1. 1983 - 1993 CHILDHOOD
   1. - life is pretty stable and safe
   2. - I have many skillflexes and thus the dilemma of choice
   3. - NATURE CONNECTION - by playing, building with nature with my 2 brothers & by hiking with family
   4. UN/LEARNING
   5. all weekends and holidays in nature in Germany and Austria - running naked in forests - bathing in mountain streams
   6. childhood in educated and cultured circles, attended Waldorf/Steiner school
   7. born to middleclass family (4 kids) in Wuppertal, NW GERMANY; Mum: homeopathic doctor, Dad: teacher at Steiner school, both PhD-level
   8. CONTEXT
2. 1993 - 1994 CHANGES
   1. CONTEXT
   2. first big changes/transitions [contingencies] :
   3. - parents took me out of Steiner school (1993) & I excelled in state school
   4. - moved to BAVARIA (1994), where I was considered "a Prussian"
   5. - first holiday further away
   6. UN/LEARNING
   7. - not everyone is as lucky as me
   8. - I can make friends quickly - I'm a sociable guy
3. 1994 - 1999 YOUTH
   1. - 1st notion that life's purpose is not about materialism
   2. - intro to spirituality though buddhism
   3. - (relative) poverty in the world & priviledged West
   4. UN/LEARNING
   5. - first travels alone (India & Iran)
   6. - regular travels abroad with family, 1st trips to the Orient (Egypt, Turkey, Iran)
   7. - three strong circles of good friends: scouts, musicians, classmates
   8. CONTEXT
4. 1999 - 2006 STUDIES
   1. CONTEXT
   2. - boarding school in ENGLAND, then uni in SCOTLAND M.A. in Arabic & International Relations
   3. - at school: independent loner, few friends
   4. - at uni: very sociable, "student life", first relationships
   5. - very active in organised student life, especially theatre society, both in management and creative process
   6. - many travels with friends
   7. - degree of financial independance through inheritance from grandfather
   8. UN/LEARNING
   9. - I have great social gifts, but don't yet know how to use them well
   10. - I am creative and enjoy the creative process (music, theatre)
   11. - with my entrepreneurial spirit and my social gifts (especially motivating others around my projects), I can achieve A LOT
5. 2007 - 2012 OUT THERE
   1. - I have a hard time working alone, organising myself, structuring my work & managing my time well
   2. - random traits (male, foreign) can lead to receiving huge powers from others... but not without dangers (ego, responsibility, self-over-estimation)
   3. - I can adapt and integrate easily to new cultural settings
   4. UN/LEARNING
   5. - [tangle/knot] pattern as I tried to be freelance consultant
   6. - beneficiary of loads of positive discrimination from Arabs (I am male, white, blonde, German, Arab-speaking)
   7. - success as a TV-presenter in Arabic for mini-series on environment
   8. - [context-emergence] pattern as I quit recycling company to work on root causes
   9. - 1st real work experiences, co-creator of very successful recycling venture in Jordan's "Wild West" economy
   10. - inner [transition] upon arriving in Jordan
   11. - further study: M.Sc. Water Management in JORDAN
   12. - move to the MIDDLE EAST
   13. CONTEXT
6. 2013 - now FINDING
   1. CONTEXT
   2. - unplanned return to EUROPE [life happens!]
   3. - settling in FRANCE for re-orientation [biiig transition] and [tri-via] situation of new life options
   4. - start working in food systems (local, organic, CSA etc)
   5. - loving & supportive long-term relationship
   6. - inspiring meetings at Transition Network Conference lead me to GAIA U - begin degree 10/15
   7. UN/LEARNING
   8. - self-confidence crash after major [contingency]
   9. - importance of spiritual path ALONGside carreer path (or better still: within)