Back to the Beginnings: Trip with the GTZ Interns to Brussels

And yes, we did it. Organised by some heroes of organisation, about 45 GTZ interns left Frankfurt early on Wednesday morning and headed towards Brussels to explore the European institutional environment. Political foundations, the European Commission and leading NGOs were just waiting for us to inform about their work and the (admittedly currently very limited) job opportunities.
Travelling by coach and having a common schedule sometimes felt like a journey back to the days of class trips in middle school, but was a great experience once again. And the Belgian beer at night time (certainly in combination with discussions on the highest academic level possible) proved the point that we left the times of infancy behind.

To get some visual impressions, click on the "Read More"-Link below:

Push the reset button: This is what it is all about

True. This blog did not present itself as a very active platform in the recent past. But this can change and believe me, they will change.
For the past three years this blog gave me the possibility to share my life with you from and to all the places all over the world where you and I spent our times. I appreciated your comments, your interest and your curiousity, used your remarks as point of departure for reflections and was always sure that someone was with me - maybe not physically, but in mind. Thank you for your support, my friends and family.

Inspired by others, friends and people I admire for what they do, I decided now to slighty change the meaning of this blog and the intenions behind my posts. While I continue with writing about my life, I want to add (or rather stress) a second aspect this blog shall (thanks to web 2.0) be used to.
I want to use it as a tool to discuss what is going on, in your city, in my city, in your world, in my world, in your mind, in my mind.....in our minds and our world. I will post stuff I read, I hear about, I think about, hoping that you will share yours with me as well.... I am longing to hear and read what you think, what you like and dislike...let us all discuss to understand better and hence to get the possibility to make the better decision.
It is something like producing new knowlegde, widening our horizon and not just relaxing in our tiny little bubble...
It is something about our responsibility for this world where we coincidentally all were born on and where no one, indeed NO ONE, is better or worse than anyone else.

Let's go for the change. And let's have fun, 'cause thinking and discussing, being aware, does not mean not to have fun. Hanging out with friends and family, partying and enjoying life is a MUST and I never ever want to miss it, but being aware at the same time opens space for others who might not have the possibility yet to live a life they deserve. And never forget to laugh!

So go for it, share the word and discuss the sense and non-sense of the world we live in! And have fun by doing it!

Does that sound a bit weird? Hahaha, oh yes, it does and it is hard to express myself only in words. But you all know me and you know what I want to say :)

And yes, I do keep this blog mainly in English, BUT please feel always free to comment in German or ask for clarification. And in case that I might post in German since it makes more sense once in a while, please, English speaking friends, ask for translation. Language should not limit, but increase our possibilities. I don't wanna miss your input due to such barriers.

Snapshot(s)

No Integration, but Expansion?
The Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) will remain as a single institution. While the FDP would have preferred to integrate the BMZ into the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs (AA), argued the CDU/CSU that the significance and importance of the BMZ is too high to just let it go. Instead they even started discussing to extend the BMZ mandate by for example putting a stronger focus on the climate change-development nexus.
Click here to read more.
Apart from this, I am sorry to see the red Heidi going. She did coin the past 11 years of bilateral development cooperation between Germany and partners and the next minister has to struggle hard to catch up with her.