Looking for a job did not turn it to be so difficult at all. Well, at least after I decided that it would be ok to go a bit farther away if I could have a nice job, a 4day workweek and great coworkers. So now I work with van dijk 3d engineering.
As you can see I have not got to changing my website yet. I had some more interesting stuff distracting me. Rens asked me to help out at the kids polevaulting weekend. These kids have way to much energy :o) To lose or actually get some energy myself, I don't fly through the sky anymore, instead I fly over the water. We bought some more windsurfing gear so we used the last sunny days of autumn to try it. Then we made some slings to pack it all in our cellar neatly.
Furthermore I'm already looking forward to the first snow and my wintersports vacation. I can go snowboarding here in Monchau to warm up and for holiday I'm going to my friend Inge who has got some nice apartments in Rauris. But off course the fun starts with shopping for new gear. I already found a snowboard helmet which I'm going to pimp to fit in perfectly with my apple green clothes. Got to do something with my spare time :o) Besides the pimping I am shaking my ass at the free Salsa lessons at the Lennet Kann. And furthermore I’m trying for my third career as a singer. I found this karaoke game which actually gives me pretty good points. I can’t understand why my friend always covers her ears once I start singing.

posted by Monique 15:58

Yes, I am still alive. Although you haven't seen any posts, it didn't mean I was not busy. I have finished my studies, I have learned to snowboard and my windsurfing is better too. I have even done a little bit of pole-vaulting. I also moved back to Germany, although I am staying close to the border: Aachen.
I did not expect to return in the headlines with my new career, a world class pole-vaulter seems much more interesting to me then a graduating Industrial designer. But
I made it anyhow and even on page 2 of a national paper. I've never been there with my pole-vaulting! I have to say this is foremost due to the very interesting subject that I have been working on for the I-cane foundation. I cannot tell you much more because there are still some patents being registered but already some stuff slipped through to the Volkskrant, the AD and the Delta. More about the intelligent cane is coming soon! (Hopefully ;o))
At the moment I am looking for a job and finishing up my portfolio. The website will probably get a makeover too. In the meantime I have a temporary part time job as a technical draughts person at Anatech and I am making my first explorations in the working world ;o)

posted by Monique 14:34

It is about half a year after my latest post now. Probably most of you noticed I have not done any competitions anymore after the world championships. I have decided to quit. My life had gotten more and more reduced to only polevaulting. I wanted to finish my studies and do other things, experience new things. There is so much more in life and I had shutten it all out. I didn´t have much fun anymore either, the heights and results had become more important than the fun.
So I moved back to Delft (Netherlands) and I´m going to take up my studies in September. I´m going to discover some new hobbies and friendships and pick up some old. And maybe, just maybe I´ll do some pole vaulting too, not for the heights or the results, just to fly ;o)

posted by Monique 11:03

I´ve done my first competitions. I jumped 4.20m and that is ok for a first competition. I also competed in the kids relay and nearly beat Hanna Mia´s team. the competitions are starting now and I will be travelling a lot, you can find the schedule at the competitions page. the big event this winter will be the world championships in Birmingham. I thought I would still have to jump 4,40m for that but now I see that it is also ok if you did it last year, that would mean I am allready qualified. I will check it out right away. however It would still be great to jump 4,40m because that would qualify me right away for the world outdoor championships in Paris and for the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. So watch out for 4,40m!!

posted by Monique 14:35

posted by Monique 13:09

at the moment I am in Stellenbosch, South Africa for a trainingscamp and I just wanted to say that it is nice and hot here, about a 30C. I'll try and send lots of warmth to everybody in cold Europe! Don't freeze!

posted by Monique 13:00