Rubber Ducks

The first week passed by. Doesn't feel like a whole week. May be it's because I was so busy with all kinds of stuff. There is so much to do in life, even without a job to sustain you. 

So what did I do. I started with my yearly medical check, which is still as bureaucratic as I remember. I had an interview with the local newspaper of my hometown which was great, since I could tell my story a bit more in detail. A lot of people here ask me of course how I liked it, but I don't know if they can possibly expect me saying "No!". I mean, why would I stay at a place voluntarily for one year if I did not like it? I pushed the "like-button" for SEED throughout my year and I am so full of stories, but most people are more than satisfied after the "Did you like it"question. 

Hm, well. It's really good to have fellow volunteers in Germany and so I already phoned some of them. Who else can I tell that I still feel a bit strange about the fact that there is no bloody steering wheel on the right side of the car. I mean on the Autobahn you can sometimes forget about the "we drive on the right side"rule in Germany since quite a lot Germans seem to have a phobia to drive right. (It is like you are a looser if you drive right... at least your car is looser if it is not able to drive fast enough to overtake any time). Well and I am still suspicious about the orange Emergency Phones every couple km. At a glimpse they look pretty much like the SA speed cameras. By the way speed. It's actually very nice to drive a bit faster than 120km/h :D


I had my first german meeting of the jap. archery club and it was ... interesting. It took more than 3 hours and at the end I was not really sure if it was due to my lack of german understanding or me being tired that I understood aprox. 30% of the meeting. Hey, it may sound weird but it's really hard to follow those Germans who speak in high speed and with very professional words. Kind of scary to have lost both languages in my little brain, English AND German. May be I should try the Japanese once more.

I go for the visual impressions. A very nice one was the local organic market. Gosh! How I missed these juicy and tasty veggies and the casual small talk at the different stalls. Bavarian is hilarious and this whole country is full of Bavarians. (as you coul already see at my welcome-party)
These old German cities with their old buildings do really have an appealing charm. So I spend a couple of hours wandering around Landshut, enjoying my first italian icecream and the mild autumn-sun (which is now gone. Shivering at 7°C and constant rain and even hail). 
I also like the rubber duck race on the Isar-river yesterday. May be we won a car? :D 

rubber ducks on their way down Isar river

Tourist Info and town-hall of Landshut

historic centre of Landshut... medieval design and the highes brick tower in the world

And one of my highlights this week was the postman handing over a parcel from India. It was covered in fabric an sewn! Checked by German customs. ^.^ My friend Johanna, the worldtraveller, works for Navdanya at the moment, a NGO dedicated to local seed saving in India. She sent me a book of her Boss and Right Livelihood Award Winner Vandana Shiva, Earth Democracy. Awesome! :D 
Even though it is tough for me that Johanna can't be here with me now, I am very proud of her courage to do what she thinks is right. Even if it is not a typical path. It will be a very special moment when we finally meet each other again. Thanks Johanna for being such a special person in my life. Everyone should have a Johanna. :)

The Indian parcel... and if anyone needs: my physical address