I got back yesterday from my trip to Berlin. Let's just say it was amazing!
The hostel we stayed in was about a 5-10 minute walk from Checkpoint Charlie. Which not only means we had a pretty good location in the city, but also that we were right on the border of where the Berlin Wall was. I could see the line of paving stones in the street that marks where the wall stood.
We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and were kept pretty busy the entire time. We first got our rooms and had dinner. Then, it was off for short tour of some of the main sights in Berlin. We went to Checkpoint Charlie, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (giant cement blocks of various heights covering a block in the city - really incredible), Postdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate.
On Wednesday, we took a bus tour of the city, seeing some of the places that were just too far to walk to. We saw the mascots of Berlin, various scale models of the entire city, the largest airport in Germany (and Europe for that matter, I think - it was over a mile long), and various museums and important/old buildings. After dinner, it was time for the highlight of the week (possibly even my exchange): watching the German national team playing against the Netherlands in the Europameisterschaft (European Championship) at Germany's biggest public viewing event.
It was amazing! Before we left, we all dressed ourselves in the national colors. People even used the bit of free time we had beforehand to pick up some shirts, face paint, wigs and flags. Then we all gathered in the courtyard of the hostel and were on our way. Even walking to the Brandenburg Gate was cool. One of the other students had bought a vuvuzela (an annoyingly loud horn sometimes used by fans during the games - not traditionally a European thing), and as we were walking through the city, he would blast the horn and get people to honk their car horns or cheer with us.
When we finally got there, the place was already pretty packed. There were about 500,000 people there, on a Wednesday night. The atmosphere there was awesome. Everyone, except maybe five people, were cheering for the same team. When we scored both goals, everyone flipped out. Everyone sang with whenever we wanted to chant. One of my favorite parts was the various ways to cheer. You could sing with, saying the right words, or you could sing with, only using sounds that sound like the right words. Or, if your voice was too dead for real cheering, shouting out the name of the player on the screen was perfectly acceptable, too.
At the end of the game, the score stood 2-1. People went crazy. My friends and I stayed a couple of minutes after as various party songs were played and people danced like they were at a club. We would have stayed longer, but we had to meet back up with the group. I wasn't in bed until 1:30.
Thursday was spent in various museums. We had a choice of a Jewish museum, a Stasi prison or a tour of the underground bunkers in Berlin. I opted for the bunkers. It was really interesting, but also kind of creepy. The bunkers were made next to the subways. So, every time a subway train went by, the walls would vibrate and the sound echoed all over the place. There were some interesting collections of old items left by the people who used the bunkers - plates, toys, clothing - as well as a collection of old weaponry - guns, bombs and grenades. In one room, there was even a display of old gasmasks.
After the museums and after dinner, we had another choice of activities: watching a cultural movie, going to a ballet, or visiting the TV Tower. I chose the last option. We also had about an hour beforehand to go shopping at the big shopping location called Alexanderplatz. The view from the tower was amazing! We could see the Brandenburg Gate, the airport, approximately where our hostel was, as well as plenty of other major sites in Berlin. The sunset from 203 meters was really pretty!
I ended up having another really long night because I had volunteered to help make the gift we would give to the Bundestag the next day. I was in bed again at 1:30, but we needed to be up at 5:00 AM for the meeting on Friday.
Even though I was really exhausted, visiting the Reichstag was a cool experience. Unfortunately, they didn't allow cameras inside. So, I don't have any pictures from inside the building. We got to sit in and watch the representatives debate among each other, which was pretty cool. Then we met with some representatives and people who work together to organize and ensure the continuation of the CBYX program. We asked questions, gave speeches and presented our gifts. Then, we had lunch and got to hang out with all the other CBYX scholarship recipients (we were about 350 all together).
Afterward, we all went to the American Embassy. It was really interesting being there. The Embassy has a courtyard in the middle with a square of pure, soft grass. We were served American sodas (including Mug rootbeer, but I didn't get any...). There was music playing in the background. The whole thing just sort of felt kind of like a graduation party.
Friday night we played a few games as a big group and then had the opportunity to do pretty much whatever we wanted. I went with a group of friends into the couch room on our floor and watched movies until 2:30.
On Saturday morning, we all met up again for a final round of games and good-byes. Then, it was off to the train station and back to our hostfamilies. It was raining really hard as we left, which fit pretty well to the situation. We had to say good-bye to friends we had made and may never see again. Kind of a bummer. But, hey, I've still got 6 weeks!
Bis später!
P.S. Pictures from my time in Berlin will be added to my 365 Project (which, by the way, is almost done)!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Quickie Update
Just wanted to let you all know I'm still living, and things are still amazing here in Germany!
In a few days, I'll be going to Berlin for a meeting with YFU. All the exchange students who have also received the same scholarship I did will be there (including those from other exchange programs). I'm really looking forward to meeting some new people, and seeing some people I haven't seen since July! (Not to mention getting to tour around the country's capital!)
I've also found a family I can stay with in July (did I mention I needed to find one?). I'll be staying with a good friend of mine. It will be nice to be in relative walking distance from the school. It will save a heck of a lot of trouble when classes are cancelled, and a lot of money I would spend riding the bus. Plus, it will be fun being able to live with this friend for a while!
That's all for this little update. I'll try to post something a little more interesting in the coming days!
Bis später!
In a few days, I'll be going to Berlin for a meeting with YFU. All the exchange students who have also received the same scholarship I did will be there (including those from other exchange programs). I'm really looking forward to meeting some new people, and seeing some people I haven't seen since July! (Not to mention getting to tour around the country's capital!)
I've also found a family I can stay with in July (did I mention I needed to find one?). I'll be staying with a good friend of mine. It will be nice to be in relative walking distance from the school. It will save a heck of a lot of trouble when classes are cancelled, and a lot of money I would spend riding the bus. Plus, it will be fun being able to live with this friend for a while!
That's all for this little update. I'll try to post something a little more interesting in the coming days!
Bis später!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Easter, Haircuts and Verlängerungen
I know it's a bit late, but I wanted to post a quick description of Easter in Germany. It really isn't too different from Easter in America. There are Easter baskets (loaded with delicious chocolate), Easter eggs (real or plastic) to look for or that are hung in trees and bushes, and an Easter Bunny who hides the goodies for the kids to look for on Easter Sunday. However, what is different is the Osternfeuer (Easter fire). This is a huge pile of wood which is set on fire. It's an old tradition that is supposed to symbolize the coming of spring and to banish the evil spirits of winter. Mostly, people just go to watch things burn and drink some beer.
Today, I was adventrous. Today, I walked into a hair salon, alone, and got a haircut (in a foreign language, mind you!!). I think it went pretty well. She understood what I wanted and let me know what she was doing and double-checked if what she was doing was okay. Maybe it's a little bit shorter than I would have liked, but it will grow, and I do think it looks nice. I also had a nice talk with the hairstylist about the fact that I'm an exchange student, where I'm from, where I live now, how long I'll be staying... The usual. She also wanted to know why I even bothered to go to school when I only had two periods (Remember what I wrote a while ago about if the teacher's not there, we just don't have class? Yeah, well that was today. Instead of 4 periods, I was down to two. Some people had no school at all today). Overall, a good experience!
I now have an official departure date. I'll be leaving here on August 1st. I was supposed to leave on July 6th, but I wanted to stay longer, because my school here goes until July 27th, and I wanted to stay until the end and get a taste of summertime here. To any (future) YFU exchange students reading this page, if you have questions or want help with the extension process, let me know! I'll help you through it!
Also, I've got a 4-day weekend coming up. Tuesday is a holiday (Tag der Arbeit), and since the Germans find it silly to go to school for a day and then have another day off, we get to have Monday off, too. Cool, wa?
Bis später!
Today, I was adventrous. Today, I walked into a hair salon, alone, and got a haircut (in a foreign language, mind you!!). I think it went pretty well. She understood what I wanted and let me know what she was doing and double-checked if what she was doing was okay. Maybe it's a little bit shorter than I would have liked, but it will grow, and I do think it looks nice. I also had a nice talk with the hairstylist about the fact that I'm an exchange student, where I'm from, where I live now, how long I'll be staying... The usual. She also wanted to know why I even bothered to go to school when I only had two periods (Remember what I wrote a while ago about if the teacher's not there, we just don't have class? Yeah, well that was today. Instead of 4 periods, I was down to two. Some people had no school at all today). Overall, a good experience!
I now have an official departure date. I'll be leaving here on August 1st. I was supposed to leave on July 6th, but I wanted to stay longer, because my school here goes until July 27th, and I wanted to stay until the end and get a taste of summertime here. To any (future) YFU exchange students reading this page, if you have questions or want help with the extension process, let me know! I'll help you through it!
Also, I've got a 4-day weekend coming up. Tuesday is a holiday (Tag der Arbeit), and since the Germans find it silly to go to school for a day and then have another day off, we get to have Monday off, too. Cool, wa?
Bis später!
Friday, April 6, 2012
People and Pizza
Hey Readers!
Last weekend, one of my favorite people, an exchange student from Michigan, came for a visit. She arrived on Friday and stayed until Monday. During that time, we went to Bremen twice and Bremerhaven once. In Bremen, we shopped, ate tasty food, and had a blast at the Oster Wiese (essentially a festival with rides, games and typical fair foods). Basically, we spent too much money, but it was fun!
In Bremnerhaven, we visited the Deutsche Auswandererhaus (German Emmigrant House). It was really interesting - even if I found the mannequins totally creepy (seriously, I couldn't go near the ones in front of the ship...). You start with an introduction to the whole museum, and then you get to go step-by-step through the emmigration process. You see the ship in the harbor, with people and their luggage waiting to board. Then you can take a look at the passenger information from hundreds of different emmigrants who went through Bremerhaven, who were of many nationalities, not just the German. Next, you board the ship and get to experience what it was like to travel in the different passenger classes. After that, it's on to Ellis Island where you can take a test to see if you qualify to enter the country. At the end, there's a room where you can search your last name or the names of your ancestors to see if and when they came through Bremerhaven, which is really cool for people who don't have much information on their family's background!
Today, I made my first endeavor to treat my hostfamily with my pizza-making skills. Let's just say it was successful! However, next time, I'll need to make sure I make three pizzas, because two were barely enough. Here are the fruits of my labor:
Pizza with pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes
BBQ Pizza with BBQ sauce, chicken, cheddar cheese, bacon and onions
Yeah, be jealous!
I hope everyone has a happy Easter! And for those of you who don't celebrate Easter, happy spring!
Bis später!
P.S. Click on the pictures for a larger view!
Last weekend, one of my favorite people, an exchange student from Michigan, came for a visit. She arrived on Friday and stayed until Monday. During that time, we went to Bremen twice and Bremerhaven once. In Bremen, we shopped, ate tasty food, and had a blast at the Oster Wiese (essentially a festival with rides, games and typical fair foods). Basically, we spent too much money, but it was fun!
In Bremnerhaven, we visited the Deutsche Auswandererhaus (German Emmigrant House). It was really interesting - even if I found the mannequins totally creepy (seriously, I couldn't go near the ones in front of the ship...). You start with an introduction to the whole museum, and then you get to go step-by-step through the emmigration process. You see the ship in the harbor, with people and their luggage waiting to board. Then you can take a look at the passenger information from hundreds of different emmigrants who went through Bremerhaven, who were of many nationalities, not just the German. Next, you board the ship and get to experience what it was like to travel in the different passenger classes. After that, it's on to Ellis Island where you can take a test to see if you qualify to enter the country. At the end, there's a room where you can search your last name or the names of your ancestors to see if and when they came through Bremerhaven, which is really cool for people who don't have much information on their family's background!
Today, I made my first endeavor to treat my hostfamily with my pizza-making skills. Let's just say it was successful! However, next time, I'll need to make sure I make three pizzas, because two were barely enough. Here are the fruits of my labor:
Pizza with pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes
BBQ Pizza with BBQ sauce, chicken, cheddar cheese, bacon and onions
Yeah, be jealous!
I hope everyone has a happy Easter! And for those of you who don't celebrate Easter, happy spring!
Bis später!
P.S. Click on the pictures for a larger view!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Post 90: Poland
How many people can say they were a double-dipper exchange student? Well, I know one!
Today, I left Poland after a week-long exchange there with my school. Every year, my school here in Germany sends 12 to 14 students to Poland to work with 12 to 14 Polish students on a project. The project is a little different each year, but the purpose is the same: create lasting friendships that cross national borders, and to build a better understanding between two cultures (like all exchange programs, right?). I have to say, it worked!
We left on Saturday. The trip lasted over 13 hours with a two-hour wait for the connecting train in a random small town in Poland. After we finally got to the last station on our journey, we had yet another two hours by bus to go. At the hotel, there wasn't much time left for more than dinner, getting rooms, showering, and going to bed.
The first few days at the hotel were packed with activity. We began working on our project, which is a calendar and series of presentations highlighting the similarities, differences and peculiarities of both countries/cultures. We also went to the Baltic Sea every morning, learned some Polish phrases, and visited one of the local shops. We had a "Tanzabend" where we learned a dance from the Polish students (imagine the electric slide, but wilder). One night, we had a campfire. Another, a disko party. Almost every night, there were mini-parties going on in the rooms. We were lucky, and the teachers were very tolerant, unless it got too loud.
On Wednesday morning, we took the bus (for another 1.5-2 hours) to Gdańsk. We spent the day there doing a sort of scavenger hunt, touring an amber museum, eating delicious food, and shopping around. Afterward, we took the bus to Kwidzyn (yet another long drive). There, we met our hostfamilies for the rest of the exchange.
Unfortunately, my exchange partner wasn't able to take part in the first phase of the trip, but it was really nice staying with her. She and her sister spoke English really well. Her mother could speak some English, and her brother and father could speak only very little. However, their home was really nice, they were really nice, and I wish I could have spent more time with them.
While we were in Kwidzyn, we spent most of our time with the students who were a part of the project. The rest of us only got to see our exchange partners and hostfamilies in the mornings and evenings. However, it was still a ton of fun. On Thursday, we sat in on a few different classes, went on a tour of Kwidzyn, ate delicious pizza and went to a pub with the exchange partners. Friday, we presented our project to some students at the school as well as the part of the governmental staff in Kwidzyn. Later, we went bowling, ate delicious pizza again, and went to antoher bar.
After showering and packing, I finally got to bed at about 1:30. I then got up at 5AM, and was at the train station by 6:15. At 6:30, we left. It was kind of sad saying good-bye. Some of the Polish students will be coming to finish the project in the summer, but a lot won't. I probably won't see the majority of those people again. I had really gotten to know a few of them, and they had become pretty good friends. It's just a small taste of what it's going to be like for me in a few short months...
Anyway, I unfortunately slacked off on my journaling during this week, so I'm not entirely sure what all happened on which days. However, I can say that week was one of the most strenuous and awesome weeks of my life. I know I'll miss a certain few people, but as they say in Poland, nie płacz (don't cry).
Also, spring has finally sprung! I'm not sure if the week in Poland made me realize the difference (they still have winter-ish conditions, eg. dead, brown grass, ponds freezing over at night). Here, the grass is nice and green, the sun is up in the morning before I am, the birds are singing... It means summer is on it's way, but it's bringing the end of my exchange with it. I'm looking forward to experiencing life in America again, but I'm not looking forward to giving up my life here... Ah, well, I don't have to deal with that for a few months yet. I just have to keep enjoying myself here and making the best of the time I have left!
Bis später!
P.S. Photos from Poland will be posted (eventually) on my 365 Project.
Today, I left Poland after a week-long exchange there with my school. Every year, my school here in Germany sends 12 to 14 students to Poland to work with 12 to 14 Polish students on a project. The project is a little different each year, but the purpose is the same: create lasting friendships that cross national borders, and to build a better understanding between two cultures (like all exchange programs, right?). I have to say, it worked!
We left on Saturday. The trip lasted over 13 hours with a two-hour wait for the connecting train in a random small town in Poland. After we finally got to the last station on our journey, we had yet another two hours by bus to go. At the hotel, there wasn't much time left for more than dinner, getting rooms, showering, and going to bed.
The first few days at the hotel were packed with activity. We began working on our project, which is a calendar and series of presentations highlighting the similarities, differences and peculiarities of both countries/cultures. We also went to the Baltic Sea every morning, learned some Polish phrases, and visited one of the local shops. We had a "Tanzabend" where we learned a dance from the Polish students (imagine the electric slide, but wilder). One night, we had a campfire. Another, a disko party. Almost every night, there were mini-parties going on in the rooms. We were lucky, and the teachers were very tolerant, unless it got too loud.
On Wednesday morning, we took the bus (for another 1.5-2 hours) to Gdańsk. We spent the day there doing a sort of scavenger hunt, touring an amber museum, eating delicious food, and shopping around. Afterward, we took the bus to Kwidzyn (yet another long drive). There, we met our hostfamilies for the rest of the exchange.
Unfortunately, my exchange partner wasn't able to take part in the first phase of the trip, but it was really nice staying with her. She and her sister spoke English really well. Her mother could speak some English, and her brother and father could speak only very little. However, their home was really nice, they were really nice, and I wish I could have spent more time with them.
While we were in Kwidzyn, we spent most of our time with the students who were a part of the project. The rest of us only got to see our exchange partners and hostfamilies in the mornings and evenings. However, it was still a ton of fun. On Thursday, we sat in on a few different classes, went on a tour of Kwidzyn, ate delicious pizza and went to a pub with the exchange partners. Friday, we presented our project to some students at the school as well as the part of the governmental staff in Kwidzyn. Later, we went bowling, ate delicious pizza again, and went to antoher bar.
After showering and packing, I finally got to bed at about 1:30. I then got up at 5AM, and was at the train station by 6:15. At 6:30, we left. It was kind of sad saying good-bye. Some of the Polish students will be coming to finish the project in the summer, but a lot won't. I probably won't see the majority of those people again. I had really gotten to know a few of them, and they had become pretty good friends. It's just a small taste of what it's going to be like for me in a few short months...
Anyway, I unfortunately slacked off on my journaling during this week, so I'm not entirely sure what all happened on which days. However, I can say that week was one of the most strenuous and awesome weeks of my life. I know I'll miss a certain few people, but as they say in Poland, nie płacz (don't cry).
Also, spring has finally sprung! I'm not sure if the week in Poland made me realize the difference (they still have winter-ish conditions, eg. dead, brown grass, ponds freezing over at night). Here, the grass is nice and green, the sun is up in the morning before I am, the birds are singing... It means summer is on it's way, but it's bringing the end of my exchange with it. I'm looking forward to experiencing life in America again, but I'm not looking forward to giving up my life here... Ah, well, I don't have to deal with that for a few months yet. I just have to keep enjoying myself here and making the best of the time I have left!
Bis später!
P.S. Photos from Poland will be posted (eventually) on my 365 Project.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Reisen
So, I'm procrasting packing my suitcase (again)... Why? Well, I'm pretty sure I mentioned it in a previous post, but maybe you're new to my blog (or maybe you just don't pay attention to me anymore!), so, I'll say it again.
Tomorrow, I leave for a week-long trip to Poland. It's a yearly exchange between my school here and a school in Poland. We send students there for a week, and they send students here for a week. We share our cultures, work on a project and just have some plain old fun. We'll be staying in a hotel on the Baltic for the first three days. Then, we'll spend a day in Danzig before finishing up the week in hostfamilies.
I'm really looking forward to it, except for the fact that I have to get up at 4AM tomorrow, and then will be sitting in a train for 12 hours. Luckily, I'll be with some pretty fun/cool people who also happen to be good friends of mine. However, it's currently 7:53PM, and I think I'll finally get my butt moving so I can pack my bag and get some sleep. I don't think I'll really have the chance to sleep in the train (that's the problem with travelling with friends!).
Bis später!
Tomorrow, I leave for a week-long trip to Poland. It's a yearly exchange between my school here and a school in Poland. We send students there for a week, and they send students here for a week. We share our cultures, work on a project and just have some plain old fun. We'll be staying in a hotel on the Baltic for the first three days. Then, we'll spend a day in Danzig before finishing up the week in hostfamilies.
I'm really looking forward to it, except for the fact that I have to get up at 4AM tomorrow, and then will be sitting in a train for 12 hours. Luckily, I'll be with some pretty fun/cool people who also happen to be good friends of mine. However, it's currently 7:53PM, and I think I'll finally get my butt moving so I can pack my bag and get some sleep. I don't think I'll really have the chance to sleep in the train (that's the problem with travelling with friends!).
Bis später!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Munich
Yesterday, I got back from my YFU Mid-Stay Seminar in Munich. It was amazing!
I left Sunday, the 19th. The ride down there was several hours (five or six), with only one transfer in Bremen, which meant I could kick back and relax most of the time. I don't think I ever really fell asleep, though, which is good, because I got to see some amazing scenery. When I finally made it to the mainstation in Munich, I found a small group of other exchangers, and we found our way to the next train to take us to the hostel. Once there, we signed in, got nametags, picked rooms and unpacked. We played a few getting-to-know-you games (for example, saying our names, where we're from in the US, where we are living in Germany, and when we got up that morning - 7AM for me). After that, we ate dinner, got into smaller groups to get to know each other, and then had free-time until we wanted to go to bed.
On Monday, we did a few more group activities before heading to the city for a scavenger hunt. We had to answer questions, take pictures (with people dressed for Karneval and of us doing good deeds), as well as collect as many free pens as possible and buy the largest item for 50 cents we could find. After that, we split into three groups: one group went to a circus, one to a ballet, and the third went on a walking tour through Munich. I went on the tour. It was at night, and we didn't have a professional guide (just one of our teamers), so we didn't get to go into museums and such, but it was still a lot of fun. I got to see a bit more of the city and got to know the people in my group a bit better. At the end, we went to a small cafe to warm up before heading back. Then we had more free-time. I was up until 4:30AM talking with some pretty cool exchange students about God and the world.
Tuesday was relatively uneventful. We spent most of the day in small groups talking about our exchange years so far, or playing games together. We did go visit the lake by the hostel, but of course I left my camera in my room. So, no pictures from that. However, I did find it really entertaining to trick a swan into thinking chunks of ice were food. I blame that on the lack of sleep... We also had sort of Olympic competition. We were split into five different groups and had various "event" like placing cities/rivers/lakes on a map of Bavaria, biting a pretzel on a string, and decoding Bayerisch (the dialect of Bavaria). The final event was building something that would protect an egg using only two balloons, string, tape, and three pieces of paper. Our egg survived two falls, and flew the second farthest. My team, Haus der Schmerzen (House of Pain), won the whole thing, and were given prezels covered in glue and gold glitter as medals.
On Wednesday, we were in Munich again. This time to start, we were in two groups: one went to the German Museum, and the other to Dachau. I was in the second group. Dachau was the first concentration camp in Germany, and all others were modeled after it. We were able to wander the camp at our own pace with audio recordings in place of a tour guide. I found it to be a really moving and though-provoking experience. Unlike Buchenwald (which I visited earlier this year), Dachau had a gas chamber in use. The feeling of walking through that building is something I can't describe. I just can't find the words to express what I experienced. Something else I found interesting about Dachau that I didn't see at Buchenwald was a replica of the housing barracks for the prisoners. You are able to go inside the barracks and see what kind of conditions the prisoners lived in on a daily basis. It's also something I can't put to words. I highly recommend a visit to a concentration camp to anyone who has the chance.
After Dachau, we had more free-time in Munich. I went with a couple of friends just sort of touring around. We walked through a part of the Englischer Garten. In winter, it is beautiful. I can only imagine what it's like in summer. We climbed to the top of a large hill with a romanesque gazeebo sitting on top. There, we had an amazing view of the city at sunset. After that, we headed back to the center of town for a bit of souvenier shopping and eating. In the evening, we split up again into two groups: one went to a bar to watch FC Bayern play against Basel, the other went bowling (except the German version "kegeln" which uses only 9 pins and a ball with no holes). I went to the soccer viewing. It was really fun, but FC Bayern unfortunately lost. It would have been an awesome experience to be in Munich, watching one of Munich's teams win, surrounded by native fans. Then it was back to the hostel and shortly after to bed.
Thursday was our Karneval* party. We had a couple of group-meetings first, though. Then we had the day to plan. We made confetti, arranged a playlist, put together a slideshow of photos from the week, and sent a group to buy food and drinks. Shortly before 8PM, we put on our costumes and got everything set up. At 9, things got started. We danced, ate a ton of snack food, laughed at ours pictures and found out which team won the scavenger hunt. They were awarded with BMW's ("Becher mit Wasser" - cup with water). Then, we made waffels. We made a good 15 to 20 waffels. I burned my fingers a couple of times, but it was worth it. We decided we could make "waffeling" a profession.
On Friday, we had breakfast and then one last meeting. We were all together. We played a couple of games, and we given words of wisdom from our teamers. We also did this thing where we each had a piece of paper taped to our backs, and the others wrote messages on them. It was pretty funny to see everyone lined up behind each other. Then, it was time to go.
I was with the first group which left. From Munich until Hannover, I was with a group of the people I had felt the closest to during this seminar. They made the hours fly by. We've already talked about plans for us to meet up later in the year. Here's to hoping they come through!
When I got home, I talked about the highlights of the week, shared photos, and gave my hostfamily the gifts I bought them. I ate dinner, caught up with a couple of friends, and then it was off to bed for me.
In all, it was an amazing week. Even though I spoke more English than I probably should have, I got to know some really cool people, saw some amazing things (like my first mountains!), and had collected a few unforgettable experiences. If I could, I would relive this week in a heartbeat.
Bis später!
*Karneval/Fasching/Fastnacht is Germany's answer to Mardi Gras, mixed with Halloween. People dress in crazy costumes, storm the streets, drink to their heart's content, and just go crazy. However, it's not just one day. Karneval spans a number of days, each with their own little traditions to them. However, don't ask me to explain in any more detail. There's Google for that.
I left Sunday, the 19th. The ride down there was several hours (five or six), with only one transfer in Bremen, which meant I could kick back and relax most of the time. I don't think I ever really fell asleep, though, which is good, because I got to see some amazing scenery. When I finally made it to the mainstation in Munich, I found a small group of other exchangers, and we found our way to the next train to take us to the hostel. Once there, we signed in, got nametags, picked rooms and unpacked. We played a few getting-to-know-you games (for example, saying our names, where we're from in the US, where we are living in Germany, and when we got up that morning - 7AM for me). After that, we ate dinner, got into smaller groups to get to know each other, and then had free-time until we wanted to go to bed.
On Monday, we did a few more group activities before heading to the city for a scavenger hunt. We had to answer questions, take pictures (with people dressed for Karneval and of us doing good deeds), as well as collect as many free pens as possible and buy the largest item for 50 cents we could find. After that, we split into three groups: one group went to a circus, one to a ballet, and the third went on a walking tour through Munich. I went on the tour. It was at night, and we didn't have a professional guide (just one of our teamers), so we didn't get to go into museums and such, but it was still a lot of fun. I got to see a bit more of the city and got to know the people in my group a bit better. At the end, we went to a small cafe to warm up before heading back. Then we had more free-time. I was up until 4:30AM talking with some pretty cool exchange students about God and the world.
Tuesday was relatively uneventful. We spent most of the day in small groups talking about our exchange years so far, or playing games together. We did go visit the lake by the hostel, but of course I left my camera in my room. So, no pictures from that. However, I did find it really entertaining to trick a swan into thinking chunks of ice were food. I blame that on the lack of sleep... We also had sort of Olympic competition. We were split into five different groups and had various "event" like placing cities/rivers/lakes on a map of Bavaria, biting a pretzel on a string, and decoding Bayerisch (the dialect of Bavaria). The final event was building something that would protect an egg using only two balloons, string, tape, and three pieces of paper. Our egg survived two falls, and flew the second farthest. My team, Haus der Schmerzen (House of Pain), won the whole thing, and were given prezels covered in glue and gold glitter as medals.
On Wednesday, we were in Munich again. This time to start, we were in two groups: one went to the German Museum, and the other to Dachau. I was in the second group. Dachau was the first concentration camp in Germany, and all others were modeled after it. We were able to wander the camp at our own pace with audio recordings in place of a tour guide. I found it to be a really moving and though-provoking experience. Unlike Buchenwald (which I visited earlier this year), Dachau had a gas chamber in use. The feeling of walking through that building is something I can't describe. I just can't find the words to express what I experienced. Something else I found interesting about Dachau that I didn't see at Buchenwald was a replica of the housing barracks for the prisoners. You are able to go inside the barracks and see what kind of conditions the prisoners lived in on a daily basis. It's also something I can't put to words. I highly recommend a visit to a concentration camp to anyone who has the chance.
After Dachau, we had more free-time in Munich. I went with a couple of friends just sort of touring around. We walked through a part of the Englischer Garten. In winter, it is beautiful. I can only imagine what it's like in summer. We climbed to the top of a large hill with a romanesque gazeebo sitting on top. There, we had an amazing view of the city at sunset. After that, we headed back to the center of town for a bit of souvenier shopping and eating. In the evening, we split up again into two groups: one went to a bar to watch FC Bayern play against Basel, the other went bowling (except the German version "kegeln" which uses only 9 pins and a ball with no holes). I went to the soccer viewing. It was really fun, but FC Bayern unfortunately lost. It would have been an awesome experience to be in Munich, watching one of Munich's teams win, surrounded by native fans. Then it was back to the hostel and shortly after to bed.
Thursday was our Karneval* party. We had a couple of group-meetings first, though. Then we had the day to plan. We made confetti, arranged a playlist, put together a slideshow of photos from the week, and sent a group to buy food and drinks. Shortly before 8PM, we put on our costumes and got everything set up. At 9, things got started. We danced, ate a ton of snack food, laughed at ours pictures and found out which team won the scavenger hunt. They were awarded with BMW's ("Becher mit Wasser" - cup with water). Then, we made waffels. We made a good 15 to 20 waffels. I burned my fingers a couple of times, but it was worth it. We decided we could make "waffeling" a profession.
On Friday, we had breakfast and then one last meeting. We were all together. We played a couple of games, and we given words of wisdom from our teamers. We also did this thing where we each had a piece of paper taped to our backs, and the others wrote messages on them. It was pretty funny to see everyone lined up behind each other. Then, it was time to go.
I was with the first group which left. From Munich until Hannover, I was with a group of the people I had felt the closest to during this seminar. They made the hours fly by. We've already talked about plans for us to meet up later in the year. Here's to hoping they come through!
When I got home, I talked about the highlights of the week, shared photos, and gave my hostfamily the gifts I bought them. I ate dinner, caught up with a couple of friends, and then it was off to bed for me.
In all, it was an amazing week. Even though I spoke more English than I probably should have, I got to know some really cool people, saw some amazing things (like my first mountains!), and had collected a few unforgettable experiences. If I could, I would relive this week in a heartbeat.
Bis später!
*Karneval/Fasching/Fastnacht is Germany's answer to Mardi Gras, mixed with Halloween. People dress in crazy costumes, storm the streets, drink to their heart's content, and just go crazy. However, it's not just one day. Karneval spans a number of days, each with their own little traditions to them. However, don't ask me to explain in any more detail. There's Google for that.
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