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Page 52 of 124

Rathaus in Bremen

Top 3 Places to Visit While in Germany

Hello everyone. I hope everything is quite well back in Valpo or wherever you are reading this post. Sorry for the long gap between posts. I got a little lazy I admit it. However I did have a great spring break traveling to 6 different countries and 9 cities in our 2 week spring break. It was tough, but beyond worth it! The semester is coming to an end! Let the lack of motivation and cramming begin! For R-95 however, besides getting ready for finals, we have to start preparing to pack our things back up and head home. Our days are limited here in Germany and that got me reflecting on what some of my favorite places were in Germany. So without further adieu I’ll give a quick list of my top 3 places in Germany that I have visited:

3. Leipzig

My reasoning for choosing Leipzig can basically be summed up in one word: music. Anyone who has visited Europe knows that in the bigger cities there always seem to be street performers with accordions, violins, or any other instrument they can find. However in Leipzig it was not just the street performers who were excellent, but also because of the musical history that surrounds the city. Musical powerhouse names such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Gustav Mahler, Richard Wagner, and many others have made their way through this city. Any music lover would have a field day here with the amount of museums dedicated to various artists and churches where Bach or Wagner worked and composed. Two of the most famous, for example, are the St Thomas Kirche and St Nikolai Kirche where Bach performed his great works centeries ago.

St Thomas Kirche

However, Leipzig is not just for your classical music lover. Leipzig was also where the battle of nations took place in 1813. The combined forces of Austria, Germany, and Sweden helped push Napoleon out of Germany after his retreat from Russia. Today you can visit the monument and museum. This would be a great thing to do for half a day in my opinion. The monument itself lies about an hour and a half walk from the city center and is near some other museums.

Battle of Nations Monument

More recently, Leipzig is also a location of many protests within East Germany during communist control. Leipzig is a place where people with all different interests can come together and find something interesting to do. Overall, Leipzig was very interesting to experience. The city was safe and fairly nice to English speakers if you are not fluent in German. I highly recomend giving Leipzig a visit.

2. Bremen/Munich

I should just be honest with you, Bremen, Munich, and the number 1 are all really tied for number 1, but I thought that would be nasty to have a three way tie. After much thought, sweating, and blood letting, Bremen and Munich rank number 2 on my list!

Bremen is a place that I would love to visit again. At first glance, Bremen is not a megga city with a population over 1 million, but let me tell you, with the amount of things to do there, it sure does seem like it. From visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Rathaus in the old town center, climbing up the spires in the St Peter’s Cathedral that originaly dates back 500 plus years, visiting the old windmill, walking along the River Weser, eating at Rathskeller restaurant which houses the largest selection of wine in Germany, or just walking down the shopping district and finding a nice cafe to sip some great coffee. Along with the numerous things to do, Bremen was also home to the friendliest people I have ever met in Germany.

Rathaus in Bremen

Whether you are lost in the middle of the night with 100 dollar bills tapped to you while handcuffed, someone will make sure to point you in the direction of a bank, place to stay, and a mental institution because you are crazy if you tape 100 dollar bills to yourself while handcuffed. In all seriousness though, Bremen has some of the most down to earth and overall general nice people. They will go out of their way to say hello to you, ask to offer help if you look lost, give you suggestions on places to see, eat, or visit. People from Bremen are proud of their city and they rightly should be. Bremen comes in 2nd place because of the ability to see most everything in the city in about 2 days visit, but is tremendously increased because of the people. They really made the experience special there for us.

Munich on the other hand, is just a wee bit bigger than Bremen. By a wee bit I mean its more than double the size of Bremen. With a population of over 1 million and during Oktoberfest up to 3 million, you can always find something to do in Munich. Munich is truly the city where it is totaly normal to see a man in lederhosen eating a pretzel and drinking a mass of beer (1 liter mug). Home to some great sites, cool museums, and great food! When you imagine Germany, you are most likely thinking of Munich. From the famous glockenspiel to Oktoberfest to the original Hofbrauhaus, Munich is home to many Bavarian traditions that are cool to take in.

Marienplatz in Munich

Now, the time you have all been waiting for. THE number one place (in my opinion) to visit in Germany. Well you are about to find out. After this long article post, you will walk away knowing a great place to visit. Knowing what to see and just a couple of things to do. The time is now, the city you have all been waiting for. The place is……………….Going to be given to you in the next blog post because this one is pretty long already.

Thank you all for reading! Let me just say though, every place I have been to in Germany has been fabulous and I highly recomend traveling outside of my recomendations. Anywhere you go you will find some sort of history to discover. I challenge everyone to come visit Germany and make your own top 3 list! Find out my number 1 city and possibly a list of my favorite cities outside of Germany to visit next week. Thanks again for reading and I will see you all sooner than we both know!

Sweden Part 2

April 21, 2015 / mstoughton / 0 Comments

I felt like a mariner on the second have of my Swedish adventure. I spent a couple days out sailing in the Stockholm Archipelago, visiting beautiful islands. This is a top vacation destination in the summertime. Stockholm is also lovely while covered in fresh snow!

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm Harbor – Royal Palace

Stockholm Archipelago

Vaxholm Fortress

Finnhamn Island

Stockholm Archipelago

Sweden Part 1

April 16, 2015 / mstoughton / 0 Comments

I loved Scandinavia so much that I had to return! Over our two week break, I explored Stockholm and its archipelago. I spent my first few days just in the city. The harbor is gorgeous. I saw the famous (or infamous) Vasa warship from the 1600s and the largest IKEA store in the world (IKEA is a Swedish company).

Stockholm Harbor

Vasa warship – Stockholm

Stockholm

IKEA – Stockholm

Back on American Soil (for a couple hours)

April 16, 2015 / mstoughton / 0 Comments

After World War II, a great cemetery was constructed in honor of the American men and women who fought to help protect their English allies. Technically the ground is American soil and we saw our first real American flag in a long time. It was a proud and patriotic moment for all of us.

American Cemetery – Cambridge, England

American Cemetery – Cambridge, England

American Cemetery – Cambridge, England

The Closest I’ll Be to Being a Kite

April 11, 2015 / Navy Browning / 0 Comments

This past break from internships, we had the oppurtunity to visit the iconic beaches of Manuel Antonio. After seeing the beautiful coastline full of monkeys and wildlife and salty, blue water, I knew that I wanted to see the coast from above. I decided to go parasailing. Between the three people on the parasail, there were three different languages spoken-English, Spanish and Sign Language. Each of us knew at least two of the languages. I thought it was amazing that after learning about how to communicate a little bit in sign language in our time in Granada, Nicaragua, I could use what I learned. It just goes to show that you learn something new everyday and that you might be able to actually use it in the future.

Pupusa Professionals!

April 11, 2015 / Navy Browning / 0 Comments

During a week long break from our internships during Holy Week here in Costa Rica, our Valpo group visited a cooperative community of El Salvadoran immigrants preserving their culture through living communally. Pictured here is Valpo Junior, Shannon Segin and I learning how to make the traditional dish of pupusas in Longo Mai!

Confessions of a Former Francophile

April 11, 2015 / katherineackerman / 0 Comments

So, to celebrate Easter, I decided to my friend Pam in Paris. It was my first time in France’s capital and a trip that I had been dreaming about since I was a kid. When I was younger, one of my favorite book was called Little Jeanne of France by Madeline Brandeis and told the story of a girl named Jeanne and her adventures in France. And so, France, and Paris in particular, became somewhat of a destination for me. I was dead set on visiting France someday, made my mother start teaching me phrases in French, and even tried to turn in an assignment in first grade written in what I thought was an accurate written representation of the French language, only to have my teacher think that I was struggling with spelling. My favorite book growing up was the account of a British ex-pat’s go in Southern France, A Year in Provence. I continually attempted to add small french phrases into my vocabulary and dreamed of Time’s fashion issue where there was sure to be a number of French fashion designers. Until I reached middle school in a town that offered no French classes, I had fully planned on taking up study of the French language and happily moving to France in some far-off future. But, as with all things in life, plans changed and I ended up in a German class which eventually lead me to my year in Tübingen.

Despite having less of a connection to French language and culture, I still have enjoyed visiting the border cities to Germany and enjoying the delicious food and drink, never fully making it to Paris. So when I found out that Pam was going to be studying there and in nearby Cergy, I jumped at the chance of avoiding costly hotel fees and getting to see the city with someone who knew their way around.

The trip was short, but totally worth it to see some of the most beautiful sites that the city had to offer and to get to experience some of the things that I had so long dreamt of. It was a culmination of a lot of what I had wanted for such a long time and definitely a place that I will come back to explore further.

The best experience was visiting the Tuileries. I think that the best introduction to my visit is summed up with a quote from Brandeis herself:

“The little girls passed through the Tuileries, which are like fairy gardens. They are a children’s paradise and part of the dream that Paris is”(140).

It was a beautifully sunny day when we visited the Tuileries and the lovely weather helped to highlight the well-manicured park. We walked around and got café au lait and drank it whilst sitting in some chairs. Now, I am no longer a child and a bit too old to believe in fairies, but the magic of the Tuileries still existed for me. I especially liked the long rows of bushes at the far end that seemed like a great place to get away from the world and relax and enjoy good weather.

I also adored riding the metro. I am huge fan of public transportation, so any time that I can use a system in a major city, I could basically spend the entire day riding around. The name of each stop was repeated twice during the approach, which sounded like a language instruction tape to me and provided a good opportunity to practice my pronunciation of the French language.

Reenacting Amelie at the Sacre Coeur

On Easter, Pam and I went to the American Church (since, unfortunately, my French vocabulary is limited to foods and swear words) and ate lunch next to the Seine. We also saw a lot of the classic tourist attractions, which I think aren’t necessary to mention here. However, we did find a café that is a bit of an inside joke:

A cafe that is what it is.

Bis bald!

A link to an electronic copy of Little Jeanne of France via Project Gutenberg:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40806/40806-h/40806-h.htm

Luck of the Irish

April 9, 2015 / stephanieblack / 0 Comments

Hello again! For the past almost two weeks, everyone at the Center has been on Spring Break! We’ve all been very excited for this break, and we’ve all been traveling to so many different places. For me, the place that I have always wanted to visit is Ireland. I am part Irish, and I wanted to spend a good amount of time there, more than just a weekend.

Dublin Castle

To start the break, four of us travelled to Dublin. We visited Dublin Castle, Dublin Gardens, Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, and the Guinness Storehouse, just to name a few things. None of us really knew much about Irish history, so having a tour of Dublin Castle was very educational, because we got to learn a lot about Irish history. The most interesting things had to do with the 1916 Easter uprisings, which led to the eventual independence of Ireland a few years later.

Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland

The next day, the other three went on a Cliffs of Moher bus tour, but I went on a bus tour to Belfast and Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. Giant’s Causeway was definitely my favorite part of the entire trip. The causeway is made of up hexagon-shaped volcanic rocks coming up out of the ocean. Some are a few inches big, while others are several feet tall. It was so much fun to climb over all of them and look out over the view of the sea and the rocks. I could even see the coast of Scotland from the causeway.

Galway Bay

After another night in Dublin, I split off from the group and travelled to Galway on the western coast of Ireland. Galway is a very small town, and is most famous for the Claddagh friendship ring and the “Galway Girl” Irish folk song. I enjoyed walking around the small town and popping into pubs to hear the live Irish music. My hostel was right in the center of the city, so I was within walking distance of everything.

Dunguaire Castle

I travelled on two bus tours while I was in Galway. The first was a Cliffs of Moher and the Burren tour. Unfortunately, the rain and fog were so thick, and the wind was so strong, that I could barely see ten feet in front of me, and the Cliffs were not visible. However, I did enjoy seeing the Burren, which is the rocky landscape that covers the area. Our tour guide told us that the Burren has the same landscape as that of the moon, so that was interesting to see. I also got to get out and see Dunguaire Castle, which is iconic in that region of Ireland.

Kylemore Abbey

The second tour I took was of a northwest part of Ireland called Connemara. We stopped at Kylemore Abbey, which is a castle right on the edge of a lake in the mountains of Ireland. It was a gorgeous day (besides being cold and windy) and I got to walk around the grounds and explore the gardens. We also stopped and saw the Killary Fjord, which is 16 miles long, Loughs Mask and Nafooey, and the town of Cong, where they filmed the movie “The Quiet Man” starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. I got to see the mountainous parts of Ireland on this tour, and it was absolutely gorgeous.

I had a fantastic time in Ireland, and have had a great time staying at home in Cambridge for the rest of break and hanging out with people here. Up next is my week with my mom, who is visiting from the US!

Castles Trip Part 3

April 8, 2015 / mstoughton / 0 Comments

On the last leg of our journey, C-95 journeyed to Stonehenge, one of the most famous prehistoric landmarks in the world. One of the interesting things about site is that the stones frame the sunset on the Equinoxes and we were there the day after the equinox so the sun would have been framed fairly well at sunset. However we were there in the middle of the afternoon. After Stonehenge, we visited Hampton Court Palace on the southwest side of London. This was the palace of King Henry VIII, and the monarchs William and Mary. It was a beautiful estate, both inside and out.

Stonehenge – (left to right) Emily P., Jessica, Sarah

Stonehenge

Hampton Court Palace

Main Dining Room – Hampton Court Palace

a courtyard – Hampton Court Palace

Three Down, One To Go| Why Africa?

April 8, 2015 / Katie Wilson / 0 Comments

This is one of the biggest questions I’ve gotten since I announced back in September 2014 that I was going to spend a semester studying, traveling, and interning in Southern Africa.

For starters, why not? Africa is beautiful and it has beautiful people. To be honest, Africa has held an allure to me for as long as I can remember and I’ve had it on my bucket list for a long time. Many people I know put Europe or Asia first on their list of places to travel, but mine has always been Africa. Something about the culture, the environment, the mystery had me completely smitten. When I started surfing a few years back then the amazing surfing culture in South Africa also caught my eye. Some people might view Africa as this untamed place, almost wild, and that’s what hooks me. I loved the prospect of being in a culture that was so different from my own Western world and being with people who I knew could teach me new viewpoints and a way of thinking. I loved how historical and influential Africa had been on the rest of the world. Part of the mystery and pull Africa had for me was the fact that I would be so out of my element like nothing else in my life and I relished that challenge. I knew that no matter what, I’d be in Africa (whether volunteering, working, or just on my own crazy backpacking whim) the very first opportunity I got.

When I started college, I knew I wanted to go abroad. I was willing to do whatever possible in order to make it happen. Interestingly enough, one of the colleges I looked at had a study abroad program in Southern Africa offered to students sophomore through senior year. I would be lying if I didn’t say that was one of my main deciding factors when I finally choose a University. Freshman year rolled through and I kept talking about eventually going to Africa without really knowing how to put my plan into action or what it would really mean or what would actually be involved– I just really wanted to go! Then sophomore year rolled around and I experienced some major life changes. It was in a very blah night that I decided I needed a life change and right then and there I decided I would follow my heart and the desires that had been rooted there for so long and try to go to Africa that spring. I went to my parents and my academic adviser the next day and that started the giant ball rolling. Surprisingly everyone was SUPER supportive and encouraging and the more I found out about the Southern Africa study abroad program, the more I realized it was a perfect fit for me and my academic studies. Africa really was perfect for me.

During the final month I spent stateside and after I made my travel plans official I had a lot of people come up to me and ask about my trip. I got a variety of responses but some common ones were “Oh good for you”, “Are you going to work in an orphanage?” “Aren’t you afraid of Ebola?”. The stigma and misconceptions surrounding Africa are huge but I knew that I was going to be taught. What I’d be taught was a little more obscure but I didn’t care. I was completely willing to be open to this new experience and whatever was thrown my way. I wanted to be broken down and remade. I was fearless in traveling to Africa because I knew deep down that it was exactly what I was suppose to be doing with my life.

So it’s now three months into my travels through and studies in Africa and I can happily say that each of my desires have been fulfilled and are continuously being fulfilled every day. Africa has been challenging, heartbreaking, miraculous, and beautiful all in one. It has given me everything that I hoped and provided so much more than I could have ever imagined. Things have happened where in the moment I didn’t know I needed and I’d spend a lot of time confused or making gripes, but looking back I realize it was exactly what I needed. During my first two weeks here, I learned more about life and humanity than I learned in thirteen years of school. And in three months, I have learned more about myself and what I am capable of and I am so thankful. Not every day here is easy and not every day is happy, but what matters is how each day is taken in side and each day is a chance to discover a little more about yourself and the world around you. Coming to Africa has been a blessing and with one more month left to love, I can’t wait to see what other joys are coming.

(Spending the day with my Host family’s little ones.)

Student Stories from Around the World

Page 52 of 124

Top 3 Places to Visit While in Germany

Sweden Part 2

Sweden Part 1

Back on American Soil (for a couple hours)

The Closest I’ll Be to Being a Kite

Pupusa Professionals!

Confessions of a Former Francophile

Luck of the Irish

Castles Trip Part 3

Three Down, One To Go| Why Africa?

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