Thursday, December 23, 2021

Here we go again - Thank you for the good things in 2021!

As I am reflecting on 2021, despite the roll out of a vaccine against COVID-19, we're still in the middle of a global pandemic. We've shown resiliency and become used to the new normal. This year wasn't easy but there are still many things to be thankful for. Therefore, per tradition, I want to share this year's highlights with you.


JANUARY

I love California especially in winter. On the holiday in honor of Martin Luther King, we were able to spend a day on the beach with friends. You can read my thoughts about the Capitol insurrection on January 6 here or listen to my Clubhouse interview here (both in German).

Enjoying the beach at Fort Funston


FEBRUARY

Carlos turned our outdoor jungle into a useable patio with a hammock and a fire pit. I helped a tiny bit by laying a few bricks myself... 

Having an outdoor space allowed us to host small gatherings during the pandemic.



MARCH

Lucas took his first steps around 9 months. 

Enjoying the weather in the South Bay with friends



 APRIL

Carlos and I were eligible to get our first vaccines against COVID-19. I got the Pfizer BioNTech shot - celebrating German-American collaboration. 

Thankful to the scientific community and healthcare workers



MAY

Lucas nannies spoiled us with guest passes to the zoo and the aquarium. To Lucas all animals are wauwaus. 

Some wauwaus in the water



JUNE
With less than a year, Lucas took his first flight to Europe to meet his Spanish grandparents for the first time.

Lucas was a trooper on his first flight



JULY

We celebrated Lucas' first birthday in Madrid. My alma mater Hamburg Media School interviewed me for their alumni podcast series. You can listen to it here.

Happy Birthday, Lucas



AUGUST
We toured the beautiful Stanford Campus with Lucas and friends. Whenever I go there, I am as in awe as I was when I was writing parts of my MBA thesis in Stanford's library in 2010. 

Future student?



SEPTEMBER
Being at Course Hero, a virtual first company, allowed me to work remotely for six weeks from Europe. We took Lucas to the beach in South of Spain and he met my parents and sisters for the first time. We were thankful that we were able to spend so much quality time with our family especially as Lucas grandmother passed away.

Sitting by the pond at my parents'



OCTOBER

Fall is one of my favorite seasons in the US, starting with Halloween, spending time with friends during Thanksgiving and celebrating the holidays. 

Very proud of my pumpkin that lasted for 2 days



NOVEMBER
Hailey interviewed me about being a remote manager here. We hosted a small Thanksgiving with some friends at our place. 

Happy Turkey Day



DECEMBER
In December, we celebrated a major milestone at Course Hero Inc.—we raised $380M in Series C funding to help further our vision towards a rich and dynamic learning ecosystem to meet the evolving range of study needs for today's learners. We will be celebrating Christmas at home in San Francisco again this year.


Lisa and I met the new German Consul General Oliver Schramm at the German Mafia Christmas Event.


I wish you all happy holidays with your loved ones and hope to see you in 2022! 

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