Puzzlebrains

Just in case anyone tries to send me any messages, I shall be away from Monday for a week - so don't expect an answer.
I'm off to Germany to take part in amazing church-related event called the "Kirchentag" which happens in a different city in Germany every two years (this year in Bremen) and attracts over 100,000 christians! The speakers include not just church theologians but leading politicians (including the Chancellor herself), business people, scientists and economists and covers every topic you can think of from theology, economics, globalisation and development, bio-ethics and inter-faith dialogue. It does help to prove that christianity can still be very relevant in this day and age......
I help with organising the "International Centre" for the many international participants who will be there and helping them with any language problems which may arise. Although a number of the events do have simultaneous translation into English, most of it is in German, so it can be confusing for non-German speakers - I enjoy being able to use my German skills to good effect!

No doubt, "Puzzlebrains" will find its way into my luggage, but I have a feeling I shan't get much time to concentrate on anything......

There's no need for anyone to respond to this message - just thought that it would be helpful to explain my silence on the forums for a bit.

Have a lovely time and hope the weather is better than us Devonians have at the moment.

Sounds really interesting Wulfruna. Hope you have a great time.

Sounds great, apart from the speaking German bit!

Well, and the flying bit.

Can't believe the dancing rabbit doesnt do flying!

I don't do small dark places either. Very difficult when you are a rabbit.

Well my German is pretty good - it's my main qualification, although I was a fiasco as a teacher in school..... I ended up teaching it by correspondence course, which was handy, as I could do that at home while my children were small. Later I discovered the Kirchentag and have been going to Germany regularly now for twenty years. I am not fluent enough to do interpreting, but occasionally do written translations. I just love the language and thoroughly enjoy this opportunity to use it. It will all be fun, but quite hard work as well. It's all voluntary - but at least I get my travel costs paid for going!
Ah well - must get back to packing

hope you have a great time Wulfruna

Good luck - enjoy yourself (we won't talk about my CSE grade 5 in German)


No - I didn't think a grade 5 was possible in CSE either

That's more than I got. I spent about 95% of my German lessons outside the door.

I was taught german by an Italian lady. Her accent was most extraordinary, when she did dictation she used to pull horrendous faces everytime there was an umlaut, because we never would have known from her accent!

I was taught French by an Irish lady. She was brilliant, but at the age of 11 there were bits when she was speaking English and we didn't realize!

Well I have returned from Germany after a super (but hard-working) week which went very well - but not a moment spare to even think about looking at puzzles......
As a bonus, I also managed to squeeze in an extra visit to my ever-more-gorgeous grandson on the return journey
However, having got back, I now only have a few days at home before setting off yet again next week for another consultation/conference meeting, so will still be out of action from the computer if anyone tries to contact me. Sorry! But at least this time I should have a bit more free time to escape into Puzzlebrains, so hope to catch up with some of the rest of you by the time I get back.....

Good to see you back safe - you little globe-trotter

You really don't need to hurry to catch me up

You're still scratching your head I see MBH!!

Glad your trip went well Wulfruna. Cor how the other half live!! I went to Stevenage yesterday. Does that count?

chazzie wrote:Can't believe the dancing rabbit doesnt do flying!

The hot cherub doesn't either