Wasser ohne Gas

Some things I have learned about Osnabrück so far:

- 9 times out of 10 the bottled water you buy will be carbonated (which may surprise you causing it to exit through your nose in an untimely fashion)

- You will get run over by a bicyclist if you don’t pay attention

- The bottle cap will break leaving a jagged edge that may cut you later

- Juice = Saft

On a more serious note, Osnabrück has surprised me in many good ways. The welcome we received from Verena and our student tutors (Tatiana and Sarah) after over 24 hours of traveling was just perfect. It’s also great that the showers have actual doors that lock instead of curtains that blow open when someone walks by (cough cough unnamed hostel in Amsterdam).

I was really proud to be a part of our class as Verena and the Balus watched a bit taken aback by our enthusiasm and energy as we worked in the Balu und Du garden. Our second experience with Balu und Du started off as a what seemed to me would be a forgettable experience but my day quickly turned around when I met Tarik. I remember that while we were at the Kultur museum, one of our classmates tried to say hi to him and he just looked at us and ran in the other direction to his Balu. I did not really think much of it at the time but I later found out that Tarik is hearing impaired.

As Eilis, Sara and I spent time with him, I realized what an impact nonverbal communication can have. Sara was able to sign some letters and spell out our names but aside from that, we mainly communicated via Tarik’s Balu and mostly through smiles, drawings, and awkward hand motions that made us laugh (because they made no sense in German, American or any other kind of sign language). The most poignant element of the experience was the difference in Tarik’s general demeanor as we sat around him and „talked“. Communication and, more importantly, compassion is so universal and sometimes, whether it’s out of shyness or pride or preconceived notions, we forget that. It was nice to be reminded.

Speaking of reminders, the night watchman’s tour was a reminder of the amount of history that can be found in the significantly older cities and towns of Europe (as compared to those of the United States). Although our country has its own set of cultural and historical marvels to offer, there’s something awe inspiring about walking into an old building or tower and being told that it’s about four times the age of the country you come from. It makes you feel small and temporary but simultaneously connected to the everlasting story known as history. It was interested to think that we sat in the same room as those who discussed and signed the Peace of Westphalia. It made me think that if we listened closely enough, we could hear echoes of what was said during negotiation. We were amused by the story of the man who waged war on Osnabrück (which I was considering doing myself if I didn’t find some Wasser ohne Gas), exhausted (and maybe a little claustrophobic) while climbing the tower with endless winding stairs and refreshed by the cool wind and quaint view that greeted us at the top.

As far as the language goes, I’m already fluent. Just kidding; I wish. The different pronunciation and grammatical structure of German makes it a difficult language to learn. However, being surrounded by the language and culture is helping us along. The German classes have provided us with some words and phrases that allow us to feel less lost and foreign, even though I have yet to figure out how to say, "I'm lost!"

Overall, my first days in Osnabrück promise an unforgettable cultural learning experience that may push me outside of my sunny Floridian comfort zone. I’m looking forward to observing some discrepancies and confirmations of the cultural norms we’ve discussed throughout the semester.