The EIGHTH heaven

It exists, it does! I haven't posted anything in all this time because I have been so busy doing so many cool things (and I still am!). I must get straight to the point not to miss anything and because I have no much time to go into details. So here is a general idea of the last few weeks.

Things at work are getting better and better. I meet more people, feel more confident with my colleagues, like the office more and more, get a better impression of what the job consists of, etc. A good thing is that we have finally started a project. We were supposed to be doing bits and bops or even nothing until at least early July. But the good new is that we have started earlier than expected and I am keen to see what the whole process of a project consist of. So everything ok on that side. The German lessons at the agency have started well. We are about 7 (attending usually no more than 5 for one reason or another) but my problem is that all the others have already had some contact with the German language, even if it was many years ago at school. So there are things like the numbers, colours, days of the week, months of the year and other basic vocabulary that we are not going to learn there. I will have to work a bit on my own on that. Anyway, the teacher is veeeeery nice and the guys too, so we feel confident to risk and answer even though we may be wrong.

Things out of work are cool too. Starting by the closest routine, I am playing basketball twice a week as I told you on the previous entry. Well, I must admit I haven't been able to play on Thursdays with the guys from the office for quite a few weeks now for different reasons (me being busy, or a public holiday, or not gathering people enough to organise some scrimmages). The basketball on Mondays with FVV goes very well. The level of the other players is reasonably good, the facilities excellent, the location and schedule is convenient for me and the people are nice. It is a pity that we have to stop during the summer school holidays (the games on Thursday too). I hope to join the club as a regular member when we are back in August -I am a guest at the moment to try.

Despite all this activity, the highlights are actually happening on weekends. Some weekends ago I received a visit (the first one!) from a friend from London. He came for some events I wanted to attend but didn't feel like going on my own. Then, two weeks ago it was me who went to spend a weekend in London. It was great! It is almost like going back home actually. I feel well in such a familiar environment. I could also meet some other friends I have left in the UK and catch up with them. Besides, I went out 3 nights in a row, something weird in me! Definitely had a great time and I am looking forward to going back. This weekend I am off to Freiburg, a couple of hours by train from Frankfurt. I am going to visit a friend and will also meet some of my friends and ex-colleagues from Oxford because... guess what? The Wincklemann Cup 2010 is taking place there!!!! I will not participate though, but I really want to see the guys and see the atmosphere of such a great event. They will participate as the Oxford Bierbarians this year though (they already did it last year).

Apart from these whole-weekend things, I have also done some short trips with friends to visit Wiesbaden and the surrounding area as well as a bit of Darmstadt. Well, there are other short trips like this in my agenda. I will see when I have the chance to do them.

For the next weeks/months, I am expecting some visits and I will also keep travelling a bit if I can find the money, the time and the right destination. I am planning a weekend in Cologne, maybe a night at a nice place in the countryside I have seen on a web, probably a visit to Berlin to meet more friends and ex-colleagues, other cities in Germany too... I am expecting to host a friend too who is coming from the Persian Gulf for a few days and maybe one of my sisters. Well, the work may prevent me from doing many things as we are likely to work a lot on this new project. I can not make many plans and it pisses me off a bit, but I know these things can happen and I assume it. I will have my reward later (when the weather gets worse though).

The bottom line is that I have had a terrific springtime and now I have good prospects for the summer as well. Let's find out whether there are more heavens here on Earth.