In this episode Prof Mary talks with Astrid who grew up in East Germany and did her apprenticeship as an ophthalmic optician. She then went on to do her masters in precision engineering, because this was the only choice offered to her in the GDR. At the age of 23, with the support of her family, she managed to leave East Germany and started a new life in the west (in the days before the wall came down). Astrid is very much a free spirit and she eventually chose to come to Aotearoa/NZ, when most people might be thinking about retirement. She now teaches ophthalmology students at the university and volunteers for VICTA in Dunedin.

This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz