Well, it's Saturday in Bonn, Germany, which I think officially marks the end of my first week at the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat. Despite drinking a considerable amount of rum last night with my UNFCCC colleagues and somehow ending up in an electronic club, I managed to pull myself out of bed this morning and meet my new friend from the States, Renata, at the farmer's market next to a beautiful church called Bonner Münster. Before we did any shopping, we got some coffee at Cafe Blau, where I also enjoyed a croissant with two types of jam (raspberry and apricot). I purchased many things at the market: apples, dark red cherries, local honey, a red pepper, strawberries that got a little squished on the way home, tomatoes on the vine. Renata is lucky enough to be staying in an apartment right next to the market, so we lugged our veggie and fruit hauls up three flights of very steep stairs before setting off to explore the city.
Renata is interning at Crop Diversity, and knows loads about vegetables, farming, seeds... She wanted to check out an organic market across the Rhein, so of course I joined her. It was a lot like New Leaf in Tallahassee! The tram across the street from my dorm goes straight to that area, so I might shop there from now on. We also went by a few thrift stores. I bought some really nice hiking boots for 16 Euro from Oxfam, which is an international development organization that mobilizes people worldwide to overcome poverty on their own. They have thrift shops all over Germany to raise money. I also bought Life of Pi (Peter, I will finally read this book, I promise!) So basically, today was the day to spend money. In Bonn, nothing is open on Sunday, so everyone was out buying.
Okay, so, the bike. I bought a beautiful bike (called a "grandma" bike, why, I'm not sure...) from my colleague, Michael. He's from Australia and his internship is up next week! He knows a lot about bikes, worked at a French cycling co-op (like Krank It Up) and even has his own blog, which I want to plug, but I can't remember the link right now! I'll find out tomorrow or Monday and post it on Facebook. On Friday I rode the bike to the internship, which took about 40 minutes. It was a beautiful ride though. I kind of want to take a video... My route goes down bike trails through the woods, skinny streets full of traditional German houses, and then opens up to the Rhein. All the trails are paved! So then I just follow the Rhein straight to my office, it's incredible.
Well, I'm heating up some water for chamomile tea right now, and I'm going to break into the honey.
Tshcüss!
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Alles ist Gut
Ok, so I'm here in Bonn. More specifically, I'm blogging from the United Nations Campus located directly on the Rhein (I can actually see it from my window!) Don't worry, I'm not shirking my duties as an intern with Momentum for Change. In fact, like all bureaucratic organizations I've worked for in the past, I'm still waiting on Information Technologies to deliver me a work computer. Hopefully it comes soon... Yesterday, I was given my first assignment: to edit 80 descriptions of pre-selected Lighthouse Activity applications. Lighthouse Activities recognize all the good work that is being undertaken across the globe to address climate change and sustainability. There are four components: Urban Poor, Women for Results, Financing for Climate-Friendly Investment, and Information Communication Technology Solutions. I can't wait to get started, but I can't start unless I'm connected to the network.
So now, the luggage debacle... I don't really want to get into it too much. All I'll say is that I basically wore the same clothes for three days (washing them of course). When I first landed and learned that my luggage was lost, I managed to figure out the train system and magically made it to my dorm. Weary and severely jet-lagged I took the tram to the city centre, purchased some necessary clothing items, a new SIM card, a duvet, sheets, a towel (all of which I had brought with me). I don't really remember thinking, "Oh, Bonn is so beautiful..." on my first day. I kind of just wanted to get everything I needed and book it back to my dorm. And my dorm isn't actually that bad looking. It's got nice light, a private kitchenette, a private bathroom, and it looks out on two wind turbines and what looks like some kind of coal plant or mining facility. Germany is phasing out their nuclear energy plants by 2022, mainly due to concerns over the the Fukushima disaster and storage of nuclear waste. Unless Germany moves to 100% renewable energy, they shouldn't phase out ALL of their nuclear plants. Coal, if you take into account air pollution and pollution in general is way worse than the small change of a nuclear meltdown. And if they don't switch to 100% nuclear, they'll have to keep burning fossil fuels or import them. But, you know, I shouldn't really complain about Germany when the US has so many of its own issues... Like, I just found out the rain barrels are illegal in Colorado? What?
Really though, Bonn is gorgeous. On Friday, I walked around Südstadt (where I'll be living come mid-July!) and found this awesome coffee shop called Black Coffee Pharmacy where I had a delicious Americano and a veggie sandwich. I told the barista that I've come to intern for the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat and she told me they have a coffee cart just outside it! So far, I've gotten an Americano there three times! Es schmeckt sehhhrrr gut! After my caffeine and sustenance, I wandered down Weberstrasse and saw many interesting things. A dog standing outside of a window, either guarding his palace or checking on things, or both. Faces and flowers in wrought iron gates. Vine covered walls and roofs. Friends sitting at small tables with cups of coffee or tea, gesturing and nodding, being serious with each other and laughing. People stopping at the crosswalk, waiting for the GO signal, even if no cars were coming. Bikes everywhere. Bikes with flowers, baskets, bikes with carts for children and groceries. When I made it to the Rhein, I walked along it for a good while. I saw barges, riverboats, rollerbladers, faces in old walls... I walked to the UN campus, but it is heavily guarded so I was only able to see a road and large buildings from a distance. Suddenly, a HUGE storm hit. Wind gusts swept the grasses and large plumes of pollen were deposited in the Rhein. Heavy raindrops began to fall, and I ran along a dirt path beneath rows of large-leafed trees and managed to stay mostly dry until I found some cover. I shared the cover with a woman cyclist. "Ist das normal?" I asked. And she shrugged and smiled, and we shared the cover for about 45 minutes until the rain let up. Then I walked, and walked some more and because very tired and took the tram back to my dorm room.
I think my computer might be coming soon, so I'll leave this post like it is for now. I have a few more things to say, but that can wait until later, or tomorrow. Tschüss!
So now, the luggage debacle... I don't really want to get into it too much. All I'll say is that I basically wore the same clothes for three days (washing them of course). When I first landed and learned that my luggage was lost, I managed to figure out the train system and magically made it to my dorm. Weary and severely jet-lagged I took the tram to the city centre, purchased some necessary clothing items, a new SIM card, a duvet, sheets, a towel (all of which I had brought with me). I don't really remember thinking, "Oh, Bonn is so beautiful..." on my first day. I kind of just wanted to get everything I needed and book it back to my dorm. And my dorm isn't actually that bad looking. It's got nice light, a private kitchenette, a private bathroom, and it looks out on two wind turbines and what looks like some kind of coal plant or mining facility. Germany is phasing out their nuclear energy plants by 2022, mainly due to concerns over the the Fukushima disaster and storage of nuclear waste. Unless Germany moves to 100% renewable energy, they shouldn't phase out ALL of their nuclear plants. Coal, if you take into account air pollution and pollution in general is way worse than the small change of a nuclear meltdown. And if they don't switch to 100% nuclear, they'll have to keep burning fossil fuels or import them. But, you know, I shouldn't really complain about Germany when the US has so many of its own issues... Like, I just found out the rain barrels are illegal in Colorado? What?
Really though, Bonn is gorgeous. On Friday, I walked around Südstadt (where I'll be living come mid-July!) and found this awesome coffee shop called Black Coffee Pharmacy where I had a delicious Americano and a veggie sandwich. I told the barista that I've come to intern for the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat and she told me they have a coffee cart just outside it! So far, I've gotten an Americano there three times! Es schmeckt sehhhrrr gut! After my caffeine and sustenance, I wandered down Weberstrasse and saw many interesting things. A dog standing outside of a window, either guarding his palace or checking on things, or both. Faces and flowers in wrought iron gates. Vine covered walls and roofs. Friends sitting at small tables with cups of coffee or tea, gesturing and nodding, being serious with each other and laughing. People stopping at the crosswalk, waiting for the GO signal, even if no cars were coming. Bikes everywhere. Bikes with flowers, baskets, bikes with carts for children and groceries. When I made it to the Rhein, I walked along it for a good while. I saw barges, riverboats, rollerbladers, faces in old walls... I walked to the UN campus, but it is heavily guarded so I was only able to see a road and large buildings from a distance. Suddenly, a HUGE storm hit. Wind gusts swept the grasses and large plumes of pollen were deposited in the Rhein. Heavy raindrops began to fall, and I ran along a dirt path beneath rows of large-leafed trees and managed to stay mostly dry until I found some cover. I shared the cover with a woman cyclist. "Ist das normal?" I asked. And she shrugged and smiled, and we shared the cover for about 45 minutes until the rain let up. Then I walked, and walked some more and because very tired and took the tram back to my dorm room.
I think my computer might be coming soon, so I'll leave this post like it is for now. I have a few more things to say, but that can wait until later, or tomorrow. Tschüss!
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