Happy New Year 2011 from LONDON

Yesss, rather unexpectedly I am celebrating in LONDON, this time!

...not too bad after all - I can defnitely not complain :-)))

I think I posted this video-link on here before ... a few days ago I came across it and thought: this cannot be posted often enough - what a joy watching this video:

Everybody is Free

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfq_A8nXMsQ&feature=related

2010 was a splendid year for me - I hope you've all enjoyed your 2010 as much as I did and look very much forward to another prosperous, healthy, successful, lucky, rocking, shining, rewarding 2011!!

I've started a new era in my life - going back to University, starting my Postgraduate Studies in the UK ... after completing an amazing gap year that has brought me masses of eye-opening situations and new experiences

**thank you all, for being part of it**

As this year turns to an end (doing a European Studies program and living together with friends from emerging countries), I've thought a lot about what it means to hold the European citizenship - how many hard-working people out there are eagerly trying to get one, risking their lives, getting involved in illegal activities, investing huge amounts of money, taking up immense efforts ... motivated "just" by the prospect of becoming a citizen of the European Union. 

It makes me think and realize even more how lucky I am to be citizen of Austria's welfare state. Being able to complete such an expensive education is definitely a privilege and even more so, when I compare it to all those, belonging to the 82% of the world's population who are not as lucky as me to be born in a "first world country" (as much as I dislike this phrase - sorry for using it).

Most EU-citizens that I know are not even fully aware of the fact that they hold one, much less what it means ... free movement of people, labour, money, goods and services are just a few of the most obvious aspects! 
That war amongst EU-member countries has become unthinkable, is another great achievement! Have we ever really imagined what it might mean to grow up and live in a place where peace, justice and fair treatment of humanity is just not here...

Let us be a bit more grateful for what we have got!!

Happy New Year 2011 from London ;-)

X-MAS 2010 in LONDON

Hello everybody,

I hope you're all doing well and are not stuck somewhere in airports or trainstations!!!

Well, my plans to spend Christmas with my family and party for New Year in Austria have changed on Sunday, December 19...the day I was supposed to fly from London Heathrow to Vienna International Aiport. So far so good. 

But: most of you might have heard/experienced the chaos that severe weather conditions in many parts of Europe have caused: Heathrow (amongst the most important travel hubs in the world!!) and Gatwick Airports shut down for a few days, Eurostar trains were suspended for a couple of days and many motorways in England were not passable, similarly - public transport in Great Britain experienced severe delays and complete failures respectively. 

When I tried to get to Heathrow on Sunday, I was told I can take the Tube since the ExpressTrain wasn't working. Alright - half way there it was announced "This service will stop here. Sorry for any inconvenience caused." 

Okidoki ... back in Paddington Station, the Heathrow Express has reopened - although the Airport is allegedly closed *What the F...*

I called Austrian Airlines - in Vienna and in London, I called Heathrow Airport ... the same story everywhere ... answering machine told me that all the lines are busy at the moment. "Someone will be with you shortly" *aaargh*

The ones taking it easy was my family ... thank you so much for being with me on the phone ;-))

...and, it was good to curse in Styrian-Austrian ;-))

So, this is how it came that I will spend Christmas 2010 in London and dance into 2011 in this amazing metropole!

Thinking about it, I guess I am a lot better off than all those people who are stuck in the airport for days. After all, I can stay with my friend in the heart of London - Covent Garden and enjoy the X-Mas season in this amazing city. I am cooking hot mulled wine (yesss, our famous Austrian Glühwein), and baking some sweets (aka Blätterteigtascherl and the like!), enjoying the snow, free museums and beautiful walks along the Thames River. 

In January I will go back to Bath to complete my two last essays for this semester... Funky Backpacker's here I come again ;)

So, let's try my luck to go back to my home country in one month then!! ... January 17, 2011 it is :-)

Merry Christmas from the newest Londoner :-))

Christmas Feeling in England

 WeihnachtsShopping in der Oxford Street, London

Es ist soweit - das erste Semester meines Masterstudiums ist quasi vorüber - ich muss im Jänner noch 2 Essays schreiben, wozu ich allerdings in Österreich sein werde!

Drei Monate voller "Food for Thought" also praktisch "Denkanstöße", interessanter Vorlesungen und Seminare, Oropax als essentielles Accessoir, Spaß und Action, Nächte in der Bibliothek, Cider-Getränk mit chips&cheese, Schlangestehen, Gelächter und nächtliche Showeinlagen im "Caesar Salad" (so heißt mein Zimmer, dass ich mir mit 7! andern teile die aus allen Winkeln dieser Erde kommen und meine Alltag immens bereichern), gratis Panninis im Funky Backpacker's, wöchentlicher London-Trips und vieles mehr ...

...gehen zu Ende!

Ich bin nach wie vor total begeistert von meinem Studium und froh, diese Entscheidung getroffen zu haben. Ich konnte wahnsinnig viel dazulernen und das nicht nur bezüglich meines Studienfachs.

Tja, ich mach mich jetzt also mal ans Glühwein kochen - und packen, morgen gehts los nach LONDON und am Sonntag lande ich wieder in WIEN :-) 

Yousif+Family und Alle Neune - ich freu mich schon auf euch!! 

Horatiu, Bianca, Fruzsi see you all very soon ;)

Es war wunderbar - Bath und die vielen netten Leute, die ich hier kennen gelernt habe werd ich vermissen. Aber, auf geht's zu neuen Abenteuern - und davon warten schon genug :-)) 

Im FrühlingsSemester werde ich in Berlin an der Humboldt Uni sowie der Freien Universität Berlin studieren!

Vorerst mal:

Fröhliche Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch in ein erfolgreiches Jahr 2011!

Breakfast on a Monday Morning

Yep, after CreamTea and Cheesetoast ... Food for thought breakfast ;-))

PROJECT EUROPE 2030  ... challenges & opportunities

http://www.reflectiongroup.eu/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/reflection_en_web.pdf

Leise rieselt der Schnee...

Am Freitag war's mal wieder soweit: die zweite Seminararbeit war um 16:00 faellig!! Ach du meine Guete das war diesmal was...

Ich hab ueber das Wiederaufleben der rechtsextremen Parteien in Westeuropa seit den 1980er Jahren geschrieben. Ganz besonders hab ich dabei natuerlich Oesterreich ins Visier genommen und mit Schweden verglichen - ich hab wahnsinnig viel gelernt ... ueber Oesterreich und unsre eigene oesterreichische Geschichte und hab natuerlich auch sehr sehr viele Ideen dazu!

Allerdings bin ich ein bissl grantig weil ich das Gefuehl hab, meine Ideen und Argumente nicht so niederschgeschrieben zu haben wie ich mir das vorgestellt haette :-(( *aaaargh*

Anyways, ich hab also um sieben Minuten nach vier meine Arbeit ageschickt und als ich die Bibliothek verlasse ... schneit's draussen!!

Juhuuu - ich konnt es selbst gar nicht glauben, das ist aeusserst ungewoehnlich fuer Bath :-)

.... es tat sooo gut die kuehle Luft einzuatmen, ueber das beleuchtete Bath zu schauen und mir bewusst zu machen: it's over - the essay is handed in *clear cut* 

 ... sooo merkwuerdig, bis zur letzten Minute hinzuarbeiten, 5 Tage in der Bibliothek zu verbringen, sieben Stunden lang nix zu essen vor lauter lesen/ausbessern/letzte Details und dann ganz ploetzlich von einer Minute auf die andere ist alles vorbei!!!

Ich hab dann meine Studienkollen in der Students Union Bar am Campus getroffen - wir haben unsre blauen Kapuzenpullis und -westen bekommen ... mit dem Euromaster Logo drauf ;-))

Die Uni-eigene Radiostation hat Musik aufgelegt ... ein gemuetlicher Abend! Und dann zu Fuss den Huegel runter ... ein guter Wochenausklang!

Rise of right-wing populist parties...

...and sentiments within EU-countries...

Link to: Financial Times Article

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/fd54377c-f104-11df-bb17-00144feab49a,dwp_uuid=03d100e8-2fff-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8,print=yes.html


...implictions of this development??!

- I'm indeed interested in any comments!

SOUTHWEST ENGLAND

Juhuuu - eine Woche lang keine Vorlesungen! Geri kommt mich für 4 Tage in England besuchen und ich treff ihn am Abend in Bristol am Flughafen :-)

Dort holen wir auch sogleich unser Mietauto ab und Geri kurvt gleich ganz bravourös auf der linken Seite der Straße!!

Die erste Nacht verbringen wir in Bristol City - nachdem wir durch einen deutschen (!) Weihnachtsmarkt schlendern und in unserer Unterkunft eingecheckt haben geht's los: Pub Crawling ... yesss, von einer Lokalität zur nächsten *awesome*

Bristol - morning by the harbour

Durch die grüne Hügellandschaft geht's nach Stonehenge...

Our next stop: Salisbury

...a little old English town with the "highest cathedral - tower" in England

But - our real highlight comes at the end of the day: we get to the seaside!!!

We stay overnight in Exeter and discover the coast on Saturday ... nice fishing villages,  old castles in the middle of beautiful landscapes, sheep farms, deers and grey patrideges, Agatha Christie's hometown, afternoon tea, Cornish pasties and - of course: Fish & Chips as well as English Breakfast!!

It was a great trip!! *thank you, Geri*