Saleswoman of June

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I was awarded by Marty the Award of Saleswoman of June, because of my outstanding performance in the sale of my 20-year-old Volvo.... I sold it within two hours after I put the ad up... I was really lucky...

The websites I used were:
http://detroit.craigslist.org/car/ --- Free
www.autotrader.com ---which you have to pay at least $35 bucks...

I've also heard of the following one after I sold my car...
http://www.carlist.com/usedcars/

These are not only good for selling a car but also for getting a car...

Following are my words after awards.... :)

Tomorrow would be my last day with AutoCom, I am really thankful for all your help during my internship. Larry, thank you for bringing me to the U.S.!!! Jack, thank you for the weekly PR Lunch Training!!! Don, Marty, Jan and Joe, I learned a lot from you!, thank you!!! Dee and Holly, thank you for being our "business mom" !!! Maggie, Bianca, Markus and Linda I like you guys a lot and had a wonderful time with you!!! Jenn, Lauren and Shannon, it is nice to meet you and I wish I got to know you better!!! Thank you also those who have left AutoCom, you are all part of my precious memory in the U.S.!!!

Good luck to you all~

Lei

DETROIT-IMPRESSIONS

After one week staying in the "8-mile-city" I decided to write about my first experiences concerning the life in the hometown of Eminem (now I know the chapel where he got married several times :).
First of all I arrived safely at the Airport (where Markus picked me up which was very kind of him - thanks, Markus!) but my baggage didn’t received as well as me: it didn’t come along with the second plane, which I boarded in Philadelphia. Thus for the first day the motto themed: improvise!
Fortunately everything else worked very well: I was introduced to my colleagues who are likeable guys and I moved in my room at Oakland University.
The following days I dealed with the typical intern stuff: I applied for the social security number, opened an account at Comerica and asked Wayne (the guy who sales cars to AutoCom-interns) if he can offer me one of his autos.
The car-matter is really different to Germany: without having one you’re completely dependent to others who are lucky owners of that four wheeled thing (Markus: thank you so much for giving me all the rides! I promise, I’ll return the favor...). I haven’t seen a train or a bus or other public transportations since I arrived!
At the last weekend we went to one of the Malls and I was very impressed by all the stores and sale offers (maybe this is due to the fact that I’m a woman?? ;)
Yesterday Jack took us to an event of SPJ (Society of Professional Journalism) where prizes were awarded to journalists and (investigative) stories they’ve written. Today it’s raining all along but the previous days we had a nice and warm climate therefore I’m confident of doing BBQ in the near future!

Linda

Candle in the Wind

To those who know her, Valerie Thurston (Muncy) passed away last Friday (June 9, 2006). She was found suffering from a rare lung disease, which makes her out of breath even walking from her desk to the back of the office. At a doctor's appointment in January, she was put into hospital right away.

Sitting next to me, she taught me a lot, and was like my second supervisor; At the beginning of my internship, both Julia and I had no car, she drove us back and forth from the university to work for a couple of weeks; She came to my home with her husband, Jake, for a game night, and every body had fun. She was such a nice person to work and hang out with!

I couldn't believe this until I attended her service today. I went to her wedding party at Jack's house when I first came here, and now when I am about to leave, I went to her funeral. It is just a shock to every one.

Sometimes life is like candle in the wind, for us who are living, we should live our lives!

Goodbye Valerie, we wish you all the best in the heaven.

By Lei

New York City Impression~ In Chinese

I still remember when Ilka and I set up this blog, Larry told us that we could write in any language. Thus, I decided to contribute the following post about my impression for New York from my own blog.

Maybe one day Bianca, Markus or some of our former interns will learn Chinese or in case that Susanne and Linda do know some Chinese..... :p

一直认为纽约是世界上最棒的地方，上个长周末时候终于去了。。理论上讲，对某东西有期望的时候，往往会失望，且期望越高，失望越高。嘿嘿。。。这次，我虽然看见了纽约的不少阴暗面，但是向往之情没减~~~~在那只待了几天，远远没有了解纽约，但是有个粗略的感觉了，随便写下。可能和真实的纽约完全相反。


物质世界
和在华盛顿什么都是免费的比，纽约绝对是个物质世界，什么都要钱。所有博物馆都价格不菲，但是有学生票，拿着我的实习证，算是勉强过关；青年旅馆寄存行李的柜子要钱；甚至旅馆上网都要钱。。。从没见过这样的。不过，有点让我很惊讶，和上海人一样，本地人看你像丢了得样子，就会主动来问你要不要帮忙。刚到的第一天在地铁里，一个人居然用中文问我们是不是迷路了。他听力很好，我们一直用中文说的。

脏
所有大城市估计都这样。即使在最繁华的第5街，时代广场那片也很脏。个别地铁站里，往轨道上看，绝对可以用恶心来形容。现在想来，柏林真的算是干净的了，虽然住宅区经常满地狗粪，可能是因为人口还不那么多吧。

乱
交通网极度发达，但是交通状况简直一塌糊涂。行人没人在红灯停，有没有车都走。所以他们的司机也养成了个习惯，在开过路口前，即使绿灯，即使前面没人，在也要轻轻的按几下喇叭。据我观察，在那开车，对司机的耐心有较高要求:限速低、到处都是红绿灯、还老堵；还要胆大心细: 那的车子得空就钻来钻去--得灵活、还要防备着乱穿马路的人。

警车、救火车什么的很无奈。亲眼目睹，救火车被重重包围在车阵里。怎么响铃，走不动就是走不动。

贵
纽约一向以贵著称。房租什么的，只是听闻，具体的咱就不知道了。其它的，比如说衣服。。。。第五街有一大段上全是名牌店啊，而且还不是一般小名牌。店面都不是很起眼，可能都算老店了吧。如果没听说过那些牌子的，可能还没兴趣进呢。在little Italy 和 Greenwich Villiage 那边，好多小店，随便进了几家，衣服都狂灵，但一看价格，全3位数。。。。

但又不全贵
但我发现，那到处都是练摊的，买便宜的东西，几块 钱一个，或者一块钱几个。还在地铁站里看见了卖盗版dvd的墨西哥人。感觉和国内太像了。那吃的东西也不贵，中餐馆遍地都是，价钱比密西根还便宜点。看来有竞争就是好。西餐瞄了两眼，看上去很不错的餐馆，价钱也就10块左右。底特律这边肯定不止这个价。

水平是可以培养的
纽约绝对是个高楼林立的城市~~~我喜欢。马路两边，一幢挨一幢，密不透风阿。所以如果看到了一个不错的，想拍照，基本很考验水平。因为，后边也是楼，你不能退的很远。退的不远，楼太高，又照不全。想往前走照，不是被前面更好的楼吸引了，忘了后边的了，就是那个你想照的，被前边的给挡上了。。。如果能常年拿着相机出入纽约，我照相水平一定能提高。

中国城很中国
纽约的中国城比华盛顿的大不知道多少。而且那的人就是以中国人的方式生活的，头一次在国外看见了有人把衣服挂在衣架上，然后放在阳台上晒。在那找了家好店，吃了顿饭，非常正宗!!

不夜城
纽约的motto是“always open” ，还老听说 New York never sleeps. 有道理~~ 晚上照夜景，说要效果好，就不能用闪光灯,手还不能乱动。所以我一般如果不放什么东西上照，就全是虚的。但在时代广场那边就没事，随便晃~~ xixi,夸张了点，不过真特亮。

纽约在我心目中德形象还是依然高大，有机会最好能去那住阵子。。。。感觉北京和上海目前已经很有那意思了，尤其是上海，而且目前远比纽约干净。