First snow

The first snow has something miracle. It feels like you feel on Christmas, everything around you is so bright and quite. The snowflakes dancing in the sky and I’m just happy.
Wish to could go skiing instead of working.

It’s the little thing which makes you smile. :)

My summer 2007

After a really long time out of the blogging world I’m back. My summer was different to the last ones but very good. My work situation changed a little bit. I got a new project, to redesign our Corporate Design together with our advertisement company. I love this job because I can be so creative. Besides I’m now alone in my office. One of my favourite colleagues left the apartment for a new job. I really can understand him he just need a new challenge.
Then I spent a relaxing week with my boy Marko at the Baltic Sea. We cycled and hiked through the island Ruegen, enjoyed the Sea and the Beach and just had a really good time.
After our vacation week one of my most excited days this summer came, my sister arrived finally after one year in Germany. She spent her year down under, experienced Australia, had a month of vacation in New Zealand and a 2 days stopover in Singapore.
During all that time my mum and I were planning my parent’s silver wedding. And it was such a perfect day. It began with a mass where my cute little cousin took the candle and my sister and I read the lection. After that my parents rode by carriage drawn by horses to the restaurant were the silver wedding celebration took place. It was an awesome party, great food, the best weather and good mood. Next day our family vacation for one week in Austria started. Hiking in the Alps is very exhausting but so beautiful if you finally got on the top of the mountain.
The summer was so different because I wasn’t abroad at all and it was like the good old times, family celebration and vacation. I realised that it is so important to have a good relationship to your family and that Germany is also a nice place to spent vacation, I really can recommend Ruegen on the Baltic Sea.
But for next year there are some plans ahead, Reunion in March at Li’ers in London, maybe US in summer. Let’s see how it works.
And last but not least my summer 2007 was impacted by a little boy with a scar. Harry Potter, firstly the movie and then the last book finally released. The movie was as every one good but nothing comparing to the book. But the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was the best of the whole series. It was the real one and the best ending J.K. Rowling could write. It took me 4 nights to finish it. It was during our Baltic Sea vacation week so I had only the nights to read. It was pretty hard to leave the book for the days but otherwise I couldn’t enjoy the pretty island.















Marko and me at the Baltic Sea (Ruegen)

Ramblings about some current news

While the EU discusses to forbid alcohol for under aged people, which means youth under 18, you can see the problems for this law in the US.
In the US they make the experiences with alcohol later but more excessive.
I discovered that during my internship in the US. All the people under 21 got so crazy about alcohol and just couldn’t handle it. But they were all grown-ups and not 16 anymore. We in Germany are like that when we are 15 or 16.
I mean everybody probably love to make party and of course alcohol is has to be present then. But in my case I can handle it and know when I have enough. In the US I had the experiences that nobody knows when it’s enough. They just got senselessly wasted.
I also talked with lots of people about that problem and some said that Americans are so multicultural and some cultures, like the Asian and Afro-Americans, just can’t tolerate alcohol. I can understand that, but Europe is different and I think it won’t be better if the law to forbid alcohol is too strict. Right now in Germany it is allowed to drink wine and beer with 16 and stronger stuffs with 18. I am also fine with the new law to forbid alcohol under 18 but I think the age of 21is too old. Hey you are supposed to be an adult and an adult can mostly handle alcohol, exceptions are always there.

Let’s see what the EU decides…

http://www.tagesschau.de/aktuell/meldungen/0,,OID6512276_REF1,00.html

Friendship

There are some relationships that you will have forever. I had a great weekend with my closest college friends Sabrina, Robi, Stefan and Simon. It wasn’t actually that spectacular but we were together and had fun, just talking and laughing like the good old college times.
It doesn’t matter how often you meet up it is more important how intensive your time you spend together is. I’m happy to have friends like that.
I am also still amazed that my closest friends from Michigan visited me in Germany. Sandhya, Ming, Li’er and Julia I don’t know when we will meet up again but I know that we will see each other sometimes in the near future, it is forever!! Thanks for the visits and the chance to make our friendship deeper, because now you know how I live too.

It is the little thing which makes me smile…

- an e-mail from my sister in Australia only with the word “Thanks”
- a good chat with a friend from my high school who I haven't seen in a long time
- a very good chat with a friend from my childhood
- my boyfriend told me that he had so much fun with my friends
- a weekend of fun in my little hometown – Kirmes is where you will meet
all your old fellows
- a dance with my dad who still made me tired after just one dance
- a visit at my granddad and see that he is still the most awe-inspiring
person I’ve ever met
- a funny picture I got from Li’er about the good old Michigan times
…

And so much more!! Thanks everybody who is reading my blog.

Ramblings

My sister is in Australia right now and will experience the abroad life. Marko is back to school to finish his study. And a very good friend of mine just told that she is pregnant. Wow everybody is moving and changing. I’m still working at that little car sub supplier company and still not sure what will be my next step, a different job in a different city/country, studying again, getting a baby??
I mean its not that having a Baby right now isn’t good it’s more I ever thought I’m not feel like being a mum, it would be too early. But actually its not it can be just one potential next step. In my friends case it was her next step because it is a planned Baby.
I guess we are all getting older and have to move forward. In my case I just thought moving forward would be going abroad, having a great and interesting job, doing a master program,…

Anyway, just some random thoughts after my friend told me about her pregnancy. I’m happy for her and wish her good luck with the pregnancy and the birth!!

Update

I’m back for good in Germany. Wow Peru was great but I have to clear my mind first from all the different experiences, before writing about it and I have to upload all the pics, which surely will take some time.
Besides that I had a wonderful weekend with all my college pals. Since our graduation from college for two years, we at least go on a fun weekend trip once in a year. We had a blast and just a good time as always when we all come together. Thanks everybody who joined and made the weekend awesome!
Today is the farewell party from my sister. She will go to Australia for one year and I already miss her like crazy. But I'm excited for her, I mean Australia, my long life dream! I’ve never been to Aussi-land, so I have to safe money to visit her. I guess I spent and will spend all my money on flight tickets, but anyway you just live once and what is better than spending every Euro on discovering the world. :)

Ok, that’s my life so far. Be ready for some cool pics and stories from Peru.

Travel update

Looks like after all the busyness at work and be stuck in my little hometown for a while there will be something coming up.

Firstly I will spend my weekend in Amsterdam. Even it’s only a 5 hour drive from my place in Germany I have never been there. So I’m very excited!! Also I will see my Chinese sister, Ming I missed you and can’t wait to have a fun weekend with you!

Then in two weeks Li’er is coming to Germany and I will have a chance to go to the best city in Germany, Berlin!! Can’t wait to be there and meet Li’er.

And finally I will spend the August in Peru. Wow I’ve never been to South America and this will probably one of the best experiences ever this year. So right know I’m learning some Spanish and also try to learn some Quechua, because I read that Quechua is the second official language there and is used by half of the population. Anyway, I’m curious and very excited to explore Peru!!

Just some thoughts about the situation in the Middle East right now. I’m sad what happened in Lebanon and Israel. When will people understand that war is not the answer? My thoughts are with every victim who had nothing to do with that in both countries. I’m angry that always the innocent people are the ones who suffer. Ok, it’s a heavy situation there and I know that I won’t really understand the whole Middle East conflict. But I’m unsatisfied with that and don’t think that there won’t be an answer for this in the future. We are all humans, right?

here comes the summer sun

I just moved in my new apartment, Sandhya is my first visitor and the weather is warm and nice. What do I need more to be happy? :D

My life so far...

Looking for a new apartment and the best thing I will move in with my boyfriend. So we just found a really nice, cute one and now we mostly spend the time in furniture stores, like IKEA and try not to loose too much money. I love to arrange an apartment.
Then I was at a great concert from my favorite singer this week. Yes, Xavier Naidoo himself was in Erfurt and I had an absolutely great time, just awesome!!! Xavier Naidoo is a German-born singer and songwriter of Indian and South African descent who sings in German and sometimes in English. His styles are very different and the concert was also diversified including R&B, Soul, Pop and Rock. Wow and you should hear his awesome soulful voice, absolutely addictive. b.t.w. he is very good looking too, probably it’s the mix of Indian, African and Europe. :)
I also went skiing in February and it was fun!! I love skiing the whole day and then going to the apres ski bars, singing stupid songs like “Anton aus Tirol”, drinking “Obstler” and of course dancing the whole night.
What else I’ve been up to. Ah inspiring English classes every week. Danny, our teacher, studies psychology and at the last class we talked about us and about our real potential and what we really want to do in life. After English class you feel you could everything do what you want. It’s good to have this in your life otherwise you just stuck at the things you are used to. In college and at my internship I was never this kind of person. But if you have your regular life, go to work at the same time and go home at the same time, you sometimes have to wake up and say stop this is not everything, you can do more and you can be more, more useful, more responsible and more passionate.
Now just one really nice note, Ming (mingbling.nomadlife.org) got an internship in Amsterdam and I am really happy because of that. She tried unsuccessfully to get one in Germany and now she will gonna be in Amsterdam, how cool is that!!

let it snow

I love the first snow because it is something magical. the snow flakes are falling down and everything looks just so beautiful. then you stamp through the snow and it grits.

lovely weekend

spending the whole weekend with your lovely boy is just heaven on earth:), particularly if you live two hours away.
so I visited him at his college place and we had a great time together. we had the most fun at the climbing wall. yeah, you really have to try this!!!
then we visited an ocean aquarium and saw cute nemo fishes and sharks. sweet!!!

Corruption continues to threaten development

The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2005






The 2005 Index bears witness to the double burden of poverty and corruption borne by the world's least developed countries. Corruption is a major cause of poverty!

The TI's Chief Executive David Nussbaum said: "corruption isn't a natural disaster. It is cold, calculated theft of opportunity from the men, women and children who are least able to protect themselves. Leader must go beyond lip service and make good on their promises tp provide the commitment and resources to improve governance, transparency and accountability."

http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2005/cpi2005_infocus.html

The Globalisation Dream

In my company we are having english lessons once a week. its just to improve converations and to stay in that language. Our teacher is an american and a very cool person. Today we were talking about our dreams and goals for life. I was thinking about that and I was talking about globalisation and the importance of exchange people and going abroad not only to hear about other countries but to live there and getting to know this culture. so after that discussion our teacher was saying that he is very impressed by me, because I am the first german person he met that is pro globalisation. so my new goal will be showing germans the importance and the good things of gloabalisation. AIESEC and other organisations are doing that with exchange and it works very good. but we have to get further on. I was shocked as my teacher, by the way he is totally pro, told me the most germans he knows are against globalisation.
so this english lesson really reminds me on my traineeship through AIESEC in michigan and I think I wouldn't be so totally pro globalisation if I didn't get so much involved in AIESEC.
exchange really is the key!! AIESEC keep it up!!!

You are Germany

there is a new campaign in Germany about being proud to be a German and being optimistic for the German future. It's just awesome and so important. Some people in Germany are so pessimistic and I don't understand why, because nobody is really doing badly. The thing is that the most people are jelous of everybody and everything. So this campaign is fighting for Germany, for the German Dreams and for every people jsut to Enjoy Life!!!

Following the advertising article from the campaign.

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One single butterfly can activate a typhoon. And this can root some trees out. And only a little act from you can work just like this. Unrealistic? If your voice is unimportant, why do you shout encouragement for your favourite sport team? Why do you sway the flag for some sportsmen?
Because one flag involve many flags and your voice will become a choir.
You are a part of the whole and the whole is a part of you.
You are Germany!

Our times don’t taste like cotton candy. Maybe you are standing in front of a wall. But we broke down a wall in the past. Germany has enough hands to shake it with everybody and to grab something. We are 82 million people. Let’s do it and let’s draggle our hands.
You are the hand. You are 82 million.
You are Germany!

So don’t give up and don’t accelerate only on the autobahn. Go down from the brake. There is no speed limit on the Germany-highway. Don’t ask what the others are doing for you.
You are the others.
You are Germany!

Be to your country like you are to a good friend. Don’t be upset, but offer them your help. Make the best effort. And then beat yourself. Flap your wings and feel ready to take on anything.
You are the wings.
You are Germany!

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check it out: www.du-bist-deutschland.de

Just one little thing I am missing in that campaign!! You are the world!!!

German Dream

Simon Anholt is one of the worldwide leading expert for Image-Marketing of a nation.
Here you can see his vision for Germany:

He describes the Image of Germany as efficient, orderly and accurately. But the Germans often feel like everybody thinks that they are boring. But for him the Germans more like confidential or reliable. His future dream for Germany is that Germany should be the “conscience of the world”. If Germany will become this nation who is humanity and helps poorer nations, this would be a legitimate role for Germany.

--
Isn’t it such a great dream for Germany? The conscience of the world, wow!!!
I am wishing that every nation has this dream!!

what a weekend...

wow there were so much happend in only three days. cannot get my mind clear...

but from the beginning. friday awesome party in erfurt!! yeah we got some vip tickets and even the black eyed peas were there:). next day going to the erfurt zoo with my sweet little cousins. highlights: new borned rhino (how cute!!) and the lion savannah.

saturday my lovely boy came to visit and my best friend had a birthday party, very good as always.

and then sunday and my mothers birthday. firstly I became a bee-sting and my whole arm and hand began to swell. :(
then 1 am we just went to bed. my mam came in my room. hey get up it is burning. and I saw our outside gas radiant heater afire. my dad was trying to put the fire with water out. but not really successful. I was phoning with the fire department. finally they came and with a fire extinguisher we got the fire under control. in the end we had a good guardian angel because the bottle of gas were just some seconds before getting blast. my dad has some burns on his arm and face and the doctor came already this night. but besides that nothing really bad happens...just the shock!!!

ok I just want to write about that because the fire is still in my mind and I think writing it down will be helpful.

next time I have to post my experiences and some pics from namibia. was just to lazy doing that because there is just so much happend in these 3 weeks in africa.

so to be contined with real nomad namibian experiences...

"Shoot to kill"

what's up in new orleans. isn't it bad enough that the city is under water. what's going on?? fire, blast, crime...
why can't the people just behave more peaceful and helpful?? and now it's like war...shoot to kill!
I'm shocked!!!

thinking

thinking of everything and nothing...

these are the days where you just being lost in reverie! but still happy and not sad...

Summer Nights

Trying to count the stars in the sky...

London

why do people something like that?? what is going on in the minds of the terrorists??
everybody is using this underground without exception, everybody from every culture, ethnic, religion,...
what is the intension?? whereon should aim this attack?? which kind of people should get hurt?? everybody???

just to set a sign?? don't we had enough signs??

what I'm doing right now

sitting at work on my computer and enjoying the sun and the blue sky through the window.

thinking about everything and nothing.
birthday party on last weekend is over and still so happy that I have seen these great people from my college time in Eisenach for the first time since I'm back in Germany. great party, great talks...we absolutely had a good time!!!

now missing all these great guys from college. such as life.

still thinking of continue studying...

exciting that julia from @MI is coming to visit in july. she is doing an internship in barcelona, yeah.

wishing don't have to work and able to sit on the grass and get sunburned.:)

Days like this...

Happiness!!!
Thank god that there are some days like this. you are waking up very early in the morning, because of the sun. she is shinning all over you and the sky is so blue. and you are feeling so good, just like the sun and the blue sky would be inside you! these are the days why I love my life!! eventhough I have to work today, I'm so sadisfied with me and everything :)

I'm so excited for tomorrow. I'm having a party at my place with all of my friends. the first one since I'm back in Germany.

I will blog how it goes.
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The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

I'm beginning to love blogging:)

I'm wondering why I found this great form of communication so late...
because it's just awesome to write it down. doesn't matter if anybody is reading this. but you have a good feeling to tell the world something that is in your mind.

and the weirdest thing with this is even though I'm german and I'm better in writing german I can tell my thoughts and feelings better and easier in english. I don't know why, but that's the way it is...

so I think that this blog will be an only-english-blog.:)

oky have fun and enjoy the sun -in germany it is warm...not like snowing michigan:)

Li'er is going to India and what I'm gonna do...

I'm feeling a little bit lost back in Germany without AIESEC, without these great people that I've met in Michigan and without these experiences, which have changed me a lot!

Everybody is asking you: "hey how was your internship in the US?" and you just can say "great" and "I really wanted to stay". I mean seriously nobody here can really understand what and how I lived to see...
But I've never thought to have experiences like this, so how can my family or friends understand that??

Anyway, I've read the blog from Li'er. She is going to India and her thoughts about that trip are very interesting. When I read that I've began to remember my feelings and fears about my staying and working in the US before I came to the states.

Everything is moving forward and you don't have to miss the "connection"...

So I'm thinking of what I will do after that...

....to be continued