Almost exactly seven days ago, we had German soil under our feet again for the first time. A lot had changed for me since we left for Canada, not only my general attitude towards nature and people, but also my attitude towards supposedly important components of a civilization. If someone had asked me before the trip about the characteristics of such a civilization, I would have given a definition from history class and added that a hot shower and the possibility of a cup of hot tea are also inextricably linked to the concept of civilization for me. We also had hot tea on Birthday Island and I still haven't gotten used to hot water in the shower... Besides, you save water and time because you hurry more in a refreshing cold shower... I never realized how exhausting life in a city is. In nature, I learned to keep my eyes open in search of all sorts of things I might miss - I approached my surroundings. In the city, there is so much noise and stench that I wish I was deaf. The city literally jumps out at you, which I find annoying and also overwhelming. These days, I've been reminiscing about cozy, semi-hidden places and many conversations with Hwiemtum and Yahwuam have come back to me. They both said that we will only remember a lot of things when we are back home and that we will only be able to understand the essential things long after our trip. I now know what they meant by that - and they are right. It can't be described or explained in detail, I'm afraid. It's just the way it is and I'm very happy and grateful that I was able to be part of this journey. Miriam