News from the Orient

We have had eventful weeks again.
Among other things, about 2 weeks ago we attended the "Parade of the Nations" - an annual event here at the university, where (not all, but a lot) of the over 100 different nations living here participate together. First there is the namesake parade, where many also perform in national costumes (pretty cool! Unfortunately, as Germans, we didn't have that much choice, ... most of us somehow decided on lederhosen and dirndl ... but we don't have them hanging in our wardrobe here or anywhere else, and it wouldn't have been authentic for Felix and me either;-). Thanks to red lipstick, black eyeliner, and golden eyeshadow, we were still able to draw a little flag on our cheeks - just like at a World Cup fan fest).

After the parade, everyone gathers on one of the sports fields and the different countries each have a stand where they mostly offer some typical snacks from their countries. At the German stand, there was - very popular by the way - bread and biscuits.
Of course, we also looked around at the others and were able to try a lot of delicious things. For my taste, a lot of it was way too sweet...

In the past few weeks, there was also the "Artist of KAUST" exhibition in which both of us participated. Felix with some very beautiful underwater shots and me with a few drawings.

Last Monday, we also gave a lecture together on the basics of underwater photography at the Underwater Photography Club at the university. Next weekend, the club is also going diving right away - to put what we have learned into practice.
I am particularly looking forward to it because I really miss getting underwater.

In the past few weeks, I have been very busy with a university course that I have to take. (As a PhD student, it is required here to take two courses during one's time here). My first one is in 'Ecological Genomics' - a cool experiment and many new methods that I have never done before (or it's been ages). So a lot of work, but I'm also learning a lot.

Speaking of a lot of work, it unexpectedly also comes to us privately... Last night, when I was actually going to my painting group, there was a little bird sitting right in the middle of the way. Of course, I immediately looked to see where it could have fallen from, but then I had to realize that the gardeners here had cut back all the trees around very severely. Presumably, the nest of the little guy was also destroyed in the process. One could say, yeah, that's how it is in nature, blah blah. But the little one already has an almost finished feather coat (so it didn't just hatch ;-) ) but still too small to fly and get food by itself. So the chances are maybe not too bad for him. That's why I took him home. (Besides, if I had left him sitting there, he would have been immediately eaten by one of the millions of stray cats here)...
So yesterday evening, I had to search the internet - because what do you feed such a little bird and what should we do now?
After a short research, Felix even went to the supermarket to buy minced meat, and now we're trying a mixture of minced meat, oatmeal flour, banana, and bird vitamin drops.

Our big (haha) bird Juergen was also very interested yesterday in what this little chirping thing is that - cuddled up in its makeshift nest made of discarded underpants and a hummus takeout box - was chirping there..

So you see, it's never boring with us..
Now greetings from the four of us (by now)
Felix, Juergen, the foundling bird, and Susann