From Heaven Down To The Basement.

Hey folks,

it's been quite a long time since I've last updated my blog and I am sorry (not really, but just go with it). Well, what happened?

Easy peasy answer to your question.

C H I C A G O. 

That happened. Yes! Be jealous!

Okay so. Anyways, I just totally forgot what I wanted to tell you. Ah right, Chicago. It started out phenomenal!

1) The flight was good.

2) I lived with Kristin's stepsister while she stayed over at her Aunt's.

3) I was off for 2 1/2 days in row because well. Look at Number 2. ;)

So I decided to explore Chicago by myself with all my free-time I'm not really used to. 

First day first. Tuesday afternoon.

I thought it might be a brilliant idea to explore the European neighborhood where Bonnie (the lovely stepsister of Kristin) lives. Turned out it wasn't quite the brilliant idea. Well, it started to really come down the moment I was outside for about 5 minutes. 

30 minutes later, I was soaked with water and decided to return back, spending my lovely free-time with reading. (No kidding it was no fun!)

Second day. Wednesday the 27th of May. 

Since Bonnie gave me really cool insider tips I decided to book a trolley-tour in order to see as much as possible of downtown Chicago. (Yep this might ring a bell in your smart little brain. I took a trolley-tour at Key West too!)

The tour was good though. The guide was hilarious and the stops were really lovely. Like I was able to take thousands (no not that many) pictures for you. :)

Third day. Thursday 28th of May. 

The weather was incredible, so I decided why don't I walk 1 hour to the closest beach? And that's what I did before my host dad picked me up so that I would stay at Kristin's aunt too. 

The next couple of days were good, even if I worked 10 and two 9 hours shifts for the last three days of the week, but well I guess I didn't complain though, because let me show you the view I woke up to at the new place.

(I KNOW IT'S AMAZING!!!)

Alright. So you maybe ask yourself: Anica what about your weird title? Well, let me explain. Irene's apartment (Aunt) was on the 57th floor of a huge skyscraper (heaven) and then after visiting the 50th marriage anniversary of my host dad's parents (and it was nothing like Bollywood, duh), I ended up living in the basement. Really. THE BASEMENT.

It wasn't the worst basement to be honest. I had three sofas and a hollywood swing, but it was freaking cold and every freaking morning someone came downstairs because the freezer was down there and let me tell you that those stupid stairs made the loudest noises ever. 

Anyways, the last four days were boring as hell. I worked more hours than they needed me because well. The big family stayed over at my host dad's parents because well that's Indian culture I supposed. (Which also caused me to be abandoned into the basement).

Whenever I was off, I tried to be outside (spent most of my time sitting on a bench at a lake and watching people exercising while I ate my fruit salads) since the weather was incredibly good. Sunny and not too hot. Just perfect. 

I guess that's it. I'm back in Houston and there are 111 days left until I am going to board the plane back to Germany. (Time flies!)

This entry is crap and I am sorry, but I am so freaking tired. 

I don't know when I'll start working on the video for you guys, I guess maybe next week, but be patient with me. (I lived in a basement!)

Lot's of love.

Yours, 

          Anica (basement-resident)

Houston-treasures with Jessica.

Hey there guys, 
so Jessica arrived in Houston yesterday and we spent some time bicycling/walking through Houston, visiting Discovery Green and Sam Houston Park, walking through underground tunnels, exploring some underground shopping areas with a cute souvenir shop.
Since the weather was incredible we had the chance to spent tons of times outdoors which was just lovely. We just took thousands of pictures and it really felt like we know each other for years, but actually we don't which was really fun! (Thank you Jessica for the great day!)

On our way home we bicycled along the bayou river and it was pretty impressive what we found there! Since I've never been there before it was also a new experience exploring Houston with new places which I am absolutely going to visit again! :)

After arriving back at home we decided to take a UBER taxi to get to the Water Wall in downtown Houston since it was too late to bike there and it would have been pretty exhausting bicycling there! And let me break this down for you: THE WATER WALL IS IMPRESSIVE! *o*

After our little watery adventure we just grabbed some dinner at the Galleria Mall and went back to my house, chilling out while getting ready for the next day because today was the day Jessica needed to catch her bus to Austin! :) 

And that's it! I hope you had an fantastic Tuesday and a great start into Wednesday! 

Ouh and let me tell you I've filmed A LOT so there is a new VLOG-Video coming up really soon.

Stay tuned!

Lot's of love. 

Yours, 

          Anica (the guide)

P.S.: Made some incredibly delicious (and good looking) pancakes this morning! ;)

DALLAS

Hello there,

how was your weekend? I hope you'd a lot of FUN and you enjoyed valentine's day (well I spend mine with my lovely little S. does that count?). 

On Friday 2-13-2015 we drove off to DALLAS! 

After 4 1/2 hours car drive (it sucked) we arrived at one of the most amazing hotels I've ever been. It was so huge and there was a huge roofed indoor yard with a river walk and tons of flowers, trees, water and an indoor pool connected with a gym. Moreover, there was a non roofed yard outside with an outdoor pool, tons of trees, flowers and water which was so lovely!

(That is the indoor yard! Amazing right?)

(And this is outdoor! So lovely! It reminded me of a castle!)

(This is a part of the restaurant at the river walk which 

somehow reminds someone of Italy, right?!)

(This is what the hotel looks like from the outside!)

(And this ladies and gentlemen is the lake connected to the hotel)

And that's it.

Actually, I didn't do that much because my whole Saturday was child caring for little S. from 8 AM until 6 PM. Didn't have a chance to see downtown DALLAS, but maybe I am going to get back there really soon. Some of my Au Pair friends are planning to go there and asked me whether I want to join them and HELL YEAH I would love to! 

See you soon!
Lot's of Texan love.

Yours,
          Anica (Cowgirl)

Discovery Green Cluster

Hello there,

I hope that you're fine! 

So today is Sunday 2-8-2015 and I have another cluster meeting at Discovery Green Park in downtown Houston! Since the weather was adorable (20 degree, sunshine combined with a cold breeze) I decided to bicycle downtown which was actually a great workout (nearly 1.5h workout in total). Seeing the other Au Pairs, talking to them and talking to my LCC was really amazing, but the best part was that we had a lovely guide showing us the whole park and telling us something about Discovery Green. She was a really lovely, older lady and she really did a great job keeping the tour exciting! 

So here are some unedited pictures for you! (BE JEALOUS! :P)

(I actually thought that this 

looks like a huge mirror)

(This is the field of lights. There are hundreds of

lights with different colors when it's getting dark

outside and you can just walk through them!)

(This flower looks like a bird!)

And that's it!
I hope you had a fantastic weekend!

See you soon!

Lot's of love.

Yours,
            Anica

(I stole that picture from our cluster meetings website

so excuse the weird editing!)

P.S.: I am so annoyed by the fact that I can't really plan my fitness routine because my schedule changes every damn single week and next week I am working 25 out of my 45 hours on the weekend which sucks. I guess I just need to try to do some Pilates and stick to eating super healthy and clean (70% nutrition). 

Sun and Fun.

Hello there!

So today was a really lovely day (well it's only 3:26 PM, but still it is a lovely day until now).

My shift was from 6 AM until 2 PM and during my on-duty time we went to the "Rose Garden" once again in order to meet Auntie E. (a friend of my host mom) and we had a lovely picnic at the park.

It was so much fun because the weather was great, little S. was in a good mood and I spend some time outside which is nice after spending the last couple of days mostly inside.

(And yeaah! I took my new camera with me.)

(That's like a small waterfall running down the hill. 

And actually you are able to walk around the hill which is so cute! 

Can't believe that this was a parking lot before! 

Damn right. They did an amazing job!)

(This is a lovely Asian tea-house and I think it's so cute!)

And that's it for today! I hope you enjoyed your last Monday in January (can't believe that it's already the last Monday for the first month of 2015 the time is flying!)

Lot's of love

Yours,
           Anica

P.S.: I just figured out that I am not motivated enough to go running here (after running 5 times last week and I hated it) because I just hate the fact that you are always surrounded by traffic and you have to stop like every 3 minutes to look whether you are able to run or you have to stop because of the traffic. (it suuucks!)