Carmen Radeck

My friend Cristina from Buenos Aires and I have known each other for 15 years. We met in the BBC Learning English Facebook group to brush up our language skills and got part of a group of people who organised online meetings via Skype to practise our speaking skills.

15 years later, we are still a group of seven friends from countries like Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, Pakistan, Italy, Slovakia and Germany, now organised on WhatsApp. Today I met Cristina in person for the first time. She was visiting Berlin for a few days with her husband Oscar.

It was so easy and wonderful, as if we were meeting regularly face to face. We laugh about the same things and we all enjoy Bratwurst with Kartoffelsalat. It doesn’t matter if there are thousands of kilometers between us or just a table at a restaurant.

Have you ever lost your phone?

I have. Today. On the way to Berlin. I noticed it was gone when I was on the local train to Hamm, where I was going to catch the train to Berlin.

Fuck.

FUCKFUCKFUCK!!! FUUUUCCKKK!

My ticket was on my phone. My connection to all my people was on my phone! I was lost without my phone.

I MUST get it back

I must have lost it at the train station in my hometown. When I arrived in Hamm, I immediately took the train back to the nearest station where I had lost my phone.

From there I took a taxi to get there. I told the taxi driver that I had lost my phone and he asked if I wanted to call it first. I said no, I’m sure it’s at the station. There aren’t many people around at this time.

But then I thought, why not! So we called my number and a voice said, hello, this is the lost property office of the city of Kamen.

OMG!

O! M! G!

I was so relieved to hear that friendly voice!

Sooo relieved! And so happy. And so was the taxi driver! We were both laughing like crazy! Happy and relieved. The two of us.

He took me to the lost property.

It was quite easy to get the phone back. A kind man had brought it there just before.

And maybe sweet, fluffy Cooper on the lock screen also convinced the friendly finder to take it straight to the lost property office.

Incredible that only two hours later than planned I arrived in Berlin.

Tomorrow I’m going to Berlin for a few days, and when I think about it, I feel like I’m going home. Even though I AM at home.

It’s wonderful to have different places that feel like home.

I love the online courses of the London Drawing Group. Especially those in the „Secrets of Seeing“ series led by British artist Josh Armitage. Today it was all about colour. I usually watch the recording on the Sunday after class and draw along with Josh. This colour class was inspired by the paintings of the American artist Milton Avery. What I like about Josh is that he’s also into collage and had a nice exercise with colour and collage which I’m giving a try this week as well.

To get back into the blogging rhythm, my friend Karen and I have started a „Joyful July Blog Challenge“. The only rule: have fun with it.

Let’s go!