Newsletter
Newsletter July 2005
Nothing but cranes
Our office on the sixth floor at Hohe Bleichen 11 is surrounded by builderss cranes. On four building sites on three sides of the office the constant noise of these giants is also accentuated by the rumble of cement mixers. Fortunately the demolition work that preceded the building activities took place for the most part during the colder season which we all recall lasted well into spring. The noise and the dust was therefore less of a problem, as the windows were usually tightly closed. Perhaps you have been wondering about the background noise when you were on the phone to Susanne Schwarz. Now you know. The buildings they pulled down were neither very old nor were they very ugly, but they will be replaced by superlative examples of modern architecture glass and aluminium, atria with lush greenery, water features and the nonpareil of a gourmet temple.
A year from now when the hubbub is over and the dust has settled, there will be all the more reason to visit us at Hohe Bleichen 11, in one of the most idyllic parts of Hamburg City. The hive of building activity is quite a contrast to the general trend in the business sector, but it is one of the main reasons for the booming trade in property funds, which gives us good reason to stop and think.
Our latest photo
Despite the silent groans from Susanne Schwarz, the partners have been eager to have a new photo posted on our website, simconsult.net, for some time now. The opportunity arose in May. Wim de Jong, a talented photographer, whose real job is that of a handwriting expert and who works in our office pool, Niehoff & de Jong / Arlington Consulting / SIMCONSULT, came to Susanne Schwarz in her office, armed with the latest digital camera and took lots and lots of photos. The partners were delighted with the results. One critic thought the ABC Arch in the background (another example of outstanding modern architecture in the city) looked remarkably like a prison. Thanks to the wonders of digital technology and the skills of our friend Wim, the colourful packet of paper tissues which no one noticed on the desk beside the printer was professionally airbrushed out and now the end result can be admired on our website.
The Kieler Woche Festival
Just as this newsletter was in the making, the two partners, George Drummond and Susan Fergusson returned from Kiel where they interpreted for the tenth year in succession at the International Cities Forum on the occasion of the opening of the Kieler Woche Festival. Ten years is a long time. In fact it is now almost ten years since SIMCONSULT was founded. Our contact person at the Press Office in Kiel, Monika Geppert, was in charge of the preparatory work for the last time before she took early retirement. We have known each other so long and have greatly appreciated the spirit of cooperation which was based on mutual trust and confidence over the years. We will miss working with Monika Geppert, but we hope that we will meet again in Hamburg, perhaps in the gourmet temple at Hohe Bleichen with more time to enjoy each otherrs company than we have had in the past.
This newsletter has not focussed so much on the many interpreting assignments we have completed for our customers over the past six months. Maybe we will catch up on that in more detail in autumn. Interpreters as you know deal with the spoken word and it certainly makes a change for us to let our thoughts simply flow on paper, or at least in written form. We hope it is also a welcome change for you and look forward to getting in touch with you again. As always, we are there when you need our specialist assistance when it comes to conference interpreting and translations.
Your SIMCONSULT-Team