From Olympic champion to museum owner – our Friend Markus Wasmeier.

'My Name is Markus Wasmeier and I want to restore a 400 year-old farmhouse in the mountains of the Schliersee together with you. It should be a lot of fun.

Young people from around the world will learn how people used to build in the past, how simple and how well. You will learn traditional craftsmanship techniques and experience how, with hard work, discipline and team spirit, you can overcome difficult moments. Moments when your arms ache and when you have no strength left and don't believe you can go any further. 

Life in the old Bavarian museum's village, which I founded in my place of birth after my career as professional skier, is quite different from life in a big city. No rush, no engines roaring, no stress. You find peace with us here. My aim is to preserve a part of Bavarian culture that would have decayed and been forgotten otherwise. One could say: I want to give something back to my home, for it is important to preserve the history of one's own heritage.

Over three months, the 15 fellows will get to know a way of life that is far removed from mobile phones, iPods and video games. Perhaps you will be surprised after all at just how ingenious people were in the past in managing their everyday lives. You will experience how rewarding it can be after a long day of work to sit back at the fire with bread and beer and play music -- instead of just turning on the TV.

Together with you, I look forward to preserving traditions that are still valuable today.'