08/01/2005

Leaving Amsterdam was easy. We closed our frontdoor and drove off. It was a wednesday, early afternoon. The next day we crossed the border crossing between western and eastern Europe. A giant rainbow stretched itself out over the landscape. A welcoming arch for the new bridge guard.
We drove under it and I saw a landscape reminding me of my Dutch native region. The Danube, who had kept us company during the last part of our journey, made up the border with Slovakia. It was already dark when we crossed her and entered our new temporary home.

The welcome by Gyuri* and his colleague Eva was warm, our new apartment spacious and wonderful. We drank to our new dreams and didn’t care yet about the big pile of boxes and suitcases which we moved from the Berlingo into the middle of the livingroom.
A first walk through the village, a first look at the bridge; how beautiful she was!
Next soft matrasses and a deep sleep. Eva had told us that the dreams you dream the first night at a new place will come true. When I woke up next morning I convinced myself otherwise.

The mayor receives us at his office, seated behind a majestic desk, the deputy mayor at his right side. We are welcomed in a language we don’t yet understand but we get the message. This new job of mine is serious business. Of course. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I feel at home already.


(Gyuri Himmler = Himmler György is the person coordinating the project here. He teaches history and philosophy at the local gymnasium, he is the president of the Cultural Society in Sturovo and he is the chief editor of the local newspaper. He knows everybody and everybody knows him. He looks just like Herman Finkers. Eva is teaching German at the gymnasium.)