Rocky Exhaustion + Scenery Aesthetic

Has any of your heard of Saxon Switzerland or, in actual German, die sächsische Schweiz? For starters, I've mentioned it in this post of mine two months ago. At the moment, I thought of it to be quite a beautiful area and wanted to go. So, when I could apply, I did. A few days before the trip, I had a few doubts in my head. I thought maybe I would be too tired afterwards and would fall sick before the finals. But I was proven wrong. So glad I decided to come along. It was certainly one hell of a trip and a totally new experience to me. I think it's important to tell you I don't think I've ever really hiked in my life. At least if I have, I don't think it was this high and I haven't done so for a very long time. So this hiking totally killed me.

Too bad this guy is in the way :(

First off, let me just tell you that both Mimi and I -- yes, she came too -- had to wake up extra early in the morning because we needed to get to the train station before 7 AM. In the tram, we met accidentally with our trip leader, Iza. She was carrying a huge bag of gift bags for everyone then gave one to each of us. On the way, the stupid tram experienced a little bit of a traffic jam and we had to walk all the way to the train station. I was left behind since I was tired so early in the morning. So, anyway, as soon as we got to the train station, we got on the train. We had to transit in Leipzig and had too much time to spare since the train got delayed for 20 minutes. Long story short, we finally got to Dresden and took the light rail to Schmilka -- originally we were to get off at Bad Schandau but it was too late.

As soon as we got off the train, we met with our trip guide -- whose name escapes me, I'm sorry. Then he led us to the ferry station and we got on -- quite crumpled into, actually -- the ferry to cross the river. Afterwards, we started walking a few blocks until we started hiking. The first round made my heart race like the Road Runner. But then the next ones made it fly away. As usual, Mimi picked up things from the ground, this time being a long stick to make hiking easier. A behaviour which then became a trend and, before you knew it, everyone carried sticks -- including me. One guy even cleaned up the stick with his swiss army knife. It looked neat! The guide took us to rocky places and gave us worthy information. He told us that this whole area was once under water in the sea. All over this area, there are thousands of sandstones and he told us that people usually climb around this area but with a few ground rules which are different from the usual rules since these sandstones are rather fragile.

Meet Peter! He's the young son of our trip guide. He was carried in a rucksack all the time that we hiked. He was shy and sour at first but then became friendlier as the time went by. He had a green pacifier that didn't keep him from talking. He was extra adorable! I wanted to bring him home. Toward the end of our trip, he looked at me and said: "Hübsch!" (Pretty!) in front of everyone. I swear I just blushed.

Iza giving Peter white grapes

In the end, we finally got to the very top. Seeing the view, I must say it was worth it. Highly amazing! It was very, very rocky, indeed. In the distance, we could see there were two men on top of a small rock hundreds of metres away from the ground. You could see it on the first picture there. The rock looked like it could fall any minute but those guys didn't look like they were leaving anytime soon. It was a great wonder to all of us who saw them. Being up there, I was proud of myself and highly amazed by everyone else because, I should tell you, they were all stronger than I was and we all made it to the top. You guys should go here. The view from this angle is simply breathtaking. Just like when I was in Köln, my legs shook on the way down. But it was a whole lot better than getting up.

Whilst walking all the way to the ferry port, the guide took us into town in Bad Schandau and showed us a house that recorded all the floods that had happened since the 19th century in Saxon Switzerland. The river overflowed once in a while and it created floods. The worst was in 2002, where the water level reached the second floor of every building. The electricity went out for four weeks then. Such an impact. Our feet were almost ready to gave up as we finally reached the port and waited for the ferry to come and take us to the train station. We boarded the train and started our trip back. We said goodbye to the guide and Peter as they got off in Pirna. We switched train in Dresden main train station -- said goodbye to Stefan who was off to see his girlfriend who lived there -- and spent the whole trip back to Halle playing Werewolf, using its real cards. I played this game with my friends many times before -- using bridge cards -- but it was a whole lot different from the real game. A whole lot more fun using the real cards. I got to play with people from different countries as well, no Indonesians too. It was less emotional playing with them -- which is the way it's supposed to be. Afterwards, we arrived in Halle around 10 PM and I quickly passed out once I arrived home. That's about it about last weekend. Hope you have a great one this week! Cheerio!

♬ For They The Jolly Good Fellows ♪

Just as I mentioned last week, June is a month of birthdays, at least in my life. As it turns out, most members of my family have birthdays in this lovely month. And, what do you know, they all happen in a row. To these beloved people am I dedicating this post. So one day at a time all squished into this post. I hope you all read this post, my loved ones. I miss you.

JUNE 6th: Maftukhah binti Taslim

Oh, Dad, you always manage to make me chuckle

 First and foremost is my beloved stepmother. Oh, stepmother. Stupid fairy tales have succeeded in polluting the name. Don't believe them. Yes, maybe unfair and begrudging stepmothers exist but kind and guiding stepmothers exist too. The latter is the one I have. She has taught me a lot in the four years that she has been married to my father -- I gave them all my blessings, mind you. I admit, sometimes she could be quite irritable but she was always just trying to be helpful. I cherish the quality times we had together and I'm sorry for my childish acts at the first few years of your marriage. As I believe it, she was my father's middle school classmate and somehow they got reunited again. She is a very religious lady but I respect the fact that she doesn't judge me for not being all that religious. I love the things she taught me and the things I taught her. I do miss her so much and wish to spend time with her sometime this summer. Happy birthday, Mami! May your days be painted with joy and bliss and may I be of a great stepdaughter to you. I love you and I miss you.

JUNE 7th: Amaquita Briliastuti

 Oh, my lovely lovely big sister. You are getting older yet again, aren't you? All right, just joking. My big sister is my bestest friend ever. Growing up, we were lumped into a shared room so we were so used to each other and share every single little detail with each other. She is now studying in Melbourne, Australia. Oh, I wish I was there with you on your birthday. But, alas, I must have a final exam on your birthday. My sister and I are always like yin and yang. She was always the pretty, skinny, quite one with long hair, fairly darker skin and bigger eyes without problems -- these glasses she's wearing are just for style. I was always the less pretty -- if not ugly, fat, loud one with short hair, yellowish skin and slanted eyes with increasing problems. What they don't know is that she becomes her over-the-top crazy self when she's with me and that flatters me. No distance can keep us apart. We're sisters, after all. And I'm going to visit her in Australia this summer. Fingers crossed. Happy birthday, sis!

JUNE 8th: Cafalundi Brilianegoro

Here is the main subject of all my bullyings, not seriously, of course. Happy birthday, my little brother of mine! How much have you grown. Oh, I feel like grabbing those legs and snapping them into two and make you a short kid you once were. You're going into high school now, aren't you? Good luck, little bro. My little brother is a peculiar kid. No, I refuse to call him a man because I would love it so much if he stays a boy forever. I remember when I was in 5th grade and he was in preschool, he came to my classroom and refused to go home by school bus. He said he wanted to go home together with me. He was super adorable when he was little and I could just eat him right up. Too bad he had to grow up. He grew up into a gamer -- a fate, I think, that befalls everyone around me -- and automotive enthusiast. He is just plain crazy about cars. He and my dad share the interest in watching F1 and brand new cars test run. Sometimes he has information that is surprising to me and very insightful. I love how passionate he is -- so am I and so is my sister, of course. Have you noticed? All our names contain the word 'brilia' in it which is derived from 'brilliant.' It is our parents' wish and prayer for us. And we are the Brilia Siblings. Cool name for a band, no?

I can't believe it's been about a year and a half since the last time I saw these guys in the flesh. I do miss them so much. As annoying as they can be sometimes, I do wish they were within physical reach sometimes. Don't worry, you guys! I will come see you again. Have lovely birthdays, everyone! And  have a lovely June! Cheerio!

Mathematical Errors

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. It feels like the clock is ticking extra slowly as I get closer to the things I want to grasp. The first final is in 3 days. Three days! Can you believe it? Most people jitter at the thought but I'm highly excited. The faster I'm done with this whole thing, the faster I get to seeing Firu again, traveling and starting DIYs again. I made a list of June to-do list, but sort of got stuck on the chores area -- like cleaning my room, bathroom and kitchen -- that I need to do before Firu gets here. The DIY area is still quite undecided. I simply can't wait for everything to work out and make me fly. I feel quite joyful now, by the way, since A.) Firu is already back in Germany again and B.) I just went hiking last Saturday. It was one hell of an exhausting trip and I was sure my legs would want to separate themselves from me but it was very, very fulfilling. I got to make new friends -- which I probably won't hear from anymore but still -- and play new games and experience new things. Summer is looking good from where I'm standing.

It was lucky that our teacher let the class out early last Thursday. I was planning to snap some photos at school all day that day and was nervous to have anyone find me out. As soon as she dismissed the class, I went straight to a class I knew that no one would use and ever so quietly prepped everything and started snapping away. Maybe this is one way of remembering this place when I leave. I love the sliding green blackboards in each classrooms. Ever since the 3rd grade, my schools use whiteboards instead of blackboards. Somehow, it seems less...interesting. I adore blackboards. I love the sound the chalk makes against the board when someone writes on it. When I was little, my dad took me to his old high school and showed me his old classroom. It was massive! It had such sliding blackboards like my college uses right now but much, much bigger and older. I loved it! Once upon a time that was a reason I wanted to go to his old school but decided against it -- probably a bad choice which landed me in the perfect spot. For several weeks in the previous semester, the college building was being renovated and we were relocated to another building -- in the basement, mind you -- and were forced to use a whiteboard instead. It was kind of boring and impractical. So glad we could go back to blackboards before we graduate, though.

A few months ago, I spotted the greatest tee ever on Threadless. It was far too expensive when I first stumbled upon it and decided to wait for their next sale. When the sale came, I saw that this design was sold out. Oh, damn. I thought I would never see it again until the sale they were having a few weeks ago. Without much thought, I purchased it. A few days later, I saw that it could've gone for a much cheaper price. Regret clouded my thoughts...until the shirt arrived in my mailbox a week ago. All right, I'll come clean: I LOVE MATH! Believe me, I used to hate it so much because I sucked at it until one day my Dad put up posters all over our house that I must must must learn math EVERYDAY! He was a tough teacher so I couldn't slack off. Instead, I got good and I started loving math. Such an irony that I now don't study math anymore. But I wanted to go to Art and there's no such major that provides both art and math without physics trying to butt in on all the fun. So to reminisce my long lost love for math, I purchased this shirt. It's getting a bit emotional so...have a fantastic weekend, everyone! Cheerio!

Breaking And Entering

Finals are just around the corner. Eep! I can't wait! Most students are stressed out by this fact but I don't think too much of it somehow. Not that I'm cocky -- at least I try not to be -- but I guess it's just not the scariest part. I am done with portfolios and presenting them for a while. Just shipped my last batch on Wednesday in a hustle and bustle then I took these photos. Oh, my heart feels lighter than ever before since I've left Karlsruhe several months ago. I was sure it was going to be my last rendezvous with that town but...I don't know, I feel like going back there for a few days or weeks before leaving for Indonesia. I definitely regret not taking too many significant pictures there while I had the chance. That's why I want to go back, just to snap some photos of some of my favourite spots and, if possible, my favourite people in my favourite moments. Oh, but May has been awfully busy. Can you believe I've traveled four times this month? And with my student budget abroad?! That's like financial suicide. Aside from that, I have purchased many clothings -- forgive me, Papa -- and some considerably necessary thingamajigs. Oh, well, goodbye, luxurious life.

So yeah, remember my trip to Hanover last week? As I've mentioned, I went to Primark and bought several things -- such luxury...in the past. I know I'm...outdated and was totally exhilarated when I saw the store was packed with peter pan-collared blouses. But I was in a hurry so I did a quick scan of everything and picked the prettiest one I found. I didn't really pay attention and didn't realise that it was kind of transparent and tight until I got home and tried it on. I was going to wear it with a tan coloured tank so it'd look like I wasn't wearing anything underneath yet not naked either but somehow I tried it this way and it just worked. So what's underneath is the night gown I wore on this post. A little fun fact about this outfit: I'd been wearing it for 5 days -- three were spent at home, doing my portfolio; one was spent going to Potsdam to attend my entrance exam; and another one just a normal day at school. 

Which means "Halle (Saale) City | Middle School | Kastanienallee (Chestnuts Ave.)"

Okay, don't call the cops just yet but...I trespassed a school ground to take these photos. Have I never mentioned before that my building is located just next to a school? Sometimes they leave the gate open and Mimi would go across the school ground to go to the supermarket. Apparently this time they left it open too. Maybe they're doing it on purpose since I've been taking these pictures forever and nobody said anything to or about me to anyone. My home is also located in a ghetto -- at least according to most of my friends. Well, actually, it's quite visible. It's not like american ghettos what with the guns and the gangsters -- although there are occasional explosion sounds in broad daylight. It wasn't all that surprising to find the school all graffitied although I can't argue with that. Sometimes it's nice to hear the children in the morning. One time they celebrated end of terms and had a huge party for the whole school with a bouncing castle. It just reminds me of school. Oh, so nostalgic.

First ever jumping photo to symbolize my current freedom

Have a wonderful weekend, all! Cheerio!

Movie Date: Napola - Elite für den Führer

One of the things I was worried about when I moved to Germany was Nazis. Yes, I know they don't particularly exist anymore. There are such things as the Neo-Nazis but they have a different principle from the one Hitler had in mind. My concern was more to how sensitive bringing up this subject would be. It's probably like the 9/11 to Americans. However, it's probably more sensitive. It turns out to be not as sensitive as I thought. To the elderlies probably but to those younger (around 40-50), it's not all that sensitive at all. Of course, forming your sentences and your relationship to the person you talk to become to of the greatest factor to decide how they will react. In my classes, especially history class, it's almost impossible NOT to bring up the subject. Speaking of which, my history teacher, Mr. Borchers, introduced us to this film a few months back -- which then became my favourite Nazi-themed movie yet -- Napola: Elite für den Führer.

It has many titles in many different languages. In America -- and internationally, it is called Before The Fall. However, I prefer the original title. It translates in English, directly, as Napola: Elites for the Leader. Der Führer (the leader) is a widely known nickname for Adolf Hitler a.k.a. the mind behind the Nazis -- and the many cruel and needless genocide that followed. If I'm not mistaken, this film was based on true story. Well, at least the school was real. Napola was an elite school for young men who wanted -- or was forced by their parents -- to join the Nazi. According to this film, it was located far from the city -- much like all of their concentration camps. It was a lot like military school...maybe even exactly that. But they still taught literatures and the like. Sad to say, there were no familiar faces in this film for me but one man interested me: Jonas Jägermeyr, who played Christoph in this film. If you've watched Dead Poet Society, I should warn you how much this film reminds me of it. However, there's no idolized teacher here. None of the teachers here seemed fitting to be a role model.

Friedrich Weimer was a young man, who was passionate about boxing. He usually went to his gym to train with his trainer until, one day, as he was training, a Nazi soldier saw his potential and offered him a boxing scholarship to Napola. All he thought of was the boxing part and not anything about the Nazi. As soon as he told his parents, they forbade him from going. So he sneaked out the next morning and hitched a ride to Napola, leaving his parents a letter. Once he arrived in Napola, he met Christoph, Albrecht and two other boys who would be his roommates. Friedrich still trained boxing everyday with a personal trainer. Aside from boxing, he formed a friendship with Albrecht. He found out that Albrecht was the son of the great Sergeant Stein and, of course, was forced by his father to join the Nazi. He himself was actually a pacifist. Since he saw Friedrich in a boxing match, the Sergeant grew quite fond of him and showed that quite obviously when Friedrich went home with Albrecht on a holiday. One day, the students had a bomb training, where they were told to ignite a bomb and throw it as far away as possible. One of the students got scared and dropped the bomb after igniting it. Everyone -- even the teacher -- was scared to death. One other student covered up the bomb, playing the hero, and exploded to death. That made Albrecht even more shaken and scared, especially since the teacher fled the location first before the student even sacrificed himself, leaving the other students to their own fates. After he couldn't take it anymore, he wrote an essay as homework on the behaviour of his Nazi soldier, emphasizing on his father, and read it in front of the class. His rebellious action got to Friedrich, who got shaken and rethought his choice.

So far in my life, I've watched around three serious films focusing on the Nazi: Napola, Diary of Anne Frank and The Boy in Striped Pajamas. None of these, I tell you, ends happily. Anne Frank was the first thing that got me thinking about the Nazis -- one of the saddest films I watched before I even hit puberty. It constantly surprises me how oblivious the germans were about what the Nazis were actually doing. Oh, I've also watched Valkyrie and Mein Führer. But I think Valkyrie doesn't really focus on the cruelty of the Nazis and Mein Führer is just plain hilarious. This film makes me hate the Nazi yet even more. The behaviour of the soldiers and the teachers just baffle me. Sometimes I think it's a miracle how this ideal stopped and a wonder that with so many people against that ideal that it spread quite quickly and largely and for so long. So here's to a little twist to your movie dates, all! Have a wonderful Friday and marvelous weekend! Cheerio!