World Cup 2006, Germany

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Among a Sea of Flags

Goose bumps cover my skin as I stand in a crowd of 20000 passionate football fans singing the German national anthem. Minutes later Germany scores a goal versus Sweden and euphoria erupts. German flags wave as far as the eye can see, cheers almost deafen my ears and the energy is so intense one can almost feel an electrical current. For an encore, only five minutes later Germany scores another goal for the 2:0 lead vs. Sweden and from that point one the longest night of the summer has begun in Germany. For the rest of the night, cars are honking, flags being waved, fans singing, drinking and celebrating.

This is one of many memorable experiences I have had during the World Cup 2006 in my home country Germany. But most notably, when I returned to Germany one month ago I returned to experience a different country, a different Germany from the one I knew. Never before have I seen Germany like this. A country that often can be sober, serious and not rarely is consumed in (self) criticism, is hard to recognize. It feels as if the soul of the entire country has been lifted and people have been able to lay aside their worrying and complaining personalities and rejoice in a festive and joyful celebration.

The streets are filled with people, Germany as well as international fans from all over the world. Never have I seen so much life, so much vibrancy in the streets of Germany. Every night, somewhere in town a party is being hosted. The ubiquitous big screens fill the cities and attract huge crowds of people. Most importantly, the atmosphere seems peaceful and friendly rather than antagonistic. One scene in particular comes to mind: Together with some Mexican visitors (we are all dressing in Mexican football jerseys) we walk through a city square shortly after the 6:0 victory of Argentina vs. Serbia & Montenegro. A group of flag-waving Serbia fans approaches. Despite the embarrassing defeat, the are cheering and singing. Shortly thereafter, another sizable group of Argentina fans enters the square matching the Serbs both in volume of cheers and apparently also in alcohol consumed. For a moment I worry about the possibility of this encounter turning unpleasant. But as soon as the Serbian fans spot the Argentines they immediately change the chant to: “Argentina.” The two groups merge and start dancing together. What a beautiful sight: Fans rejoicing in their opponent's victory. Some time later the crowd spots us, a small group of Mexican fans and once again changes the chant to: "Mexico." Certainly, this story might be brushed away as one isolated incidence, but it is only one of many that I have experienced and has given this World Cup and my country a glow of friendship.

A Breath Above The Clouds (in Germany):

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No other means of transportation has captivated human interest and fantasy as much as air travel and the dream of flying. Since all my efforts to grow wings and the accompanying flying exercises have been fruitless I had to resort to more “traditional” ways of flying: steel, propellers and gasoline. But one way or the other I wanted to soar high and see my home land from the sky. The highest mountains of the Alps I wanted to seek in pursuit of clear views of its peaks. Over deep valleys and green fields, congested cities and blue lakes these wings would fly to fall in love with the unique perspective from the sky.

Several years back my father had the pleasure of being invited to a flight over Germany and the Alps. This experience has left such a lasting impact on him that he continues to talk about it accompanied with a wide smile on his face. Hence it was a special moment when he told me a few weeks back that for my birthday he wanted to gift me a similar experience: a flight over Germany. My farther has an old friend who is a hobby pilot and would be happy to arrange all the details and make the necessary preparations.

Not only was this gift unique because I have never seen my homeland from a similar perspective (and this one day trip across middle Europe was to give me an amazingly different perspective) but also because I only recently had returned after having been away from Germany for a long time and am in the process of re-accustoming myself with my home, my roots and my country. What a great way to add to this experience.

After some time of planning and waiting for favourable weather (nothing is more important in aviation if you want to have a good view) the day has finally arrived. I leave the house early and head to a small airport with a grassy runway, which hosts only a few small planes, an hour away from my house. My dad’s friend is already there busy to prepare for take-off.

A few minutes later, the two of us are buckled into the small 2 passenger airplane and the plane is speeding down the runway and lifts off seemingly effortlessly. Only the humming of the engine reminds me that I am not a bird. I have flown in large commercial jets many times, but a flight like this is a very different experience: much more intimate because there are only 2 people on board, much more scenic because you are surrounded by windows, much more free because you can fly wherever you please (some restrictions apply). You still feel a sense of adventure and excitement as you fly away from an approaching cloud, zip-zag through a mountain valley or turbulence makes you think you are in a roller coaster, a feeling long lost in commercial aviation.

Despite being several kilometres above the ground it is amazing how well one can see: quite easily one can identify individual cars, boats and even skiers sliding down the mountain slopes. At the same time, the whole world below seems microscopic and with this distance the problems of every day life seem to fade and appear trivial. As I watch several para-gliders ascend through the powerful air turbulences of this summer day and birds watching me with curiosity, life all of a sudden becomes very simple, very serene. Beautiful landscapes pass by “and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”


Above The Clouds
by Nancy Ness

Vast skies of slate exuding summer rain -
Urban insanity's precipitance.
Cascading droplets splatter 'cross my pain
In turbulent ascent of inclemence.
One backward glance - the coastline beckons me
With waves of blustering turbidity.

Thence bursting forth - a glorious world anew,
No inkling of earth's bustling life below.
With endless sun and serene skies of blue -
A surreal land of freshly fallen snow.
This pristine quilt of tufted white terrain
Could be a fantasy - I can't ex-plane.

Enchanting tundra dappled magic'ly -
Majestic snows defy warm solar rays.
Fluffed firmament succumbs to icy sea
Then curves as one horizon's gentle haze.
My flight in Friendly Skies seems motionless
Aloft an insular unworldliness.

As earthly torrents wane and storms disband,
Capacious cotton chasms - deftly spun,
And batted billows "at attention" stand -
While cirrus soldiers march in unison.
Great Lakes reflect the casts of shadowed clouds
Like giant footprints under puffy shrouds.

A glimpse along an alabaster sheath
The hesitant, once Great Divide's small peek
Stands sentinel for purities beneath,
Where lies the unscathed world we seek.
Descent through misty white opacity,
Mankind's block signature peers back at me.

My brief sojourn; 'twas aerial delight.
I'll soar within those azure skies again.
For though I must return from Nature's high't,
I'll know when tempests brew and doldrums reign,
On seemingly a melancholy day -
Eternal Sunshine's just a cloud away.

Culture Shock in Kansas City: A new look at a familiar place

Familiar sights and sounds fill my senses but yet I feel like I am in a foreign place. Having lived in Kansas City for 6 years I know my way around well; and it is not my sense of orientation that is confused but rather my perception of life and culture in Kansas City.

After 2 months in Europe and 3 months in Central America I return to the same familiar city to be struck by astonishment. It is hard to put my finger on it but the rhythm of life is distinctly different to what I have come used to. Here the pace of life is slower yet people always seem to be busy, they are very polite, courteous and overweight, driving their cars everywhere (preferably in a big SUV). It is difficult to ignore the dominance of financial and materialistic topics in people'’s conversations and Kansas City'’s unique style and fashion.

As I sit in the plane back to Germany I ask myself if there such a thing as an objective reality? I am inclined to suggest no. The same city appearing so different to the same person whose perspective has changed. Which is the true Kansas City? The one I see today or the one I saw 5 months ago? If my perspective can differ so much after being absent for only 5 months, how different must be the perception of two different individuals living in the same city, analyzing the same situation?