Hospitality

I’m really impressed with the hospitality I’ve been getting in my work.
My colleague Corina asked me how I was living in residence, and I told her about how I needed to purchase cutleries, pots, bowls, and plates for the kitchen. She immediately told me, “Tomorrow I bring some what I can find in my apartment.”

Which she did the next day.

My supervisor Michaela has been utterly hospitable too. Seeing that my residence was not too far from work, she said it should be good for biking! “And I can get you one! I’ll just ask my husband to lend out an old one.”

And she did the following week.

But one problem I had with the bike is… well, Germans are tall. Michaela is about 180, and her son is only 15, and already 185 cm. We don’t need to know or guess how tall her husband is. Thus, the bike was pretty tall. Yea, I’m not tall.

Even when we adjusted the seat to the lowest, my feet still couldn’t touch the ground while sitting on the bike, which is rather uncomfortable when I’m trying to start the bike or rest during red light. She was really concerned that I might injure myself in an accident because of the gap.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t be too picky. She has given me more than what I needed!

However, during the working hours of the day that she lent me the bike, she came by and said, “Oliver, bitte komm in mein Buero.” With a serious tone. What did I do? Or… was there a new task assigned for me?

I entered her office.
She asked to close the door and have a seat.

“So I was on the website and found someone selling a bike for 60 euros!!! I think our organization can get it for you. It doesn’t seem very tall, though it’s a bit old. This person doesn’t live too far from me. I can get it tomorrow for you! Come and have a look!”

My mind just went… huh? She’s still thinking about the bike?

LOL.

I later had to calm her saying that I will first test the bike by riding to and from work, and if it still poses a concern, I can go to a bike shop near the train station to get a very cheap bike.

That incident really impressed me a lot.