Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Tio Gonzalo!

(Foto tomada de su blog de viaje).
¡Feliz Cumpleaños, tío Gonzalo! ¡Qué disfrute mucho de esta fecha -sobre todo-en esta ocasión en la que visita Alemania y lugares cercanos a Waldshut!

¡España es el campeón!

I had a beautiful and memorable Euro '08-Final Sunday!

Ishan, Fabian and I started our day by going to Church at 12:30. The Mass (in Spanish) was followed by a get-together that we shared with all the members of our community.

Fabian and his Dad chose to go home early, but for me...it was just the beginning!

Initially, I too was heading home after the get-together was over, but I decided to take a walk through the Schlossgarten because I knew it was "Family Day" and there was a big summer party there.

As I walked into the park, I noticed people were enjoying sausages and beer, kids were having their faces painted...I walked some more: enjoyed Argentinian Tango...walked some more and to my surprise I found Fabi's Capoeira teacher about to start a presentation. I met with some friends who had been in Church with me earlier and we enjoyed the show. Slowly several Latinamerican women started arriving and I came to know that the Latino-band Salsaborr was going to play dance music. To make a long story short, I'll just say that I danced a lot: with my old friends, my new friends...and even people I didn't know :)

After I stopped swirling for a minute I spotted my old friend Max (also from my Erlangen University days). I watched the EURO '08 final game in the Schlossgarten with Max and his friends. It was fun! You know why? Because when I left my house that morning I didn't know that the snacks that Ishan had made to share at the get-together after Church would also be enjoyed during the final soccer match in the middle of the Schlossgarten.
I have to admit most of us initially were hoping that Germany would win the game. I didn't want Poldi to be sad and I guess I was being selfish when I thought it would be just plain cool to celebrate among the Germans if they ended up being the winners. Only Max was rooting for Spain. When the first half of the game was over, Spain was winnning 1 to 0 and as the second half continued I realized how well the Spaniards were playing. There were only 3 minutes left before the game was over when I realized that Spain really deserved to win: not only because they were playing well, but because it was about time already! ...

I was fearing tears and dramatic manifestations of sorrow among all those people who had gathered to see their team play. However, when Spain scored their goal, instead of the drama, I only witnessed silence. No screams of anger, no crying....nothing. And when the game was over....everybody got up and started heading back to their homes. It looked like people were watching a movie instead of a live game. (Just like when a movie is over...everybody just gets up from their seat and starts walking out of the cinema.)

So, I got to live exactly the opposite of what I was hoping for (CELEBRATION!) I think the Spaniards celebrated big in Nürenberg, though....but here in Erlangen, people just "turn the page" and I'm sure this Monday morning it's business as usual for everyone. Note to Christoph Metzelder: you may now go ahead and shave your beard, please.

I guess the Germans who were in Spain got to celebrate more than the Spaniards in Germany.

So long...soccer fans...see you in June 2010 in South Africa! Only 710 days, 12 hours, 44 mins, 50 secs more to go...

El Bombo

Rong (my friend from my Erlangen University days) finally got her wish to taste some home made Indian food last Saturday. She was the one who told me about Manolo. Today I found this article (in German) in the Sunday newspaper.

It's NOT just a game! - Updated

I would have LOVED to be in Germany during the World Soccer Championship '06. I followed it closely and I remember some very moving moments:

• German player Lukas Podolski comforting the Polish goalkeeper after Germany beat Poland in a decisive match for Poland in the 1st phase;


• the excitment of the semi-finals;


• the loss of the German team against the Italians (Germans ended in 3rd place; while the Italians won the World Championship).

I have been following the EURO '08, which is hosted in Austria and Switzerland. There's been a lot of excitement and many surprising moments. I've enjoyed the sporty atmosphere here in Germany and wondered if it was the same as two years ago when they hosted the 2006 World Cup. Apparently, Germans are now more than ever - very enthusiastic about showing their flag colors and cheering for their team. I'm glad to know that!

I've been paying attention and noticed that there's a big marketing soccer scheme going on. I have uploaded some picture of soccer related things on my Flickr album. Everything is soccer-ized lately! Everybody is in a good mood...especially now that Germany is playing the final game of the tournament. It's been a good season!

There have been "moments" this time also:

• It rained early on co-host Swiss team's parade against the Czechs.

• My hero Podolski had to again play against (his other country) Poland. He didn't even celebrate the 2 goals he scored against his opponent in the first game. Naturally! How could he celebrate when his heart is divided between Germany and Poland? And then there's the historic background... *sigh*....Anyway, I really admire Podolski for his professionalism. He does what he has to do and just moves forward.


• The World Soccer Champions didn't make it to the semi-finals. Some say the Italian team made it to the quarter-finals because they were lucky. Even so, I just hope Fabio is feeling better nowadays.


• I have to admit I was a little frightened by the results of yesterday's game where Germay beat Turkey in the quarter finals. There's a lot of Turkish people in Germany, so obviously many were dissapointed. I think it all ended rather peacefully (at least here in Erlangen). I'm sorry for the fans who were affected by a storm in Austria...and I wonder what's the mood like in Basel, Switzerland? (Vivek, Nidhi? Are you enjoying the Euro '08? Or do you just want the final game to be over already?)

The other semi-finals game is just a few hours away: Spain vrs. Russia.

I would love a FINAL match: Germany vrs. Spain....no matter who wins, I will celebrate big!

(Thanks, Rong, for the reference to this video!)

UPDATE: Germany vrs Spain it is! Next Sunday, June 29th...!

"We are AFSers, mighty AFSers!"

If you've read my "101 Things about Me" post, you've noticed that one of the first things I mention is that I was an AFS exchange student. Growing up I always knew I wanted to be an AFSer because each of my parents had their own experience as exchange students. (In fact, they originally met through AFS and later married!) Their stories and memories sounded too good for me to miss out on the same kind of adventure.

Thanks to my parents, I was part of a big group of Costa Rican students who went to different countries for the year program ('89-'90). For example, my friend Rebeca originally was sent to California and my exchange student dream came true in the town of Wickenburg in Arizona, USA. There I met another big group of students who came from different parts of the world. It truly was the.best.year.of.my.life! After our experience was over and each one of us had gone back to our country of origin, we tried to keep in touch through air mail. I even got to see a couple of my AFS friends again when they went to Costa Rica: Mikko S. all the way from Finland and Andreas (Andi) from Germany!

The reason I came to study to Germany was based on the fact that I wanted to try and reproduce my AFS experience. My German speaking friends who I had met in Arizona had given me the motivation to learn German and studying in Europe sounded like the type of adventure I wanted to relive. I had managed to keep in touch with Andi throughout the years and that's how, in March 2001, he ended up greeting me at the airport when I first came to Germany, carrying my (VERY HEAVY) luggage and driving me to my student building (the famous Wichernstraße) in Erlangen.

I kept in touch with Andi and his mother during my studies in Germany. Even my parents met them in 2002 when they had come to visit me. Unfortunately, I lost touch with Andi by the time I had finished my studies and had to leave Germany. I got married, lived in India and a year after I had returned to Erlangen I managed to relocate Andi again through his Mom. After one exchange of e-mails I still did a lousy job at contacting him again.

In the meantime, I was surprised to learn that my Costa Rican friend Rebeca happened to be here in Germany! Last December we met! It was WONDERFUL!

(Mariluz & Rebeca - Dec. 2007)

Rebeca had also been in touch with another AFSer from my Arizona group: Alex (Germany), who was also in touch with Tian (Argentina), who had come to Germany! Last Monday afternoon, I took Fabi on a 220 km trip because the next day there was going to be a short -but very meaninful- meeting that was quickly organized soon after learning we could all be in the same area. Special thanks to Rebeca for hosting such a lovely grill at her house!

(Alex, Mariluz, Tian & Rebeca - June 3rd, '08)

What I had no idea was that Tian had come to Germany for Andi's wedding, which was later that weekend!!! So I came back to Erlangen on Wednesday morning and contacted Andi's Mom. She convinced me to surprise Andi by showing up at the same time where he was suppossed to pick up Tian. I did the craziest thing: I left Fabi with a friend of mine for a couple of days and this time I travelled 440 kms north to meet Andi (and Tian).

I will never forget Andi's expression as he saw me in the platform where he was waiting to pick up Tian. He thought I had arrived in the same train as Tian and he didn't know what I was doing there! I told him I was just "passing through the neighbourhood" and had come to say "Hi!". He was even more surprised to know that his mother and Tian already knew I was going to be there :)

(Tian, Mariluz & Andi - June 5th, '08)

I surprised Andi on Thursday afternoon. That evening I helped his mother make a Schwäbisch speciality: Spätzle. (She's from southern Germany). In the meantime, old friends from Andi arrived for the dinner. I also had the privilege to meet Andi's new wife. I spent the night at Andi's Mom's house and the next day I came back to Erlangen. I had the chance to spend more time with Tian's family, share a few hours with Andi, his Mom, his friends, his beautiful new wife. We were able to relive memories, catch up on our news, take pictures together. I'm not even going to try to explain the excitement and the joy of this reunion.

(Mari meets Andi & Reini - 2001 & 2008)

As I was riding the train back home, I couldn't help smiling (trying hard not to laugh too loud, actually) as I kept looking at the pictures I had just taken. Who knew that almost 2 decades after our most exciting year as exchange students we would be able to meet - this time in a different part of the world?! I feel beyond rejuvenated, ecstatic with joy of being part of this big AFS family and the connections that I still enjoy with my friends.

My AFS experience has helped me adapt in the different environments I have lived, but the most valued treasure that I will always carry with me is the friendships I have made - even if we only exchange an e-mail once a year! I will treasure forever the relationship with my host family, but to explain that would require a whole separate post on its own...

This past week brought me a lot of memories, but most of all, it reminded me that I'm not just a mom, a wife, a professional, a daughter, a sister, a friend or a neighbour....I'm an AFSer!...which means I am a traveller, an adventurer...a citizen of this small world.

As the international news informs us of natural disasters (earthquakes in China, Iceland, Greece; cyclones in Myanmar; heavy rains in Central America); times of change (Obama as the democratic presidential candidate in USA; Venezuela's president Chavez urges FARC to end their war) and the way the human spirit lifts up through sports (French Open, 2008; Euro 2008), I feel I'm just like a leaf blown by the wind here and there, waiting to see which way life will take me and once again enjoy another big connection with past friendships.

I feel like I'm on Cloud 9....just like this one in the picture below, that I shot through my train window, as I was coming back home after my impromptu, unforgettable, AFS reunion.

Special greetings to Rebeca (Costa Rica), Alex (Germany), Andreas (Germany), Tian (Argentina), Milka (Chile), Marlène (Switzerland), Mikko (Finland), the whole Arizona group of '89-'90...and to all of those who have ever participated and worked with AFS and other exchange programs, as exchange students, volunteers, friends of students, and host families.

¡Saludos especiales a todos los Congos '89-'90!

If you're an AFSer, I suggest you register in the home page, so that others can find you. AFS is also present in the Net: in YouTube and Facebook.

Last year, AFS celebrated its 60th Anniversary. If you have an extra 3 minutes, I invite you to enjoy this video:

La semana pasada fue increíble, llena de sorpresas y viajes largos en tren de última hora: ¡muy emocionante! Todo esto se debe a que me pude reencontrar -de forma inesperada- con 4 (cuatro!) excompañeros de intercambio de mi experiencia con AFS ('89-'90) en Arizona, EEUU.

El hecho de que hayan pasado casi dos décadas y que el reencuentro se haya dado en un país diferente de donde nos conocimos, no deja de llenarme de sorpresa y felicidad. Me encantó poder ver a mis amigos, pero más aún compartir con sus propias familias. Cuando los abrazo, siento que estoy abrazando al mundo entero y me lleno de esperanza al pensar que nos volveremos a ver...¡quién sabe en cuántos años más!

Yo sé que estas casualidades se dan y que "el mundo es muy pequeño", pero cuando estos accidentes de suerte me ocurren a mí, los celebro como lo máximo.

Me acuerdo que un par de años después de haber estado de intercambio en Arizona (EEUU), Giancarlo, un estudiante de Costa Rica, me contó que estaba en Montana jugando boliche. Ahí conoció a un alemán, quien cuando supo que Giancarlo era de Costa Rica, le preguntó si conocía a Mariluz Bogarín. Giancarlo le dijo que "SI!" (los dos somos de la misma cuidad en Costa Rica: Heredia!)...el alemán resultó ser mi amigo Andi! :)

Status

The author of this blog is in the middle of a "journey to the past". Full story coming up...soon...upon completing her adventure.