Couple of facts

Hey there, my name is Katharina and I run this place. There’s a longer version of this but you know what? That you chose the short version doesn’t make you less of a good visitor and me less of a fan of you. Because - as you’ll see later - I’m all about equality and world peace and make love, not war and so forth.

I’m 19 years old. And I’m German - born, raised and still residing in this slightly boring country right in the middle of Europe. While many people will tell you that this country is just as beautiful and interesting as others, I don’t agree and they are lying. Needless to say, I can’t wait to get out.

Question is, out? Where exactly is that place? For me, it’s - obviously - anywhere but here, most likely the United States. I spent a year in Kentucky as a foreign exchange student and loved it. You see, ever since I can remember I have this dream of marrying a cowboy and living on a ranch with a bunch of kids and dogs somewhere in rural America. Admit it, that does sound like a great plan, doesn’t it?

And also kind of like a corny movie. But we’ll see.

Before I can take the step across the big ol’ ocean, I’m going to attend university over here because - let’s face it - the US immigration office don’t just wave everybody through who’s healthy and wealthy enough to board a plane. You gotta show some effort.

So there you go. University.

Hopefully, I can get into Maastricht University which is in the Netherlands; courses will be held in English and so it’ll feel at least a little foreign even though the Netherlands really aren’t far away at all.

As you should be able to tell by now, I love foreign cultures and languages. I like to think that I’m fluent in both English and German, although in certain situations that doesn’t seem to be the case for either one. I can also understand more or less everything in French but after eight years of high school French I still have trouble speaking it myself. As of February 14, I’m attending a Dutch language course to be able to communicate with my fellow-countrymen-to-be.

If I had the time and the money, I would try to learn Spanish and Italian and take a look at languages such as Russian, Chinese and Arabic. I can’t think of anything that fascinates me more than languages. Each and every one of them is just so flawlessly complex and beautiful.

Other than that, just like everybody else, I have a few ridiculous addictions and obsessions that I can’t get rid of - and, honestly, I don’t want to get rid of them. Duh, isn’t that what they say about addictions?

Anyway. I love dogs - always have, always will. Unfortunately, my family has never had any kind of pet and so I’m constantly suffering from puppy withdrawls. I also enjoy music, books and TV shows that are widely agreed on as being really, really not cool. But who gives a shit?

In fact, that’s the motto I try to live by: make life easier by not giving a shit. Classy, huh?

Let’s go back to books, though. My mom says reading is unsocial and thereby gives me a reason to yell my favorite motto at her. I love books of any kind - often, I’m ashamed to admit, those recommended by Oprah’s Book Club. I also love writing myself (which comes in handy when you run a blog) and have started on short stories and several novels many times but never seem to be able to finish them.

That’s me, though - I procrastinate. All the time.

I’m starting to suspect that this, again, has to do with my motto.

There are a couple of other quotes I really like and therefore try to live by such as Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up and Wherever you may go, go with all your heart. Maybe the most important one is something I try to take in consideration on every decison I make: Happy are those who dream dreams, and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.

I also read somewhere that the older you get, the more you realize that most things don’t matter.

I love that. I don’t know why but it’s just so reassuring somehow. And also, it’s basically the fancy version of not giving a shit.