2020 was marked by non-critical, manipulative, polarizing, and one-sided media reporting, as well as the restriction of personal mobility, the suppression of freedom of expression (based on non-scientific principles), and the emergence of something that has not yet been used to this extent in Austria by government parties. The political instrument of the “politics of fear”.

A sad and alarming sign of a change that needs to be critically questioned and constantly observed to recognize trends and directions on time to see possible negative impacts on the lives of the general Austrian public.

However, the year 2020 also had positive highlights, at least for us, the Kornhäusl’s:

• In January, I was able to take the final exam (after completing the course in less than the minimum period of study) and completed the MBA course with high distinction.
• In March, on the first day of the Corona restrictions in place in Kenya, our second daughter decided to start exploring the world. Marie-Sophie Habiba Luna (MSHL) was born on the 13th of March 2020, weighing 3.56 kg and with a height of 51 cm.
• Home-schooling (HS) at the International German School in Nairobi was introduced in March and lasted the entire calendar year. This brought some challenges but also brought us closer as a family.
• In March, the DBTA network office closed for a few weeks, and the mode was switched to the home office (HO). Fortunately, the office was able to reopen after a few weeks due to the low Corona infection rates in Kenya. This enabled the team to coordinate the implementation of the programs signed for. The Social Structure Fund Project Phase II (SSFP-II), the Global Program (GP), the Erasmus Pilot Program between the European and African Union (SAAM), and others were successfully continued after an intensive phase of redesigning the implementation of work packages.
• My contract with the Salesian Continental Network Office for TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) in Africa was extended (with the consent of all parties involved).
• And “last but not least”, I decided to expand my scooter collection to include scooters from the 80s and 90s. Some exhibits have already been secured so that the collection now contains around 120 vehicles.

All in all, we, the Kornhäusl’s, can look back on the thoroughly positive year 2020 but at the same time, we are concerned with the understanding of democracy of some of our Austrian politicians and the associated changes in the political landscape and especially the non-emergence of political alternatives in our beautiful Austria.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year 2021 to all our friends, relatives, and people we know worldwide, and all the best for the new year. May all your wishes come true.

2020 taught us a lot. We wish for our family of mankind that “together” comes more into the general focus than the celebration of individualism, as this does not support development in the long run.

Furthermore, it is our wish for 2021 too, that all members of our human family question and analyze information, situations, and conditions in a more critical manner in order to understand the background of the propaganda (we are not referring to the common term as we understand it now but to the approaches and explanations of Edward Bernays) of those who pull the strings. All people should come to a point at which they understand and, based on their increased knowledge and insights, make evidence-based and for themselves the right choices. Nobody should be caught by the newly emerging negative propaganda of the “politics of fear”.

With these thoughts again all the best and we look forward to a wonderful 2021.

The Family Without Borders – The Kornhaeusl’s

On March 13th, 2020 at 09.03 a. m. our second daughter, Marie-Sophie Habiba Luna, was born. She has a couple of names, because we simply couldn’t agree on one. So each of the family member was allowed to choose one name. This is how it came about that Marie-Sophie has three names; Marie-Sophie from Roland, Habiba from Amina (it was the name of Amina’s mother) and Luna given by Marie-Therese Aisha. Marie-Sophie weighed 3.56 kg and was 51 cm tall at birth. She grows, thrives and does what she is supposed to do … crying, laughing, eating and pooping.

I finally got, after completing my master studies in Project and Process Management last year, the graduation documents and certificates. Passed with high distinction (overall percentage 94.3 %) and completed in under the minimum study time. Now its official, the MBA-Holder R.K.

Marie-Therese has been on home-schooling since mid-March. The students are being taught by the German International School Nairobi through additional homework’s and self-studies as well as through sessions in virtual classrooms from time to time. A change at the beginning. This was a bit of a change in the approach. However, with a strategic approach and a little discipline, it is absolutely possible. Only the social interaction with other students and friends is missing.

Corona is also turning our planning (but not life) of the year upside down. After three years we were looking forward to a few weeks in Austria after renewing our contract here in Nairobi. At the moment we don’t know if this will be possible. We still hope that we will be able to go. I don’t want to say more about the whole “Corona Thing” as it would require a longer discussion about SARS-CoV-2 but also many other topics. Only so much: I am personally stunned and shaken by the one-sided, not at all evidence-based and scientific reporting as well as handling of the situation. I am happy to have a deeper exchange with people interested in. Kindly shoot me an email.

So, that’s the update from our side for now. And “We’ll be back”. Warm greetings from Nairobi.

The four Musketeers Kornhaeusl’s

Sohano is a small island which lays in the passage. It’s quite green (as everything here) and you can also see the remaining of a plane from WW II. As there is something like a private resort on it you can find a little bit of gardening done – quite beautiful.

By the way I wasn’t part of the trip as I now became something like “The constant gardener”. You are asking the reason? I’ll tell you: You cut plants, it rains (once a day), it grows and what do you think? Right – you cut again and it rains again …… the circle of life, isn’t it?

Our feet were washed and we got leave necklaces. This was done by somebody who works with the Bougainville Traditional Health Centre – that means somebody who is capable to do the right thing to us and our feet. Since this time we are now “clean” and nothing bad can happen to us any longer.

After this we were also allowed and invited to see the different plants which are used by the Bougainvillians for centuries to cure all kinds of sicknesses and diseases. Amina found out that there are quite a number of them (the same or similar ones) which are even growing in her country but might not be used for the same purposes.

On the way to Bougainville Island the skipper saw the fear from my Mama and went very slow, on the way back the other skipper made a little bit of fun and speeded up. My Mama was like a stone – not able to move but very happy to get to the other side without drowning in the South Pacific.

The water is very clear and dark blue. On the market you find a lot of fish, fish products, grey fish, crabs, ….. but more later one

Sure at the beginning I was nervous as well as I didn’t know what to expect and felt a little bit uncomfortable. But after 10 minutes in school everything was ok and now I am already looking forward to the next days (as there is only 1 week left before 3 weeks of holidays will start). The plan is to go for swimming across the passage to “main land”. The school has nice teachers, whereby one of them is Margret S, the wife of Andi S.

Whenever the day finishes (in Pisin: taim san i go daun) and I am coming home tired from playing and waiting for supper I become a little sad because I miss my friends from Austria and Kenya and also Oma and Opa.

Bougainville is a really beautiful Island if you have passion for nature. Unbelievably long palm trees and Cocoa plantations, plenty of trees which provide all kind of fruits as well as sweet potatoes, yams, cassava and much more.

Flowers and any plants are just growing all over. For beauties like these you pay a lot in Austria or Africa, but here they are just growing wild and you have to cut them down every two weeks. Orchids higher than 2 metres are just normal!

And the people! Wow! Friendly, everybody is greeting you even if they don’t know you and they are so curious and very respectful. There are no beggars around and when you are walking around nobody will disturb you. Sometime they just ask questions and want to know more about you, where you are coming from, what you are doing, …..

We even had good luck as Bishop Bernhard Unabali was around and invited us for supper together with Andi and Margaret.

The next step cleaning the house and do some shopping. This was the time when we got a real shock. The prices are just extremely high – everything costs much more than in Austria or Kenya.

With the help from Andi, his wife and Andre and Ute (also HORIZONT3000 TAs) we were exploring the town. They really gave us a very nice and warm welcome.

MTA’s first days in Buka went well though she was tired of all the travelling. She was really fed up and happy at the arrival in Buka. She said: “Yeah, now we are here – no more flying!” Marie-Therese became immediately friends with the three children – Hapea, Franz and their cousin Nana. It’s good that they just living around the corner. But much more children are living around the compound. They are all friends now and meeting and playing at the big grass field just in front of our house.

The children here are very open and have no fear to new children. They just took MTA in and she was part of the group and playing with what the nature provides, no toys!!!. Nobody is an outsider here, or others are laughing about others. They are playing very peaceful together.

]]> http://familywithoutborders.at/?feed=rss2&p=175&lang=en 0 http://familywithoutborders.at/?p=154&lang=en http://familywithoutborders.at/?p=154&lang=en#comments Wed, 05 Jun 2013 02:31:16 +0000 admin http://familywithoutborders.at/?p=154 The day of travelling! The start to a long journey to the far east – to the beginning of the world or to the end – you name it.

We said Good-bye to our family, neighbours and friends and then the journey started with the trip from the bush of Austria/Bad Gleichenberg to Vienna Airport. There Kerstin Rotter joined us. Kerstin will work in Arawa/Bougainville as well. Together we went to Dubai with a 10-hour-stop to the connection flight to Singapore. As there was not room booked we stayed at the Airport in Dubai. Roland and MTA were trying to relax but Amina wasn’t able to sleep due to the sleeping opportunities at the Airport. Next day we flew to Singapore with some delay but just enough time to get the connection flight to Papua New Guinea – Port Moresby, our “residence” for the next two days.

We tried to organize as much as possible (were not much because of holiday and weekend) in the one day we had left. After all we were able – through help from our family and friends – to deregister Marie-Therese from Kindergarten and School, to visit our doctor of trust and pack our luggage’s. These were one of the trickiest agenda as we didn’t know which airline we would be booked on and therefore also the quantity of luggage’s allowed.

Finally, time to say “Good bye” came – a last “Schnitzel with Kernoel-Salad, a Backhendl and the last Austrian beer(s) at our favourite place Gasthaus “Zur Sonne”. Even Evelyne and Barbara at the Kindergarten were able to make a farewell party for MTA and many of MTA’s friends were really sad that she is leaving again to a far away land. It was not that easy for many of them and some tears ran down their cheeks.

Thanks a lot for all the wishes and farewell gifts (which are with MTA here in Buka).