German holidays

You are still thinking how to spend you holidays to remember it for long time to go? Beaches, cocktails and basking in the sun seem boring and cumbersome? Have itchy feet? Want to try something completely new? So, get ready to learn what is the best way to make your holidays out of this world!   

 Just some days have passed since I returned from my trip to Germany, or, better to say, from my volunteer work in “Deutschland”. Now just photos of guys and me in front of Brandenburg Gate and Berliner Dom, a nutcracker and receipts remind me of those 18 days of my acquaintance with “Kartoffeln” culture.

  Germany is a surprising country as many other European ones which combine the retaining ancient character and ascending modernism. A mix of artistic splendor and architectural brilliance intertwine to allure more and more people!

 

My first stop was Berlin. Here I was going to spend the most of my time, because the site of work was the Jewish cemetery in the region Weissensee. At first it was unbelievably tough to imagine working there. The area we had to clean out was overgrown and destroyed since it had never been cared before.  My delicate hands which had never experienced working in the moisture could not touch a leaf there! Everything seemed to me so gloomy that episodes of “Supernatural” emerged in my mind. But time wore on and a fragile doll was metamorphosed to fearless G.I. Jane.  But a man can adjust to all conditions, so the next day pulling the grass out with fatty slippery snails looked like a trifling activity which then became a kind of a game. Other guys and I were always in a relentless pursuit of new tasks! This zeal to finish the work as fast as possibly was contagious! We logged about 5 hours every day and the result was dazzling: we had cleaned the area to the 12^th day of our stay! But then we took up another one just to trim the grass and ivy.

I guess it was a great experience! I made new friends, picked up some German words and overcame myself to face my fears. At least now I do not perceive a cemetery as something grey and frightening. It is just the continuation of some people’s history.

I cannot say I was mesmerized by Berlin. It reminds me of other country’s business hubs which can be associated with hectic traffic, rushing people with non-stop ringing cell phones.  The bank of the river Spree which is just the stone’s throw from the East Side Gallery became for me a comfortable retreat from the hustle and bustle of the noisy ambience of the city. During my stay in hostel I used to come there and sit at the grassy ground reading, listening to music or just enjoying the last moments of my trip. Sometimes I tried to overhear children playing with the ball nearby and make out what they were talking about. But their speech was so fluent that I barely could understand. Then I went along the Gallery just to gaze not at the graffiti and paintings but at tourists scurrying with their cameras like ants with small sticks. Their happy, funny, grinning faces made me a little sad because that day when my new friends and I went to the Gallery had already been lost in the mist of time.

I am not going to enumerate all “MUST SEE” places. It was made long time ago by Wikipedia and all those guidebooks you can find in a bookstore which can give you an illuminating lecture on the sites and their history.

But I cannot pass up the chance to tell you about my next destination which was Dresden. It is so far the most beautiful place I have ever seen! Everybody can find in this city something that comes naturally to them. For me it was a 20-minuit trip to the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Gallery). I remember seeing the posters with the face of Sistine Madonna at the narrow and crowded streets of Dresden. Then it struck me “I must see HER! I do not care about the price! I will push the boat out with pleasure just to see HER!” Fortunately, the price was reasonable – just 10 Euro but there was no time to lose because our train was arriving in 30 minutes! We rushed fast into and snatching the ticket went to the Sistine Madonna. She is really beautiful. The delicate features of the face, a kind, timid look and a protective motherly instincts embodied by Raphael’s brushes and paint conveyed the air of Divine grace. I could not believe that I was standing so close to the masterpiece of the top level. I wanted to snatch that moment and burry it in the safe place where nobody could steal it. I whisked my phone out of a pocket and made a fast click. The quality, certainly, leaves much to be desired and some tourists’ head cast a shadow on the masterpiece, but I cherish this visual memory of my acquaintance with HER!

Leaving the Gallery I stole a glance at the painting once again and gaze for a fraction at it. It was the brightest commemorative event during my German holidays.

If you are tired of “lazy” holidays and stuffy hotels, take a plunge into a volunteer job. There is nothing to lose. Helping others you will gain new knowledge and emotions that will be enough till the next holidays.

Voronezh, the hub of the Russian life.

Stone bridge

 Russia is a vast country covering Asia and Europe.  Due to this fact there are many various cities but Moscow and Saint-Petersburg. Every city is unique with its own history, fate, heroes and unraveled mysteries which are lost in the mist of time.

Voronezh…Not many people have ever heard about it. I want to acquaint you with this city because, firstly, it is a really nice place. Besides, Voronezh has played a great role in history, that is why, it is worth learning about. And, lastly, I want to make you sure that not only Moscow and Saint-Petersburg are the hubs of the Russian life.

Voronezh is situated in the central part of Russia.  The city takes a very comfortable location as it is not far from Moscow (about 515,8 km)  and it is almost a stone’s throw from  the resort near the Black Sea. Just choose the direction you want and hit the road!

The region is steeped in fertile soils that were deposited by glacial melt water over hundreds of years. They have always characterized the area as “the mother of Russia” as wheat and vegetable farms are in full swing here and have always fed the country. The other name of the region is “Chernozemie” which in Russian means “black soils”.

The region is also known for its tremendous stretches of fields and the clean water of the river Don that has always carried a symbolic value for Russia. Just to remember the description of the river in “Quietly Flows the Don” by M.Sholokhov is more than enough to imagine it in detail. The author says when Cossacks left their homestay they felt an irresistible urge to throw something into the river just for a luck. It was a kind of hope to come back to their families, home, motherland and be safe and sound. I think this is the reason why it is fairly typical of Russians to leave some personal effects in the place they want to visit once again.

Voronezh has promoted a positive image of itself throughout its whole life that is not too short. History of the city dates back to 1585 when Voronezh was founded by Feodor I as a 

fort protecting the Russian state from the raids of Crimean and Nogay Tatars. Then the fort was destroyed and the city enlarged beyond its previous confines.

It should be highlighted that the city played a key role in building the Russian fleet. Peter l saw Voronezh as the motherland of the first Russian ship “Goto Predestinatsia”. This page in the city’s history became a major landmark in Russia’s way to superiority and the international arena. 

It must be mentioned that the place where the fort stood is marked now by Voronezh State University which allures many students from various corners of the world. Thanks to that fact that young people of different nationalities are eager to get the education and an experience of living in Russia you can see here the real multiculturalism. People come here in pursuit of a better place to live, work and study. 

A kitten from Lizukov Street

Preet Bhojak, a student from India, who is studying medicine in Voronezh State Medical Academy, says,  “Voronezh is a very beautiful city. I took to it immediately when I first had a look at the surroundings. I think the thing I like the most about the city is people. They are good-natured.  And, certainly, the  girls of Voronezh are very beautiful.  The atmosphere in summer is like heaven on earth. Due to its comfortable climate, the proximity of rivers and lakes it makes up for a great rest in the open air. 

Now it is possible for foreigners to study in English in Russia. That’s why, I chose Voronezh State Medical Academy. I think it is a great choice!”  

Every year Platonov Arts Festival is held here. It is the golden opportunity for local people to see something fresh. This year many artists from France, England, India and other countries came to show their performances many of which were existential and gave food for a thought.

Many flattering words can be said. But it is better to experience the life of the provincial city seeing it from the inside and engulfing its oozing charms.