Don't Just take your Garbage out but Sort it too!!

Like kindergarten kids who do color sorting, stacking and matching activities, i always sort, group and match  everyday garbage with their colored destination bins. The yellow, blue, black and brown dustbins that stand outside every home is a testimony to the sorting that is stipulated. This bins are not only placed outside the home but also inside the home too. Blue for paper waste, yellow for non-paper products, black for residual waste and brown for food waste or put everything else in the black bin which you know, is like nothing. It doesn't stop with these four color waste bins, it goes much further. I also got to put my food scraps, plants bits, and other bio wastes in the compost bin this also nicely placed in every homes and working organisations. 

This list doesn't end it goes again like this- the  Plastic bottles with recycle symbol go back to the supermarket, glass bottles and containers are again color sorted in a bin that are placed in the neighborhood. While we are returning these plastic bottles, glass bottles and yogurt jars the supermarket will return back our money. The old shoes and clothes tackle separately. The truck that collects all these wastes from every home and every work places. 

This is a new thing for me..., i also used to separate wastes in my home in India but that is not exactly like German System. While comparing to Indian family,   All German family are strictly following this proper waste management system here. .!! In India also we have the same systems which is implemented by the Indian Government but unfortunately most of the Indian citizen not following that. Everything was just thrown away and it seems like most people didn't know where their garbage was gone to and how .., unfortunately, it is not only a country's problem but also a Global Problem.

I also had many tense moments here in Germany while sorting it because we Indians not used to it. Sometimes by mistake i mixed the wastes in home. All the time my host mother and host father will patiently tries to correct me. Thanks to them to teach me a perfect system of waste management.

It all sounds pretty good and easy right?

I feel that if we all followed these kind of Waste Management in India definitely together we can make a great difference in India- A Clean India!!! I think that we Indians also can organize our kitchen with a recycle center to accommodate every waste.    

It all sounds pretty good and easy right?

I feel that if we all followed these kind of Waste Management in India definitely together we can make a great difference in India- A Clean India!!! I think that we Indians also can organize our kitchen with a recycle center to accommodate every waste.    

Its too clean to be true

Here in Germany every people try to do a lot of environmental friendly things to keep their country so clean. Germany unusually clean to most Indians. Everyone takes responsibility of public space cleanness. When i traveled around Germany, i was just amazed by the immaculate railway stations, spotless trains and clean toilets,litter free roads and well kept public spaces. Everywhere i can see a well maintained dust bins often i have a doubt is that dust bin because the dust bins itself so beautiful to see. All rivers and lakes are also clean here. i never seen the people who are throwing wastes to the water sources. 

Unlike India people pay and use washrooms than pee in the public. All this has to be change in India.  I am sure that i will definitely carry this system to my India.  However if we are used to do this system , its pretty easy please just try to do its not only for saving you but also for saving our EARTH.....!!!

The Colored Dust bins which is placed in the houses of Germany

The clean roads of Germany - A click from Heidelberg

A click from Scheffelstrasse, Bensheim City 

A Vacation to Remember

Unlike my co- volunteer, my first day of work began with a vacation. When I reached my workplace with all my bags packed to begin a journey with a group I have never met, I was completely nervous just by thinking how to begin. My clients are intellectually disabled (you can say that a group with whom I have never worked). My only strength was the passion to work for them which made my fear turn into my confidence. Slowly when I started communicating with my clients, I realised that if you want to do something then language is never a barrier. I was cherished when my clients started talking to me in English. This small effort made by them boosted my level of confidence to work with them and enjoy with them to the core. The journey to Westernohe (our vacation destination) has helped me be with the clients 24*7 which ultimately helped me understand them better and create a bond with them which would have taken quite a time if I wouldn't have gone with them.

From having breakfast which also included feeding them, taking them around, enjoying with them since it was their vacation, playing, visiting the zoo, singing, making them go to bed etc.
There were times when the food for the staffs got over after feeding the clients. The best thing was that their needs were kept into consideration first and later on only ours; hence the level of importance given to the clients was really appreciable. We survived by ordering some food from outside.

In all this journey was one to be remembered and cherished.

Pleasant travel in ship

My first ride in the Ship was an amazing trip. I didn't expect this wonderful experience in my life. The name of the ship was königin silvia which means Queen of Sweden.

Smile, laugh and look happy. As a matter of fact, I was pretty anxious. I have never been in a ship like this. And the travel time was one hour. I forget all my worries through this travel. It was a pleasant and peaceful travel. This travel gave me a lot of great memories I can always look back on. I got a comfort zone, this pleasant travel made my mind open more ideas, some positive energy and possibilities. Reduces all my stress and worries. Traveling on water is so awesome experience and it is good for a person of any age. I felt like heaven and I was so relaxed. Finally I have been in all mode of transport (Road, Rail, Air, and Water)

No matter where you are, you always miss your homely meals..

Yeah.. That is true.. No matter where you are, you always miss the food from where you have been. If someone asks like what you miss the most ?, then definetely my reply will be the FOOD...!!
I never used spoons,forks,knifes for eating. And here in another country, I have to do it. Or else I have to take the food to my zimmer(room) just for eating with my hands..!!
The spicy chicken curry, beef roast, fish fry tapioca,rice and these side dishes in these pictures made my mouth water. Though there are many Indisches restaurants, we wont feel the real taste of India here in any of these. Indian food is categorically delicious: its flavors are complex, oscillating between sweet, savory, and spicy. It's a divine synthesis that is aromatic and sophisticated without being bougie. I shall come soon with the German dishes.😜😜😜😜  Stay connected.

Wasser, Wasser, Everywhere but is this my Wasser..??

This is quite a random post, but i have been thinking about it...!!!

When we move from our country to another country for any purpose, you find yourself constantly drawing comparisons with our home country at every step - from walking through the streets to buying groceries, from politics to the school system. we often do this comparison....now a days it become a habit of mine.

My move from India to Germany was no exception and i could never have expected the difference i found.

Water,  Water Everywhere but is this my water ???

Over the past two months, one of the things i often noticed has been the presence, availability and use of water. I remember having a bottle of water for the first time in Germany and i realized their water is sparkled one. 

"Wasser Bitte" i asked in any home, any restaurant, cafe, offices in Germany and i will always end up buying a bottle of either still or sparkling water at sometimes triple the price of a pint of beer.That naturally strikes me Indians as odd, considering in most places in India a glass of water will be given to us for free of cost. I had quiet a surprise when i tasted the Sparkling Water at first i thought it tasted disgusting, but i actually got used to it during my month stay. But i always prefer the normal water which is not sparkling one.....!!

The popularity of bottled water started in Europe, and it started with mineral water from specific famous springs. In a lot of cases, the water from these springs is naturally carbonated. For the most part in Europe when you buy a bottle water, what you are getting is the water from that spring as it naturally comes out. 

People in Germany who buy bottled sparkling water developed taste for this, they tend to expect bottled water to be mineral water, and for it to be naturally carbonated to at least some extent. 

In India, naturally sparkling mineral water has never been very popular. A lot of people has never been very popular. A lot of people enjoy things like club soda and seltzer, but that's not the same thing at all and not nearly as ubiquitous for everyday drinking. 

The German people are also very much conscious about the usage of water. Germans have always been keen to best in class when it comes to saving water. They would not misuse the water.  Here in Germany even we can drink bathroom tap water. For the first time when my mentor and host family said this i surprised how can i drink this...??  Then i realized that all the tap water is purified one. There is no difference between the bathroom tap water and kitchen tap water. All were purified one. I found a great difference between Indian Water and German Water...!! It is not possible in India. There has a big difference between this. All the water in India is not purified one. we have the special purified water especially for drinking purpose.   

Personally, i am in the habit of drinking a lot of water in a day and to avoid having to struggle with the availability of it, I now carry a bottle from home on my days out.😉😉

Speak a new language so that the world will be a new world !!

After reaching Germany I came to know that how important the language is. People here, speaks only in German language. The thing which I admire from people, they give importance to their language. It is the most widely spoken and official language.
Sometimes I use to go to shops or restaurants with my official language English and along with translation apps. Translation apps are helpful but only to a certain extent. Initially it was difficult for me to communicate. Later, I went to the language class. It was easy to understand the basic grammar which is similar to English. I learnt, how to communicate with the people and how to pronounce the words. The class was very useful for me.
In my place of assignment some people use to talk only in German. In this case language class was useful very useful for me. And also day by day I am learning new words from the children. I will use to play with the children by using the words like Nochmal - Again, Gey - Go, Spielen - play, Komm her - Come here, Essen - eat, Nein - no. Especially the word 'Nein' which I use always for the children. Because they might fight or they carry some sharp things so I will be using the word. And I will use to play games with colours and numbers.
In this situation I just want to share one quote ❝If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.❞ ‒Nelson Mandela

I am enjoying my new language. It is different for me. Hope I will speak good German language.

Adventurous & Mesmerizing Bicycle Ride ....

Germany is a paradise for cyclist who are looking for active experiences in beautiful surroundings. New and thrilling experience for me to ride a bicycle . First i scared about this, so many queries came across my mind...whether i can manage with the luxurious road of Germany, the traffic rules and en number of other things.No other option for me because "Naturschutzzentrum" my place of assignment is located far away from the Bensheim City. No bus for that route. Somehow i convinced my mind that i have to ride for the whole eight months. More than two times my mentor Ms.Kristen accompanied me to the place of assignment and she also gave a brief knowledge of traffic rules and about the way. One more time my mentor in "Naturschutzzentrum" Ms.Veronika Lindmayer also guided me to ride a bicycle through an easiest way. Still also i had some kind of scary and hesitation . I used to ride a bicycle in India but i feel that it is entirely different from Germany. 

As this is my first long trip in Germany with my Bicycle, around 6 Km from Heppenheim to Naturschutzzentrum. For you people it is not an adventurous thing but for me it is an extraordinary adventurous one. After a week of bicycle training my turn came...now i have to ride bicycle alone....oh..my God i never forget this day in my life. In the very first day of riding itself i lost my way from Naturschutzzentrum to Heppenheim. I felt very bad about myself taking such a decision of riding bicycle without any experiences in the very strange country. I was totally blank i couldn't find out the way to my home. By God grace three children who were with bicycle they helped me to ride in the right way.  I couldn't enjoy my first ride because my heart filled with lot of scary and my body also not supported me with this new thing i struggled with neck pain and back pain.

Within a week of continuous practice i was able to pedal in a better way. The feeling of achievement was so immense that my heart filled with pride and joy. Now my bicycle riding is the most happiest moment for me . Ahh..open roads..the wind in my hair and freedom just around that bend..Even felt like that I am riding an Aeroplane...!! The ride is most mesmerizing and calm because of the less population in most of the regions and i feel like royalty when i done it. Winding route, ascent up the hill and spectacular views on either side..yellow flower fields... This is a chilled out ride. 

I met with the pride scenes of Germany while riding bicycle. i am sure that every Indian will admire the beauty and pride of roads in Germany and traffic rules. Ride with helmet...i am always confused about right and left. Because in India the driving side is left but here it is in right side. It made difficulties.The traffic rules also applicable for bicycle and pedestrians. Even in small junctions are passing by signals efficiently. Calm roads without the hobbies of pressing horns. This German roads assuring that a smooth and safe ride even for the strangers. Even in the bus and train we can carry our bicycle with us. Germany has a variety of Bicycle models. 

Now my journey in bicycle is not alone.....i got a friend "Hussein Acero Cifueutes". He is my Co-Volunteer in Naturschutzzentrum from Columbia with lot of fun together we are making our days best by breaking all language barriers and boundaries.  

Meine Reise mit dem fahrrad geht weiter.....

 Myself & Hussain  on the way to Naturschutzzentrum...

The Reformation Bells everywhere..

It has been 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. Although there is no historical proof for this happening, it was an event that changed the world. The 500 year anniversary has created a festival mode across Germany. The reformation bells are adding more colours to my volunteership. Everyday in my place of assignment, Haus der Kirche, there are some activities taking place in relation to this and it makes me engage all the time..!!
I was in the Kirchentag crew  from the organization. And this year the conference was in Berlin from 24-28 May. The Kirchentag is a civil society forum which goes far beyond an ecclesiastical event. Over 2000 individual events were devoted to topics such as social cohesion, dialogue between religions, confessions and nations as well as the reformation. Every two years, Kirchentag provides opportunities for thousands of people to dip into the attitude to life of a new host city for the festival. Unknown songwriters and amateur cabaret artists contribute to it alongside high-profile personalities from the worlds of politics, science, art, business and Church.
The mindblowing experience for me was the public talk by the former President of the United States, Barack Obama and the talk by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.The feel when I saw them through my naked eyes was a different level..!!
We had setupped an exhibition in the Messe Hall, Berlin as an initiative from the organization. And it was about the lives of the refugees in Germany. Since I was asked to be in the exhibition stall for 2 hours a day, I had to learn a bit about the problems of the refugees and it was really a different experience when I talked to few refugees who visited the exhibition. Many of them lost their family members or friends to the violence,and many suffered physical and psychological trauma. I have read the issues of the refugees through the media, but I never felt an attachment towards it. When it came real, this was something shocking.

Last but not least I have to thank my mentor Pfr. Tilman Pape, who was there and who is there for me for 24* 7.
A long blog is not that interesting for the readers and therefore I stop here.. Will be back soon with a lot of interesting things...
Stay connected..!!