I have created a satellite map on Google of a few key places, including where I live and where I work. To see my map, follow this link:
http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?f=q&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&msa=0&msid=117221974372485362093.00000112f20fd6ca3cd4b&ll=51.451211,7.243684&spn=0.000789,0.002494&z=19
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Saturday, June 2, 2007
I'm on my way!
Well, it's now Saturday, and my flight was Thursday night. Much has happened since then, but I think my travel time deserves an entry of its own. So, here it is from the top:
Thursday morning (that's May 31st) I woke up very excited. I finished packing, went out for one last coffee with my mom and got all ready to go. At 3:00 my whole family set off to Pearson Airport to see me off. I've never been on an overseas flight before, so I was pretty excited. My flight was delayed by about an hour because of thunder storms. I was on a Lufthansa flight, about 7.5 hours long, with a window seat right over the wing. We left around 6:30 pm (Toronto time) and arrived at around 8:00 am (Frankfurt time). I tried to sleep on the flight, but with all of the movement and noise that was pretty difficult. So, I took advantage of the complimentary wine, enjoyed my tortellini dinner and watched the movie Freedom Writters (not the greatest movie in the world, but it passed the time). Because my flight was overnight, I got to experience the shortest night I've ever seen. I'm not sure how long it was dark, but I I know that the sun set right when we were starting over the ocean. I couldn't see much land because of the clouds, but I could watch our progress on the screen. I saw the most amazing sunset. I tried to take pictures, but they don't begin to do it justice. By the time we arrived I was really looking forward to getting out and stretching my legs. Landing was pretty fun. As we descended I got my first view of Germany and I took lots of pictures. I'm still not sure what river I was seeing, but it was beautiful, and the fields looked very different from the ones in Canada. In the airport I started feeling a little lost and confused, but at least there were still English signs and announcements. I ended up going through the wrong customs line, but he just stamped my passport anyway. I was expecting to be among a big crowd of people who had just gotten off my flight, but of all the people on that plane it seems that only a handful were actually going to Frankfurt. The vast majority were catching connecting flights. I kept thinking I was going the wrong way because no one else was going the same way as me. But once I finally got my luggage I felt a lot better. I got a train ticket to Dortmund and struggled with their complicated pay phones to phone Jens (whose name I badly mispronounced) to tell him when I would be at the train station. After further confusion on the train, which was kindly cleared up by some very friendly German people, I was meeting Jens at the station, absolutely exhausted but very happy to be there.
Thursday morning (that's May 31st) I woke up very excited. I finished packing, went out for one last coffee with my mom and got all ready to go. At 3:00 my whole family set off to Pearson Airport to see me off. I've never been on an overseas flight before, so I was pretty excited. My flight was delayed by about an hour because of thunder storms. I was on a Lufthansa flight, about 7.5 hours long, with a window seat right over the wing. We left around 6:30 pm (Toronto time) and arrived at around 8:00 am (Frankfurt time). I tried to sleep on the flight, but with all of the movement and noise that was pretty difficult. So, I took advantage of the complimentary wine, enjoyed my tortellini dinner and watched the movie Freedom Writters (not the greatest movie in the world, but it passed the time). Because my flight was overnight, I got to experience the shortest night I've ever seen. I'm not sure how long it was dark, but I I know that the sun set right when we were starting over the ocean. I couldn't see much land because of the clouds, but I could watch our progress on the screen. I saw the most amazing sunset. I tried to take pictures, but they don't begin to do it justice. By the time we arrived I was really looking forward to getting out and stretching my legs. Landing was pretty fun. As we descended I got my first view of Germany and I took lots of pictures. I'm still not sure what river I was seeing, but it was beautiful, and the fields looked very different from the ones in Canada. In the airport I started feeling a little lost and confused, but at least there were still English signs and announcements. I ended up going through the wrong customs line, but he just stamped my passport anyway. I was expecting to be among a big crowd of people who had just gotten off my flight, but of all the people on that plane it seems that only a handful were actually going to Frankfurt. The vast majority were catching connecting flights. I kept thinking I was going the wrong way because no one else was going the same way as me. But once I finally got my luggage I felt a lot better. I got a train ticket to Dortmund and struggled with their complicated pay phones to phone Jens (whose name I badly mispronounced) to tell him when I would be at the train station. After further confusion on the train, which was kindly cleared up by some very friendly German people, I was meeting Jens at the station, absolutely exhausted but very happy to be there.
The two photo abulms flight and train ride can be found by clicking these links:
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Yet another obstacle overcome
Again my trip was threatened... but (thank God!) everything has worked out once again! Nothing can stand in my way now!
It seems that there is a small abnormality with my thyroid. It's nothing serious to my health, but it could have meant a serious delay to my trip. Thankfully, my wonderful doctor told me this morning that I don't need any more tests and I'm set to go! Ffffewww, what a relief. I can't tell you how glad I'll be to get on that plane tomorrow!
It seems that there is a small abnormality with my thyroid. It's nothing serious to my health, but it could have meant a serious delay to my trip. Thankfully, my wonderful doctor told me this morning that I don't need any more tests and I'm set to go! Ffffewww, what a relief. I can't tell you how glad I'll be to get on that plane tomorrow!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Passport!
Yaay!
After many weeks and a whole bunch of correspondence with my MP's office, I finally have my passport! Now nothing can keep me from Germany. I can't believe how difficult it was to get that passport. With the new US border laws, the waiting time was up to 9 weeks by the time I submitted my application, and up to 10 weeks a couple of days later. What I really love is that once it's submitted, there's no way to check on it without causing more delay. Man, you have to wonder why they bother with a tracking system in the first place. But I wrote to my MP, Dr. Ruby Dhalla, and she and her wonderful staff managed to sort it out for me. Thanks Donna!! I am so relieved. I am now the proud owner of one Canadian passport!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
My upcoming trip
Hi everyone!
As many of you know, I have been granted a RISE internship for this summer. So, I'll be spending June, July and August in Dortmund, Germany, working as an intern at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics. I'm extremely excited! I just got a new camera for the trip. That means lots and lots of pictures. I know it's still over a month away, but I thought it couldn't hurt to get this blog going now. Keep a look out for pictures and posts about my trip at the beginning of June. I can't wait!!
As many of you know, I have been granted a RISE internship for this summer. So, I'll be spending June, July and August in Dortmund, Germany, working as an intern at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics. I'm extremely excited! I just got a new camera for the trip. That means lots and lots of pictures. I know it's still over a month away, but I thought it couldn't hurt to get this blog going now. Keep a look out for pictures and posts about my trip at the beginning of June. I can't wait!!
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