life's like this - avianto's journal

It’s been quite a roller coaster ride considering weather here in Lübeck. It went as low as -10°C a couple of days ago with snow and strong wind then yesterday it was a nice cool sunny weather at 6°C. This morning it was snowing again at 1°C. It was sunny again the whole day but the temperature still stucked at 2°C max.

Small part of Trave river is still covered with thin ice but most of the ice was already melted yesterday. Most of the snow already melted away leaving some pile of dirty ice all over the city.

Still no indication of the incoming spring. I guess spring will come too late as it was last year. Sigh.

This is a recap post, been busy in real life™ for a while. A full day in Hamburg yesterday. My passport was about to expired so I have to extend it. The process was rather painless except the waiting which took about more than 2 hours. Bureaucracy. But at least it was way much better than doing it back in Indonesia. At least here in Germany the process was straight away to the business, the exact fee is posted on the wall and no bribe necessary as normally done in Indonesia. So two thumbs up for the Indonesian consulate in / Read more …

Back in Lübeck. No snow around but the sky is usually grey. The temperature is not as cold as Ottawa tho but more depressing because of the lack of direct sunlight, typical day in Germany. I like Lübeck, the city is so beautiful and there are a couple of nice things going on around here and not to mention I have a couple of good friends here. The atmosphere here is quite relaxing and enjoyable. The only thing that keep me on the edge is my thesis’ dateline. I have to working more on my thesis now. I have done / Read more …

I am back in Germany now, safe and sound. Just arrived this morning in Hannover and still suffered a jetlag. Germany still cold and damp but not as cold as Canada, of course. It was -9°C and thin covered snow street when I’m arrive. Will write more after I get my rest. I already missed Canada =(. / Read more …

I will be going to Berlin this afternoon (or tomorrow early morning if I can’t find the latest train) to apply for a visa. Yeah, I’ll be leaving Germany this month for about 3-4 months for my Master thesis research. I already have my place to do research, a place to stay while I am there although I have to move some of my stuff to Hannover because I give up my old apartment here in Lübeck. So after Berlin everything will be snowballing quick. Many things to prepare but so little time to have. So, wish me luck on / Read more …

I am leaving for Hamburg in an hour or so. I just need a little bit of time out. Not really, since I bring some of my reading material for next week (hint! hint!) and I will be helping my friend to shoot a movie for his SAE’s final assignment. So until Monday (or late Sunday) I will be having some fine time at Hamburg. Schönes Wochenende! / Read more …

It’s Saturday (Like I have to care, I am still busy doing my school’s work =P), it’s 18.11, the sun is shining brightly, the breeze is quite chilling… but the best thing is: it’s 27°C now!!! Wooohooo! Love it! Well, that’s it for today. Have to get busy again… at least the weather is friendly today. / Read more …

Yesterday was the first graduation day for ISNM (It’s my school now if you haven’t know it already). The first generation students (Also known as ISNM 1.0) were finished their study and it’s time for them to return to society ;). Congratulations! You are all deserved the celebration and I hope all of you will have brighter future ahead. I am sure I will going to miss you all here but maybe we will meet again sooner than we expect. Also thank you for providing me some tips and tricks for the last couple of months. My salutation to all / Read more …

Out of boringness and depression state of mind and heart, me and a couple of friends spontaneously went to Hamburg yesterday. We went there with a car (Hamburg is less than an hour by car from Lübeck) and arrived around 8.30pm under drizzling rain. We went to a Pakistani restaurant somewhere around Hamburg Altona and there we were joined by two other friends and together we enjoyed a very good dinner. It was an awesome dinner, well, it basically just about my taste of culinary, lots of spices and stuff. We finished dinner around 11pm so we decided to get / Read more …

It’s here in Lübeck, Germany. It’s the end of June. It’s 14°C and raining almost every day. I wonder where is summer… I am afraid that summer is getting sick so it can’t make it to its appointment with the year… sigh / Read more …

I’ve been in Hannover for the last couple of days (Thanks went to Dona for sheltering me =)). Why? Because I just need some time off outside Lübeck. I just need to get out of the city for a while, nothing else, just need scenery change to regain my sanity… I’ll be back in Lübeck tomorrow and back to the reality again but until then, let me take my rest a while. / Read more …

I’ve uploaded a couple of photos from the weekend at Timmendorfer Strand at my photolog. I have quite a lot of pictures but I will upload them later, probably at the end of this week since I am still have many things to catch up. So enjoy the photos and there are more of them yet to come. / Read more …

After yesterday rain of ice, today we are presented by 9° Celcius temperature at 10:45am. Quick glance at Wetter Online the weather supposed to get better tonight and for the rest of the weekend (It says sunny day on Saturday). Hopefully the weather forecast will be right this time because even for Germans this kind of weather is crazy enough. Two entries only about weather complaints… sigh / Read more …

Germany’s weather is unpredictable. We just have rain of ice at 4 pm, in spring, near June… The iceball are quite big, 2 - 0.5 cm in diameter and they are really hurt yourself if you’re happened to be on the open area. So yeah, it was strange weather for the last couple of days but today is the weirdest… I think it’s time to open my cabinet and put on my winter jacket again for another week or so. / Read more …

I’ll be away tomorrow for the rest of the weekend to Timmendorfer Strand to help organizing Playa del Tango event there. So, I guess lots of pictures will coming and I just hope that the weather will be friendly enough for the whole weekend. Anyway, it will be fun and entertaining =). I just need a break from routinity… Well, if you are happened to be around Northern Germany this weekend, just come and join us there. See you there! / Read more …

It’s been grey here in Lübeck since the last 5 days… It really feels terrible especially when you were sure that the spring was already here. Grey spring… yeah, right. The sun will be back on next Monday, according to the weather website, which is like 4 more days. Well, that’s living in Germany, the land of grey sky. / Read more …

Today is absolutely warm and beautiful here in Lübeck. Now I am totally believe that they do have spring here in German =). And I will go to MaiFest 2004 at Walli in the afternoon. OK, time to have some sun outside. This is my kind of weather! / Read more …

Six months already passed since I step my feet on German soil. It's been a pleasant experience, of course some up and down happening in those times but still pleasant enough to make me thankful for all of this experience. The spring should come soon... It also make me remember the first cold breeze I felt in my face when I walked out from Frankfurt International Airport. I remember those time quite clearly... Feeling strange, out of place, disoriented and a little bit scared. Six months laters... I know this place may not quite paradise but it sure feels like / Read more …

I am back in Lübeck since the last couple of days… been busy cleaning out my room, washing dirty clothes and stuff and refilling my fridge. Many things to do before my second semester starts next week. Some of them are quite important some are just… well, bothering my mind… OK, the list: * Make rapid progress on my paid work here at school. * Fix my Photoblog, I can not upload and/or rebuilt it. Always turn on the error 500 warning. I wonder why. I may also redesign the whole thing. * Working on Timmendorf project (I’ll write later / Read more …

I am in Hannover right now. I am planning to attend CEBIT tomorrow. Hannover is a quite big and busy city especially when there is an Expo going on (Hannover is nicknamed “The Expo City of Germany”). It sure different from Lübeck. There are a lot of modern building here, a typical modern city of Germany and Europe, and they have underground trem =). As a Lübecker I never have the privilege to enjoy riding underground (even upper ground) trem because Lübeck has not got any. I don’t know why I enjoy riding trem (I used to quite fond of / Read more …

Snow is beautiful, snow is amazing and snowy landscape or cityscape is absolutely gorgeous... but too many snow can be bad for your health and mental state... It's been raining snow (light and hard) for a couple of days... until now. The temperature is so cold so instead of water we always got snow pouring down. And thanks to the Lübeck's wind, the rain is always horizontalized... Welcome to Northern Germany, where rain (and snow) is falling horizontally... Spring... This country need spring soon... / Read more …

... are tasteless. Sorry about my honest opinion but that's what I've been experiencing for the last 4 months. My tongue is used to spicier, hotter and aromatic kind of food which is almost have non-exist status in the local cuisines... Lucky for me, Lübeck is rich with Asian restaurant and shop. It have more than 3 Asian store (a new one will open soon), some Asian restaurant (Indian, Japan/Korean/Thailand, China, Turkish and others) and the stock of Asian spices and sauces are plenty... My only problem is that I have only a very small kitchen so it so difficult / Read more …

I will be go to Berlin, early morning tomorrow to attend Transmediale conference. I will staying there for 2 days only because I still have classes next week *sigh*. So, yeah... back to Berlin again. / Read more …

It has been snowing again here in Lübeck for the last two days but it's already stop now. The temperature is -4 °C. Yeah, it's kinda frozen out there... / Read more …

When the sun is visible very brightly and the sky have no clouds then you can guess that the temperature will drop below 5°. I called it the trick of nature... The rain actually raise the temperature a little bit but when there is no rain or cloud the temperature is stolen somehow. I've seen it more than twice but it still amaze me how the nature tricks my tropical perception. / Read more …

Today I saw a demonstration in Lübeck and it was the most polite demonstration I ever saw live... well, comparing to the demonstration in Indonesia of course. Too bad I forgot to bring my camera (as usual, it happened quite a lot with me everytime I saw something amazing) so I just standing there watching the crowds moving guarded (read: guarded not assaulted) by the police. If you are interested about what is this demo about read here and you can also read one of my school friend's article. I wish this kind of demonstration is happening in Indonesia... No / Read more …

Finally! I've got my visa extended! Now I can live in Germany until 2005 and also can travel around the Schengen countries freely. Hmm, if only I can work someplace to get some travelling money =). Today I also have the second lecture about Collective Intelligence. I really like to write some of this incredible theory presented by the theory maker himself, Pierre Levy but I will do it on my other 'new' website here. I am going home now... / Read more …

I've met another Indonesian here in Lübeck. He is studying at the Musikhochschule Lübeck and coming from Bandung, that is so cool. So, now I know 2 Indonesian beside me living in Lübeck. The other one is living next door and studying at the University of Lübeck. Well, anybody have some information about other Indonesian living in Lübeck? Let me know... / Read more …

I visited Lübeck Funfair last night. Well, it's not a big funfair but quite fun =). I didn't ride or try anything, just walking around to see the show and the people. Then after that we went to the campus and there we have a birthday party! One of our senior having his party celebrated and since he is coming from India then we have some kind of Indian party and music with Hindi music and dance. It was so cool and fun watching lots of people from different countries dancing with the Hindi music =)). What a day, now / Read more …

Today is so bleak... Grey sky, a little bit of mist, no sun. Not a day for walking in the park or riverside. Compare to Jakarta... the weather is, well, you can read this weather report courtesy of WeatherOnline (WetterOnline - the Deutsch version) and compare them yourself. And the temperature still keep on dropping... / Read more …

I've seen lunar eclipse this early morning... =), well.. the photo is crap I know it, but that's the best snaps I could get with my digital camera. It was a beautiful sight, slowly but sure the moon get darkened... and when the full eclipse happened the moon turn into red and then the clouds blocking my view =(. Well, at least I saw it... / Read more …

It's been a month since I arrived in Germany. So many things happened lately that keep me very busy. Lectures, assignments, shopping, cooking and many other things keep me from having idle brain and hand which is great because at least I always have something to do. Life has been kind to me lately. A month ago I know nobody in Lübeck but now I have some great friends... A month ago I keep on asking myself, am I making the right decision but now I am thinking that this is the place where I should be... It only takes / Read more …

Yesterday we have snow... yeah, snow in autumn. Not much but it was snow. Well, I should be very happy for that because this was my first snow experience but... since the snow slapped right in my face while I was riding a bike I wasn't quite so exciting about it =P. Well, it was nice to see some snow but I never realized that it will happened so soon! And the temperature keep droping below 0 as soon as the sun goes down in the horizon. It's gonna be a very chilling experiences in the months to come. / Read more …

Well, I've made a couple of photos about Lübeck. Not a very good collection in my humble opinion but at least they will give some images about how Lübeck looks like. I will add more to that album for sure... just hang on, I am still have many things to do right now. / Read more …

It's almost 2 weeks since I've got here and I am still not used to the weather. It's cold and wet all the time. I have to walk about 20 minutes from my apartment to my campus in a cold dan windy autumn morning everyday. But since Lübeck is a very beautiful city I actually enjoy living here. Lübeck is a rather small city. It have two part of town which are the Innenstadt (Inside Island) and of course Outside Island (I don't know what they called it here). I am living in the Innenstadt which is the oldest part / Read more …