I woke up this morning ten minutes before my alarm. Even though today I don't have to be at work until 10am, I find myself waking up at my usual 7:30ish before my alarm, no matter how tired I am.
I hate that I've trained my body to wake up, apparently, without external alarm apparatuses. This morning I don't think I made my coffee strong enough, it tastes a little weak. Boooo weak coffee.
Work sucks, so I've decided to be proactive. I've discovered a job in Dresden, teaching full-time for this private high-school for students who want to learn business skills and brush up on their liberal arts. It's part-time teaching, part-time organizing an INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM (whoooooooooooot!!!!). I want to do this so badly. They are looking for a native English speaker (check), someone young and motivated (check), experience living abroad (um, I got this one too), someone with experience teaching English (okay, still new to the game but check minus), must speak the deutsch (once again) and I don't know what else, but I wrote the most amazing cover letter, in German, yesterday and in a few minutes I'll be off to the post to send it.
I might beg or plead for the job. Just need out, thats all. I've decided that I am not happy in Aachen and that isn't going to change anytime soon.
Anyway, cross your finger, press your thumbs, sacrifice small rodents, whatever you have to do to send some good luck my way.
Other than that, I'm hoping to take a few days off in May and hang out at some German lakeside area with friends from FSU to paddle boat, drink beer, go hiking and other random German-like activities. Should be fun. Now if I can just get all of us organized enough to do it. Thats a task in and of itself.
I've decided to be more pro-active in my life. Because of the weather and my job, I've been feeling a) depressed b) sorry for myself. This must stop. So, list-o-crap to do:
a) Study for the Foreign Service Exam. Even if I don't take it for another year or so, I still want to be fresh. Besides, can't hurt to know the stuff anyway.
b) study my German book for two hours a week. Learn new vocabulary, memorize cases, improve my adjective endings, etc
c) Clean my apartment. The dust bunnies are formulating an attack plan.
d) Continue on my health track (I've lost seven kilos since February!). I've never felt/looked so good. :)
e) attempt to be more positive. I think that sounds good, I've already started to work on this and while nothing really changes, my heart doesn't feel like its going to explode.
f) Update my blog some more.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Ole!
Wanted to write a post about the decline of the US dollar and the indications that its free-fall is coming to a close (finally!) but I just don't have the energy really.
I realized that its been several weeks since my last blog and so much has happened. I had guests from the States come for their spring break and it was amazing. Matt, Kalin and I ventured to Paris for three nights and had a great time. I love those two! I'll be posting photos soon on my photo website.
At the end of their visit, I apparently contracted the flu, not fun. What is worse is that I was going to Spain four days later. Ugh. However, Malaga did not disapoint (okay, just a smidge, but who's counting, really). Abundant sunshine and a care-free environment was just what I needed. Although too cool to go swimming, I was able to tan! So i'm a much darker Christopher for the time being. Work resumed today and I was actually glad to be returning to the normal swing of things.
Trying to make it to Scotland in May. That'll be great. Other than that, lots of visiting of friends in Germany need to take place. I need to start looking at my plan for the next year. What am I going to do this time next year? Graduate school? Foreign Service? Stay in Germany?
I realized that its been several weeks since my last blog and so much has happened. I had guests from the States come for their spring break and it was amazing. Matt, Kalin and I ventured to Paris for three nights and had a great time. I love those two! I'll be posting photos soon on my photo website.
At the end of their visit, I apparently contracted the flu, not fun. What is worse is that I was going to Spain four days later. Ugh. However, Malaga did not disapoint (okay, just a smidge, but who's counting, really). Abundant sunshine and a care-free environment was just what I needed. Although too cool to go swimming, I was able to tan! So i'm a much darker Christopher for the time being. Work resumed today and I was actually glad to be returning to the normal swing of things.
Trying to make it to Scotland in May. That'll be great. Other than that, lots of visiting of friends in Germany need to take place. I need to start looking at my plan for the next year. What am I going to do this time next year? Graduate school? Foreign Service? Stay in Germany?
Sunday, March 2, 2008
From Politics to Pretzels
I was talking to my Mom tonight and we had an interesting conversation on politics. Of course my Mother's ADD means that she only listened to about 35% of what I said but thats okay. I love her anyway. :)
The predicament that the United States has found itself in is not all that different from the end of the 1960's. An expensive war (read: "Military Engagement"), a faltering economy coupled with out of control oil prices and a disenfranchised public have all contributed to pessimistic feelings about the United States.
I join the ranks of disenfranchised citizens. I think this upcoming election is quite important and I refuse to let my vote go to someone on the basis of one issue or the core of a few issues. Let's remind ourselves that no matter who is elected, they are still politicians. Politicians never follow through with that they say. Even if they want to, they still have to ask Congress for the means to do so. Sadly, the majority of American's are not informed about the American political system so all of our potential ends up going to waste.
Without flat out supporting any candidate, I'm going to outline what I see as the major pros and cons of each candidate. It really doesn't matter who wins anyway, we can only go up from what we currently have.
I'll begin with the Republicans. John McCain is going to win the nomination but for the sake of argument I'll throw Mike Huckabee up there too.
McCain is a great man, great cut-through-the-crap Senator and War Hero. What can you say bad about a man who spent six years eating gruel in Vietnam. McCain has a reputation for saying what he means and then doing it, and I like that. I think his experience in Foreign Relations would help revive the American image if he learns to court our allies instead of distancing them like GWB. However, he has been a part of the Washington establishment for too long and look where that has gotten us. I see McCain serving as Secretary of Defense or State. I would gladly be in the Foreign Service with Secretary McCain at the helm.
Huckabee is a newbie to politics and could perhaps foster the change necessary. However, no guitar playing Baptist minister has any business serving as President. I think he would focus too much on the "moral issues" (whatever that is) that are facing America and not the actual issues at hand (ie. education, defense, Iraq, budget crisis, etc). He caters to a certain group of people that I don't play well with and so for that reason, I'm biased. I do say, however, props to him for loosing 110lbs. I like the idea of a Huckaburger (lean ground beef/turkey with organic vegetables on a whole wheat bun). I say Mike should be the Secretary of Agriculture, fix those school lunch programs! Or even the director of the National Fitness Initiative. Besides, he's from Arkansas.
The Dems
Barack Obama is not a Muslim, in fact he's a member of the Church of Christ (shudder). His father is from Kenya, not Saudi Arabia. I've heard it one time too many (about six times) that he's a muslim and would turn America into an Allah loving country. Get over yourself. Obama is new to the establishment and that brings both pro's and con's. I see in him though similar traits to former presidents Lincoln and Kennedy (both later assassinated, lets hope the Secret Service doesn't bungle this one up too). He's not been in office so long as to have his butt imprinted into the Senate Chambers, once again a good thing. If the United States is going to bring itself out of this hole we've found our self in then we need change. However, Barack will have to surround himself with advisers from both sides of the aisle to bring together this divided country. We'll need Republican economic advisers dueling it out with Democratic education advisers. His lack of experience doesn't necessary signify a weakness on his part but it does make me cringe when he talks about invading Pakistan to get Al-Qaeda.
Oh, Clinton. I'm not going to lie, I don't like her. She's a cow...always has been always will be. She grazes on other people because she is a true politician right down to it. People voting for Hillary often think that things will be happy and nice again just like the good ol day's of Bill. I'm sorry to tell you but this isn't 1996 again and its not coming back anytime soon. Although I feel her policies on health care and education are good ones for America, I think she's also just interested in selling her product (herself). I can't vote for someone who once served on the board of Wal-Mart. However, all things aside, she's probably pretty good with a calculator and could be perhaps balance a budget (if she doesn't tax the hell out of us first) and I have no doubt that she's ballsy enough to go after terrorists but let's not forget, she's also from Arkansas.
The predicament that the United States has found itself in is not all that different from the end of the 1960's. An expensive war (read: "Military Engagement"), a faltering economy coupled with out of control oil prices and a disenfranchised public have all contributed to pessimistic feelings about the United States.
I join the ranks of disenfranchised citizens. I think this upcoming election is quite important and I refuse to let my vote go to someone on the basis of one issue or the core of a few issues. Let's remind ourselves that no matter who is elected, they are still politicians. Politicians never follow through with that they say. Even if they want to, they still have to ask Congress for the means to do so. Sadly, the majority of American's are not informed about the American political system so all of our potential ends up going to waste.
Without flat out supporting any candidate, I'm going to outline what I see as the major pros and cons of each candidate. It really doesn't matter who wins anyway, we can only go up from what we currently have.
I'll begin with the Republicans. John McCain is going to win the nomination but for the sake of argument I'll throw Mike Huckabee up there too.
McCain is a great man, great cut-through-the-crap Senator and War Hero. What can you say bad about a man who spent six years eating gruel in Vietnam. McCain has a reputation for saying what he means and then doing it, and I like that. I think his experience in Foreign Relations would help revive the American image if he learns to court our allies instead of distancing them like GWB. However, he has been a part of the Washington establishment for too long and look where that has gotten us. I see McCain serving as Secretary of Defense or State. I would gladly be in the Foreign Service with Secretary McCain at the helm.
Huckabee is a newbie to politics and could perhaps foster the change necessary. However, no guitar playing Baptist minister has any business serving as President. I think he would focus too much on the "moral issues" (whatever that is) that are facing America and not the actual issues at hand (ie. education, defense, Iraq, budget crisis, etc). He caters to a certain group of people that I don't play well with and so for that reason, I'm biased. I do say, however, props to him for loosing 110lbs. I like the idea of a Huckaburger (lean ground beef/turkey with organic vegetables on a whole wheat bun). I say Mike should be the Secretary of Agriculture, fix those school lunch programs! Or even the director of the National Fitness Initiative. Besides, he's from Arkansas.
The Dems
Barack Obama is not a Muslim, in fact he's a member of the Church of Christ (shudder). His father is from Kenya, not Saudi Arabia. I've heard it one time too many (about six times) that he's a muslim and would turn America into an Allah loving country. Get over yourself. Obama is new to the establishment and that brings both pro's and con's. I see in him though similar traits to former presidents Lincoln and Kennedy (both later assassinated, lets hope the Secret Service doesn't bungle this one up too). He's not been in office so long as to have his butt imprinted into the Senate Chambers, once again a good thing. If the United States is going to bring itself out of this hole we've found our self in then we need change. However, Barack will have to surround himself with advisers from both sides of the aisle to bring together this divided country. We'll need Republican economic advisers dueling it out with Democratic education advisers. His lack of experience doesn't necessary signify a weakness on his part but it does make me cringe when he talks about invading Pakistan to get Al-Qaeda.
Oh, Clinton. I'm not going to lie, I don't like her. She's a cow...always has been always will be. She grazes on other people because she is a true politician right down to it. People voting for Hillary often think that things will be happy and nice again just like the good ol day's of Bill. I'm sorry to tell you but this isn't 1996 again and its not coming back anytime soon. Although I feel her policies on health care and education are good ones for America, I think she's also just interested in selling her product (herself). I can't vote for someone who once served on the board of Wal-Mart. However, all things aside, she's probably pretty good with a calculator and could be perhaps balance a budget (if she doesn't tax the hell out of us first) and I have no doubt that she's ballsy enough to go after terrorists but let's not forget, she's also from Arkansas.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Dumbing of America
Todays editorial in The Washington Post, my internet homepage, featured an article by American author, thinker and philosopher Susan Jacoby. Her piece, entitled The Dumbing of America takes a painful look at the fall of intellectualism among average American's in the last fifty years.
Now, call me an elitist but I've always had the same sentiments as the author. The majority of Americans, suffice to say, are dumb. Whether its their own laziness that is the root cause of their lack of basic world knowledge or if its a question of cultural identity is unknown. Often I've wondered how some of my peers at Florida State were admitted to the university (or any tier of higher education for that manner) and going back farther to high school how many of the students were planning on attending top tier universities. Still to this day I'm surprised when I hear people's lack of basic geography, history or even what the most important issues are in the world. There are always on the internet those videos of people who can't name the President of the United States (now, how much of that I believe is up for debate but the song remains the same).
Thankfully though, we are not alone. I always had this preconception that Europeans with their border-free zones must be far superior in ways of a intellectual pursuits. That has also turned out to be not be true. I've met several Europeans who've surprised me with their lack of general knowledge of the World and Europe. ("Wait, you mean to tell me that they drive on the left side of the road in Australia?" From a British soldier I met in Berlin).
I must agree with Jacoby, western culture as a whole has seen a great decline in basic intellectual pursuits. Americans must go back to teaching our school children the basics of education and not focusing on raising standardized testing scores. In most cases, standardized testing only measures how well you can take a test. Teaching geography, history and sciences is a skill that will stay with our youth the rest of their lives. Foreign language training in American is a joke that we shouldn't be laughing at. If the United States wants to continue its role as a world leader, its time we step up to the plate intellectually. Students today should be fluent in at least one second language, have knowledge of the World and the basic history that it entails, should have one favorite classical author and not dismiss intellectualism as something that only geeks enjoy. Our ignorance as a country hasn't been working for us lately. Faced with a failing economy and potential recession, unsolvable problems in the Middle East and a declining dollar, the United States doesn't look as though it will maintain its role as a Global Leader much longer.
Its time for Americans to step out of their comfort bubble and get back to the basics of intellectualism and once again be top contenders on a global scale.
Now, call me an elitist but I've always had the same sentiments as the author. The majority of Americans, suffice to say, are dumb. Whether its their own laziness that is the root cause of their lack of basic world knowledge or if its a question of cultural identity is unknown. Often I've wondered how some of my peers at Florida State were admitted to the university (or any tier of higher education for that manner) and going back farther to high school how many of the students were planning on attending top tier universities. Still to this day I'm surprised when I hear people's lack of basic geography, history or even what the most important issues are in the world. There are always on the internet those videos of people who can't name the President of the United States (now, how much of that I believe is up for debate but the song remains the same).
Thankfully though, we are not alone. I always had this preconception that Europeans with their border-free zones must be far superior in ways of a intellectual pursuits. That has also turned out to be not be true. I've met several Europeans who've surprised me with their lack of general knowledge of the World and Europe. ("Wait, you mean to tell me that they drive on the left side of the road in Australia?" From a British soldier I met in Berlin).
I must agree with Jacoby, western culture as a whole has seen a great decline in basic intellectual pursuits. Americans must go back to teaching our school children the basics of education and not focusing on raising standardized testing scores. In most cases, standardized testing only measures how well you can take a test. Teaching geography, history and sciences is a skill that will stay with our youth the rest of their lives. Foreign language training in American is a joke that we shouldn't be laughing at. If the United States wants to continue its role as a world leader, its time we step up to the plate intellectually. Students today should be fluent in at least one second language, have knowledge of the World and the basic history that it entails, should have one favorite classical author and not dismiss intellectualism as something that only geeks enjoy. Our ignorance as a country hasn't been working for us lately. Faced with a failing economy and potential recession, unsolvable problems in the Middle East and a declining dollar, the United States doesn't look as though it will maintain its role as a Global Leader much longer.
Its time for Americans to step out of their comfort bubble and get back to the basics of intellectualism and once again be top contenders on a global scale.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Wow
Well, thats it.
Germany has disappointed me. I'm watching on TV the opening of a German "Hooters" bar.
Thats pretty much the end of it all.
Germany has disappointed me. I'm watching on TV the opening of a German "Hooters" bar.
Thats pretty much the end of it all.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Next stop: Unknown
I last wrote you from Germany's capital city, Berlin. From there Marcus and I used "mitfahrgelegenheit" or organized hitchhiking from Berlin to Dresden. Albeit somewhat strange, it was a successful experience which left me with both of my kidneys. The drivers, Gregor & Hannah were a bit strange although nice. We got to Dresden for 10 euros in under two hours. Something I'd never be able to do with the train.
I love Dresden. The city, atmosphere, the size and the abundance of my friends doesn't help me at all. I'm trying to remain positive about my time here in Aachen but it doesn't help when I have such amazing experiences in Dresden. Last Monday I went to Leipzig and that was great, just a day trip and that was exactly what I needed. I like Dresden more though, although I saw the important things one sees in Leipzig.
Tuesday I flew from Dresden to Cologne-Bonn and then took the "hour long-train" from Cologne to Aachen. Twenty minutes into my trip from the main train station, the train comes to a screeching halt. You could even smell the brakes. I wasn't sure what had happened but we stayed in that position for almost two hours. I got to Aachen three hours later at 1:30 in the morning. Not nice. Turns out, somebody had jumped in front of our train. This, apparently, happens about once a week towards winter and summers end. It bothers me that people would throw themselves in front of a train like that. That goes against our instincts, doesn't it? It was needless to say, disturbing. There were police outside the train and I couldn't figure out what had happened until later because the words the driver used weren't ones associated with suicide. He said "we've had a slight accident." When I asked my German friends what that meant, they informed me it was a nice way of saying suicide. The bad weather causes depression rates to skyrocket here about this time of year and it doesn't help that Valentines Day this week. I'm not taking the train until March.
I only had to work three days last week and my schedule for this week is very light, surprisingly light with only one class on Friday. The weather has been amazing the past five days. Absolutely stellar actually, blue skies, no clouds, mild temperatures, if only it could be like this every day. In less than a month I'll be having guests!
I went to Cologne this weekend with a friend of mine and enjoyed the city. I'm looking forward to going again next month with Matt and Kalin. I did some pre-research on the city for our trip then. Should be fun. This weekend, I'll be having a visitor, a friend of my Dad's from the Air Force. I haven't seen Craig since I was about 15 or so. Maybe younger. Yesterday I cleaned like a madman my apartment which includes cleaning my windows, sweeping and scrubbing my floors and getting out all of the dust. Its absolutely unbelievable how much dust is in my apartment. Never in my life have I seen so much dust or hair accumulate in one place. I got my hair cut on Friday so I'm helping that'll help with the dust for a while.
Well, off to work for me.
I love Dresden. The city, atmosphere, the size and the abundance of my friends doesn't help me at all. I'm trying to remain positive about my time here in Aachen but it doesn't help when I have such amazing experiences in Dresden. Last Monday I went to Leipzig and that was great, just a day trip and that was exactly what I needed. I like Dresden more though, although I saw the important things one sees in Leipzig.
Tuesday I flew from Dresden to Cologne-Bonn and then took the "hour long-train" from Cologne to Aachen. Twenty minutes into my trip from the main train station, the train comes to a screeching halt. You could even smell the brakes. I wasn't sure what had happened but we stayed in that position for almost two hours. I got to Aachen three hours later at 1:30 in the morning. Not nice. Turns out, somebody had jumped in front of our train. This, apparently, happens about once a week towards winter and summers end. It bothers me that people would throw themselves in front of a train like that. That goes against our instincts, doesn't it? It was needless to say, disturbing. There were police outside the train and I couldn't figure out what had happened until later because the words the driver used weren't ones associated with suicide. He said "we've had a slight accident." When I asked my German friends what that meant, they informed me it was a nice way of saying suicide. The bad weather causes depression rates to skyrocket here about this time of year and it doesn't help that Valentines Day this week. I'm not taking the train until March.
I only had to work three days last week and my schedule for this week is very light, surprisingly light with only one class on Friday. The weather has been amazing the past five days. Absolutely stellar actually, blue skies, no clouds, mild temperatures, if only it could be like this every day. In less than a month I'll be having guests!
I went to Cologne this weekend with a friend of mine and enjoyed the city. I'm looking forward to going again next month with Matt and Kalin. I did some pre-research on the city for our trip then. Should be fun. This weekend, I'll be having a visitor, a friend of my Dad's from the Air Force. I haven't seen Craig since I was about 15 or so. Maybe younger. Yesterday I cleaned like a madman my apartment which includes cleaning my windows, sweeping and scrubbing my floors and getting out all of the dust. Its absolutely unbelievable how much dust is in my apartment. Never in my life have I seen so much dust or hair accumulate in one place. I got my hair cut on Friday so I'm helping that'll help with the dust for a while.
Well, off to work for me.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Berlin! Berlin! Wir fahren nach Belrin!
This past Thursday the Bundesland that I live in, Nord-Rhein Westphalia started the Carnival celebrations. Craziness ensued. The majority of my classes were cancelled Thursday and Friday and those that took place had only a few students in attendance. I am not a person for crowds and parades do nothing for me. Therefore, I became a refugee and fled the city. I spent Friday night, Saturday and so far half of Sunday in Germany's capital, Berlin.
My last time in Berlin was in 2005 when I spent a week here after my Beyond Borders exchange time in Dresden. I fell in love with the city then and it continues to captivate a type of charm that only a city like Berlin can deliver. The city is different from most German cities. Divided for the better part of 40 years, Berlin is an ecclectic mix of new and old, punk and preppy. The history alone in Belrin is enough to make a World War II / Cold War / European History buff like myself drool all over the place for days. Not to mention many fantastic scenes from fantastic movies take place in Berin. Yesterday I went the DDR Museum as well as the Stasi Museum. It was interesting to explore the place where many lives were crushed by the totalitarianistic government of East Germany.
I am with my friend Marcus now and we are going to explore Berlin a little bit more before hitch-hiking our way to Dresden. Okay, so its the modern day version of that, where you book online with someone who is going to the same city as you, help pay with petrol and thats that. Should be a good experience for the American.
I love East Germany.
I am thinking about applying for jobs that require me to write. Maybe one of my favorite magazines, Monocole are hiring. That would be fantastic.
My last time in Berlin was in 2005 when I spent a week here after my Beyond Borders exchange time in Dresden. I fell in love with the city then and it continues to captivate a type of charm that only a city like Berlin can deliver. The city is different from most German cities. Divided for the better part of 40 years, Berlin is an ecclectic mix of new and old, punk and preppy. The history alone in Belrin is enough to make a World War II / Cold War / European History buff like myself drool all over the place for days. Not to mention many fantastic scenes from fantastic movies take place in Berin. Yesterday I went the DDR Museum as well as the Stasi Museum. It was interesting to explore the place where many lives were crushed by the totalitarianistic government of East Germany.
I am with my friend Marcus now and we are going to explore Berlin a little bit more before hitch-hiking our way to Dresden. Okay, so its the modern day version of that, where you book online with someone who is going to the same city as you, help pay with petrol and thats that. Should be a good experience for the American.
I love East Germany.
I am thinking about applying for jobs that require me to write. Maybe one of my favorite magazines, Monocole are hiring. That would be fantastic.
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