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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

November and December Recap: Berlin and the Holidays

It's been two months since my last post and that is officially the longest I have gone without posting on this blog... It's too bad, but it couldn't be helped either. School always seems to be busiest nearing the end of the semester and this year was no exception. I miss blogging a lot though so I'm hoping to get back into it and start posting more regularly in the new year! First though, a brief recap of what I was up to these past two months:


As I mentioned in my last recap, in November I travelled to Berlin for a palaeontology conference where I gave a 15 minute presentation to 200 people in my field on the research I have been doing for my master's thesis. Yikes. All I can say is I did a fairly good job and I'm glad it's over! My presentation was scheduled for near the end of the conference so I found it a bit hard to relax and enjoy myself for much of the time I was in Berlin, sadly. Plus there was very limited time for sightseeing. Still, I did manage to find some time to slip away and here's some bits of Berlin that I got to see:

The Reichstag (The Parliament Building)
Brandenburg Gate
The incredibly moving and powerful Holocaust Memorial. I very much appreciated that such a horrific part of Germany's history wasn't hidden away or downplayed, but kept in the forefront as a tribute to the millions of Jews that were brutally murdered and as a reminder - never again.
A completely unremarkable parking lot. Also the site of Hitler's Bunker, which has since been filled in.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, before and after the war. I liked the completely bizarre mix of super modern architecture in Berlin with the still-standing ruins of the war spread throughout the city. You could even make out bullet-holes in a lot of the ruins. Completely surreal.

Remnants of the Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. It just so happens that I was in Berlin at the same time as the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I felt quite privileged that I got to be there to experience that! Also, the man in the lower right picture with me is my dear dad, who was in Berlin at the same time as me - it was very nice to be able to spend some time with him!

I regret that these pictures really don't do Berlin justice, and also that I only got to see a fraction of the city in the very limited time that I had there. One thing is for certain though: this trip - in combination with my reading of Just One Day by Gayle Forman last month - has given me major wander-lust. I'm already planning my next trip back to Europe - hopefully with more time and freedom - and I can't wait! Much of my trip was stressful and overwhelming on account of my major presentation, but overall it was pretty incredible, and definitely the most momentous experience of the year for me!


December is always a mixed-bag for me: the first three quarters of the month tend to be busy and stressful before the holidays set in, and then the last quarter is restful and festive. I returned home to Edmonton for the holidays and was greeted by family, snow, and generous Christmas gifts from bookish friends:
Clockwise: Meaningful contemporaries that I can't WAIT to read from Sara of Just Another Story; exciting fantasies that I'm DYING to read from Micheline of Lunar Rainbows; gorgeous new Anne of Green Gables box set from the bf; beautiful Emily of New Moon series from Tundra Books; soooo many fantastic, squee-worthy goodies from Ambur of Burning Impossibly Bright; and possibly the most gorgeous book I have ever seen (picture doesn't do it justice) from Alex of A Girl, Books, and Other Things
Soooo yeah, I AM ONE LUCKY GIRL!! And soooo spoiled. THANK YOU!

I hope everyone has had a restful holiday season and has a Happy New Year!!

26 comments :

  1. Those covers from the Anne Green Gables books are so pretty! I'm happy that you are done with your presentation, it sounds very stressful :) HAPPY NEW YEAR.

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  2. I'm glad that your speech at the conference went so well. The old buildings sound fascinating I certainly would like to see them some day and trace my fingers on the bullet holes.

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    1. Thank you! It was absolutely fascinating and surreal.

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  3. It's too bad you didn't get to relax and enjoy Berlin a bit more Aylee, but a huge congratulations on getting through your presentation! I probably would have had a panic attack, I don't speak well in front of people at all. I'm perfectly content behind a keyboard:) Thanks so much for sharing your amazing pictures!

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    1. Wellll I did have a few issues with panic attacks while I was there, to be honest... I really don't know how I managed it in the end. Just glad I did! Thanks, Jenny :)

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  4. I'm glad your presentation went over fairly well; I hope you can get back to Europe soon and really explore! I've never been, but I'm planning to visit in the next couple years sometime, after I finish grad school.

    Looks like you got some lovely items this holiday. How fun!

    Happy New Year,

    Lauren

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    1. Thanks, Lauren! Eeee glad you're making Europe plans too!

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  5. AYLEE! I've missed you and your blog posts so much, but it certainly looks like you've been busyyyyy! I hope your presentation went really well and was worth fretting about. And eeep, the places you visited look so so gorgeous! I can't even imagine what it's like to visit the Holocaust Memorial, I'm glad you shared that with us.

    Hope to see more of you soon, and happy holidays and have happy new year, Aylee!

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    1. Awww, thanks Jen <3 I'm looking forward to getting back into blogging and seeing more from you as well!

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  6. This is so adorable, oh wow. Those are some great photographs, and also it's so cute that book friends sent you presents!

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  7. I'm so happy that you thought you did a good job on your presentation - there's nothing worse than thinking about all the things you could have done differently - and that you got at least some time to explore Berlin. Where in Europe are you planning on going next?

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    1. I'm not sure, really! Depends on what time and money I can scrounge up. Have you ever been and do you have any recommendations?

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  8. Happy new year!! and you recaps are always awesome!!
    I would have been super scared to giver a presentation like that!! you are so brave :D

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    1. Ohhh well I wouldn't say brave! Just relieved to have it over with ^^ Thanks, Alex!

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  9. 200 people? Bad a$$ much! *high five*
    FAB pictures. I'm totally jealous.

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    1. Heh, oh well I am far from a bad ass ^^ But thanks, Juju :D

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  10. I love those Anne covers! So pretty! I saw that at Costco the other day and *almost* bought them ... one day. :) I'm sure you did awesome on your presentation! How cool is that, getting to go to Berlin to do a presentation? Awesome!

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    1. OMG you should totally buy them - they're even more gorgeous in person!! And thanks :)

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  11. I don't know how I missed this yesterday when I stopped by (lack of tea maybe?) but thank gawd for Bloglovin', otherwise I might have missed this lovely recap! Welcome back doll, I hope that 2015 brings you lots of happiness, fun and plenty of down time for all the bookish things :D

    I always hated whenever I had presentations to do and my turn ended up near then end so I can totally see how you weren't able to relax much on your trip to Berlin. However I still think you're very luck to have been and am still quite envious of your experience :) Traveling is something I long to do more of too but I guess that for the time being, I'll live vicariously through your wanderlust plans XD

    Thanks for sharing awesome trip pictures with us,as well as all the pretty bookish pictures as well ♥ I hope you enjoy all your goodies! Happy new year Aylee xxxx

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    1. Aww, thanks Mich ^^ That means a lot! I am very lucky, it's true! Happy New Year to you, too!! <3<3

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  12. Woah. WOAH!! That must have been amazing to visit Berlin indeed. So many things to see and you seem to have chosen the right date to go too. One country I would love to visit would definitely be Japan. Though it scares me a little haha. They seem too intelligent, those Japan people ahha. Seems like you had a wonderful time there, presentation aside, even that went good so great! And great books you have there. I love the cover for ''This Song Will Save Your Life.'' Glad to see you back, Aylee! :D

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    1. Oh Japan is definitely on my list too! The thought of going there makes me a bit anxious, but it's more because of what I suspect will be quite a culture shock! I know the people there are generally kind and polite :)

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  13. You're definitely still doing better at recaps than I am...I have pretty much abandoned them at this point. :P I love your pictures from Berlin! Even though you didn't get to see a lot of it, it's still pretty awesome, and it's great that you got to see your dad while you were there, too!!! :D And I definitely have wanderlust myself...I think I've been fighting to suppress it ever since I went to Cancun in 2013. Now I want to go EVERYWHERE! And I'd love to go back to Mexico, too. :) If only there were a job where it's just vacationing and travelling all the time. :P

    You definitely got some awesome gifts this year, Eilidh! And I'm so glad you like the goodies I gave you. :)

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    1. Heh, aww I love your recaps, but I can understand if they aren't a priority in your life right now :) Wanderlust - it's the best and worst feeling. Like it's so exciting to dream about going to other places, but at the same time it's so hard because it's not like you can just drop everything and tour the world. If only it were our jobs! Maybe I could become a travel blogger instead now :) That pays... right? Heh, if only...

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