Jürgen Stumpf (55) from Peißenberg has volunteered for the World Cup in Qatar.
His first experiences are consistently positive.
Peißenberg - showing football fans in the stadium the way to the toilets and exits or to the prayer rooms - among other things, that is Jürgen Stumpf's task in these four weeks.
"I am the contact person for all fans and tourists," says the Peißenberger.
Until the summer he coached the SC Huglfing soccer team and led them to promotion to the district league. He has been in the emirate on the Persian Gulf since last Thursday.
He picked up his equipment from the Volunteer Center, including shoes, a cap and a jacket (“it can get really cold at night”), and he was also involved in the opening game.
But how did it happen?
"I was already working as a volunteer in Munich for the 2006 World Cup," says Stumpf.
Then there was a long break before he applied for a job at Euro 2020 in 2019 - the European Football Championship, which had to be postponed to 2021 due to Corona and took place in numerous European countries, including Munich.
"We were a team of around 25 people, and the responsible event manager asked if we wanted to be there in Qatar as well," says Stumpf.
He wanted, along with two others from the volunteer team.
(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Schongau newsletter. And here is the Weilheim-Penzberg newsletter.)
As a volunteer at the football World Cup in Qatar: “Everyone is nice and friendly, the atmosphere is really great.
Unlike a year ago in Munich, when Stumpf was able to complete the assignments alongside his job at Roche in Penzberg ("you're not on assignment every day"), this time he had to take four weeks off.
"That was done via the long-term account in the company," says the Peißenberger, so he didn't have to use up his annual leave.
He is assigned to the al-Bayt Stadium in Doha, where five other group games will take place in addition to the opening game, as well as a round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals.
In total, Stumpf has nine missions.
"I can also apply for other jobs in other stadiums if I want to," he says.
But he lets that come to him first, after all he also wants to let the impressions of the country work on him.
He's stopped by the beach before and wants to see some other things.
Of course, Stumpf had heard about the debates and protests against the local human rights situation beforehand.
"I could get upset about it from home, too.
That's why I really wanted to go there and see for myself," he says.
His first impressions are unreservedly positive: “Everyone is nice and friendly, the atmosphere is really great.
Everyone here is really happy about the World Cup.”
As a volunteer at the World Cup: the lack of European fans is noticeable
What is striking is the lack of European fans.
"I'm also one of the few volunteers from Europe," says Stumpf.
There are a lot of South and Central Americans and North Africans there and of course Asians, many of whom also work in the country.
“During the World Cup, almost everything in the country comes to a standstill, including the many construction sites.
Anyone else who works there spends four weeks in other jobs, including bus drivers,” says Stumpf.
He is housed in a large residential complex "that didn't even exist seven months ago.
It was pulled up in no time at all, it’s amazing.” He wasn’t affected by the traffic jams described because the volunteers have to be at the stadium seven hours before the game starts, so traffic – they are taken to the stadium by bus – was still problem-free .
For Stumpf, who wears a Germany jersey in his free time, his trip to Qatar is a vacation with a program - and that includes today's match between Morocco and Croatia.
Of course, he's particularly looking forward to the German games against Spain and Costa Rica, where he'll be able to play - and hopefully be able to look forward to German successes.
You can find more current news from the region around Schongau at Merkur.de/Schongau.
More from the Weilheim/Penzberg region can be found here: Merkur.de/Weilheim.