#31 blog post challange for OCT.2022 #day10

          Korea Impression 

I got a chance to go to Korea to attend my Korean friend's wedding few years back.  I love korean food and so I was very happy that finally I will get to eat real korean food 😀

My trip to Korea was excellent . In general I think people are same everywhere in the world , we all have same emotions , almost same  expectations from life . I would like to talk about my experience from my friend's wedding. 

The wedding was a mix of American and traditional korean wedding rituals. So when actually the wedding ceremony started and my friend's mother stood in front of the  mike to talk, she was talking in korean. ofcourse none of us understand the language but at that point it was not even necessary to understand the language to feel the emotions of a mother who is sending her daughter to her new house , new family. Her chocked voice , and eyes filled with tears conveyed her emotions to us even without the language. How it can be different from any mother in the world. That was really heart touching moment for all of us , her non-Korean friends.

the ceremony was beautiful . My friend wanted to have that venue only but the venue owner had never given that venue for any wedding before and so was reluctant to agree to this. But my friend and her family tried very hard to convince him and finally managed to get the wedding venue.  

I saw the korean wedding before only once in my favorite TV serial Gilmore Girls so that was the only reference I had . But to large extent this is how the korean weddings are. It is very short event and people really just com , eat , give gift and go. no big , long parties, no singing-dancing.

My friend's wedding was a bit different as it was a mix of typical American and Korean styles and so was a bit longer than the normal weddings. It was also bit delayed than they originally planned and my friend told us later that they had to send the letter to guests apologizing for the delay. 

She also organized another drinks/food party in the city  after the actual wedding was over for all of us who came from foreign countries . It was a very nice party. We all tried different rice wines there. They were special for 4 different seasons like summer, winter etc..

We did many trips in korea and everywhere we got so many different experiences. But one thing was always common that whenever I told I am from India the different kind of respect I saw in korean people's eyes was really amazing. 

#31 blog post challange for OCT.2022 #day9

           My Bharatnatyam Gurus

My very first Bharatnatyam guru is Klara. When I was new in Germany, I came across Klara's Indian dance performances while browsing the internet. I was pleasantly surprised to see a German girl performing Bharatnatyam, so I reached out to her to inquire if she also taught Bharatnatyam. She responded affirmatively, and I went to meet her. She resided in a small village called Tengen, which was approximately a 40-minute drive from my location. I began learning from her, visiting her house every weekend for lessons. Klara, a young and sweet girl, became not only my guru but also my friend. Her mother was equally kind, and their beautiful typical village house created a welcoming atmosphere. I genuinely enjoyed going there. Klara and her mother made me feel at home, and we developed a special bond. Klara even invited me to her New Year's party with her friends, and we occasionally had lunch at her home. However, after two years, she moved to Switzerland for her studies, and I relocated to Heidelberg, making it impossible for us to meet and continue our dance lessons.

Although I was saddened by this turn of events, I soon found a new teacher. Attending a Diwali program organized by the German-Indian Association, I witnessed a Bharatnatyam performance by a group and discovered advertisements for dance classes. I was elated and immediately joined Alexandra's dance school. I have been learning from her since 2007 and will continue to do so for as long as I can.

Originally from Poland, Alexandra traveled to India in the 1980s to learn Bharatnatyam from Kalakeshtra. After completing her arangetram, she relocated to Germany, where she has been teaching Bharatnatyam for nearly 35 years. Learning in her class is a truly an enriching experience. We discuss various topics related to Indian mythology during our sessions, and Alexandra shares her experiences as a foreign student in India, particularly in Delhi during the 1980s. We often talk about her own teachers in India. This one hour spent in class each week is the highlight of my week. Alexandra always encourages us to enjoy the dance rather than focusing solely on technique, as she believes that when we experience joy, the audience does too. I vividly remember the moments when she introduces a new dance and the music starts playing. I would often worry about the speed, thinking, "Oh no, it's too fast! I can't keep up." But Alexandra would reassure me, saying, "Anagha, don't worry about the speed. First, learn the mudras and choreography, and then you can think about the speed. Once you have mastered all the movements in your mind, the speed will come naturally." And without fail, as we near the completion of the dance, I find myself able to dance at that speed. Alexandra is not just a teacher to us; she is also a friend and sometimes even a mother figure. She takes care of all her students as if they were her family. Every year, we have a dance class gathering, where we perform for our friends and family, and all the dancers bring food for the audience. Alexandra also organizes annual dance workshops with teachers from India exclusively for us. Additionally, we have a special dinner at her home, featuring Indian cuisine. Her knowledge of India, its culture, and mythology surpasses ours. Meeting her and attending her dance classes makes me feel closer to India, a little bit.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have such wonderful gurus, even in Germany, allowing me to pursue my passion. 

Thank you Klara and Alexandra. 

 

#31 blog post challange for OCT.2022 #day8

            Wine Hiking

When I first moved to the Heidelberg area, I heard a word I had never come across before: wine hike. I was already familiar with hiking and had enjoyed plenty of trails before, but a wine hike? That definitely caught my attention.

In wine regions, these hikes are actually very common and popular events. As summer approaches and the weather gets better, various wine festivals and wine hikes start to pop up everywhere. The idea is simple but brilliant: a specified route winds through beautiful vineyards, with different wine stands set up at intervals along the way. Each stand represents a local winery, offering tastings of their wines. You walk the route, stop for a sip (or two) at each stand, and continue on to the next. There’s usually food available too, along with benches or standing tables where you can relax and soak up the atmosphere.

It’s truly a fun activity, especially with a group of friends! The hikes are typically around 8–10 km long, making them the perfect day out.

Every year, my friends and I kick off the wine hike season on the 1st of May, usually starting from Bensheim or Zwingenberg. That particular hike is quite ambitious—almost 21 km long! Of course, we never quite manage to complete the entire route, but that’s not the point. It’s all about enjoying the day, the wine, and the company. After that, the season is officially open for us, and we try to join as many wine hikes in our region as possible.

This year, I even managed to make it to Vienna for a wine hike! It was absolutely beautiful. The only difference was the local terminology: in Germany, we call it Weinschorle (wine spritzer), whereas in Vienna they simply say Spritzer. But hey, small language differences never get in the way of drinking good wine and having a great time!

At some wine hikes, you even receive a small special glass for tastings, which you can carry from stand to stand. Many people collect these glasses as souvenirs from each year. I’ve managed to collect a few myself—and each one comes with great memories.

A day spent in nature with friends, walking, chatting, and enjoying good drinks—what’s not to love about that?

And if you’re not a wine lover, don’t worry. You can still join the fun and enjoy non-alcoholic options—no judgment here! The most important thing is to have a great walk, meet wonderful people, and simply have fun.

Cheers 👍

 

 

#31 blog post challange for OCT.2022 #day7

                           Mansaf

Mansaf is a traditional Jordanian dish made of lamb cooked in a goat milk yogurt and served with rice and topped with almond slices . it is very mild taste dish. This yogurt is prepared by the boiling of sheep or goat milk. This sauce has a very distinct fermented and salty flavor. It is Jordan's national dish.

When we traveled to Jordan last year we had a unique experience of Jordanian hospitality while eating this famous dish Mansaf. 

It was a day before we flew back home and me and 2 more friends wanted to eat this famous dish. 

We searched one restaurant in the market area  and went there. One of my friends can talk Arabic so she talked with the cook and asked how to eat this dish and ordered accordingly for us. The yogurt sauce and rice is served separately and we have to take a scoop of rice and then add the sauce and some roasted nuts  on the top in each plate and eat it. 

So we 3 were eating it and speaking in English and having fun. There was a young man sitting on the next table alone and eating and also looking at us every now and then. But we did not really pay much attention to him. After some time he finished his food and came to out table and spoke in very good english to us. He said Hello and asked us if we like the Mansaf . we said yes for sure. He politely asked us if he could give some more details of this dish and explained a bot more. We thanked him and he wished us good time and turned and started walking downstairs and while going down he told us by the way I have already paid for your food. We were so surprised and stunned that we could just say Thank you it is really not necessary to pay for us. But he did not give us chance to say anything more and said you all are our guests and welcome in my country. This is a Jordanian welcome to you and went out. 

We 3 were really speechless. Mansaf tasted even better after that 😃In Jordan we met such nice people many times. We don't even know that young man's name but we thank him from bottom of our heart .

Travel is all about taking different experiences and  I am very lucky that all of my travels till now made me rich with many beautiful, interesting experiences.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#31 blog post challange for OCT.2022 #day6

                             Hotel zur Sonne

Hotel Sonne is the hotel and restaurant I stayed for the very first time when I came to Germany. A small family owned hotel in a small village Donaueschingen.  My first job was in a small village Donaueschingen in black forest area and my company organized my accommodation in this hotel for first few months. 

That was the first time I met this wonderful old couple and they became important part of my life and my first pair of parents in Germany.  I don't know how our relation developed and became so loving and real that I cannot imagine how horrible my life would have been without them around me at every step of my life. This was the only couple in that small village who was able to speak to English and very kind towards foreigners. I used to call them Uncle sonne and Aunty sonne.  Aunty was originally from Switzerland and Uncle from Germany. they both met at hotel school in Switzerland and then fall in love with each other. When I met them they were already in their 70s but still working and managing this beautiful family hotel and restaurant. Uncle was a cook and Aunty was managing the hotel administration. 

Even after I left the hotel accommodation  I was still in contact with them and after few months I lost my job so I was a  bit worried . I was still new in Germany and was not good in language either. That time I asked them if they know any cheap place for me to stay so I can leave my current flat and save some money. They offered me a room in their hotel with breakfast for around 150 euro . I was so happy and thankful to them. Since that day they became my real parents. They always used to check on me . if I need anything , which friends I have, with whom I go out and so on. They were taking care of me just like their own daughter. 

Every Monday when restaurant was closed  they both used to take me in their car and we 3 used to go on a day trip somewhere nearby . I had the best time with them. Even their children who used to live far away but they also considered me as part of their family. After when I moved to a different city , I used to visit them at least once a month and we used to even celebrate Christmas together. Every time when I used to drive from their hotel to my home, Aunty used to say Drive safe and call when you reach home. She never missed even once to say this to me 😊 I still hear  in my ears her voice when I start driving. 

They even introduced me to their old friends and we all used to have the best time in the evening after restaurant was closed. There I got to meet their good friend Heinrich who was a police commissioner of Rottweil  that time. This old man also became my father soon and helped me to find a job. he gave my CV to the owner of one company and told me now its your job to give a good interview and get the job. I was lucky enough to get that job. I used to go everyday from Donaueschingen to Rottweil by train for my job till I find a new apartment in Rottweil . This police commissioner was so nice that he instructed his secretary to pick me up every morning from the train station and drive to the company so I do not have to wait for the bus and reach in time to the office. I still don't understand how these people believed on me so much and helped me , took care of me like their own daughter.

I feel my self really lucky to find such a wonderful people around me. I must have done  something really good in my past life to meet these kind , wonderful, helping people. They trusted on a girl coming from some far away country and gave her the love of a family. I really wonder how people meet from different parts of the world and get together and become a family. 

These people have always a special place in my heart. Love you my adopted family and wish you the best.

#31 blog post challange for OCT.2022 #day5

 

                         परदेशी राहाताना....

लहानपणापासूनच  मला परदेशाचे  फार आकर्षण होत आणि २००१ मध्ये जेव्हा जर्मनीत नोकरीची संधी चालून आली तेव्हा मी लगेचच फार काही विचार न करता , जर्मनीबद्दल फारशी माहिती नसताना इकडे येण्याचा निर्णय घेतला.

गेल्या १८ वर्षात खूपच बदल झालेले बघितले , अनेक चांगले ,वाईट अनुभव ही घेतले. प्रत्येक अनुभव काहीतरी देऊन गेला.

इकडे आलेल्या प्रत्येकालाच पहिला शॉक बसतो ते म्हणजे रविवारी सगळे बंद . आधी तर शनिवारी पण सगळी दुकान दुपारी १ वाजता बंद होत असत . मग थोड्या वर्षांनी शनिवारी दुपारी ४ वाजता बंद होऊ लागली . मग रात्री ८ वाजता आणि आता काही वर्षांपूर्वी पासून  बरीच  सुपर मार्केट रात्री १२ वाजता बंद होतात. पण बाकीची दुकान मात्र ८ लाच बंद होतात. आणि रविवारी काहीही झालं तरी सगळं बंद.  Germany is all about planning in advance त्यामुळे आलं मनात , गेले दुकानात अस इथे नाही चालत.

दुसरी खूप जाणवणारी गोष्ट म्हणजे कस्टमर सर्व्हिस . पण मी पुण्यातून आल्यामुळे मला त्याचा फारसा त्रास नाही झाला. पु. ल. नी म्हणल्याप्रमाणे दुकानातली सर्वात दुर्लक्ष करण्यासारखी गोष्ट म्हणजे कस्टमर त्याचा इकडे  भरपूर अनुभव येतो. पण नंतर त्याची सुद्धा सवय होते.

अगदी नवीन असताना अर्थातच कार नव्हती आणि रोज टॅक्सीची  चैन परवडण्यासारखी नव्हती तेव्हा चालणे हा एकच पर्याय होता. पुण्यातून आल्यामुळे चालण्याची सवयच नव्हती. उठ बस बाईक , रिक्षा, कार अशी सवय. पण एकदा अचानक जीम मध्ये "Maiwanderung" म्हणजेच १ मे हाईक ची जाहिरात बघितली आणि हे आहे तरी काय म्हणून नाव रजिस्टर केलं. इकडे १ मे ला सुट्टी असते आणि सगळे अबाल वृद्ध, आई बाबा, मुले कुठेतरी निसर्गाच्या सांनिध्यात  हाकीइंग साठी जातात. त्या एका हाईक पासून माझ्या हायकिंग चा श्रीगणेशा झाला. आणि मग विविध गृस्प  बरोबर तर कधी एकटे असे अनेक १२-१५ किलोमीटर चे हाईक केले. अगदी आलप्स  मध्ये पण हायकिंग केले . आजूबाजूचा सुंदर निसर्ग ,शांत, मोकळी , शुद्ध हवा आणि नवीन नवीन लोक , त्यांच्याबरोबर चालताना विविध विषयांवर गप्पा गोष्टी आणि अर्थातच हाईक च्या शेवटी कुठल्यातरी रेस्टोरंट मध्ये किंवा मग एखाद्या बीअर गार्डन मध्ये श्रमपरिहार असा मस्त प्रोग्रॅम बहुतेक सगळ्या रविवारी चालू झाला.

जर्मनीत आल्यावर इथल्या शिस्तीची ,स्वछतेची , लाल फितीच्या संथ कारभाराची  सवय व्हायला थोडा वेळ लागतोच. रविवारी शांतता पाळणे म्हणजे अगदी आपल्या घरात सुद्धा आवाज करणारे वॊशिंग मशीन , व्हॅक्युम क्लिनर न लावणे, जोरात गाणी न लावणे अश्या गोष्टी बघून जरा चक्रायलाचं होते. 

 आपण थोडं त्यांच्या  कलाने वागलो , थोडं अडजेस्ट केले न की कधी कधी काही छान अनुभव पण येतात.

नवीन असताना जेव्हा माझा जॉब गेला आणि मी एका कंपानीत इंटरव्ह्यू द्यायला  जात होते. स्टेशवर उतरले तर बस गेलेली होती आणि छोट गाव असल्यामुळे टॅक्सी पण  दिसत नव्हती , चालत गेले तर नक्कीच उशीर होणार होता. पण तेव्हड्यात एक बाई तिच्या म्हाताऱ्या बाबांना सोडायला स्टेशन वर कार नी आली. मला जर्मन पण फार येत नव्हतं पण माझा काळजीयुक्त चेहेरा पाहून जवळ आली आणि काय प्रॉब्लेम आहे विचारलं. मी जेव्हा सगळी गोष्ट सांगितली तेव्हा आपणहून मला तिच्या गाडीतून कंपनी पर्यंत सोडायला आली. असे अनेक छोटे मोठे चांगले अनुभव मला आले. माझ्या जन्मदात्या आई वडिलांप्रमाणेच मला इकडे अजून ३ आई  वडिलांच्या जोड्या मिळाल्या. त्या सगळ्यांनी मला भरभरून  प्रेम आणि आधार दिला . त्यांची गोष्ट लिहायला बसले तर पुस्तक च तयार होईल.

परदेशी राहताना आपण आपल्या परिवारापासून दूर असतो. पण आपला नवीन परिवार आपणच बनवायचा असतो. त्यासाठी आपल्यालाच पाहिलं पाऊल उचलावं लागत. मी मुळातच माणसांमध्ये मिसळणारी , सतत नवीन अनुभवाच्या  शोधात असणारी असल्यामुळे मला जिवाभावाचे मैत्र इथेही मिळाले .

मी मीटप , इंटरनेशन सारखे गृप्स जॉईन केले. आज जवळ जवळ ६ वर्ष शहरात नवीन येणाऱ्या लोकांसाठी विवीध इव्हेंट मीटप  आणी इंटरनेशन च्या माध्यमातून ऑर्गनाईझ करते आहेत. त्यातून अनेक लोक जोडली , अनेक घट्ट , मदतीला धावून जाणारी माणसे जोडली गेली.

भल्या पहाटे मी फोन केल्यावर लगेच मला घेऊन इमर्जन्सीत हॉस्पिटल मध्ये घेऊन जाणारा माझा अमेरिकन मित्र असेल, किंवा मला असह्य त्रास होत असताना रविवार घरी येऊन ओषध देणारी माझी इटालियन डॉक्टर मैत्रीण असो, मला बर नाहीये हे कळल्यावर माझ्यासाठी प्रार्थना करणारी , मी कधीही न बघितलेली माझ्या  इराणी मैत्रिणीची आई असो, मला नेहमीच हक्कानी कधीही घरी जाता येईल अशी माझ्या तीनही आई वडिलांची घर असो , किंवा दरवर्षी माझ्याप्रमाणेच दिवाळीची वाट बघणारी आणि माझ्या घरी दिवाळी पार्टीसाठी स्पेशल गिफ्ट घेऊन येणारी माझी जर्मन, अमेरिकन , इटालियन , इराणी आणि इतर बऱ्याच देशातील माझे मित्र मैत्रीण असो .... या सगळ्यांनी माझे आयुष्य खरंच खूप सुंदर केले आहे.

परदेशात आल्यावर घर, गाडी , पैसा वगैरे मिळतच त्यात फार काही विषेश नाही. पण अशी आजूबाजूला असेलेली जिवाभावाच्या माणसांची श्रीमंती मात्र नक्कीच सगळ्यांना नाही मिळत . मला मात्र ही  श्रीमंती भरपूर मिळाली आहे आणी ही अशी श्रीमंती वाढत जाऊदे एवढीच इच्छा आहे.