Iron Lion # 1

I took (quite) some time off (u could say that again!) after I started my would have been Mayist new year!

Considering the circumstances now, I guess I am much more sure than Lehmanists would have been last week that the re-birth this time is for real!

An icing on this 'new, improved' blog-cake is the tit-bits diary of my time in Kassel (at least most part of it!)

Ciao!

The Kassel diary

Day 1: The Lion lands in Kassel

The journey to Kassel was quite a very interesting one, starting from Nigeria! Almost half of all I had intended to travel with, had to be taken back home for me by Lola, my darling wife. And why not, when the airline people were asking for outrageous amounts as price for spare luggage. I'll tell the story of that later, but for now we look at the drama here and today.

I arrived on time at Frankfurt, indeed early enough to move with the9.05 as against the directed 9.35 train to Frankfurt main where I got the ICE 78, heading for Kassel. Na to drop from the train, the mbga, mbga come take start o!

I was quite fagged out on day 1, partly from the jet-cum-train combo-lag, and so stopped above....the story continues below.

At Kassel, the train captain, or whatever, annonced we were 4 mins from Kassel. Even though I was not yet familiar with their sharp sharp train drop method, I started trying to put my luggage together towards heading for the door, but a team of rascals coming from the restaurant slowed me down. And after that the sheer dimensions of the baggage- comprising mainly books- further weighed me down. To cut a long story short, I got to the door and was told it was locked 4 good. B4 long story, train don waka! Na 4 Gottingen I come meet myself o!

I came back to Kassel by another train, a slow coach that stopped virtually everywhere. It took almost an hour. But that was just the beginning. After trying in vain to get a cab, I sent e-mails to the programme's coordinators in vain, before calling Mikel, the student assisstant who's been very helpful with admin matters here.

Mikel took me to my apartment on 19A..... I therein met my "roomie" one Bernand from Public Services Workers' Union, Ghana, with a friend of his called Zach.

Later in the evening, I went downtown in search of a sim card (I had earlier been given an O2 sim by an African who rose to my assistance when trying to get Mikel. I foolishly bought E40 credit for it, only for that to ne in vain, so I was seeking another O2 sim, but didn't get). I got a vodafone sim and called, wifey, then mama mia.

Got back to the apartmet 11ish. It's quite a quiet neighbourhood.

Well, the rest is spoken for with where I left the diary on Day1; I slept off!

Day 2: Meet the class and some admin stuff

I left the apartment at about 8.30am with bernand. We picked up his friend Zach on the way and headed for school. Christoph and the bro from S/Korea where busy outside, downstairs; smoking...I joined them. Lara then joined us with her dogs; diamond and dewey.

We went up to the classroom. Christoph repeated somethings the class had been informed off yesterday 'coz of we late comers (a Laura from Cnada too just came in-i.e. this morning). He then went into new info stuffs, which were quite useful.

We had a tour of the campus in two groups; one led by Anna, the other by Mikel (7 LPGs per group). I was in the former. Anna is the "treasurer" & she gave me my Sept & Oct allawi b4 we set pff 4 d tour

After the tour, we had lunch then went to register at the town hall after which end of story for Day 2 school-related work.

Mikel went with Zach, Laura and me (all of whom had complaints regarding our rooms). I had been given a closet of a room, when there was something more like the Suite hotel in Vienna! Of course I had seized it

Mikel came to "regularise" this sort of.

A painful part of Day2 which cut me to the quick is the insolvency at home and the responses (or lack of such) by val and gaski. Well u need to be in a situstion to better know some better.

I went to saturn, got an adaptor there and some loaves of bread plus an hotdog. On getting back discovered where I could be calling at cheaper rates than using the mobile. Not counting the yet unused E40 O2, I've burnt E50 thereabouts on calls in less than 24hrs!

An unpleasant development tonight was bernand locking me out when I went browsing. Can u imagine! I had to more or less wake up the whole building b4 he roused and merely said he believed I was sleeping as if he set a lights out schedule for the flat!

Well, I guess I captured the highlights of today....Right about time now to SLEEP;zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

10/09/08, Day 3; The real welcome, in Kassel

Today could arguably be said to be the real welcome to Kassel day for me in so many ways. The most important of this I would say was the demo. Not at all unimportant however was our hanging out at the studentestan haus. Let me however start from the beginning.

We were at the Commerzbank by 9am, to open our accounts. I deposited E800 and Anna (who handles finances) was surprised, not knowing that calls and stress had eaten so much into the E1,200, she just gave me yesterday.

After the bank formalities, we headed for the Ver.di rally in town. Wow! I was happy to be at such an event so early in the programme! I'll do a story on it for the October edition of WPV.

Later in the afternoon, we went in for the English language assesment test. Between the saqs & essay sections, Rebecca jokingly I initially thought, suggessted we all go for a beer after the test. And low and behold, every one present went, including Dina and Helen who took nothing and Bernard who only took malt (later took some tequila and I must add, had earlier apologised in the morning at the apartment, for locking me out yesterday).

The last ones of us left standing so to speak, left at about 10pm! It was fun!

We are to re-group by 8.30am towards signing our rental leases with the university. Registeration further put on hold due to the demo!

Again pain in my heart though, from my wife & kids' situation back home. I got a long distance call card and we spoke, she also called several times earlier. To say gaski showed how little he cherishes our long-lasting friendship and comradeship would be saying the least. My only comfort is that in the wake of this programme, I should be able to secure a better future for them.

Also on a final note, while waiting for Christoph, I raised the idea of a The Daily Rain or The Wind, kind of thing on a weekly basis. He said the programme's going to be real tight soon, but if I can....

With WPV @ the demonstration

11/09/08, Day 4: A beginning...sort of

Can you imagine two days of not keeping the diary updated? I can forgive myself for Day 5, but for the day I'm recording now; I should slap myself!

Anyway, on Day 4, I arrived in time to have joined the team for the trip to Studentenwerken to sign the lease, but forgot my passport at the flat and had to go back and pick it. Mitchel drew a map for me on how to get to the place but I guess is geography is little better than mine! Following his map, I went some 7 kilometres past and feeling something like that must have happened, I called Bernard. I eventually signed the tenancy agreement and insisted on getting my copy (I later learnt that the others are to get theirs by mail later).

I went for the English language viva, and Donne, the instructor said I could be free to be excused from the class, henceforth.

We held the first "One World Seminar" session with Lara and Donna. It was quite fun. And I guess comparatively speaking, myself and Lushe from Albania might be at the vanguard of exposure to the international trade union movement in the class-and I obviously have an edge on her-.

I discussed with Laura and Elizabeth about our building a blogsite and working on an on-line journal of the group. They were quite responsive.

Later in the evening, the team had fun at Cafe Hurriane, where we hung out for some drinks. Lara earlier through the phone, had linked me with Stefan at the bar/cafe. He was with this old and funny broad called Garbie, who was dancing to the 'music' of my name. We left the bar at about 11.30pm. I got back to the room and read a novel, before sleeping.

12/09/08, Day 5: Binding together

We met Prof Dr Christoph Scherer, the 'big man' of the programme, with the 'we shall overcome' song. He seems quite nice and very intelligent.

There was a discussion on our internship facilitated by Lara. So many want to go to the ILO (about five persons out of the 16). She also let us in to possibilities of an opening at the National Labour College in Maryland, USA. We eventually differed subsequent discussions on the issue till after a meeting of the group (without the instructors), scheduled for Tuesday morning. This was at the instance of Laura.

I had lunch at the University restaurant with Yung Chan, Lushe, Lygia and Cintia, after which I went to register at the University library to be able to use the internet there.

In the evening, there was an invitation by Lygia and Cintia to the team and we had a delightfully rollicking time at their hostel, partying till well past 1.00 am this morning.


Party Time!

Sat., 13/09/08, Day 6; Minted Partying!
It started on a quiet note. I woke up languorously, did my washing and some cooking.

I later did some light reading and filled up the diary for two days gone previously.

Things took the hip up later in the evening. I had a drink with Tina and Elizabeth at the Café Hurricane. On my way there, I had gotten a call from Lara, wanting to know how the members of the group took her handling of the internship Magana. I told her I felt there definitely was a feeling of upset but seemed a mild one. While discussing with T & E at the café though, I realised it was a bit more deep-seated. It seems Lara had tried to be sneaky about info on accommodation for those not on scholarship; particularly Tina, Elizabeth and Laura. She had sent pixs of her crib I gathered, trying to convince them to get it as sub-let! So these were already pissed with her and then the internship-fixing drama.

Anyway, Laura and Zach met us there and reminded me of the Cuban club flyer. I was game but first had to get back to my apartment to change into shoes.

The Cuban club turned out -very much unlike the real Cuba - to be a flop; some rat-hole of a cellar club for juveniles. We couldn’t say we had not been warned by an attendant at the Café, though. But the fun was yet ahead. We searched out The Mint club, which she had recommended, and it was groovy! Zach was however gated coz he had on sandals. He had to get to his apartment and back, to join us.

We had a wonderful time there (I gathered that the club is owned by a Naija bobo, made friends with the bouncers from 9ja, one of whom bears Adebola as his name). Left the club when it was winding up at some minutes past 4.00am and had a large Turkish meal somewhere on Hollandische Str., as we trekked back to Momba/H-H, base.

Sun., 15/09/08, Day 7; Team picnic
I surprised almost everyone by still being up on time to make the 10.00am rendezvous at the 5-girls hostel for us to make the picnic tour and men it really was some fun.

We were at the Wilhemshoe museum and the Hercules place. I posted something on it the following day on our blog.

I spoke with Lola, she had been quite ill since Thursday and didn’t tell me! I’m happy she’s getting to feel better. But ‘Deoba too is ill. He spoke with me on the phone and his voice -usually so full of live - was weak…I did cry. Spoke with momsie my mother-in-law and sister-in-law’s lines were not going through. Also spoke with my sister Tayo.

I had a relatively early night after that. But before getting to bed, I worked on the WAHSUN minutes. Didn’t finish it though.

At the Hercules place on the Picnic tour

Mon., 16/09/08. Day 8; Group meeting on internship
It was largely a quiet day for me. I spoke with Lola on her health and ‘Deoba’s. She seems to be getting better, but the poor boy couldn’t go to school. He was sleeping when I could, so I couldn’t get to speak with him.

I tidied up the WAHSUN minutes and e-mailed it later in the evening.

The main activity today was the meeting of the group over the internship issue. There are interestingly two other persons that could be interested in Brazil too, which is good. Lygia and Cintia said that shouldn’t be a problem, pointing out that there is another reputable institute for economics there that could be interested in interns as well as CUT.

I went to the groceries for some peppers and tomatoes and cooked what was left of the lamb meat I got the other day. No matter how much pepper I put in the cooking, the pepper here seems anything but hot!

I got first an sms and then a flash of a call from Che on problems with raising funds for the September issue of WPV and it brought a tug to my heart. I used the last credit on my phone -that I’d been saving for an emergency, so to speak- to send a text (I was doing that when the “call” came in). I can imagine what they are going through and it grieves me. But there is little I can do from here…especially with my own personal precarious finances! I however feel they should be doing more than texting the persons I mentioned at this time. A call could be worth a thousand text messages, when you really want some things done.

Tue. 17/09, Day 9; Registration & English class
I never imagined that the much talked about - with awe - registration would go so smoothly and quietly. We met at the Nora Platiel Str. 1 and filled our forms together with necessary guidance from Christof and then went to the admin. Office where we submitted and that was it! We were told to expect a letter from the university within ten days on how to go about paying the registration fees.

I guess the only other major highlight was my going for the English class for the first time. I was tempted by the Susan George paper enough to be lured to the class and Dawn who’d earlier said I need not come was not hostile, anyway. On the contrary, I guess my coming was good…and I enjoyed it.

Wed. 18/09, Day 10; Meeting on the Berlin trip +!
We met in the morning at NPS1 again. This time it was to discuss the Berlin trip. After much discourse, it was agreed upon that we leave Kassel on Thursday and while a few would come back on Friday, ten of us who could get some accommodation in Berlin for Friday night, could come back on Saturday.

Guess what the +! Is for? I got my internet connection today and ain’t I tripping!