Update

Summer has finally arrived in Germany! And with it the World Cup 2006 :-) It is AMAZING! I have never seen - if ever - Germany this united and "bubbling". Last night's game was awesome... My heart, my poor little heart almost had an attack, but a last-minute-salvation goal saved it. Germany went mad!!! The streets were super crowded, German flags and the colors were EVERYWHERE, people singing "Berlin, Berlin, we are going to Berlin". Great atmosphere and Germany dares to show some pride! It is incredible!!! It is great!
I'd love to be in Berlin on July 9th!!!

Life in Germany is okay :-) I'm super busy, but somehow I haven't considered any of that stuff worth mentioning. My dear mother decided to move out of my parents' apartment (finally!!!) and we were busy organizing the transfer of her (and partly my) stuff. I haven't found a job yet - but there is progress - and so I don't really have a place at all :-( However, I'm enjoying my unsteady and interesting life! I had an interview in Berlin last Friday and went on to the East of Germany to attend an AIESEC conference:-)

AIESEC? Conference? The ones who know me might think that I have gone nuts, but it was actually only a reason to meet up with Igor and Chun-Xiao - friends from St. Petersburg!!!

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The conference took place in Schneeberg, in the "Erzgebirge", a beautiful mountain region. I have never been there before, in fact, I haven't been in the East for a very long time and had loads of prejudices to work on ;-)

My workshop was a "reintegration" seminar, for AIESEC trainees who have been abroad... A very good idea in general; I would have appreciated it after my year in the US :-) Culture shock hello!


"Getting to know each other": Twister

We were five people plus trainer in the seminar: Falk, Chun, Igor, Arne and I were drawing experience graphs and talked about our experiences and compared countries. From what we discussed: turns out that Germany is a very organized country, everyone being punctual all the time :-) .

Arne, Anna, Igor and Falk


Chun and our minds maps

AIESEC Global Village

Anna, Chun-Xiao and Igor (re)presenting Russia with a fair amount of (horrible) vodka


Conclusion: I'm not reintegrated yet :-( I'm doing much, much better than after the US, but I miss Russia a lot. 106 people were at the conference... I socialized with the two Russians there :-)

At Igor's in Cospeda (close to Jena)
After the AIESEC conference Chun and I went to Igor's to spend a few more days with him.

Outside Igor's apartment, enjoying the evening sun


Relaxing after a long and hard weekend

Erfurt
Igor took Chun and me on a sightseeing tour to a city close by. I went to Erfurt about 20 years ago, and my memories are a bit blurry... but from what I remember, I must admit that the city has changed a lot. There is no "soviet" air left, everything is new and very German :-) Actually all I saw of the East was great! I'm impressed!!!







School enrolment coming up

Weimar

Anna cleaning Goethe's feet


On Pushkin's tracks

We met Russians in Weimar who realized that we understand Russian :-) Two boys wanted to play soccer with us, but Igor refused :-) Well right, I also didn't fancy playing soccer too much on high heels! But it was cool!

Jena

Market square in Jena

"Länderabend" - Country evening: Russia
AIESEC Jena had asked Igor to talk about Russia and smartie Igor got Chun and me to join. I was impressed how much effort the AIESECers put into it. We had home-made pelmeni and some other Russian products.

Igor presenting Russia


Anna eating beloved pelmeni! Yummy!


Soccer!!! Yay! Brazil - Croatia 1:0

All together, the East is not too bad :-) and I met lots of "Wessis" there. Double suprise! Will go back there soon and add the five new federal states to my job search list.