It’s funny. I don’t consider myself to be a computer/internet addict, but I think this may be the longest I’ve gone without having access to an “E-mail machine.” My words per minute have definitely decreased during this just-under-two-week period. You may think I’m being a bit dramatic, but along with no internet, I have no land-line telephone…just my Handy (cell phone), from which long distance calls cost a fortune. So I really have been out of reach. I even resorted to writing letters! Of course, there are very few mailing addresses that I have memorized or written down…I need the internet to access them. Alas!
I’m sure once my telecommunication is up and running I’ll realize how cut off I’ve really been, but honestly, it hasn’t been that bad on this end. It means that I’ve had time to set up my apartment, adjust to Genthin life, and meet new people from my congregation. That’s not to say that I have completed any of those tasks. Far from it. Though I am slowing collecting household items…I’m always finding something else that’s missing. I feel that I have done a fairly good job of improvising (to save money and escape having to haul whatever-it-is up to my sixth floor apartment—no elevator), but I haven’t quite figured out how to fasten a shower curtain and rod out of my supplies. I’ve been on the prowl in local stores, but so far, no luck. Meanwhile, I’ve rediscovered the pleasure of a good bath.
As far as independent living goes, it’s a mixed blessing I suppose. I have lots of freedom and space to myself, but no one to help me with the dishes. :( Cooking, which I’ve never really done for myself on a regular basis, has ended up not being the chore I was expecting it to be. There’s been a lot of improvising on that front, and the benefit of cooking for one is…no embarrassment if you mess up. But honestly, only one of the 8 or so dishes I’ve made so far has been really disappointing.
One of my first successes
Okay, enough of the boring stuff. Genthin. What can I say? It’s everything I imagined a small, former East German town to be like. Ironically, I never really imagined what it would be like to live in one as an outsider (something you think I would have thought of before departure). But sometimes that capacity of mine—not to think ahead—is what saves me. If I had worried ahead of time that I would stand out drastically, struggle with the local accents, make common foreigner faux pas(s?) in the supermarket (even after 6 months in Bremen!), and not have anyone near by (or even temporarily a phone call away) who really knows me, I would have either psyched myself out and stayed home, or started despairing when all of those things came true. That’s not to say I haven’t been frustrated or impatient with myself, but I’m definitely hanging in there. And compared to the sweeping cultural differences that some of my fellow mission interns are undoubtedly facing, I’m sure I don’t have much to complain about.
As far as language goes, I’m actually doing pretty well. My Dickinson education is paying off (or rather, I’m paying it off…). One thing that I was always super self-conscious about during study abroad was my speech. Do I sound like a native? Did I get that stress, that pronunciation right? Oh, I definitely have a better grip on this than that other foreigner. Horrible, but I was very, very vain. I noticed after my first week here, that that mentality has somewhat slipped (though not entirely). I’ve really gotten away from strategically planning every word before I run some errand or have some meeting. In fact, even when I’m alone I find myself thinking in German (sometimes Russian). I’ll even deliberately make an effort to think to myself in English and find myself inserting foreign words. (This has done nothing but give Ms. Language Major a swelled head, as you can probably already tell.) But my professors would still be shaking their heads at me. Because I’m working with Russian immigrants (technically Aussiedler or Spätaussiedler) who speak German, regardless of what language we speak in, I can always resort to the other one when I don’t know a word or expression. This, of course, hinders proper language learning (hence the shaking heads), but for once I’m just happy that I don’t have to resort to English (swelled head). Alas, a new vanity has emerged!
Though my exact job description is still taking shape, my assignment for the first month is to simply get to know the congregation members. The Evangelisch-methodistische Kirche Genthin is a small church; attendance between the two weekly services ranges between 50 and 70 persons. There is a Russian service with translation into German on Saturday nights, and a German service (w/o translation) on Sundays that alternates between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm. The Saturday night service is contemporary and attended mostly by the younger generations of Aussiedler. Those in my age group (roughly 18-30) are involved in leading the service, and their children and parents attend as well. The grandparent generation of Aussiedler (though often understanding the least German) attends the German services, which are led in a traditional style. There are also a fair number of German community members that attend (or at least frequent) each service, most notably the church mother, Frau Schlüter, and her husband Paul. They were the first people I met upon arrival in Genthin, and they have really done everything possible to make me feel at home and welcome—from coffee and plumb cake to scrounging up all sorts of household items (including, most importantly, a washing machine so that I don’t have to drag my dirty clothes down six floors out in the cold to do my laundry somewhere else). Frau Schlüter is the daughter of the first pastor of Genthin EmK, which was founded at the end of WWII. She has grown up among generations of EmK members and was (and still is) ecstatic that I, too, come from a long line of Methodists.
The vast majority of the congregation, however, are Aussiedler, which means my Russian comes in handy as much as my German does. There is a great sense of family among the Aussiedler, especially because—at least as far as this congregation is concerned—almost all of them are related. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but there are five sisters whose children are all about my age. Add their spouses and friends to the mix, and you’ve got a worship team. Actually, the word spouses just about encompasses everyone, because everyone within five years of my age is married. The two girls I’ve been spending most of my time with are a bit younger than me and both pregnant (even with the same December due date!). With the exception of one Natasha, who’s not quite 16, everyone in the “youth group” (really, a young adult group) is married or engaged…many with children. Despite the fact that we are in different life phases, we get along well and I pray that that will continue over the next 15+ months.
I really enjoy working with Pastor Stolze, who splits his time between the church in Genthin and another equally small one in Magdeburg, a near-by, good-sized city. Last Wednesday I took the train to Magdeburg for our first “official” meeting. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed (sub-)urban life. Wide streets, tall buildings, lots of people (and even some of color), streetcars (ha)…it all made me feel quite at home. I’m most definitely looking forward to spending more time there, as well as in Brandenburg and—of course—Berlin. ! :) ! :) ! Though I’m staying put for much of the first month, apparently I’m expected to do a decent amount of travel over the next year and a third. (aw, shucks ;)) Between EmK events, visiting other Aussiedler churches, and potentially speaking at or being involved in the English-speaking congregations in Germany, I’ve got some Bahn miles ahead of me.
As I’ve mentioned, I have—at least momentarily—plenty of time to myself and am enjoying some old pastimes such as reading, journaling, and singing as if no one could hear me (though they probably can… :/ ). I’m slowly working myself into a routine, trying to get up early though my duties don’t demand it. I have a bike, but have been doing a lot of walking to take in more of my surroundings. Already I’m meeting acquaintances unexpectedly “in town” and it’s good to see a familiar face—even when I can’t remember all the names. :(
I don’t have any extremely exciting pictures just yet, just a few of the apartment and the “Gegend” (surrounding areas). These pictures are most definitely Genthin at its best. Enjoy!
My apartment
Around town
Sunset on the Canal
Genthin's "famous" watertower
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