Mixed Wrestling Sessions In New Jersey

April / May

And again a small part of my volunteer year in Sicily for you at home ...


work in the Caretaker

was the last major project to build the stage for the performance of the school near our parking lot in front of the future family counseling center. Thus, got the bulky iron bars, which I found a year in our timber storage in one sense. To protect against fraud attacks by the strong solar radiation I run in part with a fabric scraps under the cap clamped around to protect the neck. Even if this measure is fashionable comments and staff in the Servizio result, it helps ;-)


to visit was a week a group of German Cos, who helped us in the morning in the fields of agriculture and caretakers and took the afternoon some trips .. We had to include a conduit for the power of the old entrance gate move (cutting about 70m hoes, shovels and branches), our cluttered Warehouse clean out. Thank you to this point again to my three assistants who helped me generously still a lot of work in the form of hoes and shovels left over:-P The way, I may check in only-one by the director agreed and my hand completely nonsensical change of work allocation Machts possible .. Means they can kill Pepe and I are currently two of rum with the necessary work. A joy to me while the construction of an enclosure for Zoran's dog Sha & Scott is preparing, as I see it at least makes sense (which is not often in the short term because touchup and repair work here). In contrast, it is depressing when you yourself painted walls after a short Time does peel back, or the mold wall parts renewed already conquered.


Entertainment / Leisure

This past weekend we spent in Palermo, as Clemens arrived parents on Sunday there, we decided to use short, the opportunity to give us the capital of Sicily to see again. It was rather the us about an hour train ride away town of Cefalu, from which all of us throughout the year vorschwärmten. And indeed, the city is on the northern coast of Sicily worth seeing in any case. Ultimately we decided after lunch in the heat but for the beach, and not for sightseeing. Since we us flying off at midday by train to Cefalu, we had more time in the morning, the Capuchin crypt in Palermo to visit with their natural mummies, the most famous mummy grave Set in the world. Saturday night we went away with the Palermofreiwilligen in the inner city, where we found a reggae concert in a shady plaza. sleep back we were happy, tired enough to immediately in our accommodation to the common room of Cos, as the office of our telephone reservations on the following weekend had placed and we therefore Fri on Sat, Sat to Sun on the filthy couches and cushions on ground were allowed to return. On Sunday, we then searched for a hotel for Clemens and Co, the would have remained so until Monday in the Waldensian hostel "La Noce". Rooms were quickly found, we still made in the botanical garden, and then at a park on the coast, where we spent with a bunch of like-minded Italians in the shade of palm trees on Sunday afternoon.

In the winter, where there was nothing going on the road, down a few weeks ago where the night life began to emerge with the warming up of the weather, we spent our evenings in the Internet Cafe, which is also called Rock Cafe. Equipped with dark wood furniture, a bar and two televisions on which the current football games, music videos and karaoke videos from Youtube can be shown, it is good to endure. Quite naturally you can find here more or less the same people but also visitors from abroad. Now that it dinnertime stand well with the T-shirt, the restaurants collected around the square again to set up their tables and chairs in the square and the large common strolling dinner and starts (to our arrival we were nearly every night dining on the Piazza). The Pick-Up Bar is also located next to a cocktail menu or a bar with good music, the local DJ sets here often, even if most of the same.

As for me each time is amazed that most local bands are exceptionally well here-at the wöchtenlichen performances by groups from the surrounding area in various bars can satisfy themselves over and over again.

We also do not work on May 1 had, we went to Grotto beach with Zoran, a little-known corner of sandy beach with a natural cave niches. With the rapid increase in temperatures in recent weeks, it can be on and in the sea already endure very well. Unlike during the day in Servizio, especially for those of us who have to work in the blazing sun. Signed me already a sunburn for two days out of action.

It is still pretty green around here, but one can already imagine how it in June / July dry burn the vegetation and is (Supported by the local farmers, who prefer a controlled burn-off). So I can say that the spring time is for me the most beautiful season by far here in Sicily.



Last week we had a group of Swedish young people under the leadership of three Lutheran priests here in the Servizio Cristiano visit. The special feature of the group was probably among other things, that the average age was over 50 but not at times alternately under 20. As announced by the chief priest, probably a year more groups from Sweden will bring a little life into the Servizio. In this case, the group had planned a long time something special, namely a small Worship on the beach with a kind of baptism in the sea .. The offer to participate in turn, we received entgegehen course not, especially as Zoran was entrusted with the task of leading them to a suitable stretch of beach and what could be better than the cave beach!

any event, drove Zoran, Florencia, Angelo, Adrian and I with our VW bus to the beach cave, followed by 3 more white buses of our guests. Even if we discovered the last time in the bath already, that the owner of a nearby property on the beach our ordinary way to the sea with an iron gate blocking, has we could prevent us from not and took a little detour over the rocks in purchase order to the clean to get sand beach with its caves. Once we set out to build a fire in the protection of such a cave which brought sausage (sausage popular in Sicily) will be eaten soon after all grilled on bread! After The girls and boys had bathed (we are volunteers, not this time, that evening we even threw too cold or too cumbersome) swarmed the whole beach of blond and young people from the past came to look around to get a sausage sandwich.

Later, the service began, of course, in Swedish, where we all could share in the glow of the campfire. The really very nice and interesting evening ended finally against 23 clock, the journey home then offered again a challenge for me because Zoran has promised a buddy from Gela to bring his fish, including aquarium to Riesi. Sun Kam, that I (is our regular route is currently not accessible because one of the huge bridge collapsed) on the road from Licata to Riesi a bowl had with 8 different ornamental fish in the lap and could see that they do not get out fell on a curve. After a few corners but then my pants were already wet from herrausschwappenden to water, so I was quite happy at home can pull out the sand and wet pants. Adrian and I went out at noon to visit us on to Sciacca to Clemens and Anna for 3 days there with the family of Clemens had rented a house on the beach.

Finally ...


It is frightening how fast this year is vorrübergegangen-now only remains for me here in the June Servizio Cristiano, since the last time I took my remaining vacation. I can still remember exactly when I stood over a year ago at the Munich main train station and asked me why I run all the effort at all. Would not it be much easier to make a civilian service, almost directly outside the front door three months shorter than I need now and also get paid much better. Ultimately, however, said many more reasons for the Peace Service (/ community service replacement) abroad, especially for Sizlien me and, as so often, I can only recommend it to anyone to convert this duty in a beautiful and rich experience of time.


for the next time I can not promise a blog entry, is maybe a final when I'm home .. Until then I will, however, upload photos, pictures say a thousand words after all ;-)


Greetings from Riesi,
(probably the best FöF site in Sicily)

Alessandro

Ben Gay And Runners Knee

The Ghanaian mentality

Since I'm already there for a while in Ghana, I think I can raise this issue in general. The often common way of thinking about the white people I have indicated in their "friends in Ghana", The problem with the awareness of the environment, for "Ghana and the environment."
Ghanaians are broadly speaking, very hospitable, rather extrovert, laugh and like to discuss (loud), take much time for everything and have a low sense of shame. This is shown by how often it is simply raised that way, but in many other situations. If one imagines the scenario vice versa, so a black man in Europe, which is accessed constantly, would the so abnormal that they would rather keep it as a kind of discrimination.
As was often mentioned, it is often difficult to communicate with the Ghanaians. Many people with whom you (in some cases involuntarily) come into the conversation, speak bad English. Often the topics of conversation are very superficial and superfluous.
If one is addressed, one can not usually escape without being unfriendly. "Obruney (White), how are you?" Is the first sentence and raises the person to an almost in the way and held out a hand. Although this behavior from our perspective is very intrusive, it makes me feel weird, just pass by the person. I usually give a hand to stay but are without and reciprocate the question. You can not understand that we can not have contact with any Ghanaian / want.
Some Ghanaians know that we respond to a simple call to "Obruney" no more. Elegant they try to guess our Ghanaian names. Most often they call "Kofi," the Ghanaian name for someone who was born on Friday. Because theoretically every seventh person is so called the hit rate is quite high. Luckily I am on a Saturday (Kwame) was born, but otherwise I'm busy enough to Mr.Nkruma (name of the host family), Mr.Miller (at school), Raphael (friends) or Kwame (people I've stupidly reveal my name) to respond.

are also very annoying the taunts of Ghanaians. After Christmas until towards the end of January I was asked by many people, "Where is my christmas gift?" (Where's my Christmas present?). Even if you were traveling, one is accused, "You have traveled, where is my present?" (You were traveling, where my gift / souvenir?) - All in a reproachful tone. It's more of a joke, they make with each other, but being from the same person asked so often dannach, you get a bad conscience and ask themselves whether they really do not expect anything. You can probably not imagine that anyone thinks otherwise than they are. Many Ghanaians believe that we are born with our knowledge / our "wisdom" (no kidding).

Most people know a Ghanaian, who currently lives in Europe, USA or Canada, what they tell a first in sentences proud. Many appear to go only to foreign countries to earn money and then come back again. Their culture seems to them well to be very important. This Phenomän that they make the money back to Ghana, is also a non unausschlaggebender economic boost.
In Kumasi, the second largest city of Ghana, there are many Ghanaians who had been in Germany (mostly in Hamburg) and it is not uncommon to be approached with "Hi, how are you?" On the road. There must therefore be careful what you are on the move (in German) on its own. In Europe, Germany is a very popular destination, which is also on the social structure. I am often asked if it is true that you get money from the state, even if you are unemployed ...
For many Ghanaians are the highest goal to go to the West. It does not even attempt in Ghana to build something bigger, even though the work situation is better by far than in neighboring countries.

It seems to be their nature to be satisfied with the existing. Big changes or progress be slow going. I could change certain things in the family and household, with minimum cost, in just one day, which would make everyday life easier many times. Of course, I've already suggested something, but you can not see the need.
It seems also set to not much on quality. Logically, quality is more expensive, but even in the capital city in an area which consists of shops selling musical instruments, it was not a single song book or study books. The instruments were of poor quality and was very scanty supply. That in Accra YOUR ACCOMMODATION many rich people, I was disappointed a little.
seems Slowly the society but to transform. Read more in the near future following blog entry ...