The village of Bad Homburg prepares itself during all the summer for celebrating the Laternenfest, translated as The Lantern Festival. From the 28th to the 31st of August, groups of music, food stalls, beer, coloured lighting, fairground rides and parade of carriages of different topics gather all the neighbourhood of Bad Homburg. During my stay in the town, I was lucky I could take part in this 80-year anniversary of the festival. Many festivalgoers witness this event year after year. One of them is Joachim, a man whose celebration mode is always on and whose sentences are always completed with a derisive laughter.
Josch’s American Shot. Conversation in Bad Homburg, Germany. Source: www.ritapouso.com
His name is Joachim. His friends call him Josch. He is from Germany and he currently lives in Bad Homburg. Amidst laughter, he defines himself as a really nice and funny boy. He loves life and he confirms to be the guy who will explain you a joke, if necessary. He will do it in German though. He repairs and builds traffic lights for the people. Before explaining me that he drives between six and eight hours a day in order to repair the traffic lights, he states: “We have been talking for 5 minutes! It’s too much for me. Today I’ve party evening, you also! Do you want to drink a beer, please?” And he offered me a glass of beer.
What is happiness for you?
Happiness is for me being satisfied with everything I have: my wife and my son.
(Josch, Germany. 26th of August, 2015)
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