Welcome to the vhs newsletter

The elections in autumn 2023 - in Offenbach for Lord Mayor and the Seniors' Council, in Hesse as well as in neighboring Bavaria for the state parliament - have taken place. Coalitions have already been formed or are still being negotiated, new terms of office have already begun or are in preparation. Some see themselves as election winners, others as election losers.

One conclusion applies after all the elections in fall 2023: Voter turnout was nowhere near as high as desired. Many voters stayed at home and (once again) did not vote. In the Offenbach mayoral election, just 26.5% of those eligible to vote cast their ballot. There is much talk of democratic fatigue, of frustration, of the fact that we all need to explain politics differently, talk to people more, involve them better, involve them and inform them. The adult education center is always a good choice for this - because anyone who learns something new is better informed afterwards than before. If you discuss things with others, you will have heard several opinions, have left your own bubble and have a more comprehensive picture and a broader (knowledge) basis for making decisions.

Your adult education center will hopefully always remain a good choice when it comes to diversity, cohesion in our society and peaceful coexistence. In its countless offers for everyone in Offenbach - with its employees, participants and lecturers from all parts of the world - the vhs lives encounters, community and togetherness day after day. May this spirit spill over into our one world, which is currently out of joint in many places. Violence, war, hatred and terror, polarization and extremes are taking hold. Opposition instead of togetherness, enemies instead of friends all too often characterize the news, unleashing fear and sadness even in our midst.

Rita Süßmuth, Honorary President of the German Adult Education Association, once said "Don't leave the world to the madmen." (bene!-Verlag, 2020) and called on us to stand up for values and make humanity possible. If each and every one of us, all of us together, start doing this here in our vhs-Offenbach cosmos, it will be a good choice for a good world.

After a long corona break, we finally got together again, celebrated together, exchanged ideas, experienced the vhs in a different way and simply said "THANK YOU". Thank you for the great work, the extra work you have done during the corona period and that there are so many of you - you dear lecturers. It should be an appreciation of your work, the lecturers' party of the vhs Offenbach. On Friday, October 13, we invited them all to the main hall of the vhs. Under the motto "Die vhs tafelt!" (The vhs dines!), we arranged a convivial get-together where the participants could get to know each other better by making contact and exchanging ideas. The vhs staff provided the setting and the lecturers could only enjoy themselves. We succeeded! It was a wonderful party. The feedback from the guests was consistently positive, so much so that Dirk Wolk-Pöhlmann, head of the office, announced immediately after the party: "We'll do it again in two years' time!" We are looking forward to it.

We are in the final spurt of our fall semester, but we still have a few highlights in terms of courses and events for you. Take a look at the program again or let yourself be inspired here. We have put together a small selection of the best offers for you:

Cookery courses are something special at the vhs. But a course that runs as well as Manju Kumar's is unique. In her Indian cooking classes, she always conjures up delicious dishes that are easy to recreate, delighting her many followers. Just like on 24.11., at her last online cooking course. The fact that the course takes place online means that many course participants can take part, cook and enjoy together with family and friends at home. Here are a few comments from the chat and some that reached us by email:

• Hello, thank you very much, it tastes delicious to us and the children...
• Great cooking course, thank you very much
• and many thanks to the whole team. You are super.
• The food is ready, everything went well, it looks delicious, my husband is delighted. Thank you all from the team, it was fun again, bon appétit too
• We'll be back again. It was so great again. Manju, you are fantastic
• Thanks to the VHS and Manju and Falko
• It was great again and my husband and I really enjoyed it. Thank you, best wishes from Frankfurt
• It was another wonderful cooking evening. We hope for many more to follow. Best wishes and lots of praise.

We have nothing more to add...

Free information events for parents on the topic of "What happens after school?" took place in October in a total of 9 languages of origin. Interested parents were informed about what options their children have in the German training and education system after school. They received answers to questions such as:

- What can my child do after leaving school?
- What is a vocational school and what can you learn there?
- What is the difference between a dual course of study, a course of study at a university of applied sciences and a university course of study?
- Where can my child and I get advice?

The events took place at the vhs and online. Each event was held by professional educational mediators in Arabic, Bulgarian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Urdu, Turkish and simple German. These mediators want to explain the German school and education system to parents in different languages. This enables parents to better support their children on their educational pathways and when making educational decisions.

The events are gratefully received by numerous parents every year. In October alone, around 100 people registered for this information series.

Further events will take place in spring 2024 on the transition from nursery to elementary school. Information on this can be found on our website - just click on the image.

It's almost time again - our next program will be published on 12 December 2023! And we have a great motto for 2024: ENERGY.

Let us surprise you with the different "forms" of energy we have packed into our courses and lectures for you. All under the motto:

Awaken the energy that lies within you!

Once again, we have a great quiz question for you. Today we have chosen it to match our prize - a cereal bowl. Start a healthy, energetic day with us. Here is our question:

What is not normally found in muesli?

A: Oat flakes

B: Raisins

C: Gherkin

Win one of three cereal bowls. They are nice and big, made of snow-white porcelain and fit on any breakfast table.

And if you can tell us who invented muesli, we'll give you an organic muesli as a gift. Every correct answer wins. We promise!

Simply send your answer, stating the letter and, if you like, the name of the muesli inventor, to vhs@offenbach.de by December 22, 2023 .

We will notify the winners by email by January 10, 2024. You will find out the answer in the next newsletter. Employees of the vhs and their relatives are excluded from participation.

The answer from the last newsletter quiz is:

Answer B: Lord Mayor / Lord Mayoress

Congratulations to the winners!

Who hasn't experienced the hectic pre-Christmas period? Driven by Christmas parties, appointments and buying presents, we race through these four weeks. And yet the Advent season is supposed to be a wonderful time. That's why we at the vhs Offenbach have come up with something: Advent moments for all the senses.

We invite you to pause for a moment, to take a contemplative break, to enjoy a cozy get-together in the pre-Christmas period - 30 minutes of art and culinary delights.

We have invited artists from Offenbach to provide poetry and music. In addition, our production school Start Projekt will conjure up something delicious to eat and warm us up from the inside with a hot drink.

All this will take place on a total of 4 dates on the plateau in front of the adult education center. Watch as a little door opens at the vhs, beautiful Christmas music plays and then a short, atmospheric program starts. Different artists will be performing on each date, taking us on their Christmas journey. So it's well worth attending more than just once. Enjoy the anticipation of Christmas with us and all your senses - a little time out.

Fri, 1.12., 12:30 pm
Simon Isser: "Die Offenbacher Pfeffernüsse" by Karl Eichhorn
Dario Martinez, ukulele

Tue, 5.12., 17:00 h
Winno Sahm: Contemplative music for ear and heart
Young string players from the Offenbach music school

Wed, 13.12., 12:30 pm
Ida Todisco: "Christmas - Stories from Italy"
Frank Spannaus, piano

Tue, 19.12., 18:00 h
City Councillor Paul-Gerhard Weiß, introduction
Reverend Ludwig Schneider-Trotier, Christmas blessing
Choir pro:ton

We wish you a quiet, contemplative and peaceful end to the year. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones, friends and families. Celebrate the festival of life and the hope for love and peace in the world that the Christmas story awakens. It starts with you.