Freiburg

The last week was awesome! On wednesday I left for Bad Antogast to play 2 football tournaments, one on wednesday and one on friday. Both were alot of fun! Ironically, on wednesday we had too many players so we were switching very fast which was an annoyance in a certain way because I just couldn't get in my flow. However, we had alot of fun and there was a great team spirit like you can expect from the Art of Living so it was definately a night to remember.
We made it to the finals but we lost that match, although I did manage to score! Saved our honour so to say. Then thursday the sweet and mischievous Iva showed up to...collect flyers, foreal!
We had a good time together, and I convinced her to stay for friday aswell cause she felt this need to go back to Freiburg to do some other stuff.

But we all know that nobody can say no to me, so she stayed and cheered for us on friday.
On friday we could hardly get enough players to fill up the spots on the field, with struggle we managed to convince just enough people to be able to play; we were 6 total.
So no substitutioning, playing full matches baby, it was tough at times but our team did really well. Actually, the day of rest that we had on thursday (although I didn't get much rest :o) really worked wonders; the experience from the day before was delivering on friday in more stamina, strength and technique. I was really happy with our play. I mean, yea, some of us barely played any football at all so you can't expect too much, but we really all pushed our limits and gave it our 100%.

Our results weren't as mindblowing as the first tournament, but the spirit was there just as strong as ever. As I like to say; we really felt the glory from within, and that's so true. We probably had more fun than those who actually won the tournament; we left the field cheering and screaming, it was good!
Then we had the best dinner ever, made by Khani. I tell you, and I told him aswell, he can easily replace the cooks in the Academy in Bad Antogast; it was that good, simply amazing.
I told Iva to take classes at Khani's kitchen, damn I want more of that stuff!

So what next, I escaped with Iva to Strassbourg. It was really good to spend time with her outside of the ashram. I mean even though it's kind of accepted by most people it's still not the same. Stefan, the janitor was making alot of jokes about it. I remember he was asking me why Iva was sleeping, I was like yea she's tired from yesterday and then he laughed "yea right". Also I had to lay a pipeline with Konstantinos, Stefan took the opportunity to joke about the lubrication that we had to use to put the pipes together, "yea Steven had has much practice the last few days!".
So we were in Strassbourg eating cheese and having wine, it was a really sunny weekend so we couldn't have picked a better time to do this. Something really changed since the last time we saw eachother, in a good way. This is real shit fo sho!

On sunday I went back with her to Freiburg. You see, Pernille is in Denmark right now so I didn't see much sense into going back to Osnabruck and being there alone trying to organize a basic course. Not when I can make myself so much more useful in Freiburg, because here they're organizing Yes+ which is so much cooler since it addresses young people. And I like to work with young people, I can connect easier and I like the energy that comes from uplifting them. I like to see their individual skills, which are so amazing, like Tilman who I met today, but more about him later.

Camille called me today, telling me I should head back to Osnabruck ASAP. I was like no I'm gonna stay here for a while because I feel more useful here and I can experience this Yes+ thing. He didn't believe me, he said he knew exactly why I was here. And yea, I'll be honest, ofcourse Iva is an important factor for me to be here, but it's not like I'm not doing my job. It's not like I'm any less focused either. I heard alot of people tell me this, but it's bullshit, you just can't put it like that; you can't generalize and think that loving and working never goes together.
To be honest, I've found that it works quite well for me. Actually, it even works better than when I'm not around Iva, because now I'm less occupied thinking about her. Besides, didn't I choose to voluntarily do this CLP thing? Didn't I choose to organize and teach Yes+ courses around Europe? Then why would I suddenly hold back on this commitment, just because I met a girl I like? Come on! If you think that, then you truly don't know me, and you'd be better off keeping your prejudice to yourself, or even better: Burn it.

No hard feelings for Camille, I understand he thinks like this and he also told me something along the lines of: "You'll see that this doesn't work, but you'll have to find that out for yourself". Whatever man, I'll prove that I can mix business and pleasure, just so I don't get anymore of this shit because I've been hearing it too much lately. It's his strength and weakness; Camille definately has a decent way of handling things, but he thinks it's the only way. His consistency is a strength but it also serves as a weakness which is not gonna work for him. Yes maybe he'll get his way most of the time, but not without spending alot of energy. That's also what he told me; that he didn't feel like running behind everyone's asses to see whether they're doing their job properly. And he's completely right, so why not just trust me with my job and concentrate on your own? Besides, I have my own way of doing things so trying to control me is only gonna exhaust you. But hey, I'll do the right thing; I'm also part of the team and I'll do that which is in both my interest and the interest of the common wealth so to say. I have my own agenda and it can coexist in harmony with our mutual agenda. You just gotta give me some space, because I'm creative and I'll always find a way to make everyone happy.
But it's gotta start with trust; the knowledge that I'm putting my energy into the same direction and the faith that I'll deliver. Because I will, for fucking sure. This is something he has to understand and I'm sure he'll feel much less stressed if he takes this lesson to heart. And at the same time I'll feel more free because I don't have the police chasing my ass.

To emphasize the success we're having here: We had an intro workshop today, like 4 people showed up which was nice, and 2 of them will most likely come to the seminar. One for sure, because he signed up right then and there. His name is Tilman and he's one of the most talented musicians I've seen in a long time. He can play alot of different instruments, he can sing and rap and he's just simply a cool guy with whom I share alot of interests. After the intro workshop I went with him to his place where he was rehearsing with his band, I even joined in the jamming session with a drum; it was alot of fun! Later the girls came and we listened to some righteous stuff that they had composed, simply incredible. How they can play like masters and be so relaxed while doing it, everything was so in sync it was fuckin' A+. Tomorrow we'll meet them again when they're gonna perform somewhere, and they even have a place for us to stay! Because that's one of the biggest problems our group has been experiencing here; they need to move to another place like almost every other day because theres no place to stay for a while. Maybe that will change now, who knows. I just know that things are moving, things got set into motion and everything seems to be happening now automatically, like getting a 3 scoop icecream with a strawberry topping.

Anyway, tomorrow is the last opportunity to get more people for the Yes+ course which starts on wednesday, and I will stay for that course. I want to get this experience of assisting finally. I've waited long enough now, the opportunity is here and I'm planning on taking it. I need this because I still don't know if this teaching thing is for me. And whoever thinks that this is just about Iva; you can theorize until your brain turns grey but that's your problem, I'm just doing the right thing so please, don't try and bust my balls. They're made of steel anyway.