Skaisti, iesaku noskatīties: Cologne Lights 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEcrQBwAML8

Tikai līdzi bija savi fotoaparāti un austiņās sava mūzika. Un lai arī drošības sargu dēļ neizdevās uzrāpties rekonstrukcijas darbu pussāktā ēkā, kāds cits žogs nebija šķērslis, lai baudītu šo pasākumu “nelegāli”:)

Kā nopelnīju brīvu 5dienu! Prezentēšanās.

Īsumā: 2,5h prezentēšanas un diskusiju ar kolēģiem. Sapratuši „the first step to take” un kur un kā pēc tam turpināt. Lieliski! Protams, viss caur neparastiem piedzīvojumiem un jaunu saprašanu.

1)Kā tas tapa?
2)Kā tas notika? (<--- sāk lasīt tie, kam interesē pati prezentēšana)

1) 3dien esmu pieteikusi savu uzstāšanos, saorganizējusi tikšanos ar kolēģiem. Ir 2diena. Plkst.22.00 Prezentācija nav sākta.

Pārnācu mājās, cerēju jau, ka varbūt Maikls līdzēs lieliskās indesign prezentācijas veidot. Telefona zvans – nepārtraukta abpusēja smiešanās par visu ko, gandrīz nekādu sarunu.. Neprasīju jau, gan jau tikšu galā ar savu veco PowerPointu (PP). Pa dienu aizsūtīju viņam savu „iesākumu PP”, atbilde bija – wow, biju gaidījis ko sliktāku:D Nu neko, laikam saprata, ka PP un 2003 – tur kaut ko varu:D

Savu 2dienas vakaru veltīju „viskautkam”. 22:30 nolemju pagulēt. Visa prezentācija pagaidām galvā.

Savā naktī no 2d un 3d 5h laikā tapa. 2PP prezentācijas, 1prezentācija iekš prezi.com (paldies, Elīnai;) bet man jāpiešaujas vēl; ja jūk taustiņi uz priekšu atpakaļ, izskatās neglīti, pieļauju domu, ka šī prezentēšana mani tomēr neaizrauj), un iekļauju vēl dažus dokumentus Word, Excel, piemēri netā. Viss ir. Esmu nodrošinājusies:D Kaut kā savienoju visu vienotā idejā „From idea - to realization” (prezentācijas laikā par piemēru ņemot uzņēmumā senāk no vienkārša „skriceļa uz lapas” tapušu lielisku „workflow”). - Vēlāk pierādīsies, ka tas bija veiksmīgi, ideja paņēma -, izmantojot arī lielu daudzumu mīlīgu animāciju. Gandrīz jau sāku ieiet skolas sliedēs...; bet te nevar nekādus kailus izskaistinātus vārdus tādus kā „radīt emocijas”, „skatīties klienta acīm”, utt. Vācieši mīl detaļas, viņus pārliecināt var fakti un saprātīgas, skaidras idejas. Tāpēc uzsāku ar bilžu sēriju, bet tālāk aizgāja precīzā fontā un izmēros teksta gabali:D Par katru vārdu biju gatava stāvēt un ... stāvēt.

Mans agrais rīts. 20min atlaidos gultā. Mostos. Tagad pats galvenais – nevainojams izskats! (Jā, man tas ir svarīgi, svarīgākais šajā brīdī). Pie tā tiek piedomāts. Moži un lieliski! 30min laikā esmu ceļā uz vilcienu...

...bet netieku ārā no kāpņu telpas. Sāku jau krist panikā (tas man atgādina notikumu no „aiziepriekšējās” prakses vietas, kad nācās rāpties pa logu ārā un braukt ar taksi, atļautos ātrumus pārsniedzot, lai tikai būtu – notikuma vietā:D). Izrādās, kāds pirmo reizi aizslēdzis ārdurvis.:D Durvis padodas. Tieku. Sajūta, ka šai rītā es vienīgā – pārlaimīga soļoju pa ielām uz vilcienu.

Vilciens tiek nomainīts pret mašīnu. Pa ceļam uz darbu mašīnā no kolēģēm uzzinu, ka kādam man nozīmīgam kolēģim – galvas trauma. Mārketinga cilvēks. Slikti. Pārcelt tikšanos nedrīkst. Pēc 2 dienām uzņēmums vadītājs (CEO) lido uz Šanhaju.

Jāsastāda komanda. Tā jau nebija viegli (domāt par to, kurus man vajag, un domāt par to, kādi viņi visi kopā „izskatās” un tad veidot „viņiem”). Daudzi atvaļinājumos, komandējumos. Tagad man ir es, CEO, 2projektu vadītājas (nesen beigušas universitāti). Vairāk par 5-7 kolēģiem nedrīkstu – man vajag viņu aktivitāti. Jaunais dizaineris?! Jā, man vajag vienu no dizaina nodaļas un vīrieti vajag. Kaut arī esmu pārliecināta – viņš būs visklusākais no mums – turklāt amatā nesen – aicinu (vēlāk tas izrādīsies pareizs lēmums). Vislielākā problēma tagad ir mana kolēģe – kabineta biedrene. Grūti teikt viņai, lai nenāk. Esmu solījusi ieklausīties visos viedokļos... (un labas attiecības?). Pirms pašas prezentācijas starp citu izmetu: „Tu arī vari nākt, bet es rīkošu citu tikšanos visiem darbiniekiem...” Lieliski! Viņa nāks uz citu!:) Izdevās!

No rīta tehnikas pārbaude. Netieku klāt prezi.com prezentācijai. Kolēģis (IT) ir gabals no zelta šai brīdī (bet es, protams, iztiktu arī bez šīs prezentācijas, ja citādi nevarētu).

Esmu sarūpējusi augļu trauku... un pārsteigums! Priekšnieks sagādājis kūku par godu paredzētajai-diskusijai sanāksmju zālē. Tik jauki.

Tagad svarīgi neieņemt CEO krēslu galda galā. Izvēlos būt pa vidu starp kolēģiem un visādi atrunājos no priekšnieka sēdvietas. Rezultātā neviens nesēdēja galda galā. Lieliski.

2) Prezentācija. Viss rit lieliski. Jau no paša sākuma gribu, lai dalībnieku uzdevums ir aktīvi iesaistīties, komentējot manu iepriekš veikto (tas aizņem vairāk laika nekā plānots, slikti, mums vēl daudz pārrunājamu lietu). Kopīgi nonākam pie labākajiem lēmumiem. Bet šajā brīdī arī iesākas karsta viedokļu nesaderība. Īpaši ar vienu kolēģi (Šī pati kolēģe dienu iepriekš, kad lūdzu būt klāt: „Piedalīšos, bet Tu zini, es negribu CEO klātbūtnē atklāti teikt visu, ko domāju, esmu šeit līdz oktobrim, un man vajadzīgas labas atsauksmes no CEO.” „Saprotu, bet Tu varēsi kritizēt mani," teicu (viņa ir ļoti kritiska, bet tieši to man vajag manām idejām, jā, varēju ar to sevi aprakt CEO klātbūtnē). Bet īstenībā jau – nesaprotu!; tas ir tik absurdi, es nekad negribētu savā uzņēmumā kādu, kurš neuzdrošinās izteikties manā klātbūtnē; teikt brīvi, ko domā – tas taču ir labākais, kas uzņēmumā var būt!). Par karstumu: sarunu gaitā priekšnieka klātbūtnē vairākkārt viņu pretargumentēju (slikti, pēc tam redzēju kolēģi nelabvēlīgi noskaņotu un neieinteresētu, sašļukušu; laikam jau bojāju „viņas reputāciju”... Kas zina, varbūt savējo arī, jo man taču arī būs vajadzīgs CEO vērtējums...) (dažkārt domāju, cik gan labs tas varbūt, varbūt es tiešām par daudz norādu uz , manuprāt, uzlabojamo-turklāt cilvēkiem, kas savām rokām būvējuši uzņēmumu-lielisku uzņēmumu! Tad jau redzēs, kā būs beigās...) Taču, uzskatu, ka runāju pamatoti par lietām, par kurām esmu pārliecināta, ka aizies.

Tālāk viss bija – šito mums vajag, šito nevajag. Vēl šito varētu. Un šitā. Saproti, šito mēs nevaram, jo... tā te tas nestrādā, jo... budžets... jo laiks... jo, kurš to turpinās... Priekšnieks ir nelaužams dažās lietās. Bet principā – IR DOTA ZAĻĀ GAISMA! :) Kopumā diskusija ilgst 2,5h (vienu dokumentu nolemju neprezentēt, visi grib ēst, funny video beigās arī nebūs). Es un priekšnieks paliekam ilgāk. Man patīk zināt skaidrus noteikumus, lai vēlāk nebūtu pārpratumu. Jā, viņš apmierināts, jā viņš atbalsta, tas labi. Brīdinu arī par savu ierobežoto laiku. Nesolu. „Paldies, Dita. Tu gribi 5dien brīvu, droši vari ņemt „day off!” Par ko, nezinu, bet, jauki. Bet, ak, kā es gribu ātrāk ķerties tam visam klāt!

Sliktais: nepusdienoju kopā ar kolēģiem; nezinu aizkulises. Runāju ar kolēģi, kuru, likās, aizvainoju. Nē, ko nu, viņai esot pers. problēmas, nespējot koncentrēties. Tiešām ceru, ka nemazākā mērā viņu negremdēju.

Arī dizaineris likās ar katru brīdi arvien vairāk iekšā, prieks par to. Hihi, man jau likās, ka ar savu "perfekcionismu", pirms dažām dienām strādājot pēc mana prāta photošopā, būšu viņu izvedusi no pacietības (taču jauki vēlāk saņemt aicinājumu – „Es domāju, pirmdien varam uzsākt kopīgu darbu!”) Patīk.

Patika arī, ka aiznākošajā dienā pēc prezentācijas galvas traumu guvušais kolēģis bija ieinteresēts zināt, ko un kā palaidis garām. Tad nu ņemos rādīt un patiesi klausījos viņa teikumos.

P.S. Interesanti, ka pirmajā reizē, kad sasaucu (2.nedēļā) visus (tikai ofisā strādājošos) kolēģus kopā, lai „sevi prezentētu”:D, izveidoto prezentāciju 40min pirms došanās uz darbu no 25 slaidiem, saīsināju uz 2 slaidiem – 1.”To do my best” – es, komunikācija (un nevis sabiedriskās attiecības, vairos no šī vārdu salikuma, jo nedomāju, ka tur esmu laba) , ko un kā varu darboties un 2. „I need your help”, parādot, cik ļoti svarīgs man ir kolēģu viedoklis un solot visu darīt pēc visu viedokļu apkopošanas (un tagad jāsaka, tas pamatīgi aizņem laiku, jo visi te kompānijā ir lielā mērā personības ar labām domām un pieredzi tomēr). Un, jāsaka, labi, ka toreiz bija daži video pa rokai:D kas ne vien aizpildīja īsumu, bet arī spilgtināja vēl vienu negulētā naktī radītu prezentāciju (brīnumu:D). Labi, arī pēdējā brīdī uztaisītās prezentācijas dēļ toreiz nepaspēju sagatavot ne runājamo tekstu, ne arī uztraukties.

P.P.S. Šādi darbojoties, galvenais, ko gūstu, protams, ir pašizpratne. Man sagādā gandarījumu un prieku diskusiju organizēšana, vadīšana, viedokļu izdibināšana (tik vērtīgi tie reizēm ir!). Man vajag izaicināt, lai es iemācītos.

How far can man go in terms of personal/professional relationship?!

Sometimes we as human beings try to draw the line between professional and personal attitude mostly trying to preserve ourselves.

HOW FAR CAN I ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES STEP INTO MY PRIVATE SPHERE – this came into the question in early spring while being in Latvia and having little understanding of the potential colleagues-friends. One of my colleagues suggested me to connect others I had never met in social portals. Too early, I thought! My position that close social friendship has to come after professional attitude has always worked. Revealing personality in private space would not be „professional”... I was temporizing.

BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE.

In the company where employees has to work in pairs, small teams and teammates are changeable time after time, in the company where employees are willing to advice each other and share the duties personal contact has the same significance as the air we breath. The stronger the private relations the better.

Company I am working at somehow gives me conviction - the team should be made of common symbolic events, of common understanding instead of being secret or suspicious. Interconnections and time spent together creates safety and mutual trust what are the cornerstones of successful collaboration of the team. It lets humor burst out – to my mind one of the most important part of work environment.

The combination of private and professional attitude helps to perceive the work as a hobby: if we like the environment we are, WE ARE WILLING TO INVEST OUR EFFORT to gain positive outcome – at first we operate to gain positive outcome of personally significant relationship. If we have good relationship with colleagues specially when working in small teams, we will do our best TO BE GOOD PARTNER TO THE FRIEND. For company it means to make more profit, to develop and to facilitate positive image because workers are the heralds of goodness spreading the company around. (To my mind).

Being in close personal contact means TO LAUGH A LOT AT THE LUNCH TABLE:) (We love to share fun during the lunch!:) ) It means …to understand what’s really going on (the climate) in the company otherwise colleagues can stay silent mechanically fulfilling the roles. The situation they are not afraid to express their feelings, to share the opinions, to compare, to judge is the most favorable to the company. (To my mind).

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

The other side of the coin. The relationship cannot become more important than other values, so that we can save the reasonable view on being in company and developing ourselves. Circumspection is necessary as well. Capitalistic age… (however I think the same has been in all times – the use and the abuse). MAN HAS TO HAVE THE FEELING!

Regarding to the leader:

All the leader has to do is to support the idea that employees are in close relationship in private sphere and constantly monitor it to avoid creating alliances against him or other teammates. It is the sense again! :)

How the environment is created?

Day by day by communicating and by demonstrating the attitude it somehow establishes common symbols what let come closer and what unify so that allocating the environment particular shape and content.

Instead of conclusion:

There always has to be personal relationship in work but always the rules under which we play must be clear so that the relationship cannot overshadow professional work. I THINK. I DO.

P.S. Photos with some colleagues from one of my colleagues leaving afternoon before two weeks.

Work: In short

In accordance with some reasonable factors I cannot write about internal processes of company I do an internship and I cannot judge the company and my role within it in public space.

In short:

• The company operates in service industry, B2B.
• It is family owned business.
• Here in NRW (the abbreviation of the region) it has approximately 25 employees and several in the subsidiaries in USA. Some of my colleagues sometimes use to work from home.
• Employees work in small teams, because the company is oriented on executing projects.
• Company is friendly to students – there are several students who support German education system – 3months intensive studies, 3monts an internship.

• My work starts at 8:30 until 17:45
• Our company is located in an hour distance to the city centre of Cologne by public transport.
• So I usually wake up at 6:20 and leave my flat at 7:10 and I am home about at 19:30.
• So to reach the company I need a lot of time but as I am coming together with two colleagues it is always time for talk and having fun. I have to change bus and train.
• Transport is pretty expensive here due to its high quality and convenience. Monthly ticket costs 115 EUR.
• But recently I with colleagues started to drive by car. So every day we four students usually come together by car. I change the regional train (10min) into a car (40min).
  

No sērijas „es Tev varu „palīdzēt” iemācīties valodu”:D

Daudz visādā ziņā līdzīgu situāciju te, šī šodien „viena no”:

Tikko allaž laipnais, omlīgais un runātgribošais kaimiņš, restorāna īpašnieks: „?&*((?##?”.
Es: „I actually speak in English”
- „But I was talking with you in German every day”
- „...:D :)”
Pēc laika: „Do you have a husband?”
- „..”:D
-„You can come here to eat something. On weekend?”!
Haha Nuu nē!

Kārtējais siera gabaliņš "paredzēts lietošanai" jaunai pelei:D
Ha!

Facing the difference – today Christopher Street day or Cologne Gay Parade 2010

I have got used to live in diverse society here in Cologne – plenty of multicultural people. But today I encountered another kind of Cologne’s beauty – its openess to different kind of diversity of society.

One of the biggest gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals pride of Europe took place today in Cologne city centre. However I was there about 40min, it was a benefit for me to be present not only to talk about it and make any judgments about equality treated legally and socially accepted with little understanding:)

All the week I was so excited about seeing the parade butt, I think, yesterday was too much football (..) so today I totally forget about the parade. When Marcus called me second time it was almost 15:00 (at this time I regret not to pick up his first call) but parade started at 12:00 Anyway, I was ready in 10min and we met on Zoobrueke. We saw a lot of the same sex couples during our way to the exact street so we thought that the parade is over but we caught it.

But not about that the story:D

It was interesting to observe behaviour of both – the participants and the audience. There were two kind of participants: the active ones and the passive ones, of course, we can separate them into those who were walking and those inside decorated lorries etc. Every team of couples had their own music and with dancing and expressing themselves they by car or on foot moved forward. I admire the imagination of common style and decorations. Of course, this was peaceful pride with only some accidents; due to using drugs or being in the sun too much some participants had to use emergency. The variety of clothes started from leather ware until almost naked sexy men and women.

Everybody emphasized their own identity: for example, what I did not like was to see naked bodies with injuries because of beating during the sex adventures or making pain just for pleasure. What I liked and where, I think, I noticed the PR elements during the pride: some participants used special clothing and special sex tools like the device for handcuffs, in my opinion, directly from erotic shops or producers.

The audience can be dividend into two parts: like me and Marcus just viewers and some activists who tried to attract the attention in different ways. There were no religious organizations, just peaceful people interested in (Cologne is one of the most open cities with its society to differences in the world).

“Christopher Street Day is celebrated on the 4th July every year in recognition to the gay rights. The events at the festival are followed by street processions, stage programs and solo performances of professional artists. The large parade is carried throughout the city and with over 1 million participants, the festival for the gay community is gaining momentum year by year!”

First 6days in Germany

In short: I have spent six days in Germany: traveling, Weeze, Duesseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt, etc. several soccer games (one at Lanxess arena), Museum of Communications, riding by bike, walking, having parties with my colleagues, friends, people I know, meeting the boss in an extraordinary way, picnic, different and a little bit extreme situations, meeting a lot of amazing people and having a lot of fun, etc. Great Germany!

P.S. Rapid travel story STARTS from the SECOND DAY! ;)
< --for lazy ones I suggest start reading from this day.


My first day in Germany:
11:50 The plane is slowly landing, the landscape becomes more and more visible: small villages with red roofs, green wood, a lot of wood, wind generators, high-speed traffic. So exciting! Closer and closer to the… wonderful land – Germany. Here I am! All the duties in the airport. And now I have to face with an expected as the biggest problem of the day – moving from the Weeze airport to the Weeze train station. I’ve heard that’s not quite easy here to find the right bus to the right station. I am somehow successful. I have to wait for an hour in the airport. That’s not a big deal because I have booked the train form Weeze station in three hours.
I notice the only young woman at the bus stop waiting the same transport as I do. I open the conversation…She interrupts me: “Latviete?” “Jā!” Great! So I have met an ERASMUS student from LV Oksana who is studying in Bonn and we are on the same way. She shares with a lot of information about the region and living here. Unfortunately, she has to catch the first train and I have to wait for mine. I do have 2 hours. So let’s discover Weeze.
Pretty nice town. My luggage is extremely heavy so after some minutes’ walk I find myself in a silent park. I am too tired. I do see one person nearby having a rest and sleeping on the grass. I have also a good mind to take a short sleep. I settle on small lonely bench next to the tree with one bag under my head, the massive one under my knees and the important one close to myself. An alarm-clokl. I have to be at the Weeze station. I successfully reach Duesseldorf by regional train. The train station here is impressive. I have to change the platforms and I do have half an hour until the ICE train to Cologne.
17:12 I am in Cologne. I am happy to see Anne. She picks me up and we drive from the main station to the Deutz station (2minutes left), then 10minutes’ walk. We enter a flat. Chris, the owner of the flat, is glad to see me. The flat looks convenient. However Anne warned me that it sometimes might be not so clean (because of living with a man:D:) ), heh, that’s not a big deal for me – they do not know yet but cleaning for me means the best thing to do. However following days will prove that what she calls “dirty” is actually almost perfect. In addition the flat is located near to the largest exhibition center of Cologne. Fantastic! And Lanxes arena also here. The city centre is reachable by feet in 20minutes. We make common dinner combined with booth Latvian and German food. The evening continues in pleasant conversations on the balcony, stories of Cologne and a lot of photos, videos, special ones of Cologne carnivals. In late evening we went to bed.

Next day
Morning starts with rich breakfast. Anne and Chris want me to taste plenty of German meals:) After the breakfast we take a walk to explore Cologne. We lift on 29th floor to see Cologne from above. Amazing sight. We have two hours to see an old town and some strategic venues like Sparkasse, Travel centre, etc.
It was not me, if here would not happen something extraordinary. I will be on my way to Frankfurt soon. Only yesterday I contacted some people to stay at in Frankfurt. (Actually, I planned to go to it after one day and I had a place to stay during that time, but as I decided to arrive one day earlier, staying came into the question.) I was going to use something similar to autostop but very common in Germany – driving together with those who drive in the favorable direction and contact each other via a web page. Anne helped me to contact the driver who picked me up at the main station at 14:00 We were five in the car – three Germans, one Turk and I, so that means that three people were in this car by chance by contacting the driver. And by traveling this way I saved about 7 EUR.
The speed is wonderful. I enjoy the speed fantastic on German roods driving nearly to 200km/h. With covetous eyes I was looking at the LKW Walter cars – the brand I almost adore, how great would have it been if I had an internship in this company…
In two hours we reached the city of money - Frankfurt. Actually I was first time in Frankfurt, actually I had no map of Frankfurt and actually it was 16:00 and I had no idea where to spend the night. I quickly found an internet cafe and had positive response from one person on couchsurfing.com with his contact address and phone number, I confirmed my staying at him and also searched several hostels in Frankfurt as alternatives if something went wrong. I was going to stay at Thomas and I read in his message that we were going to play or watch soccer. Hmm if he says – soccer – let it be soccer – but it means I have to buy sorts boots. Do I have to? No, he responds to my message. Here is some hours, I discover how to find Thoma’s flat by public transport and here is also time for me to investigate and took some photos of buildings of particular business field (..) I am personally interested in. I also had an insight in objects of Frankfurt and whole city in books’ shop so that I could know something of Frankfurt and could be a good conversation partner to Thomas and his friends. During the time I found one great park near to the centre.

20:00 so it’s time to meet Thomas at his artistic flat. Just put things in his apartaments and we were going to a bar to watch soccer together with Thom’s flat mates Dominik, Martin and Philip. After the soccer small party and conversations in the kitchen. The real challenge for guys was the title “Smiltērkšķu marmelāde tumšajā šokolādē” but after some attempts they became pretty god in spelling in Latvian:)
Thomas is an interesting person, the first vegan by the way I meet in my lifetime. (Basically to stay at people from couchsurfind.com in my opinion the only thing man needs is “his own story” – by that I mean the person should be interesting, exciting and so synergy of the time spent together is wonderful.) He is a young scientist, who stands by non-violence in military industry. With true interest I am listening about his scientific background (and here my face grows pale in remembering how big problem for me sometimes seems the course project in university:D :)
A word after a word. And I am enthousiastically in explaining something important to me. So it is about what is debating, what means the good debate and how great it is to debate. He is interested so this topic becomes dominant during the late night. Next morning will start with showing the greatest examples of debates and as a good example translating ViADK debate of expanding EU. The late night conversations end with the fairytale. Yeah, the real fairytale!:) “Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf”. I even could not remember when somebody told me a fairytale. Thomas did. It was special one in quiet voice with changeable intonation and a lot of specific effects. Amazing.


Next day
This day I had a special wish – I wanted to spend time related to my exact field – I wanted to visit the Museum of Communications in Frankfurt. So after the breakfast we took Thomas’ and Philip’s bicycles and rode around the city with the destination the “Museum of Communications”.
Frankfurt is beautiful indeed and the river Main as well. The museum was valuable however I was a little bit disappointed because I use to think that I see communications from broader perspective (I mean for example the demonstrations, journalism and great speakers etc. all is communication) but in this museum there was communication only from the technical point of view, the history of telegraph, telephone, radio, TV, computer. It was useful as well but…I anticipated more.
After an excursion by bikes we left the flat again and Thomas and I went to have a picnic. In the train we met René. In some minutes we arrived in a small town (with approximately 20 000 inhabitants:D). There we met Daniel – first time I met a typical American girl (yes, with an American smile, the sense of humor and speech style). Daniel was in Germany because she was doing some duties similar to the duties of a nanny (I like this chance and here in Germany that opportunity is common). Now we went to really rich family’s house with modern and splendid garden. Daniel had prepared the meal so we celebrated in the garden. What was the most exciting Daniel made a cake without using eggs and milk, it was special cake for people who are vegans. We had plenty of funny daily topics but one scientific is worth to mention – gender deconstruction, in explaining it means there is actually one gender on the Earth in seven expressions. I like this way of thinking - to break the structure of the society: Thomas explained that this system that we separate people into men and women is fair to men but it is not to the women – where can we count in the women who cannot have children?! And so on.
During last 12hours I had heavy both head ache and stomach ache so it meant that I had to end my travel and sooner return to Cologne. However Philip pretended to be a doctor in the morning and his special homeopathic tea was curable I still felt a little pain.
After the picnic we went to the station where Philip took me to Cologne by car because he was working nearby (in one of the worldwide recognizable software companies by the way). Philip’s car is messy, the guys warned me. Great! – chaos is great, it was ridiculous how many CD’s I could found on the car’s floor but Philip clearly knew where each of them where. I have always considered – that even chaos has its structure:D :)
During our way to Cologne we visited another small town, it was the town where Philip has lived for a year. At 20:30 we were in Cologne but Philip had to drive further. After an hour I reached Cologne city centre. So actually it was 21:30 and again I had no idea where to spend the night (because I could not disturb Anne and Chris, they waited me home after two days but due to my pain I had to come earlier and in addition it was almost dark late evening but later Anne will reproach me about staying at her and Chris:)).
Late, yes, no living space, yes, but it also meant that I have a possibility to see beautiful Cologne with its lights during the nighttime:) I found an internet cafe again (this time it was rather expensive) and looked for hostels to spend a night. Then I followed the provided information and using public transport reached the right street, on this street by accident I noticed two girls who where looking for something like I did and after the reply that they were looking for the same hostel we looked for it together and after some minutes we where in. Luckily they had almost last free space for me. So after the midnight I fell in a deep sleep.


Next day
This morning I woke up and everybody had left the shared room (however I had to check out until 9:30, probably I had spend the night with early birds or workers, I had no idea because when I entered the room people where already sleeping except the young couple from China).
I left the hostel and went to the city centre. I contacted Anne saying that I was going to arrive one day earlier. The method how I did it is worth to mention, my mobile was not working anymore so that I sent a messages by asking German young people to use their mobiles. There was no another way. But it was great that I could receive the messages. So at 14:00 I promised Anne to knock at the door.
I found a way to the flat (pretty easy from the Deutz station, just straight:D). Then I came in, shared my story and Anne told me that she “was going to meet some colleagues” (Anne was working at the same company I am going to work at, she left the work some days ago for 3months because it was also an internship and now she has to study) and she asked me to join. I was very tired and I felt pain in my stomach but I could not say no. So I had about 2 hours to sleep until the party.
I woke up, I made myself ready in half an hour (including a short bath). During the way to the train station Anne told me “it will actually be the half-year work party in the restaurant with more than 10 people from the company”:) Amazing. My manager (the company’s boss) at the last moment decided to join. So unexpected. Nice. Evening with my next colleagues and even my first meeting with the chief:D I do think I created nice first impression when sitting at the table with beer of Cologne Kölsch and seeing my next chief. It was a real challenge for me to hear so much German language around and they even didn’t intended to change it. Great! However Anne had to write her BA and she said that we were going to be there just some minutes, we where two of those last five colleagues who stayed some hours more until the end of the soccer:)

Next day
This is also one of the amazing days – I saw the emotions of crazy German fans watching the soccer game Germany:Serbia. Yeah, but at first there was an opportunity for me to sleep until the lunchtime. At 12:00 we met Anne’s two friends Thom and Pascal at the train station and then went together to the Lanxess arena – the same building where the world championship in hockey took place!!! And I am living about 10minutes’ walk to this arena.

I cannot even describe into words how great it was to watch this game. The company was the right one. All the German soccer songs lifted me up and at the end I even started sing together, a lot of beer, so funny, so many people, so crazy. I even didn’t know before that I do like watching sports games so much, especially with the company who are crazy about the game. By the way – there was a lot of public relations elements at this arena, the best one – the balloons for the clapping hands of Köln station. The day continued with playing soccer on the streets while going to our flat to go on celebrating. We ordered some picas and had a party on balcony (and this was also time for showing plenty of videos of Latvia starting from “My star” and finishing with “ Latvian Song and Dance Festival”).


Next day
Early morning. Me and Anne went to the main university of the Cologne (impressive!) and its huge library to give Anne’s books back. The system in library the same like in Latvia. At this time we started to talk about work a lot. She revealed me a lot of things what are and will be useful to me, she had done a little research and promised to introduce me with the results and several ideas came into my mind.
On the half way home we turned in cars’ renting company and Anne chose one of 150 cars located underground to rent and we drove home. Last sandwiches in the kitchen, memories from the funny yesterday. Laughter. Laughter. Laughter. Anne was on opinion that it’s been the best day to leave the Cologne:D Heh, I am not a party animal but for me it was such an usual party. The first one in my new apartments :) Quick packing of Anne’s suitcase. Sweet goodbyes. An official moment and I became a key holder. Great! The following part of the day for doing some little shopping and moving from temporary staying room into the new room of the flat.
I felt the summer! Now it’s time to turn to and pay serious attention to the practical work! And to continue to enjoy the summer as well! Everything should be ok!

Kamēr Latvijā...

Bija trīs brīvdienas arī man manā Latvija:)

Noslaucīju "mājas pagalmu". Es domāju, ka es izdarīju cik varēju! (..)
Paspēju sakopt māju, lieveni noslaucīt.
Paspēju puķes izravēt mājas priekšā, iestādīt, aplaistīt.
Paspēju pabūt dārzā ar negantiem odiem. Vectēvs teica, ka tik nikni odi bijuši tikai Sibīrijas taigā, kad barakā nevēruši durvis vaļā...
Heh paspēju uztaisīt tulznas rokās. Siena smarža, svaigi pļautas zāles smarža. Bučas no suņiem no rīta. Viltīgais skatiens, kas uzglūn rīta miegā, slapjas ķepas uz tīra palaga un slapjums cieši pieglaužas klāt:)
Mājās cepta torte.
Visu laba vēlējumi.

Paspēju „aizbraukt ciemā”. Māsīcas dusmojās – kas ar viņām šovasar ies peldēties. Apskāvieni tik daudz, daudz, sēdēšana klēpī, bižu pīšana, matu ķemmēšana. Un viņām vienmēr ir tik daudz ko stāstīt un rādīt. Un sarunas par puišiem un kosmētikas lietošana. Taisīšanās uz ballīti. Vectēvs atkal jau ko interesantu uzmeistarojis. Viņš arī nopircis grāmatu par puķu audzēšanu. Eh, baigais. Vecmamma uzpliķē vectēvam. Un atkal jau – attiecības ir māksla. Man ir lieliski vecvecāki.




Vēl tikai...:)
Latvijas labumu iepirkšana kopā ar manu tanti foršo :)
Brālēns aizvizina uz g-pilsētu, klausāmies Zanes piedzīvojumos par baložu laišanu:D
Nakšņoju pie draugiem, pagāja zināms laiks, kamēr iedraudzējos arī ar viņu jauno iemītnieku, nu mēs dzīvoklī bijām četri: es, Lāsma, Jānis un Šēra.


Atā citiem draugiem, trūks man jūsu!
Un -- > uz Vāciju!
Dita

Prakse Vācijā – Paldies par to!

Šobrīd man ir tā lieliskā iespēja – praksi veikt Vācijā.
Tas bija lēmums, ja nemaldos, decembrī. Redzēju priekšā vasaru un redzēju sevi praksē Vācijā.
Ļoti priecājos, ka man tika dota šī iespēja praktizēties ārvalstīs!
Vislielākais paldies!

Patiesā cieņā,
Dita