Sunday, January 3, 2010

Best Place Birthday Bangalore

New!

New Year's Eve I spent with some friends I've met here. First, we were at the pizza all-you-can-eat, what with the exorbitant prices, the pizzas have usually the only sensible way is to get it. After that we went to drink it in a bar in Roppongi on a "Countdown Party" reinzufeiern. Except for the excessively high prices for drinks in a bar said that was all very funny, was just disappointing that despite the name no countdown the New Year rang in, but only a "Happy New Year" by the DJ. About three clock we had the crazy idea to make again a little karaoke, but had to find out that the idea was not crazy, since almost all karaoke bars fully extended in the area. The rest of us were too expensive, so we bit of a running through the streets of Roppongi, which were full of celebrating non-Japanese.

The Japanese Imperial Palace in Tokyo is not normally available to only two days a year, you can at least see a bit of it. One is the birthday of the Emperor, currently the 23 December, and second, the second January, at which one New Year's Greetings the imperial family can receive. Of course I wanted to not miss with a friend and I drove to the palace. To coordinate the huge crowds, all visitors were already driven hundreds of yards outside the gate by way delineated, checked and scanned.
On a large square, the crowd has gathered and then patiently waited until the next appearance of the imperial family on the balcony. When these then came forward all their Japanese flags have coiled, which were previously distributed, and some older Japanese women have sighed with delight. The Emperor spoke a few words, the family waved to 3 minutes and then disappeared again. This part of the palace was not even very nice and the visitors were mostly tourists, but whatever. I have seen the Japanese Emperor in real!
Quite surprisingly I've got the years between the way the message that I am from January to March, presumably from surplus, the JASSO scholarship get paid. Currently I share my one with Michael, so we now get both in these three months, twice!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Make Ice Skates Not Hurt Arches

Current polit situation and my work

.
Hi,

Photo: With friends go

after two weeks I report again today. As promised, I will tell you a little bit about my work at the Hanns-Seidel Foundation, but first I want to briefly discuss the current political situation in Indonesia. As already mentioned

a few weeks ago on my blog, the Indonesian government in the wake of the financial crisis keep a medium-sized bank before Bankrot. In the end, they were pumped by the government 50 times more funding in the bank as originally planned, exactly Rupiah 6.7 trillion, or 710 million U.S. dollars . The funny thing in the matter is that nobody knows where the money is hinverschwunden. Why are the time of the Vice President (then President of the Indonesian Central Bank and for the bailout at all responsible) and the Finance Minister on the hit list . The public is increasingly built on pressure and was now a committee appointed by Parliament. From my office window I see exactly one of the main roads that leads directly to the presidential palace. Every day there are now demonstrations against the government in general and the two main characters in particular. In government circles it is already rumored that the two must resign to save the president. Moreover, it is assumed that the President has financed part of his election campaign this year's budget of black money from the bank bailout. It is more confused, and who knows ....... in the end, maybe even the president take his hat . Civil society (media, non-governmental organizations, the common people) is becoming increasingly restless, as reflected in the numerous demonstrations. are still the protests peaceful , but according to my Indonesian colleagues, the mood can change very quickly. Last week was the global anti-corruption day and tens of thousands of people protested (peacefully, with few exceptions) throughout Indonesia. That would not be the first time that the population crashes a president ...........



But now at last my work at the HSS , which of course indirectly to do with the political events in Indonesia.
- Even I am of this annual report to write, which is divided in: the domestic policy that foreign policy that economic situation and other developments (for example, the devastating earthquake in Sumatra a few months ago) . It is exciting to look at such a young democracy (just 10 years) to get the children and diseases that are still quite large. At the forefront of corruption, ... In general, my job is to observe the general trends in Indonesia (research in newspapers, internet ,...) and write special reports if necessary.
- Furthermore, we have just completed the project planning of the HSS for 2010, ie. the current projects of 2009 to evaluate and develop new ones for 2010. This includes both the substantive and financial planning witha.
- I regularly go with my boss (who is staying at the very moment in Copenhagen at the convention) on outdoor events. So I have already, for example, several ambassadors (German, Sweden, Greece, Denmark, Myanmar ,...) met, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, the Vice-Minister of the Environment, the Director-General of ASEAN (something like the EU in Southeast Asia), Paul Wolfowitz (former World Bank president and U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia ),... You see, we come here a lot of important people and still regard themselves as more important:)

- I also work with the organization and conduct of workshops the HSS. Two weeks ago we had a training course on "Environmental Education for Sustainable Development". Since then I have also held a lecture on renewable energies. A very interesting subject and highly topical one at that. Visited us in early November, the German Constitutional Court Prof. Bross for a lecture series on issues the decision of the Constitutional Court. Actually I have with law not care much about, but it's always interesting outside the box must look to.

- Of course there is one but not the typical office work ersparrt. It also happens that the German report must translate in English or speeches for my boss on certain occasions to write (the last was for the climate conference in Copenhagen)

Finally I would like to congratulate everyone that was still by this (in my eyes very dry) block entry is read. I promise you that there is the next time more pictures and impressions of Indoensien. First moves but for now my whole family over Christmas and New Year and we enjoy a few nice weeks Recovery. I will contact with you again in early January.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and Happy Easter! :)

Starting Over in 2010!

your
Peter