Edinburgh

25-March-2007

Just spent a wonderful weekend in Edinburgh with Sarah and Gavin. After battling for three weeks to try and make myself understood in mixture of broken German and English
it was quite a treat to be able to just walk into a pharmacy and state "Hi! I need contact solution. Do you have XYZ brand? You do? Great! I'll take 10 because I'll never be able to find them in Germany." Do you know I still haven't figured out where exactly they actually sell contact solution in Germany? I think it might be the Apotheka, but honestly I'm not sure. And I haven't seen it anywhere in the the stores when I've gone in hunting for medicine for "mein Kalt."

But it was a great weekend away, probably just at the right time for me too since my air shipment has just been released from customs this week (I finally have a mattress to sleep on!). It was a full weekend of walking, talking, enjoying good wine and spectacular company. From the sight of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat to the great conversation over a cup of tea I couldn't have asked for a better getaway weekend.


Possibly one of the more interesting things I saw this weekend was actually at Rosslyn Chapel (yes Da Vinci Code fans, that Rosslyn Chapel). Check out this photo of the Apprentices Pillar. Apparently the story (and it's supposedly true), is that the master carver created this pillar as an homage to God, but before he carved the second pillar he went off to gain inspiration from the world around him. While he was gone, the Apprentice was struck with a flash of insight from God and began carving this incredible pillar.

Well when the Master stone mason returned from his pilgrimage to find inspiration from God, he was so incensed by the beauty of the Apprentice's carving that he immediately bludgeoned him to death and was tried and convicted of the murder of the Apprentice by the local townspeople.







And here are some other cool pictures from Rosslyn:

By far one of the best signs I have ever seen in my life.
So the other stop we made, besides Rosslyn Chapel and the Castle in Edinburgh

Sarah and I

was to the school that Sarah is working for, take a look:

Yes, that's right, Sarah works at Hogwarts. You heard it here folks, my best friend from college works at the magical world of Hogwarts, well at least for the next few weeks. So all kidding aside, this is a school in Edinburgh called Fettes. It's where Tony Blair when to high school and it actually was the inspiration for JK Rowling when she was writing the Harry Potter books. Pretty cool, huh?

And finally a few more cool pictures from my visit:

Random stream in the middle of Edinburgh

View over the city


Looking down on the City from the Castle Wall

The Castle

Finding comfort food in Frankfurt

Somehow I've managed to locate the German version of Macaroni and Cheese. Don't ask me how, but at the restaurant next door to my hotel I ordered the most comforting food I could have possibly found in Frankfurt after my first day on my own. Kase Spaetzl. Yes that's right. German Mac'n'Cheese. Delicious and comforting and the sheer amount of fat and carbs in that plate of cheezy goodness put me to sleep faster than any sleeping pill I could have ever taken. Gotta love Mac'n'Cheese. In all it's forms, it's always the perfect food. . .

First Day at the Office

1-March-2007

It was officially my first day of work. I met my team, started getting settled in and of course continued battling jet lag.

It was a great first day though. Fairly low-key, but still packed full of meetings and meeting people. And I also found out that not only will I be running the World Wide Duty Free business for Philip Morris, but I also get the chance help out with regional coordination in the EEMA (Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region. Very interesting stuff for me given how much is happening in that part of the world.

Anyway, all very exciting on the business front.

And then on the personnel front, I've gone from often being the only woman in meetings to being surrounded by fantastic women. Or so they seem as of right now. Three really great women. It's a fun change as far as I can tell.

But can I even begin to explain how strange it is to suddenly be the boss of a team of six people. Strange. I got some good advice from a colleague of mine here because I expressed a little apprehension about suddenly being in this position. After telling me they wouldn't have brought me in if I couldn't do it, she said, and I believe her exact words were, "Fake it until you make it."

So here it goes . . . .

First Impressions

March 28, 2007


Once I finally made it out of bed, I spent the day wandering the city and trying to find a few things to put into my new apartment and also replace some of the electric items I couldn't bring with me to Germany.

With the guidance of my fantastic colleague, Birgit, I found my way to a shopping area in Frankfurt called the Zeil. It's this multi-block pedestrian shopping area right down in the heart of the city. These are some of the sites I saw on my way to the Zeil.

The Zeil is lined with shops, some of which we all know (Starbuck's anyone?) A few recent European transplants (Zara and H&M), and some local favorites. Places like Kaufhof, one of the major department stores in Frankfurt. What's interesting is that Kaufhof, much like Marshall Field's in Chicago (sorry, I mean Macy's, old habits die hard), has a food/dining area within the store itself. What's different is that on the very bottom floor they actually have a full grocery store, complete with meat counter, fish counter, sushi bar, liquor section (Prosecco is quite reasonably priced here), and pretty much any dried goods, dairy products or fruit you could possibly want.


Of course beyond all of the modern stuff there are some really beautiful older buildings that weren't comletely flattened in WWII (or were rebuilt to look like they weren't completely flattened in WWII).

Just a few of the things I saw on my walk this afternoon.




The Alte Opera Haus




The Frankfurt Stock Exchange (complete with Bull and Bear)









A really beautiful church just off the Zeil.






Just a random, but pretty building on my walk.

Saved by Sarah

Well, I just got off the phone with my lovely friend Sarah who has already gone through the entire "Just moved my life to a foreign country and am not exactly sure what to do now" experience. I am happy to report that I am up, dressed and ready to face the German world. Now if only I can remember how to say something in German. . . . .

First hours in Frankfurt

Well, I'm here. I'm jet lagged. And I can't quite seem to move from the middle of my hotel bed. Somehow I just am not able to figure out what I'm supposed to do with myself. I am sitting here, staring around the room and I have no place to go. Work doesn't start for another day and I don't have an apartment to go to. What I really need to do is find a hair dryer. . . .

But first I have to motivate and find a way out of the bed.

Departure from Chicago, Arrival in Frankfurt

The day has finally arrived, my belongings are either in storage, on a plane or waiting in a warehouse to be shipped to Germany on a boat. Even though I've said all of my goodbyes at a wonderful farewell party (thank you, Anne) if snowy and miserable Chicago winter night (damn you weather for keeping so many people away, I swear I've never seen snowflakes as big as I did that night), I have already locked up my apartment for the last time and turned my car keys over to my dad for safekeeping it doesn't quite feel possible that I'm about to get on a plane with a one way ticket to Germany. But that's the fact of the matter.

After being a pretty spectacular trooper (putting up with my last minute errands and inability to actually fit all of my belongings into the three bags I'm hand carrying to Frankfurt), my dad turned himself into Quasimodo, slung my enormous duffel bag over his shoulder (it was nearly as large as he is I might add), and helped haul the aforementioned bag to check-in. After a quick goodbye with promises to call when I landed (as long as it wasn't some obscene hour in Chicago), we said goodbye, and he stood waving at the security line entrance until we couldn't see each other anymore. Somehow it still doesn't quite seem possible that I'm about to move to Germany. But there it is, the sign over the entrance to the plane telling me just the opposite.

A series of frantic phone calls to all the friends and family I somehow didn't manage to connect with and the plane has taken off, I am asleep (thank you Ambien), and a quick 9 hours later I'm already arriving in Frankfurt. Gotta love the miracle of modern jet travel, and the comforts of business class (thank you, Uncle Leo).


The adventure has officially begun. . . .