The Countdown is ticking and running down to 53 hours until my flight goes. I am starting to pack my bags and I start to think what precautions to take.
Precautions for what, you would ask yourself.
Well lets see...
- Imagine a pakistani with long beard.
What picture is in your head? What's in his suitcase?
I wonder.
- Imagine a girl, black clothes and make up, short skirt.
What picture is in your head? What's in her suitcase?
I wonder.
- Imagine a young guy, alone, with a 2 weeks beard, tired from the flight.
What picture is in your head? What's in his suitcase?
I wonder.
Do we not all put people into drawers?
Have PREJUDICES and STEREOTYPES?
I wonder.
That's what made me thinking.
If the security people at the airport think that way.
And I mean, I was twice searched for drugs, but just when I wasn't shaved somehow..
I wonder.
Then they would just stop these young people who look a little bit - how should I say - fucked up, to search them for drugs - and leave the others alone.
Aren't those statistics FAKED and WRONG which say that young people are more likely to carry drugs than others?
And aren't exactly those statistics building stereotyes?
I wonder.
How can they prove the others didn't carry drugs, when they didn't even check them?
I wonder.
However I hope you were able to follow my thoughts.
I wonder.. if it made you thinking too.
Additionally: If you are against racism, prejudice and stereotypes, have a look at Bridging Gaps - they are doing amazing work down here in South Africa.
Ice-Age, Old-Age, New-Age and My Age.
The Cinema is bringing us the Ice Age,
while thinking about the Old-Age
fills me partly with great rage.
As people of greater Age
Who think they fit into our New-Age
and tell us of lesser Age,
always when we drop into a bad-luck stage,
that it's because of our Age.
Life is a race, where you never know when the finish line reaches you. So the same at the 'Wings for
Life Worldrun'.
A race where just my motivation, my pace and my endurance will keep me away from the finish line.
By chance this race is almost on my birthday - at least the consequences of it, such as muscle ache.
There are only two days
in the year that nothing
can be done.
One is called yesterday,
the other is called
tomorrow.
Today is the right day
to Love, believe, do
and mostly Live.
A must for everybody visiting Johannesburg.
You give your Indemnity form to the guy at the fence, the gate falls closes behind you. You sit down. One of these not really trustworthy-looking man comes up to you and puts some kind of pads on each of your lower legs -. Not particularly tight, the velcro dissolves halfway already. Your heart beats faster, your hands tremble even though you are actually relatively relaxed ...
.... Because it's my favorite movie.
... Because it makes you happy to make others happy.
... Because it makes the world a little more beautiful.
Jurassic Park real life - I thought to myself, when a Finn and I were standing in front of the old gates of the Zoological Garden Pretoria. After all, there was a second entrance - a new one. Not decay, overgrown with ivy, with collapsed roof and rusted gutters ..
Unbelievable how well a bar of chocolate can taste!
Actually I indeed wanted to eat the chocolate slowly - every day one
piece. But no!! It disappears on the first day. Just got away.
Thanks again to my family who sent it to me and my cousin who has brought it to
me: D
Of course, good chocolate is not the only thing missing here .
Yes, Bridges Camp was once more unique, incredible, unforgettable, wonderful and just family time.
And another wonderful weekend is now in my memories..
For the birthday of Judith and Lara we were invited to Krugersdorp to 'Chris's' house, a guy that they met the weekend before on another weekend.
--> Here you can see very well how
spontaneous the South Africans are - and how (guest) friendly.
This vitality and openness makes it much easier to get to know
people.
I was questionned if I couldn't write an article about my work at Tateni - well, here he is:
The alarm clock starts shouting at 04:00
in the morning: 'Get up, get dressed and off to the
airport'.
So we stand up, get ready half asleep and wiggle
towards Tsamaya Ave for a taxi.
Arriving at the Gautrain, we step through the door and get
to hear that it will open in 4 minutes and that we should
wait outside the door (in the cold)...
So ... we are wait ...
Dear family,
Dear friends,
Dear acquaintances, interested and, of
course, Dear donors,
One month has already passed - 8.500km away from home. But at home, I'm here now.
After Finn and I lived transitionally now 4 weeks
at our heads house, we were finally moved into
our new home yesterday. With two new beds to the best hostfamily in the world. We are looking
forward to a wonderful year and those remaining 11 months.
A bit late but better than never - the
beginning of a (hopefully) wonderful year - begins regrettably
with taking farewell.
After the explosives control at the airport in Stuttgart,, I started a little late by plane. In London - what's that for a huge airport??? - Switched plane and met Linda, Lara, Sünneke, Lisa und Finn, with whom I took the flight to Johannesburg.
Anyway - I try to keep the following blog entries as short as possible - cause who wonna read these long 'blablabla'-entries?
You may now cry and howle,
laugh and be happy.
Beloved - no question - I'll come back again,
but for now I'm gone,
for one or two years.
I hope I find myself,
but I won't seek,
it'll come out all right,
whether through experience or through cake.
Have ne nice time,
grow big,
and recognize your strengths,
as well as your weaknesses.
But always remember:
Keep your head up.
Fall, get up, go on.
You do it,
You'll make it.
I now go and pack my stuff,
and full all my pockets,
and search in the distance,
experience - and try to learn.
I swear I love you,
although I do not get donations from all of you,
but I also like receiving love,
affection,
respect,
and time.
Cause only who takes that too,
has checked life.
Now enjoy the lines,
by Kool Savas,
and Xavier Naidoo,
because the meet,
now fully up to me.
Hot, hotter, hottest! - The
last days were really unbearable. Work was almost impossible and doing sports anyway.
BUT: There is another way! - With the
trend from South Africa!
1987 Paul Simon gave a concert
in Zimbabwe.
With musicians from South Africa - with Hugh Masekela,
Miriam Makeba and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Although, it's been a long time ago, it's very impressive
and touching. It is really worth.
And quite honestly - when the fist goes up during
the national anthem, goose bumps are inevitable.
Simply amazing my followers!
Today, two things made me incredible happy:
on the one hand, the fact that my blog exceeded the mark of 500
visitors - Thanks a lot for this and that there are
so many interested people like you.
On the other hand, because my flyers are finished now and just look great!
A huge thank-you goes to the company
Bayer Druck&Verlag, which made it available to me!
Wow. Just Wow.
I really have to say, that was an amazing weekend, where I got to know many, very nice, open-hearted and great people.
I have completed the final (oral) exam
and I am enormous happy.
Now I can finally fully concentrate on the preparations for my voluntary social year. - It's goin' to be amazing!
I thought a long time whether this event of our seminar gets an extra post or not - now came to the conclusion - YES, it does get it's own post!
Because it was a very nice and intense experience and has helped to get to know our group members a bit closer.
Hei out there :)
Having time is something completely different - the final oral exam is next week - but I'll try to write my first blog post.
Since yesterday afternoon I'm back from Wünsdorf-Waldstadt (Berlin) where our preparation seminar has taken place. And I have to say that I miss all people, I got to know there. We had nine absolute amazing days, which were full of learning units but also with fun.
At the very beginning I started - of course - with writing applications, which was a little bit difficult, because each organisation wanted it in another way and with different attachments.
So I had to organise or to write:
Letter(s) of motivation in german and english,
curriculum vitae in german and english,
reference letter(s) in german and english
credentials of internships i've done - in german and english.