That was easily the highlight of my day. Otherwise, I'm sure I wouldn't be smiling on that long walk in business formal! Thanks Ethan for the photo and the walking assistance :)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
P.S.
Here's the picture of the beautiful falling snow:
That was easily the highlight of my day. Otherwise, I'm sure I wouldn't be smiling on that long walk in business formal! Thanks Ethan for the photo and the walking assistance :)
That was easily the highlight of my day. Otherwise, I'm sure I wouldn't be smiling on that long walk in business formal! Thanks Ethan for the photo and the walking assistance :)
Berlin and Prague/Best Week I've Had in a Long Time
This morning at 7am, I got back from a week in Berlin and Prague with the IES program. It was an amazing and educational experience, and the whole week just made me really appreciate that I have the chance to be here.
We left for Berlin super early on Monday morning on a comfortable high-speed train. When we got there, it was SO. INCREDIBLY. COLD. It was somewhere between 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit for the duration of our stay. I brought my gloves and hat as usual, but even those items could not protect against the wind. Even so, we tried to get going and enjoy the experience as much as possible. We checked into a hostel (in former East Berlin - it was still really nice) and immediately went on a bus tour. The tour was OK, but I think a walking tour would have been better even though it was freezing. After the tour, my German class went to the Stasi Museum for our group project.
Even though we only had an hour, the tour was really amazing. We were in the actual buildings that housed the Stasi during the entire existence of the DDR. They looked just as you might picture them - brown, utilitarian, and sketchy. There were different examples of surveillance equipment on display, including secret cameras that could fit into coat pockets and into the door of a Trabant. It was seriously disturbing to imagine the life of average East German citizens who often had no choice but to cooperate with a secret police force that was bigger than the KGB. Check out the link to my Berlin album to see some of the pictures of the different museum features (I'll put it at the end of the post).
The next day, we got up and had the morning partially free. I chose to go on the tour of the Reichstag, which was really cool. Germany has done an excellent job of preserving the historical foundations of the building and combining them with a completely modern, energy-efficient, transparent design. The building could not be more different than the U.S. Capitol, but it was really cool to see. We got to sit in the visitors' section and watch staffers prepare for the Israeli President's speech for Holocaust Remembrance Day. Security was super tight because he was there, but it was worth it to be in the middle of the action like that.
After the tour, we attended our first information session. We got to hear from Mr. Dietmar Nietan, a member of the Social Democrat Party in the German Bundestag (Parliament) and a member of the Committee of European Affairs. I really enjoyed hearing him speak, and I also noticed a strong difference between the way he answered questions and the way American politicians answer questions. Mr. Nietan answered directly even on tricky issues, such as potential Turkish accession to the European Union (which he and his party support) and didn't try to dodge anything we asked, whether it was about the Middle East, energy, or whatever. I made it a point to ask a question at nearly every information session. Mr. Nietan was emphasizing the need for cooperation with other countries (especially the ones that provide the EU with oil) during his speech, so I asked, "Given Germany's interest in maintaining a special relationship with Israel, is there a point where you should stop seeking cooperation with countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran and begin focusing more on energy independence?" He answered by saying that cooperation would still be the ultimate goal, but that Germany would not accept refusals of Israel's right to exist. He serves on multiple committees that focus on Israel and Germany's terrible wartime past, and he seemed very eager to emphasize the point that Germany is completely committed to Israel. Overall, I thought the speech was great, and most of my fellow students really enjoyed it as well.
My other favorite session was at the Ministry of Defense. We got to hear from a high-ranking official in the German military, and what I really enjoyed was how he talked to us about policy rather than giving a vague overview. He jumped right into Afghanistan, talking about how it is much more of a coalition effort than Iraq and how he was the one responsible for writing the mandate calling for more German troops. It was so cool to see him give us the speech and then leave to go present a highly important request for more troops, which goes against Germany's constitutional limitations on military size. We were truly in the presence of a leader, and I was super happy that IES gave us that opportunity. This time, I asked, "Considering the context of President Karzai's government, does Germany consider the pursuit of democratic legitimacy in Afghanistan an important goal in the war?" Surprisingly, he said no. He said that Germany recognized that it would not be able to win the war by focusing on ideology, and that other solutions that suit Afghanistan better would be more appropriate and effective. It seems like such a contrast to the U.S.'s war in Iraq, and it was really interesting to hear that perspective in the form of straight talk.
We had some other meetings, but those two were by far my favorite. We had a boring meeting on our last day in Berlin, but what was really great was walking back to our hostel. I was wearing heels and a skirt and was not a happy camper in the cold and on the icy sidewalks (some random guy stopped, looked at my heels, and said, "That must be the hardest thing in the world!" as we walked), but it started snowing really heavily as we left. I relied on my friend Ethan to avoid slipping on the ice, but we really enjoyed how gorgeous Berlin looked with huge snowflakes falling all around us as the group made it back to the hostel. I didn't have my camera that day, but if Ethan posts his pictures, I'll steal them and post them here. After we made it back, I got to change out of those godforsaken heels and into comfy clothes for the train to Prague.
The train looked a tad rundown, but we had a comfy compartment and had lots of fun chatting for the five-hour journey. We stayed in a nice hotel with English signs (thank God) and got prepared for our sessions the next morning. I won't bore you with details about the sessions this time, especially since they weren't my favorite part of Prague.
I absolutely loved the entire Prague segment of the trip. The city is beautiful and filled with original architecture since it was never bombed during the war. It has that sort of classic European look to it with the statues, narrow streets, arching cathedrals, and cafes filled with local character. We spent a lot of time walking around the city, and we got to see so many amazing sights that Berlin lacked. Berlin has incredible history and energy, but it just doesn't have the breathtaking cityscape like Prague. We also didn't have much free time in Berlin, but there was plenty of time in Prague. That was really valuable, and it was just great to be able to walk around with friends, enjoy relaxed (and cheap!) traditional Czech lunches, and go out in the evening without being exhausted from hours of info sessions. I feel like I got to know more friends from the program a lot better on this portion of the trip. Plus, we were all in better moods all the time because it wasn't as unbearably cold. Basically, the trip was filled with laughter, friends, good food, and fun. It was a great introduction to Central Europe, and even though Prague itself was the real highlight, we learned a lot about the Czech Republic as a whole in the information sessions as well.
Last night, we boarded a train from Prague to Freiburg. This train sort of sucked. It was slow, clunky, and didn't have reclining seats (even though it was an overnight train). I had fun with the friends I was sitting with, but it was pretty hard to get comfortable enough to sleep for the 12 hours we were on board. We had people on the floor of our compartment as well as in the train hallway. It was so bad that it was actually fun, though. We got back at 7 this morning and all headed back to our rooms to crash for a few hours. Then, I did laundry, homework, dinner with my flatmate, and this blog post :)
Classes officially start tomorrow. I have Foreign Policy Analysis at 9am and then German at 12:30. In between, I have a doctor's appointment to follow up on an abnormal test result from my last physical in the U.S. I'm not pumped about having more medical concerns, but I'm excited to try out German health care. I'll post a review tomorrow and see how it compares to my average experience in the U.S.
Here are the links to my photo albums:
Berlin: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152145&id=599810215&l=6beaedc73d
Prague: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152161&id=599810215&l=88541efa82
Until then!
We left for Berlin super early on Monday morning on a comfortable high-speed train. When we got there, it was SO. INCREDIBLY. COLD. It was somewhere between 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit for the duration of our stay. I brought my gloves and hat as usual, but even those items could not protect against the wind. Even so, we tried to get going and enjoy the experience as much as possible. We checked into a hostel (in former East Berlin - it was still really nice) and immediately went on a bus tour. The tour was OK, but I think a walking tour would have been better even though it was freezing. After the tour, my German class went to the Stasi Museum for our group project.
Even though we only had an hour, the tour was really amazing. We were in the actual buildings that housed the Stasi during the entire existence of the DDR. They looked just as you might picture them - brown, utilitarian, and sketchy. There were different examples of surveillance equipment on display, including secret cameras that could fit into coat pockets and into the door of a Trabant. It was seriously disturbing to imagine the life of average East German citizens who often had no choice but to cooperate with a secret police force that was bigger than the KGB. Check out the link to my Berlin album to see some of the pictures of the different museum features (I'll put it at the end of the post).
The next day, we got up and had the morning partially free. I chose to go on the tour of the Reichstag, which was really cool. Germany has done an excellent job of preserving the historical foundations of the building and combining them with a completely modern, energy-efficient, transparent design. The building could not be more different than the U.S. Capitol, but it was really cool to see. We got to sit in the visitors' section and watch staffers prepare for the Israeli President's speech for Holocaust Remembrance Day. Security was super tight because he was there, but it was worth it to be in the middle of the action like that.
After the tour, we attended our first information session. We got to hear from Mr. Dietmar Nietan, a member of the Social Democrat Party in the German Bundestag (Parliament) and a member of the Committee of European Affairs. I really enjoyed hearing him speak, and I also noticed a strong difference between the way he answered questions and the way American politicians answer questions. Mr. Nietan answered directly even on tricky issues, such as potential Turkish accession to the European Union (which he and his party support) and didn't try to dodge anything we asked, whether it was about the Middle East, energy, or whatever. I made it a point to ask a question at nearly every information session. Mr. Nietan was emphasizing the need for cooperation with other countries (especially the ones that provide the EU with oil) during his speech, so I asked, "Given Germany's interest in maintaining a special relationship with Israel, is there a point where you should stop seeking cooperation with countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran and begin focusing more on energy independence?" He answered by saying that cooperation would still be the ultimate goal, but that Germany would not accept refusals of Israel's right to exist. He serves on multiple committees that focus on Israel and Germany's terrible wartime past, and he seemed very eager to emphasize the point that Germany is completely committed to Israel. Overall, I thought the speech was great, and most of my fellow students really enjoyed it as well.
My other favorite session was at the Ministry of Defense. We got to hear from a high-ranking official in the German military, and what I really enjoyed was how he talked to us about policy rather than giving a vague overview. He jumped right into Afghanistan, talking about how it is much more of a coalition effort than Iraq and how he was the one responsible for writing the mandate calling for more German troops. It was so cool to see him give us the speech and then leave to go present a highly important request for more troops, which goes against Germany's constitutional limitations on military size. We were truly in the presence of a leader, and I was super happy that IES gave us that opportunity. This time, I asked, "Considering the context of President Karzai's government, does Germany consider the pursuit of democratic legitimacy in Afghanistan an important goal in the war?" Surprisingly, he said no. He said that Germany recognized that it would not be able to win the war by focusing on ideology, and that other solutions that suit Afghanistan better would be more appropriate and effective. It seems like such a contrast to the U.S.'s war in Iraq, and it was really interesting to hear that perspective in the form of straight talk.
We had some other meetings, but those two were by far my favorite. We had a boring meeting on our last day in Berlin, but what was really great was walking back to our hostel. I was wearing heels and a skirt and was not a happy camper in the cold and on the icy sidewalks (some random guy stopped, looked at my heels, and said, "That must be the hardest thing in the world!" as we walked), but it started snowing really heavily as we left. I relied on my friend Ethan to avoid slipping on the ice, but we really enjoyed how gorgeous Berlin looked with huge snowflakes falling all around us as the group made it back to the hostel. I didn't have my camera that day, but if Ethan posts his pictures, I'll steal them and post them here. After we made it back, I got to change out of those godforsaken heels and into comfy clothes for the train to Prague.
The train looked a tad rundown, but we had a comfy compartment and had lots of fun chatting for the five-hour journey. We stayed in a nice hotel with English signs (thank God) and got prepared for our sessions the next morning. I won't bore you with details about the sessions this time, especially since they weren't my favorite part of Prague.
I absolutely loved the entire Prague segment of the trip. The city is beautiful and filled with original architecture since it was never bombed during the war. It has that sort of classic European look to it with the statues, narrow streets, arching cathedrals, and cafes filled with local character. We spent a lot of time walking around the city, and we got to see so many amazing sights that Berlin lacked. Berlin has incredible history and energy, but it just doesn't have the breathtaking cityscape like Prague. We also didn't have much free time in Berlin, but there was plenty of time in Prague. That was really valuable, and it was just great to be able to walk around with friends, enjoy relaxed (and cheap!) traditional Czech lunches, and go out in the evening without being exhausted from hours of info sessions. I feel like I got to know more friends from the program a lot better on this portion of the trip. Plus, we were all in better moods all the time because it wasn't as unbearably cold. Basically, the trip was filled with laughter, friends, good food, and fun. It was a great introduction to Central Europe, and even though Prague itself was the real highlight, we learned a lot about the Czech Republic as a whole in the information sessions as well.
Overlooking Prague (photo credit: AG)
At the top of the clock tower (AG).
At the top of the clock tower (AG).
Last night, we boarded a train from Prague to Freiburg. This train sort of sucked. It was slow, clunky, and didn't have reclining seats (even though it was an overnight train). I had fun with the friends I was sitting with, but it was pretty hard to get comfortable enough to sleep for the 12 hours we were on board. We had people on the floor of our compartment as well as in the train hallway. It was so bad that it was actually fun, though. We got back at 7 this morning and all headed back to our rooms to crash for a few hours. Then, I did laundry, homework, dinner with my flatmate, and this blog post :)
Classes officially start tomorrow. I have Foreign Policy Analysis at 9am and then German at 12:30. In between, I have a doctor's appointment to follow up on an abnormal test result from my last physical in the U.S. I'm not pumped about having more medical concerns, but I'm excited to try out German health care. I'll post a review tomorrow and see how it compares to my average experience in the U.S.
Here are the links to my photo albums:
Berlin: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152145&id=599810215&l=6beaedc73d
Prague: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152161&id=599810215&l=88541efa82
Until then!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Pictures
Here's our group on top of the mountain. I can't remember what it was called for the life of me.
The two of us went to go climb that rock. I ended up chickening out because of the sheer drops on either side (the rock itself wasn't bad at all - I'm the one standing next to it). I'm glad I played it safe, considering that my friend fell down the rocky hillside for about 25 feet immediately after climbing down. He just got a couple of scratches, but it looked like it was going to be much worse.Next on the agenda: pack for Berlin and Prague! It's going to be an early departure tomorrow and I want to get some sleep tonight.
(Photo Credit: TT)
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Good Things
Good things that happened in the last few days:
1. My flatmate and I cooked a delicious spaetzle dinner with peas, carrots, wine, and cake last night.
2. We (he) cooked pasta with homemade sauce and mushrooms tonight (and more wine and cake).
3. My German class watched Das Leben der Anderen in class, which is one of my favorite movies. We're visiting the Stasi Museum in Berlin on Monday as a class, and I'm really excited to see how life was in East Germany with the constant presence of the Stasi.
4. I went on a hike with my flatmate and some other friends today. It was about 6 miles or so, and the view from the top of the mountain was fantastic. It wasn't as clear as it can sometimes get (apparently you can see France and Switzerland on the clearest days), but we still got a great view of Freiburg. It was tons of fun and it felt great to get some exercise. I'm super tired now (especially after getting up early for Saturday class this morning!) and will be going to bed soon, even though it's Saturday night.
5. My German comprehension is getting a lot better. We only speak German in class, and Mike (the American) and I try to only speak German with each other and with our German flatmates. I still need to put more effort into speaking, but I can understand the vast majority of what I hear. I only speak German in shops and on the street, and if I continue to do that, I really think it will help. Basically, the only times I speak English from now on will be with my non-German-speaking classmates. I hope that more of them will be able to practice German soon enough.
We're going (as a program) to Berlin and Prague for a week. It should be a lot of fun, and we also get to go to several formal meetings with high-ranking German and Czech officials. I don't plan to bring my laptop, but I'll try to update from an Internet cafe if I can. Bis dann!
1. My flatmate and I cooked a delicious spaetzle dinner with peas, carrots, wine, and cake last night.
2. We (he) cooked pasta with homemade sauce and mushrooms tonight (and more wine and cake).
3. My German class watched Das Leben der Anderen in class, which is one of my favorite movies. We're visiting the Stasi Museum in Berlin on Monday as a class, and I'm really excited to see how life was in East Germany with the constant presence of the Stasi.
4. I went on a hike with my flatmate and some other friends today. It was about 6 miles or so, and the view from the top of the mountain was fantastic. It wasn't as clear as it can sometimes get (apparently you can see France and Switzerland on the clearest days), but we still got a great view of Freiburg. It was tons of fun and it felt great to get some exercise. I'm super tired now (especially after getting up early for Saturday class this morning!) and will be going to bed soon, even though it's Saturday night.
5. My German comprehension is getting a lot better. We only speak German in class, and Mike (the American) and I try to only speak German with each other and with our German flatmates. I still need to put more effort into speaking, but I can understand the vast majority of what I hear. I only speak German in shops and on the street, and if I continue to do that, I really think it will help. Basically, the only times I speak English from now on will be with my non-German-speaking classmates. I hope that more of them will be able to practice German soon enough.
We're going (as a program) to Berlin and Prague for a week. It should be a lot of fun, and we also get to go to several formal meetings with high-ranking German and Czech officials. I don't plan to bring my laptop, but I'll try to update from an Internet cafe if I can. Bis dann!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
And who says Germans are unfriendly?
I had a caffeine withdrawal headache today, so I decided to stop at the local bakery for a cup of coffee on my way home from class. I managed to successfully order in German and everything. The owner, an older woman, asked "Und?", because she naturally assumed I would want some kind of pastry with my drink. Normally I would, but I think three (that's right - I already two) in one day would really be pushing it.
She made my coffee, which I then proceeded to spill all over the sugar counter. The first thing that ran through my mind was "thank GOD no one else is here!" Last thing I needed was an audience. I then apologized profusely while the woman and I mopped it up and then I asked to pay for another coffee. Not only did she smile and tell me not to worry about the spill, but she made me another fresh cup for free! I learned two things from this encounter:
1. Germans smile.
2. Speaking in German in shops, even when you're a clumsy American, can avert disaster.
I'm just kidding about smiling Germans, though...they're actually as friendly as can be. We asked an old man for directions to a store on the street today, and not only did he give us a detailed description of the building, he turned around to walk us to the intersection to make sure we knew where to go. That seems to be the trend here. People will walk around looking all surly, but if you talk to them, they'll be super open and nice. This has worked with my flatmates as well as with random strangers (including the man working the crepe truck. We had a nice little conversation about how expensive university is in the U.S, auf Deutsch).
Bis später!
She made my coffee, which I then proceeded to spill all over the sugar counter. The first thing that ran through my mind was "thank GOD no one else is here!" Last thing I needed was an audience. I then apologized profusely while the woman and I mopped it up and then I asked to pay for another coffee. Not only did she smile and tell me not to worry about the spill, but she made me another fresh cup for free! I learned two things from this encounter:
1. Germans smile.
2. Speaking in German in shops, even when you're a clumsy American, can avert disaster.
I'm just kidding about smiling Germans, though...they're actually as friendly as can be. We asked an old man for directions to a store on the street today, and not only did he give us a detailed description of the building, he turned around to walk us to the intersection to make sure we knew where to go. That seems to be the trend here. People will walk around looking all surly, but if you talk to them, they'll be super open and nice. This has worked with my flatmates as well as with random strangers (including the man working the crepe truck. We had a nice little conversation about how expensive university is in the U.S, auf Deutsch).
Bis später!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Photos
Here's a public link to a Facebook photo album:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3879577&l=cc97e2672e&id=599810215
Enjoy! I'll write more when I can.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3879577&l=cc97e2672e&id=599810215
Enjoy! I'll write more when I can.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Weekend/Monday Update
On Sunday, a bunch of us went to the little town of Staufen on the edge of the Black Forest. It was founded in the 8th Century A.D. and is supposedly where Dr. Faustus sold his soul to the devil. We were there for Narrentreffen, which is the annual carnival/birthday celebration that takes place in the form of a gigantic parade. It's simultaneously awesome and hard to believe that German adults feel totally comfortable marching around in this:
The parade was super fun to watch. Groups from all the different regions in Baden-Wuerttemberg all marched in different costumes with brass bands and various props (including pig bladders on a stick. These were used to whack people on the head, and no one complained). We joined the tradition of watching with cups of Gluhwein, which is hot mulled wine that's really popular in this part of Germany. We folllowed it up with Wurst and a hike up the nearby Schlossberg to the castle at the top:
It's a great little walk, and the castle ruins are fun to walk around. It was destroyed by the Swedes a couple hundred years ago. I was previously unaware that the Swedes had ever destroyed anything, but there you have it. I'll post the link to a bigger photo album as soon as I have time to make it.
In other news, classes started today. For those of you who don't know, the program I'm doing is an EU-focused program that offers classes in economics, politics, international relations, and cultural studies. We also take German, and this week is the intensive phase where we do German and an EU seminar every single day. They're pretty good so far. Our professor for the EU Seminar is British and keeps professing his love/hate for Margaret Thatcher and making fun of the French. Here's a gem resurrected in his class today: "Going to war without the French is like going deer hunting without your accordion." (Jed Babbin, 2003). I think it's a good sign so far - this course should be funny if nothing else.
All for now - bis spaeter!
The parade was super fun to watch. Groups from all the different regions in Baden-Wuerttemberg all marched in different costumes with brass bands and various props (including pig bladders on a stick. These were used to whack people on the head, and no one complained). We joined the tradition of watching with cups of Gluhwein, which is hot mulled wine that's really popular in this part of Germany. We folllowed it up with Wurst and a hike up the nearby Schlossberg to the castle at the top:
It's a great little walk, and the castle ruins are fun to walk around. It was destroyed by the Swedes a couple hundred years ago. I was previously unaware that the Swedes had ever destroyed anything, but there you have it. I'll post the link to a bigger photo album as soon as I have time to make it.
In other news, classes started today. For those of you who don't know, the program I'm doing is an EU-focused program that offers classes in economics, politics, international relations, and cultural studies. We also take German, and this week is the intensive phase where we do German and an EU seminar every single day. They're pretty good so far. Our professor for the EU Seminar is British and keeps professing his love/hate for Margaret Thatcher and making fun of the French. Here's a gem resurrected in his class today: "Going to war without the French is like going deer hunting without your accordion." (Jed Babbin, 2003). I think it's a good sign so far - this course should be funny if nothing else.
All for now - bis spaeter!
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