In touch with democracy in Germany

The Confusion and lack of orientation was more evident than ever, and hardly ever could I see more political engagement and concern of the citizens to really contribute to the building of next term's governement. I don't know anyone who did not vote, nor does not care about last sunday's or the whole campaigns course of events.

As such I really enjoyed the whole election process, politics became alive by the people this time not by the media. One striking factor was that despite the great support, which Angela Merkel received by the press and even the popular editorial journalist of the big national newspapers, despite the usual reliable prognoses of various research institutes, it did not last for a clear change, or anything acceptable.

All of the current discussed options would have been a reason for great laughter before the results were presented. It's very akward to see all, journalists, politicians and especially the citizen being left very perplexed and speech- or adviseless. Whereas some see it as an exciting puzzle game to deal with and optimistically draw potential from it others are rejecting widely everything and leaving very little room for furhter operations.

The current mostly favoured option seems to be the Jamaican coalitation, also called "Schwampel" which consists of the Black CDU-Conservatives, Yellow FDP-Liberals and the Green party (which contentwise seems to be totally incompatible with the programmes of the other 2 parties) More information or news on the above - check out the english version of the Spiegel, Germans probably most popular magazin on German politics and society

First week back in town

My first week, except for the first excitement in the beginning, is starting to sober down a bit the initial happiness. Despite a great weekend in Nuremberg, visiting Ola in Bavaria, I got run over with many tasks or duties, little time for myself due to the fulltime job and the university hassles and on top with an annoying flue.

This weekend, on sunday, there are elections in Germany, which will be incredibly tense. The oppposition (conservative Christdemocrats) seemed to be way ahead and a turnover of the government appeared to be already written history but just on the last few remaining days before the final vote people seem to turn back to the current government, which is embodied in the very poplular chancellor Gerhard Schröder. I guess it is more true to just capture that Germans are turning to Schröder rather than the red-green government. It is like trying to grasp for the lesser of the two evils and Schröder is still a more favoured chancellor than Angela Merkel. So quite a conflict of actually wanting to see a change in the way politics are run in the country but also not really happy about the consequence of Angela Merkel as new chancellor. I will be following the last days with high interest and amusement.

Starting at the DPWN in Bonn

After some one-month great chilled time in Budapest, I arrived back to Bonn last week. The city welcomed me with wonderful late summer warm days which hopefully are still remaining until next week and a great relaxed atmosphere – musicians playing Jazz on the streets, heaps of street cafes and a couple of new ones at every corner. And the Hofgarten, which is a park right next to the old university building, was filled with people playing soccer, Frisbee, Bongo or Diabolo. The Biergärten have probably their last days before they close down.

After some “super-intense-4-day-power-cleaning” back in my old apartment (I had different people living there during the time I spent in Rotterdam) I started my first day of work in DPWN/DHL yesterday. For the next 6 months I will be working on the area of Diversity ;) DPWN is building up this new department and topic globally and I have the opportunity to accompany and support the development and implementation of that issue. It fits perfectly with the topic of my thesis which I still have to write for graduation.

The building is the highest of the city and is also called Post Tower. It is right next to the huge park "Rheinauen" so its great for a relaxed lunch break in the park at the lake, wathcing the ducks :) The building is that modern that I had to learn how to use the water tab in restrooms, or the high speed transparent elevator. Right now DWPN has around 26 trainees working for them and there are more people about to come, like my last years collegues from AI, Amit and Rajiv.