— tapioca world tour

Saw a red-lidded toilet in the blue bathroom of a café. It warranted a picture.

It’s still FREEZING here, and snowing a bit on and off — though not much, compared to what Boston or NYC is usually like. Found out I cannot start my new job until all of my paperwork is completed (it’s in processing but not yet completed). So I can catch up on other stuff while waiting — redesigning an organizational website, answering emails, ploughing through IQ84 (my endless-but-good Murakami novel), etc.

I just ate almost an entire box of cookies.

Soon it will be Valentine’s Day. I used to paint rocks and wrap them in poems as Valentine’s presents for friends during college. But sadly I can’t mail anything to anybody from here because customs charge ten billion dollars when you send anything internationally. Alas.

J’irai où ton souffle nous mène,
dans les pays d’ivoire et d’ébène.

Putting the “East” back in East Berlin… It’s only a matter of time before all the buildings are restored and rents go waaaaaay up. But for now, this city is super affordable.

KopenhagenerStr., originally uploaded by pazonada.

KopenhagenerStr.

My new voicemail on the German mobile:

Today I successfully registered my existence at the Bürgeramt, East Berlin’s “citizen’s office”. The place itself is within a campus of sorts, reminiscent of an old-school mental institution. Ivy is all over the walls. Stasi ghosts roam the fluorescent halls. I found the bathroom and there was no toilet paper. I took a number and waited in an orderly line to be accounted for. I went through the motions of heavily intact German societal order, but couldn’t help feel completely creeped out by the place — and notice the irony of enforced order, bureaucracy, and data collection on citizens still pervasive in this SS-era compound.

Granted, I have no idea what I’m talking about. I made all the details up; I don’t know when the buildings were made, I don’t know if the Stasi used to work here. But BOY DOES IT FEEL THAT WAY. Sigh, East Berlin.

a report from the other side of the wall:

• homemade marmalade from portugal is delicious.
• we have russian meat in a can:

• it is FREEZING. just because you visited berlin in january twice before doesn’t mean this january will be as warm. single digits, people. negative in celsius.
• just because t-mobile germany CAN unlock your contract-expired iphone 3GS doesn’t mean they WILL.
• everything is closed on sundays. like the states, back in the 80s.
• “antrag auf erteilung eines aufenthaltstitels” means “application for a residence permit”, and you have to cross your fingers.
• i ordered breakfast three times, entirely in german, and was successful.
• just because the US post office tells you that the package you shipped to yourself will reach germany in 7 days doesn’t mean that over two weeks later it will have arrived.
• babies. babies are all over prenzlauerberg. cute litte bundled-up babies, who stare at you imploringly while their athletic-looking moms push them in proper prams.
• i fixed the comments section. so if you weren’t able to leave any before, now you can. did you hear that? now you can!!