The international blogger interviews

I’m sitting in my chair and feeling a little bit nervous. In front of me (though a plane ride of more than 20 hours away) sits my host Catez from allthings2all-productions who is staging the international blogger interviews. What will she asks me? Will I really find an answer? I hope you are exited now! Here is my interview:

1. What is the best thing about where you live?I’m living in Bonn, the former capital of Germany. It’s a nice, not very big city, a good place to live in, to have coffee or beer with friends (some great beer gardens :)), kind of cozy – and if you want to party, Cologne is a twenty-minute trainride away. But the best thing? I will go for the Rhine with the walkways along the river, the “Rheinaue” (a park where you can run, relax, have bbqs and where they stage festivals and a huge fleamarket once a month) and the beer gardens where you have a beautiful view on the river.
The best thing about Germany would be even more difficult to answer. I think I choose the diversity in landscape (North and Baltic sea in the north, the Alpes in the south, lots of beautiful scenery in between) and the rich history and cultural heritage. And it’s in the middle of Europe, so you can reach a lot of foreign countries quite easily.

2. What is your favorite book of all time and why?
Catez, those questions are difficult! I love books, so it is incredable hard to settle for one favorite. If it has to be ... the Lord of the Rings trilogy. What a singular answer :). But I really love those books. I like the style, a mixture of novel and poetry (I enjoy poetry lots), the characters in all their depth, and it is an exiting plot. Close followers would be the books by Astrid Lindgren, a Swedish children’s books writer. They accompanied me growing up, so they are very special to me. I am attached to Scandinavia anyway (I grew up in Norway) and I like it that her children characters experience life as it is – joy and sorrow, being courageous and afraid, doing good and making mistakes, fighting evil, helping others, valueing friendship... the list goes on.
And then of course the most important book for me is the Bible, but that is something different than a “favorite book”.

3. What has been your greatest adventure?
Travelling for three weeks in Colombia, South America. I went backpacking with a friend there, travelling by bus, sleeping in cheap hotels, staying in hammoks in national parks, seeing wild animals and beautiful landscape, getting my necklace ripped off my neck, bathing in mud volcanoes, ... It was a great time!

4. What is your pet peeve?
Ok, if this answer doesn’t make sense, it’s because I’m not 100% sure how tp translate pet peeve” into German. So, bear with me here... If I get it right, it means something I always get mad about and it’s my favorite thing to get mad about? But something in me or in others? Well, here is something. My favorite thing to get mad about at the moment is US/Europe-bashing on blogs. I have read quite a variety of posts and comments where all European countries are put together into the term “Europe” and then get bashed really hard for a wide variety of reasons. I know there is a lot of US-bashing going on as well and I don’t approve of that either. Respect, understanding and real interest in other opinions (in all kind of areas) seem to be sadly missing in the blogosphere sometimes...

5. Are you a more logical type person or a more creative artist type person? Can you explain that a bit?
I’m still trying to figure that out myself. My boyfriend said I’m neither. My job (law) requires logical or analytical thinking. And that has influenced my thinking and therefore probably my behavior in other areas of my life. But I am definately not the usual logical type person! My beliefs and my feelings direct a lot of what I say, do and otherwise occupy myself with. I used to be a lot more creative when I was younger and I actually want that back. I enjoy being creative and express myself creatively, but I don’t always take the time. I kind of still try to just live my life and not plan everything ahead. I’m definately not all figures and facts. I’m more songs, poems, nature, photos, faith...

So, now I will turn into your host and interview you in a continuation of the international blogger interviews! If you want to participate, you have to follow the instructions underneath.

1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me." I will interview at least the first five who leave a comment “Interview me”.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions.
3. You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Trust me, this is fun! And I’m looking forward to find out more about you who read my