It’s a wrap! September 2020

Booking a vacation in the midst of the coronavirus was a bit of a crazy idea. Yet I knew that I was starting a new chapter in my professional career in October and wanted to feel like there was some sort of closure. 

My partner and I traveled to Iceland. It’s a country that stole my heart some years ago, and it’s the one place on this planet I cannot get out of my head. 

We booked a transporter the company had turned into a van. It was tiny yet just enough to sleep and cook in. Shortly after we booked, the regulations changed, so we knew we’d have to go into quarantine upon arrival, too. That’s also why we booked an off-the-grid cabin in the countryside. 

Why am I telling you all this? 

It’s because, for the first time in my life, I spent two weeks without electricity, without running water, and without the comfort of warm feet upon waking up. 

Not having the luxuries of regular life, I was reminded how lucky I should feel for the fact that, in my normal life, I have a kitchen, a bathroom, and a cozy and comfortable bed. 

I feel fortunate and, after this vacation, I might feel even more fortunate and grateful. And, while this has nothing to do with work, I just wanted to keep up with my regular updates here and let you know what I did in September. 

While on vacation, I read a few interesting books I’d love to recommend to you;

How Bad Are Bananas: The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee

An interesting overview of the environmental impact of our everyday purchases. In short, the worst thing you can do is buy tomatoes out of season or drive an SUV. Want to learn more? Read it. :) 

Olive by Emma Gannon 

Written from the perspective of a 30-something woman that doesn’t want to have kids, this book is addressing many elephants in the room that women over 30 have a hard time talking about. 

Und was machst Du so? Vom Flüchtling und Schulabbrecher zum internationalen Unternehmer by Ali Mahlodji 

Having been a migrant in an Austrian school myself, I feel very connected to Ali and his stories. A very inspiring book for anyone who wants to understand how the people around us shape who we become and how you can become a person who can change someone’s life for the better. 

Generation Haram: Warum Schule lernen muss, allein eine Stimme zu geben by Melisa Erkurt

A book that helped me articulate why I sometimes had a hard time in Austria and why living in Berlin often feels so easy to me. A critical take on Austria’s educational system and hopefully a wake-up call to those in power. 

Unfuck the Economy: Eine neue Wirtschaft und ein besseres Leben für alle by Waldemar Zeiler

A great explanation of how the economy could change for the better with many ideas from an entrepreneur who’s executing on many of them. Should definitely be a must-read for politicians and entrepreneurs – not just in Germany, but hopefully everywhere around the world. 

I’m mentioning the German books here, too, because I believe they deserve to be translated and read by many more people out there.

Also, please keep an eye on http://newstandard.studio because that’s where we’re starting to make waves. :)