2nd May 2025

Morning

I woke up and began the day by checking my emails - nothing urgent, just the usual newsletters and updates. After that, I washed my face, the cold water helping to shake off the last bits of sleepiness. Breakfast was simple: toast with jam and a cup of tea while watching YouTube. A quiet, slow start to the day.

Afternoon

I took the dog for a walk in the bitter cold - proper coat-and-gloves weather for May. The poor thing kept stopping to sniff everything, in no hurry to return. Back home, I warmed up with a hot drink and did my homework, which was more tedious than difficult.

Evening

I relaxed by playing Merge Farm for a while - oddly satisfying, if not particularly productive. Then I finished my essay for Russian university, though I'm too nervous to send it yet. It needs one more check for spelling, punctuation and logical flow. Maybe tomorrow with fresh eyes.

My Russian teacher told me about her plans to visit her dacha. She'd just had a barbecue with her son - lovely, though I can't imagine grilling in this cold! She mentioned improving her chess rating too.

Since moving to Germany, I've hardly thought about chess. I enjoyed competing last year and have a couple of medals, but I'm no champion and certainly won't make a career of it. It's just a pastime now.

Later, my German teacher returned from Dubai, jet-lagged but full of stories. She described the breathtaking skyscrapers - the Burj Khalifa piercing the clouds, the twisting Cayan Tower, and the vast Palm Jumeirah visible from space. Her trip included Fujairah too, where the rugged Hajar Mountains meet the turquoise Gulf of Oman, its waters so clear you could see fish darting among coral.

In Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque left her speechless - white marble domes and golden chandeliers glowing under the desert sun. She raved about the Louvre Abu Dhabi, its intricate dome filtering sunlight like scattered stars.

I told her about my walk in Frankfurt, where spring is slowly arriving. The contrast struck me - Dubai's futuristic skyline and blistering heat versus Frankfurt's chilly cobblestones and old-world charm. After sharing stories, we began our lesson.