Heidelberg Service Learning

By Ylda Sellers

"Eine halb tasse de kaffee bitte" the gentleman said as he motioned towards the coffee machine for me; "Mitt milch?" I asked while pouring his cup of coffee. When he realized he had a shocked look on his face, he quickly changed it to a smile and with ease replied, "ja."

I understood the man's confusion the ladies who normally worked at Manna we're telling everyone that I didn't speak much German. So when I was able to comprehend and reply to the gentleman's request in German I would not have expected him to act any differently! Now the ladies clearly were not telling everyone who came in that I didn't speak German in order to make me seem inept, rather for them to know that I most likely would be having a little bit of difficulty understanding. Having a preconception in regards to Manna from other students that had previously gone, when we arrived I was nervous. I had been told that the people that went for breakfast were not the friendliest group of people; from my own experience I have a very different opinion. The folks that came were some of the nicest Germans I have ever met.

Back home I tend to do a lot of community service with all the different organizations that I am involved with but also because to graduate from UIW one most have completed forty five hours’ worth of community service in order to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree. Know this sounds as though I only do it because I have to, and to some respect if I did not have it as a requirement or it being part of my obligations to my organizations I probably would not. Now this also does not go with saying that when I do perform community service I love doing it. So going to Manna was great, it really helped put me in my place. Like everyone it is so easy to get caught up in miniscule details of life that really have absolutely no grander matter of importance than the moment we are living in. Going to Manna I was put into perspective and made me truly grateful for what I have, not only the materialistic objects in my life but also the grand love I have waiting for me back home, and the fact I have a home to go back to.

Most of people that came into Manna that morning were not necessarily homeless but some of the folks were. Now back in the states when I have gone to soup kitchens to serve, the homeless folks back are very different from the folks here. The folks here are very nicely dressed to the point that if you did not know this person you probably would not realize that they are facing any kind of hardship financially at least. Also back home the majority of folks that would come into the soup kitchen would act as though we owed it to them to serve and give them food, while at Manna the folks were absolutely grateful that they were getting treated nicely. All in all the  main lesson I learned from going to Manna was that no matter what walk of life someone comes from everyone wants the same thing and that is to be treated with respect. 

Remembering

By Crystal Wilson

It was cold and dark standing in the void room in the Jewish Museum. I spent the day learning about the Jewish culture and their history in Germany. Jew have an interesting and complex history in Germany. From the beginning, Jews were always persecuted in this country.  They were either forced to wear a sign so that people knew that they were Jews, they were not able to live in the city and were forced to live out of town. It was explained that Jews stopped wanting people to categorize them as Jewish but wanted people to see them as Germans. A large amount of people converted to Christianity because they thought that they would have full right and privileges as a citizen. It did not work as well as they would have liked because people viewed Jews as a race and not a religion. This made it difficult for them because regardless of what they did they were not able to escape the fact that they were Jewish.

Standing in that room made me think about all things that the Jews of Germany had to go through and their outcome. Many stood in a cold dark room before they died and that must have been terrifying. I thought of them as stood there and what they had to go through as group of people and what they have lost. The time in the void was about reflecting on their life and tragedy. Another, touching moment for me was when I walked on the faces. It was a quiet moment of thinking about Jews and hearing the sound of metal clashing as you walk towards the darkness. I was sad as I walked through the area because it represented the people that were lost due to the Holocaust. I thought about who they were… they were mother, fathers, brothers and sisters and they were brutally murdered and that made me extremely sad.

I found this experience to be very informative and touching. I was glad we were able to learn about this material. It was a great cultural experience because I was able to gather more details about the Germans that were Jewish and their life in this country. I got a better understanding of what they had to go as a people. It was very educational because I learned information that I did not know and I gained a lot from going to this excursion.  Personally, I was very happy that I was able to go to the Jewish Museum because I wanted to learn more about the Jewish religion and the struggle that they faced while they lived in this country. This excursion really made me think and reflect on the lives that were lost and the wrong that can never be righted. As I walked around the museum I wondered at how much history would never be known and stories that would never be told. This was a great experience that enlighten me and furthered my education on the Jewish culture. 

Heidelberg Fussball Watching

By Nick Wigert

                 

                Usually I am not the kind of person who enjoys planning things for a group of people. Thinking of a spice essay topic was something that I did not think would be very easy for me because of this.

Last night I had been looking at fussball games that would be on this upcoming week. Turns out that tonight was a big night for Champions League and that was when it came to me. I knew I wanted to watch the game, so why not get a person or two and go out to find somewhere to watch it. That is what I did.

                Matt and I went to Destille, which is a bar off of the Haupstrasse that I actually enjoy going to. It is a very small, almost cozy feeling place with a tree in the middle of the bar. I had just assumed that since Borussia Dortmund would be playing Arsenal that most bars in the town would be playing that game because it involved a German team. I was right. When we first arrived at the bar it was not very crowded, which was something that I was not really expecting. Destille is always extremely packed; at least in the times that I have been there or just walking by there. I also made sure we left the ESC early because I wanted to make sure we got a seat at the bar. This takes me off on a bit of a tangent, but since we have been here in Heidelberg I have not really gotten to sit at the bar in any of the places we have gone because they are always so crowded and we always go out too late. Aside from that, I have always wanted to become a regular at a bar. This means being someone the bartender recognizes anytime you walk into the bar. That aspiration really stemmed from watching the show How I Met Your Mother, which is one of my favorite shows. Anyway, we got a seat at the bar and of course as I had expected about 20 minutes or so into the game the place became a mob seen. The night as a whole was something I really enjoyed. I was able to do something I loved to do while planning it myself. I was glad that I was able to put the night together and actually follow through on something that was planned.

                This experience really made me feel like I was a real part of German society. I feel like there is nothing that immerses a fussball fan into a new culture than sitting in a local bar with a bunch of rowdy local fans watching a Champions League game. It is experiences like this that really make me thankful that I am here in Germany. I came here not to be an American in Germany and act like an American while here. I really truly wanted to attempt to be more German in any way possible. This night was one that I really greatly enjoyed and hopefully I will be doing it again sometime in the near future.

ESPN. (2013, October 23). ESPNFC. Retrieved from ESPN.com: http://espnfc.com/fixtures/_/league/uefa.champions/uefa-champions-league?cc=5739

Hambach

By Sean Garfield

            The Experiential Learning Group ventured to Hambach this week to visit the famous Hambach Castle.  This area holds special significance to Germany, since it was here where the first democratic movement in the county began.  Our group was to visit the castle in order to gain a better understanding of this particular part of German culture as well as to take in the fantastic sights around the castle.

            We journeyed to Hambach via bus.  When we arrived at the city after a rather uneventful drive, we all stopped for a second and noticed something.  The town was remarkably small.  Unlike many other areas we have visited that were in cities and the like, the small town of Hambach nestled in the German Palatinate is home to only about 750 residents.  We all wondered how such a small place could be of such historical significance to the country.

            The ascent up the hill to the castle was a bit unnerving due to the narrowness of the roads.  When we finally arrived at the castle, we all took a look at how high up we were.  It was as if we were at the peak of a mountain, looking at the town below and acres upon acres of meadowlands.  The castle sat a bit higher than I anticipated, but I was stunned by the beautiful scenery nonetheless.  Eventually, our tour guide arrived to describe the castle.  Evidently, the castle constructed as a series of repairs and updates.  Most of them came from a medieval update to the then Roman fortress-style, and then a large-scale repair effort was made to repair half of the structure after a war damaged it.  We also noticed a much more recent style on the outer wall of the castle.  A restaurant was made here overlooking the Palatinate, with all new building and interior design.   When we entered the castle, we were surprised to see that a lot of the interior was similarly new and modernized.  The main hall looked more like a fancy town meeting hall than a castle interior, as did many of the other rooms.  The guide explained that many different events are carried out in the castle, like political meetings and even weddings, so that a new style was adopted to accommodate for them.  I thought that it looked really cool and high-tech for a centuries old castle of all things.

            Next, we headed upstairs into the museum.  It featured a lot of different period pieces from the 1830’s like clothing, pamphlets, and mechanical devices.  This is where I learned the true significance of Hamburg and the castle.  In 1832 an event known as the Hambach Festival took place in the castle.  Here, many German, French, and even Polish people met to hold political discussions and demonstrate against the ruling German governments who were increasing their taxes and censorship in Palatinate areas.  The people revolted against this tyranny and demanded that the government give them more rights.  Events like these were not rare in Europe at the time.  After the defeat of Napoleon, many monarchial families returned to power in their homelands formerly ruled by the French.  As such, they taxed the people more heavily, liquidated many provincial governments, and increased the amount of censorship within their lands.  Their people, who grew accustomed the rights they enjoyed as French citizens, would not have it.  This was especially true in countries like Poland whose borders were being taken by many different countries bit by bit.  We also saw relics like the important printing presses of the day, political pamphlets, and even the original black, red and yellow flag adopted by the Federal Democracy of Germany. 

            In the end, I was surprised by how much I was able to learn from our trip to Hambach.  I would’ve never imagined that such a small town could hold such historical importance to a country as large as Germany.  I suppose it goes to show that the place at which the seeds of democracy are planted does not matter so much as much as the growth of the ideal itself.

           

           

              Documents - Government and Administration: Confederation or Nation-State? In German History in Documents and Images.  Retrieved from http://www.germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_document.cfm?document_id=238

Trying Something New

By Jennifer Dall

            Before I came to Germany, I never drank alcohol and was never interested in doing so. Getting drunk never appealed to me so I stayed away from even tasting drinks like wine and beer. If you asked any of my friends or especially the people on my freshman floor, they would tell you that I was even a little closed minded about the topic. 

            Now, deciding to go to Germany changed all of that. In the country that gave birth to the world’s largest beer festival, was I going to still block out drinking? Was I going to deprive myself of experiencing something that is so culturally significant to the country that I will be staying in for four months? The short answer is no. The long answer involves me sitting in my bed trying to reevaluate my life decisions but eventually, still comes out to a solid no.

Too long have I been stubborn about something that really is not a big deal. I have come to the realization that drinking is not a 0 to 60 phenomenon. Just because I decide to drink one glass of wine or one mug of beer does not mean that I will wind up in the bathroom an hour later puking my brains out. I consider myself a very responsible person and I refuse to let my fear of losing control hold me back from having the best experience possible while studying abroad.

The wine tasting excursion is the perfect example to prove my point. The old me would have been annoyed by the mere fact that an event focused on alcohol was worked into the schedule. I would have immediately cast the excursion aside as pointless and dreaded that impending day that it would arrive. But now, after pushing myself to be as open as possible to new experiences, I embraced the wine tasting. I even looked forward to it. It was the perfect opportunity to test my new frame of mind.

By being so open, I learned to appreciate wine making as a family business and as a passion. The woman who guided our tasting is part of the ninth generation of family working continuously to make Adam Muller wine. When she spoke about her family and the wine that she presented to us, I could tell that she was extremely proud of her family’s work and its long rooted history within the town of Heidelberg. Between her passion for wine making and the quaint living room setting of the tasting, I felt comfortable enough to indulge myself in drinking each glass of wine.

During those couple hours, I kept thinking back to freshman year and how far I have come since

then. Not only was I mentally ok with sipping on wine, but I was in the company of friends and teachers doing the same thing. Nothing bad happened to me or them and I was able to enjoy another side of Heidelberg that is somewhat off the beaten path. This experience has definitely encouraged me to continue my efforts of keeping an open mind to new things I may come across while studying abroad and during life itself. I greatly enjoyed the wine tasting and am looking forward to more positive new experiences down the road!

Why Study Abroad?

By Ryan Snope

            I decided to study abroad in order to experience an entirely new culture as well as to have as many new and exciting experiences as possible during my time in college.  College is one of the only times that I will be able to live in another country and experience a different culture for an extended period of time.  I hope to learn how to adapt to new environments during my time abroad, as this is an important skill to have in my professional as well as my personal life.  In addition to these reasons, my major also requires that I study abroad, which is a very good part of the program, as it forces students to venture outside of their comfort zone.  However, even if it had not been required, I still would have chosen to do so.

            I chose to study abroad in Germany for several reasons.  First, our school set up the program here, which made the logistics much simpler and will also allow me to take classes for my major while abroad.  The second reason is that I have a good friend who was born and raised in Germany who helped steer my decision.  He taught me about many aspects of German culture that seemed very interesting and also said that Heidelberg is one of the nicest cities in Germany.  The third reason is that Germany is the most important economic center in Europe and has the third largest economy in the world.  Since I am interested in economics and finance, this will allow me to learn a great deal about the European economy, which will give me a huge advantage while applying for and working at a job in this field.  Heidelberg’s proximity to Frankfurt, which is the financial capital of Germany, also makes it an ideal location to study these topics.  Also, Germany is located pretty much in the center of Europe, which will allow me to travel to other countries during my time here.

            During my time abroad, I wish to improve myself personally by being able to open my mind to different lifestyles without being judgmental or thinking one is better than another.  For example, Americans stress working very hard for many hours a week, while Europeans often live a more relaxed lifestyle with more time off from work, which Americans may view as lazy.  However, this lifestyle can contribute to greater happiness and leave more time to spend with family and loved ones.

           In order to have a successful study abroad experience, I wish to come home with a greater understanding of German and European culture and economy, make new friends from other countries, and have the most fun of any semester in college yet.  I am sure that there will be times when I am homesick, but I have only a short amount of time here while I have years to spend with my family and friends at home, so I will try to make the most of my time here.

Berlin

By Loretta Vieger

            Do you know the feeling of loving something so much, then having it offered to you for free? This is how I feel about coffee. Upon our arrival to Berlin, or as I like to call it Bearlin, and getting to the hostel there was a table of free coffee waiting for us. I was so thrilled I wanted to drink 5 cups but I had to restrain myself – I didn’t want to take advantage and sometimes too much of a good thing can be bad. Regardless, I knew that this was going to be the start to a very good weekend.

            Having been on an abundance of tours the past few months, I honestly wasn’t expecting much from this tour. However, the tour turned out to be my favorite part of the weekend. Obviously it was because of the tour guide. She was extremely outgoing and knowledgeable. And the way that she described events or art made me feel something and that is one of the most important parts of learning in my opinion. Especially on walking tours. If the tour guide can make you feel something and make you imagine yourself living in the time of the history, then I think that makes for a really excellent tour guide.

            First and foremost is the history behind the German and the French. I am the worst person at remembering history and I often times can’t remember whose friends and who isn’t. The Brandenburg Tor represents that the German always have an eye over the French. This relationship is also represented in the Gendarmenmarkt where the German and French cathedrals are located. It’s crazy to me how much deeper architecture and statues go other than being something extremely beautiful.

            Another memorable site is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. I like how it’s left up to the interpretation of everyone much like “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. However I didn’t like this concept because often time I just see things for what they are and not much else. My favorite interpretation of the memorial is one of a young boy – that it represents hope because no matter where you are in the memorial you can always find a way out.

            Professionally, this exhibit gave me some perspective on a budgeting aspect for large projects. The tour guide informed us that the memorial was way over budget and actually was not constructed as well as it should have been seeing as how pieces of the blocks are starting to crack and can eventually break off. This isn’t good for some of the blocks reaching 15 ft in height.

            If it’s free, I’m all about it aka free continental breakfast. Not only is breakfast my favorite meal of the morning, but when it’s a buffet that makes it so much better. So after eating a very hearty and filling breakfast on the second day, and continuing with the theme of Judaism, the group headed out to the Jewish Museum of Berlin. In my opinion this tour was interesting because the museum had a lot of underlying meaning to it as well as the paintings and exhibits. At first I wasn’t particularly interested in Jewish history because nobody in my family is or has ever been Jewish but after this tour and some explanations from our tour guide I began to sympathize with them and what they’ve been through. Life wasn’t easy for Jews 60 years ago but they powered through it and are still a lively force in today’s world.

            Day two ended with dinner at a really nice restaurant for Azeala’s birthday. The restaurant was outrageously expensive so I only got a small pumpkin soup but it was surprisingly really delicious. I have noticed from living in Germany and not being presented with my usual choices of food like burgers and chicken strips, I’m beginning to branch out a bit more and try different foods that I wouldn’t normally and I quite enjoy it! I feel like I’m becoming more cultured in the food world and I might even make this a habit and start trying more different foods back home.

            The last day was my second favorite out of the three days we were in Berlin. Starting off by filling myself up on delicious breakfast and coffee then heading out to the German Parliament I was upset because it rained earlier and the ground was muddy which got the bottoms of my jeans dirty. But I figure I couldn’t let that ruin my day. The Parliament, which is basically just a meeting place for the politicians, is actually a really beautiful and symbolic building. It’s also extremely modern except for the front and the 4 corners, which resemble the old castle like style from centuries ago. The best part was getting to go up into the top dome and look out across the whole city. I enjoyed the audio guide a lot and I think it kept the tour interesting and kept us involved.

            After the Parliament, the group split up and we were allowed free time. Emily, Kelsie, and I took a look around some souvenir shops and stopped at a Kebab restaurant. The Kebab I ate was literally the best Kebab of my entire life. I would go back to Berlin just to eat another one. Something about the sauce and the meat mixed together with perfectly toasted bread was so delicious I didn’t want to stop eating it. After having lunch, we made our way over to the East Side Gallery.

            The East Side Gallery is an open-air gallery that runs along the Spree River. It consists of painted pieces of the Berlin Wall and runs about 1.3 km long which for reference is a little under a mile. The wall was painted in 1990 but today most of the paintings are covered in graffiti (Barwick, 2013). More or less people just wrote their names or small sayings all over the paintings. I think this is disrespectful to the artists because now some of the paintings cannot even be seen in their full glory. Anyway, walking along the wall I could tell that the paintings were beautiful and controversial. One of the pieces of the wall had “PEACE” on it and I thought this was plain and simple but got the point across with no confusion. Another piece of the wall said “Politik ist die Fortsetzung des Krieges mit Anderen Mitteln” which translates to “Politics is the continuation of war by other means”. This is more of a profound saying but I think anybody can understand the point the artist was trying to get across.

            All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Berlin. I learned a lot about the history of the Berliners, the Germans, and different Street art as well as having a good time and bonding with some ESC students. I would go back any day.

Reference

Barwick, I. L. (2013). East Side Gallery. Berlin Guide. http://berlin.barwick.de/sights/the-berlin-wall/east-side-gallery.html

Darmstadt 10k

By Gerard Tyrrell

           My first independently planned trip in Germany was a 10k race in Darmstadt. Over the summer, a friend of mine from home who currently studies in Berlin had told me about the first time he ran this race, two years ago when he was living with a host family in Darmstadt. He wanted to run it again this year. Because I was going to be in Heidelberg, we made plans to meet up, stay with his old host family and make a weekend trip for the race. We’d arrive in Darmstadt on Friday, run the 10k on Saturday, and then on Sunday we could travel around the city and hang out. Everything seemed perfect: Darmstadt wasn’t too far from Heidelberg, we’d have a place to stay, we’d get to hang out for a weekend, and I’d be running my first official 10k in another country. As an avid runner, I was particularly excited by this opportunity, and in addition I hadn’t seen my friend much since he moved to Berlin so I was excited to be able to hang out and catch up.

            However, things did not go exactly as smoothly as planned. Shortly before arriving in Germany, I realized my study abroad program had three planned excursions the same weekend that I had planned to stay in Darmstadt for the 10k. As I looked through the semester calendar in disbelief at how many other open weekends we had, I was frustrated that the one weekend that I made plans for had not one, not two, but three excursions. However, I was determined to make this race work and I saw a small window of opportunity; we had our trip to Frankfurt on Friday and trips to Schwetzingen Palace and Speyer on Sunday, but Saturday, the actual day of the 10k, was still free. Frankfurt is not too far from Darmstadt, and I thought that maybe I could go on the excursion to Frankfurt, and afterwards go from there straight to Darmstadt. Then I’d travel back to Heidelberg Saturday night after the race so that I’d be able to make it to our 8:00 am departure to Schwetzingen Palace on Sunday morning. Sure, I’d be reducing my weekend in Darmstadt to only one day and cramming four trips into three days, but that was my best option.

            After a long day in Frankfurt, I split up from the group to go find the Frankfurt train station. As I grabbed my bag and got off the bus, I couldn’t help but question how much I wanted to do this. Here I was, fatigued and finding my way alone in an unfamiliar city to the train station, while everyone else got to relax on the bus and enjoy a peaceful ride back to Heidelberg. However, I knew it’d be well worth it the end, and so I took a deep breath and made my way to the train station. Eventually I met up with my friend, and he introduced me to his host family. I was instantly taken back by their warmth and kindness, which was well appreciated after a long day. I could tell that they were intent on making it a nice, albeit short stay for me: I was delighted to receive home cooked meals, and the family showed me around their city Saturday morning and afternoon before the race. It had a very interesting history, and I was surprised to learn that Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, the last Tsarina of Russia, was born in this little, unassuming city. I was so appreciative of their hospitality that the race seemed more like just another part of the trip rather than the main highlight.

            I learned a lot from this trip. First of all, I learned to stick with my plans and try to make them work even when circumstances aren’t exactly the most cooperative. Even though I was totally exhausted by the end of the weekend, I was still so glad to have had that experience. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I’m currently looking into running another 10k before I leave. I also really enjoyed meeting and spending time with the host family. Not only did this increase my knowledge of German culture, but provided a great opportunity for me to practice my German language skills, which is a huge goal of mine during while studying abroad.

Sources

Gelardi, Julia. (2005). Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria.             New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 5.

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/

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.

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

 

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.

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 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.