After school today, some of my classmates and I watched the movie "Goodbye Lenin". It was pretty good, even if I couldn't understand all of it. I did manage to laugh at some of the funny parts, though!
However, because of the movie, I had to miss the 6:00 train. That meant I had to wait two hours for the 8:00. So, a classmate and I went and got something for dinner. We decided on döners (which were really good! if you're ever in Germany, have one!). After that, we had about 40 minutes until my train came. So, we headed to the trainstation to wait.
About 15 minutes or so before my train was supposed to come, a group of 20+ police officers came to the station. I had no idea what they were there for. My train ended up coming late and being on a different set of tracks. Once it pulled into a station, a group of 30-40 young people got off. They seemed to be coming home from some kind of a trip. I think the police were there to make sure they didn't end up getting rowdy. They also seemed to be ready to search some bags. I'm not sure, though. I didn't get back to Harra until 8:30.
Also, I bought a jar of that Duo spread I posted a picture of earlierl. It's delicious! I had some on bread for breakfast this morning. Hopefully, I can make it last a while!
Bis später!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Weimar and Buchenwald Part 2
So, after visiting Buchenwald, we went on a tour of Weimar. We stopped at a few notable buildings. Despite the rain, we had fun and saw some pretty interesting sites. Here a few pictures from that leg of the journey.
First is a picture of the statues of Goethe and Schiller (respectively):
Here are the ruins of an old church in the park near Goethe's garden house.
This is a picture at the town market place. This is the tourist building:
And last is a shot of the city hall:
Also, I added a new picture to the post titled "Update". So, if you've seen it before August 9th, then have another look.
Bis später!
First is a picture of the statues of Goethe and Schiller (respectively):
Here are the ruins of an old church in the park near Goethe's garden house.
This is a picture at the town market place. This is the tourist building:
And last is a shot of the city hall:
Also, I added a new picture to the post titled "Update". So, if you've seen it before August 9th, then have another look.
Bis später!
Weimar and Buchenwald
Today was my OLC's trip to Weimar. First we went to Buchenwald.
Let me tell you that it was such an experience for me. It's hard to put into words what it was like. I could have spent hours in each building just imagining what it was like when the camp was in use. Here are some pictures from Buchenwald that maybe can impart a bit of what it is to visit this place.
This is what the barracks area looks like now. Almost none of the barracks remain. Where the rocks are black is where the barracks used to be.
Here is a look into one of six cremation ovens in the camp.
This is the smoke stack of the crematorium.
This building was used to store all the belongings the prisoners came with.
This is the gate to the prisoners' area. The words have two translations: the more literal "to each his own"; and the less literal "you get what you deserve".
It seems I can't add more pictures. So, the ones from Weimar itself will be in the next post (even though that post will show before this one on the blog page... silly blogger).
Let me tell you that it was such an experience for me. It's hard to put into words what it was like. I could have spent hours in each building just imagining what it was like when the camp was in use. Here are some pictures from Buchenwald that maybe can impart a bit of what it is to visit this place.
This is what the barracks area looks like now. Almost none of the barracks remain. Where the rocks are black is where the barracks used to be.
Here is a look into one of six cremation ovens in the camp.
This is the smoke stack of the crematorium.
This building was used to store all the belongings the prisoners came with.
This is the gate to the prisoners' area. The words have two translations: the more literal "to each his own"; and the less literal "you get what you deserve".
It seems I can't add more pictures. So, the ones from Weimar itself will be in the next post (even though that post will show before this one on the blog page... silly blogger).
Monday, August 8, 2011
Update
My visit to Gera went well. It was extremely hot because there wasn't a breeze, but it was a cool place to visit. My hostparents and I went into the museum they have about the history of the town. I couldn't understand the majority of what the signs and such said, but it was still interesting to see the pictures and artifacts. And don't worry. The worst I saw of the Neo-Nazi demonstrations was a bunch of police, one group of people carrying the Nazi flag, and a bunch of anti-Nazi signs and stickers. I kind of wish I could have gone closer to the action to see what was going on, but those things can get dangerous. So, it's probably good that we stayed away.
Here is a picture from Weimar (yes, I know there's a bit of time traveling going on here) that shows a poster I saw in Gera:
Yesterday, I walked with the Heil's and their horse, Laila, to a nearby town called Arlas. It was fun to spend time with them again. We talked about how my exchange is going. I taught them some of the American names for plants. I told them where maple syrup comes from. They showed me a few mushrooms that are safe to eat and how to tell when they're spoiled. I even rode the horse a bit on the way back. However, I have to say that walking that far has left me pretty sore...
Part of school today was pretty interesting. We split into three groups and came up with interview questions about Buchenwald. Then we went into the market center of Bad Lobenstein and we each had to interview at least one person. All in German. It was kind of nerve racking, but it's good practice all the same. Plus, it was really interesting to hear some of the people's responses.
After school, I did a bit of shopping. First, I went to the grocery store to get a bit of food for lunch tomorrow. While I was looking for things, I saw this:
That's right: chocolate and caramel in spread form! I have to try it sometime. I'm not sure what I'd put it on (bread doesn't sound right), but I will try it, even if it's just on a spoon!
After that, I went on the hunt for jeans. Silly me brought only three pairs, and only two I feel I can wear often. I've essentially been wearing one pair a week, with my skinny jeans or leggings thrown in now and then. So, I decided I should get myself another pair. I ended up having to go to four stores before I found one pair that fit me well and that I liked. First of all, I had no idea what size I am here. Second, most jeans aren't made for people my height (meaning they're way too long). Third, German fashion (or at least the fashion popular here) seems to revolve around faded jeans. That's not so good when I like dark wash. When I finally found a pair I liked, I had to fork over 67€ (that's over $95!). I have never paid that much for a single pair of jeans. That's crazy!
Anyway, after I got over the sticker-shock, I checked my makeshift watch (aka, my iPod) and saw that I had two minutes to cover a 10-minute distance before my train came. So, to pass the next 45 minutes before the next train came, I sat in the park and read. I wouldn't complain about that, except that it was cold and windy and I'd decided to leave my jacket on my bedpost.
Tomorrow, I get to wake up at 5:30 to get on the train at 6:40, because my OLC is going to Weimar tomorrow. We're going to visit some historical buildings in the town as well as the Buchenwald concentration camp. I'm looking forward to the trip. I think both parts will be very interesting and amazing experiences.
Bis später!
Here is a picture from Weimar (yes, I know there's a bit of time traveling going on here) that shows a poster I saw in Gera:
Yesterday, I walked with the Heil's and their horse, Laila, to a nearby town called Arlas. It was fun to spend time with them again. We talked about how my exchange is going. I taught them some of the American names for plants. I told them where maple syrup comes from. They showed me a few mushrooms that are safe to eat and how to tell when they're spoiled. I even rode the horse a bit on the way back. However, I have to say that walking that far has left me pretty sore...
Part of school today was pretty interesting. We split into three groups and came up with interview questions about Buchenwald. Then we went into the market center of Bad Lobenstein and we each had to interview at least one person. All in German. It was kind of nerve racking, but it's good practice all the same. Plus, it was really interesting to hear some of the people's responses.
After school, I did a bit of shopping. First, I went to the grocery store to get a bit of food for lunch tomorrow. While I was looking for things, I saw this:
That's right: chocolate and caramel in spread form! I have to try it sometime. I'm not sure what I'd put it on (bread doesn't sound right), but I will try it, even if it's just on a spoon!
After that, I went on the hunt for jeans. Silly me brought only three pairs, and only two I feel I can wear often. I've essentially been wearing one pair a week, with my skinny jeans or leggings thrown in now and then. So, I decided I should get myself another pair. I ended up having to go to four stores before I found one pair that fit me well and that I liked. First of all, I had no idea what size I am here. Second, most jeans aren't made for people my height (meaning they're way too long). Third, German fashion (or at least the fashion popular here) seems to revolve around faded jeans. That's not so good when I like dark wash. When I finally found a pair I liked, I had to fork over 67€ (that's over $95!). I have never paid that much for a single pair of jeans. That's crazy!
Anyway, after I got over the sticker-shock, I checked my makeshift watch (aka, my iPod) and saw that I had two minutes to cover a 10-minute distance before my train came. So, to pass the next 45 minutes before the next train came, I sat in the park and read. I wouldn't complain about that, except that it was cold and windy and I'd decided to leave my jacket on my bedpost.
Tomorrow, I get to wake up at 5:30 to get on the train at 6:40, because my OLC is going to Weimar tomorrow. We're going to visit some historical buildings in the town as well as the Buchenwald concentration camp. I'm looking forward to the trip. I think both parts will be very interesting and amazing experiences.
Bis später!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Halfway to Hambergen
So, it's been a week since I last posted here. I'll try to sum-up the week.
Sunday, I went on a horseback ride with a friend of my hostmom and her daughters. It was so much fun! They took me to the top of one of the tallest hills in the area and then down into some beautiful forests. The ride lasted about three hours, and I was so sore after. It probably didn't help that I didn't have a saddle, though...
School was a bit different this week. On one of the days, we did a sort of scavenger hunt in Bad Lobenstein where we were split into two teams, and then we had to race around the town using a GPS to find the location of letters. These letters then had to be unscrambled to spell out a word. It was fun, and I believe my team won (even though we had stopped to get icecream on the way back). I don't think there was a prize, though.
Then on Thursday, we took a fieldtrip to Mödlareuth. It's a small village right on the border between Thuringia and Bavaria. During the East-West division in Germany, it was one of 20 or so other towns that had a physical wall dividing it, like Berlin. The Americans gave this town the nickname of "Little Berlin". The town still has a large piece of the wall in tact and on display for visitors. The also recreated what it looked like at one of the checkpoints in the area. There was a small museum of artifacts and photos. Also, there was a large shed filled with both military and civilian vehicles of the time. Overall, I think it was really interesting and a great experience.
Yesterday, we watched a movie about Goethe. We're going to Weimar on Tuesday, and we'll be visiting Goethe's house among other things. The movie was pretty good, even though I couldn't understand it all. We ended class a bit early that day, which was nice.
Today, my hostparents and I are going to Gera. It's a fairly near-by large town. I'm not exactly sure what to goal of going there is, but I'd bet I'll find out soon enough. My hostmom also said that there might be a Neo-Nazi demonstration as well as a counter demonstration. We'll see how that unfolds.
Bis später!
Sunday, I went on a horseback ride with a friend of my hostmom and her daughters. It was so much fun! They took me to the top of one of the tallest hills in the area and then down into some beautiful forests. The ride lasted about three hours, and I was so sore after. It probably didn't help that I didn't have a saddle, though...
School was a bit different this week. On one of the days, we did a sort of scavenger hunt in Bad Lobenstein where we were split into two teams, and then we had to race around the town using a GPS to find the location of letters. These letters then had to be unscrambled to spell out a word. It was fun, and I believe my team won (even though we had stopped to get icecream on the way back). I don't think there was a prize, though.
Then on Thursday, we took a fieldtrip to Mödlareuth. It's a small village right on the border between Thuringia and Bavaria. During the East-West division in Germany, it was one of 20 or so other towns that had a physical wall dividing it, like Berlin. The Americans gave this town the nickname of "Little Berlin". The town still has a large piece of the wall in tact and on display for visitors. The also recreated what it looked like at one of the checkpoints in the area. There was a small museum of artifacts and photos. Also, there was a large shed filled with both military and civilian vehicles of the time. Overall, I think it was really interesting and a great experience.
Yesterday, we watched a movie about Goethe. We're going to Weimar on Tuesday, and we'll be visiting Goethe's house among other things. The movie was pretty good, even though I couldn't understand it all. We ended class a bit early that day, which was nice.
Today, my hostparents and I are going to Gera. It's a fairly near-by large town. I'm not exactly sure what to goal of going there is, but I'd bet I'll find out soon enough. My hostmom also said that there might be a Neo-Nazi demonstration as well as a counter demonstration. We'll see how that unfolds.
Bis später!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Schloss Burgk
Here are some pictures I took when my hostparents and I visited Schloss Burgk. It's a castle that was built in the 1100's and was never able to be seiged because it's protected by the Saale River and its steep cliffs and high walls. (Click the pictures for a bigger image.)
The Saale River:
The village the Schloss protected:
The bridge leading to the Schloss:
A look inside the Schloss's well:
The hunting room:
A wide view of the Schloss from the observation tower:
The Saale River:
The village the Schloss protected:
The bridge leading to the Schloss:
A look inside the Schloss's well:
The hunting room:
A wide view of the Schloss from the observation tower:
Friday, July 29, 2011
It's Been One Week...
Yup, that's right: today marks the one-week point since I've been here in Germany, and I have to say today was one of the best.
School (in the OLC) was more fun than it's ever been. We took a test, went over some of the answers, and then had a break. After the break, we watched the movie "Die Welle" (the Wave). It was really interesting. It was kind of sad at the end, though. After that, we had lunch which was chicken, potato dumplings and red cabbage. It was delicious! One of our instructors, Ole, ate at least six of the dumplings! After that, we had a bit of a break, and then regrouped to talk about the movie. Then we had yet another break, and came back to talk about role models.
After school, I walked with a friend to her bus stop and hung out with her until her bus came. We had wanted to try talking to people our age, but there weren't any there. So, after that, I went to the bookstore in Bad Lobenstein to see if I could find a small German dictionary. All they had were dictionaries in other languages or giant ones. However, I still have my German-English one. So, I should be able to manage.
I had a bit of time left after that. So, I went for a short walk through the town. I went by this pond (a picture of which is on my 365 project) and saw some ducks I'd never seen before. They were kind of pretty but I couldn't get any clear shots. I then left the pond and headed toward the train station.
On my way there, I noticed something in the road. I looked closer and saw a big brown toad (he was at least as big as the palm of my hand) trying to cross to the other side. I waited until the coast was clear (he almost got hit in that time) and then ran across the road, grabbing him up as I went. I put him safely on the other side and continued on my way.
I got to the train station with a little over 20 minutes until my train was supposed to come. So, I walked to the right Gleis (I'd gotten on the wrong train yesterday, but I got off before it left) and sat down to wait. This guy who had been sitting in front of the train station then came to sit in one of the other chairs. I thought about trying to talk to him, but I don't know what I would have said. It was a little awkward sitting there in silence with a perfect stranger, though. Anyway, when the train came, I got on and to Harra without incident. So, I'm pretty proud of myself for that.
Shortly after I got home and settled in, one of my hostmom's friends came over. After they talked for a little bit, they asked me to come over to help plan some trips. Tomorrow, I'm going to a fairly near-by castle with my hostparents and a fellow exchanger. We also talked about going to a really amaing-looking cave, a palace and some rock outcroppings near Dresden (I'd call them bluffs, but they're more stand-alone than that). Anyway, I'm pretty excited to play tourist for a while!
Also, I have to say I've probably drunk more apple juice in this past week than I have ever in my life. Carbonation FTW!
Bis später!
P.S. If you notice any obvious spelling mistakes, I blame it on the fact that the internet here thinks in German. So, when I use the spell-check, 98% of the words are underlined as wrong.
School (in the OLC) was more fun than it's ever been. We took a test, went over some of the answers, and then had a break. After the break, we watched the movie "Die Welle" (the Wave). It was really interesting. It was kind of sad at the end, though. After that, we had lunch which was chicken, potato dumplings and red cabbage. It was delicious! One of our instructors, Ole, ate at least six of the dumplings! After that, we had a bit of a break, and then regrouped to talk about the movie. Then we had yet another break, and came back to talk about role models.
After school, I walked with a friend to her bus stop and hung out with her until her bus came. We had wanted to try talking to people our age, but there weren't any there. So, after that, I went to the bookstore in Bad Lobenstein to see if I could find a small German dictionary. All they had were dictionaries in other languages or giant ones. However, I still have my German-English one. So, I should be able to manage.
I had a bit of time left after that. So, I went for a short walk through the town. I went by this pond (a picture of which is on my 365 project) and saw some ducks I'd never seen before. They were kind of pretty but I couldn't get any clear shots. I then left the pond and headed toward the train station.
On my way there, I noticed something in the road. I looked closer and saw a big brown toad (he was at least as big as the palm of my hand) trying to cross to the other side. I waited until the coast was clear (he almost got hit in that time) and then ran across the road, grabbing him up as I went. I put him safely on the other side and continued on my way.
I got to the train station with a little over 20 minutes until my train was supposed to come. So, I walked to the right Gleis (I'd gotten on the wrong train yesterday, but I got off before it left) and sat down to wait. This guy who had been sitting in front of the train station then came to sit in one of the other chairs. I thought about trying to talk to him, but I don't know what I would have said. It was a little awkward sitting there in silence with a perfect stranger, though. Anyway, when the train came, I got on and to Harra without incident. So, I'm pretty proud of myself for that.
Shortly after I got home and settled in, one of my hostmom's friends came over. After they talked for a little bit, they asked me to come over to help plan some trips. Tomorrow, I'm going to a fairly near-by castle with my hostparents and a fellow exchanger. We also talked about going to a really amaing-looking cave, a palace and some rock outcroppings near Dresden (I'd call them bluffs, but they're more stand-alone than that). Anyway, I'm pretty excited to play tourist for a while!
Also, I have to say I've probably drunk more apple juice in this past week than I have ever in my life. Carbonation FTW!
Bis später!
P.S. If you notice any obvious spelling mistakes, I blame it on the fact that the internet here thinks in German. So, when I use the spell-check, 98% of the words are underlined as wrong.
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