We were back in Dresden at 11 p.m. on November 24th, 2021 and were picked up by our mums and Maria, who were overjoyed to see us again.

The next morning, of course, I first slept in and then unpacked my backpack. As feared, that was a really strange feeling and although I was looking forward to meeting family and friends, I actually wanted to pack my things and go again as soon as possible. Fortunately, this feeling passed quickly, after all, it was now time to earn money!

We both got a job selling Christmas trees and for me it started on the second day after my arrival. From now on it was a matter of standing in the cold Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and helping people to find the perfect Christmas tree. „I couldn’t do that,“ was something I heard a lot. This job is not that bad compared to others that you can do as an unskilled person. You stand in the fresh air the whole day, if you are lucky you get a hut at the booth with a power connection with a heater, if you are unlucky then only the hut. You have a lot of time to think, read or do other activities, as there are always times when there are no customers. All in all, it’s actually a pretty relaxed job. Still, I sometimes cursed it a lot, especially when it was drizzling again and a new shipment of Christmas trees blocked the entrance to the booth and I had to spent the first two hours sorting the trees and placing them properly. So it is definitely not a job that I would have wanted to do all my life! Nevertheless, there were some nice and somehow touching moments. On the one hand, I’ve always had Eddy, our dog, with me for the last few days, who mostly slept in the car and waited for my return. On the other hand, there were a few people who felt sorry for me and so I got little gifts from time to time, such as chocolate. However, I will remember three encounters in particular:

  1. The woman from Freital, who gave me her hand-knitted wrist warmers to keep my hands warm. After that, not only did my hands feel warm, but my heart too.
  2. The woman from Radeburg, who not only gave me tips, but also provided me with sweets and two bread rolls with crackers, thus financing my lunch.
  3. The man at the Indian restaurant in Radeburg who allowed me to use the restaurant’s toilet, as the supermarket refused to let me use it and with whom I talked about traveling.

Of course, I also got to know less friendly people, as it is the case with sales. But I am particularly grateful for these three encounters.

I spent the rest of the time with family, friends and further planning our trip.

Today, December 20th, 2021, I’m back on the train. This time without Lina, because I’m going to Austria after all. Saying goodbye this morning was particularly difficult for my mom. I don’t want to say that it was easy for me, but it was definitely easier than last time. Although I will miss my family, I now know that I also feel good when traveling and in Austria I will at least see my grandparents and my uncle. Otherwise I would probably not have left before Christmas.

In three weeks, at the beginning of January, if everything goes according our plan, Lina and I will meet again in Frankfurt and then continue our journey together to France and Italy.

Until then, I’ll be enjoying my time in Ramsau for the first time, I’m really excited to see what kind of work awaits me there!

See you later sometime!