Coming home and final thoughts

Finally heading back to the states; it has been an amazing journey with unexpected complications although we have been able to handle it. Yesterday I spent the day in Chateau de Versailles and was marveled by the sights.  The grand Trianon and the petit Trianon were also beautifully adorned. It was all about the glit and glam.  Paris is now on my list of favorite cities, and I was quite surprised to find that the French were quite nice. I was even taken aback when someone at the train station helped me up the stairs with my bag. I had always heard horrible things about the French people, but I must say that I didn't experience it other than the occasional evil stare. I woke up early this morning to make sure that we would have enough time to get to the airport, but once we reached the train station we discovered that the train was delayed due to a suicide on the tracks. Christine was panicking that we were going to miss our flight. When the train finally arrived we had to fight our way into it and everyone squeezed inside, I had never seen a train that packed even in my experiences in New York. Luckily we did make the flight and had a couple of minutes to spare. Looking back on the whole trip, I come the realization that I have grown as a person and I met some great people in our hostels' (most of them were Australian). Traveling on my own was great so major complications,only a couple of scares. I definitely plan on backpacking through Europe again and I especially wish to go back to Germany. Hopefully I can do it again as soon as next year or maybe I can just study abroad.  As a way to end this amazing journey through Europe and self discovery, I would like to thank Mr. Lucien and Dr. Kleine for the advice and help provided in the class. Without their knowledge the trip would have been much more difficult. 

It's been a little over a week since Natalia and I set off on our own... And what an adventure it's been. From being with a portion of the group in Munich, to being extremely sick in Salzburg, my bank card not working in Rome, and learning today that even though I thought I was going to Spain I'm actually in Cataluña. I'm just surprised I haven't lost anything yet! I remember hearing the phrase "expect the unexpected" before leaving, but,  I'd never thought those words would be so true. When my debit card wouldn't work in Rome my first thought was crap, I have to call the bank and get this fixed and then I found out it was memorial day and I'd have to wait another 24+hours to get it resolved. Luckily, I had Natalia right there to help with some money so we could start sight seeing. Eventually, my card did work... It only took my Dad going to the bank and refusing to leave until it was fixed. Thank goodness for family. Even with the mishaps and craziness I've loved every second. I'm finally learning the art of taking things as they come and not worrying over every little thing. Europe is amazing and I can't believe I have to leave soon. I'm just not gonna think about it. Why should I? The streets of Barcelona are waiting to be explored and that's a much better use of my time. 

Influx of Wisdom

Now that we had flown the coop of chaperonal supervision, it was time to really prove how competent we all were. We were ready to go out into the world and prove how adept we were at navigating our way through the maze of Europe.  All I can say now is that we know better. All of a sudden there were no given tour guides to point out the important stuff around us and no Tatiana or Sarah to go to with any question that cropped up. There was only us. Before this trip I considered myself pretty much grown up. I work, pay my own bills, and can budget the hell out of my paychecks. I was smart. Now, after making a few mistakes and being at the mercy of locals who don't even speak the same language as I do but are willing to help regardless, I am wiser. Not to mention cultured. You can read about these things from a book, but until you hear the sound of an orchestra in a church or feel the ancient stone of a monument, you can't really experience it in a real sense.  That being said, this was THE most spectacular trip of my life, and I'm so thankful for all those who helped me achieve it. It was worth every drop of sweat and ounce of effort. After all, how else was I supposed to acquire any wisdom? 

Affirmation

The stars’ message finally broke through. Instead of my wishing upon them, it was them that were offering their best hopes for me on my excursion. Getting off at the train stations and placing my feet on the grounds of Köln for the first time just felt so right. I had bought a pair of boots specifically for the trip. My words to Dr. Kleine were: “My boots don’t resist the ground. They are very smooth.” He knew I wasn’t talking about the boots.

Somehow I didn’t feel as if I was in a different country. We were in Osnabrück for a majority of the time, and we visited Köln, Dresden, and Berlin. But my favorite place was Weimar. The beautiful old-fashioned town was adorned with statues of Goethe, Schiller, Bach and Shakespeare. Even the air had a scent of sophistication. I fancy myself Romantic (I should’ve been born in the 19^th century), which is why, perhaps, I was so drawn to here. My feelings about Germany so far can be summed up in Goethe’s own words: “Hier bin ich Mensch. Hier darf ich’s sein.” Here, I am   man. Here, I am allowed to be.

Mixed Feelings

My first time out of the country. Feelings of terror and anticipation filled my head. I know I had a reliable companion in Dr. Kleine to comfort me. He saw me cringe upon feeling the plane escalate into higher and higher altitudes, the wheels fold back up into the plane, and the acceleration downwards as the plane spiraled towards the airport. The first leg of the flight was over quicker than I expected. The second international flight took over a day. The up-side to this was that we were served some decent food, and we were able to watch exclusive movies and listen to some quality music (I opted for Tchaikovsky’s D Violin Concerto). A highlight of the trip was being so high above the clouds. Nighttime over the Atlantic at the apex of our course was a magical experience. Never before had I been so close to the stars and I did my best to appreciate their clarity; it’s as if they were trying to tell me something.

I've had a day to reflect on our journeys in Osnabruck. In such a short time we have accomplished so much. I remember back at the beginning of the semester when we didn't know each other at all. We bonded quickly as we spent each day with each other, be it learning a little German in our classes together or the long bus rides to our excursions to other cities. I find myself saddened that we have to part ways to continue our journeys elsewhere. I had just finally gotten used to living in Osnabruck. The culture, language, and people had made this experience one that I am going to remember for the rest of my life. Our German counterparts welcomed us with open arms and showed us how much fun we could have in such a foreign place. It sure did help that the Maiwoche festival was going on the same time as we had come. To see so many people in the streets having a good time with good food and drink made it even more appealing to explore the town during our spare time. I also really enjoyed all the history that we had witnessed in our museums and tours. We had experienced such a wide variety of them that there was sure something to catch the attention and inspiration of us all. I especially enjoyed our 3 day stay at Berlin. It was our longest stay at a city outside of Osnabruck and we got to experience so much of it from past to present. I never knew that I could learn the layout of such a big city so quickly. It sure did help to have such large visible buildings to help orient yourself such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Bundestag, and the Sony Center. I really enjoyed watching a soccer game at a local restaurant with the locals and coming back to the hostel at night to find a rave going on under the train station. Berlin truly had a lot to offer us and I cherished my time there. My silent train ride to Dortmund made it hard not to let my mind wander on the great time I for the program. Soon I will see my Aunt and Uncle for the first time in 15 years then onward to Bosnia!

My time with our class is up and now I am off on my own. It is sad to think that my days with USF are now officially over... Every closed door brings a opened one. Anyhow I find myself in a small village near Stutttgart called Heiligenzimmern and I have just met family that I have never met in my life before. A very small town and extremely German, from its own beer to a large and very elegant chuch! It is picture like, nestled between two large mountains, surrounded by fields and thick forrest. They are extremely hospitable and do everything in an extreme German fashion. Such as coffee and cake every afternoon and breakfast with pork, cheese, and ham, as well as eating pleanty of pork. They run a large pig farm here and own most of the town's fields. An interesting fact is that only one of them speaks english so it has been a challengeing time to communicate, but the little German I learned in class is being put to use and is helping a great deal. The past few days with them have been amazing, from a 165mph ride on the autobahn, to seeing a technology muesum, to visitng a castle and concert there, as well as going to a nuclear fission laboratory! All very exciting and interesting! I was also able to get a hold of a mountain bike here and I have been riding all over the place here, there is many mountains around here and bike trails all over them here in the Black Forrest. I am very thankful for everything my family here has done for me and it has really opened my eyes to my German heritage as this is the town where my family has been for hundreds of years. Next stop after this is to Munich and visitng my father's side of the family! I'll share that soon!

At last the tours of our three big cities has been through! After countless tours, good and bad, along with great food and beer, I am glad to say that I had a great time! Wiemar, Dresden, and Berlin, all big cities with diverse cultures and people was very eye opening to me as a newcomer to this country. I must say I wish we had more time in Dresden, it is extremely historical and would take one weeks to fully understand this city if they were lucky. Even I must say I know little about it... Berlin was greatest to me though. Not only was I able to see the Berlin wall, I also was treated to some other aspects of the city as well. Seeing the Bundestag was very cool, except for the tour wasn't, but I was overall impressed by it. It stands as a symbol for the new German Democracy and for how much of a chance it has to survive. I think that this new government can do it. I was also treated to a ride in an Audi A7 through downtown Berlin and must say that it was an awesome expirience, very different than the normal view that a tourist gets. Another empowering expirience I did was a run from our hostel to downtown Berlin. It was really cool to run alongside the East side gallery and also through the urban area. It was a 7 mile run and I did it in the early morning. It is very cool to see a big city like Berlin wake up and observe all the sights and sounds of this. I also enjoy running as a stress relieving activity, going for mile after mile allows me to free up and just absorb what is happening around me and allow me to think clearly and forget any current problems. Sadly we had to leave Berlin and only end up getting stuck in a six hour traffic jam on the autobahn... fun stuff...

After staying a few days in Osnabrück, I can say that so far I am enjoying y! It is by far very different than America, with differences in transportation, energy, and culture. The people here are diffrent, much more direct and when speaking it is usually loud and can almost sound aggressive. But they are kind and understanding. By far my favorite expierence here is the Maimoch, I think I spelled it right, but in short, in May most towns have a celebration of good weather and other reasons and as in German spirit, it is done with beer! They also have a wide varitiy of food to offer and for a poor college kid like me, it seems to be very well priced. The one thing I miss the most from home is my bike, the reasons being that the roads here are exactly like the ones seen on TV in major Europe bike races. Being a member of the USF Cycling team and a enthusiast, I would love to ride here, maybe I can find something to take on the roads here after my time is up in Osnabrück. Well I´m off to the Maimoch, Cheers!

Already, the trip is over.... Krystyn and I are on an ICE train on our way to Munich for our backpacking trip. This morning I felt so nervous leaving. Osnabrueck had begun to feel like home and it was already time to pack up my bags and move on to the next city. I had so much fun in Osnabrueck. The city has a real charm to it. I already miss hearing "Nächste Haltestelle...." saying goodbye to everyone was really hard, but we all made promises to see each other again, so that eased the process a bit. My IFT partner and I may actually see each other in July when I come back to Germany! Being a part of the spring school helped me to grow into a more confident person. I have definitely learned to be more independent-- traveling internationally will force it out of you. When I first learnt of my family's plans to move to Germany, I was a mess of feelings. I would no longer live in Jacksonville, my home of seven years. All I'd have was USF and a rented house in germany. After traveling with the honors college, I feel a deeper connection with my peers, and with the greater USF community. I feel more comfortable treating Germany as a second home now as opposed to a foreign country that separates me from my parents.

Weimar, Dresden, and Berlin. Oh my!

Three cities in five days. What an adventure..... This part of the spring school was my favorite by far. We got to see some of the most beautiful sights in the world, precious art that has survived the centuries. Many of our tours provided wonderful insight into the German people that helped me appreciate the trip so much more. It was amazing to see how the european cultures mix... I never expected to see so many Roman ruins in Germany!! It made me realize how rich history is... You never know how many other things have happened in your own backyard. I hope I won't forget to immerse myself in culture when I return home to the states. This excursion was something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

My time in Germany with the Honors College has come to an end. Although I am saddened that our time together is over, I can truly say I had the time of my life and am beyond humbled to have had the opportunity to spend it with all of you. Each of you added a new component to our experience together, and I know we will remember it for years and years to come. Aside from any other worldly information I may gather on my travels, perhaps the greatest lesson that was reinforced is not judging a book by its cover. There was so much to learn about all of you, and I feel very fortunate to be able to call many of you friends. A special thanks also goes out to Dr. Kleine, Mr. Lucien, Anne, Tatiana, Sarah, and Carina for an amazing experience. I wish everyone the best in their future travels! In my opinion, once a traveler, always a traveler, so perhaps our paths will cross again abroad one day.

Until then,
Falon

Architecture And further travel

On our excursions to Weimar, Dresden, and especially Berlin, I was struck by the history of the country. Learning about buildings and monuments that are older than the entire country that I come from was both amazing and humbling. The thought that was put into the layout of the city and the reasoning behind the placement of the buildings really contrast to, for instance, Tampa's layout. Our guide also mentioned that one of the buildings remained only because the people voted to keep it. It's difficult to try to imagine the inhabitants of my city voting about a building that doesn't directly impact them or their skyline. Situations like that highlight the sense of community experienced here that was brought about  by the collective suffering as well as the collective successes of the people here. Americans may also present a united front in some cases, but because we're so heterogenous and different from one another it's difficult to find such unity. Being exposed to a different culture like this really allows you to look at your own culture with a new set of eyes. Instead of blindly declaring your own background to be the one and only superior culture, you can compare the two in order to find the strengths and weaknesses of each. I definitely feel less ignorant about the world around me as a result of our time here. I hope to continue feeling that way as I move on to other countries around Europe. Wish me luck! 

Team S-c-h-n-i-t-z-e-l!

My time in Osnabrück officially ended with my recent arrival in London. I experienced quite the culture shock simply sitting by my gate in Frankfurt airport. It was easy to identify who the Germans were and who the English were just by looking at them. The difference continued to develop as I arrived in country and was berated by a UK Customs official who wanted to know everything and anything. He needed to know what I studied, where I studied, how much money I had, how much my plane ticket cost, who I was staying with, where she lived, dates, times, numbers…he wanted to know everything! It wouldn’t have been so painful if he wasn’t so rude. Thus, I entered the country with a “bad taste in my mouth.” This was the exact moment when I started to miss Germany!

I cannot believe my time in Germany is over. I am proud to say that I have completely fallen in love with the country and its culture. The thing that I will miss most is the people! Germans are a special breed and my experiences with the face time partners are unforgettable. After spending countless nights and five hours rowing a boat on the Hase River (Team Schnitzel), I have made long-lasting friendships. What is so different with these friendships is that they are based on intellectual conversations. This is why I find Germans so refreshing. Germans aren’t afraid to debate and discuss touchy subjects. I discussed the issues of national pride, politics, and gender roles all within 1.5 weeks of meeting these people.  I loved every minute of it! In the U.S., I have similar conversations with my close friends but I have never experienced such a conversation with a random group of people at a party or a bar.

In addition to the people, I will also miss the lifestyle. My experience in Osnabrück is a bit biased because I was on a vacation and the weather was unusually beautiful towards the end. However, I like the use of public transportation, their way of recycling, their food, their beer, and their bike lanes etc. Germans tend to live in the moment and have a more relaxed lifestyle whereas in America everything is fast-paced.  This experience has reminded me to enjoy my day and not let the American lifestyle bamboozle me!

As they say, all good things must come to an end. I fully enjoyed my time in Germany and already cannot wait to visit again. I am even thinking about living there in the future. For the next two weeks I will be wandering around the UK with a friend of mine from the USF field hockey team. I cannot wait to see what the UK has in store!

~tschüss Deutschland and hello UK!

Goodbyes

Never did I think I would connect with so many wonderful people during this trip. I am happy and very lucky to say I made some excellent German friends. Friends I hope I will be able to keep in touch with for a long time. However, the friends I made from Usf were one of the most amazing parts of my trip. Being in a class with someone for a semester cannot even compare to being in a foreign country with them. I will probably cry seeing everyone go their separate ways tomorrow. We have become a little family.  I learn so many interesting things about every person in the class. When I look back on my experience, I would not have done anything differently. I know have some great memories and great friends which I will remember for the rest of my life. 

Unexpected experiences

Traumatic experiences and settings create situations where one can learn more about his or herself. Before we visited...... I did not fully understand the gruesomeness and horror of a concentration camp. I have seen movies and read personal stories, but actually being there and seeing first hand is much more eye opening. Still I cannot grasps why anyone in there right mind would assist in the terror that occurred. I guess these people were not in there right mind. This experience has just assisted to my ideas of how lucky we are. I now have the urge to learn more about life in concentration camps. If just being on the site causes so much emotion I know digging deeper into the matter would be extremely beneficial. Along with this experience, I had a very moving unexpected experience at dinner. We all went to a wonderful typical German town restaurant. However, the food wasn't even the best part. I was lucky enough to have to opportunity to sit with dr. Kleine. We, along with the other students at our table, shared in a deep moving conversation.  I was so appreciative of the dinner. I came to the conclusion that study abroad is so benifical due to the personal connects one is able to make. 

The beginning of a summer in paradise

The trip started off somewhat sketchy. My first plane was such a bumpy ride I was dreading flying all the way to Germany. My first impression of the German people was not the best either.  I got yelled at in the train station by a woman on her phone. Then there was a crazy drunk man on one of our trains. To top it off, that night at the dorm we get yelled at by a girl living on our floor. However, I soon came to the realization that my original assessment was incorrect. I have already met so many nice people, including our wonderful tutors and my FaceTime partner. I am excited to see what is to come on our wonderful journey in Germany. 

Osnabrueck Experience

It seems like I've only been here two days, but in reality it's been two weeks. Out of this experience I've gotten a new image of Germany, I can truly say that I  want return to Osnabrueck for a more extended period of time. I  love the people, the history, and of course the University. I feel that within these two weeks I have grown as a person and intellectually. I was amazed by the large amount of Roman history since it was never really discussed in class. All the tours of the cities were good, but one stood out above the rest for me and that was Weimar. Weimar is a small city, but it contains beautiful landscapes and so much history. I also think that I really enjoyed Weimar the most because I really got to know the student tutors and just see how great and wonderful they are.       From this trip I can say that I have learned new things about the culture. Spending time with the FaceTime partners provided a new insight that can not be learned in class. Dr. Kleine brings excellent overall generalizations of the average older German, but seeing that they are not that much different from us was interesting. In talking to them I did notice that they were very knowledgable in all subjects; I was glad that I had read some articles in order to be able to hold a conversation. All it took was 15 days, but I feel that we created friendships that will continue both within the group and with the FaceTime partners. It was an unforgettable experience.

Blog #2

The last week since I have written on here in Germany has been an amazing time.
I have enjoyed all the places we have visited such as Cologne, Weimar, Dresden and Berlin.
I tried to choose my favorite and I think I first chose Berlin but I have come to the realization that they all have so much to offer and are so interesting in their own ways.
Cologne has such an amazing Cathedral and it is definitely sad to see that it was burned down. It now is beautiful and I would love to take my family there one day soon.
Weimar had an interesting tour! It was long but it was so beautiful that it was so worth it. Weimar to me seems like a small quiet town that has so much beauty in it. I really enjoyed the museum we visited. It was beautiful and to see all those beds, sculptures, etc from the past was such a great experience. It made me wonder what will be in museums from our time. I think back to the museum and the beauty of all the items in there and the history they all bring is magnificent.
Weimar was also my first time at a hostile and I saw my cousin. Hostiles are really nice and a great experience when studying abroad. They were as great as described in class. My cousin and I had a great time catching up and I really enjoyed seeing a little of the city at night. However, after about 7-8 o clock everything seemed to be closed in Weimar. I personally think that has a lot to do with the “small town feel” I got from the city. It was also semi expected from the conversations we have had in class on when the best times to shop and to go out, etc are in Germany.
One of the most interesting experienced I had while in Weimar was going to Buchenwald. Even though it was freezing I would like to say it was one of my most interesting things to see and hear about. I think that the past is important to know so that it does not repeat in the future and Buchenwald is definitely something that should not be repeated. The trip to Buchenwald has given me an interest in continuing my studies in concentration camps and Nazi Germany. I may even be doing my thesis on this after the experience that we had in Buchenwald. It really interests me and I think that it would be something important to write about from the past. If I do not write my thesis on concentration camps I would love to gain some more knowledge from that period of time.
Anyways, the next day we went to Dresden and it was very different from what I expected. I did not expect the huge city feeling and the amount of people around in Dresden. Dresden was beautiful and has so much to offer as a city. The history of Dresden is so important and it is still interesting to me that they are still working on rebuilding the city. Many buildings are being rebuilt the same so they resemble the past from when they were bombed. I really enjoyed that fact and Dresden has left a huge impression on me. The vault we visited in Dresden was also very interesting. My favorite was definitely the jewel vault. It is amazing to see all these things from the past and be able to listen on them. Many things were missing which I was not shocked about but it was completely understandable and the museum has left a huge impression on me.
Finally we went to the GREAT BERLIN. I have always heard amazing things about Berlin and it was honestly one of my favorite cities. My first impression when we were by the hostile was that it was a little dirty and not organized. When we went to the parliament I realized how much beauty was in Berlin. Driving by the wall was so interesting to me. I am glad parts of it are still standing and that there is a line that runs throughout Berlin to show where the wall used to be. It is crazy that the wall only came down in 1989 and how much the city has changed since then. I believe Berlin is my favorite because it has such a fascinating history!!! It is crazy the amount of rebuilding that has had to be done and all the separation from the past. I believe that I definitely saw the difference between East and West Berlin, just like I had read in the article. I also saw all the changes that were happening and the rebuilding to make the two cities united more and more as time passes. My favorite tour and museums have been in museum thus far in the trip. The tour was awesome and the lady was so good. I remember driving through the city later that night and remembering all the interesting facts around Berlin.
The Jewish museum and the resistance museum in Berlin was very touching to me and so was the prison. I wish we had more time at those museums to learn more about the history. These museums have also spiked an interest for me to continue studying about the past. I know everyone really enjoyed Berlin and that is definitely a big city to experience while in Germany. I wish we had more time to spend Berlin. Everyone spoke English and I found it to be a really comfortable atmosphere. The drive back to Osnabruck was also a great experience. As long as it was I got to know more great people in our class. I can’t wait to continue these experiences with everyone.
As we head back to Osnabruck I am looking forward to my last couple days in German class and getting to know more and more people and Germany. Everything about German history has such importance and German history is definitely the most interesting in my opinion. It’s going to be awesome to tell everyone about my great experience when I am eventually back in the United States.

                The trip to Europe drew to a close today for Elviona and I as we return to the United Sates tomorrow. Yesterday we were asked by the Osnabruck team to write down the 3 most important things that we learn during this trip; however it was very difficult for me to only pick 3 experiences out of the entire 2 weeks to write down.

                I feel that the most important thing that I learned was to recognize that Germany is not just the country that started World War II. When most of the people in the United States speak of Germany, they speak of the Holocaust or the Nazis. After traveling to this incredible country I realize how ignorant many people in the United States are when it concerns the true beauty of the Germany culture. I realize that the history of Germany goes so far beyond the Second World War and that it is full of beauty and resiliency. It is incredible to me that the devastated cities in the pictures that we see from World War II have grown into such prosperous and competitive cities in such a short period of time.

                Another important thing that I learned during this trip was to not be afraid to leave the United States behind. During the school year Dr. Kleine stressed the idea of not being attached to our cell phones or our computers and I never really considered how much of an impact that being away from the United States would have on my trip. I missed my family and the people from the United States very much; however I feel that I would not have received as much from the trip if I would have been attached to my connection with Tampa.

                I feel that my knowledge of Germany and my appreciation of the beautiful country have grown so much over the past 2 weeks and I thank Mr. Lucien and Dr. Kleine so very much for the opportunity to come with this program.

Friday May 18th I'm sitting in my room in Berlin trying to think of what I want to share about the past few days. It's becoming increasingly more difficult as I look through my journal entries and realize how great these past few days have been. We started our excursion  in Weimar, moved forward  to Dresden, and we arrived in Berlin this afternoon. Each place has been breathtaking in different ways, but I fell in love with Weimar. I love the big city atmosphere Dresden and Berlin have to offer; however, in the future I see myself being in a smaller town like Weimar. Weimar is gorgeous and full of parks and history. I think I could spend a lifetime there and not know everything about the town, though, that could be said for all of the towns we've been to. I know this post is a bit late but the next time I'll write be in Munich! I can't believe this trip to Osnabrück is already over. It has been a life changing experience. 

It’s so hard to believe that the first part of the trip is just about over.  This was possibly the fastest two weeks of my life.  When I think back, though, we got to experience so much and I would not trade that for anything.  They say that studying abroad will open your eyes up to a new culture and that’s exactly what has happened.  We had so many assumptions of Germany and its people – some accurate and some not.   For one thing, I could not have imagined exactly how amazingly gorgeous it would be here.  As a Floridian, I am fascinated by mountains.  But it goes way beyond that.  The architecture is just so magnificent and there is so much detail.  Everything has a meaning behind it.  On our 5 day excursion to Weimar, Dresden, and Berlin, it was very apparent how different the cities could be even though they are all beautiful places.  Weimar had a small town feel to it that reminded me of Beauty and the Beast while Dresden was more elegant.  Berlin made me think of New York.  At first glance, it does not seem to be very clean in most areas, but when you look deeper you can see the history and the beauty.  The people in Germany are also a lot friendlier than I thought they would be.  I was told that they were not as willing to smile at strangers, but I have a habit of smiling at strangers that is pretty hard to break.  I caught myself nodding and smiling at locals and they smiled back for the most part.  I feel very welcomed here.  They are also very willing to help me when I struggle with my German – which happened often, sadly.  I love the fact that we are paired with International Face Time partners because I have learned so much from Imke since I have been here.  The best way to understand the current culture is to interact with our peers and the IFCs are perfect for that.  I will definitely miss not being able to practice German all of the time at home.  I have to teach my boyfriend German so that we can practice together J  I will also miss waking up to the sun in the morning.  I love the fact that the sun sets after 9pm and rises around 4am.  I think that is why Germans are more productive than we are.  I will not miss paying for the bathrooms, though.  I will also not miss not being able to find water fountains.  Still, though, these experiences collaborate to help me to appreciate Germany as well as America.  And that is the beauty of studying abroad.  I am so excited for the next two weeks because I truly believe that they are going to be just as eye opening as the last two weeks have been.  I am ready to take on Europe.

            Today is the 22^nd of May. Although this may seem like an average, inconsiderate day to most, I have other feelings. This day signals the ending of our incredible class trip to Osnabruck. I am conflicted with feelings of despair and excitement, as a memorable chapter of my summer is closing and opening to another. These past two weeks have been much more than a gateway to Europe. The cultural exchange I have experienced with this trip has left my mind brimming with new perspectives and ideas. However, as made evident by Dr. Kleine’s speech today, it is best to keep one’s head forward and continue. Although I may not look back on these moments during this summer, as I will hopefully continue this adventure with new moments well into August, I know that once the trip comes to an end I will have so much to reflect on with those two weeks in Germany. From here, Europe is my playground.

            After Osnabruck, I plan on traveling extensively throughout Europe. Some of the noteworthy places include a three day excursion to Morocco, adding a whole other dynamic to my trip as well as testing the waters for future travels that could possibly include Africa. In Morocco I plan on making a straight shot to the exotic town of Marrakesh. Along the way I hope to ride through the Sahara on a camel expedition as well as observe some of the natural elements of beauty present in the country. Another noteworthy point in my travels is a short trip to Sardinia. There I plan to rent a motor scooter and ride through the island witnessing all of the raw beauty of this Italian island. I plan to end my trip with a two week stay in Greece. My grandmother owns an apartment in Greece where I will be basing all of my travels from. She also owns houses in several small villages where I plan to spend a night or two observing a simpler side of Greece. Lastly, I plan to hike Mt. Olympus to figuratively be as close to my ancestral Gods as man could.

            Besides this, I would like to thank Mr. Lucien, Dr. Kleine, Anne, Sara, Tatitana, our IFT partners, the citizens of Germany, and most importantly our intellectual and high-spirited students of the Germany honors class. I wish the best of luck to all of you, including your travels this summer as well as any future endeavors you pursue in your life.

Take Care

            The trip turned out to be a very fortunate one, considering it lined up with the once in a year festival Osnabruck holds called My Week. The festival was full of great food, beer, and offbeat American cover bands. The first thing you notice there is that almost everyone, of all ages, shapes, and sizes has a beer in hand. This sight is completely new to Americans, who, with their higher legal drinking age, have a relationship with spirits and beers that is considerably unhealthier in comparison. Like Dr. Kleine stated in class, “Americans drink to oblivion.” From my experiences and observations in high school and a year in college, I can completely agree with this statement. Following his revealing words, Dr. Kleine expressed the European attitude towards alcohol: “Americans drink to gain a higher, new perspective.” These words stagnated in my mind from that class on only to be resurfaced once I visited the festival. I found confirming examples in the incredible conversation exchanged between locals as well as the general atmosphere surrounding the booths and stands. For the Europeans, there was no sorrow hidden by their buzzed smile. Rather, they were embracing the moment due in part to their beverage. Although the topic of alcohol is still one of conflicting debate, the Europeans appear to be heading in the appropriate direction.

            The excursions to Cologne also left lasting impacts. The monolithic structure of the Cologne cathedral will only be limited harshly if described solely by words. The feeling one has when they enter the cathedral is simply and utterly indescribable. I believe the word awe was invented for solely this moment. As the feelings dissolve and the mind resumes, I begin to think how much the world has changed. Buildings of this style are both built to display signs of prosperity, power, and affluence. However, in previous centuries the monumental buildings were built in the name of God. Today, the gargantuan structures are built in the name of commercial business. The same reason of opulent display has been the basis for these architectural marvels, however the model implemented has changed considerably.

today is the last day of our trip. i believe it to be a bittersweet ending. although i am very excited to travel on my own, i will miss little osnabruck. i thought the rafting yesterday was fun. i love the outdoors so i had no problem with it. the river was so peaceful and quiet. i even enjoyed dodging trees and bushes. we saw some sheep and baby ducklings too. i am a little anxious about my travel plans because i don't really have everything ironed out, but i am hoping that things will fall into place. and even if they don't, it will still be an experience. a learning experience. i think i will learn more from the backpacking portion of this trip than the german class part. at least life skills wise. on the evaluation form today, one of the questions was what was your favorite experience in osnabruck. honestly, i couldn't really think of one. i don't think i'll realize what was important or memorable until i get back to the states. after it all sinks in and i start remembering things. i am still on an adventure here and i'm going to focus on that for now.

Since my last post, my class and I had the wonderful experience of getting to know a few of Germany’s most notable cities—Cologne, Weimar, Dresden and Berlin. I was surprised by the realization that each of the cities had their own very distinct atmosphere although they were just a few hours bus ride apart from one another. Something I found very significant as well was the interesting balance of natural beauty and structural beauty throughout all of the cities. In a lot of the cases, I felt like every step I took and every corner I turned yielded a new snapshot-worthy view of these fantastic cities. I can truly say I was humbled by my surroundings; I found myself feeling both very significant as a human being, yet paradoxically insignificant at the same time. Allow me to explain. There is no other feeling comparable to standing in an incredibly cavernous cathedral or amongst thousands of other travelers in the middle of incredibly historical plazas and realizing in a more expansive scheme of things, you are nearly nothing; a speck of dust in the universe. I say this not in a despairing manner, quite the contrary. In my opinion, it instills a sense of international community; we are all drawn to the same sights and sounds. Rather, on the opposite pole of feeling insignificant is feeling more significant as a human being than I ever have before. The idea beings ultimately similar to myself are capable of fathoming such beauty and magnificence is fantastically empowering.

As the trip draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past two weeks and being nothing less than in awe. I have seen so much, met so many people, tried so many foods, and had so many memorable experiences that will truly last me a lifetime. Perhaps even more significant than the things I saw are the things I felt—as a first time traveler, I didn’t know what to expect. Although I must admit I did have a fair amount of expectations, I can whole-heartedly say that this experience has met and exceeded them.

When one comes to Europe, it is only natural to form expectations. To try and fathom a makeshift template that will encompass the experiences is the first mistake a traveler makes. Europe is a country of dynamic layers that extend beyond the present moment to its monolithic history. These roots reach deeper than the Mayflower. Roots that are bloodier than the American revolution and more extensive than the intellectual pursuits of Twain and Kearouac. Yet once this awe of the European accomplishment subsides, I was left with a more personal question. How could a country in this continent, namely Germany, avoid the apathetic atmosphere that has so hastily covered the American soul?

Apathy is a natural reaction to overwhelming exposure. However this definition contradicts the predicament of America. The nation of the red, white, and blue is the “Golden-Boy” of the globe, riding this perpetuating economic wave. Perhaps this entitlement that Americans have always felt has led to these feelings dwelling in the national consciousness. On the contrary, Germany is the perfect counter-example to the American apathy. Germany is a country that left the forest over a thousand years before America was a tangible idea. A country that had its moment of empirical conquest, fell into its dark depths of the circles of hell in the Holocaust committing some of the most atrocious crimes against the human species. Yet Germany is the country that has continually proved itself through the economic crisis. Germany has been the lender to countries such as Portugal and Greece that have been struggling with this continental transition. With these thoughts in mind, I approached the town of Osnabruck searching for knowledge, cultural exposure, and personal revelation.

            My train from Frankfurt to Osnabruck was filled with four hours of anticipation, waiting to hear the monotone female voice announce my destination. The expectations and thoughts were brimming minute by minute. Once I saw my classmates at the train station--the same people who I saw in class every Thursday at 9:30—the thoughts dissolved and I realized that I was in Europe. The dream of mine to travel to Europe had always been at an uncomfortable distance. But here I was, walking out of the Frankfurt airport, greeted by familiar smiles, standing at the arch of my gateway to Europe. 

Final days

Serenity. The time we spent on the water today was some of my favorite time here. While museums, tours and history are all important aspects of the culture, I thought back to what Dr. Kleine was saying to us on the way to Weimar as we passed through the mountains, that the mountains are where the soul of Germans are, and although we did not have time to hike the trails of the forests where the brothers Grimm wrote, or see much of any smaller towns, I really enjoyed the opportunity for a slower pace and a look at the true nature of the country. It was also a nice change since my experience thus far with boating trips has been in the Everglades near my home and it was interesting to see the wildlife and plants of a completely different area, since what I was used to was swamps, sawgrass and alligators. The peaceful boat ride also provided a chance to get in some reflective time. Once the initial momentum wore off I appreciated the quiet as it provided an opportunity to think about all we've seen and done (and so much in the past few days alone) to appreciate the experiences we've had and look back on all our activities in Osnabruek, Koln, Weimar, Dresden, and Berlin. To me the trip signified a sort of end to our German experience. Not only was it our final experience with our counterparts, but it was a good separation between all our activities, learning and discovery, and the closing activities of tomorrow, as well as a reflection of our time here that will separate this trip from the adventures we will set off on on Wednesday.

Excursions

Three things from our excursion really stood out and made an impression on me more than anything else. These were the concentration camp at Buchwald, the German resistance museum and the museum of the European Jews. The concentration camp, though more historic ground than actual sights to see was such a moving experience. After spending this past year researching genocides and man's inhumanity to man, it was perfect timing for a visit to a sight like this. The sight also served to provide inspiration for a trip after the class to visit another concentration camp at Dachau, and I know my investigation into mans inhumanity will not stop there. The German resistance museum also drew on knowledge I uncovered with my thesis research and a previous honors class, and in fact opened with my favorite poem. Martin Niemollers poem is a fantastic illustration of the need for strength against the forces of evil in the world and the ret of the information we discussed in the resistance museum further sparked my interest and I plan to look deeper into the subject.  The last museum we saw in Berlin was equally moving. The architecture itself told a story, the tunnels and design helped to show the pain felt by victims of the holocaust in a very real way. I had honestly never realized architecture and design of a building could be so emotional. The part that stuck out most to me was the room covered in iron faces. The point  is to not turn your head away from the horror but to walk on the faces. But to me, it was a graphic image reminiscent of the horrible pictures I came across of post holocaust liberation, bodies in Rwanda etc and I could not bring myself to walk across the faces. Rather than being compelled to turn around and ignore it or made uncomfortable by the noise, I wanted to pick up the faces and help them. When she told us the art is to show those who are too likely to ignore atrocities I like to think my urge to help the faces and himanize them rather than step on them shows just as much of a desire to help. But the art has definitely served its purpose of making me think. Overall, I feel these three museums have complimented my studies, made me think and inspired me to take a closer look into these topics at home.

It's hard to choose a favorite moment, particularly when this trip has barely begun and every day brings something amazing but I foresee today being tough competition for that title! Cologne (or Koln as its spelt in By the locals) was beautiful!! We saw the Dom as we crossed the bridge on our way into the city and even from a great distance it was breathtaking... Up close it was hard to look away!! The story made the beautiful building even more wonderful in my opinion... It's a building in the past, present, and future all at once! It was begun during the renaissance and funded by the donations of pilgrims... Construction was resumed in the 1900s for political reasons, an entire column stands in stark contrast white against the age-faded black where it was destroyed and replaced during WWII and one of the windows is done modern art style to be modeled after an old painting and yet resembles pixels of a zoomed in picture... construction and reconstruction ensures that cathedral will continue into the future. I really enjoyed the last window we saw in particular, with it's many pixels and though our guide informed us it was inspired by a piece of artwork, I saw it as a symbolic piece. All the windows in the Dom told the story of the church during that time period: fueled by the beliefs of pilgrims, more a political statement, a participant or victim of war and now in a constant struggle it seems to find its place and meaning for believers of the 21st century, so caught up in our science and technology that we no longer need the church to give us our meaning in life, and without time to make it to mass regularly (I thought it was a shame that with such a beautiful cathedral the church still has to be combined with another to have enough members for a service) To me the pixelated window represented not only the pixels of our age of technology but the uncertainty of te future role of the church. The unclear image of the window differs from the others which told a story to an illiterate population or conveyed the teaching of the church in that the interpretation is entirely up to the people. Both the meaning of the art and the meaning of the church in our lives is now in our hands. With so many more options in religion than ever before, and armed with or science and technology we are now in a position to control the future of the church in a way believers never have before.

Last day!

Last day of the program today :( One last museum tour before we give our final opinion on the program.  The trip has been so much more rewarding than I could have imagined! While hurried and rushed at times, exhausted at others, the experience was so very unique and exciting. What we learned in class, the photos we saw the descriptions we were given paled in comparison to the real thing.  The cathedrals and monuments were breathtaking and the quaint residential streets were a beautiful change of scenery.  Not to mention how close everyone became. That was one of the biggest, and nicest, surprises.  Definitely an experience to treasure and I can only hope to have the chance to return.  

Dr. Husemanns lecture

Had our German culture lecture yesterday! VERY interesting, it was a great lecture. Loved the juxtaposition between our classes back home with Dr. Kleine and this one with Dr. Husemann. Dr. Kleine gave us the background history we needed to properly appreciate the lecture. Because he had introduced us to the history, the lecture was that much more rewarding. Dr. Huseman filled his lecture with personal anecdotes that really brought everything we talked about this semester alive! Hearing about his personal experience, in addition to the stories Dr. Kleine shared, really tied the whole experience together; getting to see how what texts relate fits into ones personal experience was wonderful.

Cologne

First excursion today! We went to Cologne and saw the most beutiful cathedral. My favorite part was the "digital" window. It's the most modern window in the Cathedral at Cologne, unfortunately it wasnt sunny when we saw it so it didnt light up the cathedral but when the sun shines through it projects blocks of colour onto the pillars and walls of the cathedral. Though controversial, the window was my favorite part of the cathedral. I believe that church is a place of solace and peace and so, because the window was non-representational, I felt that it added to that sense of peace nicely. I enjoyed that the window was "random" but still had a sense of symmetry which made it,in my opinion, the perfect piece for its location.

Germany: The Experience Before Excursions

I have been extremely blessed to have had such an exciting and extremely fortunate first couple days in Germany. The predominating theme that I want to highlight is that of the people of Germany. Since I got off the plane in Frankfurt and through my first few days at the University in Osnabruck, it is the people that have touched me. I did not expect the loving, warm and friendly characters that I have been introduced to in this country. I expected to be greeted by citizens of a jaded, Post World War II society, but instead they have been inviting and helpful.

My first encounter began at the airport in Frankfurt, at which an extremely friendly couple approached my travel companion, Falon, and I and offered to show us through the airport and assist us in catching our first train. They were such open and loving people. They told us all about their lives, where they live and have lived, (in Frankfurt, Rodenbach, New York, and Florida), and what things to look for while we visited the area. Their compassion grounded me in my shock from being in the foreign surroundings. Remarkably, I found myself less-guarded and open to the new experience in a way that I had never thought possible while travelling abroad. Over the next few days, I found many more warm and welcoming German students that were just as excited to meet and speak to me as I was toward them. More importantly, they were so willing and happy to show me the customs of their culture, the countryside of their small historic city, and speak to me about what I was studying or why my school group was visiting. I am elated and comfortable to find such wonderful people. Not that I was expecting terribly unfriendly people or anything, but more I was expecting people to be much more guarded and so absorbed in their own thoughts and lives that they would not care to extend their efforts to a measly, young traveler. However, I have been pleasantly surprised and happily influenced by their boisterous personalities and many life lessons that have been offered by these strong and passionate Germans.

Being surrounded by such positive avenues of communication and smooth means of transportation, I realized how much I can depend on myself and my own decisions. At times in my daily life at home in the States, I can find myself feeling lost, out-of-control, or even under-confident in my decisions of where I want to go or what I intend to do. Now, however, I find it an easier process to find self-affirmation and dependence. My decisions are more direct in my forethought, and it seems to have happened overnight. I have traveled to this country and find it a necessity to have such an ability to stand firm and know that I am just in my decision-making processes.  I have made steps to strategically plan and prepare for my days here. I feel that this particular travelling experience has put me in a better position to do such actions and that my efforts are being channeled in an effective manner. I find my thoughts more cut-and-dry. Ordered. Ordered in a way that allows me to have the most productive, effective day that I can possibly have while studying, shopping, socializing and networking abroad. I only hope to transfer these newly found/installed habits into my life routine at home as I plan the next big steps after my recent graduation. I’d like to say that Germany has facilitated the process of reassuring not only my personal goals, but my affirmed “self”-support in those goals. To have a thought and to follow through with it whole-heartedly, is one that has become invaluable on this trip.

Personal trust has come from trusting in others. I haven’t given up hope in people and the power that each can have on the other.  In this way, I mean that it is through the example of the interactions with these self-assured, level-headed Germans, that I have discovered a long forgotten ability in trusting myself. It will definitely take some sustained effort and hard work to properly harness these behaviors and enact them in my life, in a way that is best in each circumstance.

Germany has been everything I expected and so much more. The weather hasn’t been as horrible as we were originally led to believe and exciting adventures await us at every turn of the corner and at every break of day. It is fascinating to see all of the land that has been set aside for pure adoration. Parks, streams, mountains, valleys, and history flourish in every city. The cities are laid out in such interesting and effective manners. It is most interesting in Osnabruck, at which the city holds such delicate landmarks of ancient times. The Dom Cathedral located in the downtown area, opens its doors to a vibrant, living parish community with olden, harmonious bells from its steep bell tower. The bells chime, ding, dong, dong, don-ng, resounding a theme of welcomed worship that spans the ages. The sounds evoke a change within my spirit, calling me to life and to a reawakening in my own flesh for this earth. I awaken from a mundane school life and become alive again. Just as the bells have held strong through the generations of war, change, and nature, it is a testament to the way in which I will continue to remain strong, however changing , will remain true and steadfast to a life theme of love and service to others.  

Excursion

We have just returned from our five day excursion to Weimar, Dresden, and Berlin. Each of these three cities provided a variety of experiences and insights into different parts of the German culture. I feel that Weimar provided a city of art and beauty, while Dresden and Berlin showed examples of the terrors of the aftermath of the Second World War.  

I was particularly interested in the drastic changes that Berlin has undertaken in the past 60 years since the war. Before I took this German History class, I had never considered the horrific amount of history and beauty that was lost in Germany during the 1940’s. It was heart-breaking to see the beautiful buildings in Berlin that are now just replicas or monuments of the real thing. I took IB History in high school and one of the eras that my professor focused on was the Second World War so naturally we learned of the terrors of the Holocaust and the effect that the United States had on the war. However, I am very disappointed in the idea that a program that is as highly valued as the IB program would fail to mention the drastic effect that this war had on the German citizens and the individual cities within Germany.

                I feel that the Jewish Museum in Berlin had the greatest impact on me out of all of the museums that we have visited so far. I heard many people comment that the museum was too modern and that it took away from the history of the Holocaust. I, however, feel that it did exactly the opposite. I think that the architect of the museum, Daniel Libeskind, is an absolute master mind and I feel that he had the ability to not only present the history in the museum but also to make people feel the history. The complexity of the architecture within the building forced me to think deeply about what the artist was trying to express which led to me thinking about the Holocaust from many different viewpoints. I would definitely recommended this museum to anyone who was visiting Berlin.

I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to travel to these cities and to experience the culture and history in real life because it is truly not something that you can learn from a history book. 

The five-day excursion was very interesting and enlightening. sometimes. some tours were good, others not so much. bus rides were not fun. the best part for me was exploring the cities on my own, which was difficult to do when we were given very limited free time. actually the only city i got to semi-explore was Dresden. i thought it was cool how each city got progressively bigger. Weimar was a cute little town, Dresden was a decent sized busy city and Berlin was huge. i was very surprised by the appearance of Berlin. i had never heard before that it was nicknamed the dirty city. it was quite dirty. it actually looked like they were still cleaning up from the war. construction and graffiti and garbage and ramshackle houses everywhere. such a city full of history though. my basic impression of germany is graffiti, bicycles, trains, no toilet paper, no free anything, and more graffiti.

Well, this is the end of our trip. I am writing this as we travel back to Osnabruck one final time to gather our things, pack our bags and head for different directions. Some will continue south, some west , others east and the last few will travel back home. Although I should be writing about the most amazing time I had on the 5 day excursion to Weimar, Dresden and Berlin, I think this time and space will be better used explaining what this trip has meant to me. Okay, time for a confession... I love traveling and I love seeing the world but I often am resistant to change and constantly being on the road. The chance to see Germany was one I could and would not miss but the length was definitely something I was wary of. I had been on previous trips and by the end I just wanted everyone to leave me alone and my only wish was to sit in one,familiar place forever. This trip was perfect though. There was enough familiarity with Osnabruck that it easily became the home base while our trips to other cities became the traveling part. Having my own room at the University really helped the "getting sick of people" part as I had alone time to do as I pleased. Either I am becoming a better traveler or this set up really worked well with my ticks. For the sake of this blog though I am going to assume that it is the former. I think it can be chalked up to doing it so many times it starts to become less abnormal. I cannot comment on not being home for so long or not being able to be dependent before this. I go to school 1400 miles away from my home and my friends for 18 years. The last person I know lives as far south as North Carolina. I had to come to USF and live on my own. Also moving into my own apartment made me in control of my every movement but also made me responsible for them as well. Therefore this trip did not show that I was able to survive alone any more than going to college has. But, having to navigate the train system on very little German should warrant me for a medal. ,am they are hard core about their train stations. I really liked how this entire group got along. Usually in groups larger than 10 the groups split and eventually there are many small groups or several large groups that get along very well while the group's friendship as a whole is tolerate at best. This group was awesome! Everyone could sit down to another person at random and be able to talk and laugh for hours. No one was exclusive and everyone seemed to want to do around the same thing. I am really pleased by the group friendship and I can say with certainty that by connecting with them as I have I have learned more about my views as a person as well as the views of others. I hope with all my heart that I keep in contact with every single one of them. I am usually a pretty picky eater but Germany has proven to coax that into hiding as well! I had sausage at least 6 times since I have been here. I tried liver sausage! ( well to be honest it was without me knowing it's contents, but I tried it nonetheless) I think many friends and family from the US would be shocked the amount of foods I ate that I normally don't. It took a bit for my GI tract to get on the German food boat but once it was there I ate some very delicious meals. I am surprised with myself that I was so open. I think the fact that they don't make as many fish dishes helps. Finally, I would like to comment on  the FaceTime partners. I LOVE THEM! I had the luck to be placed in a group of FaceTime partners and their students that all enjoy each others' company. This allowed each of the Americans to not only get to know our FaceTime partner but also other FaceTime partners. My FaceTime partner was absolutely perfect. She was funny and open and loved sharing the German culture. We got along perfectly and I must say I will miss her. She was also really smart so she challenged me with my knowledge of my own culture and my views as we tried to find the similarities and differences between US and Germany. The other FaceTime partners I befriended are great as well. Two of the girls I hang out actually Facebook me while we were in Dresden and Berlin and said that they missed me and couldn't wait for me to go home. For someone to say that after knowing them a week is really something special. A few of us have made plans to try to meet up in the US in the following year. I wish I had more time with them and with the University to explore student life there. Actually I wish I had a week in each city in Germany! Traveling to several cities has made it evidently clear that even neighboring cities are very unique. To say I have experienced Germany to its fullest in these past 2 weeks is a vast overstatement. I would need months to see everything. Alright well I think I am going to wrap this up. Obviously the things I have improved on are not life changing.  Being out of the country several times made this trip not very shocking as far as expectations and the process of being abroad. The changes that I have seen and the people I have met will in fact change my future. With each day I spend here I wonder whether I would not enjoy my adult life more if I lived in Europe. This opens up a field of questions that I need to explore when I get home. I can't believe 2 weeks are over! Why can't the semester go this fast? Next to Munich!

Intellectual stimulation

Finally! I was able to use my knowledge of German politics, healthcare, and current events that were so painstakingly drilled into my head this past weekend. My international FaceTime partner was kind enough to invite Natalia, Amanda, and I to a party one of her social clubs was hosting in Osnabruck. I was not expecting too much as far as cultural diversity but I figured it was a way to see how the other half lives at the very least. When could I say that I went to a German house party again? It turns out that the party was interesting and I met some very interesting people. Although the differences between an American and German house party is glaringly obvious the focus of this post is not the comparison between social norms and party events. Natalia, Amanda and I were able to snag seats in the "chill" room, as it was called, and each of us began to talk to a German. Although I cannot comment on the content of the conversation between the other girls and their German counterparts, my conversation was enlightening. I had the pleasure to sit next to a man who was a 30 something year old from Munich. His age and traveling experience made him a worthy conversationalist. After pleasantries were exchanged, we began to discuss the political system within the US as it compared to that in Germany. Although we talked about the topic for many minutes the most notable quote I can remember is one in which he describes learning about the US government in grade school and how Al Gore had more votes for president nationwide yet George Bush won the election. He said he was wary of such "democracy" because the American people were not adequately represented. His knowledge of the American political system and the extent of his schooling on our elections was some what of a surprise to me. I found myself feeling inadequate because I could not say that I knew the history of his country's political system as well as he knew mine. He was impressed in fact that I knew anything at all Merkel and the recent election for president. We then switched topics to discuss American nationalism. He was interested to know that although internationally we claim to be Americans, in our own country we often say we are of European roots and not American (excluding those that are Native American origins). Natalia and I explained that we say we are Irish, Italian , Columbian, etc. when discussing heritage within the US but no one says that they are American. Although I did not have a definite answer, I tried to explain that we have a young history and that the vast amount of immigrants throughout history muddles the ability to definitely say that culturally we are American. Although culturally "confused" we are a proud nation when it comes to our freedoms, political system, and economic standings globally. Hence the lack of use of American as a nationality within its borders. Finally, we discussed global health care systems and which systems were the best at giving care to all without showering those that do not deserve the care while bleeding those that do. Our conclusion was that every system thus far is flawed and to compare one with another only leads to evidence of more corruption in each system. Although my FaceTime partner and I have talked of such topics in the past, we did not divulge into such depths. Also, it is nice to see what other Germans think. It was interesting to see how age, gender, and geographical and demographic differences between people change their understanding of the world. This interesting conversation was a surprising addition to the evening and one that will add to my understanding of the German culture and how they view my own. This has poised questions in my own mind about my own system and whether this is a system I wish to grow up in or not.

I find myself a few days into the Germany experience, yet everyday seems to serve as yet another form of culture shock. Not necessarily in a bad way, of course; the term “culture shock” admittedly has negative connotations associated with it, but thus far my experience has been anything but. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting when I left Tampa behind about a week ago, but needless to say, Germany has fulfilled my expectations and more than surpassed them. This first week has been non-stop. Since my arrival, I’ve made an abundance of new friends (both in my class group as well as my German Facetime counterparts), learned a plethora of information about the country and society as a whole, and most certainly improved my knowledge of beer! However, the most important knowledge I’ve gained thus far is in relation to the people of this country; being matched with my German counterpart has served as an incredibly enriching experience. Her name is Carina, and she’s actually rather like myself! Our senses of humor mesh wonderfully and we have a fantastic time when together. The similarities far outweigh any differences, and what differences that do exist between us are used to garner a deeper understanding of each of our cultures and societies. It has been a truly lovely experience.

Aside from festivities, the group and I are required to attend extensive German lessons; our German instructors describe it as a “crash course”. Admittedly, the name is more than appropriate. Overwhelming is a term that comes to mind, but the language fascinates me. Another classroom learning experience that was quite valuable was our lecture with Dr. Husemann, a very highly respected Professor from the university that presented us with a “social history” of his homeland. Hearing his stories and the personification of major events in German history that I had previously only read about in textbooks was very eye-opening. To further enrich the experience, we have gotten to participate in a variety of tours around the city. The sheer magnitude of the history of this area is nearly unfathomable. Germany truly is an enigma, and I very much so look forward to the continued unraveling!

Haven't stamped any of my day bus passes yet #Can'tWaitToSellThem #PoorCollegeKid #MakingBankSoon #I'mSly

I like Germany. I feel amongst my peoples. Highlights so far include - the Koln cathedral, Maiwoche wanderings, and spending time getting to know my classmates. I really enjoy walking around by myself and knowing exactly where I am and how to get somewhere else. I like being independent like that. If anything, this trip has taught me that I have the ability to be independent and try new things. I'm usually an introverted person, but I have been able to talk to all sorts of people here. I am so glad that Dr. Kleine has accepted me as his granddaughter. He is such a grandfatherly figure already. And having Richard as a Bruder is just awesome. Go Bulls.

AHHH!! Let me start off with how hard it was to even figure out how to write on this blog because my computer is in GERMAN!? I hope I can figure out how to post it when it is time to post. Literally just had google translator on helping me!!!

But let me start of with how our trip has been so far!
Nicole and I left Fort Myers on Monday. I was semi panicking because I hate planes even though I have been on them so many times. But after that we were good to go.
The plane ride went well. We flew into Dusseldorf airport. The plane arrived on time and it was a pretty smooth ride. The only thing I can say that was different about this Delta flight is that there were no individual TVs and there was no WIFI available. It was definitely a different experience from the planes I have been on in the last couple of years.
Once we got off the plane Nicole and I were running to passport control and to get our luggage. I accidentally booked our train for 8:28 and our plan landed at 7:45am. I did not realize I planned it out like this until after I had booked it. I was scared we were not going to make it and we would have to buy another ticket. Fortunately, while Nicole was waiting for the luggage I went and found out how to get to the train.
Once I found out we were going to the train and we met this guy that flies to Germany every other week for work. It was interesting communicating with him and talking about the train. I said hauptbanhof wrong and he laughed. It continues to be a joke between Nicole and I.
Our first train arrived 5 minutes late and took us to Dortmund about 35 minutes late. It was quite the adventure trying to find the next plane to Osnabruck. We did a pretty good job of finding our way and making it here at the time we told Anne to pick us up at.
Finally when we got here we came to our dorms and Anne, Sarah and Tatiana told us about the buses, they walked us to the grocery store and it was a good relaxing time. We were here before everyone so it was very calm and Nicole and I started exploring.
We went to a Turkish place and had our first Donor. I did not think it was anything too special, it was okay for our first meal. Once everyone came we had our welcome session and then finally we went and found some beer and hung out with everyone until it was finally shower and sleep time.
The next day was rainy but we got a tour of the school which was a really good experience. The main building is beautiful!! We also had breakfast at the school which was delicious. We had some great conversations that morning with Dr. kleine.
The welcome dinner that night was quite interesting. We had our first Weizcen beer that Dr. Kleine told us about. It was delicious. With our bread we tried this new thing. None of us knew what it was but once we tried it we thought it was gross. George put half a pack on his bread. It was hilarious. Finally, Dr. Kleine looked at what it was and he told us it was either pig lard or liver. Either way it was super gross! Lesson learned of not eating what you do not know.
The next day (Thursday) we had our first German language classes. The lady probably did not think we were very smart. We kept making wrong sounds, etc. It was quite interesting. We how to say what our name was and name our family. It was a pretty good first lesson. The professor was really nice.
Then we met our facetime partners that night... Mine is just as weird as I thought he was going to be. . . . yayayay. I officially DREAD facetime partner now. People on the bus were laughing as me because I said "it's the worst part of my day I would rather be studying for tests or something." I was not kidding though.. rough times.
Then that night we had our night-wachman tour. It was rainy out and it was super tiring. I was wearing my boots that have a small heel and we climbed 193 steps. I was so dead after the tour. It was fun though and really interesting to see all the buildings and learn the history behind all of it. Our tour guide was from the United States which was also very very cool.
Then the next day (Friday, May 11th) we had our next German language class. I was super tired still from the tour the night before which ended super late. The German class was so great. The professor taught us common phrases and she was awesome. I liked her a lot a lot a lot! She was very helpful and Nicole and I have used what she taught us often. Example: Where is the restroom, How do you get to the dom. I am excited to see what we learn next.
We also had lunch at the Mensa which is great here. I really love their dining hall. It has awesome cheap food which tastes amazing. The only hassle is finding a seat which is a pain, because there is always way too many people there!
After lunch we went the the Cathedral of Treasury guided tour which was pretty interesting. It was nice to see past things from Osnabruck and learn more about the beautiful church here.
That night we went to the Maiwoche festival which is so awesome! It was filled with people, music, food. It was such a good experience. Downtown Osnabruck reminds me of downtown Disney since there is always so many people there!
The next day on Saturday we went to Cologne. I was super excited for Cologne, because my dad had told me about how I was going to love it. The minute we entered the town I thought it was absolutly beautiful! The cathedral was amazing. There was soooo much detail to it and the ifnormation on the cathedral is so crazy. I can't even imagine how you can build such a tall beautiful building. I was super excited to talk about it to my mom when we got back. My dad had already been there so he was kind of just agreeing with me. The museum we went to has been my favorite so far! It was very entertaining the guide was great and the information was interesting.
Lunch in Cologne was a terrible experience. Worst thing I have ever eaten in my life. JELLO WITH BEEF (aspik.) So gross. Should have just stuck to beer like Falon.  That night we came back George, Kyle, Nicole and I went out. We hung out around the festival and I had a gyro. The food is always delicious there. After we went to this Arabian place which was really good. This was also the night Nicole and I went to our first club in Germany. It was quite different. People do not dress up to go out here. No heels, just tennis shoes. They look exactly like they do for class. The dancing was quite nice too with no creepers around. It was a really good experience and I am excited to see if Berlins clubs are the same. Nicole and I also ended up walking home because the next bus did not come for another hour. It took us 45 minutes in 37 degree weather. It was not enjoyable but good exercise.
Today, Sunday, was a very calm chill day. We went to Kalkrise. The lady was a great tour and was filled with awesome information. My favorite part was seeing the outfits they wore during the battles and the machine with the survivors. Ohh and of course the day I wear heel boots again.. WE CLIMB ANOTHER 390329439 STEPS. Go figure. Then I came home and skyped my mommy for mothers day and Nicole and I went had dinner.
Tonight was great I loved hanging out with Theresa, Falon, George and Kyle. Their so fun and awesome perfect people. We had some great conversations and I really hope Falon does not read my terrible LONG writing. Now it is time for bed because it is late and tomorrow we have more German classes!
I cannot wait to experience more of Germany especially our upcoming excursion. This is such an awesome experience and time is flying by!