COMING FULL CIRCLE

Pictures
It's been exactly a year since...
Deutschland - Notes from a Year enveloped by Beer and Bread
Job Search. ;kajs;dfkjas;dlfjas;gha;skdfj

Pictures

It's been exactly a year since...

I like to think that events in my life are a lot more epic than they really are. I was in my ICE to Frankfurt leaving Hamburg, and I felt all sorts of cool. The sun was low on the horizon, I got a golden view of my adopted city, great tunes going (Ellie Goulding), and just a quick hit of feeling where I am and what I'm doing.

Also, there's a building in Hamburg's Harbor that has three Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) on top of it. Every time, EVERY time I've seen them, there's been at most two of them in operation. Leaving on my ICE, however, all three were spinning. In unison. Wind Energy.

So yeah, this past weekend I went down to Frankfurt to help the GIZ welcome the 31st PPPlers to Germany, essentially being on the flip side of where I was exactly a year before. I was excited to go down and meet everyone, and then help answer any questions/provide some tips for the life-changing year ahead of them.

We got them all rounded up from the airport, got loaded in the buses and over to Schloss Waldthausen. The GIZ went through their intro. When Steffi got the mike, she said keep it all in perspective and wished a good year. Then, Ute got the mike, and just said "Happy Times" before passing it on. It was hilarious. Love it.

It was weird being there and helping with the seminar. I had already experienced what these guys were being prepped for. There were so many times that I wanted to jump up and explain something, get excited about something, or throw in a word of warning or advice. But I wasn't in the right to, I had my time where I shot out some advice about different parts of the program (and hopefully helped calm some nerves or get some people fired up to face the challenge) but overall, it was just so completely different.

Regardless, this group is going to have a great year. A lively bunch with outgoing personalities all over the place, just like my year.

After the time in Budenheim, the language school groups split and were off. I took the bus up to Köln. Being back at the CDC was another level of craziness. Going back to where my German started, remembering on countless days of trying to learn my der die das's, or get a hold of some tricky grammar, or just trying to get a better feel of this crazy language. And then talking with some of the directors and teachers there, not as a fresh PPPler, but someone through the program, able to converse in German, and show what a year of PPP can do and how it changes you.

Overall, it was a great experience, going through it all 'again'. I am extremely different than the Nial Tilson that landed in Frankfurt in August 2013.

Kinda like in NYC, I got exactly what I needed after leaving my duties with the 31. PPPlers. I split off and went to meet up with my Kölners, Roman and Mischa. I headed over to their place, then we headed to the park for some classic German chilling around. Benno, Phillip, Torben, and a couple others came out to hang out as well, and we spent the night just drinking, talking, playing a new disc game (Double Disc Court), and just taking it easy. Super cool.

Woke up with a bit of a headache, but headed out to pick up stuff for breakfast with Mischa. Had some yummy Mett und Brötchen and got ready for the day. Awesome.

Kinda crazy comparing myself to a year ago throughout the weekend, though. Then, a fresh American in a new country and world, to now, feeling pretty integrated and extremely welcome in that new world. Coming Full Circle.

Well, Saturday was full of some good ole bro-chillin with Mischa. Relaxed einkaufing, helped someone move into a new place, frisbee throwing, DOMinating lazer tag, and then watching some frisbee. Super baller. I then made my way back up to Hamburg and back into my "life"...

Deutschland - Notes from a Year enveloped by Beer and Bread

Here are some notes that I randomly jotted down throughout the past year. Most of them were heat of the moment. But just some notes that I made regarding the differences between the U.S. and Germany.

Die Gute - The Good

Stoplights have the short yellow light before the green for forewarning.
The windows have multiple ways to open: swing, and crack at top.
The know-how in conversing with others, especially when they know each other.
Time after a meal to talk and chat, no rush to get away...
German binders are the shit.

Die Schlechte - The Bad

Bread. Bread everywhere.
Personal hygiene is a foreign concept. Especially noted on hot trains and crowded places.
Internet is still in the Stone Age.
They always talk over each other, whether it be in a lecture (everyone is constantly whispering) or in a meeting. Always a side convo. Makes it impossible/damn near to pay attention yourself.
Smoking, absolutely everywhere. It makes no sense.

Die Interessante - The Interesting

Paper is not the same size.
Sheets of toilet paper are larger.
Many offices and business places have offices/desks with windows that open right up to the street.
A lot more advertising exposure through public transportation system.
Hard boiled eggs are not fully cooked.
The complete absence of any order in house numbers along streets. No rhyme or rhythm to it.
Everyone has a tissue and just carries boogers around with them.
No interstates directly through cities, always around the sides.
An extremely talkative society. Always recounting a tale of some form, or debating, or anything.
Carhartt is a fashion brand rather than a work clothes brand.
They hold their thumbs rather than cross their fingers.
Stamps (the ink type with date or name and stuff) are widely used for official business.

Job Search. ;kajs;dfkjas;dlfjas;gha;skdfj

I am not a fan of looking for a job. And this has just been clarified for me in the last few weeks. It's been really slow progress so far. And I have no idea what is going to come of it. I'm just waiting for a miracle.

Original Publish Date: August 6th, 2014