On behalf of our team, I am pleased to welcome you to ENGLISH POST. On the 6th August 2020, following several months of preparation by a small but dedicated team on a wholly voluntary basis, we launched this website.
We are really excited about this project and the opportunities it offers to create articles covering many aspects of life in this area. To provide information in English about the region, about the diversity of its people and their stories, cultures, events, locations, politics, businesses and sports. All the highlights and opportunities it has to offer, and perhaps even some of the gossip. We want to inform, drive curiosity, promote that which exists, establish new connections and maybe help to realise new projects. Sometimes we might illuminate less favourable aspects of life in the region, but in the hope that this might bring about some improvement to the situation. We are also dependent upon you to tell us what is happening in your communities so we can relay that information to the wider public in the region. Tell us about events, happenings, people, business, sports, festivals, unique places to visit, cafes, and so on. Whatever you have, we will listen, explore, investigate, and report it in our ENGLISH POST. Our mission is to bring people together in the region with all aspects which this area has to offer.
An English publication here is, in our opinion, vital – particularly for an area where so many companies employ foreign workers, universities educate international students, Trade Fairs attract foreign business people and tourists arrive from all over the world.
Personally, I read lots in English about what is going on around the world, but what is happening on my doorstep is dependent upon snippets of information gained almost by chance, snatched from a few headlines or chatting with acquaintances and locals. Although I have lived here for many years and now have a good grasp of the German language, reading a German newspaper is not something I do to relax. It commands a higher level of concentration and effort than reading English language papers. I don’t imagine I am alone in this. Hence, the idea of an English language publication informing about our local neighbourhood, not just for native English speakers, but for all those who may find English an attractive alternative to source information.
Today many use English as a lingua-franca, and it seems ironic that translated literally “lingua-franca” means “language of the Franks”, whereby “Franks” was a term used to describe all Western Europeans during the Middle Ages and the reign of Charlemagne. Whether people use English as a lingua-franca or because they need it in their work-life, for studying or as a personal choice, we welcome everyone who wants to read in English about this region.
Today, in the present climate of a COVID-19 beleaguered society, enabling our ENGLISH POST to flourish has not been made easier. But we are small and nimble, we are very creative, and we are dedicated to our cause. We will use this time to build our foundation, establish our networks, and refine our workflows. The scale of the task we have set ourselves becomes more apparent every day, and we know we will not reach our goal overnight. We need time to grow and develop, to learn and spread our roots. We need support, endurance and patience.
There is one ingredient essential to fulfill our objective, which is feedback from our readers. Like any small child, we too need nurturing. You, our audience, our readership, can help us. We need you to tell us what you like in our publication, what works, and what it is you want to read about. Of course, we have our own ideas, and we will follow them with vigour. But if we are missing something, then please let us know. Without your feedback, we will be walking blind, so use any means available; like us, share us, write comments, emails, or tweets – whatever tickles your fancy. Besides our website, we are present on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
I hope you enjoy reading ENGLISH POST.
Christopher Andrews
Editor in Chief
