Ann-Kathrin

Ann-Kathrin is my red hair friend, whom I met while studying in Gymnasium Bramfeld. She is one of a kind. When I was living in Germany, we were very close. We usually study together every Tuesday and sometimes she spent the night at my place. She respected me as a Muslim. She usually asked what I wanted to eat for lunch, so that the mom could prepare something different for me. The mom, Astrid, usually made me something with seafood. Once she made spaghetti with fish sauce for me. It was delicious. Astrid used to call me 'Aimi Kid'. I don't know why, but maybe because I was small.

Ann-Kathrin

Ann- Kathrin lived near the school. Sometimes when I arrived early, I would go to her place, so that we could go to school together. She was a quiet person, but it was different when we hung out. She talked a lot, about a lot of things. I just loved to hang out with her.

When I was in Germany recently, I paid my school a visit. The Monday morning, I went to school and just stood there waiting for everyone to come. When Ann- Kathrin arrived, I was busy talking with someone and she didn't notice me. I called for her name. Her eyes went big. We hugged. Then released. Then we hugged again. Her face hasn't changed at all. I promised to go her place the next day.

The next day, a misunderstanding made me arrived a bit late at school to meet Ann- Kathrin. Before we could go to her place, I wanted to see other class mates, whom I did not get to meet the day before. However, they had gone for class. So, we just knocked on the door and Schamaiel, another girl I was close to, came running outside. We hugged each other like crazy people. Then, Nina came out. Another hug. I couldn't let them stay outside of the class in the middle of a lesson, so we left. As always, Ann- Kathrin asked what I wanted to eat. We went to a Chinese restaurant and took out food for both of us.

After that, we went to her new place. I met her mother. She has changed a bit. She no longer has long white blonde hair, but short brown hair. She gave me a hug and I gave her a small gift, since she was so nice to me. While eating our lunch, we updated each other on our lives. I told her about my parents divorce and she told me about her mother's divorce. Divorce is such a common thing right now. We had a great time eating and talking at the same time.

On Thursday, a day after my birthday, I went to school again to meet Ann- Kathrin. She wanted to give a birthday present. It was a jar filled with colourful bids. She also pasted 'Happy Birthday Aimi' on the interior wall of the jar. It was so sweet. I love the present. I put it beside my bed at home. That day at school, I came across Amalina's friend, Pia. I did not recognise her at first. Then, I thought it might be her. So, I turned and she turned, too. I asked her, "you're Pia, right?". She said, "yes". The other girls who were with her were like, "no wonder she looks so familiar", after I told them that I was Amalina's sister. They had class, so we couldn't talk. So, they dragged me to have German class with them. The teacher welcomed me. It was weird, since I am 19 and already out from school and they are in the 9th grade. However, it was fun to relived school.

The first thing that the teacher asked me to do, was spitting out my chewing gum. Chewing gums was my habit during school and the teachers always asked me to spit them out at the beginning of the class. After class, the girls and I gathered. We made short message clips for my sister. The girls were so sweet. Before I left, I hugged each of them and promised to come back if I had the time.

Back to Ann- Kathrin. Since I had 3 weeks to spend in Germany, Astrid asked me to drop by again. I said, "maybe". When I said that, I really thought I could drop by again. But, I never had the time. Before I flew back on Sunday, I went to school again on Thursday. They all had recess. I waited for them to come back. Ann- Kathrin was the first person I met to say 'Goodbye'. I told her that I was already leaving that Sunday. She said, "this is sad". We hugged a few times. Ann- Kathrin is quite a lonely person. She has a few friends and she doesn't mix with the popular ones. That's why I like to be around her. I could only wish that we could spend more time together like we used to.