by Josephat Hema from Tanzania,

 I heard so many things about Germans work ethics as I was coming to Germany to work as a volunteer and sometimes I was a little bit scared. The likes of „Germans are always very serious on workplaces, they don’t joke, they don’t talk about anything else except work matters in office, they are very time observant and become easily disappointed about that“. But I moved over these stereotypes when I arrived here.

 

Because finally I came to find such a warm place and very comfortable place. It is called Kontaktstelle. It is under the youth department of the church of Dortmund. We are only 8 workers; Jana, Ariane, Frank, Martina, Regina, Annete, Anika and Me. Anika is also a volunteer and she is coming from Germany. They are all very friendly people.

 

Here there are so many things we do together in harmony. We organise different seminars and workshops for youths. Anika and I together take care of some office issues like taking posts to Ekkdo and we also take care of the office shopping list. I have never felt a pressure at all. Jana insists every time on being free to express what you feel about something so that you work comfortably.

 

One day after Christmas holiday, Jana came to our office and asked me and Anika about how are we doing work-wise and personally. This was something so good to me, it is always great when your fellow workers are concerned about how are you doing in your personal life. This was not the first time. We always express about what and how are doing when we are together. The time we use to express ourselves is so refreshing and we always feel a good sense of connection.

 

Some days after I came, I also got an opportunity to express about myself, my background, my family, my preferences and my future plans and I really liked that. I remember how Jana used to insist me to take my holidays because I thought since I started my volunteering work about two months late then it would be better to not take all my vacation days. But Jana insisted that it is good to take holidays, to explore some other things because it is important for work my efficiency and generally for my volunteering year experience.

 

We also celebrate workmates‘ birthdays, this includes preparing breakfast together and eat together and sometimes we have lunch together outside our office.

 

At last you come to realise that you are having a certain special kind of family in your workplace that makes you feel home and hence working very comfortably.