I had the wonderful privilege to spend the last week in Münster, Germany. It was a privilege not only because it is a beautiful town, but it is home to our own Holger (the TuD Geek of the year for 2009)! I had the chance to spend time with Holger and Franziska, his fiancée. They were wonderful hosts and made me feel at home right away by providing me a bike (you can’t be a local in Münster without a bike, as you can see by the site outside the train station), giving me a tour of the town, and welcoming me into their home.
This is the first time that I met any member of the TuDiabetes family. It was so exciting!!! The main feeling that I had was that we did not meet last week – we already knew each other! When we sat down the first evening, we started talking about our common friends and our lives with type 1 diabetes. It was like meeting up again with an old friend, which shows how strong the friendships in this community are.
I always say that what drew me to TuDiabetes is the feeling of knowing that I am not alone. There were many points in the time that we spent together that I was reminded that I was not alone. Here are just a few:
- When we sat down in the café to order drinks, I ordered a water and Holger ordered a Coke light (diet Coke). He made a comment that these are really the only two things that we can order! In European cafés, it really is! I have commented on this many times to non-D friends and I noticed that they don't get why it is a big deal. With Holger, we just knew right away that these are our choices and we have the same choices.
- Every time Holger tested his blood sugar, I did too. When we were together, we never tested alone!
- Having dinner at the home of Holger and Franziska, I knew that I could request carb counts for anything. He was counting too!
- We could talk excitedly about glucose tabs for hours!!! We even went and bought some together.
- ...
The list could go on and on. I came to two conclusions after our meet up:
- I'm SO glad that I had the opportunity to meet Holger and Franziska!!
- Even if we can't meet up with friends on TuDiabetes, the bonds that we build are so special and should be cherished!
Many thanks to Holger and Franziska! :)