Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Years!!

Happy New Years from Berlin!!

In a week or so I'll be back in Kassel, where I'll work on an update about the Christmas and New Year adventures from Kassel to Loburg to Berlin and back!!

Hope all is well! <3

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Weihnachtsmarkt

Ahh! It's the Christmas season in Germay!! This happens to be (probably) my FAVORITE time of year in Germany! There is so much going on that it's hard to experience the homesickness that others typically feel around this time year!

One of the main reasons is because of the Weihnachtsmarkt- or the Christmas Markets! The smells of the roasted almonds, the Glühwein (the warm, spiced wine), and the Bratwurst that fill the streets just adds to the atmosphere of laughter, live music, and happy chatter from all those making their way through the market!

It's just an amazing time of year! I love it!


...and of course, pictures don't do it justice!!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

New Page!

Hey Everyone!
I created a new page called "Outside my Window!" It's a fun way to see how the landscape around me changes with the seasons!

It's December 9th today, and so far since I've been awake it hasn't stopped snowing! I'm so excited!!

Love from Kassel!

Friday, December 7, 2012

My Speech for 500 People

(To see my actual speech, please check the "Auf Deutsch" page- I put it there, but mind you- it is in German! I'll translate it soon enough, I'm sure!) 

Part of my scholarship obligations is to give a speech at the annual fundraiser- and Advents Tea- that is hosted by the Inernational Women's Club Kassel. Each club member gets a table, to which they decorate it to their personal style. All of the tables were very pretty- I love the German style of decorating!! Then the members send out invitations, as the event is invite-only, and they invite other women to the afternoon tea, which is doubling as the fundraiser. While it's invite-only, there is still a cost for the place at the table and there are also some raffles.

All in all, there were about 500 people there, roughly 498 of them being women. (The only men I saw in the room, besides the servers, was the president of the VDAC and one of the former German students that went to the US.)

No pressure, right?

Well- like a champ, I got up there, gave the speech the best I could with trying to ignore the nerves! Everyone was very impressed, which made me feel really good! The VDAC President is also from Michigan, so we had a good little chat about back home! He knew the area where I am from and also were Central is! (Fire Up Chips!)

I'm really glad I was "forced" to get up there and talk in front of so many people.. auf Deutsch! It really shows me that I am doing well with my language learning and that I can do anything I put my mind to!

....the tea and cake didn't hurt either! :) 

Excursion: Erfurt

Over the last weekend I met with the others from my program (they're spread all throughout Germany) in Erfurt! I had never been there, so I was really looking forward to the opportunity to not only see everyone again, but to explore a new (to me) city with them as well!

Erfurt is such a pretty place, in my opinion! It was only about 5% damaged during WWII, which is not "typical" of most larger German cities. (Kassel, where I am, for example, was more than 50% destroyed.) Because it wasn't really "touched"  during the war, a lot of the historical buildings are still in tact and are just beautiful! Pictures just don't do it justice!

When we arrived on Friday, we were hosted at a little dinner from the club in Erfurt, with the highlight being the opportunity to tap a barrel of beer! A real, vintage-style beer barrel! It was such a fun experience! We had a few rounds, some more than others, and enjoyed talking to the members of the club, as well as each others company.

Saturday was a trip to Wartburg, which I was "geeking-out" about on the inside! A little known fact is that I love history, especially German history, so this was really exciting for me! We went around the Christmas market there (I'm going to have to create a post purely dedicated to this tradition- it's amazing!) and got some Glühwein (mulled wine- think warm red wine with spices...yum!) and some delicious honey-bbq'ed ham! After filling our tummies, we had a tour of the castle and museum.

The castle where Martin Luther once stayed during his exile from the Pope...where he translated the New Testament- therefore laying the foundation for the modernized German language and Protestant religions! Ahh! Yes! I was there!!! Amazing!

On Sunday we finished off the weekend with a walking tour through the cold and windy Erfurt! We couldn't leave without popping into the Christmas market there as well, getting some Bratwursts and more Glühwein, of course!

Overall it was a great weekend to get to see each other and explore Erfurt and Wartburg!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Visa Extension

So... Going through hoops and hurdles with the whole Visa process isn't something that only happens in the US, it can happen in Germany as well. The best line of defense? BE PREPARED!

I walked into the office with cash in hand, all the forms that were required (Thank-you Google search!), and extra copies of the documents that needed to be turned in. I also got to the office shortly after it opened. All in all, I was only there for about half an hour!

Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom!

It was the typical, movie-perfect situation sitting in the waiting room. Babies crying, couples arguing in multiple languages, people looking nervous and stressed. (All of this before 9am, mind you!)

The actual process of giving the information wasn't too difficult, although it probably would have been helpful if my local advisor was there, but I was able to communicate what I needed to on my own! (Win!)

The odd thing for me though, was that they had a file of all my paperwork from when I was an exchange student- a copy of my (then) passport picture and all my YFU forms- talk about a blast from the past! Just wasn't something I was expecting them to have!

To top off the entire experience though, was the reaction to my (now) passport picture she scanned into the computer for my Visa card, a new thing since September 2011. Her exact words, "Das sieht aber nicht so gut aus." ("That doesn't look very good.")

What do I even say to that?
I did the curtsey-yet-awkward laugh and made a comment about how passport pictures never look that good, to which she replied, "Well, good thing it's just a little picture on the card."

That bad?

Overall though, it was a pretty easy process. After paying 100 Euros, I'm only left to wait for it to come in- hopefully in the next 2 weeks before I go on Winter Break!

Fingers crossed, or thumbs pressed, depending on your form of sending good luck! :)  

Monday, November 26, 2012

An Ice Hockey Game!

AHHH!

So, if you know only a couple of things about me, one of them is guaranteed to be that I LOVE ice hockey! It's my favorite sport, I used to play, and I just love being at the rink!

While in Duisburg (near Düsseldorf, where I went for Thanksgiving) I was staying with my "little sister," a former exchange student that lived with my family in Michigan and her Mom invited me to go to a Duisburg vs. Frankfurt hockey game! I couldn't turn down such an opportunity!

I think the picture speaks for itself... I am overly excited!


Happy Thanksgiving!

Düsseldorf
So- I was a bit bummed about being so far away from home on Thanksgiving, but going to dinner at the Consulate General's house sure made up for it! It was such a delicious meal, great conversation, and an amazing opportunity to meet other "young adults" about my age doing various things here in Germany.

Although I was feeling a bit intimidated at being such a dinner, Mr. Hubler and his wife were the best hosts one could ask for! We of course at far too much food- but with a spread that Mrs. Hubler presented, we had no chance! All of the "proper" Thanksgiving fixings were there as well as some bonuses! There was cornbread, veggies, a ham, turkey (the smallest turkey any of us Americans have seen-thus leading us to the conclusion it must have been one of those Obama pardoned, resulting in a flight over the Atlantic to Germany, thus explaining the weight loss!), gravy, and bread rolls and kraut-butter (butter with herbs...so yummy!). After we were totally stuffed, we had some coffee/tea and dessert- pumpkin pie, sorbet, and cheesecake brownies! A food coma followed-we didn't leave his house until well after 11.30!

Kassel
On Sunday I went to a Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by a local club in Kassel, called Friends and Family. It's a group of Native-speaking English families that meet up for various events throughout the year. The families are a mix of those both from English speaking countries as well as bilingual couples. It was an amazing spread of food! There was turkey, mashed potatoes, all the veggies possible, stuffing, gravy, bread, and salads. That's not to mention the desserts! Amazing! Pumpkin pie!! Was great to meet others from the area and being around families as well. With so many little kiddos running around, made me feel like I was with family!

On the walk to the church for Sunday's Thanksgiving Dinner

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Being "Sick" Abroad

It all started with a tickle in my throat..

Oh no! I hope I'm not getting...

Sick.

But- alas- it was the truth. I was getting the first cold of the season and it came on quickly! The achy muscles, the coughing, the congestion- all the things that make you crave your warm and cozy bed, a long movie, and a warm bowl of Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup. Being 4 000+ miles away from home, that wasn't possible.

So- I was out to find a solution on my own. I decided to mix "traditional German" ways of dealing with a cold and with medicine that I brought from home.

(Side note- I'm not doubting the availability nor effectiveness of the medicine I in Germany, it's just that I know what works for me, and it made sense to bring a package of each kind from home.)

In that.. I ended up with this mixture of what I've named as my "Healing Supplies."
This is an array of tissues, a scarf, Vitamin C tablets, homeopathic ear oil, "Cold" tea, Japanese mint oil, decongestants, and cinnamon.

Since that wasn't doing the trick... a couple of days later, I added the following:
That would be some eucalyptus oil for the shower and then eucalyptus tablets to take. I also was lacking energy, so I thought maybe- just maybe- the "Energy" body wash would help!

To end this... I'm not sure if it was the decongestants and Vitamin C overloads that helped of it was all of the oils and homeopathic remedies, but by Friday I was feeling back to myself! Not even a full week, and I'm back to 100%! I know it's important to get enough sleep every night and to continue to take care of myself, but if I do get "unhealthy" again- I'm at least prepared!


Fun Fun!

Check out the "Did That Just Happen" page to see a short video I put together of me enjoying an Überraschungseier! :)

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Update Coming Soon.. I Promise!

Just wanted to post a little something, No- I haven't forgotten about updating! I've just been feeling a little under-the-weather, so it's taking me longer to get back into the week's routine! New post coming soon! <3

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Little Pieces of "Home"

I found myself in a grocery store that has imported food, so naturally I went searching for the USA section. While I didn't find what I was looking for, I found these foods under "Mexico."

Hunts BBQ Sauce: $ 8.33

$ 7.69

$ 8.97 Crisco / $ 2.55 Baking Soda

$ 4.48

$ 7.69

$ 7.30

$ 7.69



So... as you can see- some of the "comforts" of home sure do come at a price! I didn't actually buy any of the things there, but it was just neat to see all that "Mexico" has to offer! :)

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Feelings from Far, Far, Far Away..

Well, being in Germany during such a time is a new feeling for me in regards to the Hurricane / Super Storm Sandy. While Michigan is far from the East Coast, I still feel a stronger sense of "helplessness" being here in Germany, even further away. I've been trying to keep my eye on the news and staying informed, but it's still a conflicting experience. 

I think I put it best in my Facebook status the day the storm hit the East Coast: 
 "I can't help but think of those effected by Sandy back in the US, Caribbean, and Canada. I truly hope that all of you and yours are tucked away safe and I'm wishing all the most comfort, support, and strength through this time. I hope you're all safe and are able to make it through the night without distress. My thoughts, positive energy, love, and all that is good go out from me to you."

This is one thing that we don't often think about when studying abroad- how am I (are you) going to handle it when something happens back home- whether it's a national event or something in your own neighborhood or within your own family? 

If I can suggest anything, it's having a serious talk with your family (and friends) back home. When I was an exchange student in high school, there was the real possibility that my grandma could have passed away while I was gone (thankfully, she didn't). My parents and I talked about what I would do if this were to happen- should I come home for the funeral and return to Germany? Should I come home and stay home with my family? Should I stay in Germany? These were all things we discussed, which were hard to talk about, but were very important. 

So, if you are reading this blog because you're considering studying abroad, please have the same kind of conversation with your family. If you're reading this blog as a friend, family member, or someone who has just stumbled upon it, please support those who have moved away from you or your family in whatever way you can. Take the time to give them updates about what is going on at home, it'll help keep their mind at ease.  

<3 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Sometimes it Takes Getting “Lost” to Find Myself


The Rathaus- City Hall, near where I went shopping

Today I woke up feeling somewhat unmotivated and just wanted to stay in bed all day. Those days happen, right? Well, when studying abroad time is limited- whether you’re there for a semester or a year- so I wasn’t about to let a bad mood get in the way of an adventure. I eventually got myself out of bed, showered (which felt like an accomplishment in its own), and decided to take the tram into the city to get some shopping done. After shopping, I walked down a side street to a park. Looking out from where I was standing literally brought tears to my eyes. The view was beautiful, the air fresh, and the sound of fall leaves crushing under my feet just added to the atmosphere. I realized that there are so many people who haven’t gotten this opportunity and may never get it, so it wasn’t fair of me to be in such a bad mood.
The View from the Park
 I decided to continue my adventure by going back into the city a bit and discovering new. After winding my way through some streets, I came across the St. Martin church in Kassel. Construction for the church started in 1365. 1365. Bach played the organ there in 1753. There are services still being held there, so I decided that I’m going to go tomorrow. It’s an Ordination Service, so I’m really excited to experience this. 
1365.
Throughout my walk, I realized that there are so many opportunities out there; it’s just up to me to take advantage of them. In taking the couple of hours to walk around and experience the environment around me, I felt as though my mind settled, stress melted away, and I had a much better attitude and outlook for the rest of my day.
Pictures Don't Do the Beauty of it Justice

Amazing.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

News from Neuss!


Hannah, Dan, and I in Neuss at the Reception

Over the weekend we had another meeting of the group of Americans that have the same scholarship (VDAC) as I do. It was a great chance for us to see each other again and to have another great experience! We went to an award ceremony honoring our American Ambassador in Dusseldorf where he was awarded the General-Lucius-D.- Clay medal. Some of the past recipients include members of Congress, the Bundestag, an astronaut, even the Chancellor of Germany (Angela Merkel).  The students who returned from the United States from the school year 2011-2012 were also given awards for their accomplishments!
For more information on General Lucius D. Clay, look here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/airlift/peopleevents/p_clay.html

After the ceremony we were treated to an amazing dinner and some drinks! The food, as always, was delicious and I overate. (No surprise!)
Fire Up Chips! CMU Students & German Students from '11 - '12
We took advantage of being Dusseldorf being in the area, so after the reception we got changed and went into the city to check out the night life. Staying with the group, we found a place we could all fit (which is difficult when we were about 20 people on a busy night!) and had a couple of drinks together. Because we all had to get up early that day to get to Neuss, we were tired “early” in the night and went back to our hostel to get some sleep. 
Dan - Myself - Sarah in Dusseldorf
Sunday started with breakfast and then we all met up for a meeting with one of the Foreign Service Officers that is currently working in Dusseldorf. He explained the process of becoming an officer- of the 20 000 that apply, only 2% will receive a job in the service, as well as his experiences being an FSO. He’s lived in several countries all over the world, helped hundreds (if not thousands) of people, and has had a great career! It really got me thinking about what it would be like to be an FSO, but I’m not sure it’s the job for me! Was great to hear about the opportunities within the government for those who are interested in foreign affairs! 
The International School Where We Met with the FSO


What a Complement!



“…but you just sound so German! And your name… what a typical German name!”

“Class- if you had to guess where she’s from, would you have said the United States?!”

“Wow… almost no accent! Maybe on some words..SOMETIMES, but no one would ever hear it unless they were trying to!”

If I got $20 for every time I heard a variation of those, I would be able to fund a really great tropical vacation in some faraway land already! I guess I need to give myself some more credit when it comes to my language skills! I often explain that I learned the most of my German, when it comes to speaking, while I was an exchange student. This sometimes gets confused as to why I have the "littlest of accents," but I follow up with the explanation that I don't come from (near) Flensburg, but that I was there for almost a year. I have even asked to show my driver's license to prove I was in fact from Michigan!

The thing is- I know there is so much that I’ve forgotten! I’m so excited to have the opportunity to deepen my knowledge (even if it’s at the expense of my English grammar/word usage!) of German, from vocabulary to grammar over the next 10 months. 


Thursday, October 18, 2012

When It All Comes Together...

 
From: We Bought a Zoo, Cameron Crowe, 2011


When studying abroad in a country that has a different native language than your own, often times the most intimidating thing is talking to those you don't know. But as in the clip, all you need is those 20 seconds of courage, and great things can come from it.

Yesterday was my "Breakthrough Day," which is something a lot of students abroad experience- it's the day when you feel comfortable getting from Point A to Point B, you've gotten over your jet lag, you've established yourself in your living situation, made some friends, are getting along with school well, and suddenly it feels like opportunities are opening up for you left and right.

My courage came in the form of asking the Sprachzentrum (The Language-Learning Center) some questions at an event that's much like Mainstage at CMU. I was interested in some of the courses but unsure of which I should/could take and how I had to register. In talking to the very nice lady, she asked why I wanted to learn more German- what a compliment!, but then she asked how long I'd be here in Kassel, when I told her until the end of the Summer Semester (which is April to July) her eyes lit up and asked me if I'd be interested in an internship. I immediately said yes after I found out it would be me being the liaison between the incoming international students from native English speaking countries here in Germany to learn German over the Winter Break in the beginning of January. Could I ask for a better internship!? I thanked her about 10 000 times for the opportunity and she thanked me for talking to her! They've been searching for someone that could help them and she's relieved to have found me! She also told me she wanted to approach me as well (but didn't) because I look just like a Swiss friend of hers- just about 20 years younger.  All it took was me opening the conversation to get the ball rolling!

Then- after floating through the rest of the venues and tables on Cloud 9 with the excitement of the internship offer and knowing which classes I could register for and how, I decided that I really did want to partake in a Lutheran/Catholic student welcoming service/mass here in Kassel. I was walking to the church which hosted the service behind a group of people that looked nearly as confused as I felt. I walked a few paces behind them hoping that the group mentality of "they must know the way" would prove helpful until I decided to kick it up a step, open my mouth, and ask them if they were looking for the same church. Turns out- they were.

After the service, I was invited to get a coffee/ tea with 2 of the girls.

After we actually got to introducing ourselves and them scratching their heads over how well I speak German, I told them I was an exchange student in '06 in a small village near Flensburg. One of the girls asked which one.. turns out- she went to the same Gymnasium! Such a small world! I also found out one of them had been in New Zealand for 10 months, the other in Scotland for a year, so naturally we had part of our conversation in English as well! It's only fair!! We chatted far longer than the half an hour we said we'd take, exchanged numbers, and made plans to hang out again today.

It was such a great day- one that was hard to wind down from. I had to really try to relax and fall asleep! Thank goodness for meditation and my ambient noise maker on my iPod!

Today I started with more success- I am going to be partaking in an English/German course covering Shakespeare! I went to the class, made some small talk, took as good of notes as I could over what we'll be doing throughout the next semester, and ended with talking to the professor who was very helpful! I'm excited to see what this class will bring!

And this is what it feels like when it all starts to come together!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Our Perceptions of the World and Each Other

Being one of only 2 Americans (that I know of) to be starting this semester here in Kassel, I've really gotten the chance to meet a lot of people from all over the world! It's been such a great and rewarding experience!

Since the ERASMUS program is still going on here in Europe, the students from European countries are given the opportunity to study at other universities throughout Europe, which essentially is promoting a lot of exchange between the countries. Makes sense, right?

I myself have been benefiting from this as well, getting to know people from Spain, Italy, the UK, and France (in particular), as well as others from around the world.

The most amazing thing to me is all of the things that are cross-cultural and completely universal. Finding someone that speaks the same native language as you is always exciting. Trying to figure out things in a foreign language is always complicating. Looking for a room in a building that you've never been in will always put the confused look on your face. Seeing someone you don't know their name but do know they were in the same orientation meeting with you makes you feel more comfortable to try to talk to them, regardless.

I also think the perceptions of what the United States is, where Michigan is, and "who" Americans are is also very interesting. I've had such responses:

Q: Where are you from?
Me: Michigan.
Response: Oh, that's close to Texas, right?

Makes me realize that no matter how much we try to promote our state through our hand-shaped map or we think we're awesome because of our amazing lakes and views, people don't really know where Michigan is!

In that same conversation, I apologized for not knowing the Spanish Providences, which they said they didn't really know either.

As much as we're all different, we all are the same! It's one of the most important things to experience while on exchange, proving more than ever, that communication isn't only what you say, but how you say it! Widening our understanding of not only ourselves, but of those from other cultures will only help to strengthen international relations!
England - USA - Italy