This week

This past week I got to do some pretty great projects and am continuing to love my experience here.  I struggled for a few days with the cold, but my parents were kind enough to send me some more warm clothes so now I am totally prepared! 

It has been really interesting for me to start to understand the relationships between all the members of the cooperative.  They have been living and working together for over 20 years and the dynamic is unlike anything I have seen.  They all love each other very much, but at the same time there is an obvious power struggle going on.  They try not to have any one person be "in charge," but it always seems to turn out that way.  It's very cool so come in as an outsider and learn about the benefits and challenges of trying to live in such a close community.  

Early in the week I had to travel to Reutlingen to get my computer fixed.  It is a city about two hours by train from Dürnau, so it was a fun little adventure for me.  I found a little cafe where I read a book while it snowed outside. It felt like I was in a movie.

Here are some of the other thing I got to do this week:

  I learned how to make German bread. They make it here every Saturday, so I think it will be my job now:)

 I made two journals. One for me and one for a friend.  I remembered making them in High School, so it was fun to revisit.  I forgot how long it took to make them!

One of the other projects I was asked to do was create a window display for our shop in town.  I decided I needed to make a bunch of paper flowers and enrolled some helpers:

It was amazing to see these rugged German men making delicate paper flowers.  And they were actually really good at it!

Here are some of the ones we made:

And what was really great was that the next day, they were asking if we could make more.

Yesterday I was helping sort Alpaca wool that we are going to wash and then spin into yarn to make socks and hats out of.  It is very tedious work, but it will be worth it.

This last thing is from a couple of weeks ago.  I finally learned how to make a really great fire to heat the house I was staying in (I switched rooms recently).  One of my friends from back home sent me this from Smokey the Bear:

When I showed it to everyone here, they decided it needed to be presented to me.  I felt it was appropriate, seeing as fire building is quite challenging.

This is the guy who taught me how.  

That is all for now:)  More to come soon!