Das Bier: Oktoberfest

By Amanda

When I think of Oktoberfest, the first word that comes to mind is: beer. In Hyde Flippo’s book, When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do, he goes into further detail of the history of beer. The word “beer” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word barley, “baere” denoting back to the 5^th century (Flippo, 2002).  Beer was an important drink in ancient cultures for the Egyptians, Incas, Sumerians, and Chinese (Flippo, 2002). These cultures used beer for religious practices and curing sicknesses as well as an upscale drink for bartering trade (2013). Centuries ago, beer was solely made out of barley, hops, yeast, and water (Flippo, 2002). In today’s culture, beer is typically made of the same ingredients, including the original barley and hops with additional ingredients such as fermentable carbohydrates (maize, wheat, rice etc.) and other natural ingredients to create a vast variety of flavors (2013). This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend Munich’s 180^th annual Oktoberfest on opening day.

           

There are fourteen large tents set up indoors and outdoors for Oktoberfest which serve over six million people during the sixteen day festival period. Over seven million liters of beer are consumed which equates to each person to approximately drinking one full liter of beer (an entire stein). A rectangular blue and white sign is framed at the top of the entrance reading, “Willkomen Zum Oktoberfest”; this was the moment I had to pinch myself to realize I was not dreaming.

I had reached the Hofbräu-Festzelt tent (which is the biggest of all fourteen tents) at eight o’clock in the morning. The crowds were growing by the minute, but at least our group of four was only a couple hundred feet from the entrance. However, once the clock struck nine, the gates opened and people stampeded for the entrance like nothing I have never seen before, worse than any Wal-Mart Black Friday video I had ever seen. People were jumping on tables, running and shoving through the crowds to make way for a spot at a table. That’s the gist at Oktoberfest: if you don’t receive a spot at a table, you will not be served alcohol in the tradition style. It was pertinent to find a space, so as soon as I burst through the crowds, my friends and I ran to the back as fast as we could.  We were lucky enough to grab a table and meet up with another one of our friends, but we still had another three hours to kill before the keg would be tapped. The opening of the keg signifies the start of the festival and no alcohol is served until that joyous moment.

In anticipation for the opening ceremony, marching bands of local townspeople and children

paraded the tent. Everyone in the beer hall was singing until the mayor came out to give the opening speech. During the final ten second countdown, all I could hear was thousands of fans cheering in excitement for the first rounds of beer.

Once the first keg was tapped and the beers started coming out in one-liter frosted mugs, everyone in the hall just got a little bit crazier. At least every minute there was a new group yelling “PROST!” and clinking glasses while standing up on the tables. Some brave souls chugged beers with a support system of fan groups cheering them on from all the way to the back of the tent. The hall was buzzing with incessant laughter and jokes; simply put, it was a huge party and everyone was just looking to have a fun time. There was something electrifying in the air though, the influx of energy in the room was indescribable and everyone had a smile on their face.  It was one of the most sensational events I have ever experienced, certainly a big check off of my bucket list.

It was hard when it finally came down to leaving the festival at the end of the day. My last sight of the day was of the rainbow, vibrant colored lights, rides, with everyone classically dressed in dirndls and lederhosen flooding the streets. I could not have asked for a better experience, Happy Oktoberfest!

References

Flippo, Hyde. When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do: The Clued-in Guide to German Life,    Language, and Culture. (2002). 50.  Chicago: McGraw-Hill.

Beer Academy, The Beer Education Trust. (2013) What is Beer? Retrieved from             http://www.beeracademy.co.uk/beer-info/what-is-beer/

Frankfurt in so many words

By Azalea Silva 

            When we arrived to Frankfurt we went directly to the central bank of Germany. There we met with our tour guide that would give us a presentation about the goals and reason of existence of the bank. The bank its self looked like any other bank on the outside but we quickly learn that it was not the case. The central bank caters to governments and other banks rather than the public and businesses. The main goal of this central bank was to regulate prices, they do not want prices to go to far down and  to rise very high. My guess is that Germans and everyone is fearful of their money becoming so depreciated that it is better to burn it for warmth than buy actual wood with it.

            After the presentation we went to the money museum. There the first thing that greet it us was a cow to represent the bartering system. After a short information on how the museum is set up, we where free to go around it. There was a section that was devoted to coins and money from the past and present, in that section there was two gold bars to represent the gold bars that the central bank of Germany had in its country and in different places around the world. The gold bar was very impressive, since I had never seen one before, one's worth was around the millions and the other around the thousand; but that was not the most impressive part of the coin collection. There was a coin from when Greece was the most powerful place in the world, it was one of the smallest coins and the tour guide told me that during that time women used to put their money

in their mouths when they went shopping. That made me remember the story or myth about how the Grecian people believed that a dead person could not cross to the after life if they did not have two gold coins inside their mouth. There was also a very impressive coin of when Julius Cesar got assassinated by the republic on the steps of congress. I cannot remember exactly if it was to commemorate this time or it was done during that year. It was just very impressive to have in front of me so much history, like that coin there where many other coins of different nations and eras. Another surprising thing that the museum had was the security codes that the Euro has. It has many and very different from the U.S dollar but to be truthful they remind me of the money in Mexico, it has many of the same security for their money. When I mention this to my dad he said it was because Mexico helped with the security of the Euro. I do not know this for sure and even though I have research it, nothing about the design of the Euro has come up.

            Posterior to the tour in the bank we went for a tour of the city. Frankfurt in my opinion has a different

feel to it, it is not like a normal city in Europe, it does not have many old buildings everywhere and there is only one height allowed. It is a combination of olden times with modern, all the old looking buildings where built after the war  but the important part is the new building. The new buildings look like buildings in any city of the world, they are amazing in their architectural structure but also they are pretty. The are not the eye sore many old buildings are, they are beautiful and some how in a strange way flow with the old buildings. They do not fight for attention but rather share it, that is the beautiful part of Frankfurt, you could be so rounded by old building and you turn the corner and be in the shopping district with a building that has a hole in it. The shopping district has many of the beautiful buildings, starting with the one that has a skylight in the middle of it, or the one next to it that is a shopping mall but looks so modern and beautiful. The buildings are not the only thing that are beautiful of the shopping district. There is live musicians every where playing different types of music, it is just beautiful, it kind of reminded me of the movie Enchanted.

            Frankfurt from what we learned has many different cultures that influence it and it happens to be a year of Brazil right now in the city. Which tells me how open to new things, and new art the city is, it quickly has become one of my favorite cities of Germany and would go back there in a heart beat.

What to Say about Italy!

By Neel Desai

 Oh, do I have a lot to say about Italy. It was absolutely amazing. It surely was different than Germany, and that made me miss Heidelberg. I had some really great experiences, but also many that made me skeptical of Italy. I met some really great and helpful people, but also a handful of not so friendly people. Overall, it was an experience of a lifetime and I learned some great things about myself, history, and a new culture.

            First, the trip started in Rome, a beautiful city full of lots of history. The hostel I checked into was basically a hotel, which was a great start to the trip and city. The first day was tiring, so I stayed around the area of my hostel and went to a local restaurant and bakery. Obviously the first thing I had to try in Italy was pizza. It’s hard to explain the difference of regular pizza compared to pizza from Italy, but I guess the best way to say it is that you HAVE to eat pizza from Italy with a fork and a knife. There is a lot of sauce and cheese and basically impossible to pick up at a slice, but that’s what makes it so amazing. Throughout the trip in Rome, I visited the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Vatican City, The Pantheon, St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain, and a few more. I was really happy that we were able to see all of these historical sites in the four days we had in Rome. My two favorite events would have to have been being able to see the Pope at the Vatican and Trevi Fountain. Even though I am not Catholic, it was amazing to see a man with so much respect. In the few minutes I was able to see him going around the crowd, I understood why this great man has so much respect. He went throughout the entire crowd, shook hands with viewers, took babies into his arms and blessed them, and spoke to others. He took his time speaking to the people who love and respect him the most. The Trevi Fountain was just something amazing to see and to learn that it was made so many years ago makes it even more amazing. The intricacy in the architecture was something I have never seen before.

            Next, I took a train over to Florence where I stayed in a hostel that was much different than the last in Rome. It was more of a house that had rooms being rented out. The owner was very personable and helped me with my trip planning. The room was not as nice, but the owner made up for it in the helpfulness. While I stayed in Florence I was able to see the Uffizi Gallery, Florence Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio Bridge, a copy of the The David, The Duomo (which was literally a 2 minute walk away), and a few others. I really enjoyed most of the and again learned a lot from each and every one. I really enjoyed seeing the Duomo. It was a clean white Cathedral that the light came perfectly on. I was able to go to the top of it and overlook the entire city. Although the history of Florence was great to see, the one thing that stood out to me the most was a bar that I found. The owner was such a nice guy, the food was absolutely amazing, and he let me taste a least 5 beers from around the world. He had beers from around the world in a showcase and beers from Czech Republic, Germany, USA, and much more on tap. He let me taste all of them to see which I would like the best. Out of the 4 days I stayed in Italy, I had 5 meals from that bar. The owner remembered me after the first day and knew exactly what I wanted to order. He even customized my order to my liking. The owner of the bar is someone who I will never forget and his bar is the most memorable place in Italy.

            Lastly, I made my way to Venice. I was really excited to go, but it really didn’t meet my expectations. It was really cool to see the canal and the water streets, but the buildings were really dirty. It was a bit of a sketchy city and people there took advantage of tourists. Servers at restaurants would try and get anyone walking by to come to eat there, charge extra for “complimentary” bread, and give big bottles of water and soda without asking. I was able to make my way to another Island in Venice called Murano. It was an island for glass making. All the shops there were shops where they blew their own glass. I bought a lot of souvenirs for myself and my family there. I am going to mail it to my family as a surprise. Overall, the experience was great. It was a few downsides, but I learned a lot about how I deal with certain situations and deal with a high stress environment. I’m glad I made a trip to Italy and would love to go back in the future!

The Questions You Should Ask . . . 

By: Liam Walsh

             The first article I read from “When in Germany, Do as the Germans do,” is titled “Questions you should ask – part 1.” In this article it proposes three questions you should ask yourself before you leave for Germany. I found this article to be ironic but eye opening because I read it after I already left, but it gave some insight to activities that I already performed without thinking much about it.

            The three questions that the article asked were: 1) Will my credit card work in Germany? 2) Will my cellphone work in Germany? 3) How about electricity and appliances? The reason that there are important question to think about before leaving is because European and more specifically German standards of living are much different then those found in America.

            The article breaks down the questions one-by-one and gives us their answers. For question 1, they say that most major credit cards are accepted in restaurants and shops that take credit cards; however they do note that not all stores accept credit. For question 2, they wrote that phones from North America won’t work Germany, but phones from England will. Lastly, for question 3, they say that German electricity comes in 220-volt, 50-hertz variety, which will destroy most North American 110-volt appliances without a converter.

            After reading the article I thought about my experience with my first week in Germany, and how this questions applied to my stay so far. For the credit card, I know that I can take money out of the ATM near by, which I might be doing often. It’s rare that I see a store that takes credit cards at all. I think REWE does and Sports Arena does, but my theory is that they only do so because they are major chains in a touristy area. For the second question I already dealt with my phone before I left. I called Verizon (my carrier) and let them know I was going abroad. So my phone can make calls and send texts because I’m on the Vodafone network. However, I should note that I don’t use the phone unless I am connected to Wi-Fi. As for the third question, I have a converter plug to use for my phone and laptop, however I don’t have a transformer so my alarm clock that I brought won’t work.

            Throughout the text I found that the article’s questions and answers are mostly correct. The only reason I say mostly is because with IPhones 4s and 5 you can have international usage, so through a technicality I can use my phone, but I still choose not to so I don’t have a major debt when I get back.  The lesson I learned from reading this article and thinking about how it relates to my first week here is that before you travel anywhere, outside the country or to another part of town, you should always think of how different it can be, similar to how in New Jersey you can’t pump your own gas, yet in New York most gas stations are self-service.

Traveling Abroad

By Ewa Szyszko

On my first stop of my almost two week long adventure exploring Europe, I visited the country of Belgium. I was excited to visit this country for two main reasons. One, this would be an amazing personal and cultural experience. And two because they are known all around the world for their world famous waffles!

            On my first day in Brussels Belgium, I got to experience my first taste of waffles. My friends aunt, who we were staying with, was kind enough to take us to one of her favorite waffles spots in the heart of the city. This was the moment that I had been waiting for since long before this trip had even been planned. This moment had been very high on my personal bucket list, to eat real authentic Belgian waffles.

            We entered the restaurant and seated ourselves before a waiter came around to drop off some menus for us to peruse. The moment I opened that menu I knew I had come to the right place. In the menu they had two type of waffles offered on their menu. They had the world known Brussels waffle and the Liège waffle (europeancusines, 2013). The time was right, the menu had a wide selection of toppings for my waffle and the price was right. At a whopping price of 8 euros I had struck gold. Looking at the menu and all the listed toppings available for my choosing, it soon became very difficult for me to agree upon. But lucky for me, on the back of the menu there was pictures of combinations the creators of these waffles had made up to help customers like myself decide on something.

            I had decided upon the chocolate, whip cream and strawberry waffle. This would be my first waffle I ate in Belgium and the point where I could cross this event off my bucket list.

            I placed my order along with my friends that I was traveling with. I waited patiently for the moment I would get my waffle. I could smell my waffle before it arrived at the table. Placed in front of me along with my glass of apple juice, was my plate of strawberry, chocolate and whip cream covered waffles. Looking at the amazing food placed before me I could not wait to take my first bite.

            Staring at my waffle I did not know how to attack my food. There was so much chocolate and whipped cream on top of the freshly chopped strawberries. I decided that I would start from the side of the waffle and make my way across. The first bite of my Belgian waffle was amazing! It was better than I had expected. The combination of waffle and chocolate and strawberry and whipped cream to top off the first bite was world changing. I could not believe that for the first twenty years of my life I had not had a waffle as good as I had here in Brussels. I have had waffles back in the states and even here in Heidelberg, but either had come remotely close.

            Being able to travel abroad and have the opportunity to experience foods of different cultures is amazing. Not only had I had the chance to experience a culturally significant dish, I got to check it off my bucket list!

           

Reference

Duane, Diane. Morwood, Peter. 2013. The Owl Springs Partnership.

http://www.europeancuisines.com/Belgium-Belgian-Waffle-Recipes-Liege-   Waffles-Brussels-Waffles

Frankfurt

By Ashley McKenna

            The Frankfurt exclusion was a trip I originally underestimated before coming here. I imagined it as an urban and rustic financial city. However, driving into the city, I was completely astonished by the modern buildings and electrifying buzz in the air. There were men in business suits walking over for the preparations of the Frankfurt car show which many students chose to attend that weekend. The streets were lined with cobblestone giving the city an older feel to it.

While walking around, I noticed several (small) skyscrapers and buildings.  Along with the bustling walk of life, the city of Frankfurt actually reminded me a lot of Boston as well as New York City. I worked in New York City this summer so Frankfurt gave me a taste of home which I was very happy about. Our tour guide was from the town of Frankfurt and lived there for about 15 years. She gave us some background about the city and how 90% of the town was destroyed during WWII. It seems as though that the main church of the city wasn’t destroyed because supposedly it was a landmark for finding the city and bombing the rest of the area. While observing the town, there were several architectural styles that sparked my interest. Some buildings were from the 50’s when they were rebuilding parts of the town.  However, many of the locals were upset that they were trying to make the town modern so they rebuilt parts of the city to represent German’s history including the colorful side by side walls. Regardless, I appreciated both past and present designs. 

            What stood out for me the most, was the Eiserner Steg Bridge. Also known as the “Love Lock Bridge,” this iron beauty has been transformed with “love padlocks” making it one of the most recognizable landmarks in Frankfurt. Every year, hundreds of couples come to this bridge and attach locks – usually inscribed with their names and date. Once the lock is bound to the bridge, the couple throws out the key into the river symbolizing a promise for their eternal love. Fascinated by such colorful locks, I couldn’t help but to imagine how many lovers came to this bridge. I found it not only romantic but also a creation of art. Every lock tells a story behind a couple that step foot here, and once these locks are affixed, it transforms this iron bridge into an ‘emotion.’  Just like a bridge links two sides together, these love locks are a concrete symbol that forever bind the people that made a promise to each other.     

Wine Tasting

By Kelsey Berger

            Last week, we embarked on an excursion that was much different than our previous city tours; we went to the Adam Müller Winery for a wine tasting.  During the tasting, we were able to sample six different types of wines ranging from white, rose, and red while also learning about the history of the winery and the details about how each wine is produced.  It all began in 1735 when Jacob Müller and his wife Elisabeth registered for ownership of a vineyard in Nussloch, right outside of Heidelberg.  In fact, a special plot of land is located directly opposite of the Heidelberg Castle on the sunny side of the bridge (Weingut Adam Müller ).  During this time, the family grew grapes on the vineyard that were later used to produce several types of wine – Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir.  The success of their business is seen even today, as the winery has been in existence through nine generations of the family and counting. 

            I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the wine tasting for two separate reasons.  On one hand, it reminded me of my family, specifically my grandma.  At many of our family gatherings, we all like to enjoy a little bit of alcohol in moderation.  Perhaps it’s the Italian background in our blood or maybe it stems from our desire to have some added fun.  But either way, drinking wine is something that I can immediately associate with my grandma.  Each member of my family always jokes that you will never see my grandma without a glass of wine (or sometimes two) in her hand.  The thought of picturing her with her wine saddens me, as I realize how many family gatherings I’m missing while studying abroad in Germany.  However, I can’t help but look forward to that glass of wine that we’ll share together when she welcomes me home for Christmas. 

            On a more serious note, the wine tasting brought me back to one of my original goals for studying abroad.  During my time in Europe, I wanted to expand my horizons and try new things that I never have before, particularly in the culinary area.  I have never been a huge fan of wine.  Actually, I refused to even drink a full glass while I was on fall break in Italy – one of the greatest wine regions in the world.  I let my stubbornness and dislike of wine get the best of me and decided to order beer or a cocktail instead.  However, the wine tasting forced me to overcome this obstacle.  I decided to let my guard down and try something that I never really pictured myself doing.  In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed most of the wines that we were able to taste and am grateful for the opportunity.  Before leaving the winery, I even purchased two bottles of one of the white wines given to us in the tasting.  I can now consider myself a wine drinker and look forward to experiencing other types of wine from around Germany and other countries in Europe.        

     

Source:

Weingut Adam Müller . (n.d.). Winery & Family. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from Weingut Adam Müller : http://www.xn--weingut-mller-4ob.de/weingut_familie/10/26

 

2013 Amsterdam Music Festival

By Andrew Hong

The term “international” is often thrown around to describe events or places where many people from different countries are in the same areas.  Despite the ubiquity of that term, it wasn’t until last Saturday (October 19^th), where I felt that I was in a truly international venue – the 2013 Amsterdam Music Festival.  Whenever one travels to a different country, they are not completely in an international zone – in Germany, for instance, the majority of the people we interact with are Germans.  While you may encounter people from other countries, it is most often in an ancillary fashion: they just happen to be traveling in the same country you are in.  At AMF, I had experienced something that I was not expecting, thousands of people from all over the world in one place for a single purpose – to enjoy some of the finest electronic dance music.

            To backtrack somewhat, the Amsterdam Music Festival is primarily a festival for electronic dance music (more commonly referred to as EDM) which had its roots in the disco movement of the 1970s but ended up reaching new heights in the 1980s before finally reaching its widest audience (and large mainstream appeal) in the last ten years.[1]  Additionally, one subgenre of electronic music, trance, was even formed in Germany, with the first examples of the subgenre appearing in Frankfurt in the early 1990s.[2]  More melodic and uplifting than other forms of electronic dance music, trance music is highly popular in Europe – one of the primary reasons why I wanted to go to an electronic music festival in Europe.   While there were a multitude of world-renowned DJs who played a variety of different electronic subgenres, I would certainly rank Dutch producer Armin van Buuren’s trance-centric music set to be my favorite for the entire night.  While other music sets relied on heavy bass and sheer volume to get the crowd excited, Armin van Buuren’s music cut into one’s emotion, giving the music far more depth.

           

The music festival itself was an unbelievable combination of an incredible light show with amazing music – but what impressed me the most was the overall feeling of unity and connectivity I felt with my fellow ravers.  I was in awe about how thousands of people from dozens of different countries would travel all the way to the Netherlands in order to enjoy music together.  Whenever you walked throughout the entire venue, you would hear snatches of conversation in Dutch, German, French and a score of different languages.  On the dance floor itself, many had brought their respective countries’ flags – prompting one of the DJs to ask the crowd which countries everybody was from.  Whenever he stated a country’s name, literally hundreds (thousands in the case of Netherlands) of voices would cheer in response.  The energy of the crowd, coupled with the overall atmosphere of the entire festival, carried me throughout until the night until the early morning – even though I had already spent a long day sightseeing in Amsterdam prior to the festival.  With its unique international atmosphere, astonishing music and its lineup of legendary producers and DJs, the Amsterdam Music Festival was certainly a once in a lifetime experience.

For Video of the event to to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTlzz4yL6X8&list=FLHrIaMw9Wc5PQuS--4j9kXQ&index=4

OR

http://edmchicago.com/dj-mag-awards-amsterdam-music-festival-2013-live-sets/

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[1] http://edmmusicjunkies.com/?page_id=31

[2]  Fassbender, Torsten (2008). The Trance Experience. Knoxville, Tennessee: Sound Org Inc.

Ich bin ein Berliner!

By Matt Mislan

          As John F. Kennedy once said, “Ich bin ein Berliner!” Although he actually stated, “I am a jelly donut,” the notion of being one with the people of Berlin still makes its way through time. This is precisely how I felt during the time we were in the historic city. With history being my favorite subject, and World War II being one of my favorite events to study, a three-day trip to Berlin was exactly what I needed to experience. There are so many places to visit and so many sights to take in that I had no idea where I would begin! I could not believe I would be getting the opportunity to walk along the roads where tanks patrolled and where the wall ran through the city. My excitement over what laid ahead was one of the main things that carried me through the trials of a six-hour train ride…and of course a little bit of sleep could not hurt either.

            With the train ride over, the next thing for us was to travel hostel that was actually less than a minute away from a tram stop. As per usual, Jason led us in a circle around our destination and we ended up right where we began. Finally, we arrived at the hostel and my first impression was that it was going to be incredibly difficult to actually leave and experience all that berlin had to offer. With a bar, billiards and foosball tables, basketball court and soccer field outside, how does one expect anyone to leave this place? However, with our guided walking tour beginning soon, we were forced to leave sooner rather than later.

            As I anticipated from the start, walking around the great city of Berlin was breathtaking. Traveling alongside the cobblestone strip that defined where the wall once stood, I truly felt what it must have been like for the Berliners during the Soviet occupation. It was difficult to truly put into perspective what it must have been like for family and friends to be separated by the overnight building of the wall. However, after seeing the cobblestone path where the wall once stood and then the remnants of the wall itself, I began to feel what it would be like for my own town to be separated in two and not be able to associate with some of my best friends and family members. How terrible it must have been for these people to endure this struggle for twenty-eight years. I felt as one with the citizens of Berlin during their time of trouble. This feeling was brought up again following the tour when we went to listen to a German by the name of Rainer Schubert, who for three years smuggled citizens, or prisoners, from the East Berlin side to freedom. His “crime” landed him in prison for nine years, with two of those being in solitary confinement. I was in awe of the way he conducted himself during the daily questionings he received. With a disciplined military background, he knew exactly how to handle himself and keep his spirit from breaking.

            Following a fantastic night of sleep, I was ready to witness all that the Judisches Museum had to offer us. Being world-renowned for its meaning, as well a the architecture, this museum is a must-see for anyone traveling to Berlin. With his family decimated during the Holocaust, architect Daniel Libeskind proudly presented a design for the building to the Berlin Senate and eventually won the opportunity to make it a reality. In Daniel Libeskind’s words, “It thematises and integrates for the first time in post-war Germany the history of the Jews in Germany, the repercussions of the Holocaust and spiritual displacement. It is also just a museum with exhibits on the walls” (Berlin.de). The material spans the time between the Romans until the present, covering over two thousand years of history. As great as the exhibits were inside, my favorite part of the experience was the actual architecture of the building itself. Each of the three passageways, or axial routes, has a specific meaning. No hallway or corner in the museum is there by chance. The first axis leads to the Stair of Continuity and the permanent exhibition; the second leads to the Garden of Exile and Emigration, and the final one leads to a dead end known as the Holocaust void. As I traversed through this architectural masterpiece, each turn I encountered enhanced the experience that much more. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent there and walked away with newfound knowledge of the Jewish people in Berlin aside from the Holocaust and respect for a modern architectural marvel.

            Of course, this was the just the beginning of my favorite day of the trip to Berlin. And, of course, we were desperate to find a nearby doner place following the tour. Being the home of the doner in Germany, it was necessary to compare one from here to the adaptations we have had in every other German city we had been to. It certainly did not disappoint, and soon enough we were getting off a tram at Alexanderplatz. Jason wanted to meet up with Anja and some of the other girls, as Azalea apparently wanted to do some “base flying” thing from the top of a building in the area. After killing some time walking around, we actually stumbled to the front of the building in which this thrill was taking place. We watched in amazement as one person after another free fell from the peak of this forty-story building. Somewhere during the time we spent watching, I had half-jokingly and half-seriously said that I wanted to do this. No sooner did a woman from the company that sponsored fall come over to talk to us about it. The usual price to participate was out of my price-range, but I guess it was our lucky day because it turned out that they were running a fifty-percent off special that day. At this point, it was beginning to become difficult to say no, and Francisco and his friend decided that we would take part in the thrill of a lifetime.

            It still had not hit me yet about what we were about to endure. Yes, falling off a building sounds scary in itself, but the reality of actually doing it had yet to sink in. Naturally this feeling did not last too much longer once all the paperwork was finished and we had reached the top of the building. Immediately, the scenery around me brought me to that reality that I had been trying to put off in my mind. Many questions of why in the world I was about to fall off a forty-story building rushed into my head. No! I told myself that I was going to do this and I was surely not about to back out now. The anticipation was certainly a killer, so I decided that when it was our turn to go I would be the one to fall first. This time rapidly approached, and before I knew it, I was strapped into my harness and given a preview of my “flying position.” Well, my time of reckoning was now upon us, and I nervously, but proudly, made my way to the ramp that led to the end of the ledge of the building. I mean, I already made it this far, so all I had to do was just do the fall. The cable, or “seat belt” as Kevin called it, was strapped onto the harness and I was raised. My feet were raised up behind me next, and I was now looking down at the city of Berlin. This was the absolutely most terrifying part of the entire experience, and possibly of my life as a whole. After a thumbs-up to my friends watching from the ledge and a deep breath, I was released. The rush was incredible! No drink that could be drunk or drug that could be smoked could ever compare to the feeling I had while traveling through the air at free-fall speed. And then…it was all over. The cable tensed up and my fall was gradually, but also very quickly, subdued. With the aid of the attendant at the bottom, I was once again standing on flat land. It still took a few moments to truly understand what I just did. Never would I have thought that I would have gone through with doing something as incredible, and possibly insane, and free-falling off a building in the middle of Berlin. If not for the event itself, I will never forget this moment as it should show that regardless of how nervous or scared one may be to go through with something, he or she may be missing out on one of the greatest experiences of their life due to fear. Berlin will forever be in my memory for more reasons than one, but this will certainly be the first thing that comes to mind when asked about my time in Berlin, and possibly my entire time in Germany.

Bibliography

Emery, D. JFK: 'I am a Jelly Donut' ('Ich bin ein Berliner'). Retrieved from urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/jfk_berliner.htm

Judisches Museum. Retrieved from www.berlin.de/orte/sehenswuerdigkeiten/juedisches-museum/index.en.php

Königstuhl

By Amy Mutch

One of my favorite things to do, especially in the fall, is to hike.  Getting out in nature and breathing in the fresh air is something that really energizes me. It gives me a peaceful getaway.  During the first few weeks, I planned a trip on a Friday morning up to the Königstuhl, which is behind the castle.  The day of the hike is important, which is why I mentioned it.  I put a post on our page about the hike probably a week before I wanted to go.  Immediately, many people were interested.  The day came, but after euro shot night at Jinx, only four of us ended up going. 

Many times when I am hiking, I have no plan or direction, I just walk.  This hike was no exception.  Our only direction was up because the Königstuhl is the highest point in Heidelberg.  We all expected and prepared for a rough hike uphill after experiencing the hike up to the Thingstatte.  We were pleasantly surprised when we found that the trails weaved back and forth up the mountain, gradually increasing us up the mountain, taking us through the greenest forests I have ever seen.  It took almost two hours to get to the top, but when we did, it was worth the time.  The view from the top was incredible.  Since we were all starving, we made the rule that no one takes pictures before everyone eats so we stopped at the little biergarten restaurant they had there and got some food.  I had bratwurst with potato salad and apple strudel.  Maybe it was how incredibly hungry I was but it was really, really delicious.  With full stomachs, we were able to appreciate the view even more. We could see for what felt like forever and the sun shining highlighted the green trees and the river below.  It was incredible. I felt like I could sit up there all day and just look out.  It was a little crowded but not too bad. 

We explored around the top for a little while before deciding we all wanted to head back and take a much needed nap.  On our way down, we found a set of stairs that seemingly went to the bottom.  Instead of taking the trails we took up, we decided to take a chance and see where this staircase took it.  Have you ever gone down a flight of stairs for more than five minutes? Well, your legs begin to feel like jelly and we learned at the bottom, there were over 1300 stairs. 

This hike really helped us all learn to overcome obstacles and keep heading in whatever direction we felt was right.  A few times, we took trails with no signs and had really no idea where they led to.  As long as they were heading up, we felt we were in good shape.  We learned to enjoy each other’s company and take in the beautiful scenery around us.  Just being in the woods was enough for me, but the good company and the amazing view we found was more than I could have asked for.

Fall Break 2013

By Katherine Moore

My fall break experiences summed up in a word would be incredible.  From the Bavarian Alps the first week to Rome, “The Eternal City”, the second week, I had so many amazing experiences.  They are two vastly different places and of the two areas I liked my time in the Alps the best.  The first week I traveled with my dad to Bavaria and we visited Augsburg, Munich and Garmisch.  The second week I traveled to Rome on my own to meet up with fellow ESC students.  We saw the main attractions like the Colosseum, the Forum, the Vatican City, and even the pope.

            Being in the Alps was amazing, the mountains are breathtaking and the air was so fresh and crisp.  I’m more of an outdoorsy person so being in the mountains reminded me of past camping trips and hikes that I go on at home.  My favorite day was the day I toured the famous castles, Hohenschwangau, Neuschwanstein, and Linderhof.  The tours were fascinating and the castles were beautiful and more than met my expectations.  Hohenschwangau was the family home and Neuschwanstein and Linderhof were both built by Ludwig II.  The third castle  he built is by Lake Chiemsee.  Of his three castles only his smaller palace, Linderhof, is completed.  Ludwig II was a very interesting character and he met a mysterious end.  He was obsessed with the French monarchs and he was a very anti-social person.  The grounds around all the castles were great for hiking and the landscape is like nothing else I’ve ever seen.  The other part of the trip that I loved was my trip up to the Zugspitze, the tallest peak in Germany.  It was a cloudy day so we couldn’t see much but it was still exciting to say that I was at the top of Germany.  I would definitely go back to that area, so far it has been my favorite place I’ve seen the entire trip.   

            Getting to Rome was an adventure for me and a test of my abilities to be totally independent.  The way it worked out I flew in to Rome a day earlier than the people I was meeting up with.  I was planning on staying the night in a hotel close to the airport so it would be easy to meet everyone the next morning.  This was the first time I had ever traveled to another country on my own so I was very nervous in the days and hours leading up to my departure.  In the end everything went according to plan and I successfully found all my friends.  This experience gave me more confidence in my ability to be an independent adult.  Becoming more independent was one of my goals of studying abroad and traveling to Rome on my own proves how far I’ve come in this area.  I am really proud of myself for planning and managing to make the trip all by myself. 

Once in Rome we went on guided tours of different areas of the city and learned a lot about the history of Rome.  My favorite part of Rome though was seeing the pope.  It was an amazing experience.  I’m Roman Catholic so being able to see the pope, the head of the church, and watch him give a service was out of this world.  I wish my Grandmother could have been there to witness it as well.  She is a very religious person and I know an experience like that would make her so incredibly happy.  One day I hope that I can take her to Rome so she can see the pope in person the way I did.

            During my break I got to see so many new places and learn about new things as well as practice my German and learn to be more independent.  It made me excited about the future adventures I’m going to have in Germany and I feel like I’m many steps closer to achieving my goals.    

Reference                    
Castle Tourism Center. (2013). The Castles Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. Welcome to Hohenschwangau. http://www.hohenschwangau.de

Guided Walking Tour of Berlin

By Emily Cowan

I was absolutely blown away by the energy and excitement that was very apparent in our tour guides face about the lovely city of Berlin. It was one of the first tours I had ever been on in my life that I didn’t want to end. I had the feeling that I was actually in Berlin in the twentieth century by the detailed and fun analysis she gave us each step of the way. It was only my first day in the beautiful city of Berlin while I got the feeling I had already seen it all, and been there for days. Brandenburg Gate, Jewish Memorial, and even the Berlin wall; there is so much history and excitement that is bouncing vibrantly through this city and it was up to you if you could catch it or not.

“Ladies and Gentleman, if you could turn your direction to this abandoned parking lot.” Everything we had the chance to look at was amazing, but a parking lot? I wasn’t really sure where she was going with this one. I look up to see apartments from the 80’s that were apparently built by communist. We weren’t even in the main city center of Berlin anymore. It was just a random neighborhood with a funky smell due to everyone walking their dogs at this parking lot. However it turned into so much more as our tour guide went on explaining what happened over 60 years ago under this parking lot.

Chills flurried down my spins as Hitler’s name came into the picture. Apparently it wasn’t just a normal parking lot after all. It was a parking lot with lots of gruesome and tragic history. As I stood on the gravel, 14 meters below my feet was in fact the place where Hitler’s infamous bunker laid. I couldn’t believe the history rush that came over me standing on top of this parking lot. The tour guide stated how it would be impossible to go down to it because the people of berlin threw all there sewage around the bunker before enclosing it completely. The whole experience of being at this “Historical” place reminded me of my favorite history class in high school, where my teacher taught us all about WW2 especially everything that happened with Hitler. The stories my teacher told me were almost identical to what the tour guide stated. This made it even more eye opening to be standing exactly where so many soldiers stood before me.

 One thing I found strange for a split second was the fact that there was no way of telling that this was the bunker until you look over at a tiny sign the Germans put up when the Olympics came to Berlin in 2006. I soon realized why would they even want to commemorate what had happened here. It goes to show that nothing last forever and that bad can be replaced with a fresh start. No matter where life takes me I will always be able to look back and remember my time in Berlin, learning and growing with the culture and amazing history it has to offer. 

The East Side Gallery

By Brandon Klein

One of my favorite parts of Berlin came in one of the non-structured activities. On the last day in Berlin after we visited Angela Merkel at the Parliament building there were two groups that were splitting off to go explore more in Germany. One went to the Berlin Zoo and the other went to the East Gallery. When making my decision is was rather tough, I didn’t know whether to see a bunch of animals I could see in any zoo or to experience a famous part of Berlin that I might never be able to see again. Surprisingly unlike you may be lead to believe I decided to go to the East Gallery.

            The East Gallery is a section of the Berlin wall that has been preserved and artists from around the world have come to graffiti on it. Since only days after the destruction of most of the wall, people have come to this particular area of preserved wall and painted on it. The “graffiti” (paintings) present on the wall as of now date back only to 2009, and have been done by largely by internationally renowned artists.  Overall the wall has just over 100 paintings by 86 artists and each one is more beautiful or creative than the next. (East Side)

            The East Side Gallery was a great way to spend my last hours in Berlin. Getting to see the transformation of what was once a symbol of exclusion and sadness turned into something so beautiful was great. My favorite part about the gallery was that it was, as the name suggests, on the east side of the wall. I like that they chose the east side over the west side because the side that was made so beautiful was the side that had seen the worst of conditions. I would imagine that going back to that wall years after being liberated from communist Berlin that it would be refreshing to see such a horrible thing that plagued my days, become instead a symbol of hope and accomplishment.

            If not for anything else I can say that the East Side provided for some great photo opportunities. Whether it be the copious pictures I took of the murals alone or the seemingly innumerable amount of picture I posed for, trying to make it seem as if I was actually a part of the painting. My favorite picture that I took however had to be one where I got on the back of Matt Mislan and acted as if I was trying to escape to West Berlin.

            Overall I loved my trip to Berlin. From the tour of Berlin, to the tour of the German Parliament it is safe to say that I had a great time. Ending the trip with an excursion to the East Side Gallery could not have been any more perfect. This excursion brought me one step closer to accomplishing my goal of seeing as much as possible while abroad. Taking the initiative to see something that I otherwise would not have been required to see is something that I hope to continue in the future, making the most of my experience.

Bibliography

East Side Gallery Berlin. (n.d.). East Side Gallery Berlin. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from http://www.eastsidegallery-berlin.de/

The Grocery Store

By Albin Henneberger

 One of my anxieties or challenges that I had for myself prior to this trip was taking care of myself. Not only did I have to balance my social life as well as my educational challenges, but I am essentially responsible for my well-being. I would have to cook for myself, maintain my clothes, balance my budget, and other things which I had previously never done on a consistent basis.

            One of the things that I thought I would not have a problem with is food shopping. I figured all I had to do was buy groceries so that I could eat three times a day. Perhaps eggs, bacon, and sausage for breakfast. Peanut Butter, loaves of bread, cheese, and lunchmeat for lunch. For dinner, chicken breast, tortillas, and other typical food items.

            However, there are a few things I underestimated. For one thing, how easy it is for my food routine to turn mundane. Only a week and a half in, and the thought of eating eggs again repulses me. But even more surprising was how very different German grocery stores are from American ones.

            On my first trip, I went food shopping with Ashley, Cathryn,  and Mike. The first “abnormality” I experienced was a couple carrying roughly three to five carts full of plastic bottles, beer bottles, and other recyclables into the grocery store. I then observed them placing these bottles into a machine, and receiving money for them. For one thing, I was extremely happy at the prospect of getting money back from drinking beer. On the other hand, I found a new process/policy that would work extremely well in the United States.

            With the scarcity of resources as well as the environmental hazards that stem from the production of these containers, it makes sense that recycling them should be a priority. However, most Americans find it to be an inconvenience and opt to not do so. If there was a cash-based incentive, I know that recycling would be a very common practice.

            Another thing that was painfully obvious, but did not really hit me was the language barrier. I am not talking about the cashiers muttering phrases that I could not understand, but the signs for the food. Yes, you could have an idea as to what item you are purchasing, but it was not one hundred percent clear.

 An equally confounding obstacle was the lack of American brands. Brand recognition is a concept that I have learned in class, but something that I have completely underestimated until now. Had General Mills or Kraft Cheese been here, I would at least know the quality/value I was getting. But without this, I have no idea about either. So instead of shopping for brands, I simply shopped by price.

This lead to me thinking about that I am not really paying for higher quality and/or quantity, but I am paying for the advertising that the company does. Buying store-brands is sort of a taboo thing in the United States, but in reality, price does not make food taste better.

One thing I was definitely not prepared for was the speed of the checkout. The cashiers went through all of my items in under twenty seconds and I did not even take the bag off my shoulder. The others in the group did not fair any better, as well all suffered the soul burning glare of the locals and employees of the store.

It seems that even in the daily tasks that I perform, I learn something about Germany. This often translates to me learning about my “home-world” and causes self-reflection. While I still have a lot to learn about, I will definitely be the fastest bagger when I get back to the good ole New Jersey.

The Basics of Dining Out

By Cathryn Rizzuto

The aspect of German culture that I chose to read about was dining out.  According to Hyde Flippo’s text When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do, in a German restaurant you do not get seated by a host or hostess, but rather you seat yourself.  There is also no such thing as “free” bread, if rolls are placed on the table and you eat them, you will be charged.  It is also not uncommon for strangers to sit with you if there is an empty seat.  When I first read the article, I believed bits and pieces of it.  I believed that in some restaurants you would seat yourself, like in a café. but I did not believe the rest.  I thought there was no way people would sit down next to you if they didn’t know you.  Yet again, I was wrong.

                My first experience dinning on my own was with Katie and Ashley.  We went to this little sit down café known as Coffee and Kiss.  We walked in and weren’t sure what to do.  There was no hostess there to greet us, and no waitress to ask directions on what to do so after standing there for a few minutes we decided to sit and see what happens.  Eventually, after what seemed like a while of waiting, we were taken care of.  And just then it seemed like Flippo was right, you had to seat yourself.  That would take some getting used to, having worked in restaurants all my life and hating people who seat themselves I will have to get over it here, I guess.  The second point of Flippo’s text was something of a different story.

                Sitting in the café, we did not have anyone sit with us.  However, the tables were extremely close together and people occupied every chair, it was as if they were sitting with us.  If I was able to speak German I would have been able to hear everything they were saying.  Based on the laughs and looks they were giving me and my friends I have a feeling they spoke English.  I am not sure how I feel about this.  Part of me thinks it is nice being able to meet new people so easily and casually, however, part of me (and I am pretty sure this is the larger part) is not a fan of this.  When I go out, either alone or with people I did so for a reason, whether it be to catch up with someone special or enjoy some solitude.  This practice of sharing tables or sitting very close to someone infringes on that.

                The last aspect Flippo addressed regarding dining out was the idea of paying for a roll when they are placed on the table.  I have only encountered this once in the month I have been in Germany.  It was an Italian restaurant in the center of Frankfurt and our waiter placed a rather large assortment of breads and rolls in front of us.  At this point we had just gone through a two hour walking tour and were starving, so, we all lunged for the bread only to be stopped by Ashley who, having read Flippo’s article before, warned us that they typically charge you if you eat the bread.  Unable to wait, but unwilling to pay we practiced our German and asked the waiter how much for the bread.  Too much amazement and relief we learned that in this instant Flippo was wrong and we enjoyed a taste of home, free bread with dinner.