Reporters on the Job

• Fewer German Gifts: Correspondent Andreas Tzortzis is making the same kind of purchasing decisions as the Europeans he interviewed in today's story (this page). He's flying home to San Francisco with almost no gifts from Germany. "If the dollar weren't so weak, I might have brought back some of the lovely Christmas ornaments made here or some of the good-quality wooden toys," says Andreas. "This year, all I'm planning to bring is some chocolate."

In fact, he's saved all of his Christmas shopping for after he returns to the US. "It doesn't make any sense to buy here. But yes, I'll be splurging when I get back."

Andreas notes that because he has a job with a German publication, he gets paid in euros. But he's paid in dollars for the stories he writes for the Monitor. "The weak dollar is horrible for my Monitor pay," he adds.

Not-so-subtle hint taken.

• Turks Ready to Move: If Turkey is allowed to joint the European Union, 44 percent of Turkey's residents would try to find work elsewhere in the Europe, according to a new poll by Turkish group TNS PIAR for its Danish sister company TNS Gallup.

EU leaders gather Thursday to decide whether to open membership talks with Turkey. Under EU rules, citizens from member countries have the right to travel, live, and work freely in any of the member states. According to the survey published by the Associated Press, the bulk of those willing to move were young people.

David Clark Scott
World editor