sedavison

Isn't it odd to have to write about yourself? Rarely does someone ask you to turn inside and stare into your own eyes. I'm Sarah. I live in England; I'm studying for an Integrated Masters degree in French and German. Therefore if you speak German or French please write to me in your language, I'd be very grateful!

My studies are focused on culture and history; so I love literature, history, art and cinema.

I'm a reader. I could read all day every day. I will read almost anything, but if I have the choice I tend to go for Literature and classics. My ultimate author is Bernhard Schlink - a German author who writes mainly about German history in prose/ fiction form. His style is wonderfully lyrical. I love James Joyce, idolise Vladimir Nabokov, and I'll always have a place in my heart for Shakespeare.

"Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta." How beautiful is that line? I'm a sucker for a linguistically or literately beautiful book. A real sucker. That's why I love Nabokov so much. Bernhard Schlink too, he knows his was around language, and it makes me melt.

I'll read just about anything, but I prefer historical or classic books. My favourites include:

• Summer Lies by Bernhard Schlink (he's got a real talent for intense short stories)
• The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (it's a lovely new perspective on the effects of WW2 on Germany)
• The Beach by Alex Garland
• Dubliners by James Joyce (another great collection of shorts)
• The Fatherland by Robert Harris
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer (I cried for an hour in public, on the train. There was no escape)
• the Robert Langdon trilogy by Dan Brown (guilty pleasure) I'd also say the Harry Potter series but that's a given.

Well, as long as what you've sent me is good quality and fits the swap description, you'll get your five, because I just love to get mail.

But here are some hints if you can't think of anything. I love:

• Floral patterns
• Anything which looks or is vintage
• London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava
• Maps of anywhere
• French or German anything
• German History
• Polka dot patterns
• Pastel Colours
• Equal width stripes
• Letters
• Cars from the 20's-50's
• Harry Potter
• I absolutely inhale Peach Tea, and I can't find it in any local stores so you're definitely looking at a heart if you've got any spare!
• Stationary!!! (Notepads, pens etc.)
• Incense sticks or cones (I burn these like medieval people burned candles!
• Photographs of just about anything

If you want any other information then don't hesitate to PM me!

I'm an absolute screen addict. Whenever I'm at home I'm watching a TV series, and I've got a membership with Cineworld, so I can see as many films in the cinema as I wish for free (admittedly dangerous, I've been known to watch three movies in one day). So here are my favourites:

TV:

• House M.D. (Love me some Hugh Laurie)
• Dexter
• The L Word
• Sherlock
• Doctor Who up to the tenth doctor
• Criminal Minds
• Breaking Bad
• Orphan Black
• Broadchurch
• Les Revenants (The Returned)
• The Walking Dead

Film:

• French Films
• Particularly La Haine or anything with Vincent Cassel
• German Films
• Particularly with Daniel Brühl or Moritz Bleibtreu
• Das Experiment (2001)
• Saving Private Ryan
• Forrest Gump
• Intouchables
• There are way too many, if in doubt, French and German films are a solid guess.

Please avoid sending me these kinds of things:

• Horror. I am very easily scared and have trouble sleeping very easily. If you send anything that is going to scare me I can almost guarantee you won't get a heart.
• Homophobic items. I support the LGBPT movement, so don't waste your time sending homophobic stuff.
• Liquorice. I hate the stuff.
• Any jewellery with nickel in it, I'm allergic. (Not that I'm asking you to send me jewellery!)
• Unless it's a postcard swap, please avoid sending me postcards. I've got cupboards and cupboards of them!

I always send my swaps in good time of the deadline. This shouldn't happen. However, if it's at least 10 days after the deadline (because I'm in England, so post might take a while), please mail me and I will send another set of whatever it was I owe you.