Like many situations in life when we finally get used to things, it’s just about time that things change once again. Returning from a hectic weekend in Berlin to the quiet Herman Ehlers Haus felt like we were coming home. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I found that upon returning to Osnabruck the people and the place re-welcomed us even more warmly than before. We got used to running to catch the bus in the morning and made sure we planned for breakfast the next day when we had an excursion. We even had our routine down to which bakery we’d visit every morning. I began to feel more at home and comfortable and so (of course) the week flew by and it was time to leave before I knew it.
My last week in Osnabruck gave me some insight into the German people I had come into contact with. Our student tutors and the Balus that we spent some time with became much more open and comfortable with us during the second week. I noticed in general that German people are very straightforward and genuine but reserved at first. However, I am now convinced that once the reservations are put to bed after spending a little bit of time together, a potential long term friendship can be established.
Visiting the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp is one of the more striking memories from this past week. It was an eerie feeling being on the grounds where such atrocities (which were well documented) took place. I again found myself hitting a wall in my imagination as I tried to fathom what Anne Frank and the other experienced there. As we walked around the site and were shown where the barracks and watering hole used to be, I thought it was interesting how the land look like just like any other barren place with grass and trees. Had we not been told, the site would be like many other natural lands we’ve driven by on our many excursions. Again, I was reminded of the German conscious effort to remember history. I was reminded of the quote, “This too shall pass” and also reminded of the importance of remembering what has passed.
The Maiwoche festival brought a lighter tone to our last days in Osnabruck. The taste of strawberry flavored wine and the sound of local performers singing a mix of German, American and even some French songs brought some extra excitement to Osnabruck. There were many new faces in town as a result of the festival. During the festival, I witnessed was we learned to be the “pub culture” of Germany. Young and old people gathered with their friends around many different kinds of beer to sing and dance and talk and toast (Prost) to good health and good times. There were all kinds of food to eat and trinkets to buy from many different parts of the world. The festival gave us the opportunity to witness the locals and other non-locals enjoying themselves in a typical German fashion.
We also completed our last activity with the Balu und Du organization. I was really proud of how my classmates used their creativity to come up with typical American desserts to make for the Mowglis. I was not sure how our project would be received but it was a great hit. The only thing I would have changed about that day was that I would have liked to spend more time with Tarik. We came early enough so that we were able to spend a short time with him and say goodbye. His Balu exchanged email and addresses with us so hopefully we will be able to write him.
There are so many memories I made on this trip that I will want to keep forever. When it finally came time to leave, I was a little surprised that I was sad because after all, it’s only been two weeks. And yet, in these two weeks I have learned so much about a culture that I knew very little about when I signed up for this class last Fall. It is a culture so different from anything I normally gravitate towards and I have come to like it so much so that I plan on learning more of the language and visiting again.
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