Germany itself

I guess you guys now know enough about Hamburg.... so I better go on to tell you about Germany.

GERMANY

Germany is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark and the baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and theCzech Republic; to the south by Austria and Swizerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium; and the Netherlands. The territory of Germany covers 137,000 sq miles. With 82 million inhabitants, it accounts for the largest population among the member states of theEuropean Union and is home to thet third largest number of international migrands worldwide.

Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states (Länder). The capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany is a member of the United Nations, NATO, G8 and OECD. It is a major economic power with the world's third largest economy by nominal GDP and the fifth largest in purchasing power parity. It is the largest exporter and second largest importer of goods. In absolute terms, Germany allocates the second biggest annual budget of development aid in the world, while its military expenditure ranked sixth. The country has developed a high standard of living and established a comprehensive system of social security. It holds a key position in European affairs and maintains a multitude of close partnerships on a global level.

Germany comprises 16 states, which are further subdivided into 439districts and cities.

Environment

The largest wind farm and solar power capacity in the world is installed in Germany. Germany is known for its environmental consciousness. Most Germans consider anthropogenic causes to be a significant factor in global warming. The state is committed to the Kyoto protocol and several other treaties promoting biodiversity, low emission standards, recycling, and the use of renewable energy, and supports sustainable development at a global level.

I will make another post about the garbage in general in Germany - it is really funny how different Germans and Americans are, when you think about garbage... :-)

Demographics

With 82 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous country in the European Union. However, its fertility rate of 1.39 children per mother is one of the lowest in the world, and the federal statistics office estimates the population will shrink to between 69 and 74 million by 2050 (69 million assuming a net migration of +100,000 per year; 74 million assuming a net migration of +200,000 per year). Germany has a number of large cities, the most populous being Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt and Stuttgart.

As of December 2004, about seven million foreign citizens were registered in Germany, and 19% of the country's residents were of foreign or partially foreign descent.

The largest group (2.7 million) is from Turkey, and a majority of the rest are from European states such as Italy, Serbia, Greece, Poland, and Croatia.

Religion

Christianity is the largest religious denomination in Germany, with 53 million adherents (64%).The second largest religion is Islam with 3.3 million adherents (4%) followed by Buddhism and Judaism, both with around 200,000 adherents (c. 0.25%). Hinduism has some 90,000 adherents (0.1%). All other religious communities in Germany have fewer than 50,000 (or less than 0.05%) adherents. About 24.4 million Germans (29.6%) have no registered religious denomination.

Economy

Germany is the largest national economy in Europe, the third largest by nominal GDP in the world, and ranked fifth by GDP (PPP); its growth rate in 2007 was 2.4%. Since the age of industrialization the country has been a driver, innovator and beneficiary of an ever more globalized economy. Germany is the world's top exporter with $1.133 trillion exported in 2006 (Euro zone countries are included) and generates a trade surplus of €165 billion.

Of the world's 500 largest stock market listed companies measured by revenue, the Fortune Global 500, 37 companies are headquartered in Germany. Well known global brands are Mercedes Benz, SAP, BMW, Adidas, Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen.

I hope I didn't bother you too much about GERMANY - I just want you to come and see! It is nice over here, although we are a little special, sometimes! :-)

But I guess you guy know!

I better go and get at my desk to study. I still gotta get a lot of stuff done today.

My trip to Augsburg!

Visiting my friend Wiebke in her college-town Augsburg!!!

Since Wiebke has been studying for 5 years now - and left Norderstedt to go to college in Augsburg - it was time for me to go and visit her ....
So I got me a Train-Ticket and rode down south.

It was an 7 hour drive but I got to know a nice girl, who rode with her daughter. She was adorable and the nice talks made the time fly by ...

I got a first class ticket and even had a new ICE-Train on the route I chose... I think they look soo cool, and they drive up to 200 mph fast.... I feels a little like flying.



Seven hours might not sound long for americans .... but it's almost once the whole way across Germany.


In the evening we went one a famous christmas market and had a warm drink - because it was freeeeezing cold down there... :-)
Its one of the prettiest markets in Germany...


We had a great time together and we hadn't seen each other for over 1/2 year.
In the morning we had a great breakfast in an old cinema, which had been restored and now is a restaurant. It was a really nice athmosphere in there - and the breakfast was alomost as good as Susy's. :-)

Wiebke was really tired, since we had been talking forever in the night...

Then we went to see the "FUGGEREI"

Its a cool thing, so I found something about it in a dictionary..... don't be bored... READ! :-)

The Fuggerei is a walled enclave within the city of Augsburg. It was a place where the needy citizens of Augsburg could be housed. By 1523, 52 houses had been built, and in the coming years the area expanded with various streets, small squares and a church. The gates were locked at night, so the Fuggerei was, in its own right, very similar to a small independent medieval town. It is still inhabited today, affording it the status of being the oldest social housing project in the world.

The rent was and is still one Rheinischer Gulden per year (equivalent to 1$ for a whole month), as well as three daily prayers for the current owners of the Fuggerei. The conditions to live there remain the same as they were 480 years ago: one must have lived at least two years in Augsburg, be of the Catholic faith and have become indigent without debt. The five gates are still locked every day at 10 PM.

Housing units in the area consist of 500-700 square foot apartments, but because each unit has its own street entrance it simulates living in a house. There is no shared accommodation; each family has its own apartment, which includes a kitchen, a parlour, a bedroom and a tiny spare room, altogether totaling about 60 square metres. Ground-floor apartments all have a small garden and garden shed, while upper-floor apartments have an attic. All apartments have modern conveniences such as television and running water. One ground-floor apartment is uninhabited, serving as a museum open to the public. The doorbells have elaborate shapes, each being unique, dating back to before the installation of streetlights when residents could identify their unit by feeling the handle in the dark.

This is a picture which we took because of the statue in the back - it looked so "typical catholic"!


Augsburg is a really pretty town. It is really old and has a lot of beautiful sights. They even have a tram (4 lines) which cross the town...




I am glad, that I found time to visit Wiebke in Augsburg - it feels great to have such great friends although we don't see each other very often any more.
If you guys come to Germany - and you have been to Hamburg to visit me - than you should for sure take a trip to southern Germany - there are some quite nice cities down here! :-)

I found Katie!!!!!

I love the Internet!
I got an E-Mail today that Katie signed up for Facebook! Isn't that the cooles thing ever?

We were such great friends during my year in Idaho, and I felt awful that I had "lost" her!

I was the first "non-member-missionary" and she was my sister.


She is such a wonderful person! She is so honest, and fun to be around - she always finds the right words to say and is just loving.
I am sooo happy about being able to stay in contact again!!!!

Thanks - INTERNET!

Jill - guess what is on TV right now?

It's Armageddon!

That is the movie which Jill and me used to watch all the time - we loved the Soundtrack. I had this little CD-Player and we played the CD up and down.

The best part is when they get into the plane and they start singing: "I'm leaving, on a jet plane..."

So today .... I got home and Armageddon is on TV! It makes me feel so "home"sick.

I miss you guys....... thanks for all the wonderful nights of talking and joking in your bedroom.... thanks for watching TV with me and driving Hose-B..... Thanks for everything.

Happy New Year - 2009

Happy New year everyone

I hope all of you had a great new-year party - ours was "sick"

I have been lying in bed for a week and didn't really make it out for new year....

We rented a DVD and cuddled up on the the couch.


At midnight we went out and watched the fireworks. At the horizon you can hardly tell Hamburg. They have a darling firework and the harbour. It is so pretty.

These are pictures I took in our inner courtyard.

People spend tons of money for fireworks - we didn't spend one Euro this year. Maybe thats a sign for a cheap Year 2009.


I took this small - but mayabe a little borin video of the new year fireworks. I am sorry it turned out so dark.