Oops, (looks like) I did it again, it's almost 2 weeks since I last posted!

We leave for Berlin tomorrow at 5:50pm. I've spent today photocopying important documents, talking to mum and dad, and putting everything I want to take on my bed and trying to picture how it's going to all fit into a backpack and handbag. I haven't done anything on my to-do list yet, which includes washing, but I will be able to tick off 'blog' when I finish this.

I don't think last week was very eventful. The only little notes I've made were: last Tuesday Caitlin and I did a spontaneous run around one of the ovals after lunch and it felt so good, I seriously need to find some way to exercise; and about last Friday. I called mum and dad in the morning. These phone cards are so good, £5 and you get 800 minutes, although it takes a lot of that away for the flagfall each call. It was our relaxing Friday seeing as we did our trip to Oxford the Friday before, so we decided on 2 recipes and we'd have a bit of a cook-off. Caitlin and Greer were making carrot cake muffins out of a recipe book here and Janet called home to get the ingredients for choc chip cookies she's made lots before. We walked down to town to get ingredients, came back up in time for lunch and then started cooking. We're not quite sure about this oven yet - it seems to cook faster on the bottom shelf, around the edges and just a bit unevenly. After they were all done, well to the best of our abilities, we gave some cookies to the Martins out the window and they seemed to be enjoyed, although the chocolate we used wasn't that great. We split some cookies and muffins between ourselves and gave the rest to the teaching gaps. Then we went and saw Black Swan. I couldn't work out afterwards whether I enjoyed it or not, but I think I did. If you've seen it, you'll know what I mean. The costumes were incredible, specifically a white dress that Natalie Portman wears. We walked back up the hill just in time for dinner, then headed up to the flat before most of us decided we'd go out. I tried on 3 outfits before I decided to wear a plain top with a skirt of Em's. We left earlier than previously, about 1:45am. Georgie's leather jacket got stolen from a chair which sort of wrecked the expensive taxi ride up the hill. Ooh, here's an exciting note for you all - I found a non-fitted sheet in the laundry on this day. No more washing the doona cover every time anymore!

On Saturday morning I had to work. Funny how every time we go out Friday, I work the Saturday morning after. I didn't feel too tired but felt very sick the whole morning. Not helped by the smell of Valentine's sweets being made. Didn't really do much else, the girls had Yours, Mine & Ours on so we watched the end of that. At lunch time, I got seconds for the first time since being here! It was spaghetti with tomato sauce, which wouldn't surprise you if you know me. They give such big portions at every meal here, and if you go for seconds you get the same amount again, it's crazy. And there's so much waste at the end of each meal too, no wonder. I've learnt to ask for a 'little bit' of some things, just to get a normal amount. After lunch I was off duty but the girls had a skipping workshop so I decided to go and watch for a bit. I would have loved to try the stuff but my feet were quite sore so I took some photos. The instructor was quite 'fit' too. After that I relaxed in my room, reading up on Italy mainly and a bit on Germany. I started The Little Mermaid and, like a couple of weeks previously, fell asleep for a couple of hours. Woke up for dinner, then looked at some more travel stuff, which made me really excited. I went up to the gap flat, where Aisling, Izzy and Rose were watching Misfits (Georgie and Em were in London) and then Izzy mentioned that she'd rented 90210 season 1 from the library so we went and watched 1, 2, 3, 4 episodes (we couldn't stop ourselves till we finished the first disc) by which time it was midnight.

We've been randomly watching it during the week and it's due back today, so Izzy's copied it all onto her computer to finish when she gets back after half term. I'm hooked! And it doesn't even matter that I just finished season 2 either!

Early this week, Janet, Caitlin, Greer and I booked our train trips in Italy. We'll be spending 3 days each in Milan (fashion!) and Venice, then taking an overnight 7 hour train trip to Rome before spending 4 days there and then heading to Istanbul. Exciting exciting exciting! Most of the rest of the week, we've just been looking at stuff to do in Berlin, and I still don't feel like I've looked at everything. I've got lots of advice from a family friend who lived there for many years though, so I'm sure we've got enough to be getting on with!

Just bought a couple of things I'd been needing for a while yesterday morning and Caitlin and I also joined to library. It's so lovely and bright and big, I'll definitely have to check it out properly sometime.

Back to getting ready for tomorrow. Hope you all have a great week!