A Californian wedding

Ben Davis & Michelle Schoser on September 27th, 2015

St. Pauli Refugee Welcome Space

The summer 2015 is in Germany marked by the arrival of thousands of refugees from war-ridden countries such as Syria, Irak and many more. All over the country, numerous community initiative emerge to welcome the new arrivals and provide them with first care.

In Hamburg, the local fair-trade soft drinks maker Lemonaid sponsors one of those initiatives: 'The St. Pauli Refugee Welcome Space.' Frederike Schoser takes part in this initiative and coordinates the various activities proposed such as language courses, legal advice, children programmes and sport activities.

The gardener

After finishing school, Vincent Schoser started an apprenticeship as gardener on 1 September 2015. His employer is Garten Moser, a company that has been active in garden design and maintenance for 80 years. Garten Moser has currently 230 employees among which 12 apprentices.

Vincent (standing 2nd from right) with the other new apprentices

During the 3-year apprenticeship, Vincent will learn everything from greening roofs and facades to building sport facilities. To start their apprenticeship, the new apprentices made a weekend excursion when they went hiking guided only by GPS, cut trees and made furniture from the wood and slept in a shepherd's hut.