CMblog
Monday 9 April 2007
CM Crisis Center
Posted by Selinde van Raalte at 14:06
Easter weekend, the weekend to go home, have a great Easter breakfast or dinner, search for eggs in the backyard and enjoy the sunny spring weather. But no, it is half past nine; easter morning and I am ringing the doorbell at Thijs’ house.Since Thursday afternoon we have taken over Thijs his student’s house and created our own crisis center. One huge desk, lots of computer and enough food to survive the winter of starvation. This weekend we will work every waking hour to get everything finished. Nametags are designed, the scenario is planned, the décor for the Welcome Party is constructed and many other jobs that need to be done.
It is not the usual Easter weekend, but it is not as bad as it might sound. The team spirit is getting stronger and stronger and together we will succeed in keeping our nerves under control. Like the website tells us; just 8 days 8 hours 3 minutes and 49 48 47 46 ….. seconds left till the Council Meeting Eindhoven 2007. Just one more week to fill in the last blanks and to prepare ourselves for thé week where we have been looking forward to…..
Saturday 31 March 2007
Cross-country Skiing in Trondheim
Posted by Thijs Putman at 20:14
A couple of weeks ago Edwin, Rutger, Niek, Laurens and me attended the VISION conference in Trondheim. After having enjoyed the academic part of the VISION, it now was time to start the activity the VISION in Trondheim is best-known for: Skiing. On Friday we went up a mountain near Trondheim to do some cross-country skiing.
Before we could try our luck on skies, there were some “minor” issues get up the mountain. As already noted, the roads were quite slippery and 50 ESTIEM’ers were a bit too much for the bus (and driver) to handle. In the final bend before reaching the top of the mountain, the bus came to a screeching halt and started slipping back down the mountain. All attempts of the bus driver to recover control were to no avail. The bus was stuck and we had to get out and walk the last bit. Later we learned that the Norwegian organisers had similar problems driving their “rented-wreck” up the mountain.
After a short walk and trying out some skies, everybody suited up for a day of cross-country skiing. The first challenge was to get to the cabin the Norwegians had rented for the day. After a couple of nosedives into the snow, most people managed to get there in one piece.
Second part of the program was a skiing competition, but after some people realised they were never going to win from the Finnish and Norwegians, it transformed from a friendly match of cross-country skiing into something that is best described as “rugby on skies”.
Most of the participants spend the rest of their afternoon in the relative safety of the cabin. Niek, Laurens, Rutger and Thijs joined Martin for a short cross-country skiing tour.
The view was absolutely fabulous and the route was nice, but I (Thijs) have learned one important lesson: Never, ever, go cross-country skiing without knowing how to break and steer.
About two-thirds of the way through, we came across a sharp turn at the end of a downhill stretch. I couldn’t break, couldn’t steer and had already fallen enough to think: “To hell with it”. Instead of going left, I went straight ahead into the trees. For the remainder of the VISION I had a very nice “souvenir”. The rest of the Eindhoven people seemed to be somewhat more capable at breaking and steering than I was…
After the cross-country skiing we had dinner at the cabin and sat outside around a campfire singing songs. It was freezing cold, but the atmosphere was great and as an added bonus you’re beer doesn’t even get warm if you hold it too long.
Sunday 25 February 2007
From above AND below the rivers...
Posted by at 12:06
As Selinde informed you all about the local carnival traditions, here's some first-hand experience of having to adapt to customs both above and below the rivers. A few weeks ago, I started working on my Master thesis in an Amsterdam-based company, where nobody even considers celebrating carnival. But since I have my roots in the carnival-crazy South of the Netherlands, I was caught up in between both worlds -because it truly seems as if the country is split up in two during these three days a year. So what do you do in such a case...? Exactly, you find a compromise. So I spent half the time celebrating carnival as a proper citizen of Eindhoven should, and half the time "acting normal" like the rest of the people in Amsterdam. But don't worry, we won't compromise anything during the upcoming Council Meeting. It's all work AND all play as usual!
As the event is coming closer and closer, the organisational matters are switching more and more to the operational level. How are we going to open the event with a blast? What are we going to eat on which day? Shall we head for Amsterdam as the location of the Post-CM? And what about nametags, programme booklets, etc.? The fact that the registration of participants has officially started only increases the excitement!
What's that you're saying? You're not registered yet?? Then it's about time...
Friday 23 February 2007
Are you from above or below the rivers?
Posted by Selinde van Raalte at 20:04
At the end of February Eindhoven and the surroundings areas changes, everybody is free of work or school: It is time for Carnival. What that is? According to the Carnival Museum in ‘s Hertogenbosch it is only celebrated in two areas: the southern part of The Netherlands and Germany. And in South America, the summer carnival. But everywhere it includes 5 days were young and old dress up and go mad. ‘Prince Carnival’ receives the keys of the city from the major. The city, which is named totally different: Lampegat (hole of lamps) for Eindhoven. And the partying can start.
But somehow, this Carnival is only celebrated in the south. Cross the big rivers, that divide The Netherlands in two, and you won’t find a glimpse of carnival. So, imagine, six Interactiemembers, of which only one comes from “below the rivers”, on a cold Sunday morning travelling to Eersel, a small village near Eindhoven. Ida, our gossip and carnival queen, has invited us to see the parade in which she will be dancing and showing their wagon, which she and her ‘carnival association’ have been building for the last year.
So, there we are, neatly on time, in a completely deserted village. The local café is just opening his doors, we can have a cup of coffee, but we’re too early for the ‘vlaai’ (=pie). Somehow confused we’re looking through the window wondering if we arrived at the right day. But, fortunately, our local guide and Interactiemember, Jeroen, arrives just in time; he’s still recovering from the night before, but is able to show us where we have to be. We’re looking for a strategic spot alongside the road and slowly people are arriving as well. Apparently we still have to get used to the ‘southern time zone’.
The parades includes all different kind of shows and wagons, some are simple, but funny. Others are huge and professional and most of them with a bit of local humour. The bigger wagons are amazing: “Pimp my car(nival)” with twenty transvestites are stealing the show. And then finally Ida arrives, playing a wooden trumpet and a beautiful wagon behind her, but so focused on the show that she completely misses us. Two hours in the cold for nothing!The only solution is to see the whole parade again…. Slowly we start to get corny. I don’t know if that was due to carnival, the cold or the jägermeister (thanks to Peter!), but by the time Ida arrives for the second time the 6-man polonaise is a fact. Luckily this time she actually sees us!
So, time to warm up, some food and then off to the tent. Because partying with the complete village in middle of February includes a tent. The tent: where ‘Prince Carnival’ himself hands out the prizes for the best acts. Because thát is where everyone is waiting for, before they can drink themselves completely wasted. And there is good news: Ida and her ‘Spetters’ won first prize! Thus one more reason to start the party. The party which is quickly moved to the bar where there are less parents and little siblings. Here, the beer goes faster around then anyone can keep up with, the outfits get less and less neatly and the party goes on for a long, long night….
Thursday 15 February 2007
Location for the Gala Diner
Posted by Erna Gooren at 13:59
Last week Ida and Erna visited the old monastery in Oirschot. The monastery closed 15 years ago and all the nuns left. Or didn’t they…? The story tells that the nuns still like to party once in a while. Therefore, why not have an ESTIEM gala together with the nuns! To be continued… or visit www.hofvansolms.nl.
Monday 25 December 2006
In search for Christmas spirit...
Posted by Selinde van Raalte at 11:25
Saturday, the 9th of December, 12.30 p.m. Just a few weeks ago, we sat in the same train on our way to CM Ankara. Apparently the conductors of the German Rail just check the Dutch train tickets, but don’t actually stamp them. So, as real Dutchies, we can and will reuse them. But this time we will not travel as far, this time we will get out at Düsseldorf Haubtbahnhoff. We, Thijs, Erna, Bas vG. and I, are heading to the Christmas market. It is just a few weeks before the holidays we have been looking forward to this since the beginning of the semester, but the Christmas spirit has not really hit me yet. But all of this is about to change:
As soon as we get off the train we walk right into the first little wooden cabins decorated with branches of the Christmas tree, lights and fake snow.
Some of us are a bit preoccupied about the German cities in the Ruhr-Area, the industrial centre of Europe, and these prejudices are proved at first sight. But a map from the Tourist Office (yes we are Tourists and we will not be ashamed of that today) leads us right into the old part of the city. And all of us must admit: Düsseldorf has a beautiful old city-centre.
The Christmas market spreads out over the entire city-centre, so we walk from one wooden cabin to the next. Some of them with the worst kitsch Christmas decorations, others with the same necklaces and earrings or collectables you find at every market around the world. But it does not really matter, we are here for the atmosphere and there is nothing wrong with that.
And we were definitely not the only ones who thought that way: the whole city is crowded.
People are gently crawling along the streets, talking, laughing, eating and drinking. Because, whoever visits a German Christmas market cannot forget to taste some “bratwurst mit sauerkraut”, “reibekuchen” and “glühwein”, we do that as well. At a beautiful decorated City hall square, filled with locals and tourists, we enjoy our glühwein.
Later on, we walk around to the Rhein, and the Köningsallee, the street of the kings. And you can see why it is called this way: a very broad street with a small canal in the middle, with the most expensive shops and the wealthiest shoppers with their Porsches and toy dogs.
After a tiring day of walking around, we are looking for a good, decent meal, but as expected all restaurants are crowded as well. When we cross the same street for the third time, Thijs spots a free table and rushes there. We sit down and discover that, of all places in this German city, we have found an original American restaurant, and so, after all the German Christmas spirit we have to settle for a real American burger. But food is food and the location outside (underneath the heather) is great.
After dinner there is just a little time left to buy some presents and some hot chocolate and to keep the cups as souvenirs. The train takes us to Venlo, where we say goodbye to Bas and Erna who will go home to their parents.
Thijs and I have to take the bus to Eindhoven, so, a little later then planned we arrive in Eindhoven. But still enough time to visit our exchanges students who are having a Finnish party. We are a little behind on the alcohol level, but there is time left…
Wednesday 6 December 2006
Driving through Dutch Rush Hours
Posted by Selinde van Raalte at 14:49
Wednesday morning, half past seven, I’m driving up to Thijs his house. Why? For a little round trip to Veldhoven, a small town just outside of Eindhoven. Rush hour is just starting, but we are voluntary driving right into this. Why? Because that is where the Buitenjan is located, our accommodation for the CM. The Buitenjan is situated just outside of Eindhoven, but on the opposite side of Eindhoven than the university is. And this, together with the Dutch traffic jams, gives you the guarantee that it will take longer to get where you want. So, to assure a good planning and General Assemblies that start on time, we are now driving to Veldhoven.
Around eight o’clock Thijs and I arrive at the Buitenjan, so far so good; we haven’t seen any traffic yet. I have never been here before, so, Thijs gives me a little tour around this old monastery. It is located in a beautiful forested area and the building look quite nice. Too bad we cannot go inside, because there is another group staying, but it is time anyway to leave for the reason we came here in the first place.
The route is easy and the beginning goes smoothly, but the closer we get to Eindhoven, the longer the queues are before the traffic lights and the busier it gets. When we finally drive onto the campus the clock tells us 36 minutes from A to B. Mission accomplished, now we know what time to get everyone out of bed.
8.45 a.m. we get a cup of coffee at the canteen. Never been so early here, the first professors are coming in, time for us to start with our assignment; we have the whole day ahead of us.
The CM Team Reports from Ankara
Posted by Thijs Putman at 14:44
Here it is: the first message on our blog. A message about our journey to the Council Meeting Eindhoven, which all started last November in Ankara: Six of our ten team members travelled to Turkey to attend the autumn Council Meeting 2006.
For some of us this was a reunion with good friends on familiar ground. For others it was a total, new experience, but for all of us this was the time to enjoy a great week and above that: to pay attention! Just six more months until this same event will take place here, at our own university and we still have a long way to go. So, what is a better place to learn than in Ankara.
Ankara set a great example: The week was a strange, but good, mixture of ESTIEM spirit with some Asian influences, serious meetings and lots of fun.
We all remember the memorial service at Atatürk’s Mausoleum, the Turkish parties and shivering and sliding from the freezing cold in snowy Ankara. But we also remember the election of Board 2007; the guys and girl who will see sit behind the table in Eindhoven. And the election of the new Local Groups Groningen and Dortmund, which will place us less isolated on the ESTIEM map and what will give us great new opportunities.
In Ankara we did not only learn about organising a Council Meeting, but also about each other. Ida turned into the gossip queen of the CM; she and her photo camera were inseparable during the parties and she ended with some charging pictures. Bas vG. en Thijs were stupefied when Bas B. came tumbling into their room screaming “inshallah” and fell right down asleep on the bed. Erna showed that she does an excellent presentation of the ESTIEM song during the junior training.
So, the gossip from CM Ankara is still going around, but April will be here soon. From now on, you will find more short stories about our progress and adventures organising the CM Eindhoven.
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