Tagebuch

Sunday, March 16th:

Our last day abroad. We started early at 8 o'clock and continued in direction Germany. After the whole day driving on small roads trough Romania we entered Hungary in the evening. There we found a small forsaken farm where we cooked some noodles on a bonfire. This was a great final meal in a wonderful atmosphere during sunset. After that we moved on (from now on the highway) and we were driving the whole night until the next morning. Finally we arrived in good old Witzenhausen around 8 o'clock on monday morning.

Two stressful but very exciting and interesting weeks went over and after 24 hours of driving we were worn out. But also very happy and satisfied that we have taken part in that nice project.

Saturday, March 15th:

Now we are on our way back home. We crossed the Danube by bridge in Ruse and continued our way through Romania. In the evening we arrived in Valcea and stood there for the night. After the whole day driving we have been worn out pretty much. But we were looking forward to Witzenhausen.

Friday, March 14th:

It was a wonderful morning, nice weather, the Black Sea in front of our hotel and a beautiful old city. We were walking around and enjoyed the nice athmosphere. Fishermen were repairing their boats and had some small talk with each other. Cats were playing on sunny roofs and a lovely silence covered the city.

At 11 a.m. We started to the north along the coast. On our way we visited a small water bulls farm. The water bulls have been a nice experience for us. They are much more wild than cows and especially the kiddy bulls forced us to fight. The milk and the meat got selled for direct marketing to a restaurant near the farm. This was our last real agricultural event at the TOUR.

In the afternoon we arrived near Varna, still at the Black sea coast. There we moved into a hotel and went to the beach before sunset. Robert fulfilled his plan to jump into the sea. But after half a minute he went out as quickly as he jumped in... It was really very cold and even if the sun was shining it was still to cold to enjoy the swim. But he was smiling...

In the evening we went to a restaurant again and spent our last Bulgarian money for fish and sea fruits. Very good and absolutely fresh...

Thursday, March 13th:

Today we had our last workshop day of the TOUR. The presentation room was quite small but well filled with students. During the presentations we had a translator who summarised every presentation part in Bulgarian just to make shure that the students understand everything well. The students have been very busy because of their timetable and for that reason the presentations were high fluctuated. Some students went out while some others went in.

During the tea break we had some conversation with the students. After that sadly just a few students were left to participate in the workshop session. They have choosen the workshop „How to plan a campaign to promote green ideas“. Daniela carried out this workshop for the first time during the TOUR. It was very interesting for them and they worked autonomoues in small groups. The result was very satisfying for both sides.

After the workshop we started in direction Black Sea. In the evening we arrived in the old city Nesebar at the coast. There we found a nice hotel and for dinner we went into a small fish restaurant beside the Black Sea. There we had really good fish, mules and other sea fruits.

Wednesday, March 12th:

In the morning we visited the certification body “Balkan Biocert” where we got the actual dates about organic agriculture and also some actual information about the organic sector in Bulgaria. It was interesting for us to get the assessment of the Bulgarian organic sector out of the point of view of this organisation. After that we had a nice coffee in the centre of Plovdiv and then we started to Stara Zagora. After two hours we arrived and found the university. There we met our contact person and moved into our accommodation which was a real luxurious hotel and also very expensive. But we were able to manage it to sleep with three persons in a two bed room and limited the financial "damage".

Tuesday, March 11th:

3^rd Workshop day. There have been 70 students – more than we expected. Laszlo was the best moderator ever ;-). But unfortunately after the tea break just a few students came back to join the workshops. They have chosen the theatre workshop which worked very well. They have been interested and we had a constructive conversation and got involved in the problems of the organic sector.

But the time was running and we had to hurry up because of a final meeting with the professor that was responsible for us. He served some local Rakia and we had some cookies in his office. After that meeting we visited the “Bachkovsky monastery”  and also the historical centre of Plovdiv.

In the evening we hadshort time to relax and after a taxi conversation problem which lasted half an hour we started with direction to the centre. After a good dinner and some beers we went to a disco and taught the youth of plovdiv how to dance like a drunken student group from Witzenhausen.

Monday, March 10th:

Early in the morning we started our well organized program with a meeting at the office for international study affairs and after that we met the two vice rectors and the manager of the ecological centre in the official audience room. Two students (Svetelina and Iskra) which guided us during our whole stay showed us the university.

Even though Daniela got lost we had a good pizza and then we visited the ecological centre of the university which was very interesting because we got some information about the research that is carried out there for many years.

In the evening we prepared ourselves for the workshop and cooked a nice meal. We were looking forward to the next day and felt into deep sleep.

Sunday, March 9th:

We expected to leave Sofia at 11 a.m. but the reality became different. At the end we started around one o’clock. We have chosen a small road to see more of the beautiful countryside and it fulfilled our expectations completely. Our impressions have been wonderful mountains, valleys and sunny weather. It took more than three hours to arrive at the rose farm.

The farmer and his wife showed us their rose farm and the distillery and answered our questions. The distillery is used by four families which form a cooperation. Together they cultivate organic roses for oil and rosewater production. While they showed us their fields they told us something about the situation of farmers in Bulgaria and for us it was very interesting to get an impression of a bulgarian farmers’ life. They offered us to stay for the night at their house which is situated in this romantic beautiful countryside near a little lake but at the end we decided to leave after drinking some coffee in the local bar. Finally we said good bye and left them to reach Plovdiv in the early evening.

In Plovdiv we went to a restaurant where we met our contact person together with his assistant who brought us to our accommodation in a student’s hostel.

Saturday, March 8th:

Our first "free" day. We have been visiting Sofia and all the "green corners" (just three) that are existing in Sofia. Milena guided us and she also showed us the big cathedral. After that we spread and we were walking through the centre of Sofia. Shopping, coffee, writing some postcards and following all the little things that have been attracting us.

Big cities are exciting and intresting but also "hard work". In the evening our legs have been hurting and we chilled around in our accommodation. A very relaxed day with nice weather and a wonderful view on the snow-capped mountains around Sofia went over. 

Friday, March 7th:

Fortunately we felt well rested in the morning. We had enough sleep, which was very neccessary. After a good breakfast we set up to the university and prepared the information desk in front of the presentation room. Until 12 o' clock the room was used for lessons. After that we moved in and prepared the room and the technical equipement quickly. But the reality didn't meet our planned expectations and the workshop started a bit later.

The presentation part was working well but it was a real challenge to grab the attention of the students - typical Friday afternoon mood. We had the support of a women from DAAD who provided information about schoolarships. After the presentation part Annabelle and Robert carried out the "theatre workshop" for the first time. For the students and for us it was a very interesting experience that directed into discussions and constructive exchange about consumers behavior and views of the organic sector in Bulgaria and Germany.

In the evening we run out into a club in the neighbourhood. We enjoyed it a lot to dance and relax and had a nice party with the bulgarian youth.

Thursday, March 6th:

Today we woke up very tired because we got just a nap. Unfortunately this mood rested the whole day. At 10 o' clock we had a meeting at the AgroLink, association for organic farming in Bulgaria. They have been interested in our project and with tea and cookies we had a nice conversation. We also got a presentation of the work of AgroLink and furthermore we received some information about the situation of organic farming in Bulgaria.

After that we had a meeting with the vice dean and the rector of the faculty of Agronomy in Sofia. There we had a nice talk about our project and our faculty in Witzenhausen, study programs and research. The rector showed a big interest in setting up a cooperation between the two faculties...

In the evening we prepared ourselves for the impemding workshop and had a nice dinner in our accommodation. Afterwards and went to sleep early.

Wednesday, March 5th:

After saying good bye to students and staff in Timisoara we started our trip to Bulgaria. We have been driving all the day. Very bad roads and a lot of road works costs a lot of time. Rain and snow in the mountains. Crossing the river Danube by a fairy - we are in Bulgaria. Arrival in Sofia, Bulgaria, at 2 a.m. mid night - much later than it was planned. Fortunately, Milena our contact person stayed awake and so we had no problems to find our accommodation.  We are in Sofia!

Tuesday, March 4th:

In the morning Maren had an interview with a journalist of a famous Romanian farmer journal who is going to write an article about our stay including the workshop day in Tmisoara. Afterwards we went out to see an organic farm near Timisoara in the afternoon. Christian, the farmer, showed us his farm and answered all our curious questions. He is from Switzerland and so it was possible for us to talk with him in German. He owns about 600 ha and cultivates the plain since four years now. It was a very nice visitation and after a good tea and some local "specialities" we went back to Timisoara.

Monday, March 3rd:

Our first workshop day started with an excellent Romanian breakfast. After that we had a short meeting with the rector of the university who gave us an introduction about the history and the activities in the sector of agriculture in Romania.

We prepared our workshop room and the information desk - being curious about the upcoming workshop. We all had our expectations and nobody was shure how the workshop will develop, depending on our excitement and the students reactions. Finally about 30 students (mostly Bachelor students and few Diploma and PhD students) attended our presentations. Everything was working well and we enjoyed to talk with the students during our tea break.

Unfortunately, after the break only a few students came back to participate in our interactive workshop module. However the students were enjoying the interactive way to concern about organic agriculture. And for us it was a surprising result. It was a great pleasure to spend the time together with these romanian students. Interesting discussions and constructive thoughts. We all went out of the workshop session with a good feeling and new and sustainable perspectives.

In the evening we went out in the centre of Timisoara together with Anca and Dragos, two stundents who guided us and supported us a lot during our stay. We had a nice dinner and a lot of fun and a successful day with a lot of work and fun went over.

Sunday, March 2nd:

We set up early in the morning and around 4 p.m. we arrived at the University in Timisoara after driving all the day. There we got a nice accommodation in guest rooms and also free catering for the whole stay. Some students took care for us (thanks to Bogdan, Dragos and Anca). We also met our contact person, Sorin Bungescu, who organised our stay at the university.

For the first time we got a bit nervous because of the close first workshop. We worked hard in the evening because there were still some things left to prepare.

Saturday, March 1st: 

After a busy project week we set up in Witzenhausen at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning. It was raining all the day and very stormy on the highway but in the evening we arrived securely in Hungary. There we had a nice accommodation near lake Balaton.