I went to the cinema with colleagues to see the film "The Brutalist". Brady Corbet's drama tells the story of the fictional architect László Tóth, played by Adrien Brody, who was born in Austria-Hungary in a fishing village on the Adriatic, who emigrated to the USA after the Second World War, initially without his wife, played by Felicity Jones. The film is a British-American-Hungarian co-production and premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in early September 2024. There it was shown in competition for the Golden Lion and won several awards, including the Silver Lion for directing. At the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, the work won three awards (Best Film Drama, Best Director, Best Actor - Drama). At the 2025 Oscars, The Brutalist was nominated for Best Film, among others. I hadn't even heard of the film and when my colleagues told me that it was about architecture and the brutalist style, which I don't really like, I wasn't really interested. I went with my colleague without doing much research and without watching the trailer. What can I say: the film is fantastic! His escape from the Holocaust, his arrival in New York, the ups and downs of his search for work, his reunion with his family and his rise are told in such an exciting and twist-filled way that (according to my colleagues) I often watched the film bolt upright and with an astonished face. I didn't expect that! The film is 3 1/2 hours long and takes a lot of time to tell its story, but the time passes very quickly with the interesting plot. I don't want to give away much more and can only give you one recommendation! Feel free to write to me and tell me how you liked the film.

One day we had an earthquake drill. We all had to go under the dining table and discussed the escape routes and assembly points. Earthquakes are a real danger, as the San Andres Fault runs not far from us. The last major earthquake was on October 17, 1989, the epicenter was in the nearby Nisene Marks State Park, where I also hiked regularly. It was the largest earthquake since the great earthquake of 1906. It had a magnitude of 6.9, 63 people died and 3,700 were injured. The damage amounts to 6 billion US dollars:

https://youtu.be/8Yac4Gg3TJU?si=AWvGStacJSFQgI1t

We've started a new project in the garden. At one point next to our house the driveway is very small. We're removing soil and rebuilding the wall so that cars can drive in and out more easily. That sounds easier than it is because the soil is full of thick roots. We worked very hard with pickaxes, axes and shovels to remove the roots from the soil. At the end of the working day I was always drenched in sweat, but it felt incredibly good. I feel like I'm making a lasting change and at the same time doing a lot for my body. I'll always like that more than cleaning, cooking or other work that I do indoors. Unfortunately, there was heavy rain at one point, which filled the hole to the brim with water. Now we have to wait until the water dries up so that we can continue working on the project. My colleague and fellow student Vencel from Hungary also has a garden project where he is creating his own bed with resident D. from my house. I. and I supported them with their project after our compost run.

One Monday I cooked quiche. Quiche was the first dish I learned at Camphill Triform. The residents were very happy about the delicious food. It is not only very tasty, but is also perfect for cooking together with disabled people (or children), as you have to cut a lot of vegetables. You can read my recipe here (Week 12 - 17.11.23 - Cooking):

https://www.damonruhlaender.de/week-10-19#h.303rkada6yr4

One evening, we coworkers were very hungry and went to McDonalds. Since there were so many of us who all paid individually, we didn't go drove the drive-in, but we couldn't go in either because the drive-in was the only one open. So we walked through the drive-in. I didn't know if the employees would have a problem with that, but they didn't mind.

I'm still doing the running project with a resident. We want to try out new routes more often now, so a colleague on the way to the library drops us off at a park of our choice nearby and picks us up again afterwards. We ran in Nisene Marks State Park, explored Harvey West Park, and saw the Mission Santa Cruz. This has great historical significance for this city. Santa Cruz was founded by the Spanish in 1791 when Fermín de Lasuén founded the Mission Santa Cruz. With the Mexican secularization of the California missions in 1833, the former mission was divided. After the American conquest of California and the admission of California as a U.S. state in 1850, Santa Cruz was incorporated as a city in 1866.

We also visited the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Santa Cruz. The cornerstone of the mission church was laid on February 27, 1793. Following the Mexican secularization act of 1833, Mission Santa Cruz, like other California missions, experienced a decline. The mission's buildings suffered from neglect, and the native population dwindled due to disease and other factors. By 1857, the original adobe church had deteriorated significantly, with the front wall destroyed by the Fort Tejon earthquake. 

For the "Human Biography" seminar, we were asked to read a biography that was interesting to us and to present his life in 7-year steps. Since December, I have spent many evenings reading the biography of Henry Kissinger. Henry Kissinger is a very interesting personality, but also very controversial. A colleague has described him as the USA's greatest war criminal, but on the other hand he is often referred to as one of the most influential foreign and security experts of the 20th century. He was born in Fürth, Germany, to Jewish parents in 1923. After discrimination increased, his father lost his job as a teacher and he was no longer allowed to attend football games, the family fled to the USA. During World War II, he returned to Germany, where he was deployed in military reconnaissance and as a Counter Intelligence Special Agent due to his knowledge of German. In this role, his job was to track down and arrest Gestapo officers. He was also involved in the liberation of the Hannover-Ahlem concentration camp subcamp. Back in the United States, Kissinger studied politics at Harvard and eventually became a professor. In the early 1960s, he advised Presidents Kennedy and Johnson on national security issues. In 1968, Kissinger was appointed National Security Advisor by Richard Nixon. In 1973, he became Secretary of State and remained in that position until 1977. He then went into private business and founded his own consulting firm. Until his death in 2023 at the age of 100, he continued to actively advise politicians, such as Bush in the Iraq War, and wrote highly influential books, for example on US-Chinese relations. A very exciting life!

Rudolf Steiner described human development in 7-year cycles. Each cycle has its own psychological, emotional and spiritual themes. There are three major phases. From 0-21, physical development is the focus. From 21-42, the focus is on our soul development. We spend a lot of time on self-development and self-education, we learn to live with strong feelings and bring them under the control of the ego. From 42-63 our spiritual development is concentrated. We can strive to develop ourselves spiritually and mentally. From 63-72 we free ourselves from the web of fate/karma, which is a kind of rebirth. Each 7-year period is divided into three 7-year periods.

You can find an overview of Henry Kissinger's 7-year cycles and my essay with further information on the cycles on the "Academy" subpage.

My daily morning run helps me a lot to become awake and active. It works better than any coffee, but I have not yet been able to convince my colleagues to join me instead of drinking coffee. During the morning run we enjoyed the sunrise, which always puts me in a good mood.

On a walk by the sea we experienced a very stormy sea and huge waves. The fire brigade was at the sea and a ship was sailing back and forth. We were very worried that something bad had happened, but when we asked, the firefighters told us that everything was OK. One surfer didn't have the strength to get back to the shore on his own, but with the help of the firefighters he managed it. On the way I saw a very nice window on a house on the cliff, as you can see in the pictures. On the way I saw a funny sticker on a lamppost: "Don't put a cat on your hat, it hurts really bad".

In the garden we collected leaves and repainted a bench that was no longer so nice. During the coffee break I was surprised by a strange cup that was shaped like a donut. We had a visit at Camphill from a former coworker. He is Jewish and gave us some insights into his faith and I was very happy to talk to him about the conflict in the Middle East and the different perspectives of young and older Israelis. Like me, he worked as a volunteer in Triform, so we were also able to talk about my former colleagues. At the end of his visit, he was very grateful and told a beautiful story for the community one afternoon. I also learned from him how storytelling can be used for educational purposes and how you can also indirectly support children and adults in dealing with challenges. For example, by working through conflicts and situations that have arisen, e.g. with animals, without explicitly mentioning them and showing possible solutions. Telling stories, which involves much more than just reading a text, has many other advantages. It promotes imagination, creativity, logical thinking and language skills. Attention and concentration is increased. An emotional presentation style helps to gain the listeners' attention. Children learn through stories to develop empathy, reflect on emotions and understand cause-effect relationships. Stories can teach ethical behavior and convey traditions, history and culture. But the best story is of no use if it is not presented in an interesting way. That is why there are training courses here on how to present stories effectively in an educational context. He and a householder in our community completed this training on the east coast, which is of great benefit to the community. I find this very inspiring and also very educational for my future work as a teacher!

While running through Soquel, I discovered the "Casa de Bei" house with a resident. Norman Bei has built numerous sculptures out of plants and wire here, which you can look at from the fence. Among them is a large dinosaur. I loved dinosaurs as a child and I still get excited when I see dinosaurs. After watching the film "Jurassic Park," I devoured a lot of books about the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and wanted to be a paleontologist for a while. After a few years, my interest shifted to ancient history and my dream job became that of a historian. Now I am a history teacher who supports people with disabilities.

Last year I saw the Superbowl for the first time in Triform. I enjoy sports myself (kayaking, jogging, fitness), but rarely watch sports broadcasts. So I was very pleasantly surprised at how much fun it is to watch American football. In contrast to soccer, the individual matches between the teams are very short and intense; after a few minutes, the teams always get the opportunity to relax and talk to each other. During the breaks, there are advertisements, but they are very different from normal TV advertising. Companies have to pay seven million dollars for a 30-second commercial! The companies try to outdo each other with creative ideas, humor, prominent casts and impressive images. The ads are definitely a highlight of the Superbowl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwqLPn3P4LE&pp=ygUSc3VwZXJib3dsIGFkcyAyMDI1

This mixture of intense encounters between the teams racing towards each other and the highly produced commercials is extremely entertaining. This year the Superbowl took place on my day off. One of the other houses invited the other houses to a watch party with a BBQ. I went and had a lot of fun watching the Superbowl with my colleagues and the residents. The Kansas City Chiefs, who won last year, and the Philadelphia Eagles competed. The Kansas City Chiefs had the most fans among us because they played very well last year, and their player Trevis Kelce is in a relationship with Taylor Swift, who was also visiting. US President Donald Trump was also a guest; the news had previously shown how many police officers and soldiers were stationed in New Orleans to protect him. The Philadelphia Eagles won with 40 to 22 points! I didn't see the end of the game because after an hour I had already left for San Francisco with my colleague Lim from South Korea. We attended a concert by Seong-Jin Cho at the San Francisco Symphony (Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall).

Seong-Jin Cho (born 1994) is a South Korean concert pianist. He was the winner of the 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition, the first from South Korea. He grew up in Seoul as the child of non-musical parents. His talent was discovered as part of a support program for musical prodigies at the Seoul Arts Center, after which he began studying at Sunchon National University and Seoul National University. Since then, he has performed with the world's leading orchestras: Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony and Chicago Symphony. He has worked with major conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Simon Rattle, Kirill Petrenko, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Myung-Whun Chung, and Gustavo Dudamel. He has performed in renowned concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Prinzregententheater Munich, Wiener Konzerthaus, Wigmore Hall London, and Suntory Hall Tokyo. In 2016 he signed a contract with Deutsche Grammophon, where he has released seven albums. In 2017 he made his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Sir Simon Rattle. I had the pleasure of seeing Sir Simon Rattle live at the Berliner Philharmonie in 2017 when I visited with my grandmother after I finished school. In Triform we regularly watched open-air broadcasts of Sir Rattle's concerts. He is the Berliner Philharmoniker's artist in residence for the 2024-25 season. What makes me very happy as a Berliner: he liked the city so much that he moved to Berlin in 2018. He was attracted by the cosmopolitan culture and the many beautiful parks.

The Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall is the concert hall of the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco. The hall with 2,743 seats was completed in 1980 for 28 million US dollars to give the San Francisco Symphony a permanent home. When I entered the building, I thought I was visiting a modern building. Lots of glass, lots of white paint, few historical elements and decorations. Nevertheless, the building is now more than 45 years old! I really like the building and the great atmosphere. I put on nice clothes and felt very good getting out of my role as a caregiver and dressing up for a cultural event. Before the concert, I bought myself delicious strawberries dipped in chocolate and admired the beautiful building. I don't know much about classical music, so it's hard for me to describe why Cho is such a popular pianist. But it sounded very nice! I was amazed that he had no sheet music or notes; he seemed to have all the pieces in his head. Pieces by Joseph-Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) were played. He was a French composer and, alongside Claude Debussy, the main representative of impressionism in music. His best known work is the orchestral piece Bolero.

When I was still living in Berlin, I was the group leader of a level 2 youth group (12-16 years) of the Red Cross Youth. It was very difficult to say goodbye to the children because we had worked together for several years. I had promised them that I would come back after a year and work for a partnership between a youth Red Cross group in the USA and Berlin. When I arrived in America, I unfortunately had to realize that with six working days a week and working hours from 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., there was hardly any time left for volunteer work on the side. I would have loved to continue to be involved with the Red Cross here, but my work with the disabled takes up too much time for that. When I stayed in the USA, I also had to say goodbye to resuming my work as a group leader. I miss the children very much, but I also see on Instagram that some members from level 3 (16 and older) have now become group leaders and continue to organize great offers for my former group members. Thank you for your commitment! I had to think of this because I passed the Central Coast Red Cross in Santa Cruz on a bike tour and immediately thought of my former colleagues in Berlin. I would love to connect the Red Cross in Santa Cruz and Berlin, but I dont have the time for that...

One evening we went to the burger chain Carls Jr. to try it out. The burger was delicious, but in terms of quality and value for money it doesn't come close to the king of burgers, In & Out.

With our SAGE group we took a trip to Peets Coffee, where I drank a delicious mocha. As already reported in the past, on birthdays we rewrite the residents' and employees' favorite songs and sing them in the morning circle. My colleague Simon is, like me, a big Johnny Cash fan. We rewrote the song “Folsom Prison Blues” for him:

I hear the train coming

It's rolling round the bend

And I ain't seen the sunshine

Since I don't know when

I'm stuck in Camphill prison and

Time keeps dragging on

But that train keeps a-rolling 'on

Downtown Santa Cruzzzzzzz

When I was in Marimi

Householder told me son

Always say your grace

Don't ever play with buns

But I dig a trench in Ishi

Just to watch it overflow

When we hear the bell ringing

I hang my gloves and smileeeeeee

I see the office folks

They're playing candy crash

They're probably drinking coffee

And planning on the gala

Well, I know I had it coming

I know I can be free

But Simon keeps on shoving

And that's what inspires himmmmm

Well, they freed me from ishi garden

If that trench was mine

I bet l'd move it on

A little farther down the line

Far from Camphill prison

That's where I want to stayyyy And I'd let that lonesome whistle

Camphill blues away….

As written in week 26, we removed earth from the garden to widen the driveway and dug a hole. It was very strenuous work because we had to remove the thick roots with a pickaxe, axe and shovel. But when it rained heavily, the whole hole filled up. To this day we are waiting for the water to dry up so we can continue working there. Simon had worked a lot on it, so I had the idea with

"But I dig a trench in Ishi

Just to watch it overflow

When we hear the bell ringing

I hang my gloves and smileeeeeee"

The ringing of the bell is the signal for us to meet at the garden house, usually to have a snack or to finish work

One evening I baked delicious cookies. Some had a strawberry syrup glaze, others chocolate or peanut butter. The residents were very happy with the cookies. Next time I will take them out a little earlier because I like them when they are a little softer. Even if you think that the cookies might still be too soft, once they are out in the fresh air they get harder. If they are already firm in the oven, they become too firm after cooling. I have little baking experience and am happy to be able to experiment with different baking recipes here - to the delight of my residents!

At the moment, I often sit in the living room after work at 8:15 p.m. and write my essays, as many deadlines are currently approaching. I therefore often offer my colleagues to take over their night shifts, as I am sitting here anyway and writing my work. They are very happy about this, because it means they can go on trips with their friends.

I have not had much experience with artificial intelligence so far and am currently having a lot of fun with Chat GPT to experiment. I once asked Chat GPT for fun: "Tell me everything about Damon Ruhländer". In fact, ChatGPT has a precise answer to this question:

"Damon Ruhländer is a German educator and caregiver dedicated to inclusive education and social therapy. Born and raised in Brandenburg and Berlin, he pursued his academic career at Humboldt University in Berlin, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy/Ethics, followed by a Master of Education in the same fields.

During his studies, Damon gained practical experience by substitute teaching and conducting workshops on career guidance and methodological skills. He also volunteered as a group leader in the Red Cross Youth, for which he was awarded the Bronze Honor Needle.

In August 2023, seeking to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in inclusive education, Damon joined the Triform Camphill Community in Hudson, New York. There, he engaged in biodynamic farming and supported young adults with developmental disabilities, helping them transition from adolescence to adulthood.

A year later, in August 2024, Damon moved to Santa Cruz, California, to work at the Camphill Community California. In this community for adults with developmental disabilities, he serves as a caregiver and biodynamic gardener, focusing on cultivating organic produce and creating a supportive environment. Concurrently, he is studying Inclusive Social Development with a concentration in Social Therapy at the Camphill Academy, supported by a full Community Fellowship.

Damon shares his experiences and insights through a weekly blog on his personal website, aiming to provide a window into life within Camphill communities and the field of special education.

He is also active on Instagram, where he documents his journey and daily activities.

For a more in-depth look into his work and experiences, you can visit his website or follow his Instagram profile."

My second question was: "Tell me everything about the website www.damonruhlaender.de"

"Absolutely! Here’s a full rundown of www.damonruhlaender.de, the official personal website of Damon Ruhländer.

🔗 Website Overview:

Website URL:

www.damonruhlaender.de

Owner:

Damon Ruhländer, a German educator with a focus on inclusive education, philosophy, history, and social therapy.

Language:

The website is available in both German and English, making it accessible to visitors from Germany, the United States, and beyond.

📖 Main Purpose:

The website serves as a personal and professional platform for Damon to document his educational journey, career development, and hands-on experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities. It also functions as a blog and portfolio, showcasing his:

• Educational background

• Work experience

• Volunteering efforts

• Publications and press appearances

• Weekly reflections on his experiences in Camphill Communities in the U.S.

🧩 Key Sections:

1️⃣ Home ("Start")

This page gives visitors a clear overview of Damon’s story—from his upbringing in Brandenburg and Berlin to his university education at Humboldt University Berlin, and his journey to the U.S. to gain practical experience in inclusive education and social therapy.

• It explains his decision to volunteer and work at Camphill Communities.

• It highlights his passion for biodynamic gardening and community building.

• The page emphasizes his goal of bridging the gap between theory and practice in inclusive education.

2️⃣ Blog ("Blog")

The blog is a chronological travel and experience diary, organized into two major time periods:

- Year 1 – New York (2023-2024)

Damon spent his first year at Triform Camphill Community in Hudson, New York. The blog covers:

• Weekly updates detailing life at Triform.

• Visits to nearby cities such as New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

• Insights into his work in biodynamic farming and supporting young adults with developmental disabilities.

- Year 2 – California (2024-Present)

Damon currently works at Camphill Community California in Santa Cruz. This section of the blog includes:

• Weekly reflections on life and work in Santa Cruz.

• Weekend trips to places like San Francisco.

• Observations about the community lifestyle, biodynamic gardening, and inclusive social development.

- The blog also serves as a personal reflection space, where Damon connects his studies in history, philosophy, and education to his daily life and work.

3️⃣ About Me ("Über mich")

This section gives an in-depth look at Damon’s background, including:

• Education:
  Bachelor & Master of Education in History and Philosophy/Ethics from Humboldt University Berlin.

• Professional Experience:
  Substitute teaching, career guidance workshops, and youth group leadership with the German Red Cross.

• Volunteer Work:
  Leading youth groups, working with people with disabilities, and coordinating educational workshops.

• Awards:
  Recipient of the Bronze Honor Needle from the German Red Cross for his outstanding youth work.

• Publications & Press:
  Mentions and features in educational and community-focused publications.

• Scientific Work:
  Details on academic papers, projects, and research interests in inclusion, philosophy, and educational science.

4️⃣ Contact ("Kontakt")

Visitors can directly reach out to Damon through this section. It includes:

• Email contact form.

• Links to his social media profiles (like Instagram).

5️⃣ Legal Pages: Imprint ("Impressum") & Data Protection ("Datenschutz")

These sections cover:

• Legal information about website ownership (required under German law).

• Privacy policy detailing how data is handled on the website, including for contact forms and analytics.

🌐 Design & Tone:

• Minimalist, clean layout.

• Focus on personal storytelling and reflection.

• Emphasis on education, inclusion, and personal growth.

• Bilingual (German & English) to serve both German and international audiences.

📲 External Links & Social Media:

Damon also shares insights and updates on:

• Instagram: @damonphilipp - Photos, reflections, and stories from his time in Camphill communities.

• Occasionally linked to Camphill Academy and Humboldt University Berlin for context on his educational background.

🎯 Overall Vibe:

The website combines:

• Personal storytelling.

• Philosophical reflection.

• Educational advocacy.

• Practical documentation of life within inclusive communities.

• A deep interest in community-supported agriculture, social therapy, and holistic development.

Let me know if you want me to dive into specific blog posts, sections, or even translations from the German side of the site!"

I was very impressed by these two answers! I did not feed the artificial intelligence with any specifications or information, it wrote everything independently and pulled all the information from my website. I couldn't have summarized it better myself.

For the upcoming benefit gala, we produced a lot of muesli in the SAGE workshop. The muesli is very tasty, we use honey, oats, almonds, coconut oil, brown sugar and salt. You can find the recipe in the post for week 9:

https://www.damonruhlaender.de/week-1-9#h.svckrsg5len3

We made a bag of granola for each guest at the gala, so we also had to use the ovens of other houses. The "Candlemaking" workshop made very beautiful beeswax and shell candles. We rewarded ourselves for our hard work in Costco with a delicious ice cream!

Every Tuesday in Rest Hour I do my project with a resident, where I lead joint activities. Since Valentine's Day was coming up, we prepared a Valentine's Day surprise for her boyfriend. I helped her paint a beautiful picture and package it together with a bar of chocolate for her friend.

Valentine's Day was organized by the 1-year volunteers who are taking a gap year in Camphill, California after graduating from high school. We academy students had organized All Souls Day in the past. One volunteer played music as a DJ, others organized games and dances, others baked delicious snacks, cakes and macarons. There was also a photo corner with props for funny pictures. I danced a lot with the resident with whom I run the worm farm as a project. In one game we had to dance without letting the balloon fall to the ground between us. In another game we danced on a surface that got smaller after each round. The snacks were super delicious and we had a lot of fun! For our movie night after the party we baked pizza in the shape of a heart. In front of the hall there was a clothesline with lots of letters on it, each with the name of a member of our community. We were allowed to choose a letter and were supposed to give the person a nice Valentine's Day present. I wrote a letter and baked cookies for another student in my class. I personally received a letter from SAGE and Walking Crew, which I was very happy about. Not only did they write a very appreciative text, they also took the effort to print out the best photos from the six months and stick them on the card. They wrote:

"Hello Demon! Damon!

Thank you for all your patience, understanding, for always being approachable and open to help.

Thank you for your compassion with sage crew members.

We hope you enjoy the workshops and proud of you in the way you dedicate to academy!

"Nobody said it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it!!

- someone-

With appreciation...

Sage Crew and Walking Crew"

The heavy rain not only flooded our construction site on the driveway, there was also a landslide. Behind the house where I live, a small path leads along a ravine to another Camphill house. The heavy rain washed away a tree, which then fell over and took a good part of the path with its roots. The path is now so small that it is too dangerous to walk along it with the residents. We have therefore closed the path; an external company will probably soon build a wooden wall to secure the path.

On a rainy day, our garden workshop took on the hall. We did a basic cleaning and tidied up the costume room and music room. It was exciting to see how many different musical instruments we have. The expensive bells for the bell choir were polished and all the shelves were wiped down. When cleaning up the music room with a resident, we tried out funny costumes every now and then, which was a lot of fun. In the music room we found numerous lyrics and sheet music. We laid them all out, made piles of the same songs and then sorted them alphabetically. It was a lot of work, but the musicians were very happy because it was always a big challenge to find the lyrics they were looking for. So they often printed out the lyrics again, even though we had enough copies.

One evening we volunteers organized a poker evening together. In order not to wake the sleeping residents, we played outside. But it got so cold that we had to get blankets. I have never played poker before, so my colleagues explained the game to me. To help me, I opened an overview of poker hands on my phone. Poker is quite complicated and unfortunately I didn't have that much fun. I like games where you mainly talk and that you play casually. In poker, everyone was very focused on the game and discussed the rules now and again. But I expected that we would talk more and not just focus on the game.

One evening we went to Mariannes, where I bought myself a delicious ice cream. If you are interested in my highlights in Santa Cruz and want to know why Mariannes is such a special ice cream shop and why President Biden visited there, you can read about it on the "Santa Cruz Highlights" subpage.

In the academy, when we learn new topics, we often get the chance to artistically represent what we have learned. We read the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley and were asked to artistically express what we felt when reading it. Each of us painted a picture, then we passed it on to another student who was asked to add a new aspect to the picture. A great exercise, you can see the picture in this blog post.

"Out of the night that covers me

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance,

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul."

On Presidents Day we organized a beach cleanup. All the houses went to the beach in Rio del Mar. Once there, we formed pairs of two who walked the beach with garbage bags and gloves and collected garbage. Each pair documented the trash so that we had an overview of how much garbage we had collected as a community that day. Spending a whole morning in the sun on the beach was a lot of fun, but at the same time it was very satisfying to see how many sections of beach we were able to clean.

One of our householders celebrated her 70th birthday. The trained actress comes from England and taught the "Speech Observation" course at the academy. We prepared a big party, many of our musicians (trombone, piano, guitar...) prepared beautiful pieces of music. There were also delicious snacks and a fantastic cake. Some of her family members were there and she was delighted to receive many gifts. We are all very grateful to have her in our community!

A volunteer in my house attended a Waldorf school. You can tell that because she always has lots of ideas for handicrafts and art projects and likes to share her fascination with others. I hardly had any art lessons, so I'm always happy to learn something from her. This week she started a "chia cat". This is a terracotta planter that is filled with moistened chia seeds. These germinate within a few weeks and grow into a green shell. This way you can create a small, green work of art that makes a beautiful decoration.

Camphill invited a police officer from the California Highway Patrol to a training course. The California Highway Patrol is the equivalent of the New York State Police, which as state police is also primarily responsible for the highways and supports the police authorities of the cities and counties in emergencies. The Highway Patrol and its iconic motorcycle police officers on coastal roads are known from numerous films. The police officer gave a one-hour lecture on driving safety and distractions in traffic. He then answered our questions. I had a question about the police's responsibilities. In contrast to Germany, where we have the federal police and the state police, there are far more police authorities here. Our Camphill is in Soquel, which does not have its own police force. In the immediate vicinity, however, I have seen the California Highway Patrol, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff Department, the Capitola Police and the Santa Cruz Police. He explained to us that if something happens in Camphill, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff Department would respond. As the county police authority, they are responsible for all "unincorporated" cities, i.e. all communities that do not have their own administration and police. If a traffic accident were to happen on the road in front of our Camphill, the California Highway Patrol would be responsible, as Fairway Drive is under the jurisdiction of the state police. If an accident occurs in the area of ​​the city of Capitola or Santa Cruz, the respective city police would respond. The Capitola Police Department employs 22 police officers, the Santa Cruz Police Department employs 94 police officers, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff Department employs 165 police officers and the California Highway Patrol employs 6406 police officers across the entire state, 64 of them in the nearest station in Aptos. A very interesting lecture from which I learned a lot (even if I am not a driver). I was also allowed to take a look inside the car, where an assault rifle was ready next to the driver's seat. In America, where guns are very common among the population, police officers have to expect gun violence at any time and are therefore much more cautious during checks. It is therefore also recommended to keep your hands on the steering wheel during traffic stops and not to reach into your compartments without warning.

When I was in Triform, there was a New York State Police station very close by. I know from the past that they were usually the first to arrive in emergencies. Our zip code was for the city of Hudson, although their police tended to focuse on the city. However, the Columbia County Sheriff Department is primarily responsible for the communities of Livingston and Claverack, where our properties are located.

When I drove past the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office, I saw a car with the inscription "Sheriff Volunteer". I did some research and found out how many places the police department is supported by volunteers. The website lists the following volunteer jobs:

• Child ID Fingerprinting Technician: Represent the Sheriff’s Office at scheduled community events. Fingerprint children for I.D. purposes.

• Child Safety Program Presentation Assistant:  Assist a Sheriff’s Office Staff with presenting the Child Safety Program in elementary school. Work with students in small group discussions, activities and skits to facilitate learning various topics related to their safety.

• Civil Assistant: Enter check numbers and checks amounts into Civil database and reconcile with bank statement

• Civilian Patrol Driver: Drive Sheriff’s Office volunteer vehicle. Conduct security checks of neighborhoods, parks and of specific residences participating in the vacation watch program. Verify abandoned vehicles and document for code enforcement officer.

• Community Contact Team Member: Provide current and accurate information by personally disseminating information to a specific affected area identified by the Sheriff’s Office.

• Coroner Clerical Assistant: Provide clerical assistance to the Corner’s department. The assistant will most likely consist of clerical duties and other duties as assigned.

• Coroner Forensic Assistant: Provide autopsy and investigative assistance to the Coroner Department.

• Coroner Statistical Projects Assistant: Assist the Coroner Pathologist with epidemiological data collection and analysis with a primary focus on opioid deaths in Santa Cruz County.

• Crime Prevention Inspector: Assist Sheriff’s Office staff with the Crime Prevention Inspection Program by conducting site visits to residences and businesses, performing inspections and providing written recommendations.

• Event Assistant: Represent the Sheriff’s Office and serve at scheduled community events such as the County Fair, National Night Out, Wharf to Wharf, and Trunk or Treat Halloween Festival

• Fixed Wing Pilot Volunteer: Conduct flights and be responsible for the proper conduct and safety of the flight for several missions, including but not limited to search and rescue operations, surveillance, natural disaster operations, civil unrest and preplanned events.

• Forensic Clerical Assistant: Provide clerical, administrative and project assistance to support the Forensics Sections

• Forensic Technical Assistant: Assist the Coroner Section and Forensic Services in a variety of technical assignments.

• Genealogy Research Assistant: Assist in the research of unidentified cases where there is a genetic profile appropriate for genealogy database research.

• Historical Archive Photo Specialist: Organize, label display and research the history of the Sheriff’s Office.

• Investigation Crime Assistant: Assist the Investigation Division with cold-case crimes.

• Minor Decoy: Under direct deputy supervision, minor decoy will attempt to purchase alcohol and tobacco from licensed businesses in Santa Cruz County. Volunteer must between 19 ½ to 20 years old.

• Missing Persons Unit Assistant: Assist the Investigation Division with the investigation of missing person cases.

• Patrol Chaplain: Support Patrol staff and the public during and after traumatic events.

• Records Data Entry: Data entry to assist Records staff when work is backlogged or there is a staff shortage. Data is entered into the local Records system.

• Recruitment and Hiring Clerical Assistant: Assist the Recruitment and Hiring Division with clerical support for recruitment, testing, hiring and events.

• Service Center Office Assistant: Greet and assist the public at the Service Centers. Provide the public with information and referrals, provide crime prevention information, answer phone calls, perform clerical duties and special projects.

• Sheriff’s Activity League Assistant: Assist and support the Sheriff’s Activity League with recreational activities for youth in our community.

Qualifications Required:

• Minimum 18 years of age.

• Good moral standards and a desire to take an active role in improving the quality of life in the community

• A valid California driver's license and a good driving record (depending upon the specific duties assigned)

• Basic Computer Skills

• Satisfactory completion of a background check

• Customer Service experience

• *Volunteers will not be armed and will not carry any kind of weapon.

Training:

The Volunteer Training Academy is a total of 4 days spread out over a two week period, and is presented by Sheriff personnel.

Time commitment:

A minimum commitment of 6 months is required, at a minimum of 16 hours per month. Volunteers generally work one four-hour shift, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A voluntary police service exists in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and Saxony. Here they are primarily there to increase the feeling of security in public areas, to support the police forces and to be present as a contact person for citizens. In Berlin, where I live, there are no volunteers in the police force. In (West) Berlin, the Volunteer Police Reserve existed from 1961 to 2002. In the early days, their task was to support the full-time police forces in the event of an attack on the city or political unrest. The main task was to protect property, and after the East-West conflict had eased, traffic monitoring. In the 1990s, there were discussions about the police reserve, as a fifth of the members were criminals or active in right-wing extremist circles. The first reaction was to rename it the Volunteer Police Service, and in 2002 it was finally disbanded.

I have actually already made the acquaintance of the sheriff's department. I was riding my bike at night and saw blue lights, although I didn't think they were for me. A short time later, I heard a siren wail, which made me skeptical. A short time later, the police car drove up next to me and gave me a hand signal to stop at the side of the road. The police got out and asked to see my ID card. A police officer gave my name on his radio to check my personal details. They had stopped me because my bike lights were not switched on. The problem was that the users before me had not charged the bike lights, and a short time later, they no longer had any power left. I did not have my passport with me, only my German ID card. They asked a few questions about who the bike belonged to and where I lived. One police officer could even say a few words in German because he apparently has ancestors from Germany. They were very nice and recommended that I use bicycle lights at night in the future. Back in Camphill, I then wrote an email to those responsible for the bicycle fleet and asked them to buy more bicycle lights so that one pair could always be charged and one pair could be used. This was my second encounter with the police so far. In New York, a car in which I was sitting as a passenger with two other volunteers was once stopped by the New York State Police. My driver was a little distracted by the conversation and had unknowingly crossed the middle lane several times. But this police officer was also very friendly and was very interested in our work as volunteers for people with disabilities. There was no fine or anything like that here either, just a reminder to pay more attention to the middle line. So far, I have had very positive experiences with the police here.