Good morning.

Friends.

FRIENDS. A word that seems to be so simple and is often used in an inflationary way. Everybody is talking about them, everybody wants them. Everybody has them. At least I do hope so.

But the question is: who is your friend? Who are your friends? The ones, you go out with from time to time? The ones, you have a chat every once in a while? The ones you see every day to share every day's moments? Or the ones, you share the very special ones, even if they are not with you? The ones, you can rely on for 100%? The ones, you can cry with and just be yourself? Or is it even the one? No plural, but just that one special person?

I think everybody has to decide on his own, whom he'd like to consider as a friend. I am pretty happy to be able to say: I have some friends I can rely on for 100%. That I can talk to about anything. Share every moment: the special ones as well as the daily live. Friends that are close or don't live around the corner. But you know, even if you just talk to them twice a year and see them even less: they are there. For you, for me. For us.

Thanks a lot therefor guys.

Strange moody days.

It's been quite quiet the last weeks on here. But it seems as if it just reflects my private life these days... As my daily life at work turned out to be quite busy lately, I am trying to keep private things easy and simple, focusing on taking a time-out for myself to be able to think about various things and of course on spending time with close friends instead of adventure, party and stuff. And I have to admit, I really like it. Enjoying good moments with great people seems to be the best option these days. In combination with good music it even gets better.

Today I also took some new pictures. I would like to have some more time left to concentrate on that in order to improve my knowledge on photography. But as time is little, I didn't do it that much. But I hope, with the beginning of spring, the outcoming sun and blue sky, I get some more motivation to go out with my camera to document the birth of nature in spring. :-)

Besides all that, it also really became clear, that it's neccessary for me to go back to Madrid for some days. I miss the mood of the city and - of course - my friends over there. So I am thinking about going there in the end of April. Let's see if I can manage it somehow. Would be great.

To end this thing up, I'd like to post a song I am listening to over and over again. It's just great.

S-Bahn experiences.

Being back in Munich is really great. It feels like coming back "home" on the one hand and discovering new things and getting used to them on the other hand.

One difference to the last months is the use of public transport. As I still don't have my little yellow baby with me, I am totally dependent of public transport here. As I am spending almost 2 hours using the public transport every day on my way to work, you see all kind of people: Weirdos, nice ones, ugly ones, regular ones and even those you don't see - although they are obviously there.

And then there is one thing, I totally cannot understand: in the rush hour, when there is almost no place left to get your ass in the metro, then there are these young mothers. With their babies. In the biggest buggies you can imagine. But there is not only one of them. There are 2. Or 3. Maybe heading home from gymnastics with their babies. Or some random beauty session for the new born kids. But let me make my point: the metro is fully packed, the mothers are standing outside as part of a gang, that cannot be split up for the 5min-ride. So the metro stops, the doors open and they are pushing. Pushing. And more pushing. With all the power that is left after having given life to their kids. And you are there. In the corner. Being surrounded by the buggies of the gang. And the only thought that is left in that special moment is: "Hopefully are they stepping off the metro at the same station as I do!"*

*I don’t want young mothers to feel offended

Flashback | 2 0 1 0.

Shortly, before the year is over, I will at least post one last post for 2010 resuming my great and turbulent experiences of 2010.

The last months might have been one of the most exciting ones ever. I got to know so many great people from all over the world, I finished my studies and already entered the labor market and found a job. The cities Madrid, Berlin and Munich give kind of a hometown-feeling due to great people, moments and experiences.

But to give some more information, I'll try to point out my personal highlights of 2010 in the upcoming lines:

JANUARY

January started with a big BOOM in Sol in Madrid with Guido and some other friends. After having spent some months already in Madrid, it was great to have a good friend like him with me to share this moment as well as to have the opportunity to share also the moments, I was able to enjoy beforehands. Still, I consider Madrid as a tremendous thing, maybe the most meaningful thing I've done so far. The time over there influenced me and my life in big ways. Getting to know so many great people opened my sights in various directions. Being afraid to forget somebody, I will just concentrate on the most important one, I got to know in the end of my Erasmus adventure: David. I do not want to loose more words than: muchisimas gracias por haberte conocido! I think everybody who knows me, knows what I am talking about.

FEBRUARY

The time of my life ended in February and with entering the airplane back to Stuttgart. An unforgetable month in Madrid with my friends and David also ended. The new chapter started... a chapter I wasn't happy about at all. Coming back to my hometown, living with my parents under one roof after having lived on my own for 1,5 years back then, ... but the worst thing was: being the only one coming back and not having any friends left over there.

MARCH

The last chapter of my studies started: my thesis. Working in the consultancy of my professor, I had to write the thesis within the next months. Every once in a while, it wasn't funny at all and I had big doubts, if I was doing the right thing. But I kept on struggling and did it. More to come afterwards.

Besides that, David came for the first time to my hometown to bring me back some good vibes and maybe also some spanish "(fl)air".

APRIL

In April I went to Berlin for the fist time in 2011 to spend easter with David and some of my friends over there. It was great to see them after such a long time without having been there.

In the end of April, and the beginning of...

MAY

I went to Madrid. The first time after having left in February. I was given a overwhelming surprise party by David with all of my and his/our friends. It must have been the biggest surprise ever. Again: thanks to everybody for doing that pleasure to me.

My birthday weekend was quite stressful, but in the end it was worth it. And that's, what counts. So we (David and me again) headed over to Stuttgart to have a barbecue with my closest friends. The next day we were invited to a wedding of a friend of mine from school. The 23rd finally was my 25th birthday and I was happy to celebrate it with many of my friends.

JUNE

In June Summer already was ongoing and I've spent my weekends

- being on a sports competition,

- meeting friends in munich and

- seeing a great new establishment for old cars.

JULY

The world masters of 2010 in soccer didn't mean that much to me, as you should already have guessed. But it was fun, being involved in a match between Germany and Spain - having David next to me [Spain won].

Another very important thing for me was, that the 31st of July was my last day in th office. So I was off from work to be able to totally concentrate to finish me thesis.

AUGUST

Berlin calling was the theme of the eighth month and great, that I followed. So I was able to see some good old friends again and also get to know some new ones. Besides the amusement, I was writing the last lines of my thesis.

SEPTEMBER

In September, I finally started my trip to see Wiebke, who I got to know during my Erasmus in Madrid. It was quite funny to finally see her again. Besides Wiebke, I could manage to see some more friends, that live on the way to her. So it was a nice tour seeing and meeting (new) friends and cities.

OCTOBER

The famous Oktoberfest was a good opportunity for the ancient Erasmus students of the HNU. So they built up a get togehter and although I wasn't one of "them", I felt more than welcomed with my spanish friend Elena and here "gang". So we went together to the Oktoberfest, where I met some more friends. It was a blast.

Furthermore, I headed over to Madrid for a whole month, as I finally handed in my thesis and therefore finished my studies. It was a really untrue feeling to recognize, that this drama was finally over. Withoug even knowing in the end, if this was the right thing to study throughout the years. But I succeeded somehow.

Talking about my month in Madrid, I have to say two things: it was too short AND it was too short. Being back for more than just a couple of days felt incredibly long at first, but too short in the end. I got to know many new lovel people again and also wanted to spend some time with my friends over there. But in the end I couldn't manage to see all of them or let me say see them as much as I wanted to. But this is just another reason, why I have to go there pretty soon again. ;)

NOVEMBER

I left Madrid on the 10th to be back in Germany for a 80th birthday and a job interview. From that time on, the time flew by pretty fast. In the end of the month, I was told that i got the job and from the beginning of...

DECEMBER

I was employed as Junior Contact person for Media Markt Spanien. I had to search a flat and I guess, i found a nice little castle for myself. No need to share it again - except my friends, that are welcome anytime.

So... this seems to be my personal flashback 2010 in words. Some already might have seen the vid, but I'd like to post it again, to have it completely. Although... there is still one thing missing... the flashback concerning songs and music... But I think, I cannot do it. Sorry folks. I hope you enjoyed travelling through my year by reading the lines and watching the pics.

I would love to spend as much nice moments in 2011 as I did in 2010 with you guys. Let's get together and work on it. Cheers!

Back to Erasmus life.

I always got kind of upset, when somebody was always talking about experiences he had abroad. Now, after having been one of these Erasmus kids, I find myself talking about that special experience from time to time. And more often. These days, I understand, why the others were so enthusiastic about it, as I am as enthusiastic now as they were then. But it makes me happy to see, that you can refresh your imagination whenever you want.

So, last week I could be part of some other's Erasmus experience, when they came back to their city: Ulm. From here, we went to Munich to the Oktoberfest and I think, we had a blast. At least, the pics show, that it was pure fun.

The good news from my side is, that I will return to my Erasmus experience on Sunday already. I am going to spend one month in Madrid again and I can't wait to see my friends over there! Looking forward seeing you guys! *Muuuak.

One step further.

Since I handed in my thesis last week, I spent some great days so far. First of all, I went to Wiesbaden to see Wiebke after she left Madrid for her NY adventure for the first time. It was great to see her again, talk about the days back then and think about those, that are about to come. It was a pretty chill stay over there and besides her, I visited Wiesbaden, Mainz and Frankfurt/ Main and also met other close and new friends. On my way back home I stopped on Karlsruhe and Stuttgart and I spent some more nice hours in good company. It was a real fun week. Here you can find some pics.

Wiebke & me

Wiesbaden

Mainz

Frankfurt

Karlsruhe

Stuttgart

Besides I booked my flights for Madrid. In just 2 weeks I will head over to Spain for a month and enjoy my time over there with friends, sun and good atmosphere. I hope to get my thoughts organized a bit in order to see the things a bit clearer in the end. But until I will be going, there are still some highlights to come: Ele from Madrid is coming to Ulm, I will be going to the Wiesn with friends and enjoy another weekend in Munich, maybe another in Stuttgart. So there are some great days about to come.

For now, I will just end with another picture. I just discovered this funny site on the internet and already had loads of fun. I am sure, there will be more pics available in the upcoming days.

me in the virtual photo booth

Forecast.

After so many flashbacks, it seems like a breaking-the-rules now to consider this post as a forecast. But, it's not - like the flashbacks related to the past - telling what will happen in the future. This is the main thing, that should become clear. It's not possible to state, what is going to happen soon. You can suggest, you can suppose, you can try to lend... but in the end, it can turn out in a totally different way. Forecasts are based on feelings, on thoughts, on wishes, ... But you never know, how it will turn out in the end.

I am trying to think about all the different ways, how it could turn out. How my future will be. But how should I know, in which forms it will be shaped in the end? There are hundreds, thousands, millions of possibilities, how things could finally be. Nobody will ever be able to think of all possible ways. So... Why do I not just take action and try to find out, how it will be in the end? Not to think about it over and over, knowing that you never will see the future in your mind, as long as you are not in that situation.

But there is something, holding me back taking action. Maybe it's the fear of taking the wrong steps into a false direction. But how can you know without trying? It might be the challenge to put this thoughts into action. Again.

So I am pretty curious, how everything will turn out in the end. So you see, it's pretty much easier to do flashbacks than forecasts.