Henning Felgenhauer

I’m notoriously bad at ball sports. My dad, brothers, and Rolf are all super talented, but I usually spot the ball too late, and when I do hit it, it flies everywhere except where it should. I’m super competitive so I avoided these sports for a long time, but by now I can laugh about my wild shots and play anyway.

I love being on the move, whether it’s biking and hiking in summer, skiing in winter, or taking long road trips. I used to ride a motorcycle regularly, but these days I prefer a scooter. As a kid, I was an active glider pilot and loved seeing the world from above. That’s actually why I became an aerospace engineer.

When it comes to sleep, I have two personalities. I’m usually in bed by 10 pm and up early, feeling fresh and energized. Unless there's a chance to go dancing with friends. Then I’m one of the last to leave, totally happy to sacrifice my sleep.

I’ve dreamed of growing fig and olive trees ever since my first holidays in Italy. When we bought our house, they were among the first things I planted—but northern Germany’s weather just won’t fully cooperate. They grow, but they don’t exactly look like the lush ones thriving back in Italy!

I love spending time with my family. I grew up in western Germany with my two brothers in a close-knit family home. Family has always been a huge part of my life, and I feel incredibly lucky I have grown up surrounded by grandparents, aunts, and uncles who are still very important to me today. What means the most to me is how close my family and Rolf's family have become. Celebrating Christmas together this year, with Rolf’s family flying in from Chile, felt especially meaningful. I’m very excited to raise our child in such a loving, supportive, and connected circle of family and friends.

In my free time, I love being outdoors, especially hiking and biking, spending time with friends, meeting up for evenings at home, cooking and playing games together.

I’ve always loved travelling, but Rolf has taken it to a whole new level. At least once a year, we explore a different part of the world, and our frequent visits to his family keep us constantly on the move, discovering new cultures and landscapes. I truly enjoy it now more than ever.

Professionally, I studied Aeronautical Engineering and now work in project management. I really appreciate it because of its international environment, the variety it offers, and the opportunity to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

When I was a kid, I used to spend hours looking through the world atlas, learning all the countries and their capital cities. I was especially fascinated by very small countries. Even today, I love researching international train and flight connections to make each trip as convenient as possible. Following my passion for exploring the world map, I moved from Chile to Germany when I was 24.

When I was a teenager, I started doing New Year’s Eve rituals. There’s one in particular that I do every year, no matter where I am. I pack a suitcase and spend midnight standing on a chair with the suitcase so that I’ll travel a lot in the new year. During my student exchange year, I forgot to do it, and my best friend reminded me after midnight—he said it was midnight somewhere in the world. That ritual has definitely paid off every year!

I love singing karaoke, but I can’t sing at all. I often ask my friends if they want to go karaoke with me, but nobody ever joins. When we were in China, we went to a karaoke bar, and Henning filmed me singing. I didn’t manage to hit a single note! 😂 Still, I had a great time!

I really enjoy playing volleyball, both indoors and on the beach during the summer. I train once a week with a local club.

I also love cycling—either for my daily commute or on longer bike tours. I really enjoy spending time outdoors, whether it’s hiking, taking long walks, or running along the Elbe. I often listen to podcasts or have calls with my sister or friends from Chile while I’m out.

After my last visit with my niece, we started painting mandalas together while listening to music. I really enjoy that quiet time for myself and love seeing the finished result afterward.

I also cherish spending quality time with my loved ones, just being together, talking for hours, or playing board games.