The Christmas tree was shining, the stalls were set up, the drinks were chilled, and the tents were erected. At four o’clock the students, staff, parents, teachers, friends of the school and visitors were ready. The parking lot was full.
Just as punctually, the first flashes of lightning flashed from the sky and the clouds piled up.
At a quarter past four, the Christmas tree was no longer standing, feet were wet, no stall was out in the open and the demand for hot coffee, punch and cocoa exceeded the desire for cold drinks.
For me, it was the first Advent bazaar at the CDSC and I must admit that I briefly thought about whether the whole event would now fall into the water.
But the tables were set up in and around the auditorium and in the cafeteria. The seventh grade offered their can throwing instead of outside now in the gym, where the kids could just let off steam. Everyone pitched in and made sure that all the activities were held in the dry.
Because of the rain, the result was a really cozy Christmas market where people ate, bought, talked and laughed a lot.
Food from many cultures was offered: The ninth grade sold their hot traditional Swiss barley soup, the German recipe bratwurst was grilled by the twelfth grade, the kindergarten offered Italian pizza and of course, various hot Thai dishes were not missing.
Also, many friends of the school offered homemade bread, homemade purses or Christmas decorations.
The highlight of the evening was the Christmas carols sung by the many students under the accompaniment of Carolin Fiseni from the dome of the auditorium from above down on the visitors of the bazaar.
In the end, one could see many happy and satisfied faces and proud pupils’ eyes. And although the atmosphere was a bit like a German Christmas market on a rainy December evening, everyone wishes for a beautiful Advent bazaar again next year, but then in a Thai cloudless sunset.
Sebastian Brendel
