Ausgezeichnet!!!

Hurray!!!!

Ok I just wrote a long e-mail to friends and family, and sorry, I'm pretty much going to cut and paste... I don't feel like writing it all again... I am an excellent journalist that way.

First off, what I have been up to: This last week (Wednesday to Sunday), I was in Berlin for the Berlin Capital Program, which was to introduce a group of journalists from the states to the media in Germany. The Young American Journalists (my group) were only invited to attend the last three days of the program (which I found to be kind of a bummer) but it was very interesting and worthwhile all the same. The group that attended was a spectacular mixture of journalists from all around the country, some working for big companies like ABC and MTV and others still attending school. It was fun, and the mission of learning more about German media—from radio to television to newspapers—was achieved.

I attended Thanksgiving Dinner last night with a group of Munich Fulbrighters, and it was fun and delicious, but I missed being around family. I think it was the first time in my life not to be with family for Thanksgiving. But, I am leaving for London on Thursday to visit my college roommate Leanne, who now works for Reuters there. :0 )
I have never been so it will be awesome!!! I just hope it's not toooo cold... it is definitely Winter here...


And now for the best news. It seems as if the German media very much like to keep applications for about two months and then they all enjoy calling the applicant on the same day and offering them a job. While I was in Berlin, I got an e-mail from the managing editor of Munich Found, a monthly English-magazine here in Munich asking me if I would like to come in for an interview when I returned to Munich. I of course said yes! Then, upon returning to Munich, I found in my inbox that Fulbright had been in contact with Hubert Burda Media (a huge publishing company here) about the possibilities of an internship there as well. I wasn't sure exactly what was happening, Fulbright just kept telling me to expect a call, so I just waited.

Today I had an interview with Munich Found, and she really liked me and said she would let me know very soon about the position. Then, when I got home, I got a call from a man working for Focus Magazine (the 3rd largest weekly news magazine in Germany) also offering me an internship!!! (When it rains, it pours for me... this I have discovered.)

www.focus.de (I'm sorry it's in German, but you get the idea!)

So now I am definitely starting my position with Focus on January 12, and if I also definitely get a position at Munich Found, I will try and see if I can do both or if I can perhaps begin at Munich Found after I have been at Focus for a while. I am extremely excited, especially about Focus because it is a very large and prestigious publication here, combining both news and features into a well-read magazine. The circulation is around 750,000 per week! Awesome.

SO YAY! I did it. Now I just have to see if there is a way to get my foot in both doors...

Wir werden sehen... aber trotzdem es freut mich sehr!

Wo sind alle die Sterne am Himmel?

Hello all.

Before I provide my normales update, (you know, I am a little sorry about all the Denglish, but really I'm not sorry because I find it amusing), I have to rant a bit about something that is bothering me.

Wo sind alle die Sterne am Himmel???

There are no stars here in Munich. Well I'm sure there are, you just can't see them. See, that's what I don't like about big cities. And that is what I REALLY miss about New Mexico and Montana. But mostly New Mexico. You can see the stars clearer there than anywhere in the world I think. A sky so speckled with tiny glimmering lights that it feels like you shouldn't ever look away. Because who would ever look away from such a truly awesome sight.

No, can't see that here. Maybe if I made a weekend trek to the Alps I will be able to see the sky better there. I wish I could go camping. A little late for that I think...

So anyway... let's see. What has been happening...

The Election Results Party was really awesome. I showed up with a press pass at about 8 p.m., had some Goulaschsuppe mit Brot, chatted with this nice girl, Susan, who has been living in Munich for about a year and a half. The atmosphere was wonderful and when it was announced that Obama had it in the bag, I don't think I've ever heard such loud cheering before in my life. It was SUCH a happy occasion! And it was just an illuminating experience to be smack dab in the center of such a historical event. (Well, it might have been a tad more exciting to have been at Grant Park, but this I couldn't achieve. So I settled. And it was a good settlement!)

I put up pictures of this event and you can find them here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064064&l=548d9&id=23500703.

I also wrote a story about it all, but I couldn't find anyone who wanted to pick it up. (Ain't that just the story of my life right now...) But maybe I will put it up here. It wasn't one of my best... I am out of practice! Which means I really need to get a job now before all the practice I got at The New Mexico Free Press is rendered useless.

Which brings me to my next point: This past weekend I went to the Fulbright Welcome Meeting that was held in Frankfurt am Mainz. I met a lot of really cool/intelligent/knowledgeable/nice people, spoke German almost the entire time, attended a few fairly useful and thought-provoking workshops and acquired what will hopefully be non-dead-end media contacts. I decided to attend very last minute, after a spot in Florian's (who is the head of the Munich Fulbright Alumni group) carpool opened up, and after I also knew I had many people with whom I could stay with in Frankfurt. I ended up staying with most of the Munich Fulbright group at Anne's house, a residence of Frankfurt and a psychology student.

So yes, this was fun, except for the mini heart attacks I had while driving in Florian's car as he bounded down the Autobahn, swerving in and out of cars and stopping so suddenly behind the people in front of him. Man, Germans are crazy drivers. But somehow I still think they know more about driving and are better drivers than Americans. You just have to be one with a strong stomach to learn this fact.

Oh yes, I have posted photos of this meeting here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064066&l=72bad&id=23500703.

But you will be glad to know that I got many things accomplished these past week or two.

For one, I got my Aufenthaltserlebnis. Look how pretty it is!!! Took me all of three hours to get it, and I even thought that was pretty fast. Of course it didn't go smoothly. The girl who checked me in left out the "Noel" when she wrote out the registration, so the woman at the Kasse first made me wait 20 minutes before she decided to tell me I had to go back and have her write the "correct" name. But oh well. It could have been a LOT worse. At least I had all of my stuff. So then, while I was there, I went on over to the MVV office and used my Studentenausweis to get my discount for the public transit system. Pretty sweet actually, knocked off about €12 off my monthly price. Which is nice.

Then, on Monday, I got a call from the Hubert Burda Media Verlag saying they had received my information but that we had sent it to the wrong place. But then the woman politely informed me that she would pass it along to the human resources department and see if they couldn't find a spot for me within one of their magazines. (Burda publishes 262 magazines worldwide—including Elle, Glamour, Vanity, Vogue, etc.) So that would be lovely but I am trying not to get my hopes up.

I walked down the street a ways today to the Kommunikationswissenschaft buildings of LMU (which is the subject they assigned me to—communications studies) and I had a nice chat with the head of the program there (who was much friendlier than I thought he'd be) and he basically said if I didn't get on with Burda Media that he was sure they could find something for me.

So that's a start. A big start.

Now I am just hoping that this Berlin Capital Program I must attend next week will also be a help. I am a bit upset about it because the commission makes hotel reservations for myself and Stephanie (she is the journalist living in Frankfurt) for half of the program. Then they say if we want to stay for the whole thing, we have to do it at our own expense. But that is unfair I think because the grantees living in Berlin—of which there are four—don't have to pay anything at all and can attend the full program if they wish. And I just received the schedule and there is a seminar I am very interested in going to but it takes place before I will arrive in Berlin. And I wish I had known this because I might have made my reservations for different days. But Fulbright urges you to do everything far in advance. And I understand. But still, it's frustrating. And a little unfair I think.

BUT, things are looking up, I am hopeful and all I wish now is that the sun would stay out and the rain would never come.

And perhaps a glimpse of some stars.

A Grand New Plan

So I have decided on something.

I am no longer going to spend my time here worrying and being frustrated. If I keep going on like that, I will waste my entire time here. If German media outlets don't think I am good enough for them, then they are missing out. And I will continue to KNOW that something great will come out of this, whether I end up working where I want to work or finding time to write what I think and feel and believe. Either way, I'll find out who I really am and what I want.

And I think, ultimately, that is why I am here.

So no more wasting time worrying if I am doing the right thing each day. No more oh no should I have sent that letter a day earlier or oh poo I don't think I registered with that office correctly or I can't forget to terminate my Bahn Card on time or I can't believe I didn't find out about that seminar and now it's too late to go.

Ten months. I have been here for two. And all I have done is worry. Worry whether I am doing all that I can do and exactly what I am supposed to do. Worry that I am not worthy to be here. Worry that Fulbright thinks they made a mistake in giving me this opportunity.

But I have never before doubted myself, and I am not about to start. At least I know that when I set my mind on something, I will accomplish it. It may take a while, but I will do it. That is a trait I am lucky to have. So that's it. I am done worrying. Whatever happens, happens.

I am so lucky.

And it's my job to take in every second while I am here and enjoy it to the fullest. And discover why I think it is I am here. And how to use my time here in a way that will be most advantageous TO ME. I am done worrying about what other people think. I know I am smart, I know I will do something with my life and I know I deserve to be here. Now all I have to do is figure out how to show it.

It will all come together. This is still the beginning.

Ok, now that I have written down my anti-worrying plan, (kind of for my own benefit), I am also going to include an update. Lately I have been still finalizing German bureaucracy stuff (I still have yet to get my residence permit, and I have to go this week but I am dreading it so much that I keep putting it off... my friend told me it took her the entire day, or at least the entire time the office was open. Not to mention I will probably have to go about two or three times before I actually might have all of the correct documents in order to get the damn thing.)

I have been e-mailing Fulbright about the status of my job applications as well as the status of my reimbursement for my travels. But no response. And apparently, they don't like getting too many e-mails... so...

This week is actually pretty busy. Today I met with my friend Charlotte and she looked over my papers for the KVR (where I have to get the permit) and decided she thought I had everything I needed. Ah you guessed it, she was the one that spent the whole day there obtaining this little green piece of paper, and it was third times the charm for her as well.

I think Germany really believes in the saying "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Lesson learned, thanks.

Tomorrow I am braving the Kreisverwaltungsreferat and then I have my first real press opportunity. That's right. I am going to the Election Results Party that has been organized by the Democrats Abroad Chapter here in Munich. I will write something on it, but basically I am really excited I got to go. Once I found out the event, registration for it was also closed so I had to pull the journalist card. But I am really glad I did. I think it will also be a great opportunity to meet people, and it will be a great event nonetheless.

Wednesday I have an appointment to meet with the international director for Kommunikationswissenschaft (which is the subject I was assigned to for the University), and hopefully he might also have some suggestions for me. Then Wednesday night is when I play soccer with the Munich Rovers girl's team.

Thursday I have a choir rehearsal (we are going to sing carols for a Christmas concert), but the rest of the day is fairly open.

And I am still trying to decide if I should venture to Frankfurt this weekend for a Fulbright alumni meeting. I can't decide if the material presented will be worth my time and my money, especially since es gibt ein ganz Unterschied zwischen mein Fulbright und andere Fulbrights. So I am still working on that one.

YAY! Busy week! Plus — Lisa and I just made plans today to spend all of Monday next week baking Christmas cookies.


I think cookies are key in dissolving worry.