Easter Brunch

Happy Easter!

Being not with my or Fabian´s family yesterday was something we only did once so far - when my sisters visited me for Easter in Bern/Zurich.

To still have a bit of Easter flavor, we invited friends of us for an Easter Brunch, which basically turned into eating all day yesterday :) .. even after our guest were gone...

*note to myself: should do some sports later today therefore..*

Iglust - Chilling Out at 2600 metres

To fullfil my Christmas wish "a lot of snow", Fabian´s X-Mas present was a night in an iglu. So we booked a night in the Romantik Plus Iglu in the Iglu Village in Davos at 2600 metres high.

Arriving with the cablecar at around 16.00 we did a short walk to the Iglu village with our guide and about 12 other Iglu guests. The evening consisted of some Swiss Fondue, a night snowshoe walk and also going to the Sauna (yes! there was a Sauna in two old small road vehicles).

Everything was pretty exiting and it was fascinating how your body adapts quickly. Entering the main Iglu everything seems to be deep dark. All Iglus are lit with candles though and after a little while your eyes adapted and you could easily see everything and even read inside. The temperature in the iglus was between -2 and 0 degrees. Keeping yourself warm with a lot of tea and Glühwein and of course with lots of warm ski clothes you could easily sit, stand and eat in there. You were not freezing.

In the Romatink Iglu Plus you not only had an iglu for your own and a huge double sleepbag on a snow podest as well as loads of snow hearts and all around you, no you also had your own toilet ;)

A bottle of champage and a small Apero were waiting to be eaten by us in our iglu as well as some small pieces of toblerone, cookies, a tiny bottle of wodka, fishermen friends and a condom (hmmm what do the iglu owners think you go to an Iglu for ;) .... - we of course did not even consider about his before *grins* ).

The Swiss Fondue was nice and then the Snowshoe walk was even better. It had cleared up and you could see the stars and moon above you. Quietness surrounding you and the sounds of the snow under your shoes..

The best however definitly was the Sauna. After a great "Aufguss" you just walk outside into the snow - naked of course - it does not feel cold. And there are you on 2600 metres, at nearly midnight, the dark Alps Panorama in front of you, the stars and moon above you and you just feel real. What an experience!!!

Warmed up we then climbed in your sleeping bags in our pyjamas.. (you need to go in with as few cothes as possible, as otherwise you just sweat and shiver..) and enjoyed a good sleep in the iglu.

The not so exciting part of the night was that I somehow got the stomach bug in the middle of the night, which seems to go around everywhere at the moment... well let´s say I was glad about our own toilet ...

The next morning we got some hot tea served in our sleeping bags and then left to the mountain restaurant for breakfast. The view on this gorgous day was stunning!

See yourself now...

(ps. if you think in the iglu the snow was a bit black sometimes, you are right. It was definitly the end of the season for the iglu and lighting an iglu village with only candles leaves its marks -> therefore the black spots. You could not see this in candle light only when you use the flash in the camera).

Ski Holidays

In February Fabian and I spent a week in the Zillertal (Tyrol) in a mountain hut skiing and enjoying the calmness of the woods and Alps

a successful day

today, I consider a successful day at work

I ran a successful presentation and participated in two meetings in which I was very happy with my performance, securing my lead of a workstream for the next months and showing the "guys" that this is my territory, my approach and that I am leading this and the new guy can work for me but not taking over ;)

I also had a telephone call with my mentor - a former boss who now works in industry - about the opportunities which are coming up for me at the moment. This call really inspired me. He just asks the right questions, knows me and is really helpful.

I experienced what it means to talk to the two people at the same time who wants to keep you and wants that you work for them. Just watching their body language was fun.. like two little boys trying to mark their territory.

Tomorrow morning I have two presentation spots on the mgmt meeting... so at the moment work wise I riding the right wave. I enjoy it. It is fun.

for the girls

Girls! If you haver get your hands on this book "Das Führungsbuch für freche Frauen" - read it! I am normally not a big fan of all this special things for women trara in work context, as I believe if somebody really wants it gets where he/she wants and I am not at all the opinion that all women should act like men in business... I have really seen examples of this men like women leaders in work and I do not like it at all.

But this book is a good read, just because it has the same opinion! It does not tell you do act like a men, but explains like men act and how a lot of women react on this behavior and it gives loads of practical advise how to use a women´s strenghts to deal with the situations without acting like a men.

It opens your eyes on a lot of aspects and makes you aware on your behavior, what you already do and what you could take on in some situations.

And it is a good laugh as well... you will see ;) Some of the situations described just make you grin as we all for sure have seen this before..

Dares will be rewarded

Sometimes you need to dare something...

Today I had a Blind-Salsa-Dancing-Date and it was excellent!

Last autumn, when I was just about to start Salsa lessons again, I put an add for a dancing partner on the uni zurich dancing partner search board. Two weeks ago, a guy dropped me a note asking if I want to go out to dance. So we fixed to go to the Salsa Festival in Zurich today. I just had his name, email and telephone number, no picture nothing. Thus I was quite excited who this guy is... could be a weirdo as well, you never know with these blind date things ;)

But my expectations were more than met! It was such a nice guy, one of those people you immediatly connect to, no strange silence, you just click from the beginning, can talk normally and the most important you can dance together! Karo - if you read this you would love this guy!!! Just finishing Physothereapist school, used to play in a band, good looking, well mannered...

We will definitly go dancing again.. lets see if we manage a dance course together.. as he lives an hour outside of Zurich it might be tricky..

So back from a great night of dancing salsa, watching salsa shows I am about to go to bed... to continue salsaing in my dreams

putting a stamp on it

Work is fun at the moment. I am really busy and work more overtime than usual, but I am really passionate about what I do. I am managing the knowlede transfer between a current and new project team, which will take over to lead another phase of the project.

I designed this program from the beginning, defined the approach and strategy, sold the idea to the mgmt team, mobilized a team of persons who coordinate these activities in their teams, do status meetings, communicate the next steps etc. Part of the program are two 2 week long training programs (a bit like AIESEC conferences) which I am totally responsible for. I scoped the program, developed a course curriculum, an agenda, worked on logistics and parts of the material. I can really put my own stamp on this program, introducing a learning log, review exercises and an agenda dry run session.

It starts Monday in a week... so I am really busy ;) also as this is only part of my job... still managing training and change management as well ;)

but I am happy, loads of fun, loads to learn and definitely something which I had not set up from scratch without my years in AIESEC... so one good example how to use this experience

New Hairstyle :)

Subtitles

It is one of those times which have a subtitle. A subtitle of anticipating change, which causes inner rumbles, excitement, anxiety, disquietness. A whole armada of feelings even though nothing is decided yet, just the thought of a change which might come.


Probably the waiting is the worst, waiting if it happens, if that job offer comes or not. If I have to be more proactive to make it happen, playing my political cards, when is the right time to do so as I am somehow sitting between the chairs.

The whole situation also stired a lot of thoughts and reflection about the future, wishes, desires, visions, hopes and fears.

Being patient here is not easy, but I probably have to still for a couple of weeks. Next milestone is therefore my skiing holidays in 2 weeks.

think, look, feel

The last months have been quite busy. Work wise and private wise.

I not only was promoted, but also could extend my position on the project I am working on and moved into a mangement position. From typing minutes in the mgmt meeting to being on the mgmt team in less than two years... something for sure to celebrate.

There was not much room for free days or holidays in the last months.. however I tried to balance everything, take time outs for myself, make weekend breaks away and I also started more sports and salsa lessons again.
There were ups and downs emotions wise, good and not so good moments which just come with life and you have to accept.

Now I am looking forward to seeing my family again, spending some calm days with lots of skiing and being able to breath for a couple of days, fill up my batteries for the next mountain to climp early 2008.

Looking at the next year... hmmm what will it bring? Hopefully a few weeks holidays in India, exciting perspectives workwise and time together - with my partner, my family, but also with myself to think, look, feel.