It’s a little weird being “back to school” again, sitting in lectures the whole day and being sent out of class to do activities. The photo was something we had to take outside the building (photos with people in them were not allowed) in order to test our skills at composition. I’m not a great photographer, but I do know what a good photo looks like. This photo isn’t great; heck, it’s just ordinary. But I liked the bear sticker on the trash can, and that blue blob in the back is a statue of the Berlin bear. Good times. I’m looking forward to learning a lot more, because I’m finding out that I really know so little.

After a 13-hour Manila-Amsterdam trip, plus a connecting flight to Germany, I’m finally in Berlin. I’ll be here for the next three weeks for a workshop on advanced multimedia and online journalism, so I’ll probably be updating a lot anyway. The weather’s nice and nippy, and I’m really excited to be in Europe at this time of the year, since I don’t usually find myself in other countries during autumn.

Can I just say, I’m really looking forward to learning and keeping my own place again. My apartment isn’t as roomy as the one I had last year, but it’s nice and quiet, with pinewood furniture, a small kitchen, and a huge lawn outside. Photos to follow soon! For now, I need to catch up on some sleep so I won’t waste my time on jet lag in the coming days.

I’ve been lucky enough to have classmates from all corners of the world. Other cultures are infinitely more fascinating and relatable when you know people from different countries. But once in a while, my classmates and I encounter language and culture barriers that make what we’re really saying seem a hundred times worse. Just now, a Bangladeshi classmate from a course I took in Germany messaged me on Facebook. What could’ve been a routine catching-up conversation went haywire somewhere in the middle…

Masum: hi, Bianca-how r u?
Bianca: good, thank you. how are you?
Masum: fine, what about u?
Bianca: same as ever, how about you?
Masum: Did u marry?
Bianca: no, far from! why?
Masum: just for information………
Bianca: oh i’m still unmarried; I’m just 25
Masum: u r too young, i thought u r at least 30.
Bianca (freaking out, having palpitations): you thought i was 30? i look 30???
Masum (immediately realizing his mistake): no dear. u look so young…..

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