Dispatches Archives - Page 18 of 21

July 24, 2009November 21, 2019

Ziggy Wisdom

I remember an old Ziggy comic, in which round-headed Ziggy sits with his dog on a cliff’s edge admiring the sunset. He remarks to his dog, “He does great work, doesn’t he?” It’s a simple homage to a greater power, and the logic (or belief) behind it can be applied to most anything in life. I remember and come back to that Ziggy wisdom occasionally because of its simplistic depth…an elementary understanding of something complicated, which to me makes perfect sense.

Now in Berlin, I am reenacting that Ziggy moment almost every night. Our view of the horizon has brought unbelieveable sunsets into our life, which make for interesting Futter für die Seele. (Food for the Soul)

June 20, 2009November 21, 2019

The Berlin Learning Curve

It’s hard to understand how many little things go into successfully navigating life, until you’re forced to learn them over again. Take the supermarket for example. Over the years, one learns more or less the fair price for an item, where items are likely placed, and how to avoid collisions with other shoppers. It’s just a matter of experience–when one does something for so long, the procedure becomes self-evident.

But when that experience has to be amended to fit into another culture, often we feel like fish in a new flavor of water.

June 9, 2009November 21, 2019

Zu Hause in Berlin

It’s nice to begin to settle–settling is an often underappreciated activity. It’s nice to settle into your favorite chair; it’s nice to settle in to a soft, warm bed before a well-deserved rest; and it’s certainly wonderful to settle into a new home, albeit thousands of miles from your last one.

So far, Schmargendorf has treated us fine with its captivating views and convenient shopping layout. With our ever improving German, we’ve navigated the worlds of finance, electronics, retail, postal services and public transportation with little trouble and few casualties. And today brought my first full day of life in German.

May 20, 2009January 20, 2017

Baby Goes Transatlantic

It may come as no surprise to those learned in the ways of babies, but our 3-month-old is growing. His occasional smiles have turned into regular smiles, and his scattered coos have turned into a sort of talking, and laughing, and whining, and sharing. Small things have become exciting for me–like describing all of the items in a grocery store, or narrating the curious characters who may cross our paths.

But these developmental events will be compounded by an even grander experience for our young one: As of June 2, our family will be residents of Berlin, Germany!

Continue reading “Baby Goes Transatlantic”

December 31, 2008June 18, 2023

New Year, Some Old Problems

The festive holiday season had clearly arrived, along with the commercials for payday loans or video games, there were more homeless men and women seeming to flood vacant street corners with sometimes curious signs.

Phoenix is an anomaly because of its climate.

A warm summer prevents homeless residents from panhandling during the day. It’s just too hot, and every year people literally die from the 115 degree highs.

But during the holiday season homelessness is more evident, though the legitimacy of those in need is not always clear.

December 17, 2008January 20, 2017

Renewing Our Energy: Berlin to Hamburg

From an empty darkness came strands of golden, glowing lace, curving through the black night like an ancient language atop a lit canvas. It was only the Irish coast, and Manchester, England at 4 a.m. But the beauty was vivid, and the reality clear: my long day was about to get longer. I had left Phoenix 14 hours before, and was set to land in Berlin to tour the country’s renewable energy sites. I was eager to learn, and open to experience a European perspective on energy as presented by the German government and NGO InWent.

So as the passport official had me lift my cap as he compared passport photo to real guy, I hopped on the TXL bus toward Prenzlauerberg. That evening I’d meet my colleagues, and begin the Transatlantic Climate Bridge.

Continue reading “Renewing Our Energy: Berlin to Hamburg”

November 28, 2008April 29, 2021

In Search of Energy

I didn’t ask for this chance.

When I returned from two months in Germany after a still-productive stint as a Burns Fellow, I planned to continue life in the states, maybe apply for a few transatlantic awards, maybe try to sell a few of my European stories to the networks here, maybe drink a smoothie or two.

But then something happened. Networking happened.

The local honorary German consul had helped me story storm before heading abroad, and I’ve worked with him on a few feature stories in the past. The German Embassy in Washington was looking for a handful of nominations from consular offices, of journalists with an interest in Germany and renewable energy.

And with my journalistic dossier continuing to fill with internationally-focused radio stories, my name happened to make it into the mix…

Continue reading “In Search of Energy”