No, said Aziraphale, it's ineffable.

thatswhywelovegermany

November 9, 1989, 19:23

During a press conference of the spokesman of the East German government, Günter Schabowski, talks about interim regulations concerning the permanent departure and private journeys of East German citizens to foreign countries, leaving the impression that it might be possible for East Germans to travel freely to the West. In fact, it was planned that they still had to apply for exit visa, but the new part was that these visa should be granted in almost any case and not, as before, only in exceptional cases.

The intention of these new regulations was to stop East Germans leaving the GDR via Czechoslovakia, which at the time several hundreds per day did, a development unbearable for both countries. The harsh travel restrictions leaving most people bound to the Eastern Bloc states were a big factor contributing to the popular discontent among the East German citizens.

kat2107

I was sitting at my grandparent’s with my uncle, aunt and cousin. My grandfather had his obligatory beer in front of him and I was sitting on the ground, right in front of the TV.

And this happened. I was a kid, but I had marched with my mother, I had watched her ponder whether to flee to Prague or not. I had helped her pack our bags only to never use them.
And then that happened.
And we looked at each other, stared really and we all said the same: “WHAT?!”

A week later I saw a supermarket for the first time, I went window-shopping for the first time, I owned a radio for the first time of life.
Favorite song: Queen - Radio Gaga

Three months later I watched Star Wars for the first time. Yay, Western TV.
Kinda changed my life and in the end brought me here. (and guess what: totally hyped for Star Wars)

Funny how that goes
:)

thatswhywelovegermany

Reblogging for the first-hand story.

fairyglitterwitch

The worst thing about finally coming to terms and acknowledging your limitations when you’re mentally or physically disabled, especially when it’s chronic, is when someone who means well, a family member, a best friend, etc. tries to convince you that you in fact do not have those limitations.

It tends to be coupled with “you can do everything you set your mind to!” but the thing is, it takes a lot of self forgiveness and self acceptance to admit yourself you have a limitation.

It is not an easy to allow yourself limitations because it’s frowned upon when a disabled person does not do their best to hide their disability. When I say I cannot do something, trying to encourage me to do it anyway does not make me feel better. It instead makes me feel invalidated and fall back into the pattern of ‘maybe they’re right, and I’m just faking or being lazy’, which completely negates all the work put into the process of self love and self acceptance.

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.