Stefan and Heidi Gruber from Engratsried have been guest parents for the International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf and Musica Sacra International since 2005. The reason for this was their "permanent travel lust". "We have always been a very travel-loving family and also travelled a lot," says Stefan Gruber, who has already had work-related stays abroad of up to half a year in Japan and Central America. When a baby came along and the family had to take a "break from travelling", they compensated by "inviting the world to their home" and became host families for the first time in 2005 for the festivals. "We liked it so much, especially the exchange of cultures and living conditions with the guests, that it quickly became clear to us that we definitely wanted to continue doing this," says Stefan Gruber. And that's what they did: twelve times since then they have hosted guests from Latvia, the Philippines, Argentina, the USA, Jordan, Georgia and Germany.

The first time, guests from Latvia stayed with the Grubers in Engratsried. They were very fond of celebrating and always wanted to join the party in the tent at Modeon until the end. Stefan Gruber often picked them up at 3 a.m., even though he had to get up at six in the morning. "At that time I thought to myself, wow, such a musician's life is quite hard, until I only realised the next year that there was also a festival driving service and I didn't have to stay up that late at all," Stefan Gruber laughs. One of the most impressive moments for him was with visitors from the Philippines. Four girls aged between 14 and 25 were hosted by the Grubers at that time. However, they had not only travelled to Europe for the Marktoberdorf festival, but had already been on tour for about three quarters of a year. "On the very first day, the youngest asked us if she could call us mummy and daddy, which really touched our hearts," says Stefan Gruber, who is still very moved by it today. She was allowed to do so, of course, and also loved Heidi Gruber's homemade Kässpatzen.

The guests from Buenos Aires (Argentina) regularly gave house concerts in the living room of their host family, where there is also a grand piano. "These were beautiful melancholy tango melodies that were not only highly musical and dramatic, but also quite loud. All the neighbours could hear. Despite everything, no one ever complained to us," Stefan Gruber reports. They drank a lot of Argentine mate tea, which the guests had in their luggage, along with all the accessories. And at night, when Stefan and Heidi Gruber's three children had to go to sleep, the guests sang them Argentine lullabies right by their beds.

The Grubers have many contacts from all those years, but they fade away over time. Especially because new guests kept arriving. Recently, while rearranging a shelf, Stefan Gruber discovered an ancient gift from the Latvian guests from 2005: a bottle of "Riga Black Balsam" that he had completely forgotten about. He first thought it was a balsam, but quickly found out that it was a 45% schnapps, which is considered an export hit in Latvia. "I briefly googled the mortality rate in Riga and then immediately tried the schnapps. What can I say, the stuff tasted exotic but good and I'm still alive," says Stefan Gruber happily. It is quite common for guests to bring small gifts for their host parents, often something typical from their home country. It is also common for guests to want to go shopping to bring their relatives small gifts from the Allgäu. Chocolate is very popular with many guests. Even though it is not necessarily advisable to have chocolate in one's luggage when the temperature difference between Marktoberdorf and home is sometimes over 30 degrees.

Whether Stefan and Heidi Gruber will be host parents again this year for the 17th International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf at Whitsun depends on the accommodation. "The insert flat, where we could always accommodate the guests, is now occupied by our three children. But I think a possibility will be found," says Stefan Gruber, who one can see how much he would like to be there again with his family.

 
Caption:
The philippine guests Jedd, Lous and Jeremy in original local costumes with their host parents Heidi and Stefan Gruber, as well as daughter Marie after a performance in Irsee.

Photo: private