Michaela
Name: Michaela
Lives in: Wiesbaden, Germany
From: I was born in Heppenheim and grew up in a tiny village nearby. When I left for university there were a mere 550 inhabitants! My childhood was a bit like living in Bullerbü (Astrid Lindgren story). We were outside all day in the woods and the fields.
Job: I am an environmental engineer and work for the German government in flood planning and restoration of rivers. When I started my job, I was outside most of the time meeting with planning offices and local authorities to discuss issues like how to restore the creeks and rivers. It was very concrete. I also had to deal with the construction firm and operators. Now I am more in management which means I talk a lot, I write a lot, and I go to meetings a lot. And I am indoors! My job is to ensure that the environmental standards at creeks and rivers are respected. For example, as our summers are getting drier and drier, we have to be very strict about the withdrawal of water from of our rivers. Climate change is here. People will start to fight over water, even in Germany which is not known for its aridity. And on the other hand, there are more floods. Crazy! Of course, nature does not know the term “flood damage.” But people try to build their houses near the rivers, because of the view for example. We mandate maps where the extension of the flood is to be seen and provide them for planning houses and factories so that they are built in safe areas.
Tell us your first three jobs (ever!): My first job was cultivating a vineyard during school holidays (my grandmother was working there as well!). I was working outside, and I liked it. Then as my second job when I was a student at the university I worked as a waitress in a little cafe with international food and a gorgeous breakfast buffet. At my third job was working in the cinema sitting in the ticket box selling tickets. But that job didn’t last very long.
Zodiac sign: Virgo
Enneagram type: One
What do you love about Greece: I have been to Athens only two times and only for a short time as I always was heading towards Leonidio to go climbing. On my first trip, I enjoyed very much the pedestrian zone to the Acropolis. I like the music and the lively scenario. For those who don’t know, Leonidio is a coastal place in the Peloponnese that belongs to Arcadia. It is a little village with a lot of wonderful crags for climbing and a vivid local climbing community.
Tell us something most people don’t know about you: I sometimes dream about being a singer in a band. 🙂
Where we are most likely to find you in Lynn’s Kundalini Yoga: I do yoga by myself most of the time so on YouTube watching Lynn’s videos.
The first time you tried Kundalini Yoga? This year after having done my enneagram interview with Lynn
Tell us your top tip to combat climate change: Think globally, act locally, reducing consumption, be aware that we do not save the planet, we save life as we know it.