5 things I've not yet done - Week 23

1. Played the Organ in a church here.
2. Travelled with the bus or tramway here in Frankfurt (Oder) (I have elsewhere).
3. Had something to complain about.
4. Eaten pizza in Słubice, in Poland (cheaper and tastier than in Germany, I’m told).
5. Nothing for a day.

I still intend to do all of these at some point, apart from no. 3.

With Mum and Emily, just arrived - Week 1

I came to Frankfurt (Oder) not alone, but enjoying the company of both Mum and Emily, who travelled with me on the train from Rennes (more-or-less where the French grandparents live in Britanny) to Paris (with ‚le TGV‘ = Train Big Speed), on the Paris underground, then from Paris to Berlin overnight, then finally Berlin to Frankfurt (Oder). Good that they were there, otherwise I would’ve no doubt struggled with my three bags plus guitar, and arrived very sweaty.
But without my (winter) coat, as I managed to completely forget that as we were leaving France. Not so wise when coming so far east.

We were welcomed by the wife of the man who is responsible (in a good way) for my being here – he teaches at a vocational college in Frankfurt (Oder), and, after an email from me asking about working as an English Assistant was directed to him, he suggested to me I could volunteer with the CVJM here.
Anyhow, the first week we were here, we were granted the pleasure of staying at their house, enjoying the company of their four children, and sleeping in their guest room. They were extremely welcoming, generous and ‚warm‘ people, I don’t think I’ve come across anyone like them – regularly asking whether there was anything else we needed. All three of us felt very at home, I think.
(And I said ‚were‘, but they still are.)

Together with Mum and Emily we were taken on a tour of Frankfurt (Oder), and also the neighbouring Polish (but very German-orientated) town Słubice, where many Germans go, even from Berlin, to buy cheaper petrol, cigarettes, and alcohol, amongst other things.

Together, the next day, we also met my new (first!) boss, and later went for lunch in the sunshine at a restaurant (Das Kartoffelhaus - the ‚potato-house‘) overlooking the wide river Oder and the green marshland on the Polish side. Those were good times, despite the several wasps.
After that, we wanted to donate blood, for which you get 14 or 20 Euros here (unlike in Britain where you're generous and give it up for nothing!), but a) we had drunk beer, and b) they don’t accept blood from anyone living in the UK, something to do with BSE (aka Mad cow disease). Schade! (shame)

We also visited Berlin before they took the coach home, going to the famous ‚Brandenburger Tor‘ (Brandenburg Gate) and then enjoying a simple bus tour of the city, with commentary in German and English – and more was always said in German than in English. Then it was straight to the ‚Central Omnibus-station‘ (not sure if that’s a fair translation (but is it ever?) of ‚Zentralomnibusbahnhof,‘ aka ZOB) where we took our time saying our goodbyes, and Mum and Emily set off on their long coach journey back through Brussels (correct me one of you if I’m wrong...?), over the channel, to London, and then on home.

And I set off alone, back to Frankfurt (Oder), and my year as a volunteer (t)here.