By Josephat Seleman Hema from Tanzania

What I can tell is, I have been living in my own fairytale-like mind ever since I knew that I had secured a chance to participate as a one year UEM South-North volunteerservice in Germany from April 2019 until March 2020.At first days seemed to stop, but here in Tanzania we have one Swahili phrase that says,“Siku hazigandi“ meaning; „days never freeze“ and, days really fly.

I completed my Bachelor of Pharmacy in 2018 and so getting an instant opportunity to work as a volunteer in a foreign land in 2019 was a very timely chance.

Lisa Bergmann (UEM volunteer program officer) has been in close follow up on all the formalities required for my volunteer year in Germany, she is really nice. I later on had good Skype interaction with Jana Michler from the Evangelische Jugend Dortmund, and Sonia (the other volunteer I will work with at the Kontaktstelle Evangelische Jugend) and that at first, gave me a reflection of wonderful people I expect to meet at my workplace in Dortmund.

Later on Carolin Daubertshäuser gave some insight of the Dortmund life and the Volunteer house which made me to get into contact with other volunteers living there (Gentille, Hannah, Louise and Neele) and others who expect to live there soon (Dika and Rachel). I always imagine how epic life in the volunteershouse with these amazing people will be.

The image of these wonderful people so far encourage me and really excite me to reach there, even when I happen to feel any sense of inadequacy and bits of fear especially on my little German language skill.
I remember when I met Susan Küster-Karugia (from Leipzig Mission) in Tanzania she told me that I’m lucky to work and live in Dortmund for it is such a wonderful city and that is where the big event called Kirchentag that happen once in two years will take place. She added that I will be working with Carolin whom she described as a very good person. I had all reasons to give a very wide smile.

Well despite of all the experience sharing that I got from people in Germany and also from the language and Culture course I attended, I still have kind of mixed feelings. But what gives me hope is a good number of wonderful people I know so far that I believe even if Iwill happen to pass through any challenge, I will stand on their shoulders and complete my volunteering year productively.

And so I’m here fantasying the Awesomeness of people and the city of Dortmund, eagerly waiting for days to fly so fast so that I take my flight on 5th April from Dar es salaam,Tanzania to Germany to start my volunteering year with energy and focus.
Soon and very soon!