Donnerstag, 26. Februar 2009

Josefiner Helau

Am 14. Februar war es soweit!

Nadine erlebt ihre erste Fastnachtssitzung auf deutschem Boden. Und vermutlich überhaupt ihre erste Fastnachtssitzung in ihrem Leben. Diese närrische Jahreszeit kennt Nadine aus Kumbo nicht. Wie sie diese Zeit wahrgenommen hat, lesen sie selbst!

Carneval Celebration

I continue to experience aspects of the German culture as days go by. Of recent is the carneval celebration, according to my interpretation of it, a time or period the people put aside their real persons to make fun and enjoy themselves. One can not be tempted not to laugh at the activities accompanying this celebration. First in the way the people dress and the fun they make. It is also much more amusing to see people one know so well turn themselves in to real clowns.
It was an interesting evening in St. Josef as I watch the activities commemorating the celebration in the parish. It is unfortunate that I could not understood all that was being said and could only deduce it is something funny because of the buzzing laughter in the hall.

I did not only stop within the parish but also went in to the city to watch the various demonstration and it was interesting looking at all the funny dressings and the young and old alike bind in the all thing and battalion of onlookers just like myself.

One will normally be prompted to know the origin and why the” Fasching “ and it is exactly what I did and was able to come up with two versions of the reason for Carneval. I think it is nice and I would do same if only it meant commemorating the end of the winter season, so I was told was the traditional reason behind carneval. I have longed for its end and this gives me reason to be happy.
I also learnt it is a period to rejoice before entering into the Lenten period, a season we meditate over the passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ. My year of experience will be enough for me to learn really much about the German culture in various domains.

Herzlichen Dank an die Gastfamilien!

Aufgrund der Tatsache, dass Nadine einen Beitrag über die Gastfamilien geschrieben hat möchte ich mich an dieser Steller ganz herzlich bei unseren "Gastfamilien für Nadine" bedanken. Diese Familien leisten den wesentlichen Beitrag, dass sich Nadine bei uns -trotz Kälte- sehr wohl und einwenig zu Hause fühlt.

VIELEN DANK!

In einem Gespräch erzählte mir Nadine, dass immer das schwierigste an dem "Familien-Wechsel" das Verabschieden sei. Bisher hat sie sich immer gut auf die unterschiedlichsten Familien einlassen und in ihr Herz schließen können - dementsprechend ist das Verabschieden schwer gefallen. Ich denke, das spricht einfach dafür wie toll unsere Gastfamilien doch sind! DANKE!

Und zum Glück gehören wir alle zu einer Pfarrgemeinde und das macht es leichter sich immer wieder zusehen.

My host families

Barely four months since my arrival in October and I am presently already with my fourth host family. It has not been that easy having to change families as such but my experience has been nothing regretful. The hospitality accorded me by all my host families goes beyond what I can explain. This has rendered the trouble of changing camps lighter. It is a good experience that for the families have at least slide differences.

Impressions built already in my mind will never be erased. My host families have made it possible that I visit any sight worth appealing to a tourist in this city. For example the Zoo, Main tower, Geothe Haus - just to mention a few. Not only to I visit these areas but also given their historical significances if any.
Altogether it is a good time here and I am thankful to God for having such hospitable host families.

Praktikum in der "Burg der Kinder"

Seit Anfang Februar macht Nadine ein 2monatiges Praktikum im katholischen Kindergarten der Pfarrgemeinde St. Josef. Bereits in der Adventszeit hatte sie Gelegenheit nachmittags im Kindergarten reinzuschnuppern. Die Arbeit mit den Kindern macht Nadine sehr viel Spaß. Nächste Woche werden wir gemeinsam am 05. März einen "kamrunischen Vormittag" gestalten. Wir beide sind schon ganz gespannt!

Impressions from my first weeks full-time in the Kindergarten

I have been a whole week with the children and it was great fun. The children are getting use to me and I am knowing them more too. I enjoy watching them play their numerous games and many times I have to sit and learn before I can play with them. I also fine it so amusing that at this tender age they are able to do some craft work. This is not the case in my home land where children have fewer games and spent their two years in the nursery school trying to learn numbers, letters of the alphabet and colours. A greater percentage of our children do not even go to nursery school and stay at home until they reach the age to start with primary school. I myself as a kid never went to a nursery school .

Very much more interesting are the group meetings held by the teachers hand the kids in the various groups. Here they plan their activities together and the children give their impressions of what they find good and what to them is abnormal. I think by so doing the children develop the spirit of expressing themselves without fear.

All in all it has been wonderful weeks and a good beginning and I am looking forward to spend a good time with them and learning more as the days go by.

Donnerstag, 5. Februar 2009

Was Nadine aufgefallen ist...

Hier sind noch zwei weitere Beiträge von Nadine. Den einen verstehe ich als Lob an alle Männer, die ihren Frauen im Haushalt helfen - weiter so!!! Und der andere Beitrag scheint mir auch etwas typisch deutsches zu sein... Aber für jemanden aus Kumbo etwas ganz neues.

Lesen sie selbst:

I observed the duty of the man in house chores along side the woman. This is unlike back home where housework is principally the duty of a woman.

Finally is the idea of time consciousness which I observe time and again for every thing I have had to deal with is done at the mentioned time and not earlier or later and also that the agendas are strictly followed or respected .