Early starts and late finishes
I’m off to the FWCC World Triennial in Dublin later today. Even though I’m only away for just over ten days, I’ve had lots of things to tidy up at work. Add a few last-minute things to the list, a few nights out, and packing, and I find I’ve had a really busy week. Let’s hope my energy levels have a little fillip before I get to Dublin!
I’ll be running the official blog, which you can read at fwccworld.blogspot.com. The basic idea of the Triennial is to gather around three hundred Quakers from around the world, and explore a theme together and learn about each other’s different Quaker experience and practices. There are also business sessions where we decide policy, approve budgets and so on, also workshops on specific issues such as peacemaking or prison work.
Tired but nearly home
On the Eurostar now, final leg back to London. Quite tired after another night in the sleepless seats of Deustche Bahn from Munich to Paris. Bizarrely, I slept better on the day train from Vienna to Munich- had to be shaken awake by an exasperated guard who had been shouting ‘fahrkaten bitte’ for a fruitless few minutes!
It was a very good weekend in Vienna, we really motored through the planning for the European Quaker conference which will be happening there next weekend. Local Quakers in Vienna were very hospitable and friendly, and we enjoyed some wonderful Viennese food- strudel and new wine being particular highlights. The only downside was we were so busy planning that I hardly got to see Vienna- a real shame as it looks very pretty. Next year though…
My few fumbled words of German made me want to learn some more for next time- felt a bit of a foolish pointing tourist at times. I find it reasonably easy to follow what is being said, but am hopeless at stringing words together myself.
Now just a quick day at work before I can catch up on missed sleep.
