40 Jahre Goethe-Institut Neuseeland
Roger Wilson

Vielsprachiger Kellner

In 2006 we had a visit from Rupert Forbes, a Scotsman whom I had met while I was studying at the Universität Zürich 1970-2. I first saw him in a student production at the International Opera Studio, Zürich. I really liked his performance and asked for a recommendation of a singing teacher. 
Standesamt Köln © Roger Wilson
Which he did. As a Scotsman and an Otago native we had lots in common and became close friends. Four years later I invited him to be my best man at my wedding to the lovely Gillian Bibby in Köln.

RDW and ROF
© Roger Wilson

In 2006 he came to Wellington to help celebrate my 60th birthday and we travelled around the South Island together so he could see the real New Zealand.

At a classy restaurant in Arrowtown we had a disagreeably forward and supercilious waiter who turned out to be Georgian. After the meal Rupert whispered ‘Ist Bedienung inbegriffen?’ to which I replied ‘Trinkgelder sind freiwillig in Neuseeland aber nicht obligatorisch. In diesem Fall sehe ich keinen Grund.’ ‘Hoffentlich hat’s den Herrschaften geschmeckt’ smirked the waiter in tadellosem Deutsch….

Top