Manakish, diversity and a birthday card

- The first two weeks at elbēn from a workawayer’s perspective. 

Have you ever heard of manakish? Before reading about elbēn on workaway and later on their website, it was all news to me. But what is not to like about Syrian flatbread? Add thereto the information about the project and I was sold. Even before I had tasted my first manakish. So I unhesitantly took contact, and to my luck it was with a positive outcome. Not long afterwards I could enjoy the rich flavour of a mhamara manakish. And I haven’t regretted it for a second (I guess you could read it as a subtle euphemism for … let’s say … that it has become a few manakish during the last two weeks. I guess). 

While the now-so-famous mhamara manakish was my first encounter with the Syrian cuisine and the gastronomical aspect of elbēn, there were many other first impressions to share. 

Jana, the cultural engineer at elbēn, picked me up at the train station and showed me the (believe me) stunning apartment where Geisler, one of the flatmates, cooked us dinner. But the team would expand; the following morning Jana had arranged a team breakfast for me to meet more of the elbēn crew. This breakfast should be a welcome for every workawayer to experience! To show how elbēn not only refers to the two hearts, but to each and every one of them. Of smiles, openness and friendship. 

All of this rambling is merely to show a fraction of the warmth that makes up the elbēn energy. I’ll try to restrain myself, bear with me. 

So…. how is the work situation here in elbēn? 

Well, my first two weeks here are naturally influenced by ‘learning by doing’ since I am the first workawayer at elbēn. But these past days have been characterised by diversity and trust, I would say. I’ve done everything from measuring a food truck, preparing manakish at the bistro and beginning a project on the core values of elbēn. The work here at elbēn truly is a piece of modelling clay you can shape into whatever fits your personality, interests or whatever options the week at elbēn might bring. I even spent an entire day in Gütersloh in a food truck - how Nedal, the project leader, would trust me to be responsible for small talking with the guests and telling about the project remains a mystery to me - but as written, trust is a tool to grow in elbēn. 

     You may have noticed how early I planted the word ‘encounter’ in this text. Encounters are the underlying stream of the project, which makes it flow. These past weeks have been full of encounters for me, and I do believe we at elbēn have created some as well. So when people ask what I’m doing here, I’d respond ‘fostering encounters’.  

My second day here was my birthday, and Geisler cooked birthday dinner for me! Jana also came by to join the dinner. As the physical manifestation of the elbēn-friendliness stands the birthday card she wrote me. I read it every day and I’m never doubting whether I’m welcome or not: in elbēn everyone is welcome.