So all this time in Germany has been a great experience. (okay, well… Like 92% a great experience, 4% painfully awkward, 3% learn-it-the-hard-way, and 1% I-can’t-believe-time-is-going-this-fast)

The other week, some of our friends from Belgium invited us over to celebrate their “Sinterklaus” day with some traditional food. They have Christmas too, but for kids “Sinterklaus” day is the holiday where they get most of their presents, while Christmas is more of a family holiday. The party they threw for us was a ton of fun: I’d classify it under the “great” experience category.

As a gesture of niceness, us Americans then decided that it would be a cool idea to cook a big Thanksgiving dinner for all our international friends! Thanksgiving is uniquely American, right? And how hard could it be to cook some turkeys, mash some potatoes and prepare for their questions by reading the Wikipedia article on “the first thanksgiving” ? Well… Harder than we thought.

Now, I want to be upfront with you all. Before I go on, you should know this experience fits into the “learned-it-the-hard-way” category.

Our first problem was deciding how many people to invite. Mistake #1? Inviting twenty people.

Then came the problem of the turkeys. Turkey isn’t as popular here in Germany as back in the states, so it took us about a week of scouting out the various grocery stores around Tübingen to find turkey that didn’t come in a can and wasn’t shredded for lunchmeat. But surely enough, Zach came through and found us some “deep frozen turkeys complete with giblets” at the REWE on the north side of town.

We toted the frozen birds all around town, made our way to Hannah’s and cleaned out her fridge to make room for 21 total pounds of good ol’ Thanksgiving TURKEYYY! She was even sweet enough not to care that there wasn’t much room for anything else in the fridge except the two beasts.

So began the next two and a half days of praying fervently that the turkeys would be thawed by the time we had to put them in the oven at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

The next days were filled with planning meetings and coming up with “oven schedules.” Because German ovens are absurdly tiny and we wanted to make an absurd amount of food, it took 4 different ovens (running a full 6+ hours) to prepare all of it. This meant running around all of Tübingen with casseroles, desserts, turkeys and everything else imaginable. . . but we’ll come to that later.

We agreed on Friday that we would meet the next morning bright and early and go shopping. We even decided to make the trip all the way to “Kaufland,” the largest big-box/grocery store in Tübingen. You know it’s important when the simple Edeka in the basement of the Nonnenhausmarkt won’t suffice.

We stocked up on pans, green beans, cranberries, bread, and just about anything else you could think of. We were on a mission! (Turns out, quite an expensive mission)

We returned to Hannah’s apartment with our spoils, only to find that her roommates had had a little party the night before. And by little party, I mean they trashed the entire kitchen and living room. And by trashed, I mean, essentially destroyed.

The Mess in Hannah's Wohnheim . . .

So, as we looked out over the ominous desert of empty beer bottles, plates, and half eaten pizza with our arms full with groceries, we decided we better get to work.

While some people began to clean up, Hannah and I decided to start with some desserts that we could bake earlier, and then leave in the fridge to be served cold. My family has this fantastic Jello Salad that they make every Thanksgiving, and so I decided to try and make that. The Salad consists of a baked crushed pretzel crust, followed by a layer of whipped cream/cream cheese, topped off with strawberry Jello.

But, of course, we couldn’t find “Jello” at Kaufland. We only found unflavored Gelatin, and figured that would have to make due.

As I made the Jello Salad, Hannah worked on her Apple Crisp. Everyone else started to clean, we put on some music, and everything was looking up. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all, we thought to ourselves. We were actually kind of having fun!

And then everything started to go terribly wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

(Part II coming soon!)

How’s THAT for a cliff hanger!? Here’s a little foreshadowing of how my Jello Salad turned out –

Jello Salad? If you can call it that...

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Thanks to Emily Stillman for providing the pictures! I was running around like crazy the whole day and didn’t have my camera with me.

As compared to Americans, Germans live very different lives. After being here for a little over a month, there are many things about the German culture that I have come to love! There is so much here that us Americans can learn from. But there are also things that I find ridiculous here in Germany. So without further adieu, here is my list of the good, the bad and the ugly of Germany.

The Good:

Solar Panel Screen in my dorm

Solar Power: Alternative energy is huge here in Germany. Almost every other house here in Tuebingen has solar panels, and my entire dorm building is solar powered! In the entranceway to my dorm there is a big screen that tells how much energy the panels have collected today. Motion detectors control all the lights in the building so no energy is wasted by keeping the lights on all the time. It’s a great concept that America could learn so much from!

Pfand Symbol

Pfand: When you buy a bottle of water or soda here in Germany, they charge you a little bit extra for what they call “Pfand.” It loosely translates to “collateral” or “security (deposit).” But after you finish your drink, you simply take the empty bottle back to vending machines located in every supermarket and you get your “Pfand” back! Not only does it encourage people to recycle because they want the “Pfand” from the bottle, but it also is a great way for students to buy snacks! We save up all our “Pfand Flaschen” (bottles you can get money back for) and then go and buy chocolate with the money we get back.

Responsibility with alcohol: In the United States, most people are very sensitive about alcohol. Children are shielded from it and taught in school about how dangerous it is. Of course there is truth in those warnings, but in general there is a very “taboo” sense around drinking. Here in Germany they are completely open about it. There are kids who are 14 or 16 years old having a beer in a Biergarten and nobody thinks twice about it! However, because there is more of a loose atmosphere around drinking, Germans handle alcohol more responsibly. (Of course this is only my opinion and many might disagree.) When I have gone out to parties or bars here in Tuebingen, the majority of people drink simply to have a good time, not to overindulge or for the purpose of “getting drunk.” (See Stephanie’s post about alcohol in Germany here.)

Bus in Tuebingen

Public Transportation: The bus and train systems here in Germany are phenomenal. Although they can get a little pricey, you can take a bus or train to almost anywhere in the country. Even little towns in the countryside are connected to bigger cities by rail, and if not, there’s for sure a bus that will take you to a city where you can find a train. In America our public transportation is very scattered and not as comprehensive. Even here in Tuebingen (a midsized city but hardly a major hub) the bus system runs all the time and would rival that of American cities 3 or 4 times its size.

The Bad:

Crosswalks: Here in Germany the little light that tells you whether or not pedestrians can cross at an intersection is held in such high esteem that every German will always, ALWAYS obey what it says. It could be the middle of the night on a one-way street with no cars in sight. But people will wait. And wait. And wait. And wait until the pedestrian light turns green. It drives me nuts! To top it off they even try to guilt you with signs that translate to “Be an example. Stay on red, go on green,” and “Don’t walk on red. Be a role model for children.” God forbid you ever see that there are no cars, buses or bikes in sight and cross the street on red! Then you’ll have people yelling at you left and right! Okay Germans, I get that you want to keep everyone safe, but I don’t need a little light to tell me what I can see with my own two eyes.

"Be an example. Stay on Red, Go on Green"

"Stay on Red. Be a role model for children."

Bureaucracy: A stereotype of the German people is that they are very orderly. They take this organization to the extreme with their paperwork. There is a form to fill out for EVERYTHING here in Germany. You want a student ID? Here are 4 different packets to fill out. You want to eat in the cafeteria? Another form. You want a pre-paid cell phone (it doesn’t even come with a contract!) and you must also fill out form after form after form. This bureaucracy culminated in a process called “Immatrikulation” (matriculating = enrolling in the University). This huge process took days to prepare for – and that was with help from the International office here in Tuebingen. I’m so sick of paperwork right now; I can’t even begin to explain my frustration.

Powdered Soap/Paying for Bathrooms: Who knew there was such a thing?! Powdered soap? In the cafeteria, on the train and in other public places powdered soap is everywhere. Not only is it disgusting in theory, but also in its application. I feel like I’m washing my hands with sand, and at the end they still don’t feel clean. The Germans really need to use liquid soap across the board. I mean, is it really THAT much more expensive? Also, I pretty much believe that you shouldn’t have to pay to perform natural bodily functions like breathing or going to the bathroom. But no, you have to go to the bathroom in the train station? That’ll be 1 Euro. In a tourist district? 1.50 Euro.

The Ugly:

Body Odor: In America I’d never really notice many people that didn’t bathe regularly. With the exceptions being a men’s locker room or a middle school hallway, most people at home have the whole personal hygiene thing down. But here? Probably about a dozen times a day you’ll get a whiff of rank body odor. Walking down the street, on the train, in an elevator, standing in line at the supermarket. It’s everywhere. I am looking forward to winter simply because there won’t be as much B.O. floating around.

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I hope that none of that came across as particularly bitter, but there are some things that begin to wear on your nerves when you’re in a foreign country.

This next week I’ll be on a retreat for my intensive German class, so I won’t be able to update this blog or my twitter until next weekend. Until then, all the best!

Tschüß!

These past three weeks I’ve been traveling with my family around Europe: seeing castles, churches, family and taking lots and lots of pictures!

On our adventures we visited four countries and stayed in about 7 different hotels! Because there is so much information to cover, I’m going to write a little bit about each place we visited and maybe tell you all about some things I liked (or didn’t like!) about each city.

Me, my grandfather, grandmother, and mom on the steps of Schönbrunn

1)   Vienna, Austria

Vienna was probably one of my favorite cities, but just happened to be the first we visited. It was fantastic to be there with my grandfather who had learned his trade in Vienna, and was there when war broke out in 1939. He showed us the street he used to work on, the places he remembers and the best of the city. As an 88-year-old man, it was really impressive that he could make such a big trip to Europe, much less walk all over the city! Hearing his stories made me proud of all he accomplished in this city. During the war he and his family lost everything and afterwards came to America with a debt of over $1,000 dollars. In the US he made a living, starting from scratch. It’s an amazing story, and inexorably intertwined with the great city of Vienna.

Best of: Schönbrunn (the palace); Staatsoper (State Opera); Stephansdom (cathedral)

Astronomical Clock

2) Prague, Czech Republic

Before I left, people often told me that Prague was the most beautiful city in the world. To this I’d say – yes and no. In the tourist district that is made up of the Astronomical Clock, the expensive shopping zones, the Charles Bridge, as well as the castle, everything is almost surreal! All the buildings are so incredibly beautiful, and the views are amazing. However, much of Prague (and the Czech Republic) was scary at points. You can really tell that communism did quite a number of the country. We drove from Vienna to Prague, and driving through the Czech Republic was significantly different than driving through Austria. If you stay in the nice areas of Prague, there’s really nothing to be worried about – just be careful, would be my advice.

My family after dinner!

The food here was hit or miss. A lot of the food is very dense, and we did have a few mediocre meals. However, there was one restaurant, where we had a fantastic meal! The name of the restaurant escapes me, but it was good enough to warrant a trip back to Prague just for that dinner!

We also met up with my aunt and uncle in Prague, so even though it wasn’t my favorite place, it was really nice to see them!

Best of: Astronomical Clock; Charles Bridge; Castle

Not so great: Sketchy areas; Haggling for everything; Lots of tourist traps

Panoramic of Prague

3)   St. Johann im Pongau, Austria

Pongauer Dom

My family and I stayed in St. Johann for a week during our trip. And as opposed to the big cities, I have to say that staying in a small town in the Austrian Alps was one of the best experiences we had! St. Johann is a big vacation spot for Germans and Italians, but we didn’t see any other Americans around. The views in the mountains were so incredible, and the shopping / dining was awesome (mainly because we were getting sick of doing touristy things). My brother and my dad ended up buying some Lederhosen and “traditional” clothes. It was a lot of fun! We also took a few days to go visit Munich and Salzburg, which weren’t too far, but those stories will have to wait for the next post!

Best of: Dom (cathedral); Shopping; Food; Family!; Hiking

In the next post I’ll tell you all a little more about our time in:

4)   Munich, Germany

5)   Salzburg, Austria

6)   Heidelberg, Germany

7)   Zurich, Switzerland

8)   Tuebingen, Germany!

Until then! Tschüß!

So the day has finally come: I am officially in Europe.

Schönbrunn (Vienna, Austria)

The departure date had always seemed so far off in the distant future, but in these last weeks it caught me almost off guard! Of course I have been planning this year abroad frantically since I decided to study in Tübingen late my freshman year, but it never seemed real until I was packing my bags and saying goodbye. But, nonetheless, I have made it to Europe just fine and am absolutely thrilled to be here.

I am here a few weeks early to spend time with my family before I move into my room in Tübingen. Since my grandparents are from Europe we still have a lot of family living in Germany, so my parents, my brother and I will spend time visiting them, and we’ll also get a chance to meet up with my grandparents and aunt and uncle who are on vacation here!  However, those adventures will have to wait for more commentary until the next post.

Packing was quite the experience, and for a while seemed impossible. It was so overwhelming to think that I had to fit everything I’d need for 12 months in two 29″ suitcases! So after 72 stressful hours of organizing, cramming, fretting and trying to slim down two hugely overweight bags, here are my tips (learned the hard way!) for packing:

Ashley and me! (after packing)

1) Have a Friend Help!

Originally, I had undertaken the daunting task by myself, but the result of that fiasco was an emotionally exhausted college student who still had nothing packed. Eventually I called up my best friend who came over and helped me sort things out. It was really nice to have someone help who could be realistic about what to bring, and could also contribute some common sense during a stressful time.

Space Bags!

2) Use “Space Bags” With such limited space, big items like coats and sweaters can really take up a lot of room. Using “Space Bags” was a great way to compress those items for the trip over. Be careful, though… the bags still weigh the same! Those vacuum sealed bags might look light weight on television, but they’re heavy rocks when you’re packing!

3) Get a luggage hand scale

One of my good friends from High School just got back from a semester abroad and was nice enough to lend me a hand scale for weighing my luggage. It turned out to be invaluable when it came time to make sure my bags weren’t over the weight limit.

4) Realize you can’t bring everything

Perhaps the hardest part for me was realizing that while I’m abroad, I’m not going to have the luxury of all my belongings no farther than a short drive away. Bringing a minimal amounts of clothes was difficult enough, but it was very tough to part with the small library of books I’ve collected over the years, all my miscellaneous mementos, and particularly my (largeish) bible that simply weighs too much to bring along. While I know I’m not parting with these things forever, leaving them behind is an unsettling reminder that my year abroad will push me outside my comfort zone, challenge my complacencies and require me to adapt to new surroundings.

For now I’m back to traveling! A post is coming soon about my travels as I slowly make my way to Tübingen and meet up with the other Valpo students there!