It really is very true that there is a season for everything. I wasn't sure why I had to go back to Ohio to complete the second year of my master's, but I'm beginning to understand. So far this year has allowed to reconnect with my family (I've gotten a lot closer to my siblings), think more about what direction I'd like to go in life), and to allow me to improve myself. I never thought I'd love going to the gym regularly or reading Reklam Bücher, but that is what has what happened to me this year. I'm changing. I'm still me, "just enhanced" as Madame Simone would say, a character from my favorite lifetime movie.
Alles hat seine Zeit.
Love from rainy Ohio,
Molly
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Molly's Weight Loss Tips
After losing 10 pounds slowly I decided that I'd like to share my weight loss tips with you:
1) Do not set yourself up for failure by starting a diet when you have big issues in your life that need to be dealt with first. I myself dealt with other things in my life before I tackled those pesky extra 10 pounds that I was carrying around. (This is not, however, and excuse to put off weight loss indefinitely if you really would like to lose some weight. I'm going to a family party next week is not a good excuse. Life happens during weight loss. You have to deal with it).
2) Start small. I started by attending yoga classes 1 time a week and walking around my apartment complex. It was only a couple weeks after making the effort to exercise that I started to change my diet. And by that time I increased my physical activity and try to go to the gym 3-4 times per week.
3) Eat more fruits and veggies.
4) Eat less carbs.
5) You can eat everything you love (wait, what?) just in moderation, and not on the same day. Restricting any food completely will just make you crave it. On the first day of my diet I told myself: no chocolate. By the end of the day I was ready to raid the kitchen (which was never my style before. I ate too many sweets but never had more than a few cookies or a candy bar at a time). I realized then that I had to simply cut down on the sweet foods. So I started savoring the few pieces of dark chocolate I allow myself to have everyday. I don't stuff it in my mouth. I sit and enjoy it and feel satisfied.
6) Have a special day each week where you can splurge a little bit. (We're talking 250-500 calories here on an alcoholic beverage or a piece of cake, not going crazy and eating 3000 extra calories. You won't lose weight that way). It will make it easier to stick to your diet the rest of the week if you know that you can enjoy a cocktail with the girls on the weekend.
7) Sometimes you will have to say no to that extra piece of cake or pizza. And that is hard because you may not see the results on the scale the next day or the day after that. But if you keep eating healthier you will eventually see results. And the best feeling in the world was when I put on a pair of jeans that had been too tight for me all last year...and suddenly they were baggy on me. That's just priceless :-)
8) Eating badly one day doesn't mean that you should stop trying. Last night I'm pretty sure I had 3,000 crackers (and by 3000 I mean probably a good 300 calories worth. Needless to say that wasn't within the parameters of my diet), but today I compensated by eating a little less and a little healthier.
9) Don't get obsessed. After measuring things out for a bit things will become more like second nature. Soon you won't have to look at the calorie count before you eat something. It should be a change in lifestyle that should lead to a healthier you. The goal here isn't to become the next "Twiggy." Remember that there are also more important things in life.
1) Do not set yourself up for failure by starting a diet when you have big issues in your life that need to be dealt with first. I myself dealt with other things in my life before I tackled those pesky extra 10 pounds that I was carrying around. (This is not, however, and excuse to put off weight loss indefinitely if you really would like to lose some weight. I'm going to a family party next week is not a good excuse. Life happens during weight loss. You have to deal with it).
2) Start small. I started by attending yoga classes 1 time a week and walking around my apartment complex. It was only a couple weeks after making the effort to exercise that I started to change my diet. And by that time I increased my physical activity and try to go to the gym 3-4 times per week.
3) Eat more fruits and veggies.
4) Eat less carbs.
5) You can eat everything you love (wait, what?) just in moderation, and not on the same day. Restricting any food completely will just make you crave it. On the first day of my diet I told myself: no chocolate. By the end of the day I was ready to raid the kitchen (which was never my style before. I ate too many sweets but never had more than a few cookies or a candy bar at a time). I realized then that I had to simply cut down on the sweet foods. So I started savoring the few pieces of dark chocolate I allow myself to have everyday. I don't stuff it in my mouth. I sit and enjoy it and feel satisfied.
6) Have a special day each week where you can splurge a little bit. (We're talking 250-500 calories here on an alcoholic beverage or a piece of cake, not going crazy and eating 3000 extra calories. You won't lose weight that way). It will make it easier to stick to your diet the rest of the week if you know that you can enjoy a cocktail with the girls on the weekend.
7) Sometimes you will have to say no to that extra piece of cake or pizza. And that is hard because you may not see the results on the scale the next day or the day after that. But if you keep eating healthier you will eventually see results. And the best feeling in the world was when I put on a pair of jeans that had been too tight for me all last year...and suddenly they were baggy on me. That's just priceless :-)
8) Eating badly one day doesn't mean that you should stop trying. Last night I'm pretty sure I had 3,000 crackers (and by 3000 I mean probably a good 300 calories worth. Needless to say that wasn't within the parameters of my diet), but today I compensated by eating a little less and a little healthier.
9) Don't get obsessed. After measuring things out for a bit things will become more like second nature. Soon you won't have to look at the calorie count before you eat something. It should be a change in lifestyle that should lead to a healthier you. The goal here isn't to become the next "Twiggy." Remember that there are also more important things in life.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Salzburg
Studying abroad is a strange thing. The journey doesn't end when you return home. It's just beginning. I don't think I'll ever stop reflecting on my life-changing year abroad. I may appear the same to my family and friends: they all see what they want to see. But the truth is, I feel forever changed.
Next September I will spend a month back in Salzburg, this time without the pressure of university or fitting in. I'll hike up Kapuzinerberg, walk around the city, take pictures, eat ice cream, and just enjoy life in Austria. I'm really looking forward to it.
Things in Ohio are going well. Getting one's master's involves a lot of deadlines and other pressures, but I'm taking it all in stride. I am learning a lot and I feel like getting this master's has been worthwhile in many ways. Living with a native Austrian is also very interesting. From a cultural standpoint we are so incredibly different, but in other ways, we are very similar.
I'm looking forward to seeing what direction my life will take in the next couple of months.
-Molly
Next September I will spend a month back in Salzburg, this time without the pressure of university or fitting in. I'll hike up Kapuzinerberg, walk around the city, take pictures, eat ice cream, and just enjoy life in Austria. I'm really looking forward to it.
Things in Ohio are going well. Getting one's master's involves a lot of deadlines and other pressures, but I'm taking it all in stride. I am learning a lot and I feel like getting this master's has been worthwhile in many ways. Living with a native Austrian is also very interesting. From a cultural standpoint we are so incredibly different, but in other ways, we are very similar.
I'm looking forward to seeing what direction my life will take in the next couple of months.
-Molly
Monday, September 26, 2011
Friends
Leaving for a long period of time and coming backs has its drawbacks. I ended up losing more friends than I ever expected to. However, I suppose I'd rather have a few good friends than lots of superficial ones. So today, I'll just be grateful for my true friends, and my wonderful family. You know who you are :-)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Home
Here I am, sitting in my room in my apartment in Bowling Green, Ohio. My mind, however, is in a completely different place. I currently miss my host families and friends in Germany and Austria terribly. Normally I am okay with being home, enjoying school, etc. But today is just one of those days. All I want is to see the people that helped make German-speaking Europe my home for 13 months.
I am constantly reminded by people here that I am back in the US of A, but they don't understand that it's difficult to readjust. I am certainly happy to see the people that I missed for so long, but at the same time, my life in Salzburg was simpler. It was not reality. Using savings, scholarships, and loans, I was traveling every weekend, buying fresh bread from the bakery, and living the good life. I realize that this is not the way one lives every year. However, what made my time there special to me wasn't the trips or the small amount of material possessions I acquired: it was the people.
Right now I am trying to figure out how to get back there next year. My hope is to be able to teach English in either Austria or Germany for 2 years. At that point I can figure out what I want to do in the future, and where I actually want to live. Will I spend the rest of my life in Germany/Austria, or in America? Only time will tell.
All I can say is that right now, I have a hole in my heart where something is missing. On most days an e-mail from a friend, an episode of a classic tv show, or a piece of chocolate will fill the void. Unfortunately, today I'm looking for something more.
Where is home??
Love, Molly
I am constantly reminded by people here that I am back in the US of A, but they don't understand that it's difficult to readjust. I am certainly happy to see the people that I missed for so long, but at the same time, my life in Salzburg was simpler. It was not reality. Using savings, scholarships, and loans, I was traveling every weekend, buying fresh bread from the bakery, and living the good life. I realize that this is not the way one lives every year. However, what made my time there special to me wasn't the trips or the small amount of material possessions I acquired: it was the people.
Right now I am trying to figure out how to get back there next year. My hope is to be able to teach English in either Austria or Germany for 2 years. At that point I can figure out what I want to do in the future, and where I actually want to live. Will I spend the rest of my life in Germany/Austria, or in America? Only time will tell.
All I can say is that right now, I have a hole in my heart where something is missing. On most days an e-mail from a friend, an episode of a classic tv show, or a piece of chocolate will fill the void. Unfortunately, today I'm looking for something more.
Where is home??
Love, Molly
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The Help
Tonight, the Austrian exchange students and I went to see the film, "The Help." It was difficult for me to watch. I was so saddened by what was happening in the film. It's hard to believe that, just 50 years ago, black people were treated as if they were the "hired help," and nothing else. My heart went out to the women in that film, and I cried with them throughout it; not only because I was appalled and saddened by what was happening, but because I know that this kind of thing still happens today. Let's be honest: often times police will pull black men over more often. If black men are taken to court, they are more likely to go to jail. Their skin color sometimes determines their fate. They are judged even before they stand trial.
I remember when I was discussing race with a black man that worked with me at the movie theater in high school. He said to me, "Don't base whether or not you like me on the fact that I'm black. Get to know me first. It's fine if you don't like me after meeting me, but at least have a reason." I never forgot that. Perhaps it is for that reason that I seek out those that are different from me. It is through them that I understand more about the world, and about myself.
I remember when I was discussing race with a black man that worked with me at the movie theater in high school. He said to me, "Don't base whether or not you like me on the fact that I'm black. Get to know me first. It's fine if you don't like me after meeting me, but at least have a reason." I never forgot that. Perhaps it is for that reason that I seek out those that are different from me. It is through them that I understand more about the world, and about myself.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Bowling Green, Ohio
On Sunday my grandparents and I picked up Astrid and Tina from the airport. After having spent a great deal of time with them in Salzburg, I looked forward to their arrival. I was able to find them at baggage claim and bring them back to my house. On Monday I showed them around downtown Birmingham and then we went to Somerset to go shopping. In the evening we went back to Birmingham to see the film Friends With Benefits. It was really cute.
On Tuesday I showed them around Ann Arbor, which included a walk through the quad at the University Michigan. It's really pretty there. I love the architecture. In the evening we went to my grandma's for dinner. She had also invited my dad and brother, as well as my cousin, Stephanie. I also invited Luiza, a good friend of mine. Dinner was delicious, and the conversation wasn't half bad either. All in all, it was a great night. I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful grandma.
Today I drove to Bowling Green, Ohio, with Astrid, Tina, and my dad. My dad had to come with us because we needed an extra car to transport all of our stuff. We arrived safely at Tina's, where we unloaded our things. Astrid and I will move into our apartment on Friday, but in the meantime we will be staying at Tina's. That works out well, as I have my first day of graduate orientation early tomorrow morning.
Today we explored the town. It's a really cute, walkable city. I am really looking forward to my year here. :-)
<3 Molly
On Tuesday I showed them around Ann Arbor, which included a walk through the quad at the University Michigan. It's really pretty there. I love the architecture. In the evening we went to my grandma's for dinner. She had also invited my dad and brother, as well as my cousin, Stephanie. I also invited Luiza, a good friend of mine. Dinner was delicious, and the conversation wasn't half bad either. All in all, it was a great night. I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful grandma.
Today I drove to Bowling Green, Ohio, with Astrid, Tina, and my dad. My dad had to come with us because we needed an extra car to transport all of our stuff. We arrived safely at Tina's, where we unloaded our things. Astrid and I will move into our apartment on Friday, but in the meantime we will be staying at Tina's. That works out well, as I have my first day of graduate orientation early tomorrow morning.
Today we explored the town. It's a really cute, walkable city. I am really looking forward to my year here. :-)
<3 Molly
Up North
After spending 5 days with my favorite German family, I went up north from Thursday to Tuesday. My whole family was up and the Baisch's, a family with a cottage down our street, and their kids were there, too. We have grown up together and it was great seeing them. We went to Yeck's a couple of times, out to ice cream, swimming, had a picnic at the Point, etc. We even had a karaoke night at our cottage. That led to a lot of laughs. Try watching Robert and Kathy Baisch sing to each other...haha.
I have missed being up there. The view of Mackinac Island, the bridge, the water...I never appreciated it before spending a year away from home.
<3 Molly
I have missed being up there. The view of Mackinac Island, the bridge, the water...I never appreciated it before spending a year away from home.
<3 Molly
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Respect
My mother told me a story today that deeply upset me. A priest went up to a Mexican guest worker on Mackinac Island and asked how he was doing. The worker said he wasn't doing well. He was sad because people walked by him and were laughing at him. The worker cleans up the horse manure on the island, and it seems as if people laugh at him because what they think he's doing is not important, or silly. The man works very hard to send money home to his family in Mexico. What is funny about that?
I get so angry when I see people making fun of guest workers. They take jobs that a lot of Americans don't want. Hard, manual labor jobs. They send the money home to their families. Most are just good people that want to make better lives for themselves. Isn't America the land of opportunity? We should be thanking these workers instead of shunning or laughing at them.
I also see it here when people see Americans that they think are "below" them. No one should categorize others by their income. Often these "low-level" jobs are the most difficult. I have deep respect for these people and so should the rest of the world. Before you judge them, walk a mile in their shoes.
I get so angry when I see people making fun of guest workers. They take jobs that a lot of Americans don't want. Hard, manual labor jobs. They send the money home to their families. Most are just good people that want to make better lives for themselves. Isn't America the land of opportunity? We should be thanking these workers instead of shunning or laughing at them.
I also see it here when people see Americans that they think are "below" them. No one should categorize others by their income. Often these "low-level" jobs are the most difficult. I have deep respect for these people and so should the rest of the world. Before you judge them, walk a mile in their shoes.
Friday, July 29, 2011
German week
I spent the better part of this week at the Hagenloch's in Grand Rapids. They are a German family that I've known for 6 years and have gotten very close with. It had been over a year since I had been to their home in Grand Rapids, having had studied abroad for the past year. I enjoyed the warm welcome, the delicious dinners (the first night Anke made Pizza soup, my favorite!) and my favorite German family. The kids have changed: they've all grown up a lot. But then again, so have I.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Baby Melancholy
I have been home for 5 days now. The first night at home was difficult. I was exhausted after 3 flights and couldn't think straight. The next few days were better. I was up north with my family and everything here was somehow "new" again. Now, on the 5th day, the honeymoon stage is over, and I am in a state of melancholy. Everything that is different here makes me angry, and I want things to be like they were in Germany. The experts call this "reverse culture shock" and I'm certainly dealing with that right now.
There are some wonderful things about America. Here I have my family, my best friends, my childhood memories. I have my American tv shows, my favorite chocolate bars, my favorite stores and restaurants. But it isn't about what is or isn't here. It's about getting used to it again. I adapted to another culture for an entire year, and eventually fell in love with it. I made the culture my own. And that's what makes it so hard to be back. But I guess I should be proud: because the fact that I am having reverse culture shock right now means I really did immerse myself in another culture. That was one of the most important things to me on this journey.
I will be back. While I'm not sure that I will spend the rest of my life in Germany, I am certain that I will be back for a longer period of time, either to work or study. I have so much support over there, making it a much more pleasant experience.
So today, I am going to try and relax. I'll watch Degrassi for free online and drink unsweetened iced tea, 2 things that I couldn't enjoy while I was in Europe.
Signing off,
Molly
There are some wonderful things about America. Here I have my family, my best friends, my childhood memories. I have my American tv shows, my favorite chocolate bars, my favorite stores and restaurants. But it isn't about what is or isn't here. It's about getting used to it again. I adapted to another culture for an entire year, and eventually fell in love with it. I made the culture my own. And that's what makes it so hard to be back. But I guess I should be proud: because the fact that I am having reverse culture shock right now means I really did immerse myself in another culture. That was one of the most important things to me on this journey.
I will be back. While I'm not sure that I will spend the rest of my life in Germany, I am certain that I will be back for a longer period of time, either to work or study. I have so much support over there, making it a much more pleasant experience.
So today, I am going to try and relax. I'll watch Degrassi for free online and drink unsweetened iced tea, 2 things that I couldn't enjoy while I was in Europe.
Signing off,
Molly
Friday, July 22, 2011
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is a place I've been going to every summer since I was born. I have never found going there to be that exciting, until now. Having been gone for over a year has allowed me to come back and appreciate the beauty of things I took for granted. Although Mackinac Island's tourist shops are nothing special, the view of Lake Huron, the boats, and the horse-drawn carriages are. Today I enjoyed sitting at the Yacht Club with a beautiful view of the water :)
I'm no longer in Germany but find myself being constantly reminded of the country. On the island I saw Ritter Sport candy bars for sale, and also saw a woman walk by with a purse that said Germany all over it. It's just a reminder that although I am not there, the country is still in my heart :-)
The culture shock continues. Today I bought a book at the book store. I got out exact change, only to be surprised when the tax wasn't included. Hello, how long have I lived here? It's as if I've forgotten my own culture.
Bye, Molly
I'm no longer in Germany but find myself being constantly reminded of the country. On the island I saw Ritter Sport candy bars for sale, and also saw a woman walk by with a purse that said Germany all over it. It's just a reminder that although I am not there, the country is still in my heart :-)
The culture shock continues. Today I bought a book at the book store. I got out exact change, only to be surprised when the tax wasn't included. Hello, how long have I lived here? It's as if I've forgotten my own culture.
Bye, Molly
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Culture Shock
I am happy to be home in some ways, and in others, I'm not. It's weird getting used to another culture again, even if it is my own. Speaking English all of the time is weird, and I am still adjusting to the time change. I miss Germany and Austria, and all of my friends.
I think this facebook status from yesterday basically sums up what is going on right now:
culture shock lesson number 1:
Me: Ok, so my sundae costs 3.25. Keep 4. (Hands waitress a 20)
Waitress: here is your change.
Me:Ok. Shit, wait, why did she only give me 12.75 back?
My Family: (Laughing) you told her to keep 4!
I am a foreigner in my own country.
Love, Molly
I think this facebook status from yesterday basically sums up what is going on right now:
culture shock lesson number 1:
Me: Ok, so my sundae costs 3.25. Keep 4. (Hands waitress a 20)
Waitress: here is your change.
Me:Ok. Shit, wait, why did she only give me 12.75 back?
My Family: (Laughing) you told her to keep 4!
I am a foreigner in my own country.
Love, Molly
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Home
I am back in America, and this new blog will chronicle my last year of grad school in the states.
It will probably involve a mixture of things written in English and German :)
-------
Today is my first full day back home, and I can only say that it has been strange. I have gotten excited about the weirdest things. I was so happy that I could buy regular kit kats and unsweetened iced tea at ride aid. I have also been having trouble of thinking of certain English words. For example, today I forgot the English word for "Decke" (blanket). I asked my family if we have vending machines with beer in them, and was surprised when they said no.
I'm seeing my country in a whole new light, and that's what my blog will be about this year.
Please excuse any spelling mistakes. I am still very jet-lagged.
-Molly
It will probably involve a mixture of things written in English and German :)
-------
Today is my first full day back home, and I can only say that it has been strange. I have gotten excited about the weirdest things. I was so happy that I could buy regular kit kats and unsweetened iced tea at ride aid. I have also been having trouble of thinking of certain English words. For example, today I forgot the English word for "Decke" (blanket). I asked my family if we have vending machines with beer in them, and was surprised when they said no.
I'm seeing my country in a whole new light, and that's what my blog will be about this year.
Please excuse any spelling mistakes. I am still very jet-lagged.
-Molly
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)