Money Changes Everything

So I got some kind of bummer news on Friday from Corscience:

"Due to the world wide financial crisis our CEO does not approve any costs for trainees during the next months even if there is a lot of work to do. So I am not allowed to offer you a paid internship in our company.

Please let me know if you are even interested in an unpaid internship, if yes we can immediately sign the contract."

It's nice to know that they would like to have me, but with the way things are and the costs involved with getting to and living in another country for 3-4 months, there is just no way I can take an unpaid internship. I'm kind of bummed, but I guess that's the way it goes sometimes, especially with the world economy the way it is. Everyone needs money and no one has it. Well, with the exception of Bernie Madoff's wife, who claims to have $69,000,000 independently of her husband because she wrote a kosher cookbook. If only we could all be so lucky. Maybe she would like to pay for my internship?

Well, I guess now I just sit tight and hope one of the other companies can afford to offer me a job.

To lift everyone's spirits, here's this adorable picture of Emily. Until next time!

First Interview!

So I got the first update from CDS last week, a list of a few companies that have been contacted. Turns out one of them had already responded and wanted to do a phone interview! So after a little AM/PM confusion, we scheduled it for this morning at 9:30 (a little early for me...but oh well. That's a five hour time difference for you.) The company was Corscience, a small firm that makes electrical components for medical technologies, such as bluetooth transmitters for EKG machines. Located just north of Nürnberg (see map below!), it's a little further east than I was hoping, but I'm not complaining...it's just a short train ride from Frankfurt, Munich, and Stuttgart. Can't beat that for weekend trips!

Well, it's a good thing I got up early, because my phone rang not at 9:30, but 9:10. The interview was almost entirely in German, which made it a little clumsy...we didn't exactly cover the vocab for "medical technology" or "computer programming" in my business German class. The interviewer was patient and had a good sense of humor, so I think it went pretty well all things considered. I should hear back next week whether they will offer me a position. This would be a pretty great job; young company, good location, flexible hours, and some really interesting hands-on experience. Plus, you know, Germany. So, here's hoping!

Until next time!


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The Setup (Punchline TBA)

So I'm going to Germany.

If you're reading this blog, chances are you already know this. It is possible you know this because I screamed it at you while jumping up and down and smiling hysterically. If you are one of my parents, you know this because I have wasted uncountable hours of your time droning on about every insignificant detail that has led to this point. (Thank you for your patience, Mom and Dad.)

I've started this internet (b)log to document my Experience. Upon returning I will be required to spend twenty pages writing about "My Experience", and I've been told the best way to tackle this task is to keep a diary while I'm there. Well, I don't really have a great track record with diaries, and my hand cramps up pretty quickly, so here I am with all the other lazy people, online.

I won't actually be IN Germany until May, but I wanted to hammer out the blog bugs early, and also document the excruciating process of preparing, just in case it proves useful later. I also needed something to vent out the ever-building excitement of "Omigosh I am going to live in Germany!".

So, anyway, welcome! Hopefully I won't bore you to death before I even arrive, I'll do my best.

Until next time, here is this picture of my favorite nebula, requested by Olivia: