25.10.08
Kategoriseret under Rotterdam, Ukategoriseret by bloksblog
I just got off the phone with Thor. My lost buddy in Copenhagen. Really great to be talking to a person that is NOT trying to test my mental limits as the Kaospilots do, and nice to hear that life DOES stand still when I leave. not…
So what has happened in the last 2 days that needs to be said? Well, I am talking with a few companies about working with their marketing as a consultant. Pretty sweet for only 2 months with the KP’s. I’m working my way up in the society as we know it.
AND (not to forget) I’m moving to Marconiplien in west Rotterdam. (Look it up on www.viamichelin.com) It’s a nice area and only 10 min from the central station on bike. Only downside is, that I have to build in floors and paint the god damn thing, which will be like my 100 apartment I will paint. But then again, I can do whatever I like and I have a week holiday to do it.
So dear readers. Get off you ass and get moving to Rotterdam, cause you now have free housing!!!
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24.10.08
Kategoriseret under Rotterdam by bloksblog
New action taken! BloksBlog is now in English!
By request and because of my very international life it makes more sense writing in English. My Netherlands isn’t that well yet either…
Okay… or “luek” as we say, life in Rotterdam is becoming a home even though I’m still living out of a bag. I never thought that it would be possible for me to live this way, but I’m still alive and learning. I guess in this way I HAVE to go to school because I really don’t have anywhere els to go.
But things might change today! A Kaospilot friend has gotten an apartment and hopefully we can come to an agreement. It really hasn’t been because I’ve been lazy or cheap, but what amazed me is, that apartment owners pay bureaus to find renters and then the renters pay a heap load of money and get treated like shit by the bureaus. I am just too stubborn to be part of that.
So what is my impression of Rotterdam other than their idea of service here is the same as dipping your elbow in boiling water – Not normal and stupid?
Well, I’m getting to know the city and it’s growing on me. It has made me realize that moving from a rich western country to another doesn’t mean that the perspective of rich is the same.
Don’t get me wrong. The city is very architectural beautiful and has many creative shops and innovation events. It is also very multi-cultural, and here lives more than 170 different nationalities. More than any other in the world! New York, go home!
But I’ve seen some not so fortunate people here and the crime rate is pretty high. I’ll get back to that!
On the bright side there is a big community of international students and between 50-60% of the inhabitants in R‘dam are with a different cultural background. And that is very interesting and something we could learn from in Denmark.
But some people have it tough and I live and work in these “bad” areas. But then again, I lived in Østerbro in Copenhagen, which isn’t really “the bad hood” in comparison.
I did really get to experience how life is on the street the other day. I helped out a victim who got shot!
I was working at the school late and I was sitting in our class room that has a big glass façade so everybody can look in. Suddenly this guy comes running in yelling in Dutch that he’s been shot and taking cover. He is bleeding severely from his leg and my first though was that he is getting the floor dirty! Silly, really…
He kinda panics when I start speaking in English but I get him to sit down and yells at some people passing by to call an ambulance. He is also bleeding from his mouth, and what I later have been told is that he also was shot in the jaw.
Three of my fellow students that are working in other rooms come to the rescue as well and the police arrive very quickly. While we are waiting for the ambulance the victim faints and I’m holding him in my arms. At that point he has no pulse and I thought this guy just died in my arms… He does come back to life though, and is able to walk onto the stretcher by him self.
We have later been interview by the police and the media and after this episode we are some students that have arrange a neighbourhood meeting with politicians and the police. We have set things in motion and the neighbourhood is very happy that we are here. We held the meeting last Tuesday and the local politicians expected between 20-30 people to show up. 70 came! Now, things are like an avalanche and everybody wants to chip in. I’m just glad that I’m now fully integrated…
I have also join a sports activity to meet even more people that aren’t Kaospilots and I’ve started to go to Capoeira. I kinda wanted to go for a long time and moving to another country pushed me forward. It is a mix of martial arts, fighting but very much like a dance as well. The two people fighting each other must also be in one flow so that they have to collaborate to fight each other in motion to the music and the singing. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to learn how to dance without looking gay.
So that was my first update in English and only a little part of what’s going on, but I’ll keep you guys posted!
DOIII!
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10.10.08
Kategoriseret under Ukategoriseret by bloksblog
Solen skinner og jeg føler mig i godt humør! Jeg sidder her på en fredag eftermiddag og arbejder på min mange projekter. Jeg har ikke været så meget i kontakt med jer derhjemme for der har været så meget at lave, men nu skal I da få en lille smag på hvad der sker…
Efter konferencen begyndte vores skolegang at være lidt mere “normal”. Hvad vi primært foretager os, er at sidde i en rundkreds og tale om lederskab, teambuilding og beslutningstagninger. Som en af vores gæster sagde så lærer vi at tænke… Det vi lærer står ikke i nogen tekstbøger eller drejer sig om teorier, men vi lærer at tænke abstrakt og finde på vores egne metoder og hvordan vi som personer kan lærer meget fra hinanden. Hvis dette er lidt for kompliceret så vil jeg fortælle hvad jeg ellers laver…
Jeg er begyndt på et projekt, der drejer sig om at bringe virksomheder sammen fra vidt forskellige brancher og sammen kan de lærer noget fra hinanden. Kaospiloterne vil så være facilitatorer på disse møder og choaching sessioner.
Jeg arbejder også med sociale projekter så som hvordan vi kan få et kriminelt område i Rotterdam til at tale sammen og involvere politikere, politiet, organisation med Kaospiloterne som anker.
Jeg arbejder også på at komme ud og præsentere ideer for Rotary klubber i Rotterdam og få nogle forretningskontakter.
Derudover er der masser af små projekter så som male vores skole og jeg arbejder også på en forretningsplan hvor jeg vil bringe “authentic marketing” til virksomheder med mig som konsulent. Vidt forskellige ting!!!
Ellers er jeg på det sociale plan ved at få nogle få hollandske bekendtskaber. Bl.a. var jeg på kaffebar med Steini, som er en islandske Kaospilot, og vi faldt i snak med tjenerne. Det udviklede sig, og vi var til fødselsdagsfet hos en af dem igår. De var ganske spøjst, for jeg kan selv huske når man møder en ikke-dansker til fester at man glemmer at tale engelsk. Men folk var bestemt flinke og jeg bliver forhåbentlig inviteret til flere sammenkomster…
Derudover hygger vi i vores team utrolig meget. Vi har bygget et media-rum i kælderen hvor vi kan stene film sammen. I onsdags havde Lauren i vores team fødselsdag og vi var på vores stamcafe, Piraten, som er en snusket bodega, som ejes af en enøjet kvindelig argentiner.
I skal alle vide at jeg skam tænker meget på jer og savner jeres selskab!!! Jeg kommer hjem midt i december og er hjemme i tre uger så der burde være tid til at ses.
Stort kram til alle!!!
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