Getting Started - Admin & Accounting

It has now been a few weeks since I have moved to Ann Arbor. I spend the majority of this time getting settled and taking care of administrative stuff. Moreover I also took an accounting course and enjoyed first parties with my classmates.

But I should probably start explaining where Ann Arbor is:

So Ann Arbor is a college town - home of the University of Michigan - with approximately 115,000 inhabitants. It is about a one hour drive from Detroit and four hours from Chicago. (given the choice drive to Chicago! ;-))

As a side note: Next to Ann Arbor is a town called Ypsilanti. However it is just a rumor that some fans of 'Die Linke' from 'Hessen' moved here. ;-)

The first week I was busy getting settled, buying furniture, a laptop, signing up for a cell phone plan etc.

Recurring issue: "This is not a US credit card, is it?"

This made some purchases a little more difficult: AT&T required a deposit, Apple would only hand me the laptop after American Express confirmed that I had a tendency to pay my bills.

Pleasant 'suprises' of the first week: The wonderful shopping hours (I always wonder how much more we Germans would buy if we were only offered the opportunity?!?), my ability to install

Windows on my Macbook (on the third attempt) and my iPhone.

I guess I have to apologize to some iPhone users since I so far thought that it is not really that great. Well, I was dead wrong - it is sensational. Arguably the best piece of electronic equipment I ever owned.

Moreover very entertaining while shopping in the mall: Retirees having aerobic lessons in the aisle of the mall - only in America - weird!

But the best news from the first weeks: My wonderful banker Delia managed to get me a US credit card. After she submitted the application I received a rejection letter ('lack of credit history') in a matter of days. Nevertheless I found a credit card in my mail a few days later. So I don't know what she did - but it worked! Now I guess I need another topic to talk about with US Retailers besides my 'strange German Credit Card'.

After taking care of most administrative matters I started to spend a fair amount of my time in my new home - "the Ross School of Business":

This brand-new, beautiful building is where I will spend countless hours in the next two years.

(probably to the extend that I will stop liking it)

The two main reasons that brought me to school before the actual start of the semester:

1.) the gym

2.) an accounting class

Considering the (quickly approaching) Michigan winter and that I am not a big fan of gyms and prefer to run/cycle outdoors, I figured I should start to slowly get used to using the gym.

So fare I am pretty successful, mostly thanks to a fellow German classmate with whom I went there several times.

However I spend the majority of my second week in an accounting class.

It was a fun time, great to meet some more classmates and good to get used to sitting in class again. What mad it most fun was the professor 'Dr. Dave'.

He is a really funny guy who calls himself the 'WMD' (Worlds Most Dangerous) Accountant.

I could not confirm yet, whether there is any connection between him and Arthur Anderson. ;-)

However the following joke he told in class may provide some evidence:

There was once a business owner who was interviewing people for a division manager position.

He decided to select the individual that could answer the question "how much is 2+2?"

The engineer said: "It lies between 3.98 and 4.02."

The attorney said: "In the case of Svenson vs. the State it was declared to be 4."

The trader asked: "Are you buying or selling?"

The accountant looked at the business owner, then got out of his chair to see it anyone was listening at the door. Then he returned and asked the business owner in a low voice: "What would you like it to be?"

Fortunately the accounting class was not too time consuming so I still found enough time arrange some things in my apartment.

I live in an area called 'Woodbury Gardens' where many Graduate Students are staying (I would guess 1/3 of my class). So far my apartment is still pretty empty (hence I spare you the sight of an empty apartment for now) - however my roommate, once he moved in with his huge reservoir of furniture will certainly change that!

'Woodbury Gardens' It is about 1,5 miles and a five minute bus ride from campus, with a bus stop and grocery store nearby.

So I should be able to get around without a car.

Especially since my roommate - exactly: He owns a car! :-)

So who is this roommate who will soon solve all my problems:

His name is Patrick (I could see a pattern here - the name of my last roommate: Patrick), he is an avid runner (no more pattern! ;-)) comes from the California, went to Stanford for undergraduate studies. In the past years he has worked for Bain in the Bay Area.

I can't wait till he (and his furniture and car ;-)) gets here!

Last but not least the most pleasant part of the first weeks - meeting classmates and my first parties in Ann Arbor. :-)

I had a great time hanging out with them.

They are very interesting, smart and ambitious, but at the same time really down to earth (which I guess is not given for MBA students at a top school).

The city of Ann Arbor offers some very nice places to go out to. A few even sell German beer or brew their own.

Helpful in staying away from Bud and Miller light. ;-)

So we will surely have a lot of fun the next two years!