Don't move the furniture!

Hey friends, my name is Katherine Morales, I'm from Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica and I'm a volunteer in the South-North program of Visioneers and weltwärts. I am currently working in a kindergarten and I have already been living in Berlin for a month. Time goes by fast.

If I had to choose one word to describe my experience so far it would be "overwhelming", I think that no matter how much preparation we do before starting our year as volunteers nothing compares to living it. Once you arrive in Germany you feel like the rhythm of life, the bureaucracy, the language, etc., catch you and you just have to go for it.

I remember that I prepared myself a lot for the worst scenario for when I was already here, but I realized that the small details, the everyday ones, things that I didn't think were so important are the ones that have generated some conflicts and above all, curiosity. Let me tell you some of them...

The other day I was in what is going to be my room for now but it didn't feel like mine, so I started to move the bed and the desk and made the room a place that felt more like me. It turned out that this bothered the owner of the apartment a lot. I had no idea that it was so serious, I had lived in other houses before and that had never happened to me. So I apologized and when I arrived the next day, the lady had already moved everything again hahahaha.

Also in my first days of seminary I met a german woman, we got to be roomies. The day she was leaving she had her menstrual period and I told her "hey, here I have supplies, pills, a thermal bag, if you need anything you can tell me" and her answer was "I have it" and I was like "well bye". That's how they are here, very direct, you shouldn't take anything personally.

But something I didn't expect at all was how kind they can be. I think we all have the stereotype that Germans are cold and without feelings. I was fortunate to meet some amazing people with kind hearts. At Visioneers, the lady I live with, at the kindergarten, everyone has been willing to help me and make this beginning a not so complicated process, I am so grateful for that. And I am even more excited for everything to come.

Thanks for reading, I hope you found this post entertaining, I'll keep you updated on all my adventures.

And remember, when you come to Germany, don't move the furniture.