Garbage Sorting in Germany

These days the theme we are learning in German class is "Environment in Germany". Then I want to write about the garbage sorting in Germany.

When I arrived in Germany, one of the first things Martin taught me was to sort the garbage. I haven't been to many other countries, therefore all the time I took the special features what German people impressed me (such as: well ordered; planning; taking very good care of their living environment etc.) as the common trait of all the other western countries.

Along with my study in German class and talked over with the teachers and the classmates who are from different countries. I found not all developed countries are the same. Germans are very special in the way they take care of their homes and their environment.

Germans separate the home garbage into Plastic, Paper and Rest. When we bring the garbage downstairs, they are three different colors of containers for a certain kind of waste. People put the garbage into the correct bins or sacks.

For the glasses or bottles, almost all the big discount stores and supermarkets have automatic machines to recycle beer and plastic bottles. The rest bottles or glasses, such as: red wine bottle etc. there are the bottle recycling containers not far from the home communities which are also seperated by different colors. Different color of the bottles go to named bins(green, brown and white). Like many of other Germans, Martin always wash up the empty bottles before throw them into the containers.

There are also containers recycle old clothes or blankets for poor people.

Anyway, the recycling system in Germany is complicated and however very efficient. I guess what I know right now is far not enough.

Beautiful May

This year Germany started to get warm until last weekend. I remember last year in April the weather was already warm, but this year we had only two or three days warm days in April (it was around 20 degree), then before last weekend the temperature kept at 5 to 15 degree.

On Saturday it was almost 30 degree. After a long time cold weather, I enjoying the nice weather very much. May is the month to starting to have a lot of sunshine, the flowers are blooming and people are getting more activities. You see more smiles on the street.

When I was in China I liked to do Yoga; In Germany I am more prefer to go out and to ride bicycle along the Main river, to enjoy the sunshine and greens. On the weekend I ride together with Martin. During the week, I like to ride to Frankfurt in the afternoon along, then come back to my German class.

My skin is getting drak because I explore myself too much under the sunshine. The asian people think girls have a white skin is more beautiful, and on the contrary the westen girls like to get their skin brown.

Anyway my skin is not that white and it's easy to get dark in summer. Even though in summer whenever I go out, I always put on the sun protection cream which is with Sun Protection Factor at 30.

Apology For Not Answering The Comments In Time

I know I haven't take good care of my blog since a long time. These time I rarely to read the comments and respond them. Here I apologise to the friends who has left kind comments.

My purpose to write the blog is to practice my English. Since I came to Germany, I found there are too many things I need to learn-to learn how to walk on the street; to learn to sort the garbage; to learn driving; to learn German and to look for a job. At the time of the past one year's living in Germany was the time to refresh myself. It wasn't easy but it is a normal transition period for everyone who moves abroad.

I have set up many works for me to finish so that I don't feel boring. For example, I force myself everyday to study German( every day to write a German letter to Martin, to read the updated news and translate them, to read some other German articles and to do homework from the school)and look for jobs(everyday to send 3 resumes). I just made my time full everyday so that I don't let my self give up in the special period and in the new environment.

The progress of job searching has made me sometimes kind of depressed, especially when I keep receiving rejections from recruitment companies. I thought I will be like many of the other students in my German class to work as a cleaning lady. I doubted myself, and I studied German very hard, but I didn't see so much progress. The pressure I gave to myself helps me not to think too much and to fulfil my time, but sometimes makes me stressed out. Then I didn't have so much energy to take care of my blog, to keep practicing my English.

Luckily, I found a job half month ago. It is a job I have dreamed for a long time. After Martin's support and a long period interviewing process, finally, in the end of April I received a positive feedback from the company. I will start to work in August. Another good news is one week ago I received an offer from a research company work as a freelance for a small project that concerning Chinese market.

Now I will be able to write more posts and answer the comments in time, as recently I am much more relaxed and I have putted down some burdens of German study.

Thank You Mama; Thank You Karin

Today is the Mother's day, I want to write something to thank our mothers.

For my mom, I always appreciate that she gave me life, gave me the chance to come to the world. I especially thank her for giving me a brother and a sister, which is one of my greatest fortunes. I am always proud that I have a big family and we are always supporting each other. I know how difficult it was,when 29 years ago my parents brought me to the world at the time China had already started one-child policy. It was even more difficult to raise up three children without help from their parents, and then to send us to school to be educated. Right now she is living in Mianyang together with my brother and his family. Even though my sister and I are so far away from her, and she had a very hard time to accept I moved to Germany, but everytime I call her she is always showing me her supports.

For Karin-my mother in law. I thank her for Martin. There is a saying:" Marriage is women's second-life". I am very lucky to find Martin, and then Martin brought me the biggest gift-my parents-in-law. They are the best parents-in-law in the world! I could have gone through the difficult transition period in Germany not only because the support from Martin, also the supports from Karin and Gerhard.They are always encouraging me and supporting me, that keeps me positive and motivated to live in this new environment.

In my heart before there was a harbor, now there are two harbors, one is in China and one is in Germany. The harbors are the places where our parents living; The places where we can relax and spoiled as a child.