life's journey - Germany - 1990 - 1994
Goettingen
1990
I had accepted a scholarship to study at the University of Hamburg. Prior
to this I was required to improve my german by attending a 4 month course
at the Goethe Institute in Goettingen. A university town of 130,000 peopel
near the then East German border. The language course consisted of 130
people from about 30 countries.I remember that first week as being one
of the most interesting in my life.
The GI Photo Weekend trips to Potsdam in East Germany, to Goslar in the
Harz Mountains. Dancing in Tangente and So Wieso. The international constant
the Irish Puba guy singing the U2 song "I still haven't found what
I'm looking for. No wonder he was 16 years old!! He didn't speak english
he knew the words off by heart an he sung it beautifully. The night Germany
won the World Soccer Cup .. what a celebration.
Hamburg 1990-1994
My favourite destination. Encompasses both the worst year and best year of my life. The worst being from September 1990 to August 1991.
Why? Writting up my damn Ph.D!! I should have stayed in Australia till
it was finished ..I was warned but didn't listen!
Much thanks to getting me through that year goes to my friends Jochen
Koetke, Larry Marshall and to the guys at the University of Hamburg
... especially Prof Huber and Dr Petermann.
Of importance is the dedication in my thesis.
The thesis was finally submitted on the 13th August 1990 and with that
life began again. I soon met many wonderful people. Gudrun, Sigrun, Christoph
and Chrissi, Armin and Heike, Richard and Kerstin to name most of them.
In short Hamburg is still my favorite place on earth (with perhaps the
exception of the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Northern Australia).
I work for two year at MedIS GmbH which was fun.
We had some great parties and a few good bowling matches. But then the
German recession hit us and it was time to move on to of all places Scotland.
In many respects I regret the decision to go but it is a part of my life
and you have to make the best of the consequences. No matter how painful.
I love Hamburg and many of the people who live there ... especially one.
Oh! And FC St.Pauli!
But of course the best decision I made was to go on a hiking trip in St
Jacob in Austria. It was organised by the University of Hamburg Sports
association "Breitensport". It was a friend of mine Jochen Koetke
who convinced me to go to a meeting of the people going on the trip. I
had already made the decision not to go on the trip but I went to the
meeting. I walked in the door and at 6pm on August 1st I saw the most
wonderful sight in my life. Her name was Gudrun. The trip was wonderful
and not to long later I won her heart. It only lasted 4 years but it was
beautiful and some of the best years of my life. I loved her dearly and
always will.
