A lifestyle expat travel blog about culture, history, Brexit, the Royal Family, travels around the world, Europe, and being British in Berlin!
Posted on August 10, 2014 by thebritishberliner
Phwoah!
It was just ten (10) months ago when I started this blog about my lifestyle, travel, being British, and living in Berlin, and since then, I’ve gone on in leaps and bounds.
May, 2014 was when that door of prominence opened with the various shows, performances, and events that I went to, when I accidentally stumbled upon a PR person at the Sony Center in Berlin, and I never looked back!
Isn’t it marvellous?
Back in November, only a month after I actually started blogging at all, I was nominated for my first Liebster Award by a lovely Canadian girl called Jess from Turquoise Compass.
My second award in December, was a Dragon’s Loyalty Award given to me by an exciting American girl called Cristin from Cristin’s Adventures.
My third award and second (2nd) Liebster Award in April, was given to me by a hilarious British guy called Tom from Waegook Tom.
I do actually have a fourth award in May – the Versatile Blogger Award – given to me by a brilliant American couple called Jennifer and Chad from And Three To Go but I’d like to give their award the honour it deserves on its own page, later on in the academic year LOL!
I hadn’t previously been able to write about the awards as why you shouldn’t bother going to Poland, death in Berlin, choosing life and a job, breaking an arm at the Berlin Music Video Awards, and going to Berlin Fashion Week were deemed a bit more appropriate at the time!
So back to Tom and my lovely second Liebster Award. I’m enormously pleased and coming from Tom. It’s an absolute honour. Thank you so much Tom from Waegook Tom!
Waegook Tom is a fellow British person who has a hilarious blog about living in South Korea, travels, adventures, food porn, and taking an awesome number of selfies! He is presently teaching in Taiwan and having adventures that you wouldn’t believe. I like him because he’s not afraid to put his feelings and thoughts on the line. Explore the rest of his blog to see for yourself!
What is a Liebster Award?
A Liebster Award is a blog reward believed to have taken birth in my new home-land – Germany! “Die Liebster” in German means sweetheart, my love or dearest, and is a world-wide nomination for up-and-coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. Even though I now have more than 200 followers (thank you everyone), I still consider myself an up-and-coming blogger, so I accept!
The Rules of the Award are:
The questions were:
1. Have you ever had an embarrassing bodily discharge moment while travelling?
Ha! Ha! Tom. Very funny. I’m not telling! That’s for my memoirs and my autobiography LOL! However, I can tell you that I had a moment. In India. Oh yes! No surprises there I guess. I was on a bus which of course had no toilet facilities unlike in Germany. Sigh! Anyway, I’d been holding for a few hours and was now desperate, so asked the bus driver to stop at a random village, which he did. I picked a local house with people in front of it. I don’t think they really understood what I wanted because when I turned around, there were about 30 Indian men following me! I wasn’t scared, just surprised. And desperate. I’m a teacher so I told them to bugger off, and went to look for a woman who escorted me to the toilet facilities!
2. Is there anywhere in the world that you’re not interested in visiting at all?
Not really. I’m open to everywhere. As long as they’re interesting LOL, but I don’t think my family would be amused if I went to a war zone or something. I’m that mad! I haven’t really been to South America yet and I have no idea why. I’ve been to the Dominican Republic though. Does that count?
3. What’s your favourite cocktail?
I thought you wouldn’t ask. Anything with vodka or champagne! And fruity stuff. No milk concoctions. I have bad memories about those milky White Russians cocktail jugs, in a London bar. Let’s just say, that it didn’t end well!
4. Would you rather fly first class on a long haul flight, or stay in a luxury suite at a 5-star hotel for a weekend break?
Hmm. You’ve got me there. It depends. I’ve only flown first class once and that was an upgrade from Berlin to London soooooo I wouldn’t mind getting that pampering experience of flying first class properly on a long haul flight. On the other hand, if I’m in Europe with my hubby, I think a luxury suite at a 5-star hotel on a weekend break sounds quite acceptable, don’t you think? In fact, I’ll be all fabulous and take them both!
5. Winter wonderland or tropical paradise?
I’m a winter baby so Winter wonderland it is. I like skiing and breathing in the fresh air, and walking in the mountains. I also like the changing of the seasons. I’m not averse to a beach holiday though, but I don’t want to live in a tropical paradise otherwise, what would I dream about?
6. Have you ever contemplated giving up on a trip while you’re already on it?
Sure. Haven’t we all? Ha! Ha! Back to India again. About 9 years ago, I went to India solo. It was the most exciting and yet frustrating trip I’d ever been on. I saw amazing things both good and bad, got hit and bruised by a cow, my skin colour turned grey because I was ill, and I had the worst journey ever, on an overnight Indian train. Horrible! Even though I was on a “spiritual journey” and I found a Hindu god that would fit my personality (Lord Ganesh if you want to know), India has been the only country where for the first time, I really couldn’t wait to leave, but I did continue my planned journey nevertheless.
In fact, I quite fancy going back to India again!
7. What’s your favourite passport stamp?
It’s pretty hard to choose as I’ve been to so many places. Egypt. I’ve been there three (3) times and I’m still overwhelmed by the pyramids. I’m just so sorry that it’s not as safe as it used to be anymore. What a shame. 🙁 Hong Kong. I loved it. Chinese yet so utterly British! Bali and it’s wonderful food and beaches, minus the horrible monkeys. And the US of A. An amazing trip on the west coast including California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. I could quite see myself living in San Francisco!
8. What’s your guilty pleasure while travelling?
I know it sounds boring but reading all day. I’m always out and about and I’m also a wife and mother so the only time I get to really read, is on the train or at bedtime! I like to read three or four books at the same time, and If I really like the book, I have no problem reading it all over again!
9. Have you ever gotten into an argument with a local?
I’m afraid so. In a polite way though. I am British after all LOL! Only because they thought that I was a tourist. I’m an expat. Some people don’t like us (expats) because they believe that we’re the reason that the prices have gone up. We’re not. Most of us couldn’t care less about the quality of housing and services but the Berliners from West Germany, do care. Double sigh! We expats love living in Berlin. Warts and all.
Sometimes people can be rude and say awful things only to have the shock of their life when I respond. In German. Or they try to over-charge. Not so long ago, my son and I went to a small shop not far from the international English-speaking cinema. I wasn’t paying 100% attention,but enough to notice that the sales-assistant put our purchases through the till three times instead of once. Well, that was a surprise, as that has never happened to me before, being that I know the difference between the Euro and a Pound!
10. In your opinion, which country has the dreamiest dudes or most gorgeous girls?
You’ve got to be joking right. Germany of course! All that blonde hair and blues eyes or in my case, a gorgeous brunette and green eyes. Tall babes. I’m talking about the boys AND the girls here. Fit bodies and an intelligent mind!
Just say, I do!
O.K. Enough about me. As per the rules, I have to nominate five of my favourite blogs so I nominate the lovely people below:
Thanks so much to all the people who have visited my blog and or made comments. I am astounded by the support, kindness, and advice, that I have received since I started this blog just ten months ago!
I really appreciate it and look forward to seeing more of you on my blog, and elsewhere in the blogging world with your Clicks! Comments! Shares! and Likes!
Enjoy these blogs and I’ll see you next week!
Right, here are my 10 questions:
What’s your favourite smell?
What do the clothes you wear, say about you?
What was the last electrical item you threw away and why?
Half-full or half-empty?
What language would you like to learn and why?
Have you ever been to the Red Sea?
if you could be an insect, what insect would you be and why?
Name the most disgusting meal that you have ever had?
Complete this sentence: Queen Elizabeth II is…….?
That’s it for now.
Have you had a bloggers award, been nominated for an award, or even rejected one?
Spill the beans!
See you in Berlin.
If you like this post.
Share it! Tweet it! Like it!
Category: AWARDS, BADGE OF HONOUR, BERLIN, blogging, blogs, British, celebrations, EUROPE, EXPAT, GERMANY, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, social media, THe DRAGON'S LOYALTY AWARD, the Liebster Award, THOUGHTS & IDEAS, TRAVELTags: 2nd, award, awards, Blog, blog achievements, blogger, Blogging, blogs, British, europe, expat, Germany, Liebster, Liebster Award, nominated, social media, the British Berliner, the liebster award, Travel and Tourism
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I'm a British girl from Manchester living in Berlin with my German husband and my half British – half German son. My blog is a lifestyle expat travel blog and puts a focus on my promotion of culture, history, travels around the world, Europe, Brexit, the Royal Family, British-German life and being British in Berlin - I am The British Berliner!
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Congrats!!
Awwww. Thank you so much Lisa!
Congrats on another award! Your fun blog deserves it!
Thanks very much Phil! Everyone has been fantastic and totally awesome!
Congratulations!
Many Thanks. I am delighted by all the encouragement I’ve gotten!
You deserve it!
Awwww! You’re making me blush Linda!
Thanks. 🙂
Wow – Brilliant – well deserved – Congrats – Keep up with your hard and great work!!
Thanks so much for your nice comments Mihrank. 🙂
Thank you for nominating us, sweetheart! We really appreciate that!! 🙂 I’m in Poland right now, but I’m already planning on visiting Berlin next month so I can finally meet you in person. For now, enjoy your travels xxx
Thank you so much for accepting guys. You’re both doing such a marvellous job and it shows! I always enjoy reading your posts too.
Enjoy “home” in Poland, and I’ll see you in Beeeeeeerlin!!
Congratulations on yet another well deserved award!!!! Nice to be recognized isn’t it? :-). Many thanks for nominating my young blog, 6 months and counting. I gotta represent the old people..lol!
Thank you my dear! It is nice, yes.
I can’t believe that your blog is just 6 months old. I love reading it!
P.S. Enough of the old, let’s just say “more experienced” LOL!
I love these awards because it helps me to get to know you better and also find new blogs to read!
Me too! We get to know what makes that particular blogger tick and “meet” new people and sometimes, a completely new audience. 🙂
P.S. Thanks for YOUR nomination which I mention in the post. It deserves a seperate piece which I will do later in the year, if that’s OK. 🙂
Thanks for the mention (forget to say that earlier)
Of course! The nominations are a kind of “when you can get to it” kind of thing, if you want to do it all really. I usually just nominate people that I want other people to find without thinking they will actually participate. 🙂
Don’t mention it!
Yeah, there’s generally no pressure to participate, which is appreciated by many I’m sure. Me included. 🙂
Personally, I try to make an effort which is why I describe the bloggers that I thought made an impact on me. Some are known, many are not, but they’re dead interesting!!
Congratulations! Your blog is super and so are you 🙂 I love reading the interview questions.
Awwww. Thank you so much daaaaaarling. You’re so sweet. 🙂
I loved the interview questions too. They so much give an insight to the person and hopefully, you get to know that particular blogger better. Me included LOL!
It’s always fun to do a little self-reflection 🙂
So true Jenna LOL! So true!
Congratulations babe.. stay awesome.. i am a FAN! Oh.. p/s linked back to ur blog hehe 🙂
Thanks so much, it’s an honour that you’re a fan. I love your food blog too. So delicious, so enticing, so…..!
You’re such a babe so feel free to link away. Thanks a million. 🙂
Incredible – well deserved – your hard work deserve this appreciation and shining star! Congrats!!
Thank you very much Mihrank!
Congrats big time!
Funny enough, the DR is also the only South/Latin American country I had visited!
Thanks very much Anna!
Yes, it’s rather strange that we both have only been to the DR? Did you like it? I’ll tell you what I thought, if you tell me first!
I loved it, tho I flew there on a chartered plane from NYC and had a curated all-expense paid getaway at the Casa de Campo compound. Oh yeah I am shamelessly bragging 😛
Now that sounds like a wonderful way to travel: A chartered plane and all-expenses paid. Let me at it!
My experience was not as unique in my eyes, and it wasn’t the fault of the hotel! Poor staff.
They did their best to make me comfortable. I even changed our room four (4) times, and we ended up in the best hotel suite they had! I had the staff running back and forth, I complained about everything and I mean absolutely everything. I was in tears practically everyday as I thought the 4 star hotel was horrible, and had my poor husband practically begging me to acknowledge some of the good service.
Was I happy?
Nope! I was pregnant!
Well that one is pretty much your fault, non? 😉
It absolutely is!
Congratulations babe! You deserve it..and I love your answers..very humorous experiences hahaha!
Thanks very much @africanagirl! Which question did you like best?
It was very interesting to read your answers, Victoria. My congrats.
Can I answer the tenth question? I like girls in Moscow and men in North Italy.
Thanks very much Victor. I appreciate the kind words from more experienced bloggers! Re-my 10th question. Sure you can. Moscow girls and Italian men. Phwoar!
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