After filling my brain with lot of things in Germany and Portugal, gaining lot of weights (hahaha) also for staying in 4 stars hotel, real work is here. Sitting in front of the computer, browsing internet, and for sure read a lot of articles.
But it is nice to get good news in my work place. One of my colleagues has got her PhD degree and now she is professor in the distance university. The other has just got the post-doc position. So, it is time to celebrate? Not really, because my other colleague is in quite a stressful condition now. I feel bad looking at him with lot of stress, trying to finish his thesis. But I can’t do anything, I just pray he got the energy and optimism to continue doing what he is finishing now. I wish he found that strength.
But there is also another good news. I talked with one of the classmate during  the course in Potsdam, he told me he is waiting for the defense of his thesis next week. So he is very close to get his PhD degree too. He also wants to pursue his post-doc and he said he really wants to go for it in the North of America. I really wish him good luck and pray the best for his exam and for his future. A pray as a friend is what I can send him.
And today I finally can join the Bible study. I was glad though I was little bit tired after work, I could join the Bible study and share a little bit about the first Christian since we shared about the first church today. I am glad David invited me to that group. I really enjoyed to be in small group because I am not that good if I have to somehow adjust in a big group. And of course the funniest things is that I learnt one new word-swarmy or may be the correct version is smarmy. No matter which one is correct, it is a new word for me. Until now I just know swarm earthquake (hahaha).
After a long week, the weekend is coming. And tomorrow my mom and my little sister will take a flight to attend my cousin’s wedding. I just pray everything is going to be fine and they will enjoy it. May God bless their trip and the wedding.
And it’s time to say a prayer:
I pray that God will keep you safe and sound.
I pray that He give you the strength to keep walking and standing tall.
I pray He teaches you to keep smiling despite the circumstance.
I pray He help you preparing yourselves to receive the best from HIM.
I pray He shows you the way to follow His step.
I pray He help you to see that He will fulfill what He has done in you.
I pray you find in HIM what you need because He is the ultimate and the first and the best you ever have and need in your lives.
I pray Jesus makes this prayer perfect, to accomplish the perfect plan in you.

After Germany, I headed to Lisbon before coming back to my routine work as PhD student. The workshop was quite interesting-many subjects were discussed and the people are so friendly. It was an unique opportunity for me.
The tour we had was so amazing. The guide really did a great job. I was quite impressed by the archaeologist who explained about the damage of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. He said that most of the damage was caused by the fire. There is still a long discussion whether about the magnitude or the source of this famous earthquake.
Other site that we visited was the old house ready to be demolished. Here is the things that caught my eye:

And of course the food is great since I love fish. But actually I was glad to meet many experts from many countries. I met people from middle east countries, having some chat with them and I did enjoyed it, knowing and learning more how they think and talk. I couldn’t expect more from very short time, but God really blessed me with this new experience.
I also met those who suppose to be my boss in Israel if finally next year I will do my short stay at Tel Aviv.
And another thing is that I finally met again with Dieter who was our house mate back then at the student residence time. We shared about the time we spent at the residence-about “not so nice” experience we got, but we are thankful because of the residence, we knew each other, we knew our other friends. God really knows what He is doing. It was nice to meet a friend.
And before I left, the last day I went to take a walk. The museum entrance is free for student and later we took the tram to enjoy the city. I love the breeze in my face and my hair. I was grateful that I could spend some time with the expert that gave the talk about the risk during the workshop. I couldn’t believe I met so many experts, even I had some interesting chat with them.
God is working in my life, opening my eyes to see, broadening my horizon and helping me to learn to be thankful in the midst of the tribulation.
I am grateful to have very nice supervisors, very nice friends, very nice colleagues, very nice acquaintance, and for sure the great and faithful God.
Thank You, Jesus

The one who played billiard quite well had to celebrate the Ied in Germany. He forgot to turn back the watch then that day we had to wait for more than 5 hours in the airport. He told me he had to skip his flight and took the train to reach Potsdam because the dogs in the airport smelt the marijuana in him.But he is a nice person, telling himself he is a crazy person because he is studying seismology, since there is not much financial benefit becoming a scientist. I wonder if he will continue to study the seismology.
The one who played football quite well, but I seldom spoke to him. I just know he traveled a lot to France and he speaks French. He seemed so glad during the class of the site effects because I think it is what he is doing and of course because the lecturer is French.
I found his face is so funny, but he is a dad of a little girl whose picture he put as a wall paper on his computer. I remembered during his presentation, he showed us one program they are using and we said that they are very rich. But another interesting thing was Dr. Claus told he should come back to GFZ bringing with him the data to do some revision on his work.
The vegetarian in our group has collaborated with prof. Bormann in several paper. He is the other post-PhD student in the class. Spent most of the time with the Pakistan’s king, but I know nothing about him, though his response during his presentation I still remember: “…But I am doing this”.
The first participant that I met and I thought he fell asleep the first day we started the class. I assumed that since he said he got jet lag when we met during the check-in. But then I knew he spent day in Berlin already and he arrived first in class  in the first day. Very enthusiastic during the class about engineering stuff since he is engineer. We met him again on the day he left, coming back to the hotel, looking for his credit card because he said he lost it. And he is spending time in other eastern Europe countries  before going back to his country.
He came late and he left first. Got a very good camera and he is quite good in sport. When we asked him about his fingers, he said he has some skin problem. But making joke of it, I said he cut himself every time he couldn’t fulfill a task because he is a spy. I recall the day he talked about his investigation and his presentation is about standing waves with “exhausted” measurement during days. The PhD. student that has a lot of business trip.
He came on the second day of the course. Got no many chances to talk to him, but I think he is quite a nice person, since I like his presentation and I read later about Patagonia, make me want to visit his country.
I will miss them all, in fact I have missed them already. The day I received email with words for everyone in it, wow! he is really the daddy who sent it to us.
Yesterday one of us-the perfectionist, just celebrated his birthday and I just can wish him the best.  Hope he finds what he needs.

And of course I am glad to receive email also from my brother who is Japan now. Good luck for him.

Sometimes I hate myself for falling in love so easily, because it’s true I love this group I met during five weeks and I miss them. Then I recall what CS Lewis said:
Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.

I won’t call all of you my friends, but you are all very special to me and I really thank God for the opportunity to meet and know you. Use our time wisely and see you again if it is God’s will.

Celebrate our lives and live it to the fullest, knowing the ONE who holds the future.
I love you all.
* To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.
(CS Lewis: The Four Loves)

Lisbon is not a big city, but it is a nice city with trams and small street. I just don’t like to see lot of cars and big bus passing by such narrow streets. But the food is good and the weather is nice.

They were nervous. The queue was stopped, calling were made. Everybody was waiting what happened next. They looked at me as if I were celebrity or may be a terrorist?
Finally the police came. Two of them with the rifle, asking me to go with them to another room. They didn’t allow me to touch my suitcase. Then when we arrived the room, they scanned it with some special scanner. They said it is a procedure, they don’t want the bomb to explode. A bomb…yes, they said I was carrying a bomb.
Finally they asked me to open the suitcase after the thorough scan. I showed them the watch, the camera, but they said they were looking for another thing. They were looking for batteries and it was my calculator that they assumed as a bomb. Because of the four AAA batteries and one small batteries.
Then the police guided me again to the gate. Yes, this all happened in the security control in Tegel airport.
What a spectacle! I couldn’t stop laughing after entering the gate. A totally new experience for me…carrying a
bomb? It never crossed my mind, but now I think they see in me the potential to be a terrorist? hahaha
Thank God they didn’t asked a group of special police to handle “the bomb” and then they would sue me for a hoax.
What next? Let’s wait and see.

Multiply the love
Finally I bid her farewell. I couldn’t believe I have known her for 5 weeks but I love her like I knew her for 5 years or even more. Though we are very different, but I am so grateful to know here and share so many things together and we share the same passion for our family. I know we will meet again, but after all, I have left her with part of my heart and she has gained a place in my life. We wish the best for each other and I really pray she find the happiness in her life.
Then I found a father character in him. I still remembered when he got nervous the day when we thought we lost someone in Berlin. And every time we saw and heard him saying how much he missed his family especially his little princess. And he proudly showed us his family pictures that day, I couldn’t forget that day. And he left me the nail cutter, what a souvenir! I just wish him the best and also for his family.
Just because we share the same surname, one day I started call him my brother. He is so young and naïve, even he is the winner in our “sleeping contest”, but I am convinced he is smart and brilliant scientist. I will miss him and I know I love him as my brother though we are not really that close, but he is still a brother to me.
She is young and innocent, but so cute. She didn’t talk that much in the class. I was so surprised when I found out she had a daughter. I still remember when she told me that she was not sure she could come back to Potsdam alone from Berlin. Then I thought how she could survive, but I realize she is a mom. The strength will show up when she needs it. I know she will be just ok. After all, I believe God knows what everyone can do and He has control over all things.
She is small and cute. She seems younger than her age. She told me she likes my traditional cloth-batik. I planned to give her, but she left before I knew it. She got a lot of attention because she fell down one day. I thought she was too tired and needed some rest. But I thought she was nervous because the training was almost over and may be for some other reason. She needs help and care, but I know God will provide the best for her. I just wish her the best because she will be far from her family too.
I asked her if they got internet in their country. I know her country is very nice for tourist, but for local people, there are so many restrictions. But she told me she has access to internet, and then I know we can still keep in touch. She loves blue and I remember she wore blue for everything, but thank God she leaves her hair black. We thought she got lost that day in Berlin, but actually everything was just fine. Though we spent four hours to look for her and we thought we were angry, actually we just cared for her and we were so glad to find her safe in hotel that night.
It is not appropriate to call her a one dimension girl, but I couldn’t help it because she is so slim and she eats only salad most of the time. She speaks so fast and she spent so much time with the laptop in the glass. But she is very nice and she made friends with some folks then to all. She comes from the smallest country which I ever know a person from such a small country. Not so many deep impression, but nice to know her because now I know I have known someone in that country.
She is so friendly, but she is also so funny in my opinion. In many occasion she asked too many questions. She skipped most of the morning class and many times I thought she was drunk. She didn’t take a lot of breakfast but lot of coffee I think. She left without saying the last word. But I could understand that since she always missed the morning class. But I must say that she is so lovely and special. I pray that she finds her happiness.
I couldn’t believe she is scientist, but she is really one. She is so fashionable, and she loved to take picture. She celebrated her birthday during the course. I didn’t know, but they said she cried when she bid farewell to the closest friend she had during the course.
One of the 2 post doc in the course, she was so in it when she did the presentation. She knows very well what she did. I don’t have deep impression but I think she is very patient and good friend because she explained to her friend when the girl didn’t understand something. I can’t explain but I believe she is a good friend for her friends.
He has the most difficult name for me to pronounce it, but now I remember his name and can manage to spell it. He said I must stop studying and go out and live my life. I thought he was joking, but I knew he said it as a friend. He was the one who started the “playing with words” game during our 3 days trip around Germany. And I know he is polite and curious also about many things. I just hope he can get marry soon as he said he and his girl friend will do that after they got enough saving.
Sitting in the same row in the computer room, he was the one I heard saying sleepy and hungry most of the time. But I know he is also a smart scientist and he loves to play basket ball. He said he was happy he doesn’t have a girl friend so he didn’t spend money to buy a gift for a girl friend. He said that it’s difficult to be a rich scientist in his country then I told him just to find a rich girl and marry that girl. I wish him the best and I pray he will be a good and rich scientist then.
I found the way he talked is very funny. And I found out her daughter likes Winnie the Pooh as I do. He is young but he is already a father. Though he looks childish and funny, he is very helpful. I will miss his special funny voice.
Another post doc in the course, he also spent many times sleeping during the course. I thought he found the class so boring when I knew he is a geodesist. How he could manage to learn all the things during the course was amazing. I still remembered he said he brought no T-Shirt with him for because he thought Germany would be very cold and he needed not that. He is a lecture and I think he is a good one.
The preacher in our group, I found out it weird he is also interesting in political stuff. One day he was in problem when he lost something very special. But later he said he has solved it. His wife is musician and I think he must be a very proud husband and father. He said he rejected to be public servant in the government since he wants to improve the society through the political party. Such a weird combination!
At first I thought he was quite arrogant and he treated me like I were a child that knew nothing. But I found out that he is friendly and he is kind when he showed some accident happened through the internet then he said he was glad that no one is hurt during that incident. He was the one who I thought was very lazy preparing the cultural presentation, but finally he made it quite well. He showed me one short movie in the YouTube and that movie really gave me a deep impression. I think he is smart and brilliant.
He has his second birthday and I think it’s not by chance he got his life back after the accident that almost took his like. He has a funny nick name which mean marry in my own language. Such a “lucky guy” that has a second chance in his life! When I said I only drink a little bit when I celebrate something, he said he drinks beer because he celebrates every day. I hope he knows that he really has to celebrate the life that God has given him again, but not only in beer.
The only king among us, I think he is funny and too childish for his age. But I think he is a good person who just to be friendly. But I hope he will learn the right time and right way to be friendly and funny because sometimes it’s not the right moment for some jokes.
I think all of them are very smart and brilliant and I couldn’t think how it can be a nobody like me among those people. But actually I thank God the opportunity to know them and…to be continued

It is unbelievable that the 5 weeks course is over. It is still like yesterday when I got to know them and even I couldn’t remember their names. Now when I know I remember at least their first names, it is time for us to continue our own journeys.
I got so many lessons from this course. I must admit that many times I fell asleep, but I learn more than I really imagined before. I got to know so many experts in their field and see how they are really dedicated in their work. It is a unique experience to meet so many experts during this 5 weeks. I am so thankful for them.
And for the organization, Dr. Claus and Dorina, they really did a great job. They were and are great help for all the participants and though sometimes we think that they could do it better in some stuffs, we really couldn’t ask more because we are really grateful for their help and hospitality.
And the participants, our group I can really assure you that we are great group. May be we think sometimes some persons acted in some stupid manner, too childish, too enthusiastic, or may be too serious, but I know we have to learn our lesson.
There was a father profile among us, there is a very cute and innocent one, there is so many smart persons in this group. I am nobody among them, but I really thank God for the opportunity to know them.
I will miss some people more than other. It is nothing personal here, but still I spent more time with some more than the others.
I think God is smiling to me today. I have to struggle to wake me up and tell myself that everything will be OK for us because He is in control.
Thank YOU, Jesus for this opportunity. And thank you for letting me know something about you, guys.
To be continued…( I will post the picture soon)

It happened in Berlin when we made a group trip. We went to some shops and suddenly we couldn’t find of our friends. We tried to find her in the last shop we entered, but still no sign of her.
We went to many shops, hoping to find her, but still we found nothing. We lost our good mood and we felt very sorry, especially because one of or friends was very worried about it. It was when our 4 hours searching began.
We entered some shops, bought something and we kept looking for her. Then we decided to go to hauptbahnhof because someone needed something from there. Then we tried to call to our hotel from public phone, but we couldn’t make the call. We even asked information point and police but they don’t speak English very well, so we couldn’t make the call. At last we decided we will go back to our hotel.
When we reached Potsdam, we saw one of our friends and he told us that the friend we were looking for was already in the hotel and she felt very sorry.
We went to her room then, pretend to be very angry, but we were gald actually this drama was over and everybody is safe.
It’s not easy to make a group trip, and you can’t make everybody happy, but the best is you know everything is going to be find at the final, because God is in control in everything.
Just have faith…prepare your umbrella when you ask for the rain.

training course 2009

in Potsdam

sky

in the elevator

rainy day in Berlin

in sari

before the professor left us

the rabbit

Some nice pictures during the course from different sources. Thank you for those who captured those special moments.

I will miss you, guys.

It has been three weeks since we started this training course on seismology and seismology engineering in Postdam. I have make friends with some of my classmates and some are just classmates. But you are all really great people.
There are some interesting things I found out during this three weeks: I share same surname with one of our class mates: Wang Rui as my surname is also Wang, I like Winnie the Pooh as the little daughter of Giorgi-our class mae from Georgia, like it as well, and I like to sleep and eat like our classmates from China do as well as some others.
We have gone through almost whole Germany by bus during 3 days last weekend. We have visited some place near Munich and we also visited Hanover before going back to Potsdam.
Class is great also though many times I fell asleep, but the professors are great and really dedicated and I have to say I learn lot of things and I have many homework to do later to really understand what they delivered to me during the lecture time since I fell asleep but still I got the key words.
I know I will miss my classmates when this course is over. We still have 8 days before we have our farewell dinner. I have to make the most of my time to give all I can give and get what I have to get from this because this will be one of the sweetest memories I will remember one day in the future. I really thank God to know you all, my classmates. I wish you all the best.