Welcome to Alles Gute, the SPIEGEL newsletter with only good news. Nice to have you here!

The man I want to tell you about today has not yet reached his destination, but is already well on his way: Stephen Sunday from Homa Bay, Kenya, 38, a bus driver for ten years. So far he has been driving children to soccer tournaments and occasionally helping out at a school. He says he loves his job.

And in fact he doesn't want to stop taking the bus, he just wants to change his place of work. Sunday wants to go to northern Germany. He is learning German intensively and has glasses made especially for his new job. "I'm the type of explorer," he told my colleague Heiner Hoffmann by way of explanation. On the one hand that sounds a little crazy, on the other hand it makes perfect sense. Why else would you want to travel voluntarily on German local transport?

Of course, there are a few other important reasons. In Kenya, many well-educated people are waiting for a better life. The search for skilled workers is becoming increasingly desperate in Germany. Doctors, engineers – but also bus drivers for Bergedorf.

Labor migration has always been a sensitive issue, the expectations are usually huge, as are the challenges, on both sides. The migration debate has heated up further in recent weeks. “Remigration” is now the bad word of the year. Even people who have lived here for generations and have a German passport have to ask themselves whether they are still welcome. It has become cold in Germany.

Stephen Sunday's story does not ignore the many hurdles. But it also shows very well how something could succeed - and what it takes so that all sides actually win in the end. It won't be easy. But Stephen Sunday wants to do his best. You can read the report here.

What else was good this week – for the world:

It is well known that young trees protect against heat.


Trees help against climate change. Measurements from the eastern United States show how big the effect is: reforestation in the 20th century probably caused a “warming hole” there. Researchers want to learn about it now.

This is how empty offices become apartments.


Home offices have made millions of square meters of office space unnecessary. In many cities, buildings are simply empty. But apartments could soon be built in some of them. The first investors are already active. This is how the conversion can be successful. 

Researchers copy limescale protection from nature


When kettles become calcified, the energy loss increases rapidly. The same applies to power plants. Scientists from Switzerland have now found a solution to this problem. The inspiration for their development came from nature - from sharks.

Why basketball is now really exciting.


For the first time, German basketball players have qualified for the Olympic Games. The “golden four” – four young women who met at a youth camp and are now changing the game – played a large part in the historic success.

What’s good – for you:

This really helps against a hangover.


Have you celebrated carnival for half the week and are now still surprised about a heavy skull? Well, the best way to combat a hangover is to drink less. But if that doesn't work, what helps? A neuroscientist from the "Alcohol Hangover Research Group" explains which miracle cures you can forget about - and what is actually useful.

Don't be afraid of wet hair


Grandma has already warned about it, mother even more so: Child, don't go out with wet hair, otherwise you'll catch a cold. Sounds logical, after all, almost everyone sniffles and coughs in winter. Or? A fact check. 

How do you explain the Ukraine war to children?


In just a few days it will be the second anniversary of the Russian attack on Kiev. But many parents still find it difficult to talk to their children about the war: What is happening? And how could it stop? A Russia expert explains how she explains the conflict in a child-friendly way. 

Winter vacation without skiing


Are the snow-covered mountain landscapes of the Alps only for skiers? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that! My colleague will introduce you to four regions where you can enjoy snowshoeing, ice climbing or walking under the stars even off the slopes. A fondue tip is also included. 

And otherwise?

Over the past few months, my Instagram feed has increasingly featured videos in which people show off their luxury homes. People approached on the street apparently spontaneously take others home - and then reliably show apartments that only very few people could afford in real life. Where real apartments are becoming increasingly unaffordable, invitations to the mental cinema are probably more readily accepted. The joy at foreign tastelessness certainly increases the interest.

The influencer Kyle King now stands out from this development. The accommodations in his videos benefit those who really need them: hermit crabs! They too are suffering from a real estate crisis. Albeit something of a different kind.

More and more beaches are littered with plastic waste, which is why more and more of the sensitive animals are covering their delicate abdomens with cola lids or detergent caps. King, who has lived on Okinawa for a long time, has now made it his mission to clean up the market on the Japanese island. In his videos he shows how he offers captured crabs several decorated snail shells to choose from. The animals apparently gratefully accept the offer. No wonder, who among us has ever been treated like this by our landlord?

The good news from you

First of all, we may have to apologize to you. The job advertisement for a job as a lighthouse keeper on Wangerooge was real and obviously met with great interest from you. However, we did not mention that the costs for travel and accommodation for the interview on the beautiful island are unfortunately

not

covered. We hope we haven't thwarted too many career plans!

We would like to thank everyone who has written to us in the past few days and told us about difficult personal experiences - and who were happy about the foster ponies from Great Britain last week!

Have you also experienced beautiful, unusual or entertaining things that you would like to tell others about? Then feel free to write to us! Please send us your personal good news from the week by email to GuteNachrichten.Newsletter@spiegel.de. It can be something small or something life-changing. In the next few weeks we will present another submission here*.

Have a nice relaxing weekend! And if you haven't signed up for this new weekly newsletter yet, you can order it for free here.

Yours, Jan Petter, SPIEGEL Europe reporter in the “Global Society” project

(* By submitting a submission, you agree to – if desired – anonymous publication on

SPIEGEL.de

and all other

SPIEGEL Group media

.)

This article is part of the Global Society project

AreaWhat is the Global Society project?open

Under the title “Global Society,” reporters from

Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe

report on injustices in a globalized world, socio-political challenges and sustainable development. The reports, analyses, photo series, videos and podcasts appear in a separate section in SPIEGEL's foreign department. The project is long-term and is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

You can find a detailed FAQ with questions and answers about the project here.

AreaWhat exactly does the funding look like?open

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has been supporting the project since 2019 for an initial period of three years with a total of around 2.3 million euros - around 760,000 euros per year. In 2021, the project was extended under the same conditions by almost three and a half years until spring 2025.

AreaAre the journalistic contents independent of the foundation? expand

Yes. The editorial content is created without any influence from the Gates Foundation.

AreaDo other media also have similar projects? expand

Yes. Major European media outlets such as "The Guardian" and "El País" have set up similar sections on their news pages with "Global Development" and "Planeta Futuro" respectively, with the support of the Gates Foundation.

AreaHave there already been similar projects at SPIEGEL? expand

In recent years, SPIEGEL has already implemented two projects with the European Journalism Center (EJC) and the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: the “Expedition ÜberMorgen” about global sustainability goals and the journalistic refugee project “The New Arrivals”, as part of this project several award-winning multimedia reports on the topics of migration and flight have been created.

AreaWhere can I find all publications on the Global Society?open

The pieces can be found at SPIEGEL on the Global Society topic page.