And then there were 10....

Hi Everyone. Wishing everyone a happy Monday from Munich now that I am back in my home away from home after a busy, but eventful week and wonderful weekend in Amsterdam. 

Since I have last written to you, many things have transpired.  Starting with last Tuesday, I had an interesting schedule, as my morning lecture was moved to the evening because we had a guest speaker.  The greater part of my day was consumed by homework, but then from 6-8 I had this guest lecture for my class about European integration. He discussed many theoretical approaches to determining just how integrated/ skeptical different EU countries are, and while his material was rather dry and theoretical, ultimately I have to admit my class about EU integration has taught me unique and useful information, that I would not have received from the same perspective at home. 

Throughout the week we also filled out course evaluation forms for professors, which is pretty standard. However, I did think it was amusing/ unusual that one of the questions on my forms at the German university asked if I felt I was unfairly treated because of my gender. I guess I should respect that they are at least taking preventative measures against gender inequality at the university level, but I can’t help but wonder what could have prompted this question, landing itself on our evaluation forms though to be honest.

Wednesday following my grammar course, where we have been preparing for  three stressful, and separate final exams: reading/listening, grammar, and writing, a group of friends and I walked to a nearby cafe. We discussed plans for Amsterdam, the trip I went on this weekend, and stayed and did homework for a while.  I managed to finish my first Hasuarbeit, or large research paper you work on throughout the semester and hand in after the semester is over.  In order to ensure enough time for a thoroughly researched, and supported paper most professors at the LMU have set deadlines fort these papers at the end of February up til the beginning of March.  However, as I am heading home soon, my program has made it obligatory form e to finish all three of these massive papers before my return to the states.  While two remain, I shall stay positive and say that at least one thus far is completed.  I also have been trying to prepare fort the series of exams that have infiltrating the entire week here! 

After returning home Tuesday, I managed to clean and pack up one entire suitcase, just so I could gauge how much space I had to work with form my other bag.  Those of you that know me well enough, know that packing everything for 5 months into two measly suitcases, proved a challenge as difficult form me as an in depth physics problem.  However, we will make it work somehow. 

Speaking of packing, after a rather uneventful day of three classes, with a lovely lunch break with some friends on Thursday, I came home and rushed to get everything ready for Amsterdam. My class ended at 8, so I got home around 8:30 or so, and had just a few hours to get everything set.  Our flight to Amsterdam was at 6, so we took a Taxi at 3:45 in the morning.  Despite the lack of sleep, as soon as I saw all of the beautiful canals and waterways lit up in the dark sky, out of the window on the plane as we inched closer and closer to the airport, I knew I couldn’t waste any time in this beautiful city on sleep no matter how tired I was. 

Once of the plane, we headed to the tourism counter where we purchased the I am Amsterdam travel book and pass.  You can buy the books starting at 40 Euros for one day, 50 for two, and 60 for three.  They contain your public transportation card, as well as information on the city restaurants, attractions, museums, you name it.  The book also gave us entrance to many of the museums in Amsterdam, and really helped us make the most of our short but wonderful stay. 

 Typical, yes, we had a bit of a confusing journey to our hotel, a Best Western just a tram ride out of the inner city.  After a brief nap to make up for the largely sleepless night, we headed out for breakfast at a Dutch restaurant called the Pancake Bakery.  Despite its simple name, this bakery boasted a menu of some of the most unusual, but delicious pancakes I had ever seen. I opted for the Canadian Pancake, which had mushrooms, ham, and cheese.  Other options included more desert like pancake varieties, but they certainly had something for everyone’s taste.  

After brunch we took a nice walk along the canals in the city and eventually we ended up in the midst of a medieval torture museum.  However, this museum was interactive, with actors, a mini-roller coaster at the end and several other creepy haunted-house like elements.  Despite the scares, we learned a lot about the history of medieval torture and had fun while doing it. The pace at which the actors could speak in Dutch and then switch to English was also remarkable. 

Once we were back into the daylight after the torture museum, we had a tour of the city on the waterways it has become famous for.  While the tour commentary itself was provided by a nap-inducing tape recording, the sight of the lights that adorn the edges of the canals was certainly a sight that fought off the lack of sleep from the night before. 

After our canal boat ride, we headed to an international Tapas restaurant in the city, and enjoyed a variety of small specialties. My favorite was definitely the African stuffed peppers, because the rumors about Dutch cheese are true—it is delicious. 

So at this point we were all going on about 20 or so hours sans sleep.  We headed back to the hotel and get some rest for an early morning.  After a nice (American style!) buffet in the hotel, we took a train to “Zaanse Schans” a small village about 15 minutes away from the inner city.  There we saw an array of beautiful windmills, of all different shapes and sizes, and adorable little houses that look like they came out of a picture book.  Inside the village we also visited a wood worker, where we saw all of the different styles, shapes, and variations of the famous wooden shoes from Holland.  They also had other wood works, like hand painted tulips, wooden shoe key chains and bottle openers and much more. My favorite part, even if it is touristy, was the large shoes placed outside of the shop for pictures.  As you can see above, we had a lot of fun with them. 

On the way home from the village we stopped at the Heineken Brand store, where they have their symbol embossed in ice on the wall, and a map of the Netherlands created from beer bottles.  We also got bottle openers with our I am Amsterdam cards, and one of my friends bought this goofy hoodie with the pockets that are usually down at the bottom of the sweatshirt for your hands, all over the shirt, and meant not for hands—but for beer cans.  I really hope she never ends up wearing that in public ;)

Around 5 o’clock when it started to get dark outside we made our way to the yes, you read this right, the Prostitution Information Center.  Given that the Red Light district is notorious throughout the world for its many coffee shops, sex shops, and the girls in the windows we got our own tour of district.  The woman who started the Prostitution Information Center was a former (they say “sex worker” because I assume it is the more politically correct term for prostitute), herself.  The tour began with some brief city history, and throughout the tour we learned that the Red Light District, due to the fact the prostitutes too have equal rights and recognition by the Dutch government and that it is a safe area with 3 police stations, it is a much coveted work environment for those that choose the world’s oldest profession.  We also learned that contrary to popular belief the sex workers can deny potential “clients,” for any reason of their choosing, and they are their own bosses.  While it was disturbing for me slightly to see women willing to sell their bodies, and what I would assume also any semblance of a normal life, given that they literally stand there in the window in almost nothing and wait for leering customers to rent them out (with costs starting at 50 Euro for 15 minutes according to our tour), I did not regret the tour in the slightest.  They usually make at least $100,000 a year without a college degree.  There are very few professions anymore where this is possible, and while personally this would not be my route, learning about those who chose it was an interesting cultural experience.  

After walking around the infamous Red Light District, we headed to dinner at an Italian Pizza place, complete with Amsterdam Heinekens. After a long day we had an enjoyable night walking around and experiencing the lit up city by night. When I think back to Amsterdam, this image is what will come to my mind. 

Sunday morning we reserved tickets at the Anne Frank House.  By the time we left around noon or so, there was a gigantic line wrapped around the building, so I was pleased with our timing.  

However, the museum itself was very sad to go through.  What was hardest for me, was watching the video of Anne Frank’s father after his release from Auschwitz.  Shortly after he learned that his entire family had died, he spoke about how he made publishing his daughter’s journal the bane of his existence. He just looked completely dead and lifeless as he was talking. It was also extremely disheartening to know that the reason the Frank’s were found by the SS in the Netherlands, was because someone betrayed the family and gave up there whereabouts—most likely someone within the house itself, so someone they trusted. Still today they don’t know who did it. Regardless of the gloomy mood centered around the museum and what happened there, it is an important part of history.  Being in the place where Anne Frank herself wrote a book that impacted the world was an experience I am glad to have had.

Following the Anne Frank House, we made our way to the Van Gough Museum, which was thankfully, a lot less depressing.  My favorite part of the museum, was the section where they compared the remakes Van Gough re-painted in his style.  The original would be a dull colored print, and the juxtaposition with Van Gough’s work was remarkable.  Had they not been side by side, I would not even have noticed they were the same picture.  Also, I love the painting of the Irises in the pot, and the original painting was in the Amsterdam museum.  Two paintings had signs indicating that they were currently located in an art museum in Philadelphia.  While Pittsburgh is clearly the better city in PA, not that I am biased or anything, it was funny to see my home state present in some way in the Netherlands.

After the Van Gough museum, and gift shop where they had so many beautiful things printed with Van Gough’s art, we made it to a cool display of the I am Amsterdam logo, where you could pose with the letters. We also got to see the inside of a house boat, which are boats made to look like and function like houses on the water.  They range from the basic where it reminds me of a mobile home type set up, to the extravagant million dollar modern styles, with every luxury one can find on land.

After the house boat we made our way up several flights of stairs to a panoramic restaurant, which had an amazing view of the entire city.  I could not have thought of a better last lunch than one looking out over everything.  Of course, I had to order a sandwich with Dutch cheese, one last time before heading back to Munich.

The Amsterdam airport is also one of my favorites. Huge and filled with all kinds of little, entertaining exhibits, modern art pieces, restaurants, cafes, stores, etc I felt like I was more at a nice shopping mall than at an airport. Our flight landed in Munich at 11:30, and despite the drowsiness, our night was made when a Dutch man complemented our German.  We were practicing for a test and speaking together, and then when we switched back to English he asked us where we learned German like that. 

Even if I am incredibly stressed for all of my German finals and papers, at least I have fond memories like this with the language.  

Amsterdam was something I was looking forward to for quite some time.  Now that it is ever, I am beginning to feel the stress to get everything done and ready to end life here in Munich and transition directly back into the American university system.  While this is proving difficult, and undoubtedly stressful, I would not trade my time here for anything. I have learned so much and am looking forward to what these last few days have in store for me. 

I will be in touch with a final blog or two. Sending love from Munich. 

Heather

Down to the Wire

Hi Everyone!

I hope all is well, wherever you may be. Thus far today, nothing too exciting has happened. Well, I did almost get slammed in between the U-Bahn's doors (German version of the subway) this morning during my rush to class. Luckily some very nice genteman held them open for me. Given the stress on punctuality over here, I was pretty determined not to miss my train. 

Other than that, I had a fun and relaxing week and can't wait to share it with you. After writing you last Friday, I had an uneventful weekend other than preparing for homework and exams. I made up for the lack of excitement though, throughout the week.

After my German grammar class on Monday, a group of friends and I traveled to the Mensa for probably my last time. The Mensa is comparable to our version of the dining hall, except they don't have meal plans here so you put money on the card and then scan the card when you check out. We had some version of a dessert dumpling and it is always really cheap and kind of reminds me of home the way it is set up. After lunch I took the two new interns who will be replacing me and another language school intern next semester for interviews at LbT-Languages, where I worked this semester. It took over an hour to get home since there was some sort of public transportation chaos, but once there I was productive with work until a friend called and asked if I wanted to do study at the Tribühne. I think I have mentioned it before, but the Tribühne is a popular student restaurant/ bar located conveniently inside StudentenStadt, and since November it has been closed for remodeling. Finally, it opened back up after winter break and despite the fact that I did not notice very many changes from the remodeling or get very much studying done, we still had a lot fun there.  

Tuesday after my back to back classes from 12-4:30 Sami, a friend from JYM, and I headed to Dean and David to do homework. I have tried to go to Dean and David unsuccessfully a number of times this semester, either it was closed or filled to capacity each time, but I was bent on going back after my first time there in January during W&J's intersession. Dean and David is home to great organic coffee drinks and salads, not that I'm all too into the whole organic thing, but it is the perfect hangout to get some work done. After finishing some work up, I watched Der Vorleser (The Reader is the English Translation) the movie version of a book we are reading in our course about German culture. For those of you interested in German culture and history, I would highly recommend it. The story deals with how postwar generations of German citizens dealt with the after-affects of World War II.  

Wednesday after class I had my usual homework time in a cafe, a habit I am really going to miss once I am back at W&J next semester. I know we have things off campus, but given my lack of automobile (hint hint) I don't think I will be seeing it that much. After finishing a speech I had been plugging away at for a while, I met with a group of friends for dinner, and afterwards headed to Sami's to try a new fad we saw on pintrest. If you don't know what pintrest is... whatever you do don't get one. It is the newest addictive social media craze, where you can look up different articles, pictures, clips from virtually any subject from travel to decorating to style and you could lose hours on it. Sami has one, so we were looking at the style page and saw an article about how you could use alcohol and newspaper to make a type of cover coating for your nails. If you dip the newspaper in alcohol (we used Vodka and it worked pretty well), and rub it off on your nail you get a copy of the newspaper text. I'll post a picture, but even if some might consider it a waste of perfectly good alcohol, we had a lot of fun and ended up with a pretty cool design. 

Thursday morning I had my final speech in German about the European Union. Despite some strange questions (someone asked what all of the accepted languages in the EU were... and there are 23 of them...) it went very well. I was much relieved after it was over and I met a new German friend at a coffee shop after. I really like having the opportunity to practice my colloquial German outside of class, and hearing German opinions and perspectives usually makes for enjoyable and interesting conversation.

I had my second class of the day after coffee, and we debated whether hired military operatives or local actors would be better for establishing effective security in Afghanistan. This class is easily one of my favorites, because there are students from all over the world, who can each make a different contribution to the course. After class a friend from JYM, a small group of friends and I went to BarSchwein in the Schwabing area of Munich. BarSchwein is a pretty cheap popular hangout for college students, and they have this system where you get a card that tallies up what you've ordered and you pay when you leave. While it is convenient for quick ordering, if you lose your card it you pay a 50 Euro fine. We had some fun conversation and after drinks we went out for traditional German food for dinner. I got Käsespätzle, which is similar to Mac n' Cheese, but even better in my opinnion. 

Friday was officially the last day of my internship at the language school. While I did learn a lot and enjoy my time there while it lasted, I am relieved to have some extra time these next few weeks as I prepare to take final exams, write final papers, and start getting ready to jump into Spring semester back home--not to mention all of the things I am going to want to say goodbye to in my new home away from home.

Friday night after work a group of girls and I headed out to a bar called Peaches where the popular thing to do is to share a big bucket of tropical flavored drinks, named the zombie, between friends with these long colorful straws. I know it might sound like all I did this week was eat and drink, but hey I need to experience things I can't here while I can. I know I can eat at home... but it isn't the same. As for the drinking, yeah I don't even have to explain that. It is going to be a really anticlimactic 21st birthday this July after the past several months of Europe... Also, this place was awesome because they played Black & Yellow and it instantly brought me back to the 'Burgh. 

Saturday afternoon after some shopping in the city center for souvenirs to bring back home,  a group of us went to the original Hoftbrauhaus for what might be my last time at the original for a good while.  We ended up with awesome timing, where we got to have a live band, dancers, and a special song where the rhythm was created by whips going through the air while we were eating dinner.

Saturday night we went to Neuraum, a club near the main train station in Munich. This club is definitely one of the biggest around, and looks like a big underground garage with strobe lights and old-fashioned candelabras and abstract shapes to dance on.   It also has a bunch of different rooms all with different kinds of music, and inside they have swings and always professional photographers who walk around and take pictures for you. Granted they might have some of these things at home, and I just don't know since I am not allowed in yet. Regardless, every night I have spent in Neuraum has been one I won't soon forget. 

Sunday was a low key day at San Francisco Coffee Co., where I tried to finish off a paper. After I finish writing this I need to get back to that. Wish me luck. 

Tonight my friends and I had an Italian themed pot-luck dinner where everyone brought something and we sat and just enjoyed each other's company. As of right now that is where I am. This weekend I am going to Amsterdam (Friday- Sunday) so my next few entries should be more interesting. As always, thanks for reading. To those of you in the U.S. I am coming home February 10th, so I look forward to seeing you shortly thereafter. 

Best wishes for a good week,

Heather 

Einen Guten Rutsch! (Happy New Year)

Happy New Year all! So yes... I have been MIA for quite some time, and I apologize fort hat. I am sure you all were busy with the holidays too, but if not, and you spent your time disgruntled because the entertainment that is my weekly blog was not kept up to date, again, I offer you my sincerest apologies…. Clear sarcasm, but I do promise this one will make up for all of my slacking.

I last wrote to you the day before my wonderful boyfriend Dave came to visit for Christmas. We had an unbelievable trip and writing about it now, makes me wish I could just go back and do it all over again. Sadly, I am writing to you in what feels like the German version of final weeks though, and I will have to wait a bit.  

Anyways, After picking him up from the airport the first day, a group of friends met us at the original Hofbräuhaus here in Munich. After lunch and some famous Munich Weißbier we headed to a cute place that is famous for specialty chocolates here. It is called “Beluga” and we got these spoons that were dipped in chocolate and you stir them into warm milk and make your own hot chocolate.

The next day we went to the Tollwood festival, which I wrote about in one of my December blogs. The outside Christmas markets are any German food fans dream, given all of the stands of homemade things all in one spot. We even found a stand that sold Absinth and spent the day relaxing at one of Munich’s best traditions.

On Monday I had a written in class essay test, and afterwards we headed to “Therme Erding,” which was easily the best swim bath I have ever been to. The ceiling is made to look like it is a see through dome and you are looking up at the sun in the tropics. They have sand, trees, and rocks everywhere, so it felt like we were actually somewhere warm for the day, and at night the ceiling changes colors.  Also they have water slides, and a funny cultural difference is that they do not have nearly as much supervision or rules as ours do…  There was not anyone working at them and it seemed like an at your own risk kind of thing. Regardless, for everyone reading this that lives in Munich, we really need to go again before I leave.

On Tuesday Dave and I took a train to Füßen, where the fairytale castle that Diseny was modeled after, is located. We were lost and freezing (there was roughly a foot of unexpected snow that fell throughout the day…which was spent largely outside), but all things said I was really glad we got to see it.

On Wednesday we left for Zurich, Switzerland. Switzerland is super clean, really well lit for Christmas, and also unfortunately, unbelievably expensive. We saw an add for McDonalds that said something to the effect of great value only 9,90 Swiss Franc. (The Franc is also worth more than the dollar right now). This said meal included a drink, small fry, and 6 measly chicken nuggets haha…. Despite everything being expensive, I am still so glad we saw Zurich. We ate in an old artillery house one night, which today has been transformed into a pretty noteable restaurant. We also took a tour of Zurich from a boat on the lake, and found the Lindt chocolate outlet! Zurich is definitely somewhere I can see myself heading back to,(but maybe after I get a well-paying job.)

After Zurich we headed to Regensburg for Christmas. Rgensburg is a medieval German city, about an hour and a half from Munich by train. It was largely unaffected by the war, so most of the buildings have no been reconstructed or anything, and have a historic old-town feel about them. Regensburg is home to a beautiful hotel, Orphee, and the Regensburg Dom, where the Pope preached at actually. We got to stay in the hotel Orphee, and attend Christmas Eve service in the Dom. Admittedly, it was very different from my usual service, but I like experiencing all the different elements of culture I can while I am here. Christmas day was also a lot of fun, skyping with my family, and opening gifts with Dave.  

The day after Christmas we headed back to Munich for a few days. During this time we saw the top of Alter Peter, a church with a high tower that provides an awesome view of the city and was actually constructed through funding from Cincinnati, Ohio, and  we visited the Concentration Camp Dachau memorial museum. We also went to a German concert one night, which was a lot of fun.

After our little break in Munich, we were traveling again to Cracow, Poland. Given that neither of us spoke a word of Polish… (actually I know how to say cute boy, but that is besides the point) finding our hotel form the airport was interesting to say the least. After we found it though, we were really excited because we were only a 5-minute walk from the city center. It was really pretty, minus a weird abstract piece of art that was donated to the city at some point. According to our tour guide (we took an awesome, fairly extensive city tour too) the government tried to move the thing, but the artist said it had to stay there or they couldn’t keep it. It is like a head with a weird band around its eyes and people climb inside of it and… well yeah. I’ll post pictures. They also had a stone dragon near the castle there, and it blew out fire every 3 minutes or so. We learned that dragons are a famous city symbol. One of my favorite nights in Poland was spent in a club where it as made to look like a lit up underground cavern. Poland was the farthest East I have been thus far, and while it was something different, it was really good to see. Also, Poland helped make up Switzerland, because the exchange rate from dollar to zloty is over 1:3.

After Poland we spent New Year’s Eve in Berlin, which was a nice change from Munich. Berlin has a much more “city” feel, and the people there seem a lot more open and alternative than what I am used to here in Munich. While I don’t really prefer one or the other, seeing the differences and being able to compare the two cities and their cultures was really interesting. Sadly we only had time for 2 days there, but we did a lot. We saw the famous German government buildings, the former East/West Division, the Tiergarden (a beautiful city garden), Potsdamer Platz and so many other things I had only seen from pictures in many German textbooks. I was so glad I finally got to see everything in person. While it was extremely full of people, watching the fireworks and beginning the New Year right in front of the Brandenburg Gate was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I hope I get to head back to Berlin for a bit longer next time, but I will be sure to head back at least once.

After one last day in Munich, Dave headed home and since then I have been pretty overwhelmed with schoolwork.

I had two (thankfully, very successful!) presentations at the German university this week, along with a number of other projects and assignments. Last week we luckily, did not have any class but besides having days full of presentation preparation, and a few fun relaxing nights and dinners with some friends, I did not do anything too exciting.

In a few hours we have a group dinner with our program, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone together again. We did this same event in September too, when everything just started.  It does not seem very long ago, and it is kind of crazy to reflect upon where all of my time here has gone. I am currently sitting in a café with a friend reflecting over all of the fun I have had since I’ve been in Germany, and thinking about how much I have learned from my time here. I can’t believe I am down to my last month already! I look forward to making my last few weeks here the best ones yet, so I hope you are looking forward to future posts.

Bis dann (until then)

Much love from Munich,

Heather

It's the best time of the year

Well Hello Everyone J

I am writing to you so late because I cannot fall asleep I am so excited for the next few weeks coming up! My boyfriend arrives at the Munich Airport tomorrow and we have a lot of fun traveling planned for the holidays so look forward to that in my next blog. In the mean time, I guess I can fill you in on the hectic, but nonetheless special week I had since I’ve last written to you.

I left off with last Wednesday, and almost every day since then something eventful has happened in Munich. On Thursday I have a class from 9-11:30, and while that does not sound too early to all of you with 8 a.m.s, keep in mind I have to take a train to class and it takes about 40 minutes! Anyways, after my morning class, focusing on German culture today, and easily one of my favorites here, I have a few hour break until my two classes that are from 4-6 and then 6-8. Usually I do homework at the JYM building, and try to be productive during this break but a friend of mine found an awesome Greek restaurant online and we finally found it on Thursday during the break. We managed to get drinks (no free water here in Germany sadly), Gyros, Salads, and fries (yeah so American I know) for around 8 Euros each. That is crazy inexpensive for Munich, and we even got little frequent buyer cards so if we go back a few more times we eventually get something for free. I was pretty pleased with our find and I encourage anyone coming to Munich in the near future to try it. (Near Lamierplatz & called Hellas)

After lunch I headed to my two classes, and then met Jess after class at the Marienplatz Christmas market. We found an adorable little outside café with candle-lit tables, and the German favorite “Glühwein.” (It is spiced red wine served warm, in hand-painted mugs). After relaxing and taking in the beauty of the Christmas Market I was ready to go home and fall asleep.

However, on our way in from the subway we heard two guys speaking English behind us, and reminiscing about their times living in the “StudentenStadt,” where I live now. Given that English speakers are pretty spontaneous and more used to butting into other peoples conversations than others it seems like, I asked the two guys what program they were in back when the studied in Munich.

Sure enough, it was the very same program I am a part of now and Jess and I had fun discussing their advice and recommendations for us, as former students who had already lived through what we are experiencing now. I was glad to see that even years later, former JYM students still feel compelled to come back and see the place they called home for an eighth of their college career. 

Friday morning I worked at my internship and at night a friend and I headed out on the town with the former JYM students. We met in a small and cozy restaurant located in the StudentenStadt and ended up at a few places I went to when I was in Munich with W&J in January. One of the places had been torn down since I’ve last seen it, and rebuilt in a new building.  It is customary at the “Schwabinger 7” to leave your mark somewhere- be it on the graffiti covered tables or carved out walls.  The owners of the place don’t mind either, because each carving seems to add to the ambience of the dark, yet unique bar. Sure enough Jess and I (JK & HP) will forever have a place in Munich on the back wall of the new “Schwabinger 7.”

Saturday a professor of another JYM course had ordered extra tickets to a play in Augsburg, about an hour away from Munich. Augsburg has one of the most famous Christmas Markets in Europe, and also delicious traditional Bavarian food. While we all got a surprising sneak-peak of some old man’s nether regions at the beginning of the German comedic performance “Der zerbrochne Krug” (I am not sure if I will ever get accustomed to the nudity over here….), we still had an enjoyable and rather exciting evening. Note the ambiguity.

Sunday was a catch-up on homework day, and at night a friend of mine was turning 21. Even if the whole let’s go to the bar because finally I can have a damn beer thing doesn’t play much of a role here in Germany for 21^st birthdays, a group of friends and I headed to the American style Hard Rock Café and had a lovely night. Burgers, buffalo chicken, and of course the free ice cream for the birthday girl reminded me so much of sitting in the Pittsburgh or D.C. Hard Rocks I’ve been to so many times in the past.

Other highlights of the week include making Feurzagenbowle, the drinks that actually get lit on fire, and also play a significant role in German Holiday traditions and spending time in my GAP with the other students living on my floor in the orange house. I always have so much fun speaking German and learning from the others. I am lucky to have such an active group of people, that reach out to new members of the floor and make them feel welcome. I hope you enjoy the pictures of this!

Monday night I also made time to study for one of the 2 large tests I had this week at the little bar/ restaurant in the basement of my building. It actually made studying bearable and rather fun. I also think the test went fairly well in my German history course. The grammar midterm on Wednesday… well that is a different story.

Thursday night after class JYM hosted a Christmas Party where the whole group and all of the professors got together for some traditional German Christmas goodies, Christmas carols in both German and English, a White Elephant Gift Exchange, and a fun night getting excited for the holiday in a way that combined both of the cultures we have learned to love and combine together over the past few months here. Also, I got a bottle of champagne in the gift exchange... not too shabby at all. 

Other than that, I have spent the past two nights watching movies and sipping cocoa with the group of girls I am so lucky to have met this semester. They have helped me plan my trip with Dave and get everything ready the past few days. The more I think about it, the more I realize how hard it is going to be to leave the family I made here in Germany. However, we all live on the East Coast and have realized that most of the Germans I am friends with have seen more of the US than I have. I am definitely going to make an effort with the friends I have made here and visit them when I come home… and hopefully I can end up seeing more of the country during my visits too!

It is getting pretty late now, and I have an exciting two weeks coming up. I wish you a wonderful Christmas and all the best in the New Year if I don’t squeeze in another entry before it comes. Where has this year gone! Please keep in touch; I’d love to hear about your holiday adventures too.

All the best from Munich

Heather

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Hello, Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone is having a nice week and enjoying Christmas time, wherever you may be. It literally feels like I just sat down and gave you an update, but looking back over a week has passed since the last time I made time to blog. I feel like my time here is literally evaporating into thin air, and while I am looking forward to being reunited with family, friends and my dog, the fact that it is already December leaves me wondering where the year went?

The past few weeks have been a bit stressful work wise, given all the midterm exams and speeches I have coming up before the break, but I am enjoying my fleeting time in Munich nonetheless.  

After arriving home from a fun filled week in Vienna, I had a pretty abrupt return to the reality of school and work. For some reason I thought this semester would be significantly less stressful then my usual craziness at W&J, but sadly it is becoming clearer every week that this sadly is not the case. Even if the assignments aren’t written out and homework collected from you, the level of forced class participation in another language sometimes proves a bit overwhelming. Which brings me to my class last Tuesday, where my partner and I (both native English speakers) were made to present an entire, complex argument about the political climate in Europe given the recent economic events, in good old German. Oh and did I mention that this was spontaneous...  I never thought I’d find anything I’d loathe more than the dreaded pop quiz… but surprise! I am going to make an ass of you in another language questioning in front of my German peers surely takes the cake on my least favorite forms of classroom assessment. I have to admit I was still half-asleep and this was not my finest display. However, this week I went to class determined to redeem myself, and I presented an article by myself successfully. Well, at least I think it was successfully anyways.

After class on Tuesday, a friend and I decided to go to the Marienplatz Christmas Market for the first time.  I have attached pictures below so you can see for yourself. Here I found adorable hand made gifts and sweets to send home, had some delicious hot chocolate in a keepsake painted mug, and they even had traditional German Christmas carols sung by a local choir when we were there.

Another pleasant surprise awaited me when I went to send the two fairly large packages I made up with gifts to send home. It was about half as much for me to send everything home, as it is to send things from the U.S. here. Sorry guys. However, I am not by any means trying to discourage you sending me things here ;)

Wednesday I worked at my internship and we are starting to decorate the building for Christmas this week. It seems like everyone is getting in the spirit.

Thursday night after a day filled with classes, a group of friends and I finally made it to the Tollwood festival. Tollwood is hard to describe in its entirety, so I have attached the English version of the website link for you, in case you are curious: http://www.tollwood.de/english/winterfestival-2011/. Tollwood is located on the same grounds Oktoberfest is held, and is comprised of hundreds of little vendors in wooden outdoor stalls, larger tents, and even entertainment areas. They sell homemade goods, (anything from hand-knitted scarves to expensive art pieces) traditional German snacks, and even a drink that is served lit on fire.  One of the tents had international food, and I had my first taste of African food ever. My commentary is that it was, for lack of better words, interesting. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to heading back to the Tollwood and seeing what else this massive array of holiday fun has in store for me.

Friday I worked almost the entire day making language flashcards at my internship. However, Fridays they buy lunch for everyone and seem to dress down, so I did not mind the extra hours at all. At night I went to the Christmas Market at Münchener Freiheit with some friends. It seems like each one has its own individual personality, and the market here was decorated with a modern flavor. There was also a lot of art for sale and on display.

While the rest of the gang went to see Twilight at the German cinema, I opted to call it an early night, given that I will always be a loyal Harry Potter fan.  Saturday was a bit more eventful, after a day of homework and laundry some friends and  I went out to dinner and then to an indoor ice skating rink. Given that one of my friends here is missing Chipotle a lot, a German friend showed as the German equivalent. I’m not typically a huge Mexican fan, but the restaurant was a lot of fun and had a nice atmosphere. At the ice skating rink on the weekends they have DJ’s and really vibrant lights, so it almost feels like an ice skating dance club or something. I had a nice relaxing weekend.

This week I realized that I have two tests coming up in the next few days, another paper, and a speech. So the majority of my nights thus far have been spent in my room studying or in small café’s with free WiFi.  Last night, Sami and I (she was the girl I traveled to Vienna with) we were sitting at a Black Bean Coffee with a glass front window and we got to see the first snowfall of the season. It was a perfect combination of getting work done and seeing the beauty that Munich has to offer, especially in the wintertime.

There are some small highlights from the rest of the week though. This Tuesday the 6^th we each received small gifts in our mailboxes from our program.  In Germany St. Nicholaus day is celebrated, where children traditionally leave their shoes out for St. Nicholaus to fill up with goodies during the night, so long as they have behaved throughout the year.  I thought it was really sweet that our program shared this little piece of German culture with us-- even if the concept that one must be good to receive presents seems to have kept its solidarity regardless of culture. Also, this week my class about Munich’s role in National Socialism, visited the “Haus der Kunst” or literally House of Art. We had our own private tour, and we were even allowed in the archives. The tour guide showed us the transformation of the building we were in throughout history, and it was remarkable to see all of the changes over time. During the war it was covered in leaves from the aerial perspective, so that it would look like a simple forest, and therefore not get bombed by allied troops, for example. The tourguide graciously invited us back, and I am becoming  increasingly thankful that my professors here continually make use of resources outside of the classroom that show more than any single picture or textbook could.

Yesterday after class all of the professors and students stayed a little extra in the JYM building, and we decorated everything, set up a tree, and enjoyed Christollen and Glühwein. These two things are winter favorites in Southern Germany, and they are sweet dense bread with raisins and mulled red wine with spices, respectively. You can also buy Glühwein in variations without alcohol, often nicknamed "Autofahrerpunsch" or "Kinderpunsh." The translation is punch for the designated driver and punch for the kids, which I find quite amusing. Reserving these two names for the punch without alcohol, basicallysuggests that unless you are a child or are driving you have no reason not to be drinking the real stuff. How I have learned to appreciate cultural differences over here.... 

Also, I realized I am the only international student from W&J who will be returning late into the semester. Therefore all of the questions they have encouraged us to answer on our blog lately have been about how our views have changed from the beginning to end of our experience, and so on. Luckily I am not quite there yet, and look forward to making the most out of my remaining time in Europe. 

Sorry this week wasn’t the most exciting! I hope you still like hearing from me.  Wishing you a wonderful morning/ evening/ night depending on where you’re reading from. I will update you soon.

Warm Wishes

Heather

 p.s. more pictures are forthcoming 

Thanksgiving, Wien, and Weihnachtsmärkte!

Hello All!

Sorry it has once again, been quite some time since you have heard from me.  Just know that when I can’t find time to write to you and keep up with my blog, it usually means I am having a good time and experiencing new things to share with you the next time I sit down and get a chance to post. 

The last time I provided you with an update was last Wednesday night, right before the Greek Inflation Party. Despite the good times that ensued there, my neighbors left the music blaring until oh about 4:30 a.m. aka long after I had laid down in attempt to catch a few hours of sleep for my Thursday classes.  It seemed like my head had barely touched the pillow when my alarm woke me up in the morning.  I spent the day in the StudentenStadt library working on some readings for my 4 o’clock class and then I was off to “Debating the Global Governance of Violent Conflict,” one of the most interesting and controversial classes I’m taking this semester. Each class a speaker presents his or her beliefs about the assigned readings (always focusing in on some aspect of global security) and then the rest of the class is supposed to argue either for or against the speaker’s ideas.  My speech is not until January, but in light of some of the grilling done by fellow classmates it is becoming obvious I should start preparing rather soon.  In this class, the professor also employs group work each session, and I have got to know some great people from all over the world.  Every Thursday I look forward to going.

After class I met up with one of my friends in our 'Junior Year in Munich' group and we started to browse for Christmas gifts and some warmer weather gear.  After the night of shopping, we headed home and got ready for a birthday dinner. Our friend Becca turned 21, and we made a voucher for a meal.  Given that I can’t cook, I brought wine, and our German friend David made au gratin potatoes, beef tenderloin, salad, homemade gravy, and tiramisu.  I was really impressed, and feeling rather sad about my own lack of culinary ability after his fine display.  After the dinner Becca, Jess, and I headed to a poker tournament. (The Stockwerksprecher or, basically the equivalent of an RA over here plans fun events from time to time and like the poker tournament.)  After poker we headed to one of the infamous floor parties that remind me a lot of the get together students in American colleges have.

Friday was a boring day, mainly consisting of making materials for my internship.  I work three hour days usually two to three days a week, and so far am enjoying learning the most effective ways to instruct German native speakers in the English language. Friday night after my arrival home, I had a fun night skyping with several friends before a few girls asked me if I wanted to meet some of their German friends at a Mexican style place.  We ended up having a lot of fun at “Los Espisidos” where you order margaritas to share with your group and are encouraged to stand up and dance on the tables.

Saturday again, was filled with some more shopping excitement, homework time, and relaxation. At night we had fun at a cool club called Neuraum, which features candelabra decorations, tons of lights, and music for every taste. Ironically, we went out the night before a holiday that celebrates the dead, and dancing after midnight was forbidden.  Regardless, I still had a fun night listening to the music and learning another thing about German holidays and cultural traditions.

Since everything is closed on Sundays for the most part and I usually don’t manage to engage in anything too exciting, I am going to spare you the pain of listening to the household chores and homework I did in extensive detail. Jumping ahead to this week….

Among the more exciting parts of my week, was a detailed historical tour of Munich and the things that happened right around where we live. For my “Munich and National Socialism” course the information was particularly compelling. We saw the monument to the unknown soldiers, the place of Kurt Eisner's assassination, the building where Hitler's Putsch occurred, and an array of other monuments and memorials.   It is one thing to see pictures of events, but to stand in the spot where they occurred really puts things into perspective.  Every time I think about it, I am so happy I choose such a historically significant place for my semester abroad.

Thursday was also an exciting day. Finally our residency permits came in, (I am official now!), and after attempting to go pick those up, unsuccessfully because it was closed (I’m going again tomorrow…) Jess and I went to one of our favorite cafes for some good European coffee and a nice quiet place to read and do work.  After a few hours in the Rischart Cafe I headed off to my favorite Thursday class, which was followed by a lecture this week. Ironically, the lecture was for my American Colloquium and it was about North American Native American Art… on Thanksgiving… the day that celebrates the negotiation between the pilgrims and the Indians.  During this 2 hour lecture everyone else in my program was watching the Thanksgiving day parade and enjoying a home made Thanksgiving dinner that everyone in our group helped contribute to. Even me! (I think my pumpkin cookies, made with a mix sent from the states counts at least) I cam a few hours late to the dinner but I still had a nice time, once again bringing a bit of American tradition to Germany.

Friday afternoon a friend, Sami, and I departed for Vienna.  One popular European alternative to expensive flights and long train rides with numerous stops, is called a “Mitfahrergelegenheit” or carpooling with other students headed in the same direction you are for a nominal cost that contributes to the gas.  We had a nice time with our “mitfahrer” who was from Munich, and willing to drop us off right at our hostel.  We stayed at the Wombats Vienna, which is easily my favorite hostel chain.  To anyone traveling, I highly recommend this place—really clean, free WiFi in the lobby, friendly staff, great locations near the central train stations, and they even give you a free drink coupon when you check in.  After we arrived and unpacked our bags, we hopped on the Vienna U-Bahn and met a friend of mine, Steph, who also did a semester abroad at W&J last year.  We met at a South Indian restaurant where we ordered food I’ve never had before.  It was really nice, and definitely something that would be hard to find back home.  After dinner and some catching up, Sami and I headed to the Rathaus Christmas market.

Christmas Markets are easily my favorite aspect of spending the holidays in Europe.  They consist of a bunch of little huts where locals come and sell their homemade souvenirs, gifts, crafts, sweets, hot chocolate, and traditional specialties like Glühwein, Lebküchen, Feuerbowle, and Punsch.  Glühwein is a red wine mixed with fruit and other spices and sugars and it is served warm in mugs that you can collect. The mugs are yours for a few Euro extra and they have a painted picture of the city and the year in most cases, and every Christmas market has different collectable mugs.  (I am the proud owner of one from Vienna now) Lebküchen is a lot like gingerbread, and you can get different flavors, from fruit to chocolate, to nut and you can also get things written on them depending on what kind you buy. They usually have cute sentences and ribonss attached to them, so you can buy them for your significant other and they can wear it like a necklace.  Feuerbowle are something I am definitely going to have to try.  It is a drink that is lit on fire—hence the title, literally translating to “fire bowl.” I plan on heading to the Munich Christmas Market this weekend, so I will let you know how that goes.  I tried Punsch in Vienna, and despite the fact that the Europeans swear by it's deliciousness, I personally thought it had a bit too much “punch”. I ordered a raspberry, and had trouble finishing it, the taste of the alcohol was so pungent… however, this may just be my American roots seeping through again. (God forbid I have a sip of something before I turn 21 and enjoy it… half-kidding)

After the Christmas market we found a café that was open until 2 a.m. and we got coffee and enjoyed the modern atmosphere and free WiFi. One thing I noticed about Vienna in comparison to Munich was that Vienna is way more connected wirelessly, and it also boasts an insanely elaborate coffee selection.  Anything from mint chocolate chip late to pumpkin hot chocolate could be found on the menu in most cafes.  After some R&R we decided to call it a night and get some rest for a busy Saturday.

Saturday Sami and I managed to be up and ready by 9:30, and we picked up some small Christmas gifts for family and friends in the morning.  We saw the University of Vienna, the city Rathaus (which is beautiful… it is the white building in my pictures), St. Steven’s Cathedral, the Opera, and Schloss Sonnbrünn. At the Schloss, or castle in English, we also saw another cute Christmas market, with a bit more upscale taste.  It seems like each one of the markets has a different personality, and I am really looking forward to visiting the one’s around me in Munich soon.

After sightseeing, we found a pretty famous café, Cafe Landtmann, with a beautiful glass window were the whole city seems visible. We snagged window seats and enjoyed chocolate macchiatos and soups in the sunlight before heading to an art museum.  Given that Vienna is pretty notorious for the arts, I am really glad we made it to an exhibit there called “No fashion, please!” In the description of the exhibit, it mentioned how the artists tried to capture the struggles of people forced into gender and societal constructs, so I thought it would be right up my alley, however I  ended up seeing a lot more nudity than I bargained for, making it an interesting part of my day, to say the least.

At night Sami and I grabbed döners, or the German/Austrian version of a gyro (except better, I think) and then headed to meet my friend Steph and her friends from all over the world, to head out for the night. I learned a few words in Finnish, which I hear is one of the most difficult languages to learn given it’s astounding 16 cases, and had an enjoyable and culturally exciting evening.

In the morning we got breakfast at the “World Café,” which features breakfast specials from all over.  I went for the English breakfast, and learned that kielbasa  and beans make appearances on the other side of the pond, when it comes to breakfast tradition. We walked through the main part of the city on the way home, and I was again in awe of the wonderful historically rich architecture contrasted with modern street art that also adorned some parts of town. Vienna was definitely worth seeing, and a weekend I will remember for the rest of my life.

Sadly, that is all I have time for right now. I look forward to writing these things down, and letting you know what I am up to.  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is looking forward to the holidays, which are quickly approaching. As always, much love from Munich.

Heather 

Kölle Alaaf and (some other odds and ends)

Hi All!!!

I know... I know it has been going on a week and a half since I have written to you last, but I can explain myself! This past weekend, I was away in Cologne, Germany visiting a friend of mine, and when I returned on Sunday night I had a hectic weekto prepare for.  Monday was my first big Grammar test, Tuesday was a presentation and a speech both in German, Wednesday was a graded in class essay test, and tomorrow I have my first essay due!  I just finished the essay and now I find myself trying to catch up on everything I have put off lately to make room for the influx of schoolwork that temporarily became my only priority… One of those things is my blog. I am really glad things have returned to a normal level of stress and business… I was going crazy. I also got pretty sick last week and the lack of sleep wasn’t helping too much. However, now I could not be in better spirits and I am so excited to share the fun events of the past week and a half with you.

I left off with my Friday in my last blog entry, so I will start with last weekend’s festivites.  Even if there is a Hoftbrahaus in Pittsburgh, a group of friends and I had to visit the original here in Munich. Little did we know that it is an absolute madhouse on the weekends, and we ended up not being able to find a free table.  So naturally hungry, cold, and kind of missing American favorites we headed to Munich’s Hard Rock Café that was conveniently located… right across the street.  I had called the other half of the group to let them know that we changed locations and our waiter heard me speaking in English, and therefore greeted us accordingly. Then when I ordered in German he seemed pretty confused and asked us if we would mind speaking English with him.  Apparently the Hard Rock Cafes around the world have English-speaking staff. (our Waiter was Slovakian in case you were curious) After a delicious meal of buffalo chicken, (they don’t seem to like things too spicy over here), so I was pleased we searched for something fun and exciting to do. It was my friend Becca’s 21^st birthday, and while they aren’t too special over here where you can drink beer and wine from 16, a group of us still tried to do something to celebrate.  When the 90s party we intended to go to ended up being lame, we found a cute little café that played popular American rap videos from the 90s and served fancy cocktails.  The whole night really made me a little bit homesick, but it is nice to know that familiar culture is only a few short U-Bahn stops away from my apartment, when I ended up missing it a little.

Sunday was really relaxing, and we managed to find a little café that is actually open on Sundays and provides a stunning view of Marienplatz, the city center. Monday I worked on planning out some ideas for Christmas, which is really quickly approaching and Tuesday I finally worked on picking out a print I will end up painting on the wall outside of my room. Expect pictures when I finish it!

Wednesday was my very first day at Lbt-Languages, where I got hired as an intern! It is a language school, specializing in teaching business English to Germans and so far, I really like it and find the staff really friendly.  I look forward to having small talk with clients who are trying to learn English and sitting in on the classes and learning more about teaching English.  I think it appeals to me so much because I have done things the other way around for the past 5 years, trying to learn the German language as a native English speaker.  One question a client had last week was how to do the punctuation when you give an example. In German you write z.b., which literally translates to the abbreviation for zum Beispiel, or for example.  It was difficult to tell the woman that we use Latin’s i.e. and e.g. not f.e. for “for example”. However, learning these little quirks about the English language are making me appreciate, more so, the fact that Europeans speak our language so well, and they are encouraging me too keep working at my German grammar even when it gets difficult.

Also, small things that brightened my day last week included the really nice guy on the U-Bahn, who saw how sick I was and asked me if I wanted a pack of tissues since he had a bunch with him, and also I ripped my bike seat last week and someone put a new cover on it while I left it outside during my class. The kindness of strangers is something that always restores my faith in humanity and makes even the busiest, most stressful week a little brighter. J 

Thursday night after a meager 4 hours of sleep I woke up at 5 in the morning to take the train to Munich airport.  Like I had mentioned possibly doing in one of my first few blog posts, I flew back to Cologne over the weekend to see Luisa, an international student I met at W&J, if you haven’t heard me mention her. I choose this weekend to go because 11/11 marks the beginning of Karneval, or “the 5^th season” as it is sometimes called, in Cologne. Naturally the celebration was larger given that it was 11/11/11 and we must celebrate in the German style… which means creative costumes, day drinking, parading in the streets, German songs, dancing and all around fun. I have added some photos of the people I met, and also the last one is of the famous church, the Köln Dom, located in the center of the city.  I also find the people in Cologne to be really friendly, and I enjoyed speaking to a lot of new people in German over the weekend. Also, it is always good to see Luisa, and I am so glad we have been able to keep in touch after her semester at W&J sadly came to an end.

 After we finally made it into the “Heumarkt” or main square where the most people congregate, and they have a live band and announcer, we were overjoyed.  Initially there were so many people packed into the small area that they had to close it off.  After several hours outside exploring the city and everyone’s costumes, my group and I headed to a little bar where they played a nice mix of American music I recognized and original German songs. This weekend I truly had the best of both worlds.  Saturday Luisa and I slept in pretty long, and then watched some of my favorite T.V. shows dubbed in German.  We headed to her parents for homemade lasagna and then we drove around the city Saturday night and I took in some great views.  Check out my photos for yourself!

Sadly, Sunday it was back to reality as I prepared for a rather rigorous academic week at the university.  Luckily, now as I am writing to you, most of the stress has dissipated and I am relaxing.  I’m going to quickly answer W&J’s study abroad questions for the week and then I am headed to quite possibly the best themed party I have ever heard of. 

“Greek Inflation Party” is the translation, and those coming dressed in worn-out/ poor looking clothes OR in Togas receive a welcome drink. Given the state of the economy in Greece, the Germans had to poke some fun and make a play on your tradition Animal House style, Greek party… you have to give it to them; they do get really creative with these party ideas.  Anyways, I promise I will write again soon and as always thank you for your time. You have no idea how happy it makes me to see the views on my page, and know you guys back home or wherever you are, care about what I am up to. Enjoy the weekend!

Love from Germany,

Heather

Question 1:

This week’s suggested topic is : “What I wish I’d known before I went is that ________________because________________.”

Hmm… If I knew how cold it was going to be early on in the year, I probably would have packed some more sweaters and better shoes. Also, had I known all German notebooks are made up of graph paper, I also would have brought my own. However, I can’t say too much here because I’ve been to Europe twice prior to coming this time, so I was pretty well prepared.

This week’s suggested topic is : “Study abroad has changed me/has led to my personal growth in the following ways_________________”

Study abroad has caused me to become substantially more independent.  No meal plan. No mom to do my laundry. No one to give you orientation on the first day of school… or show you were your classes are. No professor to give you a graded assignment each class. While these examples sound largely negative, and were difficult for me at first, now I can say I’ve become a lot more responsible and that overall the changes have been positive. Also, with my German, I find my self in situations were I need to use the language, and just being surrounded by it constantly has helped me learn so much and become so much more comfortable speaking and listening. Study abroad has thus far really positively benefited my life.