Derek Snyder: November 2008 Archives

It's Thanksgiving today in America. As we wind down one holiday and start ramping up for yet another, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I'm thankful for.

The reality is, God has blessed me with so much. The attacks in Mumbai as of late reminded me of my visit there just two years ago. I remember, regretfully, openly criticizing the former Bombay for being a country full of swindlers. You see, local cab drivers wouldn't take me directly to my requested destination, but would instead route me through many shopping districts- most of which they shared a financial stake. While I was annoyed with this, it wasn't the real reason I struggled with India. In truth, it was the poverty. Seeing such a large divide between rich and poor was almost more than I could take, and it was something I quickly grew cold to. I'm embarrassed and a bit mortified by that behavior. How could they have so little while our cup overflows?

So here we are back in America, the land of milk and honey. The blessings keep coming. I, personally, have so much. I feel markedly undeserving. Why did I win this lottery? By that I mean this; I didn't choose to be born in the land of the free, where intellectual, spiritual, and economic opportunities can be openly pursued. I didn't pick the excellent family that I was born into. Would I be where I am without these factors? Highly doubtful.

So with that, knowing I didn't get to pick so many elements that attribute to the life that I now enjoy... all I can do is be thankful.

God has filled my life with amazing friends, an incredible family that has brought me up to pursue His will, and- for the last 3 years - a woman who is unmatched in her care for both things now and eternal. He has given me opportunity after opportunity, and seemingly guided my every step for as long as I can remember. I've never thought twice about the "next move" - and I'm so thankful and humbled that there has always been one lined up.

It's time now to wait on Him for that next move. Education? Check. Career? Check. Strength will rise as I wait.

The Germans love food. And I love food. That’s why spending 7 days in Germany may very well be 6 days too many.  Today I made my way over to the famous Berlin department store, KaDeWe. This store is insane. Six floors in all, selling everything from apparel to jewelry to computers to even baked goods. Eat your heart out, Mr. Nordstrom. What started out as a short visit quickly turned into a large scale affair. The goal? It was lunchtime, and I was hungry.

By the way, have I mentioned lately that they really love Christmas here?

So I went up the 6th floor, where they reportedly were keeping all the food. And my goodness, was that ever the case. Vendor after vendor of international cuisine, offering delicacies that ranged from light fare to the more traditional (and deelish) German dishes. I walked up and down the aisles, finding very few menus that had either a.) english, or b.) pictures of the food.

My heart jumped for joy when I came upon a Japanese restaurant. I had a flash of déjà vu when I believed that Mike and/or Loke Uei might have come here the last time we were through Berlin for the Mobile and Embedded Developer Conference. I’ll leave it to them to confirm or deny. At any rate, I ended up having some spring rolls and chicken lo mein. I especially enjoyed it because it reminded me of this asian restaurant we used to go to when I was a kid. It was in a booming suburb of Syracuse called Mattydale. I call it “booming suburb” with all embellishment possible.

Who knew that there was such good Japanese cuisine in Germany? Is this a serendipitous side effect of the world wars? Whatever the reason, that lo mein rocked my world. The best part of the meal came at the end… the fortune cookie.

The inscription reads, “Eine neue Romanze bahnt sich an” which I believe means something about how a renewed romance is coming. The funny part is that the fortune in English on the opposite side was completely different, and unrelated.

That fortune read, “The person next to you is serious and deserves your respect.” Are they messing with me? I snapped a picture of the person next to me – so you be the judge.

I think I’ll just take the fortune about the renewed romance, thank you very much. So that’s it. A great day for food, and for a little bit of international terror. Oh, and yes, it wouldn’t be a nice night in Berlin without a Bratwurst and some charred chicken.

Time for me to sleep some of this cuisine off. I think I may be single-handedly responsible for an increased fare on the trip home, due largely to just how much bratwurst and heavy noodles I’ll be carrying on.

It’s now my fourth day in Berlin, and things are starting to drag on a bit. Sure, I’m getting into a routine and all, but it’s been tough making this trip alone. I’ve been starting every morning with the gym, and to my surprise it seems that some (possibly highroller) hotel guests actually travel with their personal trainers. It’s pretty funny to be jogging along on the treadmill, only to find an older gentlemen being coached in German on the same activity mere meters away. “Schnell, schnell!”

Going to the research facility every day has afforded me the opportunity of a 4 kilometer walk, round trip. After the first day, I’ve found some shortcuts that don’t actually take me through Berlin’s red light district (didn’t know I could still run that fast).

I wish I that I had a way to fully articulate what it’s like to be the only American in an all German research facility. I hear maybe 2 sentences of English total within the 10 hours or so that I’m here each day. At the same time, they’ve continued to bring in what seems to be an endless supply of sandwiches that I can’t eat (darn pesto is in everything). Lately they’ve been sneaking in with some fruit that’s already been cut up, but it then has become a race against the clock before it all turns brown. But it’s alright. It’s a cultural experience. And between the brown fruit and constant stream of fizzy water, I may just spend that entire flight home in the washroom.

Last night I took a walk around the village, and found more charming holiday festivities going on. Street vendors have popped up everywhere, and I enjoyed what I think might have been my eleventh bratwurst this week. Ok, I exaggerate. Tenth. I also got to witness youth culture at its finest- an outdoor ice rink was put up just outside my hotel door. What better way to spend a Wednesday night than by grabbing your best fraulein and dance skating the night away?

As part of my continued predilection with visiting the same 5 cities in Western Europe over and over again, I’m spending this week in Berlin. We’ve definitely gotten into the bitter cold portion of the year, but it sort of adds to the experience.

This is, however, the first time I’ve been in Germany around Christmastime. From what I can see, the Germans have single handedly been the source for all the commercialized aspects of Christmas that we enjoy in the States today. Huge monuments of St. Nicholas are being erected all throughout town, and, as you’d assume, many of them depict him drinking from a half liter of Berliner Pilsner. Ah yes, national pride, you’ve managed to surface through every orifice possible.

For those who subscribe to my out of office email messages, you may know by now that I’m in town for a research study. Imagine my dismay when it came time to order lunch at the facility, and they handed me a menu for an Italian restaurant. “Umm, I’ll have the spaghetti and bratwurst, ja?"

I made up for it last night with a big plate of goulash (a traditional Hungarian dish). And believe me, this is not your Labrador Mountain goulash. This goulash put at least 200 more hairs on my chest before making over half of them stand on end. Ready to eat your feelings, Berlin? Well, me too!

Alright, I think it’s about time I call it a night. Just got done downloading the Oprah… and Jesus podcast from church this past weekend; seems like a surefire way to get some nightmares, guaranteed.