We (me and the bike) are ready: the bags have finally arrived, and I’ve (almost) packed everything in them, the paperwork is (almost) sorted, I’ve had half a dozen holes poked in my arm to immunise me from various ailments, including a couple so obscure the nurse had to read up on the details before she injected me, but that just serves me right for wanting to work in a children’s ward; the tickets are here, I have a placement at an ambulance station in Stuttgart when I get back and I’ve finally got a mobile phone, which has just enough technology in its little grey case that I can call people and send texts: I’ve embraced mobile technology, albeit from the 1990′s. It also has a torch, which I assume is for morse code.
All I have to do is get on a train at silly O’clock on Monday and go off to north Germany for 21 days. Which means I have to deal with the problem at the back of my mind since I applied.*
I am an introvert: quite an extreme introvert in fact, I really don’t do new places or people very well. I like people, but I don’t like dealing with people I haven’t met, in big groups, and in places I’ve never been before.
I think you can see the problem here.
I’m being stupid of course: this time next week we’ll all have got to know each other and I’ll be fine, and the other people are probably more nervous because they’re all a lot younger than me, so they’ll have teenage angst to deal with as well. I just have to get through the first couple of days and then I can relax.
That sounds good, I’ll stick with that.
Time to stop whining and get packing, methinks.
The internet connection in the school may be a bit awkward at first, so if the next posts have a feel of having been written some time ago and posted automatically it’s because they were. Or rather they will have been.
*Apart from it being a self-catering course and I can’t cook: anyone have some very, very simple recipes before I have to live on Salad for a month?
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April 28, 2012 at 11:57 am
Pia
As you ask for simple recipes, will you have access to a kitchen? And if not, wich kind of cooking devices will you be able to use?
April 28, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Andy in Germany
Hello Pia, thanks for the comment. Yes, we will have access to a kitchen. As I understand it we’ll be in a hotel and as it’s off-season we use their kitchen to cook stuff. Any ideas (of the “Boil this, then mix it with that and cook it until it goes bubbly” variety) are very welcome.
April 28, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Oldfool
A man who has bread and peanut butter will never go hungry. With bread and cheese he has luxury. Keep it simple.
I wish you Good Luck but I imagine you will make you own.
April 28, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Pia
I think eggs are always a great deal if you are cooking for one. Just fry some or make scrambled eggs and put them on a slice of bread. If you want them fancier, put some ham or cheese on the bread first or put chives on the eggs. Grilled cheese sandwiches are also very easy, butter the outside of each slice of bread, put cheese and maybe a slice of tomato inside and fry it in a pan. Pasta and tomato sauce is a quick thing too, for an easy version take sieved tomatoes and some single cream or cream cheese and season it with salt, pepper and some herbs. Btw. You probably should take some spices from your kitchen with you, so you don’t have to buy small and expensive amounts of them there. Another great sauce for pasta is cream spinach seasoned with salt and pepper and maybe nutmeg. Buy it frozen, put it in a pot and defrost it slowly with low heat. Then let it boil only short, if it bubbles it’s ready. Hope this helps you and meets your taste.
Have a nice time there
April 28, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Oldfool
I forgot to mention that I fully understand “introvert”. New places don’t bother me at all but anything having to do with people does and it has gotten worse over the years.
April 29, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Andy in Germany
Thanks for the thoughts: Pia: I’d thought of tha Pasta, but the egg idea is useful. I’ll take some salt and herbs too. Thanks!
OldFool: Glad it isn’t just me then…
April 28, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Iain Robinson
I agree with Oldfool, I hate meeting people especially in groups..parties scare the life out of me. So yes, I understand, too. But your rationalisation that everyone else will be just as nervous seems about right. And Peanut butter sandwiches are the way to go…definitely.
April 28, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Tony
Remember you are a Jedi!
They chose you because of your skills, knowledge and potential, not cos you are an entertainer
You will be fine mate,
Crack on!
April 29, 2012 at 10:44 pm
Andy in Germany
Ian: I loathe parties as well, fortunately my wife is the opposite so I send her in first…
Tony: Thanks for that… I sound a bit like Yoda when I speak German, especially when I get the words in the wrong order…
April 28, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Phil
Yes, the loads of new people thing. It might not help that you are a different age to them – they can talk about acne and music to bond. In fact they might consider you an outside because you aren’t thier age.
But being older, you get more leeway to do exactly what you like. They will be scared of being different from each other. If you don’t want to conform, you don’t have to. On the other hand, you are an interesting person who has done stuff. That ought to help you out a bit.
And add me to the list with Oldfool and Iain for the new people thing. You are not alone.
April 29, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Zweiradler
Is every blogger an introvert? I didn’t expect that.
Good luck and bon voyage!
Nico
April 29, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Andy in Germany
Phil: I’ve worked a lot with this age group in the last few years. I think I get on with them better than my own generation, who just talk about cars and mobile phones. I apparently have a reputation for not conformoing: can’t think why…
Nico: It seems there’s plenty of introverts here… Thanks for the good wishes…
April 30, 2012 at 1:54 pm
Nick
Hi Andy. It’s taken me a while to catch up here, owing to moving preparations of my own – but just a quick word from one proto-hermit to another to wish you good luck.
April 30, 2012 at 7:28 pm
travis
Hope you had a fabulous first day! We are praying for you. Blessings from SoCal.. The Mendel 4
May 12, 2012 at 9:03 am
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