well, this is the start of my own blog. this is in English as it is mainly for my English speaking friends out there that I cannot be in contact with regularly. I hope I can make something useful out of this :)

Montag, Juli 24, 2006

Which European City are you?

You Belong in Paris
You enjoy all that life has to offer, and you can appreciate the fine tastes and sites of Paris.You're the perfect person to wander the streets of Paris aimlessly, enjoying architecture and a crepe.
What European City Do You Belong In?



wooohey, I am Paris, I am ashamed I have never been there even though it is just a 4 hours car drive away... Thanks to Jonathan, I have found this on his blog, it is fun.
Actually, I was nearly going to Paris next week but then we decided for Salzburg in Austria. I am going there on Thursday. You can await updates on that!
For the rest, it is quiet on my blog, yes, but I m just enjoying my free time with a lot of wimming and relaxing. So not much happening here :)

Mittwoch, Juli 12, 2006

After the World Cup

It's been 3 days without football now, ey, its a tough time ;). Actually, it really has been weird I had to look in to the programme again to know what else they show on TV.
Well, I promised you a general reveiw and here I am to try and make my points.
First of all, congrats to Italy winning the cup! Its been like 1990 in Italy, Germany was the champion and Italy became third, just like this year only the other way around :D. I was actually going for France as I sympathy with Zidane but the foul that happened really shocked me. Zidane is a professional football player and should not attack other players, no matter what Materazzi might have said to him to provoke him. Sad for him to leave professional football like this. But anyway.
I have seen a nice report on TV yesterday about the feeling that has been going on in Germany and what is left of it now as the big party is over. People of you who have been in Germany or are just well informed probably know that we had a difficult past (well, thats a thing everybody knows though) and due to that past there was never a big unity in the country, no national pride, always the fear of being looked at in a strange way by other countries when raising the German flag or singing our anthem. I know its strange, WWII is more that 60 years ago but it stays in people's heads forever if information is not renewed. My generation only knows our past from the history books, being totally aware of it, feeling ashamed, but no more.
The event of the World Cup here in Germany gave us something special. I have never felt such a unity and love in my country before. A sea of flags everywhere you looked and still look, happy people showing their nationality with pride and at the same time welcoming visitors from outside the country. It definitely was 'a time to make friends'. On the one had Germany has become more open-minded towards other cultures and at the same time we had the chance to present a new Germany - relieved from our historical burden. Not only WWII but also the reunion between western and eastern Germany has not been completely sufficiant. That football event has has taken it a great step forward though. In these days I can say I feel proud to be German. I have been abroad several times and it has always been a weird feeling when somebody asked for my nationality. There were these unspoken things in everybody's minds about the fact being German. To me this is no more.
Thats one thing I love about football and World Cups. It units the world, different nations, creates healthy nationalism and erases racism. There were public viewing points in every major cityhere, a new idea of watching football - big screens on major places. The good thing was that international fans could watch the matches peacefully next to each other. It was always a big party in the end - having Mexicans celebrate with the French or Ghanese celebrating with the Czechs.
One aspect that made it possible to let the enthusiams get that far was our sympathic national team and coach Jürgen Klinsmann. I was so upset when I heard in the news today that Klinsmann wont continue his job. But it is his decision that we have to accept and he is a hero here anyway :). I really hope that the new feeling here in Germany will last for a long long time.
The World Cup was something like an explosion. An explosion of new vibes, a new identity and a time to have a multicultural party with friends from all over the world!
For me I can say that I am soo happy and thankful that I could play a part in the whole event, even though it was a minor one ;). But I hope I could represent a bit of ourselves and who we are to all the stadium visitors.
Cant wait for the European Championship 2008 in Austria/Switzerland followd by the next World Cup in South Africa! But it is sooooooooooooooooo long to go!!!

Donnerstag, Juli 06, 2006

Tagged

I have been tagged by Emma so here I am to do my duty:


5 things in my (I have to say our fridge):

eggs
chocolate
cheese
beer :)
salads


5 things in my handbag:

mobile phone
wallet
keys
Thai coins (they look exactly as 2 euro coins :O)
sewing kit (I wonder why)


5 things in my wardrobe

its hot so I can mainly see:
t-shirts
skirts
swimming suit
belts
oh, and there is my chemistry costume :)


5 things in my car:

cds (cant live without music while driving)
pen
tissues
map
parking card


hehe, wasnt that interesting?

Mittwoch, Juli 05, 2006

We are so upset


Its been really sad for us to lose yesterday in the last 2 minutes against Italy. The World Cup was something special here with magic and soo many positive vibes around. Germany is out now, I am hoping for 2 more good matches and I wish now for France to get the cup.
Once I have erased my grief I will give a post here evaluating the whole happening and whats been going on here in the last few weeks. All I can say at the moment is that I have never been as proud to be German. That pride can be observed everywhere these days and it makes me really happy.

Mittwoch, Juni 21, 2006

Photos: Czech Republic - Ghana & Sweden - England

I finally uploaded a few pics that I have taken at the last two games in Cologne - enjoy!
To the left and right, situated in the middle fo the Ghana fanblock, a few enthusiats celebrating their team :)
I think here this Czech guy wanted to swop shirts with the Ghanese but he did not want to give away his shirt ;)














here is me and a fan

happy Ghanese people celebrating their victory


beware of the vikings!


swedish invasion

swedish fanblock


yeaaaaaah, I am inside! Hiding with my Aachen shirt

the loud English masses :)


and finally my favourite English player Peter Crouch aka mister long skinny legs :)

Dienstag, Juni 20, 2006

Volunteering - part 2

I am just about to catch the train to get to Cologne as England-Sweden is on there tonight. I am really nervous! I love English football even though I hope Germany wont meet them in the second round. Have takne a few pics at the weekend when we had a big African party as Ghana won ocer the Czechs. I will post them together with the pics from the match today.
So far I can say that everything has been very peaceful in the stadium and also in the city. Okay, there were a lot of depressed and crying Czech fans but in the end I saw them dancing together with the Ghanese on African bongo rythms :) so nice to see.
Hope today will be as peaceful and that I get to see Prince William or Robbie Williams. You never know!!!!

Dienstag, Juni 13, 2006

My first day as a volunteer

Hey, its done! I had a really good start at the match Angola - Portugal. I was situated near the entrance and i had to check everybodys ticket. It was funny how people were really nervous to get inside and some of them would not hand their ticket to me in case I could run away with it and watch teh game myself. A few were screaming of joy once they passed security and were officially inside the stadium :). I was impressed how peaceful everything was and how nice everybody treats you. Once the match started I was looking for a tree seat and sat down :))) yes, it is unbelievable, there were a lot of free seats everywhere and officially the stadiums are sold out. People buy tickets and just do not come to see the match if they are not interested in the teams. Its a bit unfair as there are many many who are dying to be there. Like me, hehe, and I took advantage of it...On Saturday, the next match in Cologne, I will take my camera and post some pictures here.
Until then, enjoy the matches and press thumbs for Germany against Poland tomorrow night!