It’s in the middle of the night and I’m awake. I think this phenomenon is called jet lag. No more skyscrapers, noises, millions of people, obtrusive lights, and no elevator. Yes, I guess I must be back home.

My trip back to Germany was quite adventurous, e.g. I first sat on the wrong shuttle to the airport and was kicked out again. I had to cross 34th Street several times with my whole baggage. I’m glad I wasn’t knocked down by a cab. On the airplane I was really exhausted.

Back in Munich I was welcomed warmly by my family and by my best friends at the airport, although it was early in the morning. Coming home felt so good.

At home almost nothing has changed. It’s like I have never been away. But when I think back of the last thrilling months, I know better.

I had a wonderful time in the US that I won’t forget in my whole life, I’m sure. I want to quote a song: “Thanks for the memories”. I had many good times, but most of all great times. I lived the American way of life. I got to know American college life and American working life, and all in only four months.

I made a lot of new friends. I went to exciting events and concerts. And I saw many interesting places. My trips to Canada, Florida, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington were simply amazing. I definitely want to come back soon.

I’m proud that “I made it” in New York City which wasn’t always that easy. I had to learn a lot. I hope the saying is true that if you can make it in the Big Apple, you can make it everywhere.

I already miss New York and my friends there- the people at EMI/Blue Note, my former SUNY roommate and of course the IIB’ers. I want to thank everybody for the wonderful time that we spent together and I hope we will meet again soon. And a special thanks goes to our coordinator and the IIB team for the great organization.

A happy New Year to everyone!

Thanks for everything!

All the best, Sylvie

P.S. Here’s a link to my favorite pictures.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14510&l=ed848&id=639405059

This won’t be my last blog. There will be one more after this. Just one more blog. I still have so much to tell.

Okay, let’s start. The graduation party was a lot of fun; although I can’t see meatballs anymore now. After the “official” part, after the speeches had been held and after we had received our certificates, the night was just about to begin. We went to a bar, we were dancing, playing pool and were just having fun. Some of the IIBers had to leave earlier as their planes would depart early the next morning. The ones of us who stayed had the rest of the ceremony’s buffet for breakfast- cold noodles, cheese, vegetables, cupcakes, and meatballs. We ate it all.

It was the last time that we all met at the ceremony. It was time to say goodbye but it was not that sad because we knew that one day we will meet each other again, either in Mexico, Australia, Sweden, Germany or elsewhere in the world.

The next day I went to my company’s holiday party. There was a lot of food, too. We sang typical American christmas carols and we even had an open fireplace, though it was only on TV. For me the christmas party was also my farewell party.

My IIB buddies and me left early the next morning for Philadelphia. We learned a lot about the American history there, we went to the Independence Hall, saw the Liberty Bell etc. We ate a typical Philadelphia cheese steak and a Philadelphia cheese cake.

And then it was time for Washington D.C. In front of the White House there was a huge christmas tree with fifty little christmas trees around it, each representating one of the fifty states of the US. That was nice. We did a long walk (a guided tour) through D.C.- from the White House to the Jefferson and the Lincoln Memorial, from the Washington Monument to the Capitol. It was really interesting but freezing as a strong wind was blowing all the time. We had a great time on our last trip.

Now I’ m back in the city and I’m enjoying my last days. I’ve become a hardcore tourist in the meantime- Top of the Rock, Radio Music City Hall and its Christmas Spectacular Show, the MOMA, Brooklyn Bridge, the United Nations, I had it all in only two days. And I have finished christmas shopping successfully. I can’t move in my room, the elevator shaft, anymore, because my luggage is all over. I will leave New York very soon.

I wish you all a merry christmas and hope you will read my next, very last blog. Take care, Sylvie

My time in New York is almost up. Time is ticking…

Today the last week of my internship started. On Thursday our IIB graduation ceremony will take place in the I-House. It will be the last time that we all come together. And then everything will be over. Over and out.

Not everything will be over – but the IIB program Fall 2007. I will stay in New York until the 23rd of December and will be coming home for christmas exactly on Christmas Day in Germany. I have always loved the song ”I’m coming home for Christmas” but it has never been more true for me.

Back to this week: On Friday I will go to the Blue Note Christmas Party and say goodbye to everybody there. That will be sad. From Saturday until Monday I will travel to Philadelphia and Washington D.C with my two IIB buddies. Our very last trip together.

My last week in New York will be packed with sightseeing and christmas shopping. And not to forget with packing- that will be a real nightmare.

When I think of leaving New York and the end of the IIB program, I have a laughing and a crying eye. On the one hand I don’t want to leave, I don’t want it all to be over. It was a dream. I have learned and experienced so much in only four months. It feels like it has been a year or more that I have been away from home. On the other hand I am looking forward to meeting my family and my friends at home again. And it will be christmas which is always nice. I will enjoy the silence. No more elevator and tourists.

Read more about the IIB ceremony in my next blog. Take care. HO HO HO!

Florida was a dream. And we never wanted to wake up again. On Thursday, after we had arrived at Fort Lauderdale Airport, we were invited by some friends to join them for Thanksgiving.

It was our first Thanksgiving ever. On the menu: turkey (of course) , potatoes, ham, vegetables, stuffing, bread, pumpkin pie, blueberry pie, apple cider, wine…. Our turkey weighed 22 pounds. I don’t know what we weighed after all those delicious meals but I don’t want to know.

After dinner we went swimming in the moonlight and were glad that we refused to be “early birds” on Black Friday. When we went to bed, other people (”early birds”) just got up for shopping . Many stores opened between midnight and 4 am. We slept like babies that night. And I didn’t miss my friend, the elevator.

During the next days we drove around by car. I was the driver for most of the time. It felt so good to drive on my own again. In the car we listened to christmas carols while we where passing palms and exotic flowers.

We went to beaches, the Everglades, the Keys, Miami… We saw an alligator, lizzards, pelicans and even a shark (we think it was a shark). One of our highlights was a boat tour through the canals of Boca Raton. It was a wonderful time.

The weather was warm all the time. We soaked up the sun after weeks of cold autumn weather in New York. And the moon was full. It was so beautiful to sit on the beach and look at the full moon.

On Sunday we had to go back to New York City. We arrived there late at night.

The next day when I was back at my internship I just thought back and I realized: “Hey, yesterday at this time you were just swimming in the sea.” It seemed so unreal.

This week is a short week. Only two days of work. It’s Thanksgiving- turkey time. On Thursday there will be the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. But I will only be able to see a part of it since I have to get on the plane to Florida.

Yes, I will go to the Sunshine State and escape the cold New York City for four days. Together with two fellow IIB’ers.

Last weekend I went to Boston with them. That was fun. Boston seemed so small and relaxed in comparison to New York. We took a Chinatown bus, which is very cheap, and after four hours we arrived in the “Harvard city”. We walked on the famous Freedom Trail, and of course went to Harvard University, where we met three crazy squirrels. And we celebrated our own Boston tea party.

Coming back to Thanksgiving. It’s the best shopping time in the year. All shops have special offers and discounts. The Friday after Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday”. I always thought “Black Friday” stood for the stock exchange crash in 1929- but it is THE shopping day in the US.

Time is running fast. Half of our time in New York City is already over. Christmas is approaching. The more things you do, the faster time goes by. Last week I went to two concerts- to the “Young Wild Things Tour” (with Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, Cute is what we aim for and the Plain White T’s) in Madison Square Garden, and to “The Bird and the Bee”, a band that is also on the Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack. It was awesome. 

My things-to-do-list in New York is still very long…

Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!

See ya.

A typical day in the city looks like this for me: I wake up because of my friend, the elevator. After finally getting up, I rush down to the dining room to grab some breakfast, which is only served till 8.45 am-not much longer at the weekend. Then I  get ready for my internship.

On the street I have to face a lot of obstacles which could prevent me from arriving at work:  tourists, slowly walking people in general, traffic lights that say “Don’t walk”, cars, and of course Macy’s and other “fellow” stores. After a ten-minute-walk towards the Empire State Building, I enter the subway station. I take the subway to the Flat Iron Building. Having arrived at the Flat Iron Building, it only takes me some minutes to get to EMI Music on 5th Avenue.

At EMI I am welcomed friendly every morning: “Good mornin’, Sylvie. How are you doin’?”. A short ride with the EMI elevator- and I finally arrive at Blue Note, where I am interning.

Music is everywhere: everybody who works for Blue Note listens to music. On the walls are posters and frames of artists, discs, CDs, awards etc.  

After having said “hi” to my bosses and a little chat I arrive at my desk. Now my day at work can start.

I love my internship. The people are really friendly. It’s a cosy working atmosphere. Every day it feels a little bit like coming home.

During work I always keep in touch with my two best IIB friends. So I am well informed about what is happening at their internships and in other offices in New York. And I inform them (in Sylvie’s news hour) about the latest news of The New York Times, The Wallstreet Journal, LA Times, Daily News…, that I have to look through at work.

After work I go to the gym. And I’m not the only one. When I arrive at the sports club (next to the Empire State Building), it’s rush hour at the cross trainers. Having finished my workout, sauna and shower, I can make my way home. And still there are tons of people, although it’s already night.

To be continued…

The first few weeks in the city are over. It feels like it is months ago that I moved from tiny little New Paltz to big New York City. So much happened: Halloween and the Greenwich Village Parade, the New York City Marathon, a random meeting with Brad Pitt, Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys etc., extensive shopping tours, a helicopter flight, a concert, going out… only to mention a few things that I have experienced in city that never sleeps, (which is totally true, by the way), in the last time.

I met so many new people. I made a new friend. The elevator. The room in which I am staying is really nice, the only bad thing about it is that you could also call it the “elevator shaft”. It is really loud. I wake up a few times every night.

And I caught a new disease. It is called the “shopping disease”. Living next door to Macy’s is very dangerous. Every day on my way to my internship I am confronted with stores that seem to scream at me: come in and buy something. A day without shopping is almost impossible. The “land of opportunity” or better the “city of opportunity” offers the nicest clothes, shoes, cosmetics, fragrances, you could ever imagine.

It really feels good not to be a “typical” tourist in New York City. Dressed up for work as a business lady, nobody expects you to be a visitor and annoys you with stupid flyers for sightseeing tours.

Strategic walking is very important in order to survive in the Big Apple. You have to walk a lot in Manhattan. Millions of people are everywhere. Tourists walk all over. You really have to concentrate on your steps, if you don’t want to bump into a person that stops abruptly. Everything moves fast in the city- except the tourists. My advice: if you want to be fast on foot, put your head up high in the sky and ignore everyone around you. And just walk. I also noticed very soon that it is not cool to stop at traffic lights- check whether a car is coming, if not, just walk. But be careful if a cab is approaching- taxis are the most aggressive cars.

There is so much stuff to do in the city. There are still many things and places I want to see. But time is running. At the moment I can’t imagine being back at home and having my “old” everyday life again. But I don’t want to think about that now. I still have seven weeks left in New York. Exciting events are waiting for me: a New York Knicks game, concerts, trips to Florida, Boston, Washington D.C etc.

More about that soon……

This my first blog ever. How should I start? That is the question.

Let me first introduce my person and the program I am attending.

Currently I am taking part in a work and study program in public relations and marketing, offered by the Institute of International Business (IIB) of the State University of New York at New Paltz (SUNY New Paltz). Puh, what a long sentence.

The participants of this program are commonly referred to as the “IIB’ers”.

This semester (Fall 2007) we are 20 IIB’ers from Mexico, Australia, Sweden and Germany.

The two months of studying at the SUNY (by the way pronounced “zoony” and not “sunny”) are already over.

The time in New York City and thus our internships have just begun.   

I am a student from Germany and the “IIB baby” as I am the youngest participant of this semester’s IIB group.

I am interning at EMI Music.

Some people also call me “the Japanese” because I don’t leave the house without my camera.

So far, so good.

During the next weeks you will get to know me a little bit better through my blogs.

P.S. Of course you will also be able to see photos!