Blogger: Alyson Kneusel

Program: Reutlingen, Germany – Study Center

When asked why I had chosen to apply for the Reutlingen, Germany study abroad program, I was able to think of numerous good responses. One reason was that my family was ancestrally from Germany, so that was a big allure to me. When I came here, I never expected to have a direct connection with my heritage; I was just hoping to learn about the culture and history so that I could better understand where I came from. I never imagined that I would actually find the town from which my great-great-grandfather moved to America, and that it would be only 25 minutes away from where I had spent my study abroad experience.

From the Hauptbahnhof Obf stop in Reutlingen you can take a 25 minute bus ride to the town of Willmandingen, Sonnenbühl. Willmandingen is just one of many very small German towns in this region of Germany. Yet to me, it is a town that is still full of “Möck” family relatives (Möck is my great grandmother’s last name). Following my arrival in Reutlingen, my great aunt messaged me saying that we still had distant relatives in a town nearby me. After she asked around the family, I found out that my great great grandfather’s family had lived there before my great great grandfather came to America. In fact, he was living in that town when he was sent to America to live with his uncle there (as the family had too many children to support). That is the origin of my family line in America.

Of course, I had to go and see this town. When my mother visited, we hopped on the bus and traveled there. We found the house where my relatives still live. We decided not to bother them (as they speak very little English and we speak very little German) but we had heard that the local Protestant church still stood in the area. Sure enough, on a rock standing outside the church we found many “Möck” family names. However, the church seemed to be locked so we thought we wouldn’t be able to get in.

Just as we started to leave we ran into a man coming to drop off a ladder inside the church, and he asked us if we needed to get into the church. We said yes and attempted to explain the reason we were there. It turns out that this man was actually also a “Möck,” and more than that, he is the cousin of our remaining relatives in the town. He mentioned that he actually translates the English mail they get for them…we believe this mail is my grandparent’s Christmas cards that they send each year.

When we were walking around the church, he was telling us some of the things he knew about the church’s history. One story he told was about the chandelier in the church, which he said was funded with money sent back from a Möck living on a farm in the United States. We looked at the sign, and sure enough, the name on it was the name of the uncle my great great grandfather was living with in the USA! He sent back money for the church and his family after moving to America and funded this chandelier that I had now ended up finding while I was coincidentally studying nearby in Germany more than 100 years later.

It was almost as though this small piece of my family history had remained unchanged all these years. As the American branch of the family distributed all over the United States, many members of the Möck family seem to have remained in this small German town. Although I have no clue how distant the relationship with many of these people is, it was strange to find a cemetery full of Möck graves, a business called Möck, and a small sign all about the history of the town. It was more than I could’ve imagined happening upon so close to my home in Germany. It is strange to think that after more than 100 years a descendent of the “Möck,” who went on the long move to the USA, would end up calling the region home again, even if just for a short time.

Liebe Grüβe,

Alyson Kneusel

Blogger: Alyson Kneusel

Program: Reutlingen, Germany – Study Center

Hallo!

One thing I really appreciate about the Reutlingen program is that it provides the opportunity to study abroad with little knowledge of the German language. However, since this is not an immersion program, one thing I did not expect was to struggle with becoming more involved in the German community. This is one thing that I wish had more insight into prior to my study abroad experience.

It can be intimidating to go out and join an organization without even being able to understand what the members are saying. For me, I found that I was only able to push through this fear by joining organizations where I felt comfortable with the activity. So far, I have gotten involved in two groups around campus. The first is a Christian Campus Connect group. In many ways, I feel more at home there than anywhere else in Germany. I know some of the music, the progression of the service, and I know the people have similar beliefs and values to my own.

I have also become involved with the orchestra on campus. I have played violin for nearly fifteen years, so to me this is an activity where I can be comfortable and confident. It is a place where I feel successful, which helps counter the uncertainty which comes from the language barrier. More than that, I find it easy to connect with the people there because we have similar interests. I have always said that music is a universal language, but here I really use it as one.

In a few minutes, I actually need to practice some music I am playing with a trio from the orchestra for a charity event on Wednesday night. Our trio is also looking into playing at the big campus fest event coming up in a few weeks. Playing in this group has actually reminded me why I love music. It is a means of communication which transcends language and cultural differences and provides a means of emotional communication.

For me, the thing to take away from this is to encourage students to get involved in local groups when studying abroad. More importantly, I encourage them to do this by thinking about which things they feel comfortable doing, and finding groups that match with these interests. I didn’t realize when I came here how crucial it would be to think about how I could get more involved, and I wish I had thought about it a bit earlier. I would have loved to be involved in these groups for the entirety of my study abroad program. I hope that my experience in this regard will help someone else get involved more expediently than I did because this involvement is something I have really come to value.

Blogger: Alyson Kneusel

Program: Reutlingen, Germany – Study Center

One of the things I was most curious about when I chose to study abroad in Germany was the difference between our cultures. I wanted to know if they were different, and in which ways. Through my own experiences, as well as by talking to a number of Germans, I think I have really started to get a better feel for our cultural differences.

Of course there are numerous small differences, such as the availability of foods. Many brands, such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Goldfish, are simply not available in Germany. Instead, they favor snacks such as Doppel Keks, which are essentially two crackers with chocolate in between them. Also, when you go to the super market, you cannot forget to bring your bag, as they do not provide bags and you will have to buy one! The small differences continue at restaurants as the waiters do not return constantly to your table, tip is much smaller, and water is the same price as Coca-Cola.

Besides these rather mundane cultural differences, there are also some more significant ones. The Germans are much more environmentally friendly than most people in the United States. They have five different trash receptacles for trash disposal. Also, their newer cars have special diesel regulations, they walk (and bike) much more, and they make extensive use of public transportation. Nearly every town has a stop on the Deutsche Bahn line, which is the German rail system. I love that I can pull up the DB app on my phone and buy an e-ticket across the country within just a minute or two. There is simply nothing like that in the USA!

Perhaps some of the most fundamental differences lie in our cultural economic and political perspectives. In my experience, Germans are extremely well informed about world politics and extremely open to discussing them. It has happened more than once that I have learned something about recent USA events from my German professor before seeing it on the news myself. In terms of economics, they have a heavy focus on what is called the Solidarity Principle. This is more or less the idea that people contribute to the wellness of others through a number of compulsory insurances and taxes. Although this is very different from the USA, I have learned to appreciate how it works for them.

All these differences, however, are nowhere near the number of similarities I have noted between our two cultures. Both our countries take pride in being a democratic society which produces educated people who produce top products and research in automotive, technological, chemical, and pharmaceutical fields. We both value human rights and desire to use what we have to help those who are in need. This, more than the availability of Goldfish and Reese Peanut Butter cups, is a significant avenue by which to judge the connection between our peoples. I find the sum of our differences to be interesting, yet insignificant compared to our shared values, and that is what is truly significant for future relations between our countries.

Until next time,

Alyson Kneusel

Blogger: Alyson Kneusel

Program: Reutlingen, Germany – Study Center

Hello!

I have now been in Germany for 61 days! I did some quick calculations earlier today and realized that since there are about 124 days in the program, I am officially 49% complete with my study abroad experience. There have been so many unbelievable moments that I will never forget. It is sad to think that in not that long I will be headed back to the United States. Most days I do not want it to end!

However, it is only fair to recognize that there have also been those few days during which I missed both the people and the culture of my home country. Recently, I was sick for about a week. During that time, it was hard to motivate myself to go out and experience new things as I only wanted those things which were familiar to me. I began to sit in my room and talk to people back in the USA for extended periods of time. The last thing I wanted was to go out and try to communicate and socialize.

Ironically enough, this was exactly what I needed. Some friends and I had already bought train, lodging, and bus tickets for a trip to Cologne (Köln) for the weekend I was sick. On the train there, I confided in my family that the last thing I felt like doing was going to a new city. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Getting out of my room forced me to do other things, and all of the new sights and people distracted me from feeling sick. In order to go out, I had to move around and clean myself up, and in doing so, I felt 75% better.

I guess the message here applies to anyone who feels homesick, whether in a foreign country or an hour from home. Do not let yourself hide away, because that doesn’t make anything better. Get up, clean up, and interact with people. I did so, and that made all the difference. On the way back from Cologne, not only did I feel much better, but I was a much happier person, and I was proud of myself for getting out there and pushing through the rough patch.

This bump in the road allowed me to learn how to persevere in the face of an obstacle and come out ahead. If you are looking into a study abroad experience, I would say that although you have to recognize that not everything will always be perfect, the few challenges you might have will allow you to come away from them a stronger person. On the other side of this small bump in the road, I have found so many things to look forward to. I find my classes fulfilling and extremely applicable. There is nothing quite like learning about Gothic architecture one day, and the next day seeing it at the Köln cathedral (see above). Additionally, I look forward to going to Athens and Vienna in just a few weeks (but more on that later)!

Until then,

Alyson Kneusel

Blogger: Alyson Kneusel

Program: Reutlingen, Germany – Study Center

Hello again!

Today I went on a day trip to Heidelberg, which is about a two hour train ride north and slightly west from Reutlingen. The thing I valued most about the trip was not the Heidelberg Castle, the Philosophenweg, or even the Altstadt Old Town, although each of those sites was breathtakingly beautiful. More than anything else, I recognized the trip as a marker of my own independence and confidence. Four years ago I would have been too afraid to go to a restaurant in my own hometown by myself and order my own food. I couldn’t navigate from my house to the nearest Panera Bread by myself! Yet yesterday, I traveled by myself to a town two hours away in a foreign country via public transportation with a significant language barrier. Not only did I survive the trip, but I flourished and felt that I grew from the experience.

In order to understand my trip, it is crucial to share some information and images from the city, which is just as well because it is an enchanting place (I would highly recommend visiting if you are ever given the chance). The Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof (the main train station) is about a 2 miles walk from the Heidelberg castle. The castle lies on a hill and overlooks the valley which contains the town, including the Altstadt Old Town. The Neckar River runs through the valley below and is traversed by the Carl Theodor Old Bridge. On the other side of the bridge, there is a river walk and another large hill, which contains the PhilosophenWag, which translates as Philosophers’ Walk. This is a peaceful climb up the side of the hill opposite the castle which provides not only a beautiful overlook of the castle, town, and river, but also an introspective opportunity to the person climbing it.

I began my journey in Heidelberg at the train station, walked the 2 miles up to the castle. After roaming around the castle grounds I descended through the town and across the bridge. At that point, I climbed Philosophenweg and sat for a while on a bench near the top where I wrote in my journal and appreciated the view. Looking back on the experience, in that moment what struck me was the realization that I almost didn’t make the trip and nearly missed out on such an amazing experience. I had sat in my room that morning and came up with every excuse in the book for why I should stay home. I was too tired, I had been traveling a lot, I hadn’t done enough research on the place, I didn’t have enough time, I didn’t speak the language, no one else was going, and so on and so forth. The more I think about it, the more I realize that these are not real reasons to not do things; they are mechanisms by which we limit ourselves.

I took away two main lessons that I think are worth sharing yesterday. The first is that Heidelberg is a beautiful city full of life, people, and nature. The other thing is that I am capable of being independent, navigating, and making my own decisions. This is a confidence which I think I was previously lacking, and this is definitely something which study abroad has given me. It broadened my horizons not just geographically, but also mentally. I encourage you all to not hold yourself back with excuses and doubts, and challenge yourself to (safely) do those things which you might otherwise have lacked the confidence to accomplish.

Until next time,

Alyson Kneusel