Internet Radio

Since the loss of my beloved Pandora which doesn't work outside of the US, I have been searching for a suitable replacement. Many of the Internet Radio stations I am familiar with either don't work outside the US or just plain don't stream well.

I was recently directed to Blip from another blog and have been using this for the past few days. It is feeding me the much needed Christmas music life blood (yes - I will admit freely that I could happily listen to Xmas music all year long) that I need such as Linus and Lucy and Elvis Presley's rendition of Blue Christmas.

Cons: This site streams from everywhere including YouTube which can make the music very choppy. I try to avoid streaming from videos which you can check off as a setting once you set up your DJ account.

I also think the diversity of music is a little less than Pandora. They seem to have a pretty good mix with only 1 song that I couldn't find. Again, I have only been playing with this for a few days so your experience may be different.

There are other things that Blip enables you to do such as "giving props" to other DJ's. I don't totally understand these features and haven't really used them. If you use them, let me know what you think. I barely have time to update my blog much less "blip" or "give props."

What do you think of Blip? Are there other Internet Radio stations you use that you like?

Kultur Shock at the Workplace - Job applications

Now that I have a job that actually requires that I work from somewhere other than home, I thought I would write a few posts about German working environment versus the US.

I will qualify everything I say first by saying that I have only worked at 2 places. Both of them are "International" - but probably only by about 10%. Anything I say should not be construed as blanketing the entire German system or the US system. I am in Berlin currently and my perspective in the US is from a Midwest/Pacific Northwest. Keep that in mind. :)

I wanted to start off talking about Job applications. There seem to be a few major differences between the US and Germany.

For those of you who don't know, a US job application consists of a cover letter explaining why you want the job and how it is a perfect fit for you and a CV. Your references contact information are printed at the end in case your employer wants to contact them. It is usually no more than 2 pages. Simple right?

Here in Germany, you send in an application that is easily sometimes an inch thick. You need a picture, diplomas and any other certificates you received from training courses or even kindergarten (ok -maybe I exaggerate), and work certificates (see below). All of this will eventually get put into an application folder.

You must attach a picture to your application. The pictures can be passport photos but I was told not to use those photo machines but to use a professional photographer. Otherwise, you would not be considered professional enough. I am fairly certain the same rules apply about age, sex, weight etc. discrimination here in Germany as in the US but are more difficult to enforce if a picture is right on the top of your application!

The second major difference I noticed is that they want to see your actual diplomas. In the US, I was often required to provide transcripts, even from high school, but I have never been asked for a diploma. The interviews I went on here wouldn't even take my transcript and so I had to order a new diploma because mine is somewhere stuck in boxes in my parents basement.

I don't know this for sure but I would guess that people in the US believe that papers like diplomas could be easily forged. My diploma also had to be stamped and then eventually copied. (I got back the original) The Germans seem to like official documents to be stamped.

On a side note, I had a Canadian friend tell me a story that the German government wouldn't recognize her Canadian marriage certificate from a government office because it wasn't stamped. However, the church certificate was stamped and so they accepted that.

The CV's are basically the same although the subject headings seem to be in slightly different positions. CV's also usually include more personal information than was normal for me - health status, married status, profession of spouse, profession of parents, children, nationality, high school experiences etc... I have been told that some of this is going out of style but it depends on the company you are applying for. Oh, and make sure you sign and date your CV at the bottom of every page.

The work certificates are basically letters of reference. Every German will receive one upon leaving their jobs. As in the US, a vague letter of reference stating that you are honest, hardworking and punctual is probably a bad sign for future employer. These must be attached in German applications as opposed to "when asked for" in the US.

I have to make a confession that I started to use this formula to apply but when I got my job, I hadn't finished assembling everything together. I am still surprised I got the job as I had a half German/half American job application. I assume they didn't ask for more since they knew I was a foreigner. For example, I didn't have any work certificates included because I hadn't had much time to ask my former employers to write something for me. I did however, include a picture and any diplomas and special certificates I had.

If you had a different experience, please let me know in the comment section below. I am sure job apps are different for different types of job specialties.

Coming up next....the Interviews

Funny Foto Freitag

What is this you might ask?





I will give you a hint. This is what it usually looks like.



Adorable white tents with stars on top filled with the scent of roasted nuts and decorated Christmas trees...


I think someone better talk to the people who designed the setup for the Wilmersdorfer "Winter Dreams" Christmas Market. And I am still scratching my head on what smashed up cars have to do with "Winter Dreams"...(their words-not mine)

Oddly enough, the website makes no mention of the Christmas "Art."

Happy Holidays everyone! (no matter what your interpretation!)

Fahrradsport Wednesday - Hand Signals

Growing up in the US, I learned that there are certain hand signals that you need to use in order to indicate to other cyclists and vehicles that you intend to turn. The way I was taught is that you always use your left hand, even when turning right. You are supposed to use your left hand because no one is going to see your right hand, given that most likely you have a line of parked cars on your right.

But since I've moved to Germany, I have never, ever seen anyone use their left hand at a 90 degree angle to go right. Instead, if they signal (and in all honestly the majority of cyclists do, though not the vast majority), they always use their right hand.

This may seem really minor, but it's thrown me for a total loop. I understand that it seems counter-intuitive to use your left hand to go right, but there are many situations where no one can see your right hand if your signaling. And of course there are plenty of people that use their right hand in the US, but I would say the majority used their left hand (at least in Seattle).

I did a little googling, and I found that it's perfectly legal in many places in the US to use your right hand to signal, apparently, though using your right hand is consider an alternative it seems. But do they just not do this in Germany? I am continuing to use my left hand to signal, but I feel like it is a bit like the QWERTY keyboard situation. Sure, a QWERTY keyboard gets the job done, but the fact that a better layout exists will never catch on because everyone is already using a QWERTY keyboard. I can only imagine what German cyclists and drivers are thinking when they see me with my left hand at 90 degrees taking a right hand turns. I guess I'm a lone soldier in my own personal war for left-hand based cycling turn signals.

Also, what about in the UK, given that they drive on the wrong side of the street? Do they use their right hand for all turns like Americans do?

Fahrradsport Wednesday - Smoking

About a month ago I was cruising along the bike path on my way to work. Up ahead, I noticed an old codger slowly pedaling along (not wearing a helmet, of course!). I caught up to him in no time. As I passed him, I noticed that there was a particular reason this old fart was going so slow. He was busy puffing on a cigarette while riding his bike!

But actually, this isn't the first time I've seen this since I've moved to Berlin. I wouldn't say it's common, but I probably see it once or twice a month. I have never, ever seen it before moving here from the US though. I chalk that fact up to a few factors 1) the rate of smoking is much higher here than in the US 2) There are a lot more people on bikes here and a LOT more using their bike to commute. 3) Smokers who are commuting to and from work tend to smoke (Lord knows I saw plenty of people in the US smoking on their way to work while in their cars). Thus, logically, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to see people smoking while biking.

But it really is surprising. After all, cycling is inherently a healthy activity. Why would you ruin it with smoking? But it's not that; I know plenty of smokers cycle (and good for them). But it's the act of smoking while cycling that throws me for a loop. It's like spitting in the face of any benefit you might be getting from the exercise itself. But that's just it; none of the people I've seen smoking while cycling seemed to be cycling for the exercise; they were just wearing street clothes meandering along just like Gramps I mentioned above. I guess they're just getting from point A to point B and taking a nicotine hit while doing it. I guess it's the contrast of it more than anything...