Jennifer on tour 2010

23/12/2010 Universal Studios ... Where dreams come reality

2011-01-08T04:05:00.000-08:00

The day before Christmas! Yesterday it was still raining without any hope in LA. We were so happy that we have our car, and so we could cruise around the area. We went to the walk of fame and spent there one hour. Than we were too wet and we decide to go for food, driving slow on the rodeo drive to stalk out some celebrities, and go finally to Santa Monica and Venice Beach. My funny brothers changed our navigation system to Japanese (because this sounds so cute) but after 10 minutes they gave up and ignored the advices from the lady (well, we do not speak Japanese, so we did not understand a word of the cute talk). Smart and creative as they are they developed a great systematic how to get to our goal: To get to the beach, we always have to drive the hills down, never up. Makes sense, as long as you have no riffs, which are quite common in California 
But we arrived and spent a great evening on the Santa Monica pier.

Aja… And THAN! TODAY! We went to the Universal studios! Awesome!!!!!!!!!

21/12/2010 A road trip through the flooded dessert

2011-01-08T04:04:00.000-08:00

Today we will drive from Vegas to LA. It is a long and rainy ride and the normally dry dessert is flooded by the masses of rain. Luckily my other brother brought his driving license, so I could sit in the back of the car, relax and sleep during the trip. From time to time, we stopped at some gas stations or dinner places. Lonely shats in the middle of nowhere serving food in the 50’s way. Sweet, good old’ America.
The weather in LA is not really much better. Streets and sinks are flooded, homeless people offer for a buck to bring you from side to side under their umbrella (and yes, they are singing Rihanna songs). We are staying at a Couch surfing place. Our hosts are 2 nice guys who showed us around the nice bars and clubs in LA Down Town. It is a great evening and I sleep very happy in.

20/12/2010 A spectacular Grand Canyon Helicopter Ride!

2011-01-08T04:02:00.000-08:00

My graduation gift to my brothers! I am so excited! I booked a Helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon, including the landing on the bottom, where we will eat a bite and have a rafting tour, before the Helicopter brings us back again! I booked it all 2 month ago, and since then, I am speaking almost every day about it. And today is the day, when it will happen. We have to get up at 5 am, to get our pick up on 6 am. Also, I need to make my makeup and hair, because I want to have fabulous pictures! On 5 to 6 there is a bus coming, collecting the people from the different hotels. Then, we find out, that we will go first by bus to the Grand Canyon, where we will enter the Helicopter. Well, not that glamorous, but still ok. Our tour guide is a funny old man, who loves to tell jokes. However, it was not that funny for me, when he told us some hours later, that there will be no Helicopter flight due to the bad weather conditions. And without the Helicopter, we won’t be able to get to the bottom of the canyon, where the boat is waiting. Also no boat tour. But we will enjoy the bus trip and see a bit of the canyon, so we will not be reimbursed. Definitely, he is not responsible for the weather. We shall just sign the copy of our credit card for accounting purposes. Well guys, you know me. And you know, that statements like those might make me…. Let’s say critical. For sure I do not sign my credit card copy. And of course I do not pay a helicopter and rafting deluxe bill that high for a 7 hour bus tour in the rain. Argh!
Well, we were kind of kidnapped in the bus, (The guide offer me first to drop us down at the side of the street when I do not sign the bill, but he changed his mind when I told him how much I would appreciate this, because than I would sue the ass out of him) so we decided to make the best out of it and have a look on the amazing wonder of the nature. The Grand Canyon is really wonderful. I can highly recommend everyone to go there and enjoy the fantastic view and experience. Nevertheless, I was kind of pissed when suddenly a helicopter appeared.

Side note: I am still fighting with the company for the reimbursement. If anyone is booking or planning such a trip, give me a call, I can highly not recommend you one specofic operator.

17/12/2010 Today I become a Millionaire!

2011-01-08T04:01:00.002-08:00

Vegas, Baby, we are coming!
First, we went to a great city walk in South Beach. It was a walking tour about the art deco architecture and history of the district. I participated in the same tour 5 years ago with my ex-boss. It was so impressive and interesting; I wanted my brother to join, too. And we were so lucky with the weather, beautiful sunshine, warm and perfect for taking tons of snaps.
Also the guide (a volunteer) seemed very motivated and extended the 1.5h tour until we have had to break up 3 hours later to catch our flight.
The flight was pretty long (5h), but because it was still a domestic flight, there was no service at all. I think it is ok for 1 or 2 hour flights not to serve snacks and pillows, or to charge a suitcase extra, but on a flight of 5 hours? Come on! In 5 hours I fly almost from Miami to London! Here I need some guchi & treats 
When we arrived in Vegas, my other brother was already waiting for us. He researched a bus connection from the airport to our hotel, but I was too tired and lazy to carry my luggage and to change 3 times a bus, if I can reach it in 15 min by Taxi.
I was really curious to see our hotel. I have no ideas of Vegas hotels, and know only the very big names from Maccau. I never heard about the “Flamingo”. I just saw that it is cheap and nearby other big names, so I assumed it to be a good location. But I was not sure about the standard and the age of the hotel. It seemed to be kind of old and low priced, so I really wanted to see what I booked.
My brothers were rather impressed by the hotel. They liked the room with the huge beds, the zoo, and the big pool area. Way more they were excited when they heard about the price of 36$ per night. Thus, staying in one of the most famous hotels in the middle of the strip was cheaper than a hostel.

14/12/2010 brrrrrrrrrrrr

2011-01-08T04:01:00.001-08:00

Short site note: As beauty Miami is, as cold it is at the moment. We have less than 10 degrees and no heating. Also, no jacket for me, I mean, who needed that in Florida?

13/12/2010 Going down… Miami Beach

2011-01-08T04:00:00.001-08:00

We stand up early this morning to pick up my rental car. Unfortunately, (or by purpose) my brother forgot his driving license, so I drove all the way down to the everglades by myself. Surprisingly, I was not as stressed and tired, as I expected to be after a 7h nonstop drive. And we were also lucky to catch the last air boat leaving in the Everglades. It was a bit cold, so there were not that many alligators; however, we have had the chance to see 3 of them in the free nature. Later in the evening we met up with my old colleague and enjoyed ourselves with drinks and dancing. Sweet.

10/12/2010 Graduation Day

2011-01-08T03:59:00.002-08:00

It is my day. Graduation! Finally. I have this black robe, my hood, and my heat on when I am going my very last time (for this year) to my university. The ceremony takes from noon until 5 pm. Pretty long, and to be honest, also pretty boring. It is kind of formal, you go together with you fellow students in the hall. Than you sit and wait until they call your name, you take your degree and go back. Funnily, when you get back to your seat and look in the nice cover of your degree, there is no degree inside. Only a letter, congratulating and telling you will receive the degree somewhat later by mail. Ah, ok.
Some students tried to pimp the ceremony up by customizing and altering their robes. Several girls personalized their heats by putting glitter on it and wrote greetings to their family and friends on it. Sometimes, when a student stepped up, their family starts cheering them. In special the black families were very proud and active in shouting the name of their baby or even blowing air horns, which woke all the others up a bit.

After that, we met with my friends for a really nice steak dinner at Outback’s. Some people might argue that an Outback steakhouse is not an adequate place for a graduation dinner. I think it is humble and honest, and I love their steaks. In addition, I do not care that much about fancy food, and it is my graduation, so I can choose whatever I want, even if it would end up in Häägen Daz. After that, we went for drinks, bars and even more drinks. Great.

Btw… It was the first time that I drove my new, not yet insured car… So I was the sober driver on my own party. And it was not too bad.

09/12/2010 Discovering the neighbor

2011-01-08T03:59:00.001-08:00

Today is a day off. So my brother and I make a day trip to the small neighbor city “St. Augustin”. It is considered to be the oldest city in the United States, and the Spanish heritage is obvious. The city has a wonderful historical down town, beautiful residential areas and a very romantic light house. Really pretty and I am sure, I will go there more often with my friends for just enjoying the view with a coffee.

08/12/2010 My very first car

2011-01-08T03:58:00.000-08:00

Today my brother and I bought my very first car. I have a driver license since years, but I never owned my own car. In Europe and Asia, you do not need that. We have more or less excellent ground transportation but a limited amount of parking slots. A complete contrast to the United States, where distances are long due to one floor buildings and huge parking slots between the buildings. Or did you ever have seen a Drive thru- ATMs outside of America? So, I really see the need to have a car here, even if my heart is still refusing to spend that much money on something I never needed before.

So my brother and I researched the internet for used cars. Because I have “flexible requirements” (means, I do not know really what I want) it is pretty hard.
So far my requirements are: As cheap as possible, I do not care about it, but I do not want to be ashamed of it. But I would spent a bit more if it is cute, like a Mini Cooper for example.

Funny, isn’t it? Finally we ended up buying a Corolla from 2003 with a lot of miles on it, but the car seemed clean and good working.

06/12/2010 My Nicolaus gift arrived

2011-01-08T03:56:00.000-08:00

Today, my brother is coming! I am very excited. To pick him up from the airport, my friend promised me to drive me there. Unfortunately, she cannot read the time and when I came to the meeting point, she was not there. Her excuse was outstanding: “Well, I texted you 5:45, however, I meant 4:45. Now, it is too late for me.”…. Aha… How shall I know what she means, if she is writing and confirming totally different things? Puh… My brother should be arriving at 6:30, and the airport is far away… Taxi fare is round about 50$ but with a waiting time of more than 1 hour, no busses (welcome suburban America) and no one near, who I could ask. In addition, my smart brother forgot to take my number and address with him, and has no working cellphone. I was almost freaking out… So I started to call each and every one of my contacts in my cellphone. And finally, a boy who I am not dating anymore (or better, he is not dating me anymore) was nice and left his boys-meeting to pick me up and drive me the 30 miles to the airport. I arrived almost in time; however, my brother was not there. I neither had not his carrier number, nor his last stop in US. So I started to stroll the baggage claims up and down and searched for him. But he was not there. So I went to the arrival and waited there for him. (Jacksonville airport is the only airport I know, where you arrive and have to leave the security area before you get your luggage). But also here he was not. I started to ask at the airlines, if my brother was on board, but they were not allowed to give any information out. I was really worried, that something happened, he missed the connection flight, or that he had problems with the customer control or homeland security.
Somewhen, the last suitcases were picked up and I was lonely at the airport. I found out, that the next plane is coming in 2 hours, so I stayed there and waited… I went to Starbucks and drank coffee, hung out at the souvenir shops and voted for the most beautiful decorated Christmas tree. Jax-airport has each year a competition, which of the businesses at the airport decorates the most beautiful tree. Therefore, all the businesses and departments get a standard tree and can be creative. Those trees are presented during the advent in the big waiting hall, where visitors and passengers can vote for their favorite tree by donating a dollar to this department. Surprisingly, I liked the Christmas tree from homeland security the most. However, I would never donate for homeland security. And I was really surprised, that I like a tree like that the most… It seems that the months in Florida are really changing me. To explain it a bit better: The tree was very nationalistic. It has had a lot of white, red and blue decoration, bows, and: American flags on it. Also they have had several small notes on it saying: ”we never forget” (well, this, I did not like, that was even for me a touch too much). But strange, isn’t it?
Back to the point: I waited, waited and waited. The battery of my cellphone went off, but finally my brother arrived. He was in a plane 2 hours later than he announced. Seems, he also cannot read the clock. And I felt silly, that I stressed my friends so out by getting in time to the airport, when I was there only waiting for 2 more hours. Nevertheless, we went to the rental car company, where we got the next shock. The lady at the rental car looked at us and told me that my car is a very small car and she does not think it will fit us. Means, she do not think, the car will hold 2 adults and 2 suitcases. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Images of Smarts raised in my head. In Europe, I always book the second smallest car to ensure I do get a car fitting 4 people and some suitcases. In US, I always take the smallest car size, because they do not have something like a smart, and cars Americans consider to be small are normal size cars for Europeans. The lady was really stressing out the problem with the car. I was already tired from waiting and from the stress to get to the airport, so I have had no head for more drama that day. I told her that I booked a car fitting 2 adults, 2 children and 2 suitcases (they really describe it like that on the webpage) and if this will not fit, they would have to provide me a car adequate to my booking. The lady was shocked that I would get the idea to put children in this way to small car and was really upset. End of the story: My brother and I arrived at the car, and surprise! The car was a medium sized compact car, with plenty of space for 4-5 adults and luggage. ….. Ahhh… too much unnecessary drama… we drove home, and went for his very first American burger. 

02/12/2010 No license, no service

2010-12-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

Drving a car is easy. Owning a car not.
To buy a car I need so many things.... Knowledge about the car, an insurance and a driving license. All this is beloning together. Because with a local driving license, the insurance is way cheaper.
So, I started to get a driving license of the wonderful sunshine state. Today was my writen exam... And I failed. Twice. I did not know that trucks with a weight of 3000 lbs and more need a special break...I guessed was 2000... But really? Do I care? Do I need to install a break at a truck? Will I ever drive a truck over 2000 lbs?????? tztzttztz-- rather not...

24/11/2010 - I make my driving license

2010-11-23T15:25:00.000-08:00

Yes. I decided today to make my driving license. I will buy my first car soon. It is not, that I want to buy one. I think, it is costy and ... I do not like it. Well, mostly because it is costy and I have to arrange so much... invest time, money, effort... all those things. and I have never had a own car... I do not feel that I need that.. I like my bike a lot... But I am rational and I know my friends will kill me, if I do not buy my own car soon and drive them for the next 2 months. And they are right. In Florida, you need a car. The urban planning is ... weak. No public transportation and no efficient ussage of the space. So, you need already a car from your housedoor to the letterbox or garbage can, because they are a half mile away. They do not have a 2nd or 3rd floor, so everything is pretty wide. And because they do not have public transportation, each house has to have plenty parking slots in front for all the people with their huge trucks. And this spreats the city much more out... A devil cycle. And now, I am in it. So I need a car. I have never had an accident, however I am rational enough to buy an insurans (here we see the german low risk tolerance). The US-insurance system is kind of funny. They are not interested in my 10 year accident free driver report. No, they are only interested in an Florida driving licensen to calculate my insurance fee. And the difference is huge. With my german driving license I have to pay 100 USD per month on insurance, with an Florida licenses 30 USD. And the license costs 50USD... So... well for sure I will do this amazing test....
And so it comes, that i am busy with statements like:

Hitting a row of bushes is better than hitting a tree, post or solid object

Aha... good to know.

14/11/2010- November sun & avocado omlettes

2010-11-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

What a great day today!
I woke early up and meet some colleagues for a fantastic breakfast. We discovered a wonderful place and enjoyed the fresh food. Later, I went shopping with my friends and rested in the warm sun with coffee. We counted 8 pregnant women crossing and plenty of kids. The temperature was confortable 24 degrees and there was already a decorated chrismas tree in front of the Italien restaurant.

13/11/2010 Soooo early

2010-11-13T05:17:00.000-08:00

Ahhh! 7:00 am and my alarm rings. Puh... I am so used to sleep until 9-ish or 10-ish. So, everything before those times seems to me to be cruel. I do not remember how I managed it to stand up at 5:00 am in the past.... And even than I went out all the nights... Seems I get old :)

Old or not, I have an exam to take today. A wonderful operations and ERP exam. Lucky me, that I like those topics, lets hope I will also like the grade :)

Btw... did I mentioned? I made my desicion. I will stay. Juhuuu! Finally, I can buy sooo any shoes, furtniture, and decoration as I want! :-) No thoughts about how to transport them, or how to stay under 23kg luggage!

Seems the gipsy times are (a bit) over. Let's see how long it stays like this this time :) (My longest was 7 months without exessive travels)

10/11/2010 - The danger of the wildniss

2010-11-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

Short notice...
I have had a pool party yesterday. Yes. It is mid-November and I can still held some fancy pool parties. (However, it was in the hot tube, because even here it is getting "colder")
it was a great evening and we have had a lot of fun... Until this silly aint showed up and bite me.
I am alergic to those fire aints and whenever they bite me, it gets a big infection and everythings swells and so on. Those little friend did not care about that an bite me in my butt.
Today, I could barely put my jeans on, so swallen was my body. In special my ass, which has La-Lopez dimensions. Could be funny if it would not be so painful. And I have had to sit the whole day. It was like having a painful pillow... sitting 10 cm higher than usual

07/11/2010 I stay?

2010-11-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

My dear friends, I am sorry for being that busy, or lazy. I did not wrote much the last weeks. This was kind of, because I was busy with all the school work, on the other hand, it was because I was lazy, and than, it was also, because there was nothing spectacular in my life. Not in comparison to before, but a lot in private is going on:
1.) It seems I stay here. On Friday, I got a job offer. Incl. Visa. At a good company. I guess I will take it.... However, it is completely the opposite of all I wanted. I needed a ex colleague to find this out. But it is true. The new job is work intensive, stressfull and will me not give any chance to build up a private life the next years. Further, it does not support me on the way to a "real" management position... like a head of department or so. IT might bring tons of money, but... I was never interested in that.
2.) My exboyfriend has now his residentship. One more year and he will own a brittain passport. Than he will go back to India... So he said in our last talk. However, he is again not talking anymore with me. I want to be with him, but his insane behave gives me and us no chance. Tztztztz
3.)My date is not dating me anymore. He is searching for the real love. Maybe I told him some times too often that he is speaking too much and should just be quiete and pretty. Yes, I know, I am not nice, but, I was it never. And yes, I know, that I repeat the asshole-pattern from some of my ex... But, well, this is how I am.
4.) Well, on friday, I have had my master defense. it was a video conference with 3 continents. However, the Chinese were not connected and the polish were too late. It startet 8:00am east coast time, I was already awake at 5pm for getting prepared. I also prepared a kind of breakfast for my friend, who gave me a ride. This guy... I know him since a year. He was really obstinate in asking my help with his flat...Somehow we got friends... I think. I like him. And he does a lot of the cute things for me. And me for him. well, he was there for getting breakfast and giving me a ride. After the defense, we went with the others to a bar to join the happy hour. But first, he dropped me home for changing the cloth
5.) when we arrived at the bar, the table was already full with 15 people, we took a seat the waitress came, geave us the menues and called me out as the girlfriend of my date. 3 times. Well, after this, my friend, he spoke the whole time with the girl next to him. And he did not drove me home. And he did not pick me up for the party in the evening. Clear.

well. You see, a lot of things, but not really things to share in detail, not really positive, not really exiting, just the daily crab.

And I get fat. I gained since I am in US already 7kg. I hate it and I work out every day. But... No help at all. Today I worked out twice, and after that, I went with my friend and a bottle of wine in the hot tube. We talked, we listen to beautiful music from "Söhne Mannheims" and we spoke about the deeper meaning.... And I thought of Jernej, my very best friend, who I lost because I was too busy to listen. Well. A bad feeling. And I feel the lack of him again. And I see, that I was not even thinking of him in the last weeks. Nad I feel much worse. How can it be, that I forget to think of one of the most wonderful persons in my life? How can I dare to forget him? And how dare from me to forget about all the other people I love so much?

Make this all sence what I do here? Or is it complete against all my values?

I am far away from the people I love, far away from my family, and far away from my goals. I am busy, too busy to keep my friendships, I am surprised that some of my former best friends have 3 years old kids... I am too stressed for anyone outside of me. I am too busy to be a friend, or even a part of the society. There are people, who are really important to me. And they are so happy, if they see me.... But I am since over a year too busy with silly things to visit them.
I am far away from my goal of finding a special one and having a family. And with this new job, I will stay far away from that for the next 5 years. And the time is running. Somewhen, I will wake up... alone. And it is too late for everything. I will be maybe rich, maybe not, but not relaxed, not healthy and not surrounded by friends and family. All is possible... well we will se ;) .

13/10/2010 Hope & Disappointment

2010-10-13T10:42:00.000-07:00

I applied for a very good and very well paid position with a big fantastic company. Today, they called me. They told me, how interested they are, and that they also forwarded my CV to other devisions. They want to meet me tomorow morning to discuss 3 positions.
-Wonderful!
Than, 5 minutes later, a second call... If I need some future sponsorship for my Visa. I said that I have the Visa for the first time already, the following, I would need to get it with the company. ... "Sorry, than we cannot go on."

So sad.

11/10/2010 - All is fine

2010-10-11T19:20:00.001-07:00

Dear friends, I am sorry for not writing that much here, but there are so many exiting things going on in my live.
USA is pretty "normal", I work a lot, I have tons of exams, midterms, group projects, quizzes, and papers to do for the university. Next to that, I am searching a new job. So, I am pretty busy. However, I have awesome friends here and I enjoy live, hanging out with them and party :)
All is great! I am fine!

20/09/2010 My first Bachelorette Party

2010-09-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

My friend marries in November, so we decided to throuw for her a bachelorette party.
The party was a blast! We went to a mock wedding with her, we bought her a wedding dress, and a crown and we were dressed as her bride maides.
There was a real wedding cake, buquette trouwing, soap bubbles, glow masks and tons of freaky guests! We have had lot of fun! And I am sure, this was one of the best Bachelorette parties ever!

15/09/2010 We are Florida ladies

2010-09-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

Back in Florida, I enjoy my live with my friends. Sun, pools, drinks and nice people around you. It is sooo much better than I expected it to be. I am happy. Tonight we have "Girls night" in my hot tube. eating pizza while swimming? We can do that!

12/09/2010 Be in THE city

2010-09-30T16:58:00.001-07:00

New York, New York! My mom came for a week to new york and I fly to THE city to visit her.... Accidently, is this weekend also the weekend, when the fashion week starts! Amazing!

I arrive in the late friday evening and take a shuttle bus from the airport to porth authority, where I took a city bus to get to New Jersey. My mom has a hotel in New Jersey, which as pros and cons- the bad thing is, that there is nothing going on in the night and so, i can forget about any parties. On the other hand, has her bedroom two panorama windows, with an awesome view on Manhatten.

Well, the weekend, was very different to what I would enjoy normally. My mom has had the funny idea to avoid the jet lag by keeping the German rythm and the German time. Thus, she stand up at half to six in the morning and pushed me to start with the sight seeing. Later, at eight pm she was already so tired, that she fell in her bed. Comparing it to my normal schedule, which starts not before 10 am and ends somewhen after midnight, I felt the jetlag :)

But we have had a lot of fun. We were on the empire state building, near the statur of liberty, in little italy and China town, at the central park, madison avenue, timesquare, Broadway and Wallstreet. And all of this in 1 day.

The second day was rainy and we spent all the time with eating and going from cafe to cafe to eat and drink more. :-)

05/09/2010 Little Havanna

2010-09-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night, I got sick. Soooo sick. I ate wrong, too late and too much. This resulted in a short visit in my favorite club. Too short. On the roofdeck of Clevelander at the Oceans drive, there was an amazing party. It was so great, cool music and me with 10 other friends. You could party and enjoy the wind in the hair. Looking down, on the people dancing on the ground floor and looking over the town and the ocean. On the roof, they have had rainbow waterfalls, waterfalls from which the wattter was falling down in rainbow colors. I worn my new dress and all was great... But my belly. So I stayed 5 minutes and went sad home for sleeping.

The next day was a bit better, i thought. but soon I found out, that I only felt good, if I was lying in my bed or at the beach. sitting and walking was not a very good idea for my belly. However, somewhen in the afternoon, it was ok and we started a cool sightseeing tour. (Remeber, I was the only person allowed to drive the car) We went to Miami Ink and after that to Little Havanna. Little havanna was nice, but rather empty... Well we should predicted, that sundays is not that much action in latino, catholic districts. But it was nice and we ate the cheapest and best food at the whole miami trip.

In the night I worn again my new dress. The guys came over in our room, we drank, we talked, it started raining and it never stopped. We were staying and waiting while drinking, but it was like a hurrican. Somewhen at 2 we took the risk and left the hotel. I wanted to go to the Mansion Club on Washington, because I ahve had always a good time there. Unfortunately, the club requiered an entrance fee of 40$. Way too much, in special, if I can stay only for 2 hours, because I have to sleep to be ready to drive the 7h back tomorrow. So, I went back on the rainy street, towards my hotelroom. Seems, this dress is not done for party :(

04/09/2010 - Lazy at Miami South Beach

2010-09-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

Sleeping late, breakfast on the way to Oceans Drive, going to the beach, sleep and swimm. So relaxed, so nice.

03/09/2010- Afterwork Strip

2010-09-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Miami, slept a bit, took a shower and met my lovely ex colleagues(*) for an afterwork drink. They were amazing. They picked me up for going to the "bar". The bar was a very private bourlesque club, with breathtaking shows of acrobatic, bourlesque, strip and dance.

THey have had there big swings and huge beds to make it yourself confortable. Everywhere were tastefull pictures of almost naked or naked women and the waiters worn only underwear. Nevertheless, it was not a dirty place, very tasteful, classy and confortable. I loved it there.

Later, my fav. colleague started a competition at the pole... I though, I could win, because I took some pole aerobic lessons in the past.... forget about it! Unbelievable, what he could do. I forgot that he is regularly working out and has tons of arm muscles, with which he can climb um and hold himself with one arm and so on. Man, this 43 years old auditor, father of 4 kids, should be boring, not that professional at the pole ;)

(*) there was one more surposed to come... He was only allowed to hang out with us, because his wife was out of town. However, she found out and returned. Luckely she found him before we left for the stripclub...

03/09/2010 7h road trip on 95

2010-09-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

7 hours Road trip on 95.- all the way down from Jacksonville to Miami. It seemed to take for ever. We have had the plan to go to Miami by a private minibus, but somehow, plans change and so, my friends take their car and I take together with 3 others a rental car to have the labourday weekend in Miami. At 7:30 in the morning, I met with one swedish guy from my car to get to the airport and pick up our rental car. At the airport, we found out, that there is only 1 driver allowed on the car and the 2nd driver ahs to pay 16$ per day extra. Sounds like a unfair system, but we were willing to pay it, unless, we (or better the agent) found out, that our 2nd driver is under 25 years old, and therefore not allowed to drive this car according to the rental car company policy. "Nice". This means, I drive all the way down by myself. And also there, I will always be the driver. This indicates, no drinks after midnight :-( And this in labour day :-(((
However, after we solved that, we got the next problem with the insurance. I am an Amex card holder and therefore, I am very risky and do not care about anything, because I have a credit card insurance for almost everything. In addition, I am german and I guess I have more insurances as some museeums. However, the Swedish guy gets scared by the fearfull and dramatic misinformation of the rental car lady. She is a really good sales person, so after an other half hour discussion, we took the car plus the extra insurance. So, after 2.5h discussion we got our car and started with a 3h delay in our weekend.

The streets in US are terrible boring: streight all the time, but with a speedlimit of 65mph or 70 mph. This is only 105 kmh. :-(((( and it takes sooooo long. However, we were lucky and had had a relaxed ride. The other private car was a bit speeding, but I was afraid to drive way to fast, because I was the only signed driver, and if I would loose my licence, it would be the end of our weekend.

A nice story to the private car. The car is a used car, which my roomate and 3 polish friends bought last week for round about 1200$. Plus insurance, Tax, legalization and so on, it was a price of 2000$. When me and the swedish guy drove to the airport we discussed, that this car is great for going to grocery and so, but not for a 1000 miles road trip. The car has some lacks, no aircondition and smells like hell. However it drives, as long, as there is fuel inside. The fuel display is broken, so within the last week, the guys rund twice out of fuel and asked me for my bike to get to the next gas station. Well, for the trip to miami, they put 20$ gas inside, I dare, this would be enough to cross the whole state.

Finaly, 150 miles before Miami, their car broke down. The engine was blown up and they have had to sell the car for 200$ to pay the bus tickets back to Jacksonville :-(

Very sad for them, but when they called us, we were already in Miami and we could not really help them. So, we reduced from initial 15 to 8 and now to 4 people. But great people :)

29/08/2010 America - The land of unlimited possibilities

2010-08-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

American sales shows fascionate me. In english I would say, the are very positive about their success. In german, I would say "dreist".. which means as much as "arrant" or "bold". But, somehow, this marketing works... there must be some people nbelieving in the promisses, otherwise, they would not buy it and the companies would change their advertisement. We have here cable TV with maybe 600 channels. Sounds amazing. Out of the 600 channels are 300 blocked, but can be available with an additional payment... Ok, so 300 channels available channels are left... Still a lot. Those are movie channels, music channels, children channels, news channels and the sales channels. I guess from the 300 channels are 200 sales channels. You can buy there everything and a lot of C-actors and models praise products, ranging from cosmetics, sport equipment, house applience until real estates. All easy accessable and you can purchase it with your credit card. If you missed one of the product shows, there is no reason to worry: You can see all the fancy stuff also online. That is wonderful!!!! I like to wonder myself about the products, prices and about the constaintly very good mood of the sales persons. They have to take very strong medicaments, or they are just good people, happy to share this innovative products with all other people. Ok, you might be wondering, why I am writing about that, it seems to be like every other sales show on TV. This might be true. But yesterday, I saw the cream! I saw the reason, why US is called the country of 100 opportunities, where a dishwasher gets a millionair! : Wealthy without risk! (I am sure, the diswasher had ordered this service)And: Make money riskfree guaranteed by law!. (Wow! I want to have this!) All promoted by an middle-old aged man and a women, who has to have an idea of risk and wealth, otherwise she could not have afford her 5 boob jobs. :-)

28/08/2010 - Pictures from my new flat

2010-08-30T11:49:00.001-07:00

Sorry guys, I am lazy. Therefore just some random pics from my flat and my bike :)

25/08/2010 - Hurricans & Starbucks

2010-08-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

Today, I saw this advertisment on our Starbucks. Yes. Our Starbucks. We have one Starbucks on the campus. :-)

23/08/2010 First day in classes... American classes

2010-08-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

Classes started! I have 5 courses (plus my thesis). For europeans, this sounds not that much, but in fact, in US it is a bit diffirent. WE have to read a lot of books and have finals, midterms, projects, homeworks and quizzes. A lot of names for tests, tests, tests and ok, groupworks. So I will be really busy. (This is alsy, why I post this article now and not already some days ago)
Also the classes itselves are different. We have no morning classes, but somethimes we are sitting until 22:30 in the lecture. I have no idea how I shall do that without sleeping in. One day we have classes from 12:00-19:30, with only 2 breakes of 15 min in between. This is not long enought to eat and change the room. And it is almost a whole working day ... I will be starving.
However, the people there are great. I am very happy and I already met a lot of nice new friends. It is so easy to meet new people. The semesters starts, and we have a lot of orientation meetings, registration things and other events, where we meet other new starters. Everyone is looking for new contacts,a dn so forming groups is really easy. I also appreciate that there are open classes, where other people, than my normal fellow students participate. This makes a good mixture.

18/08/2010 - Trailors, Trucks and the confideration flag. Welcom in Florida

2010-08-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

I am in USA since yesterday. I made my long way over Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chicago to Jacksonville, where I got a late in the night pick up from my friends. Due to my late arrival I could not check in in my appartment and I slept the first night at their place. They are living in a very cute area, called river side. It is near to the river and all the houses are this "american style". Solo standing, nice frontyard, nice garange and wooden surfaces in yellow, white, pink or baby blue. And a lot of american flags everywhere.
Next day, I checked in in my appartment housing. There was also an american flag, just to make sure, you are still in the same country. My appartment complex is nice, there are 3 floor houses, 2 pools and a club house. In my appartment there are with me 3 girls living. All are nice, and maybe I will write you later a bit about them.
One of them is a girl from greece and she also just moved in. My friend (now our friend) wanted to help us to buy a car and he drove us to the car buying place. A white old men met us on the street and told us to follow his car. He has had a lot of tattoos and only a few fingers left. The final destination was an interesting trailorpark. Here was also a flag, but the south staate flag. So, just to make sure, where we are... US... somehow. Our friend is half black and he was imediatly pissed off of the flag and the person and the place and everything. But he is a nice american sales guy and he did not showed it, when we went to the 30 car wracks, which were parked behind the trailor. Than the man and our friend started their "ghetto talk". about the brothers and the neighbourhood, and that you have to help the people and so on. Interesting.... I never have had such an experience in my live. Finally, the car was too bad and we went home.

15/08/2010 - Lights and Fortune Gambling in Maccau

2010-08-26T21:16:00.001-07:00

Having now soo much extra money (from the found of my wallet), I made a spontanous short trip to Macau. I went there with an american guy I met in the hostel. He is very humble and we have had of fun. We went by ferry appr. 1 hour and were in Macau. What is with Macau, I do not really know. It is - like Hong Kong - somewhat Chinese, but not China Mainland, and not everybody is allowed to enter. We get a 90 Day Maccau Visa at the customers control and surprisingly, it does not cost extra.
At the ferry gate are plenty shuttle busses to the Hotels and Casinos. It seems, this island survivies by gamblers only. It is kind of rainy, which is not unusual, beacuse it rains every day for a half hour in Hong Kong, therefore, it also rains for a short time in Macau. Welcome to the tropical islands :)
To make it short: we went with the shuttel bus in our hotel and after a short rest, we went to the historical center. It was really beautiful. Macau has been a Portugese colony for a long time, and this is still present. Plenty Portugese restaurants and nice old buildings dominate the center of the old town. We strall around and try some excersises at the free outdoor gym, before we went back to the hotel and get ready for the casinos.
The casinos give with its plenty twinkeling lights a wonderful skyline in the night. We met a couple from canada and spent the evening exploring the casinos and the casinos shows. I liked the Wynns the best. They have had a golden tree and a very impressing golden dragon. Those were stunning by theirselfes, but this all was again inbedded in a breathtaking show. Outside, they have had a water fontaine show with music and fire balls every 15 minutes and inside, behind the desk were little jellyfishes. Wonderful! Unfortunatly, they do not provide real roulett, or crab tables, so we went to starworld and MGM. In those establishments, I won 4$ and lost 500$... Thats live, but at least, I have had fun. My friend was really disappointed, because he changes a lot of money in Maccau Dollars, but at the most tables were only Hong Kong dollars accepted. The argument, to change the money he refuses because of the changing commission and the bad exchange rate. The fact, that he will loose everything anyway did not count for him :)

14/08/2010 - Honest Hong Kong

2010-08-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

Since yesterday am I in Hong Kong. The city is big and shining. Bling bling. Gems are not big, they are huge! Seldom I have seen what they offer here as almost normal. Of course, I enjoy it and spent the whole morning in several Cartier shops, enjoying myself with a coffee on the nice jewels.
I visit nice stones and watches for a half million USD, trying out some baby aligator bags. Than I notice that my wallet is not anymore in my bag. I start visiting the shops in reverse order, walk all the way bag, but, it is lost. I gave up and went to the 5***** hotel to ask the, if they can block my credit cards. They are nice and helpful and also set down a police report for me. I am relaxed, the money is away (i was just at the ATM) and the only thing, I struggle with, is that I was not buying more before I lsot the wallet. Than, the guy from American express told me, that I can get a new card on monday. Unfortunatly, it is now saturday, and I have no cent, and no cards and nothing. I have not yet paid for the hostel and i have no idea what to do. The amex guy tells me to ask the embassy, there should be a found for that. The embassor is a friendly men, but he does not give me money. But he showed me a way: I called my father, that he transfer me some money with western union. Pefect!
I went back to the hostel, explained the people my situation. There were fine, that I will pay a bit later and I skyped to my dad and explained him, what to do. He agreed to transfer me the money within a hour. Perfect! So, I thought... :-/
After our talk, I remembered, that I also need the code for getting the money. And my dad is a nice person, who stores his cellphone in the wardrobe and never use it. But he told me he will be back home 2 hours later. So, I wait and I tried to call him. Again and again and again. in the meanwhile, there was a email from the hong kong police station coming. Someone found my wallet!. Amazing! I was not expecting to get some money, but at least, I will have my driving licence, which is very usefull in US. I went to the police station to pick my purse up. Unfortunatly, was the officer not here and they asked me to wait.
After 30 min wiating, they told me he might be out for dinner and I should come back in 30 minutes. No problem! I understand this man. I am also very hungry. Since breakfast I have not had anything, due to the lack of money. So i walked around and went back to the police. There they told me, that he is not out for dinner, but left home. I should come back on monday. ... Monday.. I know this day. It is far away! And i am hungry. Luckily the police men understood my situation and said me, I could try it also the next day, at 9:00 in the morning. Ok... So, i went home and try to call my dad again. and again and again. I get really nervous, because it was already quarter to eight and on eight all banks are closing, which means, I do not get any money and I would stay hungry. Than, 5 to eight I could reach him (after I tried to call him for 5 hours) He was in a good mood and told me all what he done in the afternoon, and that the son of the lady from the bank also lost his wallet in china and and and. Due to my hunger i was kind of unpolite and stopped the call to run down to get the money and finaly food.
Next to western union, there was an indian stand with sweets and banas. I bought 2 sweets and ate them hungry. Than went I upstairs to my hostel, paid the bill and visit the night market to eat more.

12/08/2010 - My last evening in Japan

2010-08-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

It is my last full day in Japan. I came somewhen at 7 in the morning home, totaly messed up. I was on a date and sooo pretty. But than, when I was kicked out at 6 in the monring (it was heavy raining) my make up was a mess, the lashes was half hanging down and my cute dress was somehow outstanding between all the people driving to work. I fall in the bed and slept and slept and slept. Somewhen I checked my emails and saw a lunch invitation from the cute girl, who was my simultan translator 2 days ago. Unfortunatly, I was not really able to stand up. Besides that, I have to get a shower, get ready and go to the place... so no chance to get there. Without a cellphone, i could not call, so i wrote an email back and we canceled the lunch for some sightseeing at 15:00. When I came there, there was also the nice guy who hosted me in Akashi. I felt a little bit guilty, because I let them wait for 3 hours, but I did not know that he was also there. We went to nice places in Osaka, to the Osaka tower, to some picture places and we made plastic food by our self. All Japan is full with plastic foods. Every restaurant shows a wide range of dishes as plastic foods to their consumers and also decoration is often fruits and fishes out of plastic. It was a very cool day, and we have had a lot of fun. I never made plastic food before, and I did not expect it to be that funny. (I highly recommend to do it, it is an unforgettable event). later, we met with the other trainer, whith whom I gave the session in Akashi. He wanted to join us for the dinner, but before we visited some breathtaking picture places in Osakas city center.

Than, when we drove to the restaurant, I regognized, that we are going to a very posh area. I just hoped the restaurant will accept credit cards, because as it is my last day, I do not have that much money left. Entering the bar, I just found out how crazy they were. It was an first calss place. elegant and cosy. And they booked the whole bar for the whole evening. And we were not only we 4. No. All my close friends from Japan were there giving me a good bye. This made me so happy! In special, because some of my friends, when I wrote them that I am in Osaka now, they just wrote back something like"have a good time"... I was really sad, because I thought they do not want to meet up with me. But they were just arranging this party blast!!! Debouchery the whole evening. They did not saved anything. so ince food, all specialities, oisters, champagne, sake, sashimi, soups, salads, octopusses, shark... all was there. A lot of laughting.. a great time. Somewhen at 2:00 I was really "tired" and a bit drunk, so that someone drove me home. I was feeling soooo sick and was glad, when I arrived at home. And this was not due to the driver.

11/08/2010 - Japanese romance in Osaka

2010-08-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

I woke up in the flat... since month the first flat without aircondition and I am sweating. Not gloving or so... Sweating like a horse. I am hot and everything around me is hot. Also the water in the shower is warm. Puhhhhhh. But, I have to arrange myself a bit and organize what I wil do the day. This is all not that easy without having a cellphone. But somehow, I arranged to meet up with one of my friends. He is a nice Japanese guy and we met in Singapore. There he was a kind of mentor and he showed me (with a lot of patience) how to do origami birds. Well, we stayed in contact and he "really wants to go for a drink" with me. His wish my pleasure ;-) First, he picked me up at the subway and we went to the Osaka castle. It was very beautiful and we have had a lot of fun. After 2 hours he has had to go back to his company, but we have had an appointment for the evening, when his work will be finished (22:00).

I went home, showerd, changed my dress and get Japan nice dressed ready: Nice make up, some lashes, done eyebros, nice hair with a big loop and assessoires. Oh... I looked so cute!!! Than I went to the dinner, and afterwards some drinks. Somewhen he wanted to go to a hotel, because he has to work the next day. I was absolutly not tired and very courious about those love hotels, my friends told me about. In Japan it is common to go for private time in a love hotel. In this hotels, there are special rooms. And as Japanese are, some of those rooms are really crazy, in SM mode, or with spiderman, or everything is hello kitty or it is surrounded by an aquarium or so. Of course I also want to see that. To make it short: we walked around in the rain, all fancy rooms were already booked. So finaly we ended up in a karaoke room... Who want to do karaoke while having sex?!?! So, the machine stays off and he was so tired, that he starts sleeping imedently. Than, somewhen at 6:00 in the next morning, he jumped untder the shower and went back to work. (6:00-22:00). Well, the night in a love hotel was different, than I expected :-)

10/08/2010 Travelling around Akashi

2010-08-19T06:16:00.000-07:00

I woke up in my hosts place. Miki, my host, arranged all the traiings for me. He is a great guy. single dad with 4 children. Working hard, caring for his family and taking the time to be actiev in society. And to take the time to help a german girl, he never met before to arrange training sessions.
He was so nice and took 2 cute daughter from him and we went the whole day for sight seeing. We took plenty pictures and saw a impressing bridge, holes in the water and natural mysths. After that he drove me to Osaka. It was a 3 hours drive, and I felt soo deep in his debt. But he said: do not mind! And than I arrived at my new host in Osaka. A nice Chinese guy.

09/08/2010 My first training in Japan

2010-08-19T05:54:00.001-07:00

Today, I give my frist training hour in Japan. I am very proud that I have the chance to provide a training in Japan & Japanese language. Of course I do not speak appropriate Japanese, therefore they arranged a simultan translator.
I take the train from Kyoto to Akashi. First, I was afraid, that it will take long and willbe expansive. But it is not like that. I can go with the local train for 15 Eur the way in 40 minutes. Perfect. In the train I use the time for wrapping my gifts. First, I bought some gifts in China to give out for the members. But than, I heard there are 12 members coming and I have only 10 gifts. So I went again for shopping in Kyoto. I found some nice heard shaped locks in the 100 Yen shop. So I bought them and some giftbags and I hope they will like it. It are cute locks for luggage or so. Maybe 10 centimeters, read, heard shaped and with a number combination. For my host, I have some belgian pralines. When I arrived, they are already waiting for me and the translator and the other trainer. I just recognize, how big the blow it all off. Wow... It is not a simple casual taining, we have an official session with press and 3 trainers coming. Wow. The other trainers are really good. And one of them I know already from singapore, where I met him in the Japanese headquarter. Such a funny hasard :) All is very formal. While my friends in Kyoto were very relaxed, those here are different. A lot of bowing, 90 degree bowing, a lot of formal words and streight sitting. But they are also very nice and after the training we went for a wonderful Chinese restaurant.

08/08/2010 - A traditional Japanese Dinner

2010-08-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night, we got a good idea: My friends will trouw a nice good bye dinner for me with traditional cloths. This means with Kimono or Jokurta. I worn a Kimono when I was a geisha. So, I know, it is really hot and difficult to wear. Next to it, it is expansive, so I decide I will wear a Jokurta. A jokurta is a traditional japanese bath robe. It was worn to get to the bath or to wash yourself. Nowadays, it is appropriate to wear it in public and for official events. In difference to the Kimono, it is worn without underwear (= without the 5 layers of cloths). It is pretty light and still looks somehow like a kimono.
So, the sister of my friend picked me up in the noon to go with me and her family to buy a new Jokurta. In Kyoto those traditional dresses are very popular and you see a lot of men and women wearing it on the street. Therefoer, they sell them also in shopping malls. Lucky for me, they have sales at the moment and I can get a complete set of dress, belly loop and shoes for 6800 Yen. They have a lot of different colors and patterns and it is really hard to choose one of them. Finaly, I choose a cute pink one and a yellow belly loop. It looks amazing and my friend also buyes himself a new one. The kids are getting tired and we have to pick the up in the game zone. Oh my god.. I never saw such a game zone in a shopping mall... thousands of machines and computers, thousands of yelling kids, music, lights and tralala. It is really too much for normal adults. but the kids love it. We went fast with the kids to a sushi restaurant, where we have a light lunch. It is so cute, they have a kind of happy meal for children: different sushis, french fries and orange juice.
After that it is already time to go home, take a shower, making my hair and getting dressed. Luckily, one of the girls from my dorm took some classes in traditional Japanse culture and knows how to wear a Jokurta. So she help me to get in it and fix it.
Than, I went trough the street to find the restaurant. I feel very beautiful with that dress. The restaurant is a very high class establishment and we have a place (no table) outside on the terrasse with view over the river. The fresh breeze is perfect in the hot weather and we enjoy a perfect evening. We are traditional sitting on pillows and everyone has a small table in fron of him /her for the food. After a while, the sitting gets a bit complicated :) but it is really nice. The owner of the restaurant is a member of my club, so he join us and gives us a great menue of 12 dishes, all absolutly tasty. After the long dinner, we decide that we went all together to sing some karaoke. It is so much fun! In Japan karaoke is a private thing. This means, there are no public bars, where everyone grab the microphone and sings. We order a room, which is only for us with "all dirnks inclusive". It is amazing how good they can sing! And how much they enjoy. they are really freaking out with some songs. Unfortunatly, i cannot sing that well... and they are a bit dissappointed that I am so bad in singing and do not know any lyriks and so. But for the next time, I will train :-)
After the karaoke, we went to the bar we also ended up yesterday morning and go on with our party... somewhen in the early morning, I was tired and went to bed, to get a bit fresh before I go to my first training in Akashi. Kyoto was a great time!

07/08/2010 (2) - In the Zen temple

2010-08-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

My friends are amazing. After my Geisha shoot, they pick me up and arrange for me a visit in a very private Zen temple. Normally this temple is closed for public, but a friend is a friend of the priest and so I am a llowed to enter the beautiful temples.
The other tourists around are looking a bit jalous, and, yes, they have reason for it. It is a wonderful place. The zen master took his time and showed me around. Beautiful 700 years old paintings, springs and trees. I was allowed to see the very special and holy imperail gate, which is only used if the imperer is arriving. That was 2 times in the last 400 years. When ever the imperer is coming, the zengardens have to be new structured and new sand is used, that the empoerer can walk on a new surface. He explained me the meaning of old zengardens. Detailed aranged stones, which have to be rearragend every morning new by one of the 3 training monks.
He takes me with in the very old teahouse, and showed me the traditional tea ceremony and the meaning behind it.

It was wunderful. And after it, we went all together to a very small japanese restaurant /bar. The boys ordered all the food on the menue and lots of sake. We have had great fun and I was eating a lot of strange but tasty things. The most strange one was the eye of a fish. For real. They said, this has a lot of collagen and therefore it is very good for my skin to eat it. I just trust and try everything. The exe was not bad in taste. But also not outstanding good. Normal. I was very surprised, that the pupil was hard. I thought it is just a hole in the eye, but it is a small black hard ball. like a little pearl and -for me- not eatable.

07/08/2010 I am a Geisha

2010-08-16T02:50:00.000-07:00

I went today to my Geisha - Transforming. In fact, I did not get a transforming to a geisha, but to a maiko. A maiko is the trainee geisha. In opposite to a geisha wears the meiko colorful kimonos. I love colors and I love geishas, so I decided I want to do this maiko transofrmation.
I researched a studio last month in the internet and I was a bit shocked by the prices. But... I really want this, so I think, I deserve it.

To be well prepared, IO did not went out last night and get awake very early to go to my studio. The studio is in the old Kyoto district, which is famous for a lot of geishas. Well, I am not sure, if the plenty geishas, people see and picture there are real geishas, or as me, tourist who make this styling :) But the scenery is wonderful. I arrived there after a long walk in the heat and felt like a princess. I got a thing bathrobe and have had to change. I also get those socks with the seperate toe (for the "geisha-flip flops") and than I went to the make up.

They make my face and neck with 2 differnt white creams white and than a bit rose. I got some niche eye make up, new pink eyebrows and red lips. After that, I could choose my kimono and got the dressing.
This dressing is really effort. There are severyl layers and towels they use to hide the breast.The funny thing is, they hide the brest, by putting towels on your tommy. So, after all you are fat like a barrel. :-) Than the put me the beautiful kimono on, and the belt and the loop of the back and the underskirt. Than I got my faked hai and the assessoires like shoes, bag and all the nice flowerthings they have in their hair. Puh... It was heavy and hot ans soooooo beautiful!

After the dressing, I went out with my fotographer and she took somke pictures with me infront of some houses and trees and in the street. A lot of people were fascinated and took fotos of me.

It was really surprising for me how difficult it was to walk in that geisha shoes. And I have had the not high ones.... Ususally I have always 8 cm high heeels, or higher, so I thought, walking with that cute shoes would be no problem.. but it was really hard to keept the balance :)

And I was sweating... it was soooo hot! I was really happy when I could take all the nice clothers off afterwards and feel the nice cold of the aircondition on my legs.

An amazing experience!!!!!! I loved it!

06/08/2010 - Kyoto in Old Japanese Style

2010-08-16T02:36:00.000-07:00

Japan has fantastic fast trains. The Shinkansen train is faster than our ICE in Germany. Long distances can be done in less than 1 hour. But therefore, this train is super expansive. So, I decided not to take 1h train, but doing a 9h night bus ride. Very unconfortable, but finally I arrived in Kyoto.

Kyoto is a medium sized city in Japan. I guess round about 1.5 million people. So, I arrived there, smelling, tired and with only 25 kg luggage. I found out, that there is a airport luggage delivery service in Japan, and so, I could sent my 30 kg suitcase from Tokyo to my final airport in Osaka for only 25€.... How great!!! I feel so... easy :)
Nevertheless, I have had to cross half of Kyoto to get to my hostel. When I arrived there, noone was there. So I wait until someone opened me the door. Unfortunately, the alarm started and I have had no clue how to switch it of. So the alarm stayed on for the next hour, while I tried to sleep a bit on the couch in the lounge (what is is strictly forbitten).
Somewhen the desk was open, I stored my luggage, took a shower and went with a nice guy from Newzealand into the city to buy some gifts for my JCI friends. We crossed the imnperial garden, went in for 5 meters, shot some pictures and went on. The same with the castel and severy temples... We were just too tired and sweaty for sight seeing. but we shot great pictures and I am very happy I have had my semi professional camera!
Later I visit a frined and his family for a BBQ. He has had his 4 kids and the 2 babies of his sister with him. I am highly surprised. Japanse kids are so nice and happy, never fighting or crying. And the steaks were exellent! :-)

05/08/2010 Sunset over Mt Fujii

2010-08-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

I went to the city memorial building (or similar name) Luckily, I was bloody late. So, I have had a great view over Tokyo and saw the sunset over Mt. Fujii.

03/08/2010 Special treatment in the Maid-Cafe

2010-08-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

I spent this da with the finnland-girls I met in my place. They are typical finnish. With piercings, tatoos, shaved sides, and Spicegirl shirts. They want to go to a maid cafe. First I did not know, what this is, but than, my host explained it to me, that this are sexy dressed girls, in super cute and short maid uniforms, which take special care for their guests. Sounds fun. So we went there with 5 persons. Because the finnish girls are quiete pushy, we went there in the morning, leaving the house at 8:20... Crazy. In special, if this nice cafe does not open before 11. So we wait and wait and than we entered. All food is sweet with a lot of cream and very expansive. There were 2 maids, which were busy with everything else, but us. And english? forget about it. No cute jumping, no other things. So we left the cafe and go on.
I bought a great new camera! Unfortunatly, all the manual is in Japanese laguage, so it will take a while until I am an expert with it.
And one other thing happened that day: We were injailed by the Tokyo metro. My host and I, we entered a gate, which was just closing. Unfortunatly, there was again a second gate, which was already closed. So, we stuck between those both gastes and called the police. The nice police men were very friendly and helpfull and informed the security company to take us out of our jail.

02/08/2010 Almost Tokyo

2010-08-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

Today is the day I am flying to japan! Everything worked fine, I catched my subway, got my very havy bag and checked in. I am allowed to carry 20kg with me. When I put my back on the scale and it shows 30kg, the nice check in lady says nothing. not even a look. No comment about my additional 25kg hand luggage. No discussions, it easily works. Wow. A great start. The flight is nice, I work, I sleep. Arrived at the airport, everything works fine, everything is in order and easy to follow. It is great. The only thing, I found out, that Tokyo Airport is not in Tokyo. It is even in a different state. So, I take a 2h bus ride to arrive, but even this is fine. I cross different landscapes, and everything looked like germany. Excatly like when I drive the autobahn from Karlsruhe to Landau. Ok, later, it looked a bit like the area around Mannheim, but this is still the same highway, only 30 km more in the north. I am surprised :-)
Late in the evening I arrived at my host and we went for tradittional Japanese goof, Omoyapppi or so. It is a nice pancake-omlett, done by yourself on a tepanyakki. Very tasty!

31/07/2010 - Exploring Shanghai

2010-07-31T04:21:00.000-07:00

Waking up at 7 in the morning is bad. But waking up at six, after have been clubbing half the night is worse. In special, if it is saturday and you could sleep for ever. But my body seems to have other plans. So I stand up, worked a bit, took a shower and left for the old city.

It took me a while to find the place, beacuse I have had no idea, where it was and what metro stop it should be, but I did not care. The sun was shining, a perfect day. The air is fresh, the buildings are nice, everywhere is an good atmosphere and I am in the middle of that. I love it. I saw small streets, stores, parks and a great skyline.

Finally I arrived in the "Old town" and I was a bit surprised. The old town was not really old. It was a big perdisant street with those typicly chinese houses. But only store at store. KFC, next to Hagen Dasz, next to McDonalds, next to Starbucks. Iterativ, with some interruptions by souvenir shops. And so many people pressing through this.

I really did not appreciate, so I decide to go to the bund and enjoy the nice view on the modern Shanghai. In a close park, I met a girl from Singapore who is living since 1 week in Shanghai. She is new and we met on Couchsurfing to walk together through the city. What a perfedct match! We liked each other from the very first second. We were the whole time laughting talking about nonsence and private things. I really felt after 2 hours very close to her. We spent a wonderful afternoon (5h) and made plans for tonight and tomorrow. Well, I am 100% happy. I enjoy this great time!
PS: The guy from yesterday texted me to get the dinner confirmed - if i am still interested :-)

30/07/2010 La vie en rose

2010-07-31T04:01:00.001-07:00

Shanghai... What have I heard about this city? It shall be big, international, crowded, sticky, hot, modern and it has the Expo. It shall be widely and very expansive. Trains are not serving in the evening and everything is a bit expansive and complicated.

MY first experience with this city is completly different. I arrived with some delay at the airport, being afraid that the last train was already gone and I have to pay a very expansive 45km taxi ride. But, no, train and metro werre working propperly and so sweet chinese girls helped me to find my destination and showed me where I have to change my trains. Than, I arrived in my place, a wounderful nice french girl opened me the door, welcomed me with wine, quiche and cheese. She showed me my room and we ahve had a small talk before I dressed me up and we went to a club.

The clubbing area is in walking distance and I recognize, that everything here is not like China. "Well, we are living in the French Concession" she said. WOW! So cool! Yes, here are a lot of french people, everywhere french language, the streets are small and not crowded, there are plantanes (trees) on the side and everything is a bit like home. Also the clubs... Wow! I am alive again! There were drinks, real drins, there were mood, real good mood, there were the "old hits from the 90 and 2000... and dancing on the tables and everything. Other areas where outside and you could enjoy the fresh warm air. It was amazing. We have had so much fun, I really felt myself being home and back in live.

And than... the magic happened! This is real, no fake, no story: Somewhen, we were tired and we decided to go home. We just crossed the garden of this wounderful colonial style club there was a group of people entering. One of them was a very handsome blond tall guy. He was really outstanding for me, my eyes were like magnetized. And he was also observing right me. I mean, you feel it, if someone is really watching you. He looked so familar to me, but I just arrived some hours ago, there was no change, that we have seen each others somewhen before. When he was crossing me I got this electrical feeling, "Gänsehaut". After he passed, I said "I know you from somewhere". He and his friends turned, he looked at me and his exes said that he feel the same. Now is the scary part coming: In the same second, all of his 4 friends said: "you are Jennifer!" or "Are you Jennifer?" ... Huuuu.... Why those people know my name? Even if I have a connection with him, for sure, I have never seen one of those before. Me and my friend we were looking each others very surprised. Than the conversation went on and I have a date with Mister Magic on sunday. Lets see what happen :)

19/07/2010 German Quality in Chinese Mass Production

2010-07-20T04:55:00.000-07:00

Volkswagen (VW) is a big german automobile company. They have a factory in North China, where they produce high quality engines for several VW cars, as well as for Audi A6.
I was lucky to get a chance to visit the factory and see a production and a assembling line. This was very interesting and opened me my eyes again for a moment. Not only, because the official language at VW is german, and everything is written in Chinese and German. Very unsual but very confortable for me. It was also interesting to see how the production processes are going. Not on the paper or in Theory. In real, in the factory. My dear brother is working in Germany in such a line. I am very thankful, that I could get a small insight in his working day. They have 3 or 4 shift schedules, with no downtimes. I guess working in one of this lines, with high time and quality pressure is really hard. Besides that, I also think, that doing the same task for 8 hours a day, with only 30 minuts lunch break is really not a funny job. My poor brother. What is he doing every day for day, risking his health by this hard, for the bit money he earns. He does night and weekend shifts, he never complains, and is always in a good mood and friendly. No comparison to the comfortable office job, in which the most people are always unsatisfied and requesting more money.
After seeing that, I highly respect these people, who are doing this mental and physical difficult work in a constantly good quality. Their effort results in my customer satisfaction.
And I remember a quote from a friend of my brother. This friend, lets call him Tim. After he heard that I am a project manager for process improvements, he said: "You are one of those stupid engineers, who are coming, and always disturbing? They have no idea of our work. Theyare looking and disturbing our process, measuring everything with the stopwatch and than changing everything, that it does not work anymore and we are sweating and than fired!"
Well, a bit harsh, but this was what he said and what Tim felt. After this visit, I recognized: Sitting at the desk, designing a process, cutting some costs and increase the efficience, by turning the process time down - this is easy. And normaly this person is not that one, who has to work later with the process. And normaly, he is also not the one, who is cost cutted. This journey really teached me my lesson.
(We) I should remember that in future and value and appreciate the work of those workers more.

17/07/2010 - Boom Boom Pow!

2010-07-18T05:04:00.000-07:00

Did I told you already? I have everyday fireworks. Everyday. For sure every evening, sometimes also in the morning or in the afternoon. When it started the first time, I thought there were bombs and I was afraid and scared. I really thought, there might be some attacs, some jets coming from - i do not know, Japan? Korea? Russia? all that near and well weaped. I was really afraid and did not know what to do. under the table? Out of the house? With the elevator? By stairs... hmm I am living in the 13th floor....Panik.
But now, I am used to it. It is fantastic. View over the yellow sea and twinkeling fireworks in the black sky. And all cobined with the lights of the housings and the themeparks around. Amazing. And often. Very often. As mentioned, everyday and sometimes also several times a day. Why? I do not know. So far, I could not find out. Who pays for? Also no idea. But as long as they are not at 8:00 in the morning, I enjoy them. (8:00 in the morning, I really want to sleep, which is not possible at all with those "bombs" )

05/07/2010 The Great Wall

2010-07-06T06:46:00.001-07:00

Sunshine. Blue Sky. And The Wall. Anything to add?

04/07/2010 Climbing the mountains

2010-07-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

In Beijing, there are amazing many people. And all with umbrellas, to protect their selves of the sun. It was really hot. This in addition with the 15 million air-conditions and 10 million cars, it really heathen the city up. So, I was really happy to escape on the second day, to the Chinese mountains.
1h with the subway and than 2h with the bus and you reach a beautiful hiking area. To cross the bridge and enter the park, you have to buy a ticket.
But this seems to be not enough for the Chinese business people, so they blocked the bridge with a motor scooter and demand additional money to let the people cross. Here I learned that there is a free hotline number, where people can report these illegal activities. And here, I also learned that these numbers do not help you much, because they need a lot of background information before they act. But, we were lucky and a police car came and made the way free for us.

So we started our hiking journey with sunshine and new Korean friends, which we met in the bus.

Those Koreans, there were really fun. Always chatting, always making pictures and the best: in the middle of the mountains, they took their cookers out and start cooking noodles. :-)

We enjoyed every second, even, the mountain was high, and sometimes, the bamboo stairs seems to be endless. But we also get great benefits. I have never seen such beautiful butterflies. And some of them just came and sit down on our shoes.

Back down, we have had some food and refreshed ourselves in the nearby river.

Than we start waiting for the bus… 1h…2h.. than a bus arrived. It was sooo full, the people were pressed inside and the bus driver was not opening the door, because they would have fallen out. Here, I have only a picture from the second, not that filled bus… but for Germans, still too full. So, some when, I stopped a small van and he drove us for some money back to the city.

I was really tired, and the next day, I have to get up early, but I was also hungry, so I went to a street “full of clubs and bars”. The near street turned out to be half hour walking distance, and the “clubs and bars” where some souvenir shops and tourist cafes. Well, Chinese people, are not really so in outgoing. But the street was fun and I spent longer than planned by watching all the things and enjoying the colder temperatures. A great day!

03/07/2010 Going to Beijing

2010-07-06T05:48:00.000-07:00

Taking the night train is absolutly comfortable. I left Dalian at 22:00 and arrived at 8:30 in Beijing. All together for 256 RMB, approx. 30 USD.
I have had a hard sleeper, which was not really hard. It was six beds together, always 3 over each others. I booked my tickert 10 days in advance (the earlies possibility) and even than, there were only the uppest beds available. I guess there are some agencies, reserving the lower beds (which means to be more luxurious) for them. But, it does not matter, when I sleep, I sleep. The only thing was, that the beds are very small and I could not lay my purse next to me. So i tried different positions, which were more or less comfortable for me and save for my belonings.
Finaly, It was not bad and I arrived relaxed and fresh in Beijing. The hostel people (from Sunrise hostel) sent someone for my pick up from the train station. This was great, otherwise, I would never ever have found the place. I am kind on dumb with Chinese names, as soon something start with X or Guo, I blank out...
After I stored my things (i travelled with a bag from a famous baju brand... you can say, a shopping back from a liquid company) I changed my clothes and went to the forbitten city.
I stand for a long time in the line and inside, the city was crowed by chinese people and their fancy umbrellas. They are using them to protect themselves from the sun. Ok, but they are using them and stepping in all my pictures, so I have tons of snaps from old houses with a hello kitty umbrella in front of it. somewhen, it was too much for me, and to be honest, after the 20th chinee house, the others look all the same. So, I tried to go back to the hostel, but I was completly lost in that forbitten city. All houses looks more or less the same, a lot of small streets and ways, I guess I crossed them all. I passed houses and halls with names like: the upper harmony, the agricultural hall, e.g. never heard of this before. Than, I reached a garden, which was really impressing. I decided to stay there for a while, have a cold coke anc than go on with the search for the exit. After 3 hours I found it and went back the 300 meters to my hostel.
In the afternoon, I met my friend Martin from Tchechien. We know each others from Samara in Russia, and last week, he gave me a call that he will come to Beijing! Great! We went together to the temple of heaven, shot funny pictures and spent the whole afternoon in the part, walking arouond and chatting. Live is so nice!

25/06/2010 Life quality

2010-06-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

Whit my pot, my life qiality increased by 200%. Today, I found out, that I have a beautiful garden, through which I can reach all the strategic points in my life: My friends, the beach, some bars and clubs, Restaurant, the shopping mal and the meeting place. Wow. An other live changing improvement. Great.

21/06/2010 The good things of dead friends

2010-06-21T03:18:00.000-07:00

Sarcastic the heading, isn't it? But, go on reading, maybe you will understand it after a while.

As I posted some days ago, my best friend died. So, I was very busy the last days. First with crying, drinking and partying. Who thinks, it is not adequate to go out to the clubs and have fun, while your better half gets eaten by the worms, to them I can just say: Exactly this is the reason for going out! Hanging around at home makes you only depressive, which I already was. But when I go out, I have to behave myself and stop crying. I have an excuse to drink, and I drank a lot.
Second, I was very busy by informing all of our and his friends about his dead. Of course, this is not a topic for a mass email. And of course, everyone want to know some details. So many people are so sad due to this new. And so many people wanted to talk with me. To give me their condolences, to pray with me, to support me, or to get more information. Well, all this was challanging. Very often, when I thought, I am over that crying phase, I received a letter, a picture or a call, and I start to cry again.
Now, I am thankfull for all the wounderful moments he gave me... but still, crying sometimes.
I mean, I know, he is dead, but my heard do not feel it. I am bad in holding contacts. I could say, I am too busy or lazy to write emails, but to be honest, most time, there is nothting new to tell. So my friends are not informed, I do not call, and than, when I need them, I am afraid to call and ask them for a favour, after having not called for such a long time.
The other thing is: I am an expert in avoiding negative topics. In my world, serious negative topics do not exist. So, this is also why I knew my friend was sick (he told me he is serious sick). But why I do not know anything in detail. I did not asked. I changed the topic, telling about health and so. The same now, by chatting with my other friend. We 3 stuck the most time together. And she is the same. Not calling and avoiding topics we do not like to hear.
Due to his dead, she called me. And guess what.. we did not spoke about the fakt, he is dead. We spoke about the nice moments we have had together. And about the organizational things. And about everything else - But his dead.
We were always very close, even if we did not communicate for some month. We were always thinking of each others, and we felt it. We felt each others. And so it is now. My heard did not realize, that my darling died. I feel him still here. I think of him before I sleep, or on some moments in the day. As usual. No difference. I believe, he is dead, but no. No, not for real.
What is strange, is, after I heard from his dead, I remeber other moments than before.
So, the positiv thing is, I have had a reason to contact my friends. And this reason was this time not, because I wanted something from them. Ok, of course the most of them were shocked and sad, but we spoke and we got back in contact, and for 80% I felt, the relationship is the same strong as before. Thank you darling for that! Everyday, I love you more... since almost 10 years. And your death did not stoped it. TC.

20/06/2010 Yes, there is sun in China

2010-06-20T01:33:00.000-07:00

SUN! SUN! SUN! The first sunny day, since I am here. Great warm weather, with a fresh brise, ideal to go to the beach!

Before, I really started thinking, I would be living in a cloud. It was always foggy, if not foggy, than raining. But most time both together. Watching outside my window, I was not sure, why I took a flat with ocean view, if you can not see 5m far. And it was cold. Sooooo cold! I was always with my pullover and long jeans. In the night, I slept with a jumper. But now everything is different! Beach, Sun, Tan, I am coming! For my family and firends: here are some pictures of my flat!

This here is the view from my appartment in the daytime. As you see, today, I can see the sea!

This is my kittchen, Shower, Bathroom and Toilet. All in one. The wok is really rosty, so, I do not cook. Who knows me, know, that I really dislike Chinese food. I hate rice, noodels and glibbery souces. Unfortuntaly, there are rarlly other things available. So, I try to buy from time to time a cucumber, some peppers (Are not always available), tomatos, eggs, fruits and very expansive and cheap quality chees. Buhuhu!!!! I miss my good food culture! To whomever, I come the next time, please give me high quality food! I will never forget you that! I AM ALWAYS SO HUNGRY HERE!

Here you see my one room appartment. My douplex bed and my desk. The window is to my bathroom / kittchen. And there is of course my couch, with some assessoires on it :D

Btw assessoires... In China is everything "cute" and pink or baby blue. All signs are with cartoons. Here my scale and my mat for the shower.

14/06/2010 My darling is dead.

2010-06-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

My best friend died a month ago, when I was busy with travelling. I just heard it today. He was not only my best friend since almost 10 years, he was my big, unquestinable love. He knew everything about me, he gave me so many great moments in live, he gave me every single second the feeling beeing loved. And I was always so loving him and always so proud, calling him a friend of mine.
We were travelling together, living together, partying together and speaking about the serious things.
In the last time, I was busy with all the things, and our contact got low. Last month, when we spoke with each others, he told me he is still sick. This was some days before his dead. I knew he was serious sick but I did not asked further, because I did not thought about such a seriousity. He was a strong, healthy young man. Blessed with all talents, a person can have. And he was depressive. Of course, your mood goes down, if you are strong and healthy in general, but actual sick. ... That was my answer. All is easy, all is good, do not worry.
He has had real problems, and I was not listening careful... I was busy with my plans, my thougts, my silly problems and my life. And I regrett it so much.
And I hope I will do this mistake never again. Never. But how to realize this with this global challenge I am faced, and which I am keep on seaking?

Right now, I am feeling so bad. I cannot discribe. I will not discribe.

8/6/2010 Chinese Massage

2010-06-12T03:40:00.001-07:00

I was at the massage yesterday. Outch. I am not sure, if this is really healthy.

6/6/2010 In China now

2010-06-12T03:36:00.000-07:00

I am in China. In Dalian to be precise. All people here speak chinese. And only chinese. And they love sugar. Even the 8$ cheese taste sweet. Hmmm.
I learned some words Chinese, which improved my live quality a bit:
Bu: No / Not; Tang: Sugar
And Nihau: Hi, Tang: Soup.
XieXie: Thank you. But that, they do not understand. Maybe my pronaunciation is just to poor.
At least, I can now ask in the supermarket, if they have coffee without sugar and can go home, being informed, that they really do not have them.

But therefore, they have a lot of other things. My new hobby is to go to Tesco and Walmart and to see what they are selling. Everyday, I see new crazy things. And everywhere you can try a lot of new food and services. Like the massage chair. My friend and I, we tested it for 20 minuts. Only the coffee was missing. Sooo relaxing.

1/6/2010 Waking up in Singapore

2010-06-12T02:08:00.000-07:00

Singapore is an amazing place. I love it. Everything is clean, public transportation is good, people are nice dressed, and all is available.
My friend explained it like that: In Singapore, you can live your live as you wish. You can live Indian, Chinese, Malayan, Western or Japanese. And you can decide everyday new.
I live here in a wounderful flat in an amazing appartmenthouse. Everything is here, everything is available. And my friend is with me in the evening and nights.
During the daytime, I am visiting my conference. Wow. It feels so good to wear a suit and the costum. I have not worn my business dresses for too long. Nothing is real fitting anymore, I lost some weight. Everymorning, I stand up and go to the conference. I take an extremly expansive coffee (to honour me, to "work" again). Then, when I am entering the room some of the others are already there, greeting me, we sitting together chatting, laughting, working until late in the night. And of course we go to parties afterwards. And to lunch between. Tasty japanese food.
In all, with 2500 Japanese around me, I feel in Japan. And I feel good. I feel the harmony. I feel home. I love it. I feel my self as part of thw whole. Of a big group, of a organic mass, swapping their way with the music. Sounds weird. but is soo great. Once again: I love those crazy japanese guys. We are so similar. Shy and very formal, but if in party mood, without any borders and limits. Conservative, and individualistic, not always open for new contacts, but always want to belong to the group and want to have those people around us.

31/05/2010 Shopping tour to Indonesia

2010-06-12T01:06:00.000-07:00

8:00 in the morning, I arrived in Singapore.
8:30 I stored my luggage at the central station and drive with the bus to the shopping center.
9:00 I am in a shop to buy a new gift for my friend. Puhh--- everything is so expensive. So, I went to the next shop. Here the same.
10:00 My market analysis is finished. Result: Singapore is too expansive! A bottle Vodka: 85$. A box pralinees 50$. Puhh...
11:00 I buy a ticket with the ferry to Indonesia.
12:00 A new Visa is in my passport.

27/05/2010 from Kuala Lumpur and Cameroon Highlands

2010-06-12T00:31:00.000-07:00

I stayed almost one week in Malaysia. The most time in Kuala Lumpure and 2 days in the cameroon highlands. In Kuala Lumpure I visited the city, but I was really unmotivated. It was a strange feeling without my friends, suddently alone and have to be independent. Suddently, I was again responsible for myself. I have had to carry my bags by myself, I have to decide alone where to stay, what to do and what to eat. So many decisions made me very tired. And there was noone, with whom I could share my impressions. (hmm.. not 100% true, the first day, I met a cool Australian girl, and we spent 2 days together running around the city, this was fun).

What I really loved on Kuala Lumpur was food stalls. I love basic food, somewhere on the street, cheap and tasty. I wanna see what I eat and not really know it in detail. I am sure, from time to time, this was good so. And I love the food streets in the night... Always busy, always something to see What me surprised with KL was my desire to spent time in the shopping malls. Normaly I avoid such places and I dislike it. But after such a long time in the jungle and on the islands, I was so happy to see the high end fashion shops. The new collection, the jewels, the designs. I spent 2 days with visiting Cartier, Chopard, Fendi and all the other palces.

An other nice thing was, when I was walking on the street and I heard very strange noise. Looking through a window, I saw an old man and an old woman singing chinese karaokee. I guess they were training. I hope so for them. They sung with an imporession, as this singing would be the most serious thing in their life. Very concentrated, very focused, but soooo wrong. I hope they have had fun.

So, I stayed the most time home, doing some work, writing papers, trying to relax. For 2 days I went to cameroon Highlands, a wounderful place. A little bit like my home with all the winery (in Camreoon, there are no wineyards, but tea plantages) but a bit smaller.
In Cameroon Highlands, they have a delicatess: A steamboat. You get a big pot of soud (boiling water with some flavour, a clear soup) and a lot of other things you can add in and boil your own flavour soup. Even, knowing that going to an restaurant, for boiling the own food makes no sence at all, I really wanted to try this steam boat. I love soup very much and to sit somewhere and putting things in a pot the whole night sounds like fun. But unfortunatly, they served the seam boat only for at least 2 persons. So, I was not allowed to order it. Once again, I missed my friends and went hungry to bed.

24/05/2010 Leaving to Krabi

2010-05-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

Arriving in Krabi without a plan was a stupid idea. All busses left already, flights were not available. So we booked a bungalow at the beach. It was horrible. A camoingplace offers more luxus. and the beach... well, i would not call it like that.
But again, our guy was great. He booked us a new room in a spa hotel, with all what we wished. So, the next day, we just stayed in the room, I worked, we went to massage, to pedicure, manicure, swimming in the pool, a short walk at the beach and for dinner. No program, just relaxing, lying in the bed and watching out of the window, enjoying the great view.
And on the evening, .... he was with me alone at the beach. A wounderful skyline and he asked about marriage... A perfect evening.

23/05/2010 Waking up in Paradiese

2010-05-30T04:21:00.000-07:00

Issam done a great job. when we woke up this morning in our nice nice wounderful bungalow, he demand us, to sit on our beds and close the eyes. He opened the jalousies and we were breathless by the view! He done an awesome job and booked for us a great bungalow first line at THE BEACH, panorama view, big terasse, 2 bathrooms and also outdoor shower with view on Maya bay. And he organized a big breakfast on our terasse. Perfect start in the day!
Later, he chartered a boat for us and we went for snorcheling, shark diving and enjoyed the sea & sun. Lucky me, was sunning without live west, when giant waves were comming and i was almost falling out of the ship. :-) Germany got talent :D

22/05/2010 Taxi-Bus-Plane-Ferry: And than, we are in the Paradies

2010-05-30T03:59:00.000-07:00

Standing up very early this morning, taking the Bus to Bangkok, picking up my luggage, taking the plane to Phuket, taking a 1h taxi ride and than the ferry. The sun is burning, and on 17:00 we arrive in Ko Phi Phi. Audrey leads us directly to OUR beach for the next days: A paradies. We just let our luggage fall in the white sand and run into the water.
I am like always the lucky guy, just want to go in with my feet.... Than until the knees, but there is a step in the water, and i fall completely in the sea. (Which is ther 30 cm deep)... Well, just really talented people as I can do so :D
We get in contact with a spanish guy, who gets our new island friend. we do not have a room, we do not have an idea where to stay, how long, or anything else. But we have sun, sand, sea and coctails. This is enough to stay until the night.
The sunset is a dream. pink sky over the turkis sea. Than Issam (the only rested boy, the other were getting lost in Phuket) leave for finding us an accomendation. And he did well.

21/05/2010 We ARE in Asia

2010-05-28T03:19:00.000-07:00

Wow... I am in Asia. Ok.. I know, that thailand is in Asia, but in the last days, I never felt it. I was always with my friends, chatting, walking in the forrest, being somewhere... It could easily be Europe.

But today - we are in Anatayula... or similar... i will check it soon - I saw all the monument, which I only know by books. I was sitting there and really realizing: Wow... this is different. Welcome to Asia!

The whole day was fun. I guess I have had the best day of all the trip. The boys organized motor scouters and drove us from sign to sign. WE were sitting on the back, enjoying the sun, the fresh air, the wind and the view. Totaly relaxed.

19/05/2010 Kissing the Tiger

2010-05-28T02:42:00.000-07:00

We are in Chang Mai, and of course, we missed our train. So, we have an other 24h hours here. Plenty time for relaxing, making a spa-day and visit the Tiger Kingdom.

I wanted absoilutly to visit the tigers, to hug them and to play with them. Originally, I wanted to do so in Kanaburi, but when we are here, why to waste the time? I got a very cheap taxi from my Spa-Lady. She is a nice girl, dating a man from Swizerland and absolutly in love. She was very interested in learning some lines german, to impress the man. While learning german, she did not concentrate so well on the threatments, which ended up with lot of pain and laughts :D She was really ashamed, so she wanted to help me whereever possible and agreed perfect discounts, and offered us her motorbike. But we did not knew the way, so we took the amazing cheap taxi to our Tigers.

So, we booked a ticket for the new borns and for the 2 years old tigers, as well as a photographer. All in all not cheap, but tigers.... it is special... you should not miss.

I agreed, that we go first to the babies, I was very afraid, the big tiger will eat us. The babies were sooo tiny and still blind. they were sleeping all the time and i could pet them. but because they were so small, we could not hold them kiss them, or do other stuff. So, as a hint for those who want to do the same: take the little tigers, not the babies. (but they are cuuuuuuuuuuuute!)

After that, we went to the big tiger.... wow... it was big. I sent my friend first in the cave, because I hope, this will safe me being eated by the cat. I was very afraid to touch it. The photographer told me a lot of poses, I should do with the tiger,hugging him, laying on him, sitting next to him, and so on. I did all, but on every picture you see my nervousity :D Finaly, the tiger eat none of us.

18/05/2010 Going to Burma and Laos

2010-05-28T02:21:00.000-07:00

3rd day of our trip. Now we are in the very very very north of Thailand. Mirmar (Burma) and Laos are just 5 minuts away.... so lets cross the boarder!

But first, we went to a cave temple with a lot of monkeys and only 1000 stairs... but... we are trained... Est-ce quelqu'un fatigue? no- ...

It is amazing, very beautiful. And we are the only people there.

In Burma, things are different. Thanks to my big amount of new dollar notes, we saved a lot money by crossing the boarder. The whole procedure with picture, and passportstamp and so and so took only 5 minuts and than.... are we in the biggest fake shopping market I have ever seen. Everything is available... and everything is faked. Even the Koala-Cookies are faked.

We walked around and have had a look on everything... A friend of us got really offended, when they offert him Saddam Hussein Poker cards.

To understand,it needs a bit background information. Almost all of our group are magrebians. People, living in France, but with an immigration background from Algeria, Morokko, Arabia, Egypt, muslime countries. And a big part of our group is really practising their faith. Since we left Moscow, I have not missed one of the 5 prays a day. in the middle of the jungle, in the airplane, in the car, everywhere. I adore this disciplin and have high respect therefore. But I absolut understand them to be offended, when someone offers Saddam Assessoires to them.

After this shock, we went for lunch and entered Laos by boat. It was not real real Laos, it is a island, where we do not require the expansive visa. A island full of souveniers and tourists. We discovered lot of strange drinks and enjoyed our speed boat trip. All in all: a great day!

Direct after the Trek we took a private Bus and went to Chang Mei, where we want to split up our tour in central Thailand and Phuket for the island guys.

17/05/2010 Walking walking walking

2010-05-28T02:11:00.000-07:00

Still in the jungle and walking. crossing rivers, bathing in giant waterfalls, enjoying the view. It is great!

And the boys are awesome... when nothing work anymore, they start french army songs... est-ce quelqu'un fatigue? no, n auqun est fatigue. :-)

16/05/2010 Riding the Elefants

2010-05-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

9:00 our trek starts. (as noticed in the program)

10:00 some of the boys are sleeping, we others take relaxed a breakfast... it is holyday... :D

Somewhen, we started the trip. First we went by boat to the elefant camp, where we bought banas for our elefant. In pairs of two we were on the seat and strated our trekk in the jungle. After a while we get brave and left our seats and ride on the elefants' neck and head. Our Elefant was a 42 years old lady. With "Bon Bon Bon" we motivate her to raise her trunk and gave her the bananas.

After that, we went again by boat to the other side of a river, and continued our trekk by foot. In a small village, we have had lunch and tried bloody rice with qucumber and chili. I loove blood. Bloody sausages for example... super yammy. and this rice... hmmmm :D

Later we learned how to shoot snakes, and how to hunt birds. Every one of us get a walking stick, which was very sharp at the end, so that we can kill snakes, who might attak us. But so far, there were no snakes.

After a very long walk, we get in the night to a lonely village, where we stayd in simple shats. It was a wounderful eveing, sitting together, eating, chatting, than somewhen, the energy was out and we go on with candels.

15/05/2010 Starting the adventure

2010-05-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

Arrived in Chang Rei, Thailand. In the north of Thailand. In the very north. Me and 7 "strangers"... Cool people from Paris, most of them with magrebian background. 6 boys and 1 girl. We took a Taxi from the airport to the busstation and there we fellow the hint from my travel book: "Just stay there with your big back pack and look stupid and helpless... It will take les than 5 minuts and you have an accomodation." Well. it tooks less than 30 seconds and the Tuk Tuk drivers come to us with prospects, offering us good rooms for cheap money. So we found our guesthouse - after we walked 30 min in the wrong direction... with 20kg backpacks and 37 degrees.
The place was great. first thing, after inspecting the rooms: jump in the pool! Than, we organized a 3 day trekk. Here, I copuld see, the arabians, they are really masters in bargaining. Poor Kim, who was our negotiation partner. We gave him a very hard time.
In the eveing, we went to a streetfestival. It seems in Chang Rei, there are not that many tourists. We met 2 other french guys, but this was. All others were Thais, singing, daning and having fun. We learned some of the traditional dances (Audrey changed it to a makarena) and have had our first expiriences with Thai food. new mussles. Even the other were suspective, I ate them (without any problems the days after). Our guys were brave and eat a bench of different bucks, we found new fruits which were delicious and very sweet and strange fanta tasted. Than a absolut heavy rain started and all was suddently over. We waited some minuts unter one of the umbrellas of the sellers, but after 20 minuts, it did not get better. So we started our way home by walking. This monsum was getting more and more heavy, somewhen, a kind police man picked us up and dropped us off at our guesthouse. Wounderful!
On the last 2 meters, me, the lucky one slipped and felt on the floor. my hand and my hips were very hurting. nothing serious, but I have had a hand-biiiiiiiiiiig dark blue for the rest of the holidays.

14/05/2010 Heading Moscow

2010-05-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

This morning is great... I moved out of my dorm in Poland (after paying for the "broken" fredge... a sratch, not even from me) and went by bus to the airport. There I have had a small discussion with the lady, how many luggage I have, how some bags have to be interpretated and what I am allowed to take with me. Somewhen, I was only bored by the discussion, grapped enough hand luggage stickers and left her yelling at her desk. Sometimes, ignoring is the effective way of problem solving.
In Moscow, I spent some time with relaxing, shopping and so on... until i get my new plane to Bangkok. While I am sitting in my row, a group of loud, noisy french guys. And I have had to smile.
Imedatly, the guys stand in my row and chat with me. The plane was half full, so we switched the seats and sit together, chat about life, traveling plans, likes and religion.
Somewhen in the night, Issam said to me: " It is scary. I met you 3 hours and 2000 miles ago. I barely know you. But every word you say, comes directly from my heard." :-) hmmmmm :-)
So, this night I slept very well, the Issam, was cute and took care, that I am as confortable as possible in my seat. He covered me, he brought me pillows, he offert me 3 seats of our 4. When I woke up the next morning, he asked me to come with them to the north of Thailand. Well, in Bangkok is a kind of civil war at the moment, I have 3 days puffer and the jungle seems to be interesting. So I agreed. Outside the plane, I met the other 6 people of the group. The boys were storing my luggage at the airport, buying me a ticket to Chang Rei and we speeded with the Taxi to the domestic airport. 1 hour later, we were loud, chatting and laughting in the plane on our way to the jungle.

13/05/2010 The last hours in Poland

2010-05-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

Now the time is over. And I am a bit sad. I enjoyed Warsaw, the city covered by snow, the palacst of culture in the night, the parks in the spring, the clubbing in the nights, the food, my friends.

Monday I started with my good bye tour. Said bye to my JCI-fellows. Bye to my 2 best friends Marta and Pawel. Tuseday was the good bye to the professors and people from the university.
Yesterday I said thankyou and good bye to our cleaning woman. She done a great job, which was really disgusting almost every single day. But she cleaned without complaining and gave me the nice feeling using a fresh cleaned toilet. It are the small things in live, which makes you smile every day. The small things, which gives the underlying emotions. And they are so positiv for me and my warsaw.
This evening I saved for saying good bye to my room mate. (Not Anna, she moved out a week ago. since that, here it is sooo peaceful). I will miss her and hope, somewhen we will get in contact, or better, to stay in contact with her.

09/05/2010 Meeting old Friends in Budapest

2010-05-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

16 hours bus ride. 16h with 50 polish students from Warsaw. 16h no sleeping seats. But it was worth.
Budapest is an amizing city. so beautiful, the weather was nice, the athmosphere full of romantic... It reminded me a bit to Paris, with all the nice buildings and the small bistros and cafés in the small streets. Defently a great place, which is highly to recommend.

We lived somewhat outside (30 min with the bus) in a "hotel" which was more a campingplace in the middel of the forrest, than a hotel. Funny thing: boys has had cold showers, girls only hot showers... But so hot, you could rarely use them. But it was cheapa nd we all stayd together, so we have had fun.

2 days, i spent with my very old friend Ezsti. She has her Doctor-dissertation in the next week, so she could not join the parties, but we enjoyed ourselfs with walks arround the city and a wounderful evening in a hungarian bath & Spa. I felt so relaxed. And so happy. Even we haven't had any contact the last 7 years, we recognized each others easily. And it was, as we would have never seperated. Also our very special experiences in life show several parallels. We both were in the Hospital in Samara, we both changed our profession, we both have the same private issues. So great to see somethings stays always the same.

24/04/2010 - Om sai ram.....

2010-04-24T00:37:00.000-07:00

Lord, give me the condition to change the things I can change. And give me the
power to accept what I cannot change.

O Lord, hear my pray! And maybe give Anna a wounderful chance faaaaaar away from me!

Today, it was too much. I mean, I am living together with the unsocial person in the world: Anna.

I have no clue, how she does that, or how she found out about my deepest unlikes, but she serves all of them. Everything I hate, she does. You want to have examples? (Ok, keep in mind, we are living in 1 (one) room. You have seen pictures of the room and her in February):

drying hair at half past one in the night
having sexy time with her BF, while I try to do my research 20 cm next to.
Loud, intensive and continous scratching
Ignoring her alarmclock at 5 in the morning, than using snooze again and again
After that turning all lights and the waterboiler on at 6 in the morning
Plugging off the internet for steaming her bitchy clothes, whyle I am uploading my work results
Listening very loud russian techno music without earplugs
Wining speaking too much
Ocupying the fredge with cannes and other unuseful stuff, so that I cannot put mine in.
Leaving things in the fredge until they are bad and than ignore them... others will take them out...
and so on and so on

Some days ago, she was complaining, that I was skyping at 21:00 with my friend to organize our Thailand trip... Just for memory, in Thailand, there are at the moment some political problems, so an intensice planning is required. I tryed to expalin her, that this is necessary and she can go to the learning room.

This morning, (after a loud night) she was phoning at 6:00 with her loud wining hysterical polish voice. (why do have polish girls to speak that much? and that fast? and with this hysteric voice?) I tryed to explain her, that as my skyping was disturbung her, her morning phonecalls are disturbiung my sleep. Her answer: "she do not care".. I could go somewhere else. Well, logical is this right. But unfortunatly, my bed is in that room and it is higly difficult to put the bed somewhere else, only because the "nice lady" want this...

AAAAAAAARG! It is interesting. I mean, maybe I am too long in Poland. Maybe not. I just want to get out... The sad thing: I really loved Warsaw. I enjoyed every second in this city, until this stay. It is interesting, how a single person can destroy all positive feeling s and the reputation a country and his citiziens have had in my mind. I always try to say to ma, her is a single case... But the situation holds on already for too long.

OM SAI RAM - I want to put my energy on more positive things. OM SAI RAM - I want to put my energy in more constuctive things. OM SAI RAM - I want to put my energy in more important things. ... Hope it helps.

16/04/2010 - Flights are booked!

2010-04-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

Warsaw makes me sick... have to escape. So, I took my credit card and booked new flights:
Bangkok, Phuket, Penang, than in the jungle, than Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore where I meet 5000 other JC's! Wooooooow!
After that China and lets see!

10/04/2010 the president is dead... Poland goes crazy

2010-04-16T05:28:00.000-07:00

Today the polish president died. He has had an crash with his airplane. With him 96 other high politicans and artist from poland as well as the first lady died.
Later I will comment on that... But now, I have to be pc and silent.

But so far: Poland is sad. Prohibition this week, no clubs, no alcohol. Everyone is in the street and crying.

06/04/2010 Back in Riga

2010-04-16T05:24:00.000-07:00

Comming back to Riga with the bus was strange... I never arrived in Riga per bus and I have never been here in an other time than winter... Everything looks different. And also my friends do not have time for me, or are travelling somewhere else in the world... So: different weather, different city, different time, different people... strange...
But soon I found my "know places" and it was a great trip. 3 days shot cafe, skybar, Lody and hanging around. We have had some killer nights and finaly, after this trip, I got new friends. Finaly. And luckily. Life with friends is better than without.

Crazy people in Finland

2010-04-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

To keep it short: Finland is cold, snowy and expansive.
Might this influence the culture of those skandinavian people? For me boring German, they are absolutly crazy, metalheads, wearing heads and karo-shirts in the discoteques, are full sleve tattooed and sing karaokee with big emotions. (yes the headbangers). And in all of those discrepansies and internal role conflicts, there are tall and friendly. And have no problem with a "internal role conflict".... For them, being individualistic, tattooed and bike and rock club member but totally polite and well educated is normal.
Crazy. And cool.

02/04/2010 - Hello Finland!

2010-04-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

So. I was not creative for the last days, but... how to say? I was busy. Busy with writing some essays, busy with partying, busy with visiting friends and busy with traveling. I was in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Cologne, visiting some friends, doing some studies and trainings, going out, going out and going out. Therefore, I recognised, the real costs in going out are not the drinks or entrance fees, the most expansive ones are the hidden costs. So the costs for the beauty trade party in Düsseldorf: Entrancefee: none. Drinks: moderate (but the companies and hosts were very generous, so, who cares?). Overnight stay: Friends =free. Some costs for clothers, hairdresser, makeup and tanning, that's all.... maybe a taxi, but than the bill should be closed. HA! Excactly my though. But I am sooo wrong: I do not know, how this happened, but it happened: This party was one of the most expansives I have ever been: Next to the normal costs, I lost my jewels (neckless AND earrings), my shoes (!?!?! HOW?!?!? and WHERE?!?!) and my blouse (???). and it was no "wild party" .. no "afterparty" or elsewhat. So far, the blouse is found (= was at friends), the jewels too (are now at the other end of the republic with one of those beauty manager guys... wtf?!!? and will I ever get it back?!?!) but my shoes are still lost. And no idea where. And until now, I have still no idea how I lost them.
So, I received an other "to do" on my list: buying new black ankleboots. Sounds easy, but it is difficult. And important. Important, because without fitting shoes, I cannot wear this cool black jeans and the cool black lether leggins (for remote friends: I lost 10 kg. Now with size 38 it looks awesome). And difficult? Well, according to the fashion calendar, it is summer. Everywhere are sandals offered, the snow outside is just ignored! HELP! - Finaly, I found none shoes, but I bought some "fancy socks" for my sandals. Maybe it will look somehow... maybe not. I would not take a bet on the first choice... But I am sure, I will be sick soon.
Well, after that I went back to France, (lovely Alsace), met one of my oldest friends, walked 20 kilometers in a day, because I forgot my laptop (hello Alsheimer), done my appointments adn treatments, updated my family and sprinted back to the airport to my plane to Riga, to catch my connection flight to Finland. Also here, I have had some problems, by finding out, that the nice "OPODO" operater was booking my ticket WITHOUT any luggage and without informing me about that. So, I could take just 1 single hand luggage with me, not more than 8kg and for sure without any dangerous liquits like make up or toothpaste. Guess when I found this out? Right! 2h before the take off. So, I rearranged my stuff and hoped my lovely brother will take some of those "very important things" with him to Helsinki. With my "1-piece-handluggage" my laptopbag and my purse I passed the german security controls and flow to riga. On the way, there was no food, and I was suffering. Even in the transferflight zone, there was no restaurant, only coffeeshops. So, the nice lady from the information desk sent me out to the restaurants. ... I have had enought time, so no problem. grapping a salad and going back to the security check in.
But Latvian and German officers are not the same.
This nice lady saw imedaly that I have 3 bags and not one. And that all together are more heavy than 8kg. So, she won't me to pass. I was shocked and angry about this stupid salat in the same time. Why I have to be that hungry? A small diat would have safed my day. Now she wants me to go back and check my luggage in, which are extra costs and extra time, because the plane is leaving in 20 minuts. Grrrrrr. As I learned in my smart self management seminar (was on monday and tuesday this week, so the lessons are still present) there are two ways: offensive attac or defensive escape. I took my 3 step plan:

do not get emotional, take a time out
analyse objective the situation: is it adequate to react like that?
react.

After my fast analyses, I was very sure, it is ok to react like that, if my flight is leaving without me, and my brother and friends are in Helsinki without me (having fun). So, it was the time for biiiiiiiiiig drama. The lady was unimpressed (welcome to central europe, here is enought drama for all of us) but, I guess the other officer (male) got soon a headage, so he demand me to put some bags together and pass the security check. Puh... done. And: never ever salad in the airport! It can be too expansive (hidden costs).

Some hours later, I arrived in Helsinki Airport Vaanaa. It was easy to find a bus for some euros to the city center. At the trainstation, I took a taxi, which charged 14 EUR for 600 meters. WOW - welcome to the real world. In the hostel, I found some fanta for my duty free vodka, I found my bed, I found internet, but I did not found my friends.... I found their luggage. I found their beds. But where are they? And why are they not answering the cellphone? ....

23/03/2010 - Where is all my money gone?

2010-03-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

Traaari, traara... mail for you!
Wow. Mail. Something special... What can this be? I was really exited! And when I hopen it, I almost get a heard attac! This time, the mail is from American Express and states me how much money I spent in the last 3 weeks. Together with the cash, this was 5x more than I spent in a normal month in Germany. How this comes? I was in Poland... an emergin country, I should save money!
So, I start thinking, where I "invest" my money, which expanses I have had... There were no big ones. But all the money for food? I am eating sooo little! How can this be? Therefore I start to list all my expanses and yes: ALL FOR FOOD. I am going crazy! This coke her, the coffee there, some fruits, and a bottle water.... zack! 20 EUR per day gone. Per day! For cheap student food! Cannot be! I was very suprised and talked with my room mate about her average expenses. It seems, she only needs 300 zloty (=80EUR). The gap is really huge, so I start to do some research in different supermarkets. And the result is: Poland is really expansive in food. Almost all the packages are in german language, they import everything from germany! Of course than, the things here are more expansive. Also package size are smaller, therefore the price per kilogram is much higher: the additional package has to be paid, transportation costs, german subventions, and than they also need a margin... Uff... What to do now? Smuggel some salami :D

22/03/2010 The plan and what happen....

2010-03-22T14:05:00.001-07:00

Last week, I was amazing busy. A lot of things happened, a lot work was done and there were continous parties, too.
FUnny thing is: whatever you plan... it will be different. Therfore, you could say, societies with a high uncertainity avoidance spent a lot of time and effort for... nothing. It will be different.
Germans belong to that group. And I love my plans. But sometimes I am happy if they do not come true...
More next

15/03/2010 Being single again

2010-03-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

This morning has had 3 suprises for me:

A picture of my boyfriend with some lipstick. (I guess it is the same lipstick as the skinny girl with the faked boobs next to him is wearing)
A post on Facebook that my boyfriend is single now
Tons of snow

I mean, I am not stupid. I could imagine that he is not always busy by his studies. And I was from moment -2 (not from moment 0) doubting if our relationship will be successful (As we remember, I refused his first 3 proposals, because I did not believe in it). And I was thinking about splitting up since almost one month. But I was really suprised, that a man, giving a formal proposal use the facebook status to terminate a "serious, sustainable realtionship".

I mean, even I was not that mean... But maybe this are this intercultural differences... I do not know what I have to think about all the actions in the last 2 months. We have had very big problems by daily toipics (who cares how much, what are expectations from us, what is the goal from the other...) There were some arguments, which suprised me, because I did not seen my fault. On the otherhand, he also often did not understand why I was reacting in a special way. Sad, that we will never find out.

So, but talking about my feelings: Do I feel hurt? - Not really. I mean, we have had a nice time, nothing is lost. Do I feel confused? - Defently! I mean, I did not asked him for a relationship... Why are you demanding something, which you just dump some weeks later? Do I feel sad? - Yes. But not about loosing him, not about beeing dropped this "innovative way", not about having lost my love. It is more, I am sad that it was not working out. - Tick Tack - Sad, that this dream to join his family dispers. - Tick Tack - Sad, like with a not successfull project. - Tick Tack-. Does this feelings confuse me? Maybe. No. For sure a bit. And than this "Tick Tack" - Tick Tack - ... Will I ever have a nice "serious, sustainable" relationship? - Tick Tack -

But after all, I am not sad, I am not angry, I feel like I ever feel. I enjoyed the half meter of new snow, I enjoyed my walk in the sun, I enjoyed the group work, I enjoyed my swimming training. (In special, I enjoyed being upgrade in a better league... here are some delicacy)

Regarding to my task to write a diary ... I know what to write today. This topic is since long time in my head. Everywhere in Warsaw is a poster. I do not understand it in detail, but so much: Bartek is 20 years old and missed. I look on this poster, showing a smiling young man, who reminds me to an very good friend of mine. And I get immedetely sad. I feel with his family, I feel their worries, their sadness, their hope, their fear. And suddently, every thing is simple. Forget about intercultural values and communication and ethnocentric blablabla. All people around the world are simple and the same: They just want to be loved and wants their loved ones to be happy and well. This is all. So simple.

14/03/2010 Trashy weekend is over

2010-03-14T03:55:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday noon. A trashy weekend face its end.
Normaly this weekend should be awesome. My friends from Latvia were comming and we decided to party as hard as possible. Well. I guess I am getting too old for that.
First their train was much too late, so they arrived somewhen rfiday night at 3 o'clock. And we were too tired to go out. Than on Saturday I was on a birthday from an other friend, before I wanted to meet with them at midnight. Unfortunatly, my taxidriver was not as nice as I wished and we discussed a very long time, and finaly, he droped me out somewhere in the streets, not willing to drive me longer. There a person come to me and had had an accident with his alcohol on my coat. The next taxidriver refused to open the windows. My coat was smelling from that alcohol, the whole taxy was smelling, I felt more and more sick, he was driving very curvy (? is there such a word?) and ... it happend.... I was too sick to meet up with my friends. (and they would not let me in a club in this condition). So, I went home, going to sleep, without having seen my nice friends :-( At all :-(((((((.
Next morning (=today) I wake up and puhhhhh! the whole room is smelling. bääääääää. I ask the girls for a laudry service... but as usual, they have no idea. I ask for a nice breakfast place and as usual.... no idea. Sometimes it is really hard for me not to think they are stupid.
I am sure they are smart, but they have often a completely different view on their city. Completely different interests. Therefore, there are a lot of questions they cannot answer (nice bars, cool clubs, gym, laundry, restaurants, jewelery shops, tailors, hairdressers, waxing service, grosseries, ...) Which frustrates me. This morning, I was very frustrated. I started to have some "fcking Poland" thoughts in my head. Very bad words and thoughts connected with Poland, and people living in this country. (And Poland is normaly one country I like very much. I spent here all my holidays for years. I always applied for projects in Poland and I have had always a great time. Especially in Warsaw.) So my anger shifted from Poland to bad thoughts about my room mate. Knowing Warsaw beeing a cool city, I blamed her (in my thoughts) to be stupid. Too stupid to know her own city, too yokel to have the nice live.
Of course I know it is not true. And as you can see it above, I have an approach to explain it. But in this morning, I felt like that.

So what to do? Of course, I am not rational, I am getting more and more exiting about it. So I searched my favorite song: "Heimweh" from Plüsch (Home sick) and played it and played it and sang my favorite line with it and played it again.

i ha ke luscht me ds bliibe i ghöre eifach nid da hi ha zwar alls probiert doch
das isch eifach nüt für mi u i ha heimweh nach de bärge nach em schoggi und em
wy nach de wälder nach de seeä

Meaning: I do not want to stay here anymore, I just do not fit here. I tryed everything, but it doesnt fit me. I am homesick for the mountans, for the chocolate and the wine. Missing the forrests and the lakes.

Than while hearing I start writing my blog from friday and watched the nice pictures from the olympia swimmers and springboards.... Feeling good now.

12/03/2010 French Swimming P.E.

2010-03-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

Friday morning, no appointments, no work to do... But not for me. Sleeping in that suboptimal beds cause me some problems with my back. Thus, I decided to do more sport, especially swimming to strength my muscles. So, up from today, I will have every friday morning my swimming P.E. . P.E. stands for physical education, a class from Warsaw University. (Which is super cheap, so I joined). A P.E. is very different to the Uni-Sport I know from German universities. Every student in Poland has to join a (and only one) sportsclass per semester. The teachers are there and checking the attendency, and if you are missing more than twice, you are out and failed in sport, with all the consequences. Which consequences this are, - I have no idea... But I will ask. Therefore, the students are "very motivated". I recognized very fast their major goal is to pass the time with the least possible effort. In fact, we swam not far, not fast and without any advanced technic.

Well, this was not exactly what I wanted. my motivation to go for the swimming, was

to swimm fast (my friends know, I am used to swimm 1h ( = 2.5km) a day),
improve my technic
form my body and
check out the nice shaped profi-swimmers. =) Check this page out: http://breathingtubes.livejournal.com/135938.html?thread=421890

So, 1.) nono. ... we swam in 1 hour just 1 km. 2.) the teacher was nice, but what technic you want improve, if the other ladies amlost sinc by normal breast stroke? Without hard trainig, I also do not think i will reach my 3.) goal andthe 4.).... forget about it. My friends told me, there would be the university profi swimming team training... Well, maybe an other day.. but for sure not on friday morning. No tall strang men. Not at all.
But a big suprise: After we found out that my old polish swimming teacher do not speak any word english, he started to speak with me in perfect french! Wohow! Great hearing this nice language!

06/03/2010 - New task: Write a diary

2010-03-06T01:52:00.000-08:00

Well, this is not my first time in Poland. I like the country a lot and I have several very good memories connected with the people. So, I am familar with a lot of things. Now, it get complicated, because I received a task to write a diary, in which I describe my cultural shocks and anaylise why I was suprised, what is the differences to my home country and how I could use my international experience to adapt. Hmmmm. Woould this be my first time in Poland, it would be easier. Of course I have had some strange experiences in the last days. Like this really wierd aerobic class, where the teacher was doing 30 minutes just one excercise. And it was not balanced between right and left side, for left side, I guess she was tired. She was not using the international standard movements, but inventing funny new ones- But that doesn't matter for the girls... never seen such uncoordinated girls. They were always crashing in each others... Wierd. But I have had also very professional aerobic classes in Poland, thus, I know, it is not "polish" , maybe it is just this group, maybe just the teacher.
Also, I do not think that all taxi drivers are mad, only because one has had a bad day.
Furthurmore, the infrastructure (Shops, domitories, flats, ..) is different to germany, but not diferent to me.
Thus, to write this diary (minimum 2 posts a day, including pictures) is for me a real challange. But I will try. I thought a long time, to find something which is generic for all the polish. And yesterday night, I recognize: Polish girls are sery beautiful. As a rule. The most of them have beautiful blue eyes, nice faces, and awesome shapes. BUT (also as rule): They spoil all the benefits with the lack of style and class. :-( Maybe this sounds unfair, but they have perfect assets, but than they have yellow died hair, strange haircuts, olod fashion knitted dresses, flat boots, cheap "jewels", plastic purses and so. This matches with the fact, that there is no single cartier or chopard shop in Poland. Also Warsaw, as capital, has no representative high fashion shop. Why is this like that? (Do not come with the argument of Communism... just have a look on the Russian ladies) No idea. Maybe this is the first topic for my research. :-)

05/03/2010 Whenever you feel the most lonely, your friends will appear

2010-03-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, everything seems to go wrong. People in your surroundment are treating you bad, your family is far away and you are getting to loose the closest person you have had in live. everything seems to go wrong and you are absolut down and depressed.... And than the news: A friend of your living next door and your girls are on the way to town! The clouds break and the sunshine comes back to your face!

Что мне снег что мне зной -Что мне дождик проливной - Когда мои друзья со мной
What makes me snow, what makes me heat, what makes me strong rain - as long as my friends are with me!

And than, I met today a new friend. She is wounderful, very kind and motivated. We have had immedantly a strong connection and shared private feelings and thoughts. Unplanned we spent the whole afternoon together and also tonight, we will meet again for clubbing.

Just trust. If you need someone, someone will come to you!

02/03/2010 Learning about Cultural Differences

2010-03-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

Staying with 2 polish girls in a room is harder as thought. Those girls are completely different to what I have in experience with russian, ukrain or german girls. This is best shown by the care they give to others and how they respect privacy or keep their own privacy.
In some things, there are very generous and open, in other things most close. Funnily, they behaver is complete different to what I would do or expect.
All the things of the others can easily be uses: The PC, the hairthings, plates, kittchenstuff and so on. Very nice. Normal things like changing clothes is a big issue. I have never seen one of the girls half naked, or in underwear. If they change the slip, they put first the other clothers on, than they change the underwear. On the other hand, they have no problems to have some sexy time with their boyfriend, which is kind of disturbing me, if I also want to be in my room to do some work. They also see no problem with drying the hair at 1 o'clock in the night, when others want to sleep, or to ignore the alarmclock at 5:00 in the morning as long as all others are awake. And than to ensure, no one is sleeping anymore: she puts all the lights on and is noisy! I have no clue how long I can rest with 4 hours sleep per night.
Those girls are also very communicative. There are always some friends, so that in average there are 5 people in our 12 sqm room. They are loud discussing, ordering pizza, or and watching movies. That others (I) ight have a need to sleep or the wish to change the clothers, cream myself after a shower, study, watch a movie or something else... I guess there is no awareness.
Also in general life issues, you can see a very different perspective on things:
They are very catholic and we have had long discussions about marriage, loyality and cheating partners. Completely different view! The polish girls think, that a girl can the same work aas a man, and that the couple stay together until the end of their life. Men do not cheat if the wife gets old and fat or uggly, because those men also get old. And if men cheat their women, if they are pregnant, this would be unfair. (jaja, life is always fair - hahahaha)
I really hope the polish life will stay like that... but it is hard to me to believe, this is true :D

19/02/2010 Arriving in Warsaw

2010-02-23T13:28:00.001-08:00

5:00 in the morning, and I get a call from Dave. Is this a nightmare? No. It is real. He asks me if I am at the airport... Nunja, not now... but I should be there very soon, the boarding already started. After some problems with my overweight-luggage, the boarding pass and the security control (yup.. if there is something wrong, there is all wrong) finally I reached the plane to Warsaw. And what a surprise: I was not the last one, after me, there was Zifan comming! So, 10% of the globals together in a plane facing our new home.

Warsaw was as excpected: coooooooooooold! With a lot of snow and a very friendly face Martyna, who helped me the whole day with all mayor and minor issues we can have. She negotiated with the people from the dorm, with my polish organizor, with the landlords of the flat and brought me just in time to my first global-event in Warsaw University.

So, for the next weeks, my new home is a small room, which I share with 2 lovely polish girls. The room is tiny, without any private space and the furniture reminds me to the dorm, where I was living in romania... somewhen long time ago. I could have had a much better room or flat, but: I am happy if it is basic. Thus, I am completely satisfied. In addition, I discover every day something new: our dorm has a own Sklep (shop), which provides really everything I need. Starting from the vegetables, the instant coffees (jaja, live is hard), the salten pickles, over toilet paper, Kinderriegel, until Prepaid cards for my simcard.

17/02/2010 Arabien Nights in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

2010-02-23T13:10:00.000-08:00

3 exiting weeks in India are over and I fligh back to good old Germany. On the way back, I have the pleasure to have a 9h stop in Bahrain. Of course I take a Visa and try to explore this new country. But, to be honest, there is not that much to see. So, I joined some people I get connected with during my flight from Mumbai. We went to Shisha smoking and dinner. After that we made a trip to Saudi Arabia, which is just 25km away. To be honest, I was really scared, because, I have no Visa, but they arranged it somehow, that I could pass the border.
As a result, I can just say: I love the arabian countries!

Ahhhh... The very interesting an courious thing: On the last day in Goa, a lovely friend put the whole time the AC on, so that I get sick. Back in Bombay, I could not speak any word for almost 3 days. The most people thought I am mute since birth and very absolut friendly to me. They asked me question and were very confortable interested, but they keep a respectful distance, which is not always normal for indian people.
The Saudis were funny: As soon as they recognized, that I cannot speak, they also stopped speaking and wrote everything on a small paper.... When I wrote back that I cannot speak, but hear them, there were very suprised, but still kept on silence writing on he paper :)

14/02/2010 Valentinesday with JCI Goa

2010-02-16T20:43:00.000-08:00

Valentinesday is a very big thing in India. Thus, all people want to spent this special day at a special place and fly to Goa, a tropic paradise.
I done the same, but I was not meeting a secial one, but 100 very special Jaycees! Arriving at the airport, there was my driver bringing me in the back of goa to the Sports Mela of the different Chambers of JCI-Zone XI. It was a very special moment for me. Faraway from the "normal" Goa beach and Party tourism, next to the montains, with so many positive persons, doing sports in the spirit of our network.

For them, who do not know: JCI... means Junior Chapter International. It is a association of young entrepreneurs and active citiziens. JCI is a membership-based nonprofit organization of 200,000 young people ages 18 to 40 in 5,000 communities and more than 100 countries around the world. Each JCI Member shares the belief that in order to create lasting positive change, we must improve ourselves and the world around us. We seek targeted solutions to the unique problems in our communities to build a better world, creating global impact.

I am very active in this network and very grateful to have with it qualitative friends over all of the world.

13/02/2010 In the Slums of Bombay

2010-02-16T20:21:00.000-08:00

Varanasi is raining and dirty when I leave to the airport. All the hard rain swemmed the shit from the streets and changed them to a big dirty brown lake.
Arriving in Bombay (Mumbai) I am very suprised. This city seems not to belong to India:
It is clean, sunny, cars stauy in theie lane and (almost) no horning. Impressive! I feel more like being in Buenos Aires or Barcelona. Now, I just want to jump in the shower and explore the bomb-nightlife!
Unfortunatly, my hotel is a nightmare. After the electricy cable was fallen in my shower while I was showering (it was just a lucky accident that I went for my shampoo) and the bathroom burned, I escaped from that place. What made me very angry, was, that the Hotel manager did not care at all. It was Manama Hotel, a budget business hotel, near CST. NOT RECOMMENDED!

My friends in Bombay were so smart, they organized me asap a new room, next to the india gate with a amazing vieuw on sunset over the yacht port.
Next day, I met my lovely new friend for a breakfast. We met in Delhi on one of the weddings and he was a perfect breakfast date. I enjoyed the hour and joined than a tourist tour.
The people from my Hotel seems to have a strange sense of humour: The toiur they booked was a Hindi-Tour for indian tourists. In addittion, thast I did not understand a word, the "Sightseeing" did not contained interesting buuildings and places, but an aquarium, a 4D-Movi, Computergames and houses of Bollywood celebraties. Ahhhhhha. After the 3rd stop, I recognized, this would be a waste of time for me. Thus, I took one of the guides as my personal guide. ordered a taxi and enjoyed the rest of the day by seeing "foreigners-sightseein".
Near to one of the places, my guide asked me, if I would be interested in meeting his family. He lives nearby. Always having all my Delhi-rules in mind, I was not sure, if I should follow a strange person in the slums... But as usual, my childry innosence and my blind trust made the decistion. And it was good so.
This nice guy took me deep in the slums, showed me his "house": a 8sqm room, without any furniture, where 5 people are sleeping. He introduced me to his mother in law, to his sister, to his wife, to the neigbours, to almost everyone we met in the small streets. (It was very impressing, maybe i will write more about this later)
Those peole have nearly nothing, but they offert me a coffee and sent the cildren with the small money to buy suger for me (a strange person, they never met before). I felt very welcomed and wanted to arrange myself by giving my guide a royal tip in the evening. But he refused. Not only the tip, also his salary. He meant, we got friends during the day, and now, he will not take any money from me. I was very impressed, as well as ashamed about my daily correctness in money things.

12/02/2010 Varanasi - Mystic and burning bodies

2010-02-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

My train ride to Varanasi was long. Very long. 14h plus 5h delay. And with some hysteric Swiss people. So far, I always thjought all people from swizerland are diplomatic, polite and nice. But thios night, I learned, steriotypes does not fit for everyone. In mz waggon, there were a family from Swizerland. Father, mother and a 20 year old girl. They mother was hyusterical yelling and complaining about the quality of the train. As I mentioned before, I assessed the indian trains as very comfortable. Not so this lady. she made a huge theater, she needs air, she is sick, she cannot stay with other people in a partel, where is the roomservice and so on.firsat, it was entertaining, than only ennoying :) I mean, you get what you book. That is life.

Here my silent pray: Lord, give me the condition to change the things I can change. And give me the power to accept what I cannot change.

So, now more to Varanasi. Noone of my friends wanted me to go there. They tried a lot to keep me away from that place. Why? I do not know. Varanasi was the city where I saw the most tourists. It is a very old (5000 years) and holy city, with more than 10 mio temples. People, who die there went directly to Nirvana. A good thing in Hinduism. In the city is the Ganges river. At the bank of Ganges, the dead people are getting burned by their families, before they sent their rests to the river. Sounds a bit wierd, or shocking. But it is not. In the evening I rent a boat and drove on the river, to watch the spectactle and the ceremonies. I really felt the mysthic and the peace of this procession. No smell, no dead blowed up babybodies in the river, or anything I heard before. Just peace and meditative prays.
I let 2 flower candles to the water, for my family and the people I love. And was covered by a warm freedom and happyness.

The next day I stand up at 5:00 to go back to the Ganges, take the boat again and see the people washing theirselfes in the river, by sunrise. They do this to get the sins away and clean their soules. They were happy and joking with me, how cold the water is.
After that, I went with Christopher to the main temples. Christopher is the owner of my loooooooooow budget hostel (single room for 1.69EUR) and the only christian indian I met so far. Even being indian, he knows a lot about Hindusim, the temple and all the stories. I was really impressed and enjoyed the tour. Most suprising was, that if the people give milk to the god Shiva, they do not give the milk on a statur of him. No, they put the milk on a big black obelisk, which is sourrounded by a white non regular thing. The black stone is Shivas penis, who is sticking in a white vagina. Ahaaa. I am wondering how they explain this to their kids.

For all my doubting friends: the 1 EUR something room was small and simple furnitured by a lamp, bed and a chair. But it was clean and the people so helpful! they arranged all my other trips and welcomed me as a family member.

The city itself is very very poor. The streets are crowed and covered by shit from the animals. A good experience after all the nice live in Delhi.

11/02/2010 Taj Mahal

2010-02-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

Very early (5:00) I stand up to go by bus to Agra. I am very glad that this experinece took only 6 hours (5 were planned). The "very nice and confortable" bus was everything else but nice or confortable. It was old, the windows did not closed and it was soooo cold, but noone conserns. After 3 long freezing hours they allowed me to get to the luggage to take my wintercoat out.
Than, the busdriver caused in the first 10 minutes of the drive an accident and escaped from the city.
At 12:00 I arrived Agra, searched a ritchadriver, stored my luggage and went to Taj Mahal. In front of the Taj Mahal was a sooo long queue! I was "active waiting" and it took me still almost 2 hours!. Inside, I took a nice guide, who made tons of pictures from me.

This day there was something speacial. A lot of people come to me, for picturing me, gave me their babies and smal children, asked me for a group picture and so on. It was really hard for me, to get my on tour and pictures done, there was always someone there demanding a bit of my person.
After Taj Mahal I visited the Agra Fort. I highly recomment to visit it! I liked it more than the taj. It was a wounderful place, full of freedom. I enjoyed it very much. Sitting there, watching the monkeys and pirots, enjoying the architecture and the smell of fresh gras.
Because the bus ride was really demanding, I took a wounderful oily massage in the eving. Beeing happy and smelling like old oil smells, I saw next door a pizza hut... This was my sign, to have today 1 day break of indian food :D

09/02/2010 Jaipur the pink city

2010-02-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

OMG... I was so nervous when I arrived Jaipur. My friends were (very very very negative) exhousted, that I travel there alone. I got a book of rules: do not speak with anyone, always stay with other family travelers, do not go to crowded places, do not go to empty places, do not get any food or drinks... And so on. It was already at a point, whre my friend told me, he will call my mom, telling her, what stupid ideas I have and that he do not take any responsibility for me any longer. I was so feary than. I traveled so many places in my life, most times without any problems. But there I was really nervous, even Jaipur is a normal tourist city.

Fortunatly, I meet in the first 10 minutes 2 nice men (... do not speak with men) from theran. There also were just arrived and we booked 2 tours together (do not go with foreigners), which included a dinner and lunch (do not take any food outside). As usual I done the absolute opposite from that I was told to do, and I have had a great time! (I did not break the rules to blame someone, I just did what I felt... and this cannot be sooo wrong*)
So, we fantastic 3 visit Jaipur 1 night and 1 day. We have had a lot of fun, taking tons of pictures, speaking about Iran and its future and how Jaipur looks NOT like India.

*To be fair, I have to say, as soon as I left Delhi, I got some problems with my stomage.

08/02/2010 1st Indian Railway experience

2010-02-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

Luckely, I catch my 9:20 train from Delhi to Jaipur today. Even if 9:20 seems to be a human time, it was soooo hard for me to get up, after all my diary was changed the last week... (Sleeping untill 11:00, than some easygoing sightseeing, shopping or function, than party until 4:00). The train was better than expected. I have had class 3A: An confortable sleeping wagon, always 6 people get an open department together. Better as the russian trains, because it was new and there was no wind freezing you.

Already when the train left the railway station, I got the other India presented. People living next to the railway, some in tents, some just on the ground. Everything is absolut dirty, animals next to babies, dogs eating other dead dogs next to your fireplace.
Of course I saw some bargaining children and skinny women on the street. And everytime, this was a big challange for me, not to donate, not to pay attention. But there, there were so many together, and I could really see their poor "homes". A huge difference to all the luxure I enjoyed the last days. India is crucial digital. 1 or 0. On or off.

07/02/2010 Weddings are over

2010-02-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

Uff. All 2x5 Wedding functions are over now. I do not want to say, I am happy about that. It is a wounderful life, every day again dressing up and going to an breathtaking, unforgettable party. Meeting people, chatting and adoring the bride. But I can also understand, that some people are a bit tired, if every day of your life is like that.

The last week was really crazy. After I explored Delhi the first days, my friend was finally arriving. We spent wounderfull evening together, by dining or visiting the different functions: Coctail of the bride, Coctail of the grom, Coctail of the other couple (yes... 1 big wedding is not enopugh, I visit 2 in the same time :) ), the Ladies Lunch, the Mandi-Treatment, where the hands and feet are painted with henna, the Family Dinner and so on. Unfortunatly, he left yesterday... But we spent a wounderful evening together. I was getting his 4th proposal, which I confirmed... Rest stays private. ;)

Today, I was in the morning on an amazing sinth ceremony, from sinemen and her husband. To be honest, from all parties and functions, I loved theirs the most. I always feelt so welcome and integrated. I hope I can give all this warm feelings some day back to them.

In the eveing, there was than an other wedding (from the 2nd couple)... AWESOME. I guess I have never seen something comparable in my life. All the functions were so bride, I could not have imagine something like this before. And this last wedding ceremony was the cream. Round about 2000 people, all very elegant in indian dresses were together to overhand the bride to the grom. The bride was traditional crying a lot (what i could not underwstand... of course) hugs all her 300 best female friends, Dad and Mum and left with firework and vientage car to her new home.

Amazing. Absolut Amazing.

03/02/2010 Gluing my own money & having the first hot shower in India

2010-02-02T21:58:00.000-08:00

Hei, not that you get it wrong: I showered every day.... But today, it was the first really hot shower.... soooooooooo good! I found the waterheater 2 days ago, but I did not suggest, it take soooo much time until the water gets hot. So, yesterday evening, I switch it on, for the whole night and finaly enjoyed my "summerrain" this morning. Than a big coffee latte and toast and eggs as breakfast. Is there anything better? ... Of course, there is ;-)
Just remembering the nice evening. But lets start from the beginning: Yesterdays day was a very hard day: all my things broke: my new sandals (which are crutial for the dress I am supposed to wear for todays function), my jeans (the onlyone I have with me), my new dress, (which was my plan B for todays evening) and also my money... A really big note, and no ones wanted to change or have it... even not the bank.. So, I took some scotchtape and fixed it... we will see if this works :D
Than, I get also a bad experience with a "guide" who was not one, and a very long and expansive ride throught half delhi for getting my swahl diet, but they put it in the wrong color, and made spoiled my new evening dress with permanent color dotts. In the evening I have had a dinner appointment and the guy let me wait for 95(!!!!!) minuts. (For them,, who forgot: I am German! Always 5 minutes before time and crutial in time). So you can imagine, my mood was really down.... But than... This nice guy took me out to a nice restaurant, where we met some friends and after that to a very very nice place... So, after all, the day ended very nice, and this is the important thing... a happy ending. :-)

02/02/2010 Being in Delhi

2010-02-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

I arrived!
After a very long but very comfortable flight (1st class gulf air... I got upgraded on both flights! WOW... and big thanks to the lovely crew) I arrived in India! (this was already some days ago, but I guess everyone understands, that I am sooooo busy, that I was not able to go online earlier).

India is fantastic, very different but still similar. I have very nice hosts, which are so welcomming me. On the first day I bought my indian suit for the wedding... It looks amazing, and I am very unpatiened to wear it. Every day I make a try in front of the mirrow, waiting for sunday, the final wedding party to wear it outside.
During the morning, i always do my admistrative things like shopping, tailor, beautysaloon or internet, later in the afternoon, I do some sightseeing and in the evening, there are the wounderful treatments for the wedding.

Yesterday, there was a small informal dinner for the close family.... I have never seen a close family of 100 people before. It took place in the house of the bridges aunt. The house was very shining decorated, there were lights and lampions in the trees , and a big indian buffet in the garden. People were dancing, singing and chatting and all the girls worn very shining and colorfull sarees or suits with heavy jewels. Faszinating... like a far away fairytale. I love it!

The days before, I collected so many impressions, I cannot tell... It would be to much: I was going with a ritcha to the saree market, silver market, meat market, spice market, fruitmarket, flowermarket, sandalsmarket... and so on.

I saw how the people colored my scarf in exactly the same color as my dress, how there was the bargaining and the fitting, was in very smal and hot shops...everything so amazing... I swear, I will deliver the pictures... later :D

15/01/2010 India, I am comming

2010-01-15T05:43:00.001-08:00

Since yesterday night, my decision is made: India, I am comming!
The flights are booked, my friends informed, my mother in worries. I am soo looking forward to 3 weeks of adventoutious holidays! Everytime i read a new article, I am supriesed... about the weather, about the prices, about the distance... Never imagine, that it will be round about 10 degrees when I arrive there.. so cold!?!

My plans are not the easiest ones: arriving in Delhi, I have to buy adequate dresses for the wedding. Than after 1 excessiv week of wedding celebration (I hope with all the elefants and so on!!! :D) I will visit the tourist hotspots of Jaipur and so on. Than I guess I will take the 15h-train to the center of the country, to visit old friends and collegues in Mumbai. Together we will spent some days in beautiful Goa and relax at the beach.

Good idea... and the plan? so far there is none.. no german one... no details... no booking, just the frame is for sure.

But I have very cool and generous friends, which do not get tired to explain me everything and plan for me the trips, give advertisements what to see. The most common sentence I heard in the last days: "Do not worry, everything will be ready for you!".
Thank you! I love you so much!

05/01/2010 First day back in classes

2010-01-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

After waking up with an awfull headage .. too much sweet wine yesterday night with my lovely neigbours... I steped out in the cold and still by snow coveres street of my lovely Oberkassel to get on my way to the classes. (So, this is a german sentence :D)
Ok, the waking up was quiete difficult, but I made it in time and the fresh cold air in the streets waken me up very quick.
Being in Cologne, I was very happy to get in a perfect temperated room and see all the globals again. Everyone looks relaxed and several people used the time at home to get a good shave or a new hair cut :D
Great feeling to see them again...

But strange... today I am thinking a lot of my exboyfriends (no, there are not so many).. with one, which is a closed friend, I have had a bad talk yesterday... maybe he is angry.. This would be bad.. I do not want to loose a friend, this friend. He is very special to me, we have had a lot of good and bad times, and I really value his meanings, his suggestions and I enjoy every minute, we spent together. Especially now, when I am glad for every old known face, acompanying me in physical and mental on that trip. I already wrote emails and so.. Hope he is just busy and everything will be ok before I leave Germany.

But this year shall be the best ever, so not focusing on the sad feelings: a very positiv thing: My neigbour Uli will come to China and travel with me around! We looked (with the 3 bottles of wine) tons of travel guide and picture books of possible destinations. This will be perfect... let's see who else want to join our sporty-party and culture trip! (I hope for Cayee, Johannes, Nathan, Alex, you, you and you! Really... this is no joke, it will be awesome if YOU would join us!!!!!!)

02/01/2010 Happy new year Düsseldorf!

2010-01-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

Happy new year!

Today is a nice day in Düsseldorf, Germany.

I have had a very nice dinner party in my 21 sqm flat with my 2 very best friends in town and 3 people, I never met before.

Because some of my guest canceled our raclette in the last minute, I published a post in the internet, to invite some other people.

Well, we were lucky and met 4 very cool new friends: Robert, Awah, Stefan and his brother.

We have had a great evening, startng with raclette and drinks, than we went to the bridges to see the firework with the awesome skyline of Düsseldorf. It was really cold, even with a bit of snow. After that we went to the clubs... This means, the others went in the club, me, I went home by taxi, because I felt very bad.... Alcohol? strange food? too much fatty cheese? or stress?

It could be a mixture of all of that...

In the morning of 31.12.2009, my rent for my flat in Köln (Germany) ended. I loved this flat, where I was living the last 4 years with a big bounch of different people. I will never forget, how me and my brother Ralf spend a lot of time in renovation this flat to make it with our small money to our jewel.... All the nice memories of the moments we had had there... well, i get a bit emotional.

The ugly trueth is, ne people who own now the flat make me lots of troubles and stress. (Stress means real stress with advocates, lawers and court). And on 31.12.2009 it was the same. I do not undersand that kind of people, and to be honest, I would really like to avoid them. Thus, I do not want to deepen this topic... this was last year.... and I do not want to carry it with me in my new awesome 2010 :-D

So, now, I am sitting in my nice 1-room penthouse in Düsseldorf, the flat I really love and have to organize my car and all to leave this flat, too... I will rest here only for this month and than? ... No idea... going to warsaw... but so far I do not have a flat... Or even an idea where how when to get a room. But 3 weeks are faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away, and without a flat, it is easier to travel and visit friends :-D

Just today, I got an absolut unique invitation to come to new delhi for a wedding... and it fits exactly in the 2 weeks, where I do not know what to do and where to go. The costs for the flight is also exactly the amount of money I got for my furniture... Is this destìny? Travelling around the half of the world for meeting the man, who wants to date me since months on a wedding, which is a lived dream of a bollywood movie? Sounds like bollywood...

Well, we will see.... ;-)

The reason for my blog

2010-01-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

Hello and hurray! - Welcome to my first blog in my life!

In the past, I have had the problem, that I excluded people from my last experiences. People, who I like very much, who are very important to me and to whom I am very thankful. I did not "forget" them, but when ever I was thinking of them, it was too late to call, I was too busy to write and so on. Thus, very strong contacts starts to disapear, and people, which I wanted never hurt felt alone.

Well, for 2010 I have really tons of plans.... lot of travels, lot of new friendships and new experiences, new orientation in my profession and maybe a new and only love?
All this, I want to share with you!
Due to my lack of time (you know: travelling, studying, partying, making experiences) I decide to start this blog and write from time to time a small report of my special moments, which are spread out to all my friends!

So, once again:
Thank you my friend for beeing here, reading my post and taking part in my unforgetable year 2010!