I me after some thought, but now decided to do a blog about my volunteering in Minsk. Because of this, but now it takes almost 2 months, the beginning is the first time the summary be like this ...
began my first year abroad, with two weeks' seminar in Germany. Of 3 September to 11 September we had our preparation seminar in Hirschluch with 130 other volunteers from ASF. In our PAG's (process groups) and in workshops, we have prepared ourselves for our future work. In retrospect, I think that the seminar was very good and useful, but during the seminar time I found it annoying at some point but now having to explain again why I do this FSJ and what are my expectations and so ... I also found the state between adoption of family and friends and a real departure very strange because it had already been adopted, but was still in Germany. On 10
September was the big farewell party and during the night and morning of the 11th September, then all the other volunteers, but us, broken into their project countries. We still had our country seminar in Berlin-Dahlem. However, before I went there, I'm still used to the Sunday morning with my sister Ruth and their children who were in Berlin to take.
The workshop in Dahlem was then just especially for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus Volunteers. There was then a lot of concrete information on the situation in the countries and also to our living situation. There I then learned that my projects have changed again. I was expected to work in the Dolja (a club of former forced laborers), a device for the disabled and the children's home in Novinki, my main project is now, however, the Jewish social and cultural Hesed-Rahamim. More below. On 14
September was going on but then finally the train to Minsk. The train ride was very exciting, once the train is in itself, with rugs on the floor and a cozy little compartment in the purely fit all our luggage but only with much Gequetsche. Night-on-5 then we crossed the Polish-Belarussian border, and then our train was then implemented, as the rails are 89mm wider. During the implementation, I am but then fell asleep again. At 11 clock we finally arrived in Minsk. On the taxi ride to our apartment, I felt like a little kid with enormous eyes that the world is and have no idea where to look first. This feeling continued even the next day, because there are just too much to discover.
Once in the apartment, I then unpacked my suitcase first, so I felt right then arrived, and the feeling after two weeks of not more from the Cases have to live was great!
The first few days we spent with the registration process and ensure that all projects which are available in Minsk to attend. In addition, Tina and Laura, our predecessors here in Minsk, a city organized rally for us, so we know a little better Minsk.
Well, then began the daily life and work. Mondays and Wednesdays I work now in Jewish Social and Cultural Hesed Rahamim. Mondays I am usually with drivers traveling to various clients of Hesed. There are several services, such things as meals on wheels, then a linen service where we pick up the sheets with the clients and bring them fresh and last Week we have distributed food packages. At the moment I am still using a driver and a companion on the road, so we bring you two of a small parcel to the people. But at the moment it is mainly dadrum that I had to learn the processes and the clients get to know me, so I later can also travel without a companion. On Wednesdays I go it is usually two "babushkas (grandmothers). First I go to Esther. She sits in a wheelchair, but she lives together with her daughter, she needs no help in the home, but just someone who talks to her. We have already seen photo albums and she brings a whole lot of words in Russian when I say it in German and then again must, for once she could speak German and is very sad that she has forgotten it.
Then I go to Irina Ivanovna. I got your address via the Hesed. She also used to help as volunteers in the Hesed, but even now she is old and because she is not Jewish, can do nothing for them Hesed. With it, I drink mostly tea and also first be forced to eat something ("Sweetie, I have to feed up yet). Then I help her be at home, I clean windows or wipe dust or what grade is dependent to do so. Irina used to be German and English teacher, so we mostly spoke German at the beginning, now we talk about simple things in Russian and when I do not understand something but in German.
About Hesed I visit another family, mother and daughter. The daughter is in a wheelchair but can walk with assistance and with a built especially for her frame in the apartment. I help them sometimes in the home, or I go for a walk with his daughter, or simply entertain me with her.
Tuesdays I'm in the History Workshop, which is a museum on the site of the former ghetto of Minsk, where there is an exhibition about the fate of former forced laborers in Germany, also quite a lot of events and discussions. An event is the "Club of the German language." There meet a number of earlier Ladies and gentlemen, and learn German. I was already held a PP presentation of Merzig and Saarland, otherwise we read right now, for example, Cinderella by the Brothers Grimm or Emil and the Detectives. After the "instruction" will still always drank tea and told. In the History Workshop otherwise I have already helped with the proofreading of a book. In the book told through interviews, the stories of people who had to make in Germany forced labor.
About the History Workshop I visit also Anna Ivanovna. She was forced laborer in Germany and lives very near me, I help her in the budget.
two days a week I work then on the small children's ward in the children's home in Novinki. The work is very different, on the one hand, it makes me enjoy my involvement with the children, but are the states in Novinki sometimes very depressing. Fortunately, up on the small children's ward is a nice teacher who told me at the beginning just to the individual and the children something to me at the moment a lot of shows what I can do with them to promote it.
So much for my first, I will try in a few days time to upload some photos, but have to look, because my computer does not our internet, so I have always been my roommate Hannah angammeln to the laptop ... But I hope that this will change if my laptop back on it has XP and one of our German Mitfreiwilligen has promised to give me that.
Greetings from sunny and autumnal Minsk!
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