Last Day in Leipzig
I booked my flight home on Monday evening after the Bristol Language Department officially instructed us all to skidaddle. I get real travel anxiety so have been feeling buzzed ever since. I write this with 12 hours to go until I leave. I'm gutted; I was starting to really like it here and genuinely looking forward to my term.
Tuesday 17th March
My alarm awoke me at 8:04 this morning and after swallowing a vat of coffee I schlepped over to Leipzig Tafel. The tram was maybe a bit emptier than usual, but the old Volk of Leipzig do not appear to be aware of (or are just disobeying) social distancing advice (hedonistic nutters!), so I feel a little germy as I embark in the hip Eastern Viertel.
I have come with my flatmate to do some Good during these (officially dubbed by whomstever sends Bristol Uni's daily Coroney Correspondences) ~Troublesome Times~. We aren't there long, however, before it becomes clear that we are surplus to requirements. They reassure us that this is absolutely not a typical issue, but the worker to task ratio is way off, and so we spend a lot of time standing around looking appropriately gloomy.
At irregular intervals vans pull up carrying crates containing an assortment of mainly mouldy vegetables. We sort them into three categories: edible, destined for Schweine, and compost. It is easy work and at just 11:30 we are encouraged to take a 30 minute Pause as well as a boiled Ikea hot dog for our labour (referred to as Würstchen and universally smothered in Senf - one of the few stereotypes Germans actually live up to) (most of the others are mean, so that's good). While I nibble at the bun with mustard I've been (kindly) pressured into consuming, Lana del Ray wails about Videospiele from a crappy radio, bringing down the mood, and I fake laugh at jokes made in German that I do not understand. Thanks to the face mask I think I pull this off quite successfully.
Once the people in charge finally admit that we are wasting our time there, a fellow volunteer offers us a lift home. This turns out to be in a full-sized VW caravan so old and flimsy that it looks like a toy. Before leaving, he nabs a sad miscellany of surplus giveaways and encourages us to do the same: flowers, cans of red bull and soggy-looking notebooks. We politely decline.
We pop into Kaufland before home, where the food is a-bountiful, but the Klopapier and soap all gone. More like Ausverkauftland xD. It is a sad end to my sejourn. Goodbye Leipzig. Hopefully see you soon.
Tuesday 17th March
My alarm awoke me at 8:04 this morning and after swallowing a vat of coffee I schlepped over to Leipzig Tafel. The tram was maybe a bit emptier than usual, but the old Volk of Leipzig do not appear to be aware of (or are just disobeying) social distancing advice (hedonistic nutters!), so I feel a little germy as I embark in the hip Eastern Viertel.
I have come with my flatmate to do some Good during these (officially dubbed by whomstever sends Bristol Uni's daily Coroney Correspondences) ~Troublesome Times~. We aren't there long, however, before it becomes clear that we are surplus to requirements. They reassure us that this is absolutely not a typical issue, but the worker to task ratio is way off, and so we spend a lot of time standing around looking appropriately gloomy.At irregular intervals vans pull up carrying crates containing an assortment of mainly mouldy vegetables. We sort them into three categories: edible, destined for Schweine, and compost. It is easy work and at just 11:30 we are encouraged to take a 30 minute Pause as well as a boiled Ikea hot dog for our labour (referred to as Würstchen and universally smothered in Senf - one of the few stereotypes Germans actually live up to) (most of the others are mean, so that's good). While I nibble at the bun with mustard I've been (kindly) pressured into consuming, Lana del Ray wails about Videospiele from a crappy radio, bringing down the mood, and I fake laugh at jokes made in German that I do not understand. Thanks to the face mask I think I pull this off quite successfully.
Once the people in charge finally admit that we are wasting our time there, a fellow volunteer offers us a lift home. This turns out to be in a full-sized VW caravan so old and flimsy that it looks like a toy. Before leaving, he nabs a sad miscellany of surplus giveaways and encourages us to do the same: flowers, cans of red bull and soggy-looking notebooks. We politely decline.
We pop into Kaufland before home, where the food is a-bountiful, but the Klopapier and soap all gone. More like Ausverkauftland xD. It is a sad end to my sejourn. Goodbye Leipzig. Hopefully see you soon.
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