Good things come in small boxes...

In Germany you apply for a job with a picture

2006-04-25T09:54:00.000Z

And since I am part German, here is Ben in a suit. My TicTac white teeth really match with my white in shape, yet not button down collar...would you hire me? I most certainly would! Right now I am really swamped with loads and loads of work. Final exams are coming up and tomorrow I have my second presentation for this term. Next week is another one, which seems to be tough, but we are a great team and things will work out just fine! In the meantime I am also working on the topic guide for my dissertation as well as some reports that have to be handed in within the next couple of days. This is really studying! Anyway, I managed to make room (or actually just took the time) for the job-hunt, which seems to drive everyone in school bananas at the moment. But I have a lot of pictures named me_in_suit.jpg or something like that, as well as an updated CV and I am designing cover letters for interesting and challenging work places. Sound good huh? Other than that I am looking forward to the summer and life out there. Realizing that I am about to write my last university exam, seeing everyone applying for jobs, marrying, giving birth or buying houses, fills me with excitement and happiness. Because I am ready to take the next steps...of course one step at the time!

Astrid in London

2006-04-08T11:56:00.000Z

Hello everyone! It has been a while since I have managed to update my Blog, but you know how it is...
So meanwhile I had some visitors from Germany here. Jan and Mert came from Cologne for one weekend and then there was Daniel from Cologne as well. He was here with his Girlfriend. But while she wanted to see the Phantom of the Opera, he decided to meet me and we went to the Hayward Gallery to see the Dan Flavin Installations, which I enjoyed a lot. Back then I didn't really take any pictures, but this time I did. Astrid came from Bonn for the weekend and here is what we did:
Day one was at Brick Lane and the Old Spitalfields Market.
Astrid's plan was to buy some presents for some upcoming birthdays and other occasions...There was some nice stuff and it was hard to convince her of not buying too many things for herself (well that was what she asked me to do in the first place)
Later that day we went to the British Museum. For some reason we did get to the Museum pretty late and some wings already closed upon our arrival. Anyway, we saw what people come to see at the British Museum: The Rosetta Stone (and of course the Toilets and the coffee place). But what is the Rosetta Stone? Well, it is a stone with writing on it in two languages. These two languages are Egyptian and Greek, and three scripts have been used, i.e. hieroglyphic, demotic and Greek. But why is it in three different scripts you might ask yourself. The Rosetta Stone was written in three different scripts because when it was written, there were three scripts being used in Egypt..."The more you know"
You ca n see me trying to steel the Rosetta Stone on the third picture in the museum.

Day two was when we went first went to Battersea Park with Alex. It was extremely sunny and everybody cheered up. If you take a close look I think you can see a rainbow making his way from behind these two happy faces!
So here we are at the Battersea Park. After that we went to the Tate Britain on the other side of the river. Unfortunately they closed 15 minutes after we got there. But from our British Museum experience Astrid and me were very familiar with the shooing out of the gallery by a huge number of employees. But take a look at the park it was really beautiful!

This is already day three. Astrid, Alex and me went to the Columbia Flower Market. It was very colourful and extremely packed. If you want to buy flowers on a Sunday you should definitely come here! Variety is great and prices are unbeatably low. If you are not into shopping for flowers you may enjoy all these little boutiques and art galleries situated along and around the market. You might also just buy a loaf of crusty dark rye bread...almost like Germany!

At this point Astrid is already heading back home. We had such a great time! Whatever is not on the pictures was great too: Extended breakfast sessions, great dinner at home with some friends, Camden Market and so on, and so on...

On the last two pictures you can see unattended luggage in the tube and us pretty blurred due to the enormous speed of the London Underground, just as they claim: Nothing beats the tube!

British Museum

2006-03-10T09:25:00.000Z

Ok ok here is the story. Max told me he read about this "must-be-amazing" exhibition called Dragon & Dog in the British Museum. This was one of the many things to do or see during the past weeks here in London, while everything was about China. Well I agreed to go and thought it is an opportunity to finally see the British Museum as well. Up on arrival we had to ask for this special exhibition and the girl at the counter seemed a bit irritated, but led us into The Great Court, which you can see on the smaller pictures that I uploaded here. It is really impressive! Anyway, when we finally got to that special exhibition we found that it was not what we expected... a few drawing tables, crayons, markers and wax crayons together with some black and white colour-them-yourself copies of Dogs, Dragons and all the other zodiac signs they have in China...and on top: it was for kids and the supervising girl laughed at us when she understood that we actually came for that one. After colouring our zodics we took a walk through the other exhibition halls, which was more motivating than what we came for in the first place.

Here you see some kids at the children's activity in a Museum and on the last picture you see more of China in London. This picture was taken somewhere in Zone 3 and they still participated!

Things to do in London in one single day...

2006-02-22T17:37:00.000Z

OK, ok China is in London now and therefore many events and exhibitions from, around and about China are available to the public at the moment and most are for free, which is great for us students here.
We started our day by going to The Three Emperors exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. It is a really great exhibition and I remembered most of the stuff from my classes at the University of Cologne and reading Jonathan D. Spence "The Search for Modern China", gosh I loved that book! Anyway after room three of 157 we were all a little bit exhausted and overwhelmed by all the information given on details regarding the palace culture and so forth. On the following pictures you see us after we saw the whole lot of it in front of the Royal Academy of Arts. It was the three of us Kuki, Max and me. (Please keep scrolling and reading...)
After the Royal Academy of Arts we were really hungry and actually we sort of got lost on our way to The Red Mansion Foundation. Suddenly we were and Hanover Square and discovered this health conscious Japanese fast food restaurant, targeting most of the busy office crowd in that area. Food is good and the prices are reasonable.

While searching The Red Mansion, where they were supposed to have some Chinese pop art on display we crossed the Burberry Passage and took a look at the Liberty department store, which is said to be nicer than Harrods...hard to believe since it looks like these half-timbered constructions in the South of Germany.
Liberty is just across the Apple store on Regent street. We went there as well since we were in the neighbourhood. I wanted to check out the new Intel inside Mac laptops, but they only had them on photographs...

At this point we did some serious walking and were all grumpy and exhausted. But suddenly we reached Selfriges department store.They were also taking part in that China in London theme so they had some of their shop windows decorated by Chinese artists. Pretty colourful.
At Selfriges we got some Italian ice cream, which was pretty delicious for London and very common in Germany or Italy itself. We passed a beautiful building, which contains according to the sign The Wallace Collection (supposed to be the largest private art collection of some region...maybe the whole world?)

Unfortunately we could not really appreciate what was on display there...too much pomp and kitsch.
All three of us where happy to see the "OUT" sign soon after entering and we were still trying to find The Red Mansion Foundation, we are just way too much of Londoners so that we would never ask for directions or take a look at our A to Z guides.

Still on our way we entered St. James Church at the Spanish Place and got a quick impression of Roman Catholicism in London.
Finally we arrived at The Red Mansion Foundation and we saw some paintings by Feng Zhengjie. Below you may see a sample of one of his squinting women. The other sample is a photograph taken by Cui Xiuwen. Originally we wanted to go to the British Museum as well, there was supposed to be something called Dog and Dragon some artsy fartsy stuff about Chinese zodiac signs... It was too late for that, but we had a chance to see the beautiful Chinese lights around Oxford Circus.

Happy Birthday to me...suddenly brunch

2006-02-10T14:20:00.000Z

Waking up is hard to do...this is how Paul and me look in the morning after an eventful weekend. We are getting started for my Birthday brunch with the Young German Society London.

Thanks to Paul, Alex, Kuki, Kaya and some of Santa's little helpers, we were able to create some dishes from scratch just in time before the packs got here. I am so happy that you came and I am so grateful for all the help! Guys, you are great!

So much good food!

Here you see my friends. I guess everyone was happy that it was all about eating and food and eating and food, well and eating...and food!!!

And me unwrapping some gifts. Got some really good stuff!!! But I don't share my goodies.

It was an extremely long brunch. The last hardcore people only left because some of us went to see a movie around 8 pm.

I had a blast, thanks for coming!

Paul in London Day Three Morning Session

2006-02-10T13:22:00.000Z

After a night out we had the perfect hangover breakfast at Carluccio's in Angel... Posting all these pictures I realise that a lot is about food hmmmmm yumm yumm! And then I realise that I am a chain eater, meaning I go to all these places that have more than one outlet in the UK. Yes, all my eco-biological friends I eat in chains: Wagamama, Pizza Express, The Slug and Lettuce, Carluccio's, Busaba EatThai and so on...

Here's some food for thought: Having one outlet doesn't mean you are in danger regarding the big players who might kill the small businesses, but rather that small businesses which can expand must be running a successful concept, right? Class just started again this week, so I guess my brain is drifting back into all these business ideas bla, bla, bla.

Anyway, the food at Carluccio's is excellent. The service is outstanding for London and you are willing to pay for this brilliant Saturday morning package.

Paul in London Day Two Evening Session

2006-02-04T12:33:00.000Z

After some shopping (shoes for everyone) we went to have dinner at some Indian Hut around Piccadilly. Food was expensive and that's all I want say about it. Whenever I have a craving for this rich food again I want to go somewhere better! Any suggestions where to find good Indian food in London?

After dinner we took some tourist attraction pictures at Piccadilly Circus. That's us, Paul and me before I went back home and he went to see his colleagues one more time for another tradition: after work pub-crawl. I was getting ready for the night meaning meeting our friends and later Paul joined us clubbing. That was kind of my birthday warm-up thing I figured later...

Paul in London Day Two Morning Session

2006-02-03T16:17:00.000Z

Waking up at 7:00 am is not my favourite thing to do, but playing a perfect game of golf with Pauls former colleagues Pete and Andy was worth forcing myself out of bed, splashing boiling hot coffee into my face and wrapping myself up into my sporty outdoor outfit. The traditional breakfast afterwards was great too! Note to myself: Next time wear gloves!!! Freakin' freezin' cold! But fun, fun, fun!!!!!!!

I actually managed to get my balls into every bunker on the court: Now that is talent, huh? Oh btw I am talking GOLFballs.

Paul in London Day One

2006-02-03T11:44:00.000Z

Day One was dinner in Covent Garden, some window shopping and a lot of pre-musical drinks in two bars in Soho and the Theatre Bar as well. We saw The Woman in White - scary!!! Great voices, but the Cinema 2000 stage set-up and the booze made me feel pretty dizzy and nasty...

Thanks to my basic Photoshop skills, I don't look like Pocahontas or anything near the Asian Fever :)

Next time it will be Guys and Dolls then... London is great! Everything is right here, come and check it out!

Music for the Masses

2006-01-30T13:02:00.000Z

Kelly Osbourne One Word

Music Videos And Lyrics On Demand

Happy Chinese New Year! Woof woof Bark bark Hong hong!

2006-01-29T22:27:00.000Z

!i!Happy Chinese New Year!i!

The amazing thing about London is the availability of things and the willingness to celebrate. The big Chinese community in London celebrated the year of the dog with traditional dragon dances, juggling, music, speeches and daytime fireworks. This can be seen on the next two pictures. On the bigger one to the left you can also see my friend Kuki who provided most of the pictures from that event. The scary part is all the fumes, the smoke and the dust (anyone? dust!) which made it hard to see the play of colours, yet realise how much of the fumes are inhaled if it was a night time thing and you just don't see it...iihhhhhhhh! Health conscious me moving on: After our minor smoke poisoning we decided to indulge ourselves in some of the great food offered all around China Town. Getting to that "best in town" Chinese bakery in the heart of China Town took us ridiculous 45 minutes due to the crowds surrounding us. And what is it with babies in their strollers (I mean pushchair as the British call it) during events like that? Poor toddlers!

Anyway, food was delicious and of course super greasy, but hey isn't that what Chinese food is famous for? After stuffing our faces we tried to move away from the masses, dancing with more dragons, squeezing through the police forces and after some of us went home to study (what else?) the leftover decided to take a walk down to Southbank via Westminster Bridge where we met Marco who is in none of these pictures due to his hardcore hangover from the night before: It is not only for his but your best! Later that day we ended up having dinner at the Wagamama outlet near the Royal Festival Hall.

Below to your left: Who grins like a Cheshire Cat? It is Ali and me...actually I am more like the Manekineko Cat! On the right: China Town.

Below you see Kaya, my friend from Canada. Max in the middle and once more Kuki from China. They all form the SOAS elite including Ali of course!!! On the next one there is Max and me near the stage where they made sure that all of us may become prosperous (Gung hay fat choy in Cantonese) ...hopefully!

On the last picture there is the whole bunch except Kuki who took that one. We all turned Japanese! You see from left to right: Kaya, DanaE from Germany, Cat from Canada, Max, me and Alex (who doesn't seem to approve of being Japanese now...)

Bananas Happens!

2006-01-27T13:24:00.000Z

...and the SHH*** is bananas...

OK kids: here's the story of a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls all of them had hair of gold, like their mother.The youngest one in curls. Here's the story of a man named Brady who was living with three boys of his own. They were four men living all together yet they were all alone No, but seriously: What a stupid thing to happen! Last night I left my house in London at 6 p.m. in order to get to the airport where the plane was leaving at 9 p.m. They say it is a 45 minute journey door to door...pah! After my train suddenly stopped in the middle of nowhere for almost half an hour, they suddenly decided to make an announcement - finally! Saying that "some incident happened" and we are supposed to wait a little longer. Probably someone parked their car on the rails? Who knows? After some more waiting I was still relaxed as I planned this little extra time for the trip already (we know the system, right?) Then we rolled into some upcountry joke of a train station "Bishops Stortford" where we were asked to wait for further instructions how to get to the airport. Great was that the idea of getting substitute busses must have been developed a while after we were already waiting for things to happen. Good job! And taxis were just not available. After approximately an hour in the cold the first bus got there and drove us to the airport. It was 8:40 p.m. when I got there and of course my gate was closed and they knew what happened but guess it wouldn't be a great deal. So I spoke to a lady at one of the counters. She was asking for my ID in order to check if I can get on the next plane in the morning. Then of course there was no access to the system and nothing could be checked booked or confirmed! Excellent! She apologised and only confirmed one thing: Due to all the small-prints I couldn't claim back any money from anyone, but the taxes of the flights which I am not using should be refunded, that's kind of the work in progress at the moment...she apologised (is that actually a British thing? Doing things terribly bad organisation-wise and then just apologise?) Anyway, when I got back home to my flat here in London it was almost the same time my plane was supposed to touch down in Cologne - funny...NOT! Well after unpacking I realized that I didn't get back my ID and my face went all like E. Munch's "Der Schrei"! What can I say? Britain, Britain, Britain...! Or maybe: Ben, Ben, Ben?!? Next time Germany is still uncertain. Take care all my friends!

Cookies' Birthdayparty

2006-01-27T12:32:00.000Z

This is the German Society of London at Cookies' Birthday Party, unfortunately I don't have a picture of her (???) But here you see Marco and me, then Ali and me. On the third picture from left to right you see: Eva, Max, bits and pieces of Dunia, Marco and Alex (aka Ali). Last one is Max and Marcus. Germany rules haha! Great guys and great party! I presented myself with really bad manners after sleeping only 2 hours the night before due to the final report (see the preceding post) and that just made me very hyper...almost going haywire! Later, after sobering up I learned that people perceived me as Ting Tong the Thai Geisha (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=_AQvqsZFgDY) which I think is just hysterical! Go check it out! And next time when you are with me: Stop me! Haha ha

Mission Accomplished!!!

2006-01-27T10:52:00.000Z

The first term is over and we all made it! Hope our results will be satisfying for all...Next term starts February 6th and I guess everyone in my team and in the University enjoys this short break now. From right to left in the first picture you see: Hamza, the Moroccan guy. Skills: Dancing high on Martini around women as if they were a strip pole (US tourists preferred), a great deal of advertising knowledge from his work in client service at Leo Burnett. Next in line is Stacey from Pocatello, Idaho NOT Pocahontas, Iowa(!) She is super smart! Her skills go beyond any companies expectations: smart fast and alert. BTW she is looking for a job at the moment... Then there is Eva from Greece: The best! Propellant: Coffee, coffee, coffee! She is clever and kind, the glue that keeps the group together and the one I am deeply bonding with. Talk to her if you get a chance, she knows very much about life, although she just turned 23...I can't help but wonder :) The only thing remaining to say: Go Team Rocket!

Exciting study period...take two! aka who's the geek with the glasses?!?

2006-01-20T18:30:00.000Z

I love my blog! So I am here after finishing my first exam today... Next one is Monday. If I manage to memorise everything that's in these two excellent books it should be all jingle-bell! My friends are going out for drinks tonight and ask me to join them. It is really tempting especially because it feels like I haven't been out for ever! Well, well let's see how I will do with my revision today. I have turned into a real stay-at-home, that is a homeboy for my American friends! Anyway, the other day I ended up doing my grocery shopping online. It is really convenient and they offer great deals. So if you do the right "buy-one-get-one-free" choices the delivery fee goes down to zero...yes I did my maths! I also ordered a new kettle since ours broke last night. I did that with tschibo, the great German everything seller. What's next? I was already thinking of jewellery from TV?!? All these new ways to shop and you end up never leaving the house again. But not me. Germany may expect me to visit on the 26. of January for the weekend. It is more like a business trip, so I already apologise in advance to those I won't be able to see this time :( For those who'd like to know: the exam today went pretty ok. I should have past at least... Ok, back to my books now. Take care and be good. Love some of you a lot and most others I don't mind! Ben*

Exciting study period

2006-01-08T22:23:00.000Z

Hi to the world outside... I didn't leave my house all day today, because I was working on my University projects. This is a screenshot of my computer. All the excitement of one day in one picture! Anyway, just a few more days. Really looking forward to early February when my friend will visit me in London! Ok, ok I should get going...take care all of you and I hope your days are more diverse than mine. Oh, if you click on the image it will enlarge. Toodles, Brit-Ben

Happy New Years!

2006-01-02T05:15:00.000Z

Tate Modern...

2006-01-02T04:53:00.000Z

Back in the Big Smoke

2006-01-02T04:36:00.000Z

While dreaming of a white Christmas we ended up having a white New Years. Take a look at the garden. My my very good friend Caroline came from Romania and we met James who came over from Bangkok, we went to a bar in Waterloo.

More Christmas more parties

2006-01-02T04:28:00.000Z

My last night out with the gang...funny all bars in Bonn just look alike... First picture shows Juliane, Paul and Christine brother and sisters.

On the other one you see Steffi, Paul, Viki, me and Christine...felt like a never ending night! Yet comfortably numb.

Meet the Foecklers

2006-01-02T04:18:00.000Z

On the first day of Christmas I was invited to my second home in Bonn... experiencing life rock directly from the choir book by mother and daughter. Inbetween we were stuffing our faces with food, food, and more food; playing great games and unwrapping more gifts...
I had a blast!!!

Christmas after the service

2006-01-02T04:08:00.000Z

These two pictures show Ying and Yang after church! Left: Sebastian, his sister Stephanie and me and on top the triplets: Mareike, Fabian and Astrid; some of my closest friends.

2nd round Germany, now in Bonn

2006-01-02T03:58:00.000Z

The night(s) out in Bonn! Everyone inside the red line are part of the class of 1999, meaning we all went to highschool together. The others I don't know...

Then we have Christine, me and Philipp on the next one and on the last one there is Christine, Steffi and Isa, just before the lights went on again. Haven't seen most of them for ages, but Isa tops it all: Didn't see her for 5 years, wow!

First trip Cologne - London

2006-01-02T02:51:00.000Z

Hey hey, happy new year to all of you! What a trip, what an amazing Christmas...

I was very happy to meet my old friends from the
University of Cologne again, after they had all been to China for the past year. Top left (from left to right) Steff, me and Daniel.

Left again are my friends
Simon and Mert.

Last one on the left:
Gregor, his girlfriend Charly, and Bina.

Below to your right my Mom on our road trip to the UK. After arriving in Calais.

On the right it is me waiting to board the ferry to Dover

Last one on the right: We made it to London! Mom on one of the Nothern Line escalators on our way to Angel Highstreet. No Harrods due to diligent traffic wardens who clammed our car in the morning, thats why we spent some time queueing at the council to pay the fee, instead of shopping in the Knightsbridge area...but it is totally out of question what is nicer, right? "NEXT!"

Going home for Christmas

2005-12-19T13:36:00.000Z

This is one of my homes: Cologne! And this is where I will be from tonight. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Take care, don't get mugged and remember: always wear comfortable shoes - ALWAYS!

dinner with emma bunton... or just a regular night out in london hahaha

2005-12-19T12:39:00.000Z

We all went to have dinner at Wagamana in Angel. You will see some of my Thai friends here and we are there to celebrate P'Nuchs graduation (the one next to me on the picture below to your left). Our special guest was Emma Bunton, who you can see to your left...what a nice girl! On the right is Som and me.Actually we just met that day, but turns out we have many mutual friends back home in the City of Angels - what a small world! Anyway we all had a great evening. And take a look at the kitsch-yet-beautiful Christmas lighting on the Islington Green near my house...

I had a haircut...finally

2005-12-08T20:33:00.000Z

Hi there! Here are the pictures that I promised to post. I am very happy about my new haircut... Didn't get much sleep last night, because I finished one of the projects for university... Still nothing much happens here lately. Anyway, here are the pictures

Downtown London

2005-12-07T20:34:00.000Z

While I am already at it: Here are some London by night pictures. The first one is me, Ben, in front of Big Ben. I disguised myself as a Japanese tourist as you can see from my hands and fingers.

The small picture shows Tower Bridge and on the last one it is me, about to enter China Town. Oh by the way, for all of you having an opinion on my hair, I have an appointment with my hairdresser tomorrow. So come here and check out the before and after pictures!

This is where I live

2005-12-07T19:38:00.000Z

On the left you see the open kitchen in our lounge. It is a really great flat! I am happy to live here. On the right is my room.

Left: the lounge from the other side. Behind that door there is our garden.
Right: My bathroom. Luckily no carpet in there!

Left and right: Both my first room, when I just moved in. I just found a new flatmate for this room. His name is Abel and he is from Brazil. He is an architect and just like me, also a student at the moment. It is a great double room and has a huge bathroom...

...this is the bathroom. The last picture to your right shows the view outside my bedroom and into the garden. On the fence there is my friend the little squirrel-monster. When I am not that busy with all the course-work in my university, I would be happy to see some of my friends here soon...who's that?!?

Bye bye dinner for Ronja at Isarn Restaurant in London/Islington

2005-12-07T19:18:00.000Z

...now Ronja is gone. What a sad goodbye! We had a great dinner at Isarn, a Thai restaurant in London/Islington, worth every penny: yummy!!! The service was only so so, meaning: crab! That is only in the front of the restaurant though, so next time we'll sit in the back!

Below you see Anna and Ronja, next time I count till three to avoid funky faces!

The main course...

And Amber and me: smart with glasses...

2005-12-03T13:06:00.000Z

Mike and Mandy my friends from university. Home Bar, what a great place, what a great party. More of my university friends were at Ronjas' farewell, but don't have their pictures yet. We had a blast...

2005-12-03T12:47:00.000Z

My flatmate Ronja and her friend Anna on Ronjas' farewell party at Home Bar in Old Street, London. Ronja is moving to Auckland, New Zealand on Sunday. I took over her flat and still cast some people who want to move in. Will upload some pictures of my new place soon.

...::ben benz bench bender bentobox::...

2005-12-02T11:44:00.000Z

so this is my blogg. welcome all and may the force be with you