Messages Home: Jan. 31, 2009

From Loretta Jasper, CSJ, who is spending a month working at Rose Barracks, Vilseck, Germany. To learn more about her mission, click HERE.

I have been in Germany since very early Thurs., 1/29.

The public transit system is truly a jewel. All forms of transportation are within reach of the Frankfort Airport without having to walk out of doors. In addition, by staying in Frankfort for two nights prior to leaving for Vilseck in order to tend to orientation with other colleagues assigned to Army posts in Germany at this time, the hotel is also attached to the public transit system alongside the airport.

Thurs. I enjoyed a bird’s eye view of Frankfort via a sightseeing bus. There were two gentlemen on R&R from Iraq on that bus. Conversation with the one gentleman who has been in Iraq since May,was baffled with a “why” when I shared that I was in Germany for the month working with families of deployed military. The other gentleman is a mechanic and indicated that this is his third tour, with shorter turn arounds, and he works multiple weeks with no time off.

After the Fri., 1/30 orientation, two colleagues and I rode the train to downtown Frankfort and trekked the streets for several hours before finding a local pub where we enjoy apple wine, fresh from the kitchen German food: meat, kraut, etc.

My travels to Vilseck via a 4 hour train ride Sat., 1/31 involved three transfers in the midst of getting a bird’s eye view of the country side. There were several active military returning to Vilseck…some w. families; some single.

I am settled into my hotel (equivalent to a Bread and Breakfast) for the month. I met several colleagues who have been on two bases within 30 minutes of each other since before Christmas.

Tomorrow we are driving to the Dachau and Munich area.

Monday begins my introduction to the base, the people, needs and interactions within.

Loretta