1. Ethical Issues in My Profession: One of the biggest ethical issues in my profession is the advent of green technology, like chemical fuels and alternative energies. Within the global industry, this means that chemical engineers are going to be looking to reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions worldwide (Common to things like the Kyoto Treaty). Business and life within the United States are affected by this ethical issue because business now has to be done in a more green way. Bill paying has moved online, gas is being infused with ethanol, and so on, so that everything within our lives is becoming greener.
2. Educational Breadth as Professional Development: The need for a broad education experience is important to understand the impact of engineering and business solutions in a global and societal context. Study abroad is important to understand how companies in other countries perform tasks, and how business and engineers affect their society. In the future I will try to study abroad, and take any courses on global businesses.
3. Lifelong Learning, Continuing Education as Professional Development: Life long learning is important to any person in society. Abilities to engage in lifelong learning include reading books, attending professional conferences and lectures, and watching television programs. This is needed to compete in the future, because chemical engineering is always changing, and if one is not always learning new things, they will ultimately fall behind.
4. The Social Environment of Professional Life: It is very important to have knowledge of contemporary issues related to the global economy, because chemical industry is not an industry within a nutshell. Chemical engineers work for companies that have a global reach, so having knowledge of issues within the global economy is pertinent to being able to perform well in business. Within chemical engineering, both political and social issues can dictate things like oil refining and the advent of green technology. Economic issues deal with how well the economy is doing, which is turn can dictate how a product will sell. All of these issues affect the day to day life within the United States, because people are the ones who dictate the political climate, the social standards, and the economic output of the country.
5. Functioning on Multi-Disciplinary Teams: When I am a member of a multi-disciplinary team, first I try to observe members in the group, and to determine who is the strongest in certain areas. For example, in a team of two engineers and one business student like this one, I knew the business student would be good at presenting our presentation with the German students, since the presentation would be talking about business topics. Second, I try to be a leader within the group, because I feel like it is one of my skills as a person. Leadership has been a value to me, and I try to let it show when I am working in a group. The challenges in a cross-functional group mainly arise from how in depth the group’s task is within a certain area. For example, this group’s task was to put together a business presentation, which created the challenge of having the engineers learn the business terms and models, and challenged the business student to be patient with us while we learned these things.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Audi (Industry Analysis)
Audi Car Company, headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany, is a German car company that was founded in 1910. They have just over 50,000 employees, and boast revenue of over 33.6 billion Euros.
The products in this industry are automobiles, including sedans, sports cars, minivans, and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). The main competitors to Audi within Germany are BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche. Within the United States these competitors exist, along with Lexus. These competitors make the industry challenging, because they are all value players. Audi is increasingly becoming a value player as well. Audi has had to combat negative images painted by bad press in the US, due to a malfunctioning accelerator.
A unique opportunity that Audi has within the car industry is the advent of new technology, such as hybrid or electric technology. With gas prices showing no decline in sight, Audi could pull ahead of its competitors if they were to invent a marketable, affordable car that does not run only on gas.
This industry is of interest to business and engineering students because it is one of the basic industries within the world. While not everyone needs a robot or helicopter, most everyone has at least one car. The model of how car companies assemble, market, and then sell a product that everyone has is a good thing to study for business students. Engineering students car study this industry to learn about technologies that the companies implement to improve their business, like paint or metal technology.
The products in this industry are automobiles, including sedans, sports cars, minivans, and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). The main competitors to Audi within Germany are BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche. Within the United States these competitors exist, along with Lexus. These competitors make the industry challenging, because they are all value players. Audi is increasingly becoming a value player as well. Audi has had to combat negative images painted by bad press in the US, due to a malfunctioning accelerator.
A unique opportunity that Audi has within the car industry is the advent of new technology, such as hybrid or electric technology. With gas prices showing no decline in sight, Audi could pull ahead of its competitors if they were to invent a marketable, affordable car that does not run only on gas.
This industry is of interest to business and engineering students because it is one of the basic industries within the world. While not everyone needs a robot or helicopter, most everyone has at least one car. The model of how car companies assemble, market, and then sell a product that everyone has is a good thing to study for business students. Engineering students car study this industry to learn about technologies that the companies implement to improve their business, like paint or metal technology.
Eurocopter (Global/National Environment)
Eurocopter, a subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, was formed in 1992 as a merger of the German Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG (DASA) and the helicopter divisions of French Aérospatiale. The company has produced about 9,800 helicopters, which are used in 140 countries around the world.
There are a few political factors that affect Eurocopter. The company produces helicopters that are used in war, so the political climate affects how much a company such as Eurocopter would produce. If World War Three was suddenly to begin, the production of helicopters would certainly increase, while if world peace was to happen tomorrow, the production of helicopters would most likely tail off. The other main political factor that affects how a company like Eurocopter sells its product is the political situation between Germany and the country to which they are trying to sell a helicopter. Middle Eastern countries probably aren’t buying their product, since they would not want to use western products, and since Germany would probably not want to help someone that could possibly attack them with the very helicopters that were sold.
The number one economic factor that affects Eurocopter is the exchange rate with the Euro. Depending on how strong a currency is in relation to the Euro could depend on whether or not it would be profitable to sell their product there, or if they wanted to set up production facilities in the country. The other economic factor that affects Eurocopter is import and export taxes. The company might have to charge more to import the product to a country with a large import tax, so that they can still maintain profit. They might also want to set up a production facility that has a low export tax, so that it is less expensive to export the product to the seller.
There are not many social factors that affect Eurocopter. The only real social factor is a country’s emphasis on safety. Europe has placed large importance on safety, and Eurocopter produces safe, reliable helicopters.
Technological factors are always affecting something like helicopter manufacturing. As new technologies are made like better RADAR, better communication devices, and stronger materials, Eurocopter will be sure to implement them into their helicopters to get an edge on any competitors. One of the most promising future products that Eurocopter is working on is the hybrid plane and helicopter. The device takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane, combining the best of both airborne devices. However, the technology is not fully developed yet, which shows why future technological prospects are so important to Eurocopter.
All of these factors are of interest to business and engineering students, because these factors exemplify how a company must change to keep up with competitors. PEST factors are constantly evolving, which means a company must constantly adapt to stay profitable and in business. Eurocopter has done well at adapting to these factors and have emerged as the leaders of their field, causing them to be a great company to study for business and engineering students.
There are a few political factors that affect Eurocopter. The company produces helicopters that are used in war, so the political climate affects how much a company such as Eurocopter would produce. If World War Three was suddenly to begin, the production of helicopters would certainly increase, while if world peace was to happen tomorrow, the production of helicopters would most likely tail off. The other main political factor that affects how a company like Eurocopter sells its product is the political situation between Germany and the country to which they are trying to sell a helicopter. Middle Eastern countries probably aren’t buying their product, since they would not want to use western products, and since Germany would probably not want to help someone that could possibly attack them with the very helicopters that were sold.
The number one economic factor that affects Eurocopter is the exchange rate with the Euro. Depending on how strong a currency is in relation to the Euro could depend on whether or not it would be profitable to sell their product there, or if they wanted to set up production facilities in the country. The other economic factor that affects Eurocopter is import and export taxes. The company might have to charge more to import the product to a country with a large import tax, so that they can still maintain profit. They might also want to set up a production facility that has a low export tax, so that it is less expensive to export the product to the seller.
There are not many social factors that affect Eurocopter. The only real social factor is a country’s emphasis on safety. Europe has placed large importance on safety, and Eurocopter produces safe, reliable helicopters.
Technological factors are always affecting something like helicopter manufacturing. As new technologies are made like better RADAR, better communication devices, and stronger materials, Eurocopter will be sure to implement them into their helicopters to get an edge on any competitors. One of the most promising future products that Eurocopter is working on is the hybrid plane and helicopter. The device takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane, combining the best of both airborne devices. However, the technology is not fully developed yet, which shows why future technological prospects are so important to Eurocopter.
All of these factors are of interest to business and engineering students, because these factors exemplify how a company must change to keep up with competitors. PEST factors are constantly evolving, which means a company must constantly adapt to stay profitable and in business. Eurocopter has done well at adapting to these factors and have emerged as the leaders of their field, causing them to be a great company to study for business and engineering students.
KUKA (Industry Analysis)
Keller und Knappich Augsburg (KUKA) Robotics is a German robotics company based in Augsburg. KUKA's robot products are commonly used in factories to weld, palletize, package, process, or perform other automation task. They are also used in hospitals for brain surgery and radiography.
The industry within which KUKA operates is the automation and robotics industry. The products in this industry perform robotic tasks, which are quicker and more accurate than if a human was performing these tasks. KUKA’s products have 4 or 6 axes, range from 3 to 1000 kilogram payloads, and have a reach between 350 and 3700 millimeters. The robotics are not made to produce more robots, but are sent along to companies like BMW, Audi, GM, Chrysler, and Porsche to be used to make these companies’ products. The main competitors to KUKA are Comau, MAN, and ThyssenKrupp. KUKA is ahead of its competitors in the robotics industry, though.
The first challenge that a company like KUKA faces is trying to keep prices competitive. Robots are extremely expensive, and the competition could be producing robots cheaper. When robots are running in the tens of thousands of dollars, even a difference of one to two thousand could be a major difference. The second challenge is trying not to oversaturate the market. Audi only needs so many robots, so once a company buys what it needs, it probably will not buy more robots unless they create a new factory. Therefore, if KUKA were to sell everyone robots on Monday, they would have no sales on Tuesday. That could be a reason why KUKA has expanded into other ventures, like the Robocoaster, which is the world’s first passenger-carrying industrial robot.
This industry is of interest to business and engineering students. Engineers will appreciate the technology of a robot, and how a company responds to increased technology within the industry. Business students can appreciate how KUKA supports many other industries, like the automotive industry, which shows the interconnectedness of businesses and industries.
The industry within which KUKA operates is the automation and robotics industry. The products in this industry perform robotic tasks, which are quicker and more accurate than if a human was performing these tasks. KUKA’s products have 4 or 6 axes, range from 3 to 1000 kilogram payloads, and have a reach between 350 and 3700 millimeters. The robotics are not made to produce more robots, but are sent along to companies like BMW, Audi, GM, Chrysler, and Porsche to be used to make these companies’ products. The main competitors to KUKA are Comau, MAN, and ThyssenKrupp. KUKA is ahead of its competitors in the robotics industry, though.
The first challenge that a company like KUKA faces is trying to keep prices competitive. Robots are extremely expensive, and the competition could be producing robots cheaper. When robots are running in the tens of thousands of dollars, even a difference of one to two thousand could be a major difference. The second challenge is trying not to oversaturate the market. Audi only needs so many robots, so once a company buys what it needs, it probably will not buy more robots unless they create a new factory. Therefore, if KUKA were to sell everyone robots on Monday, they would have no sales on Tuesday. That could be a reason why KUKA has expanded into other ventures, like the Robocoaster, which is the world’s first passenger-carrying industrial robot.
This industry is of interest to business and engineering students. Engineers will appreciate the technology of a robot, and how a company responds to increased technology within the industry. Business students can appreciate how KUKA supports many other industries, like the automotive industry, which shows the interconnectedness of businesses and industries.
Fujitsu-Siemens (Industry Analysis)
Fujitsu-Siemens (FS) is a joint venture company formed in 1999 between Fujitsu Limited of Japan and Siemens AG of Germany. They sell computing and business products, including desktops, laptops, handheld computers, workstations, servers, and mainframe devices. The company has about 10,700 employees, and is based in Maarssen, Netherlands. Their main markets are the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) markets.
FS operates within the computer industry. The computer industry is a relatively new industry, as computers were first created around 1940, and the advent of the personal computer did not occur until the 1970s. The industry includes not only making computers and technological devices, but it also includes making the software, creating network infrastructure, and providing information technology services. FS focuses on making computers in various forms, as mentioned above. Thus, their major competitors are Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Acer, and Lenovo. The company is worried most about HP, which has been gaining significant ground in the European market, which is one of the main markets of FS.
The quintessential challenge for a company within this industry is to decide whether to be a high volume, low value seller or a low volume, high value seller. Currently FS is in the middle, and is trying to become a high value player within the industry. This is an opportunity that FS has met with open arms, and they are fully embracing the move to be a value player. An additional challenge, which FS initially faced, is the fact that so many companies are well established within the computer industry. Therefore, it is hard to simply start your own company and compete with the Dells and HPs out there. Although FS is a new company, they have the support of Fujitsu and Siemens, which helped them get over this challenge.
This industry is of large interest to both business and engineering. The world is becoming a smaller place due to computers and the internet. Business is done on computers now, and highly complex engineering models can be made easily on computers using something like a computer aided drawing (CAD). Therefore, the industry needs to stay competitive in order to keep prices low and to produce the best product available. Otherwise, both the business and engineering worlds will slow to a halt.
FS operates within the computer industry. The computer industry is a relatively new industry, as computers were first created around 1940, and the advent of the personal computer did not occur until the 1970s. The industry includes not only making computers and technological devices, but it also includes making the software, creating network infrastructure, and providing information technology services. FS focuses on making computers in various forms, as mentioned above. Thus, their major competitors are Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Acer, and Lenovo. The company is worried most about HP, which has been gaining significant ground in the European market, which is one of the main markets of FS.
The quintessential challenge for a company within this industry is to decide whether to be a high volume, low value seller or a low volume, high value seller. Currently FS is in the middle, and is trying to become a high value player within the industry. This is an opportunity that FS has met with open arms, and they are fully embracing the move to be a value player. An additional challenge, which FS initially faced, is the fact that so many companies are well established within the computer industry. Therefore, it is hard to simply start your own company and compete with the Dells and HPs out there. Although FS is a new company, they have the support of Fujitsu and Siemens, which helped them get over this challenge.
This industry is of large interest to both business and engineering. The world is becoming a smaller place due to computers and the internet. Business is done on computers now, and highly complex engineering models can be made easily on computers using something like a computer aided drawing (CAD). Therefore, the industry needs to stay competitive in order to keep prices low and to produce the best product available. Otherwise, both the business and engineering worlds will slow to a halt.
Riegele (Firm analysis)
Riegele is a family-owned brewery located in Augsburg, Germany. Founded in 1386, the company currently employs about 100 employees. Riegele produces many different types of beer, along with mineral water and Spezi (a mix of Fanta and Coke).
The company has many interesting strengths that help to make it a well established company. Starting in 1386, the company situated itself as one of the first buildings travelers would encounter as they entered the city, which made them extremely successful. This long tradition of excellent beer has made them a household name in Augsburg and the surrounding area, which is why they are so established in the area. Another strength of the company, which was self-described by the owner, is that the company thinks in generations instead of shareholders. The company is privately owned, and is currently owned by the 32nd generation. This mindset has allowed the company to provide excellent quality without having to worry about folding to the external pressure of shareholders and of being bought out by a larger company within Germany. A very interesting strength is the enjoyment that employees of Riegele get from working there. No one dislikes their job, and this enthusiasm spills over to their product. Every bottle of Riegele was expertly crafted by someone who cares about what they are doing, which is why they have been able to maintain such a high standard product among German beers.
Despite this, the company still possesses weaknesses. The cost of raw materials for beer (wheat, barley, hops) is rising, which could cause the price of beer to rise. Riegele only uses materials from local suppliers, while a larger company does not care from where they receive their ingredients, which could cause Riegele to experience a higher price shift than other companies. Along these lines, another weakness of the company is their size. Their output cannot keep up with some of the other German beer companies, which means their profit and market share are significantly less. This is not a large weakness though, because Riegele is not trying to be a worldwide beer distributor.
Riegele faces many threats from the external environment. The first threat, already mentioned and admittedly out of their direct control, is the fact that raw material costs are rising. This is going to cause their prices to go up if they want to continue to make profit. Riegele does not want this to happen, but unfortunately they have no control over the external prices of the materials. Another threat that Riegele faces from the external environment is the other German beer distributors. Germany is known as a center for fine quality beer for a reason, and they have many large companies within the country. Becks, Hofbräuhaus, Löwenbräu, Augustiner, and Paulaner are a few of the largest in the country and in Bavaria, which Riegele feels pressure from. These companies can output more beer at lower costs, and how Riegele competes with them will determine their survival in the industry.
Riegele is a very interesting company, and one that is of interest to a professional in business or engineering. Business students can appreciate how Riegele has stayed true to their roots and survived in an expanding and increasingly more competitive beer industry. Engineering students can appreciate how the company has stayed up with the most recent technological developments for brewing beer, and how the company has formed their distribution center to be as close to the target market as possible.
The company has many interesting strengths that help to make it a well established company. Starting in 1386, the company situated itself as one of the first buildings travelers would encounter as they entered the city, which made them extremely successful. This long tradition of excellent beer has made them a household name in Augsburg and the surrounding area, which is why they are so established in the area. Another strength of the company, which was self-described by the owner, is that the company thinks in generations instead of shareholders. The company is privately owned, and is currently owned by the 32nd generation. This mindset has allowed the company to provide excellent quality without having to worry about folding to the external pressure of shareholders and of being bought out by a larger company within Germany. A very interesting strength is the enjoyment that employees of Riegele get from working there. No one dislikes their job, and this enthusiasm spills over to their product. Every bottle of Riegele was expertly crafted by someone who cares about what they are doing, which is why they have been able to maintain such a high standard product among German beers.
Despite this, the company still possesses weaknesses. The cost of raw materials for beer (wheat, barley, hops) is rising, which could cause the price of beer to rise. Riegele only uses materials from local suppliers, while a larger company does not care from where they receive their ingredients, which could cause Riegele to experience a higher price shift than other companies. Along these lines, another weakness of the company is their size. Their output cannot keep up with some of the other German beer companies, which means their profit and market share are significantly less. This is not a large weakness though, because Riegele is not trying to be a worldwide beer distributor.
Riegele faces many threats from the external environment. The first threat, already mentioned and admittedly out of their direct control, is the fact that raw material costs are rising. This is going to cause their prices to go up if they want to continue to make profit. Riegele does not want this to happen, but unfortunately they have no control over the external prices of the materials. Another threat that Riegele faces from the external environment is the other German beer distributors. Germany is known as a center for fine quality beer for a reason, and they have many large companies within the country. Becks, Hofbräuhaus, Löwenbräu, Augustiner, and Paulaner are a few of the largest in the country and in Bavaria, which Riegele feels pressure from. These companies can output more beer at lower costs, and how Riegele competes with them will determine their survival in the industry.
Riegele is a very interesting company, and one that is of interest to a professional in business or engineering. Business students can appreciate how Riegele has stayed true to their roots and survived in an expanding and increasingly more competitive beer industry. Engineering students can appreciate how the company has stayed up with the most recent technological developments for brewing beer, and how the company has formed their distribution center to be as close to the target market as possible.
Days 14/15 - May 16/17, 2008
Getting up today, I knew it wouldn't be the funnest day. I headed over to the University to meet with the group at 9 am, and to see how late people would actually show up after Kareoke last night. (10 was the latest). Our group got the presentation done around 1:00, and the presentations were at 2, so we hopped on Facebook and showed the Germans good old American Facebook. Jens and Evan did the actual presentation, which I thought went well... so did John actually, but not Dr. Fisch. Then again, apparently he thought they all stunk, so said the Germans.
After the presentations, we met to go to Enchilladas, which was a Mexican restuarant that happened to be delicious. I got the steak fajitas, and wow, they were simply amazing. Spezis of course were the drinks of choice for me. Perhaps the story of the night (and the biggest display of being a man I've ever seen), Andrew ate 21 jalepeno (?) peppers in about 45 seconds. John said it broke all the records for the trip, and how could it not? After that Jens and I proceeded to have a conversation in German about whether or not Andrew would die, or how bad the Durchfall would be (You gotta translate that one yourself guys). Little did I know I would end of sitting next to him on the plane... thankfully he was alright and did not have to get up 30 times to use the bathroom or anything.
After dinner the Germans took us to the Mahogany club where we all sat around, talked, and took some pictures. One by one people eventually left, and that was it...
I went back to pack my suitcase up, and fell asleep. Little did I know my roommate would also fall asleep, but he didn't pack. As we both awoke to a bang on the door at 5 am (when we were supposed to be on the bus), the look of horror on our faces had to be priceless. But, give the man credit... I've never seen someone pack that much in about 5 or 10 minutes. And it worked out, as we weren't even the last ones. And it worked out, that even though we left around 5:25 or 5:30, the train station was 5 minutes away, and our train wasn't until 6, right on platform 1. So we got there with so much time to spare, that the German bus driver had no reason to freak out like he did.
The train ride was actually a lot of fun. We talked about all kinds of things... sports and why the Steelers messed up their draft (haha, E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!), movie quotes, and general guy stuff. We got through the airport security with pretty minimal troubles, though our tickets once again froze the system of United. Oh, and Steve got his back searched because "THIS MAN HAS A KNIFE." After breaking his gift to his father and discovering it was his MP3 player, we left, without Steve getting so much as a sorry from the lady. Once we got to our gate, Steve Evan and I wanted some McDonalds, so one of the workers said we could get to one easily by just going to the next terminal over AND THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY AGAIN. He was so wrong. We took the tram over to Terminal B, where a brand new security checkpoint awaited us. We had to turn back to go to our terminal, and of course, more security. So we had to go through security again, and this time I set the metal detector off. The guy wanded me down and the thing didn't go off once, which boggles my mind. Eventually we just went and got these pizza stick things, which I liked, even though no one else did. The guy started to mess with me since I was wearing my Bayern soccer jersey. Even up to the last day, I can't get away from soccer hooligans.
The plane ride went MUCH faster than the plane ride over here, even though it was supposed to be longer. "Hellen Keller knows how to fly." All of our manliness levels dropped after watching the in-flight movie "27 Dresses", but have since returned to normal. We went through customs, I got my Euros converted into good old American dollars, and the trip was officially over. My dad and Uncle, who lives about 10 minutes from Dulles, greeted me outside of customs. I said my goodbyes to everyone, and then the three of us left. I went to my cousins' house for a little, and then at about 6 my dad and I left to make the 3 hour drive to good old Perkiomenville. I stayed awake until about 8:30 when I finally crashed, but staying up that late got me over my jetlag. No jetlag for me... can't complain.
After the presentations, we met to go to Enchilladas, which was a Mexican restuarant that happened to be delicious. I got the steak fajitas, and wow, they were simply amazing. Spezis of course were the drinks of choice for me. Perhaps the story of the night (and the biggest display of being a man I've ever seen), Andrew ate 21 jalepeno (?) peppers in about 45 seconds. John said it broke all the records for the trip, and how could it not? After that Jens and I proceeded to have a conversation in German about whether or not Andrew would die, or how bad the Durchfall would be (You gotta translate that one yourself guys). Little did I know I would end of sitting next to him on the plane... thankfully he was alright and did not have to get up 30 times to use the bathroom or anything.
After dinner the Germans took us to the Mahogany club where we all sat around, talked, and took some pictures. One by one people eventually left, and that was it...
I went back to pack my suitcase up, and fell asleep. Little did I know my roommate would also fall asleep, but he didn't pack. As we both awoke to a bang on the door at 5 am (when we were supposed to be on the bus), the look of horror on our faces had to be priceless. But, give the man credit... I've never seen someone pack that much in about 5 or 10 minutes. And it worked out, as we weren't even the last ones. And it worked out, that even though we left around 5:25 or 5:30, the train station was 5 minutes away, and our train wasn't until 6, right on platform 1. So we got there with so much time to spare, that the German bus driver had no reason to freak out like he did.
The train ride was actually a lot of fun. We talked about all kinds of things... sports and why the Steelers messed up their draft (haha, E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!), movie quotes, and general guy stuff. We got through the airport security with pretty minimal troubles, though our tickets once again froze the system of United. Oh, and Steve got his back searched because "THIS MAN HAS A KNIFE." After breaking his gift to his father and discovering it was his MP3 player, we left, without Steve getting so much as a sorry from the lady. Once we got to our gate, Steve Evan and I wanted some McDonalds, so one of the workers said we could get to one easily by just going to the next terminal over AND THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY AGAIN. He was so wrong. We took the tram over to Terminal B, where a brand new security checkpoint awaited us. We had to turn back to go to our terminal, and of course, more security. So we had to go through security again, and this time I set the metal detector off. The guy wanded me down and the thing didn't go off once, which boggles my mind. Eventually we just went and got these pizza stick things, which I liked, even though no one else did. The guy started to mess with me since I was wearing my Bayern soccer jersey. Even up to the last day, I can't get away from soccer hooligans.
The plane ride went MUCH faster than the plane ride over here, even though it was supposed to be longer. "Hellen Keller knows how to fly." All of our manliness levels dropped after watching the in-flight movie "27 Dresses", but have since returned to normal. We went through customs, I got my Euros converted into good old American dollars, and the trip was officially over. My dad and Uncle, who lives about 10 minutes from Dulles, greeted me outside of customs. I said my goodbyes to everyone, and then the three of us left. I went to my cousins' house for a little, and then at about 6 my dad and I left to make the 3 hour drive to good old Perkiomenville. I stayed awake until about 8:30 when I finally crashed, but staying up that late got me over my jetlag. No jetlag for me... can't complain.
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