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

Done. After 4 months, the IIB experience, for me at least is over. We had our graduation last Thursday night and it was great way to finish off the semester. I wish I had a bad thing to say about the last four months but, seriously, I don’t. Oh, the surf sucked. That’s about it.

The graduation was a great night. The coordinators were there, representatives from SUNY New Paltz, the ambassador of State University of New York, as well as all 20 students. I was pretty shocked when I got chosen to deliver a speech in front of everyone. I would think I’d be the last person the class would want to represent them, but we live in strange times.

I could try and wax lyrically as to why the last four months were so good, but it still wouldn’t do it justice. The only way I’d describe the experience is: amazing. Before I started the program, I wanted to be a real part of this place. To not just be a tourist, but to be on the other side of the window, not on the outside looking in. I did that, and I’ve the IIB program to thank. Living here and working here and being thrown into a completely new environment where I knew noone seemed kind of daunting at first, but it taught me a lot about myself and the world. New York City, this country, its people and also the program, showed me that anything really is possible. Your only competition is you. To borrow from Hilltop Hoods, my favourite Aussie Hip-hop (Skip-hop) crew… “The only competition you’ll find is in the mirror”. NYC is living proof. if you want something, anything, you go get it.

I’ve come up to Calgary, Canada to do some snowblading with a mate for a week and then I fly to LA with another mate to do our road trip, The Hard Road 07/08. We’re hiring some old bomb and driving from LA through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, New Orleans and a few other places and the only thing is, we have to be back in NY Jan 13 for my flight back to Melbs. We’ll be armed with nothing but a few dollars, a camera, a maglite and a ukelele. Really all you need.

If you’re considering doing the IIB thing, do it. I’m the last person to peddle anything for anyone but it’s an amazing experience, all round. I didn’t manage to get deported to Mexico yet, which kind of sucks, but I can work on that when I get home.

Excuse me now as I just get the last few things done on my trip and then hit the surf back in the Burn, every day for like 12 hours, for at least 2 months. Hell-yeah!

Peace and love.

Dave

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!

So I read in The Onion recently that this joint’s called “The city that never sleeps” because it has to work through the night to afford the rent. That’s pretty much spot on. But I guess you get what you pay for. This city’s full of so much interesting stuff, day and night, it’s kind of all worth it.

Everything’s sort of winding down for me here now. If that’s possible in this mad-crazy city. I feel like I’m kind of ready to go home though –New Paltz was amazing and my internships have been everything I had hoped for. But on the other hand, I feel like there’s a lot that could easily keep me here. It’s going to be good to get out of this freezing weather (I lost 2 fingers and a toe today) and I’d love to be back already for the awesome surf, sand and beach cricket of the Melbourne summer. It’s just that I’ve met so many amazing people here, and I’m just getting to know some more, that a part of me really doesn’t want to leave.

My internships are going along real well. The thing I’ll take most from working at VICE and First30Days will have been working closely with, and getting to know, writers and editors who’ve had such amazing experiences in life and in the industry. It’s been great being able to not only get their feedback but also hear (or read) some of the stories they have to tell, what they hope to achieve and their dreams for the future. New York is the most competitive place in the world in so many ways (including publishing), so to make it here you’ve got to have at least some idea of what you’re doing.

I went to see the Rangers play the NY Islanders at Madison Square Garden last week with a friend from the IIB program and the Rangers won 4-2 in front of a sell-out crowd. Heaps good. Even though I love my basketball and have been playing since I was a kid, the hockey had such a better atmosphere than the bball. But that probably has a bit to do with the fact that the Rangers are doin’ well and a lot to do with the Knicks absolutely sucking, having a clueless coach and a useless point guard who hasn’t passed the ball once in his entire 12 year NBA career. (Oh, and the same night, the Knicks lost in Boston to the Celtics by a record margin, 104-59. You beauty.)

The other night I went to see a friend I met in New Orleans last year battle at a hip-hop club in downtown Manhattan. I met him when we were both working with the volunteer Hurricane Relief Crew Common Ground in August 2006, helping in the cleanup and restoration of the city after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He’s got an album comin’ out next week, but he didn’t do too well this night. He got torn apart when a guy he was up against spotted that he had writing all over his hands (it’s got to be completely freestyle). I spoke to him after to see what he had written. It was directions on how to get to the club.

I also went with a few friends to a “gay and gay-friendly” Hillary Clinton ‘08 fundraiser a couple nights ago and that was kind of funny. Free drinks, which was good, but Hillary Clinton, who is bad. To be fair, maybe she’s the lesser of all the evils, but anyway, whatever, she wasn’t going to get any of my money……… Just thinkin’ though, I do however remember dropping a penny on the floor just before we left the bar. I just hope, I pray, her campaign flunkies didn’t pick it up and add it to the pile. Damn. That kind of sucks though. I’ll never be sure.

Lookin’ forward to going to see one of my favourite rappers, Matisyahu at the Polish Club in Brooklyn this weekend, as part of the Jewish Festival of Light. Hell yes.

And now I got to go, I’m meeting this dude in the alleyway behind our building who runs his own “travel assistance” business. Like I said, I want to try to stay in the US and this guy’s hooking me up with what he says is a perfectly legitimate VISA. He seems nice. His business hours are only 2.45am-2.55am every night, his office is his black van that has no plates and he tends to scurry into the dumpster every time he hears sirens off in the distance, but that’s cool. Dude seems legit.

Big Love,

Dave

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.