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It’s six o’ clock in the morning in Gummersbach, Germany and I already finished two cups of coffee as I checked my e-mail and the news. There’s word about snow tonight, and the Asian participants to this international seminar on Local Government and Civil Society are bracing themselves for the severe cold that’s expected. This seminar is sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, one of the six major political foundations funded by the German government to educate its constituents and partners worldwide. A total of 22 participants are attending this seminar, with three from the Philippines. Aside from me, the Philippine group includes Professor Jennifer Santiago-Oreta of the Ateneo de Manila University and Patrick Ponciano from the Office of Senator Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan.

This is the second time I’ve attended a seminar at this world-famous academy. Last year, I was also here for the seminar on New Public Management. It feels good to be back and I was really happy to see old friends. Our group of three arrived here at around 11 o’ clock a.m. yesterday after a long and tiring trip. We were starving when we arrived, and drowsy, too. After a nice lunch, almost all of us went to our rooms for the sleep we have been craving for. It was 17:30 when I mustered enough energy to get up from bed. The reception for the seminar was scheduled for 18:45, so I quickly took a shower, brushed my teeth and dressed up for the affair. My friend, Jogi Acosta, who lives in Ishelon, called me up at around 18:00 to check on me.

Everybody complained about being groggy and tired from the long trips each had to take. A participant from Cambodia lost his luggage and wondered whether he would have to buy new clothes. He and his companion from Cambodia also had a most tense moment when they were told in the afternoon departure that the computers at the German Embassy in Phom Penh had crashed, and their visas weren’t approved yet. With a few hours left, the two rushed to the French Embassy at around 3 o’ clock. Fortunately, the French Embassy issued their Schengen visas at 5 o’ clock. Their flight was at 8 o’ clock. They made the trip in the nick of time.

Last night, a delegate from Chile opened a bottle of high-quality tequila, and I took two shots before going to the bar for a big glass of beer. We had a fine dinner and endured a brief orientation session. Several participants could barely keep their eyes open. But the tequila perked us up afterwards, and it was around 11 o’ clock that I went to sleep.