September 2026
Before I tell you about my life, I want to know what happened in your life. Send me a message on Facebook/WhatsApp/etc. or email me at post@jangebauer.eu.
Hello, World!
I would like to a welcome a new member of our family, little Julian. He was born on the 2nd of September at 11:11 with Apgar score of 10/10/10. We are so grateful for the midwifery system in Germany and that I get to take a long parental leave. Even though we are very lucky, it is still not easy. So getting all this help is really valuable.
The biggest challenge is seeing your partner struggle and not being able to help them because your parenting journeys are different.
About the birth
Dariya and I noticed that nobody ever asks about the birth. Well, I would like to say a few words. It feels like a physical assault that you know is coming but you also get to walk away with a suitcase full of gold. Even with all the pain meds, assuming they work, and all the support a birth partner can bring, it seems incredibly difficult.
What I found surprising is that C-section, despite its drawbacks, can become an attractive option. When the doctors are sucky and midwives are unhelpful, getting a C-section can feel like regaining control. You know the recovery might be really bad and you know that it won’t be ideal for your child. But you won’t feel the birthing pains and you won’t have to deal with the staff all that much.
German integration
Back in April, I wrote that I would like to take a German B2 exam in May. Lo and behold, I took it in August because everything was booked until then. I think I passed it? The most difficult part was the 30 minutes of writing on a topic, such as a complaint or an email with questions. I didn’t practice enough and didn’t expect that 30 minutes is not enough for about 150 words. I managed but I was stressed. The results should arrive any time now.
Afterwards, the day before Julian’s due date, I took the German integration exam. Basically a test about German values and a little bit of history. The test is 60 minutes and there’s 33 questions. All the questions are known before hand as there is a pool of 310 questions. I was done in about 10 minutes. That was actually fun.
Plans
Just take care of little Julian.
Reading
So I finished Arc de Triomphe by Remarque and I don’t know, to be honest. The book reads well but the plot just seems weak. Maybe I am missing something. I did not finish Mrs Dalloway. Or at least I don’t remember. I went back to Zuboff but as things are, there’s no time for reading.
What about you?
What happened in your life recently? What are your plans? Tell me!
Email: post@jangebauer.eu