Ze Zermans

I've been in Germany for a week now.

And so much can happen in one week time.

View from our new home in Kleinweiler

We arrived last Monday evening. Pulled everything out of the car and went to bed.

The whole bedroom was filled with stuff and we realised that giving away furniture results in a lack of furniture... We should have more drawers, shelfs and cupboards to store all our gear.

On Tuesday I went to look for a job and instantly found one. It's so nice when people keep their promises! As freelancer in the last three years so many people have promised me work and then suddenly when they were supposed to have work and I kept my agenda free for the job they canceled all. And then there I was again; no money and no job.

But the Germans seem to be accurate and honest so here I am behind my laptop in an office. Strange to have an office job again, but one with benefits. And after one week I can clearly say I have super great colleagues!

Now what do I do?

I have to say, for as far as I know, I'm sponsored by Petzl. Although I haven't seen any new gear for a year now and haven't even tied a knot in the new Petzl ropes yet, I want to stay true to my brand: Petzl.

But, work and sports is something that's hard to combine. Petzl doesn't provide me with a salary, so I have to work somewhere.

And that somewhere has just become Edelrid.

I'll be a 'manusje van alles' (jack of all trades) within the company and support the team wherever needed for three days a week.

The culture within the company is open, friendly and colleagues become friends.

A short sketch of this week:

Tuesday: running to work, bouldering in the midday, coffee made on the gas stove in the office, and climbing again in the evening.

Wednesday: Drive to work, meetings about work definitions and introduction to the Edelrid product range, climb in the evening.

Thursday: drive to work, meeting about industrial gear, boulder a bit in the midday and go the the opeining of the Christmas-market in Isny with colleagues.

Friday: run to work, edit some vid's, and rest for a bit.

Saturday: Outdoor climbing with colleagues in Starzlachklamm

Sunday: Outdoor climbing with roommate/colleague Ritchi at Chinesische Mauer

Monday: Run to work (8km), boulder at work, climb in the evening

Tuesday: Skiing with colleagues :)

Wednesday: Drive to work, work... climb, drink gluhwein in the climbinggym

Thusday: Cycling to work, work till 20:00 and restday evening

Friday: Cycling to work, work a lot and go the the companies christmas party...

I guess my week is quite fine like this.

Would love to climb on more regular basis and I still have to find the right balance between personal interest in climbing materials, work and sponsorship. But give me another week and I'll be happy.

Though... I really miss my old climbing gym and friends/family are suddenly very far away again...