Life of a nomad

To move. 
A verb that has been central to the life I lead since I left home somewhat naively at the age of eighteen and headed for Tanzania. (Un)consciously, I have been looking for new adventures, people and places ever since. 

A new home. I found that in Berlin too. 
After a turbulent time in trendy and lively Friedrichshain, the dog and I found a quiet, green base in beautiful Reinickendorf. Within cycling distance of the Robert Koch Institute, where my PhD research is slowly taking shape.  I am learning new techniques in the lab where, among other things, I am breaking open cells from gorilla faeces in search of genetic material of possible pathogens. Twice a week I take French lessons with a Frenchwoman, with a contagious enthusiasm, who prepares me for République centrafricaine. 

During the past weeks, when Covid-19 continues to play an important role for each of us, a sudden departure to the African rainforest remained a possibility. I could leave for the Central African Republic(CAR) to help with the testing there, the airlines would start their commercial flights to CAR again and I would arrive in Bayanga from the capital Bangui.  Now there seems to be an opportunity to start my adventure and work in early September. In the time I have left here, I will learn as many laboratory techniques as possible and be trained in corona testing.  The focus will therefore be on testing humans and animals. When there is room and the urgency for Covid-19 decreases, I will start to investigate rodents and bats. Looking for possible links, so-called reservoir hosts, that play a role in disease transmission from man to ape and vice versa. 

Living like a nomad. For now, there is too little time and space in my head for an extensive analysis of my nomadic existence. But who knows, I might take the time to reflect on this one day. Or perhapy, as the case may be; I will probably conduct this dialogue with myself, swaying to a fine reggae tune. 

Possible topics I would like to write and speak about in the future:

• Ambitious single women with a beating heart for their passion in search of love
• The German craving for justice in the forest, shop and on any car park
• The Berlin green sceneries

Presumably, my focus will change, temporarily or otherwise, to life in the rainforest of Dzanga-Sangha, its biodiversity and my attempts at meditation during my quarantine time in the bush. Maybe I will come back to you before I leave, maybe not. 

Barala, or good day in the local Sango language, Google tells me.