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| I feel like this guy all the time. |
Let us begin my story again, picking up at the start of November. I happened across this Facebook event called "Give Back Day" where some lovely individuals had been serving the homeless in Düsseldorf and wanted to bring the love to Frankfurt. So I obviously invited my friends, brought some socks to give away and went along!
All in all, it was a really good day. I guess one of the reasons why I didn't write about it straight away was because I wasn't sure if people should know the kind of situation I was in (!!). But I have since been back to the area, and been informed that it is very VERY safe because police are constantly patrolling the area etc.
There is a district in Frankfurt, as I'm sure in most cities there are, near the train station where drug addicts and prostitutes live, and in this Bahnhofsviertel it is legal to pay for sex and to consume drugs. Naturally, this is the place where there are many people in need, not only for food and clothes, but for love and absence of judgment. So there we went.
At the time, I was terrified. People were scrambling for what we had to give, some eyes more in focus than others. I saw things I guess I never even considered I would... but yeah. I also saw their humanity, and how even in their great need, they were thinking of the other "hostel" around the corner where other people needed, and they did the same vice versa.
Another thing that I was impacted by was the people who had organised and come to this "Give Back Day." They weren't religious, they weren't political, they had no other agenda and they didn't even judge who "really needed help." They just came, gave what they could to whoever they could and basically just treated the people like people. In a group like that I started to feel less afraid :)
That very same day, I went to my friend Giulia's housewarming, and became massively jealous of her WG (flatshare, so German), which is 5 minutes from my work. There was cake, there was glühwein, there were crisps that tasted like pizza... it was fabulous. Eventually though, we moved to a club... after eventually finding Orange Peel, we danced to traditional Russian music upstairs, and old school hip hop downstairs. I didn't question it. Just danced.
I'm still coming to terms with how late Germans party, and was probably ready to go home about half an hour before everyone else (AT FOUR THIRTY IN THE MORNING), but it was all good, and I managed to get home with almost no bother, thanks to my friends..!
The next week I went to see Interstellar. I don't have that much to comment on it, but then again I did watch it in German. Pretty sure people who saw it in their native language were confused enough. It's a good film, but... I felt like it started too slowly and ended too quickly. And most of it was just what is going on, what is this magic. Plus I predicted the plot twists. But apparently the science of it is all quite accurate, which makes it especially interesting!
We also have been doing promo in Aschaffenburg, which, despite only being an hour ish on the train, is in Bayern! It's very lovely, we found the people were friendly, and they also have a TK Maxx and a castle. Pretty great combo! Going back again this month, so hoping to see more. Will have to wear all my clothes at once because we will be standing outside...
Some disaster news this month.
1. I lost my purse on the way home from cheer. Everything. In. It. Literally the only thing I have left is my passport, thank the Lord! It was a very very distressing time, I don't expect to ever get it back, but I didn't like the purse anyway xP
2. I am now a victim of fraud, as someone cloned my card in the Philippines and started going wild! Apparently this happens very often, and they caught it straight away, blocking all my cards.
3. The Erasmus Grant, whilst many are now experiencing the enigma that it is, has yet to reveal itself to me. Due to the above problems, and more, the money has not managed to reach me. I am literally so done with money at this point and would quite like to go home.
But I plough on!
One Sunday, I got up for an "alternative" walking tour with the Erasmus network... It wasn't very alternative, and it was in English, but I did meet some nice people and saw some Spiderman statues! Also this was where the tour guide announced that his favourite part of Frankfurt was the Bahnhofsviertel...because of the fresh fruit and cool parties?! He says it is very safe because police cars just drive round and round there.
Then last week, I went to visit my new colleague in Darmstadt, and to do some exploring. I found it a pleasant city! In German it's angenehm, and I think it's a good word. It's not a big city, but it has a few cool things in it- quite a lot of museums and interesting buildings- particularly on Mathildehohe, which is a hill that has a beautiful Orthodox church and a "wedding tower" in 1920s style. It was great because I walked up the side of the hill and had no idea what I was going to see until I saw it, the gold shining at sunset and everything. The story is that the king of the state was marrying a Russian princess, but she refused to move to Germany unless she could worship at a Russian church ON Russian soil. So the hill is also Russian. Very romantic.
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| Getting excited about mosaics |
This week I had my first ever proper Thanksgiving! It was very lovely, everyone from cheer brought food and we did the whole tradition holding hands and saying what we're thankful for (in German). It was super nice, I got to eat a lot, and now I am obsessed with Christmas!
This week, my dear sister and Elisabeth are coming, closely followed by my own mother! And I've yet to properly experience the Christmas markets! Work is also very busy but fun, and this week one of the girls from the orphanage in Tanzania, who is now grown at teaching at their kindergarden (!!) is visiting.
So everything is very exciting and rolling at top speed towards Christmas!
Schönen ersten Advent wünsche ich euch :)
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| I climbed a building and through some bushes for this photo. It wasn't really worth it. |
