was welcomed by the great Zeus Altar from 160 BC. It was so majestic and took my breath away. From thereon out, each subsequent room contained artwork, artefacts and remains from classical antiquity, ancient Islamic empires and the Ancient Near East. It was a great way to spend a few hours. After a quick lunch at Alexander Platz, I headed back to Greg’s to get my things and took a train back to the central bus station, which is where I am now. Overall, it was a solid trip! 

If you’re into the aesthetics of a city, then Berlin may not be for you – it’s a city which is playing catch up over the reality that not too long ago two completely different sociocultural worlds were fused into one. There’s construction happening everywhere, it’s not all that clean, it’s a little unorganized. But, Berlin has a TON to offer pretty much anyone interested in anything – you will find an array of cultures, excellent food, art, music, a night life tailored to all sorts of people. It’s a sprawling city and maneuvering around it can be complicated at times with the impressively complicated transit system, but thankfully you can ask pretty much anyone for help and every sign is translated in English as well. In short, I loved it. It was a great place to spend a few days and I definitely could have spent a few more!

From Canada to Germany

Last I wrote, I had two weeks to go in the Explore program... It is now over 5 weeks later and I am writing from my Uncle's living room in Hamburg. Suffice it to say, this post will be a long one!

My last few weeks in Quebec were spent exploring Trois Rivieres and returning to Montreal two more times. After my weekend of relaxation, it was back to the books! It was in that week that I finally began to develop a sense of understanding about when to use which tense when speaking in French. The damned language is beautiful, but ever so complicated! It was also in that week that I experienced my favourite night in TR. On the Friday night before we were due to leave for Montreal for the weekend, a few friends and I decided we'd go and explore the town a bit. After long days at school, and with the campus being a long walking distance from town, we were beginning to feel a little cooped up. Luckily for us, we discovered that there was live street music on the main street in town that night! There was a jazz band with an older female singer whose sound was soulful; another band composed of young kids who'd made their own instruments from planks of wood and recyclable products – they were my favourite, because the lead singer was singing Amy Winehouse and Adele songs like they were written just for her; and the final act we saw was referred to by locals as "Bob Marley," who did a fair job at living up to the name. Alongside walking through the town, taking photos, watching the sunset and jamming to great music, we stumbled across a biker named Mathew. He was bicycling across Canada (began in Victoria, and was due to finish in Halifax) and ended up being a really nice person to chat with. We all enjoyed his company and it reminded me of the random meetings I'd have with fellow travellers while in Fiji... the conversations that ensue through such encounters are always the best. After the music ended and we bid Mathew farewell, our little group headed over to our favourite pub in town – Embuscade – which sports an outdoor fire pit and hip hop/old school jams! It was a really fun night and a great way to kick off our weekend, the rest of which was spent travelling to Montreal as a group. I managed to do more touristy things while out there with the university, including a trip to the Montreal Biodome, which albeit being a lackluster version of Vancouver's Aquarium, was still a good amount of fun. My favourite part was when I legit spent five full minutes watching penguins chat flamboyantly (well, it looked like they were chatting to me). That night was spent hanging out at our hostel and dancing at a few places in town. I can't say that we necessarily experienced the best night life that Montreal is so famous for because we didn't plan well enough, but it was still a solid weekend! That brings me to my final 5 days in Trois Rivieres, which were spent wrapping up classes and celebrating! My professor gave us a heartfelt goodbye, which consisted of showing us the videos that he had taken of each of us introducing ourselves in French on the very first day of class. It was hilarious to see how terrible we were, and exciting to realize how far we'd come in just five short weeks of French immersion. Alongside our final karaoke night, ladies' night, class, tutorial and cafeteria meal, we all attended a makeshift "graduation" ceremony, which was a fun way to bring the program to an end. Of course our last night was spent at Embuscade, which ended up being the perfect place to celebrate our newfound friendships and bring an end to what was a really fun experience!

The environmentally-friendly, super talented band.

My favourite building in Trois Rivieres.

Montreal.

The penguins at Biodome.

Night out in Montreal.

UQTR.

The girls from our class with our Prof.

The end of the program meant that I was finally able to visit with Laily, Mehdi and Sonia again! The three of them showed me a really great time and I am so blessed to have such wonderful cousins. We had a great week of catching up and exploring Montreal further. One day that really stood out for me was my Sunday in Montreal, where us girls went up to Mount Royal to see the sights and spent some time jamming with the tam tam players. Each Sunday of summer, a group of people gathers at the bottom of Mount Royal, where they dance and play the tams. It was basically a big hippie fest, and I loved every minute of it! During this time, I also had the opportunity to visit with some of my dad's extended family who live in the Montreal area. All in all it was a great week, and a lovely way to end my month and a half in Quebec.

The Tams at Mount Royal.

<3

From there, Laily and I caught a bus to Toronto, where I spent 5 days visiting with my Grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was so lovely seeing everyone after three years, and I got to celebrate Eid with family members for the first time since I was a kid! We spent Eid at Toronto's India Bazaar, which was packed with Pakistani people who were fully dressed for the festivities. We ate dinner at Lahore Tikka House, which I highly recommend to anyone headed to Toronto who likes authentic Indian food. Another one of my days was spent with my eldest aunt, uncle and cousins at Niagara Falls, a place that I always love going to and where I have a lot of childhood memories. The Toronto trip was short but sweet, as I was reminded again of how lovely my family there is!

India Bazaar.

Niagara Falls.

CN Tower.

This brings us to Germany, where I am happily staying for now. I flew here via Finnair, a cheap airline that allowed me to avoid breaking the bank. With that said, the plane had old-school shared televisions and terrible food, lol. On the bright side, I slept for most of the 8 hour flight and was happy to wake up in Germany! Within minutes of my arrival at my Uncle Tamim's home, my grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins flooded through the door! It was a fun evening of eating my Grandma's delicious Afghan food and catching up with relatives. My two weeks here have consisted of celebrating a handful of family members' birthday parties, a day at my favourite amusement park here, daily runs through adorable German neighbourhoods, and lots of quality time with family. I got to see my friend Greg this past weekend, whom I had originally became friends with in Fiji. He's going to be moving to Hamburg in October and was in town to see apartments,  giving us a chance to hang out for the day! Other than that, I am planning a trip to Berlin soon, where one of my best friends from home will be visiting also! From there, Iwona, her sister Kasia and I will be doing some travelling within Europe together, which I am beyond stoked for! I'm currently jumping back and forth between staying with my grandparents, and with my uncle, his wife and kids. Staying at my uncle's house is really fun because my cousins live in homes on either side, so there's never a dull moment! However, it is at my grandparents' apartment where I feel most at home, as I have so many memories there and find it so peaceful. I managed to finish reading "The Book of Negroes" while relaxing with my Grandma at home, and I must mention how incredible that book is. It forced me to view human nature in an entirely different light – a far more dim one – and it broke my heart, but I highly recommend it.

DOM.

This time in Germany is meant to be for me to enjoy, for the first time since I can remember, being a citizen of the world with no title. I am not a student, nor a volunteer, nor an employee. I am taking what I know is a small window of time to be as free as a bird... I'm excited that I don't yet know what's next. An internship in Africa, teaching English in Asia, completing a TEFL certification in Europe, post-grad work... who knows?! I recently read an Aboriginal Proverb that said: "We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home." I believe my coming across this proverb – during an exact moment where I found myself briefly panicking over the fact that for the first time I am plan-less – was the universe's way of reminding me what I already know... that our time here is fleeting, that life is meant to be lived for the now, that making time for the fulfillment our dreams is what we should live for and not "make time for." As of now, I am living out one my post-graduate dreams... which is to spend some time in my hometown of Hamburg, where summers are perfect and not a day goes by that a family member doesn't drop by just to hug me hello. This time with my grandparents, over whom I shed tears of joy and gratitude each time I get to see again, family members and friends is perfect, and I am exactly where I want to be.

xoxo

Je suis une francophone!

Salut!

My upkeep with writing in this blog hasn't been great, I know, but this is because life has been pretty busy as of late! The last couple weeks have consisted of lots of schoolwork, tests, and a trip to Quebec City. The latter was obviously the highlight because Quebec City is gorgeous! After visiting there, I really understand what people mean when they say Quebec is a "must see" province! Montreal and Trois-Riveres are beautiful in their own rights as well, but Quebec City is like a whole other world! It reminded me of Europe a great deal and I was fortunate enough to be there in time for the city's summer festival. Again, lots of incredible musical talents, street performers and fun! I stayed there for two days/one night with a big group of girlfriends. Our first morning consisted of a guided tour of the city, where we had a chance to see some of the city's famous landmarks, including Chateau Frontenac, the National Assembly building, and historic Old Quebec. My favourite was Old Quebec, where quaint little shops and unique restaurants line cobblestone streets. Artwork and culture are ever present in Quebec and it was a pleasure to be a tourist in such a place. The Explore program set up an afternoon excursion to Chute Montmorency, a large waterfall on the Montmorency River. We walked a trail around the entire fall, which ended up being quite the hike on a pretty hot day – it was beautiful though and worth the effort! By the end of the afternoon we were all pretty beat and ended up at a restaurant called "L'Accent" for lunch. This is where I had my first real Quebecois poutine, and not going to lie, I wasn't all that impressed. Laily had already warned me that in Quebec, cheese curds are used in poutine instead of cheese that melts and I have to say that I'm not really into it. I guess that's a good thing though, since I don't necessarily want to love something so unhealthy! After dinner, we headed to our hostel where we got ready for a night on the town. It was such a fun time getting to explore Quebec City at night! The Festival was well under way and there were hundreds of people celebrating on the streets. We ended our day at "Dagobert," one of Quebec City's most popular spots for dancing, where we ran into pretty much all of the other Explore kids who were staying in Quebec City for the night. The next day was spent exploring the town further, before hopping back on buses to return to Trois Rivieres. 

On Fridays, classes end at 12:30 rather than the usual 3:00 pm. On the Friday before we left for Quebec City, Explore set up an excursion to the local beach for some fun in the sun! This past Friday we experienced a pretty crazy storm – rain, wind and thunder. I had been feeling slightly under the weather, (daily transitions between the intense heat outside and icy air-conditioned buildings began to take a toll) so I spent the entire day indoors, resting and enjoying some alone time. This entire weekend has been a chill one – kicked off Saturday with a run and brunch with my roommates, and spent the night dancing in centreville, while Sunday consisted of lounging poolside all day. I love lazy weekends like these! 

On the school front, things are alright... I've been struggling quite a bit with the professor who teaches my group, because I've found his teaching methods to be pretty unhelpful so far. We spend one hour each day (that's one third of our class time) singing children's songs – no joke. The other two hours are spent marking homework from the day before (which usually tends to be simple worksheets) and playing occasional children's games in French. My friend who is in the same level as me but with another professor tells me that they're learning so much and they don't sing at all! Unfortunately, my professor's lack of a holistic method has meant that we're not learning enough grammar and vocabulary. There are a few other people in my class who are equally frustrated with him and we've tried voicing our concerns, but unfortunately he doesn't agree that singing is unhelpful for language students. Thankfully, my tutorials have been great – one is a conversation class, and the other is a computer lab with lots of helpful software to study from! I've been making the best of the situation by teaching myself as much as possible, and I definitely feel that practicing my French after leaving the classroom has helped a lot. After all, while in Explore "je suis une Francophone!" I'm definitely going to continue to advance my French after the program ends.

Beach Day! 

Love Quebecois breakfasts!

I can't believe that there are only two weeks left here. Although I'm having a great time and am really happy to have met some of the friends I've made, I definitely feel like I'll be ready to move on by the end because I'm excited for what comes next! I'll be visiting with Laily again for another week before continuing on to see my family in Toronto. After that comes Hamburg! 

Well, that's all for now. Bon soiree!

XO

Commencer.

Bonjour!

So I’ve returned to the gracious convenience of blogging, in an effort to remain alive in the worlds of my dear ones at home. Also, I skimmed old blog entries from Fiji and I have to say that the ability to read back about emotions, discoveries and thoughts from adventures that have passed is pretty incredible. With that said, I’m still in Canada for now, so I don’t know if my posts will be nearly as exciting as past ones and I probably won’t have tons to say until I continue my travels later in the summer... regardless, I’ve been asked by a few people to try, so this is for you guys :)

For starters, tonight is the first time that I’ve turned my laptop on (from its airplane friendly off mode) since being in Quebec. Pretty crazy how busy I’ve been in my first week and a half of arriving! Regardless, je suis au Quebec et je suis heureux! 

My first few days in Quebec were spent staying with my wonderful cousins, Laily and Mehdi - they are the coolest! I enjoyed my time with them so much and am so grateful for their love and hospitality. Our cousin Sonia came to visit and ended up staying at Laily's for two nights as well! It was such a fun time. Alongside spending some quality time catching up, we managed to do some touristy things in Montreal as well. This included breakfast dates at some pretty stellar breakfast restaurants (I’ve come to learn that the Quebecois take their breakfast and cafés very seriously), one full day of sightseeing in Montreal, and an evening of music at the International Montreal Jazz Festival! I was really attracted to all that Montreal has to offer... there are several little areas with varying artistic and cultural things to see and experience. Also, I haven’t seen as much live street music in one day as I did during my one day in Montreal! I’ll be returning there for about one week after my program is over, so I’ll have more to share then!

Premier Moisson, a delicious café in Montreal.

Family!

Performers at the Jazz Festival.

International Montreal Jazz Festival.

Montreal streets.

A second-hand shop in Montreal. Aka ART.

The day they dropped me off in Trois Rivieres!

Currently, I’m staying in a small town called Trois-Rivières, which is situated somewhere between Montreal and Quebec City. It’s a quaint town with far more Francophone people than the province’s bigger cities, which is precisely why I chose to come here. I had heard that attempting to learn French in Montreal would be futile, as residents immediately opt for speaking English upon detecting an Anglophone accent. After the few days I spent in Montreal, I can attest to that! So, my hopes of being fully immersed brought me here and I am glad because I have to say that my French has already improved! I am here for a five week intensive French program that is subsidized by the federal government (yes, I too was surprised to learn that they care to support education after all!). My weekdays consist of 5 hours of French class and tutorials. In addition, we participants were required to swear an oath to speak ONLY in French for the entire five weeks that we are here. Thankfully, this really only applies to public places (meaning anywhere on campus, excluding our apartments). With that said, this aspect of the program is taken extremely seriously – we have been warned that local business owners and taxi drivers are aware of our program rules and have been encouraged to give us "red cards" should they hear us speaking in English. This means we're constantly checking our shoulders while out and about in town, because should we receive a maximum of three red cards, we would be expelled from the program. As you can imagine, this is pretty intense – being required to constantly speak in a language that I am not yet fluent in can be mentally exhausting. Despite the occasional difficulties, I am glad that the program is set up in this way because I have to say that I have absorbed more in one week of being here than I did in half of a semester of French classes in high school or uni!

Anywho, some fun updates include the fact that I’ve met a few really cool people out here. I’m living in a four-person apartment with 3 other ladies... two of whom are from Vancouver, while the other is from Ottawa. Also, I should mention that one of the people who I’ve hung out with most since being out here happens to know Iwona from high school, also works at Lougheed Mall and lives down the street from me. Small world! A few of the other girls I've come to know are from various parts of Canada. Together we've explored the centre-ville (Trois-Rivières’s downtown, which is a ten minute drive away from our university campus), spent some time at the campus pub where there are karaoke nights and good music, and checked out the local music festival which is running for two weeks while we are here! The festival offered some great music on Canada Day and I enjoyed getting to see how the locals here celebrate the holiday.

The Music Festival in Trois Rivieres!

Karaoke night!

Yep.

The one downside to Trois-Rivières is that the food and restaurants out here are pretty bad. For example, on Canada Day a group of us went to a restaurant where we were made to wait 45 minutes for our food, failed to ever receive water refills, and were tricked into getting extra cheese on our pasta (which we were subsequently charged $4.00 for without being told in advance). On top of all that, we all disliked our meals because the pasta was super bland – and in my case burnt! Oh, and I paid $30 for just that dish. Haha. It was an experience, that’s for sure. The cafeteria food that we are fed with as part of the program is not great either... the salad bar is the only healthy option and I can’t say that it has the freshest food. In Fiji, I would buy my own fresh produce and food, and the restaurant options were always delicious and well priced. In Vancouver, we’re pretty spoiled with our abundance of restaurant options, service and fresh produce markets as well. So that’s been the only real adjustment for me, which I’m making the best of by buying my own food from the local IGA on occasion. OH, and the heat here can be intense... super humid and hot, but I don’t mind that because I’m just happy that it’s summer. Plus, Suva prepared me well for that!

This past weekend I went to Montreal again for two nights so that I could spend Laily's birthday with her. It was such a nice visit and a great way to distance myself from the intensity of living in a Francophone world on campus for a bit! Since returning to uni, I've been ready to learn and am happy about my little life here. There's a trail right outside my apartment that I've been going for runs on which has been fun! I also finally set up my internet connection and decided to write a bit. That brings me to the end! I’ve rambled on for days... sorry for making this read such a long one, and if you’ve managed to make it to here, kudos! Haha. I’m missing you guys, who know who you are :)

Gros bisous,
Ghazal < 3 

View from a run last week.

Getting creative with food!

Bonne fête a toi! 

With my lovely Laily on her birthday!

Home.

Lately, I often find myself wondering why it is that we can’t live like nomads. 
Wander from place to place, with no citizenship or passport. No titles. I feel that destitution exists there which we allow ourselves to be trapped by. Living solitary lives, rather than branching out and away from that which we are familiar with. Gypsies are shunned in most societies for their lack of normative behaviours; but it is they that I envy, as their capacity to move and live freely is both rare and courageous.

Some days, I want to be a gypsy.

It is exactly one month since I left Fiji. Coming home has been more than an end to a semester abroad for me... it has meant leaving behind a life that I deem preferable. North America has too long been regarded as the ultimate destination for provisions and the achievements of hopes and dreams. This incorrect assessment of a place which I "should" feel fortunate to be living has become more clear than ever upon my return.

Over the years, I have made all sorts of plans for life after the completion of my Bachelor’s Degree, and yet as I approach its completion I am learning that plan-making is futile, as we have absolutely no idea where our paths will lead to. 

All I can hope is that someday I will find myself back on the sands of the South Pacific, where I was happier than I’ve been in all my life.

Vinaka vakalevu for caring to keep tabs on me during the last few months... until next time, xoxo.

Departure

[bits from my final journal entry; July 5]

It's nearly 9 pm, which means my flight will begin boarding within the next 25 minutes. 

I just underwent what was the absolute hardest goodbye of my life.

Despite how tough this all is, I find solace in knowing that from the very moment I first stepped foot in Nadi until now, I have LOVED Fiji.

I have always known that traveling will be among the pinnacles of my life – it's partly why I chose to major in International Relations. I know I should feel nothing short of grateful that my first time living away from home was in a country as incredible as this one. I arrived here a girl who thought she knew so much, but leave having learnt far more through a wealth of experiences that epitomize love, culture, knowledge and joy. My last few days in Fiji were spent in my Fijian home, with a couple of my best girls and with my favourite person in this world doing what we do best – having fun & loving life =)

I can honestly say that I will be back in the South Pacific someday... with arms wide open <3