Too many things to tell

There are so many things to tell but I kind of feel to split it up and publish infos and stories step by step when I have time and in the mood to do so. The first days here in Rotterdam have been a blast. Tonight is the second time I actually decided not to go out and get some rest at home. On the weekend we were partying all night long and even on sunday we went out for a couple of drinks to Concordia, sort of students bar which had had happy hour. After staying home on monday we kicked-off tuesday night with some beers at the bar in the university building (already at 5pm). Afterwards a Deborah & Nisha (two american girls), Andrew & Dave (two canadian guys), Fran (an argentinian guy who just arrived on monday) and me decided to go to an indian place for dinner where they had all you can eat. After stopping by at Dave's place I went home to finish the assignment we had to do for wednesday. Yesterday has been a huge party night again. First we started at Milena's place (bulgarian who lived for the last ten years in US) with some wine and cheese. After (ab)using happy hour at Concordia once again, we went to the international students party at a club called bikini (some club names remind me of the fancy names in Stuttgart) where I left at around 0430 am...

Classes finally started as well on monday. I just have one course which is called Marketing, Technology and Innovation but I'll get 10 ECTS for it. So it's pretty time consuming with around 12 hours of class a week and then assignments and projects. But over all the topic sounds very interesting and the next project coming up is the Google Online Marketing Challenge. Teams from different universities compete against each other in planning and implementing a search engine marketing strategy (Google AdWords) which we will run for three weeks. Although it appears to be interesting and fun, it might just be a bit too time consuming (for exchange) for my taste.

Apart from partying and university I explored a bit the city as well. Rotterdam is a city with a very modern centre and stylish architecture as the city centre was bombed during WWII. But if you go a bit outside of the centre (but still in the city) you'll see all those typical three story, brick-lined buildings. Striking is as well, that if you enter one of the houses you have to climb very steep stairs in the beginning. This might be due to the fact, that the city is located below sea level and this could be a little bit of protection against flood. I attached some pictures to give you an impression of the city...

The building i live in

A bit outside of the centre

Weena

View from university

Erasmusbridge and river Maas

First news from the Netherlands

Hartelijk welkom uit Rotterdam! It's been now approx. five days since I arrived in Netherlands and I already had some time to adapt and get to know the city and some people. As a lot of things already happened I'll just pick out some things to tell here and now. More will probably (hopefully) come later on...
On monday and tuesday i got to know the city a little bit by walking and cycling - yes I already bought a bicycle (fiets). It's very common here to drive by bike and you realize that on the street everyday. As we were told there are around 20 Mio. bikes for 16 Mio. inhabitants in this country. As you can imagine, bikes are everywhere. On every pole you can find next to the street there is at least on bike locked to it. And there are special cycling lanes everywhere in town, which makes it very convenient and relaxing to drive even in the city as you're sort of secured and have your own space. And everyone - pedestrians, cyclists, motorists - is used to it and looks out for bikes so it's even safer. The only thing about bikes which is annoying is, that bikes are getting stolen. So you really have to lock it at all times and rule number one you learn is, that the lock should appear to be more expensive than the bike. But still, there are junkies who steal and then sell bikes in order to earn their money. One of our dutch buddies already told us, that he once bought his own bike back from a junkie for 5€.
In the evening of tuesday I finally got to know my dutch buddy Iris and some of the exchange students. We met for dinner in a maroccon place, which served very delicious food. After eating we went for some beers or drinks before heading home at around midnight (of course by bike through the almost empty streets of R'dam). As mentioned, everyone of us exchangers got a dutch buddy, which is taking part in the international exchange program as well and should help us to get along and get to know a bit dutch culture. Intersting fact about this is, that 2 out of 6 buddies are AIESECers who were P/VP in LC R'dam :)
After those first two days we went on an integration trip from wednesday till today. We were in a hostel (called "stayokay" :) in the eastern part of netherlands between Arnhem and Enschede close to the german border. We had some get to know, trust and confidence or just fun activities like bowling. In the evening we had first a dutch evening and then an international cabaret followed by some for me (and several for others) drinks. But it was cool and fun to get to know the other exchange students. We are a very multicultural group with eg. people from Indonesia, Taiwan, Spain, France and Norway as well as from US or Argentina.
About the university I can't tell you that much yet as I have been there only shortly. Confusing though are only the names of the uni. The whole university is called Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam. This is not because people who are on exchange take part in the erasmus program, but because Erasmus was a famous dutch philosopher. Even some dutch people don't get that, as they think that the Erasmusbrug (bridge over the river Maas) is called like that because Erasmus was the architect of the bridge. In this Erasmus Universiteit are different departments and faculties. I'll be studying in the RSM, the Rotterdam School of Management. My first lecture will start on monday and it's called Marketing, Technology and Innovation. As we found out on our trip another exchange student is taking that too, Pavel from Prague. For the second course I have to look for a new topic as they just informed me that the one I was supposed to take had been cancelled. Well there are not so many options which interest me, but at least I have now the advantage that I know who of the exchange students will take which course and that might slightly influence my decision as well, as it's probably more fun to study together. Anyways, I didn't decide yet and we'll see. I still have time till monday to get to a decision. But now, we'll first go to dinner together and then probably for a drink or to a club. What a nice life it still is after handing in the thesis and before lectures start again...

3...2...1...done!

It’s friday evening and I’m sitting in the train back home to Bern. Busy times are lying behind me and the tough days finally come slowly to an end. Time to relax a bit and enjoy life again is coming up. The new year started with studying for an exam, hopefully my last exam on swiss soil ever, which I had last monday. As you can imagine we went to out afterwards - a bit too much. The effects of this evening combined with not sleeping enough and loosing some tension already, made me feel sick the next day. I barely made it to the drug store to buy some stuff against my headache and then went to bed again. My plans of going back home around lunch time and use the day to work on my thesis were rolled over. Anyways in the evening, I still had to go back to Bern as I had a dentist appointment first thing wednesday. Wednesday continued busy. In the morning I finished my thesis and sent it to my dad who printed it for me. After picking up these paper versions, I tried to find a place to bind it. But regulations at university in St. Gallen are so stupid that no copy shop in Bern could do it. Only bookbinder (that’s the correct name although it sound awfully incorrect) would have been able to do it - but of course not in time I wanted it. So, I decided to call a copy shop in St. Gallen which I knew could do it to make an appointment for friday. After running around for that, I had a small interview for a volunteer job at Euro2008. It was quite nice, they have some interesting jobs to do and I think I could score some points;) Not only that with the teams of Netherlands, Italy and France playing in Bern I would have a slight language advantage but as well because the interviewer was a woman from Stuttgart. As I recognized her swabian dialect, I - of course - carefully mentioned that I have been working there :)) In the evening after that I once again met some friends to have a drink and to say goodbye.
Thursday was a bit more quite. I only took care of some small stuff and started to relax a bit. I even took the time to take a nap in the afternoon - I still like the concept of power napping a lot :) In the evening again I was meeting some friends - this time AIESEC oldies from Bern. Today now, I went for the last time to St. Gallen. Not only did I manage to get my thesis finished and to hand it in, but I met another AIESEC friend for lunch and to give her one of my books I used for my thesis - she happens to write her thesis in a similar area. And in the afternoon my successor in the flat finally arrived - Kamil a good friend from Prague who’s spending his exchange term in St. Gallen. After unpacking I showed him a bit around and he finally knows now where to go for the different things he has to take care of.
Now, as mentioned, here I am, in the train back home. Tomorrow there’s the last thing I need to do - transition for my NST job. I’m glad we found some successors and that I can finish that task as well. And it will probably be as well my last step within AIESEC - being finally a grown man and able to walk in to the future. Tomorrow afternoon and on sunday I will be hopefully able to wash my clothes and pack. Then, in the evening my next adventure finally begins: I’m leaving to Rotterdam for my exchange. Hopefully for my last term at an university - ever! The term starts already next wednesday - with an integration trip for all exchange students :) And then on 28th I’ll have my first lecture at RSM. Well after the last few weeks - studying for exams before christmas, writing the second half of my thesis in five days over christmas and studying for an exam again in the first days of January - I assume that I will feel relaxed even although I don’t really have holidays. Anyways, great times lying ahead and I’m finally starting to get ready to rumble!

Beginning of a new era

The new year 2008 will bring some changes for me as you can see already from my blog. The new design is only a small, symbolic change - I decided to set it up already for my next few months in Rotterdam although I'll be still back home for the next couple of days.
2008 will be the beginning of a new era for me because I (hopefully) will finish my studies, which means that my life in the education system which I started around 18 years ago will come to an end. Therefore I will, once again have to make a important decision and face a challenge: find a job. But I have many other plans and ideas for this year. First I go to Rotterdam, to spend my last months on another university - the third one in my students life. The departure date is now set as well - 20th of January. Afterwards I'd like to enjoy the Euro2008 and for the rest of the summer and beginning of fall I have the idea to go to France to pimp my french before finally start to work by the end of the year.
So, in 366 days (yes this year we have again an additional day) I hope to look back and be able to say that it was a successful 2008, that I lived in 3 countries this year, that I found a job and of course that we had an amazing June and tons of fun throughout the whole year :) Let's see what it brings, but I'm optimistic for the next 12 months!