stuck up

I'll write in english this time, a german report will follow, soonish. I'm having a friend from America over visiting Frankfurt and it's nice to also have a longer english conversation again. Often I'd find myself thinking and dreaming in english later on...

Anyways, I'm just back from our holiday in Switzerland (pictures!) and managed to conserve that content-nonchalant feeling, keeping me a bit more happy and careless. We've been hiking in the mountains a lot, climbed 1000m up and down again, and always felt exhaustion and serenity at once. How I love being in nature, walking my own pace and step after step reaching places that seem both eternal and alternating in their appearance. We've hiked through fog and storm, along lakes and snowfields, over stones, rivers and lush meadows, and it all felt appropriate. Usually the ascent was quite steep and I tried hard to not hate it, especially since we often had around 25°C and sweated badly, but the view was always a unique reward. Even the one time we had bad weather and hiked in a cloud on the back of the mountain, something happened that was only so special in this condition: we'd made our way to the foggy top (visibility range: 15-20m) and walked along the ridge in a little storm, when suddenly an eagly flew by. Or better, it was blown up our way, came out of nothing and disappeared for a moment before we saw it again with another eagle. Coolio! Apart from this we also spotted a couple of groundhogs, which were much bigger than I had imagined them, the rest of the time we only heard their warning whistle.

When we were not camping - btw, we only once camped in the wild, the rest of the time it was impossible to find a good spot - we couchsurfed in Bern and stayed with a good friend in Zurich, both wonderful hosts who deserve more thanks than I am able to speak in a day. For those who haven't heard of couchsurfing, it'd be my pleasure to explain this wonderful invention. It's all directed over this website and helps people finding a place to stay in a foreign country/ city/ street etc. You can sign up for free, create a profile and then send someone a message and ask for a couch to sleep on. Or you can offer your own couch and host others. Either way it's a great experience, basically a win-win-situation for everyone. I once had a couchsurfer from Slovenia, who was presenting his book at the book fair in Frankfurt, and not only did we have interesting conversations, he also gave me his ticket when he left so I could get into the fair for free. The swiss guy Patrik whe stayed with in Bern, took us and the other 4 couch surfers (coincidence!) down to the river and even though the Aare was freezing cold we jumped in and let the water drag us along and got out 2km further down. My feet were frozen for an hour, thanks to my bad circulation, but it was so exciting, damn, we were grateful! Later on we all had dinner together and some variety of vodka for dessert. As if that wasn't already a blast, the next morning Patrik organized a huge breakfast. I so wish I could host people more often and so indirectly return the good things others have done to me, including those who offered me rides when I was hitch-hiking, you know, all kinds of hospitality and generosity. It's the noblest way of being friendly because you don't expect any other payment than you own contentness.
Anyways, my flatmates wouldn't allow me to have foreign people staying over, even if it's only when I'm home, so I can't host anyone. They say they don't understand what's in for me or them, really, and so I keep on trying to make them catch the spirit. Until that I can still meet others for a coffee or drink and hang out that way. But YOU should sign up and make that experience of couch surfing, it's really worth it!

Sometimes I feel a little lonely at home, but luckily that's something I can change easily, so no reason to complain. Besides, I'm so happy at the moment, I don't wanna complain at all. As mentioned earlier, the trip's made me feel fantastic and fresh, so it's good memories are giving me wings and I'm stuck flying up high. For example, just today I found my flatmate had put all the dishes but mine into the dishwasher (again) and I wonder why, because he hardly does housework anyways, but well, I won't get annoyed. I also make mistakes (maybe not today, but I will) so no use in arguing! It's a pitty we're not getting along as well as I hoped, he seemed so nice at first, remember? Also with my other flatmate I couldn't find a solid basis to built from. But friendship is nothing you can force, and as long as we respect each other I'll be satisfied. The funny thing is, most of the other WGs have the same problem. You're not really friends, you live together, exactly for that one purpose, namely sharing a flat.

So, in a way I managed to change my expectations a little and to be grateful that we don't have any problems except for some details unworthy to care about. My time is too short to be wasted with letting things bother me, plus there's always a better way to look at them. I'm not saying I'm totally carefree, instead I'm just smiling a little more often.