food – Valpo Voyager

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My host brother Pini and I

Home Away From Home

The path through the Mahangu leading to my family’s home

For over a week, I spent time living with the Uugwanga family in the rural village of Outapi in northern Namibia. Together, we lived on a farm growing Mahangu and raising chickens. I was the first student that my host family had welcomed into their home that they built themselves. The home is very modest but my family is absolutely amazing. Only my host mom spoke much English but that didn’t stop us from hanging out, telling stories, playing games, and getting to know one another.

My host family’s home and the pipe leading into the crops.

All of the water that my family used came from a spicket outside of the house. The spicket pumped water up from an underground well near the house. We used this spicket for everything in the house by filling buckets at the spicket and carrying them around the house. My family worked hard to conserve the water that they had. For instance, when my host father noticed that the spicket was leaking slightly, instead of letting it drip, he put a bucket underneath it and was able to gather a few bucket loads over the course of a day that would have been wasted otherwise. In order to shower, we filled a five-liter bucket with water and carried it into a small room in the house designated for showering. In order conserve the water that was used for showering, my host father actually installed a pipe that lead out of the showering room and into the crops behind the house so that the water would runoff into the field and water the crops.

Playing keep away with Pini

The interactions I had with my family were absolutely incredible and I quickly learned how to communicate without language. I did learn some Oshiwambo, which is the local language, but I mostly communicated through actions. My best friend on the trip was my 3-year-old host brother, Pini, who claimed me as his own. Pini and I developed our own language and spent almost all of our time together playing keep away or running around the house. Pink was also a troublemaker and never ceased to entertain me, whether it be his dancing or his obsession with my camera or his contagious laugh.

Traditional buildings at the family Easter celebration

My host family brought me to their church to celebrate the baptism of my 3-month-old host sister, August, and we also had a huge celebration at our home where I was able to meet the whole family. I also was able to attend Easter services with my family that were held at the cemetery in order to emphasize the idea of rebirth. After Easter services, there was a huge celebration at the home of some extended family where almost 80 family members attended. At the celebration, I was introduced to many people and was also given the honor of helping to prepare the meat. This meant that I had to help slice up the freshly slaughtered cow that was hanging on a wall. While it was probably one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever done, it also meant that I got to eat some of the most delicious steak I’ve ever had.

Oh and I ate some worms too.

Me and my host family. From left to right: baby August, Florencia, my host father David, Pini, Maggie, and Me

Saying goodbye to my family at the end of the week was extremely difficult because even though it had been such a short time, we had grown extremely close and had learned so much from one another. On the final night with my family, I gave them gifts and pictures of my family so that they could remember me. We also went on a photo shoot around the farm so that we could have pictures with each other. The next morning, my host parents wanted to give me something in return so they gathered up a picture of my host mother and her class (she is a preschool teacher) and my host dad gave me one of his traditional shirts. We then all had to say our goodbyes as Pini and my host sisters, Maggie and Florencia, walked me out. I’ll cherish my memories with them as long as I live and hopefully I can come back to visit again someday.

The beautiful sunset over the Mahangu

The Food/La Comida

December 2, 2015 / Bethany Weiss / 1 Comment

One of the best things about living with a host family while abroad is that you can experience traditional meals all the time. Actually, this really depends on your particular host family and I have been very lucky as my host mom loves to cook. I have enjoyed many Spanish dishes thanks to her and have even learned a little bit of cooking also.

When I told people I was going to study abroad in Spain, there were a few comments like “I hope you like tacos!” Let me tell you that Spain does not have Mexican food. Yes, Spain obviously speaks Spanish, but just because the language is the same in Latin America does not mean the food is the same. I have not had a single taco while I’ve been here simply because tacos are not Spanish. Since Spain is almost surrounded by the sea (except for France to the north and Portugal to the west), the Spanish eat a lot of seafood.

I have had tortilla de patatas and paella plenty of times because these are Spain’s two most famous dishes. Tortillas de patatas are definitely not the tortillas you are thinking about. Tortilla de patatas is sort of like an omelette. It is a mixture of eggs, thinly sliced potatoes, and sometimes onions. First the potatoes and onions are fried in a pan, and then the eggs are added to the mix and it all gets fried again. Some people also like to add spinach, zucchini, or other vegetables. It can be eaten warm or cold, in a sandwich or without. This is definitely one of my favorite dishes and it’s not hard to make!

Tortilla de patatas

The other most famous Spanish dish is paella. I describe this dish as sort of like a stir fry, but with a different taste. It has short grain rice, is yellow, and is cooked with saffron. The traditional form of this dish has vegetables and seafood, but there are so many different variations of paella that almost anything goes. Valencia is the home to paella and Valencian paella has rabbit and chicken in it. I did try this paella when visiting Valencia, and it really is great. There are over a hundred types of paella as each region, family, and restaurant has their own special recipe. Paella is often served with a lemon to squeeze over the rice. Traditionally, paella is a Sunday meal that families share together. My host mom does often make this on Sundays which I am extremely thankful for. Fideos is just like paella, but it is with tiny noodles instead of rice.

Valencian Paella

Paella

Fideos

One of the most famous desserts in Spain would have to be churros with chocolate. Yes, my host mom even makes the chocolate for this also! I have only bought this delicacy one time but I’ve had it multiple times as she likes to make it when it’s really cold out. The churros part is basically fried dough with sugar and the chocolate is melted, rich goodness that can be enjoyed either hot or cold.

The ham in Spain is almost a way of life. Jamón ibérico (referring to the Iberian Peninsula which is Spain and Portugal) is very famous and rightfully so. This ham has so much more flavor than any ham I’ve had in the US. In my opinion, the best way to savor this ham is with tomato and bread. My host mom usually crushes fresh tomatoes, spreads it on fresh bread, and add slices of this delicious ham. Back home, ham is not my favorite meat, so when I came here, I had no idea that I would like ham as much as I do now.

Jamón ibérico with bread and crushed tomatoes

Gazpacho is a tomato soup that is served cold. It’s very popular in the summertime because it’s refreshing, but getting past having cold soup was a little hard for me. Garlic and cucumber are also included along with other various vegetables. It’s not bad, but it’s not my favorite.

Gazpacho

Cocido madrileño is Madrid’s famous dish which is enjoyed by others all around Spain. It is a stew with garbanzo beans, sausage, ham, chicken, and vegetables. Like paella, there are variations, but this stew is great on a cold day.

Finally, the calamari sandwich is also surprisingly popular. In Madrid, there were plenty of restaurants with the calamari sandwich and beer special. It is just fried calamari on bread. Some people like to add mayonnaise so it’s not so dry. It really does not seem like this sandwich would be good, but it actually is. Usually it is accompanied with beer.

A calamari sandwich with Ambar, the beer of Zaragoza

Songyang, China

October 28, 2014 / Tobiah Meinzen / 0 Comments

This weekend our class visited Songyang, a “little” town three hours (by bus) southwest of Hangzhou. Although it definitely qualified as a city (our twelfth floor hotel rooms looked over rows of apartments), we did pass through some beautiful (small) mountains and lush tea plantations surrounding Songyang.

The trip cost was subsidized by the local government which meant we foreigners were under steady document of numerous cameras for the tours. Foreign tourists = good PR.

Our Valpo/Luther cohort was joined by four nursing students from the University of Evansville (in Indiana)! They were a great group and fun to get to know over the two days.

We arrived in Songyang around lunch time on Saturday and were treated to a local family-style meal. While a few dishes were new, the preparation methods and most foods were the same as we’ve found in Hangzhou. So while it was tasty, I would have welcomed a greater change in cuisine—wok-fried foods and soups can only go so far.

Our tour started with an introduction ceremony at a historic ‘mansion.’ The housing complex/mansion had been built and owned by a rich family in Songyang during the later Imperial China dynasties. We were ushered to seats in the complex’s courtyard while various Chinese officials took turns at the microphone. Unable to understand their numerous speeches the afternoon dragged on in the hot sun. I ended up more fascinated by the scattering of professional video cameras, DSLRs, and smartphones shooting videos and taking pictures around the perimeter. There must have been dozens of devices used during the ceremony, whether they were personal or for media/publication purposes I couldn’t tell. We ended up getting “certificates” (for what? visiting?) and having a group picture taken. Josh, the best Chinese speaker in our group gave a short speech and was swarmed with cameras like he was a celebrity.

After the long welcome ceremony we were given a tour of the housing complex, with attention exclusively on the ornate wooden carvings along the walls, pillars and ceilings. Besides the carvings the house was rather empty and we weren’t given any information about the different rooms. As shown in the picture above, the Cultural Revolution had unfortunately left it’s mark here as well, defacing many of the carvings. Similarly to the temples we have visited, this house placed a heavy emphasis on nature and animal symbolism in the decorations.

The next activity was definitely my favorite of the weekend, if not my whole stay in China thus far. We were taken to the edge of Songyang and given mountain bikes—no disclaimers/waivers/redtape or helmets… There wasn’t a designated leader so the most adventurous of us quickly wound our way into the tea fields along narrow paved lanes and dirt paths following a loosely marked course.

We snaked between rows of tea tree bushes, along the edges of ponds and across wooden boardwalks while the setting sun cast yellow rays across the verdant hills. It was beautiful and exhilarating. The bikes’ brakes and gearing were iffy which combined with sudden rises and drops tested our nascent mountain biking talents. I had a blast!

Dinner was similar to lunch, although I did put my vegetarian ways on a brief hiatus to try octopus. Chewy and inky, check that off my bucket list.

After dinner one of the Chinese guys organizing the weekend’s activities invited us to play basketball. Basketball is definitely the most popular sport in China and I was eager to give my recently-revived “skills” a real test. (I’ve been shooting hoops 2-3 times a week on the Yuquan campus.) Thank goodness us Americans came in at 6’6”, 6’4”, 6’1”, and 5’11” because otherwise we would’ve been throttled. Josh held his own, while the rest of us hit bricks and rebounded all night. It was a lot of fun even if our ball skills could use some serious work.

The next morning we returned to the site of our biking excursion the previous evening. This time the streets were packed with cyclists and spectators awaiting the race start. We wandered up and down the street passing food and clothing vendors, traditional musicians and dancers practicing for the “opening ceremony” and a slaughtered cow being hacked apart on the spot.

Though as soon as we stopped to watch the opening ceremony we became a spectacle ourselves—particularly Dan, the 6’6” football player in our group. We spent a solid thirty minutes standing, smiling, and laughing as scores of locals whipped out their smartphones to take pictures with us and of us. Interest in us was universal, from grandparents to toddlers (though some were scared), heck Dan even ended up holding a baby for photos. I guess he has practice now if he ever chooses to become a politician.

A few of our group were also invited to take part in a tea ceremony/demonstration which also thoroughly bemused the locals as we fumbled our way through pouring, stirring, and whirling. As an efficiency minded engineering the whole process seemed overly complex to just prepare a cup of tea. Though I guess I prepare tea to drink it—not as a statement of class or status.

After our brief time as celebrities we were taken to another historical townsite (similar to the previous day). Here we were given a walking tour during which we were reminded to smile and face the tour guide (for the cameras).

Our last agenda item was visiting a thousand year old pagoda—which also happened to be leaning slightly (Leaning Tower of Songyang?) so we were only allowed to the third level. Once again we were the subject of numerous cameras as we posed for a group picture in front of the pagoda.

After lunch at a Mao-era restaurant where the waitresses wore green fatigues we piled into the bus to return to Hangzhou and homework. The weekend passed far too quickly, but thus is the nature of study abroad.

Mr Egg and the Chinese countryside

October 11, 2014 / Tobiah Meinzen / 0 Comments

On Thursday morning Mr. Egg invited me visit his home. Mr. Egg (that’s his self-chosen English name) is a local who teaches English at a school near Yuquan Campus. We met a couple weeks earlier as Mr. Egg organizes informal weekly “English clubs” around Hangzhou. What I thought was going to be a couple hours at Mr. Egg’s apartment turned out to be an overnight trip into the Chinese countryside and an intimate look at (one form of) Chinese lifestyle.

We used Hangzhou’s extensive bus system to get out of the city. At one point where we switched buses we met up with Mr. Egg’s girlfriend, Sue, a nurse in Hangzhou. The Hangzhou bus system operates very similarly to those in the United States, with the exception of personal space—during rush hour many buses are packed to the doors. On our hour long journey into the countryside the bus “played” leap-frog with mountain bikers and moped riders. The bus stayed on a high way intermittently broken by stop lights. Besides in Beijing I haven’t seen any roadways around Hangzhou that would qualify as interstates, so even when the roads are not crowded the traffic is slower than in the U.S.

From a countryside bus station we took a brief taxi ride to Sue’s family home. When we arrived her parents were cooking lunch in a make-shift outdoor kitchen. Behind the kitchen her family’s new home was being built. We took a brief walk along the narrow lane around the neighborhood. Almost every home had a dog (for scare off thieves Mr Egg told me) and chickens roamed freely. Ponds, small vegetable patches, crumbling brick walls, groves of bamboo were wedged between houses and small fields of tea trees.

The rural homes were actually quite surprising to me. First off they almost all lacked any sort of grassy front yard which was instead almost wholly paved over. The homes themselves were quite large (I’d estimate +1,500 sq. ft.), built on a roughly square base, two or three stories, and with rather fancy exterior decorations. I wonder if the rather opulent exteriors had to do with the notion of “face”? The homes were also built entirely of concrete—almost as if they were a mini apartment.

Sue’s family was welcoming and seemed very relaxed, unfortunately communication was limited as it had to be translated by Mr Egg. Lunch was quite a feast, which Mr Egg emphasized was natural and organic—much of the produce had been grown by the family! Interestingly both at Sue’s and at Mr Egg’s we ate at different times from the parents (and grandparents). The food was far more than we could eat (and given how it was prepared I doubted it could be easily saved for leftovers). While I prefer not to waste food, I expect that over abundance of food was a purposeful way to honor guests and show one’s “wealth.”

Although Mr Egg referred to Sue as his girlfriend, they are what we’d call engaged, (Mr Egg refers to Sue’s parents as his in-laws). I learned that they will get married next year when Sue’s family’s home is finished. According to Mr Egg their “engagement” came by visiting both sets of parents and seeking their approval. Therefore “meeting the parents” is a pretty serious affair in China. Weddings (or at least Mr Egg and Sue’s) will have no formal service but instead be comprised of fancy dinner gatherings for friends and family at both of the family’s residences. I also learned that cohabitation is not frowned upon in China.

After lunch we took a taxi to Mr Egg’s small town where his father picked us up in a new Lexus SUV. We stopped by the family bamboo mat factory to move some mats inside in case it rained. The factory was worn but well kept, reminding me of the canneries in Alaska, and a pallet of boxes stamped with ‘Made in China’ was a quick reminder of how globalized even small businesses have become.

Mr Egg’s grandparents live with his parents in a large home nestled between steep bamboo forested hills. Actually, their old home still stands next to their new one. The old one is used as a garage for laundry, moped storage, and the old fireplace-heated bathtub. The interior of the house was surprisingly empty, exposed CFL bulbs often hung from cords poking out of the peeling and dirty plaster, cooking was done between a gas stove and woodfire heated wok, while a big flat screen TV broadcast CCTV the entire time.

Between meals we were offered tea along with nuts, grapes, dates, and dragon-fruit. After a dinner with similar food to lunch we visited Mr Egg’s aunt who lived just down the road and talked with her for a while. I asked Mr Egg about the Hong Kong protests, he was aware of them and seemed passively supportive, insinuating that democracy was probable eventually in China. It makes sense I guess, while China is economically expanding most people (such as Mr Egg) have little urge to disturb the political norm.

I never got the impression that countryside life was declining (whereas American small towns often seem to be struggling)—simply the job and entertainment offerings of cities were so much larger. Mr Egg felt bored at his family home. A funeral had taken place earlier in the day and Mr Egg told me briefly about it although his vague explanation exposed the growing distance of the younger generation from the traditions of his parents.

Overall I found the trip to be fascinating, from the style of countryside homes to the interactions of multigenerational households, to the focus on food as the center of hospitality in what was otherwise a very casual setting.

written 10/5/2014

Myself, Mr Egg and Henney (from Norway)

Lunch!

Bamboo mats

Mr Egg’s family home

Outside Mr Egg’s family home

Just up the road from Mr Egg’s home

A hilltop tea tree plantation above Mr Egg’s home

Dragonfruit!

Cooking dinner!

The Best Things I Ate: The European Tour

May 9, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

It’s time for the last installment of “The best things I ate.” Check out parts 1 and 2 if you haven’t yet. This time, instead of dishes from Germany, I’ve collected all of my favorite meals from various countries I visited over spring break. Since this post required extensive research, it will be rather long, but I have to share these things because they are such an important part of why I love travel, and they are what inspire me to create new recipes of my own. Whether I’m at home or halfway around the world, I try to branch out and try new things, as well as authentic classics, and here, you’ll see a good mix of both, organized by city.

Prague:

This was the first dinner I had in the first city of break, and it was a great way to kick it all off! It was roast pork with horseradish mashed potatoes and a gorgeous gravy. It was classic Czech food with a little added elegance. Another reason to love Prague is that even fancy restaurants are ridiculously cheap because of the exchange rate!

This little treat is something I grew up eating at home. Kolacky are little Bohemian cookies filled with jelly or cream cheese that come in all shapes and sizes. I saw these at a bakery stand at a local festival and just had to have a real one!

Budapest:

For even cheaper fancy food, this is the place for you! This was my birthday dinner, chicken with beetroot risotto. I’m not really a fan of beets, but I am a huge fan of risotto, so I decided to take a risk and order it. And not only does it look beautiful, it tasted perfect too!

Vienna:

A long time ago, I did an entire post about my favorite foods in Vienna, but one thing I regretted missing out on the first time was some real Wiener Schnitzel. So this time, I found a restaurant that was really popular with the locals and finally had some. Some of my friends got the giant version that was bigger than the plate, but I opted for this one to get the sides. That way, it didn’t look entirely like a heart attack on a plate. At least there was some lettuce.

Venice:

Unlike Prague and Budapest, food in Venice can get pretty expensive. But one thing that’s always a deal is pizza. Honestly, my favorite pizza in the world is still Chicago style deep-dish, but for authenticity’s sake, this one was pretty good too. But it was a struggle to eat with a knife and fork.

Rome:

It was here that I first learned how to eat like an Italian. Apparently, the giant bowl of pasta is only the first course, and you’re supposed to have room for a meat course after that. I usually just picked one or the other, but this pesto was my favorite pasta course, mostly because I believe you can never have too much basil.

Cinque Terre:

As a general rule, whenever I’m lucky enough to go to a restaurant where I can see the ocean from my table, I order fish. And that’s almost the only time I order fish. This was the first time that I ever got one with the head still attached, but after respectfully laying a piece of lettuce over the face, I thoroughly enjoyed this meal.
So far, I haven’t mentioned any restaurants by name, but I feel compelled to for this next one. Based on rave reviews from Rick Steves and Tripadvisor, I had to try Il Pirata in the tiny town of Vernazza. I’m sure all their food is great, but I specifically wanted to go for breakfast.

First, there’s this little cup of wonderful. The owner gave us a little free sample, describing the mix of fresh strawberry slush and whipped cream as “the Italian yoghurt.” That little taste was not enough. And just the fact that this is considered just like yoghurt here is just another reason why I love this country.

Finally, yes, I did order a cannoli for breakfast. I had to do it, and it was the best one I’ve ever had. And now I know better than to order a pre-filled one. These are filled only after you order them so that they stay delightfully fresh and crunchy.

So that’s how I ate my way across Europe. Next week, I’ll write my last post as I prepare to go home for the summer. I’m sure it’ll be bittersweet and super cliché, but hopefully it’s a good final chapter.

The Best Things I Ate This Month: Part 2

March 23, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

Since this wasn’t the most exciting week for me, instead of writing about going to class and doing homework, I thought it was time for the next installment of my favorite foods of Europe. As you are probably well aware, one of my favorite things about living in Europe is eating in Europe. Since my last “Best of” food post was so much fun to write (and research) I have, in fact, decided to make it a series. For each of the four months of my travels, I will post the very best things I ate. While the first post was dedicated to German favorites, this one also includes culinary pleasures from Austria and Paris. Since I only spend 36 hours in Paris, there’s no way I could possibly do its incredible cuisine justice, but rest assured, I’ll be back someday. I have many, many things to share this month, so this is going to be mostly pictures (in chronological order) with short commentary.

First, the Thüringer Wurst, my first experience with street food. Surprisingly good for just 1 euro!

Next, there’s Spaghetti-Eis. It looks like spaghetti, but it’s ice cream. And it’s terrific!

I had this meal in a very old Austrian restaurant in Salzburg. It’s pork roast with the best gravy and a giant Knödel. That’s a dumpling, but I just like the word Knödel.

This was my meal at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich. This establishment isn’t exactly known for the food, so the schnitzel cordon bleu was just okay.

The apple strudel, however, was perfect. Fresh and not too sweet.

On a day trip to Ulm, we stopped at a little café for cake and coffee. This is a slice of blueberry goodness.

And now, on to Paris! The first thing I ate there (besides the free breakfast at the hostel) was a Nutella crêpe. They don’t skimp on the Nutella!

While in Paris, we decided to have one splurge dinner at a real brasserie. The steak-frites was great!

And the crème brûlée was even better! That crunch of the sugar on top is the sound of perfection!

So those were the highlights. Over the next month, I’ll continue to be that tourist, taking pictures of all my food, so I can share it all with you! And next week, I’ll have more travel experiences to share!

View on the way down

Coastal Living

March 3, 2014 / Maddy Rainaud-Owens / 5 Comments

This weekend our group of 15 set out on a 4 hour road trip to a coastal town called Swakopmund- an area inhabited originally by locals, settled by Germans, and houses a genocide in its history known by few around the world. The four hour drive quickly passed through naps and a stop for some junk food at a rest station we passed along the way. Swakop greeted us with palm trees, and beautiful desert dunes meeting the Atlantic Ocean. Though I definitely could have gone for weeks longer stay, it was the perfect little taste of what the coast has to offer.

Desert meet coast

Our first day was spent touring the beach town, the local township Mondesa, and the informal settlement as well. During these tours we got to visit a traditional Herero woman, a Dama lady as well as the chief of the Damara tribe who is the first woman chief. While speaking with the Herero woman, we learned a little about the Herero genocide and the effect it has had on the survivors lives today. During the genocide from 1904-1907, 80% of the Herero population were killed by the Germans. . . Yet in the middle of Swakopmund stands a large statue dedicated to those Germans who lost their lives, while the Herero men, women, and children have just a small piece of marble dedicated to them on the outskirts of town.

German Memorial

OvaHerero Memorial

The following day we headed out to Walvis Bay, a short 20 minute drive from Swakop. Walvis Bay houses the large international port, NamPort, where goods are constantly being shipped in and out internationally. During our time, we met with a man who works for NamPort as well as a man who works for the export processing zones (EPZs). While in Walvis, we also got the chance to travel out to the Topnaar community. The Topnaar community grows a plant called the !Nara that sprouts melons, which they then roast the seeds and sell them. I actually got to try some of the seeds, and they were delicious!

Me with the !Nara melon

Last but not least, the adventures began. We set out to climb Dune 7; the tallest dune in Namibia and if that’s not cool enough, it’s the oldest desert in the entire world. The climb up took about 15 minutes, and was definitely way more tiring than it looked. As the sand slips underneath your feet, you feel like you’re getting no where, but alas, we made it! And the view from the top was worth it a million times over. Our weekend was also comprised of nights spent on the beach, and dinners spent watching sunsets; I can’t complain!

Atop Dune 7

But the highlight of my weekend, and so far marks the best day of my life was when I decided to fly 10,000 feet in the air and jump out of a plane. Because 2 out of 4 of us were getting our jumps filmed, we had to split up. I was last, but to say I was excited would be a ridiculous understatement; my biggest fear being the tiny little plane I had to go up in, not actually jumping out; I’m not quite sure how I justified that one in my head. But nonetheless, I watched the altimeter climb up by thousands and the nerves kicked in quite a bit once we got to 9,000 feet. As I lifted my legs out of the door and let my feet hang out into the whipping wind, it suddenly became real. Head back, hands on the harness, move as one, ready.. set.. go!! I began to fly. As I free fell for 30 seconds and descended down for 5 minutes I looked out at the beautiful coastline; the only place in the world the desert sand dunes meet the ocean – absolutely breathtaking seeing the earth curve and feeling like I was just apart of the sky. And oh my gosh, I wish I could put it into words, but I truly believe it’s physically impossible. No, my stomach didn’t drop, no it wasn’t scary, it was literally human flight, and I would do it a hundred times over if I could. And.. come to think of it I just might have to. So as a little plug for all the crazies out there, if you’ve ever considered skydiving, do it. And even if you haven’t, do it. Don’t think about it, don’t question it, just do it. It will be the greatest thing you will ever do. Hands down. Because I can’t put it into words, I’ll leave you with two quotes they left me with.

View on the way down

“You must jump to know. No words can describe the incredible rush when the wind invites you to play. You are one of the few, for a brief moment you doubt but the doubt is short lived. As gravity pulls you from the safety of the plane you understand, this is freedom. No turning back now but who would want to? the dream of human flight. you know what it means to skydive.”

Free fall

“Once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.”

Thanks again for reading,

Xoxo

Maddy

1 Month Down, 3 More to Love

February 20, 2014 / Maddy Rainaud-Owens / 1 Comment

To live alone with a family for a week that you know very little about is something not many would describe as “comfortable”. At our first homestay in Soweto, each of us were placed with one other CGE student, but not this time. I was picked up by my host mother Johanna last Monday and the adventures began. To say I was nervous would be an understatement, but we were told this was all about stepping out of our comfort zone.. or as I’d describe it.. jumping. As a few hours went by, my nerves quickly subsided as I was welcomed by a lovely family who made me feel right at home. And hey, I can’t complain because I got to eat traditional Namibian food all week, which included eating my weight in pap .. and I’m totally okay with that. (Pap, pronounced pop, is a dish made from the grain mealy meal, which I like to describe as a hybrid between mashed potatoes and rice, totally delicious)

Chicken and some PAP!

Throughout the week my host mom took me back and forth between home and our Center for Global Education (CGE) house for classes or to be taken to my internship. Throughout the week I lived with my host mom, Johanna, host dad, Harris, host cousin, Martin, and host Aunt, Irene. They live in Khomasdal which is a small area in Windhoek. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I got to spend with them, getting to know more about Windhoek and Namibia in general. On Saturday, Johanna and I made a trip to her eldest daughters house who has a 2 year old son and a brand new 1 week old baby. Maybe or maybe not one of the cutest babies I’ve ever seen. Sadly enough, I didn’t bring my camera so I don’t have any photos to show you of the little one. On my last night, I was taught how to make pap which I will definitely be bringing back to the states with me. It was sad to say goodbye to my family, but I’m planning on meeting up with them again before I leave to Cape Town in May.

My Wonderful Host Family

Classes are in full swing here at CGE, and our group is finally realizing that “study abroad” actually entails reading, studying, reading, and some more reading. By far my favorite part of my trip so far is still my internship. Working with the little ones twice a week is great and I love seeing the progress they’re making. I zoned in on one little guy named Johnathan who stole my heart. Cute as a button and quiet as a mouse, I couldn’t stay away for long. While working with Johnathan on his numbers and letters, I began to notice that between each letter or number he wrote, he would look up at me to make sure he was getting it right. I would simply nod and he would smile and go on to the next digit. I quickly fell in love with the little guy, but just yesterday I received the oh so bittersweet news he wouldn’t be returning to FHS but instead would be starting at a new formal school. It’s awesome that he’s moving up in his education, but I’m sad that I won’t be there to see him progress.

Johnathan counting with crayons

Today in our history class, we had the incredible privilege to hear Professor Kerina speak. Mr.Kerina was the first Namibian to travel to the United States for education where he attended Lincoln University. While in college, he spoke with the UN about Namibia’s need for independence as well as obtained personal support from John F. Kennedy when some in Southern Africa were trying to have him deported out of the US. If these weren’t cool enough things Mr.Kerina had done in his life, he also was good friends with Malcolm X and Maya Angelou. He oh so casually talked about his Friday lunches with Malcolm X as everyone in the room looked around at each other dumbfounded. But wait.. he gets even more awesome. He went on to be apart of the creation of SWAPO as well as, wait for it.. wait for it… he named Namibia. Yeah.. you read that right.

Our Group with Mr.Kerina

Things are getting exciting here in Windhoek, and my peanut butter addiction is growing daily. Planning for spring break has begun which entails Victoria falls, white water rafting, elephant rides, walking with lions, bungee jumping, canoeing or a sunset cruise. You mean I have to choose just 2? Swakopmund, Etosha and rural homestays are in our near future, and my first month in Southern Africa is officially complete. So with that, I leave you with a little video I made.. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading and thank you to everyone for your constant support!

xoxo

Maddy

Bonus Post: One Month of Yummy German Food

February 11, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

As some of you may know, I first entered the world of blogging with a recipe site. Besides travel, cooking is one of my favorite hobbies, and often, I find that one of the best ways to experience a new place is through food. So since I won’t be able to do a normal post until after our next 10-day trip, I thought I’d give you all a taste of a little something different (no pun intended.) These are just a few of the best things I’ve eaten in Germany so far.

German cuisine isn’t exactly world-renowned, but I’ve always had a special place in my heart for it. After all, I named my blog after it. Besides the fact that it’s delicious, I love it because it’s associated with some of the best memories I have of travel, new friends, and a general adventurous spirit. It’s the discovery of all these yummy things that I never knew existed before, yet now can’t stand to live without. What was my life before I discovered German cheesecake and Milka chocolate and Käsespätzle? I don’t even know anymore. And that’s why I feel so compelled to share all my international favorites with you. Because you deserve to get to know and love these things too.

Let’s start with Maultaschen:
Maultaschen are a Swabian (regional) specialty. They’re like giant ravioli filled with all kings of goodness. I actually don’t know what all is in the filling, but I know part of it is meat because Maultaschen were originally invented as a way for Catholics to conceal the fact that they were eating meat during Lent. This was my first real meal in Reutlingen. Served with salad and potatoes, with a glass of Apfelschrole, it was a perfect, authentic welcome.

And now the Berlin mega-platter :
When we were in Berlin for a class trip, our professor took us all out to dinner at a restaurant known for Berlin specialties. There, you can order the same sampler platter for however many people in your party. We had 10 people, so we got 2 of these massive plates. Once again, I don’t even know what all of it was. I just know that it was terrific. The pièce de résistance was that beautiful pork shoulder in the middle. We ate probably six times the amount that we should have that night, but hey, no regrets. Man lebt nur einmal.

Now, the best Jägerschnitzel I’ve ever had in my life and probably ever will:

Jägerschnitzel, or Hunter’s Schnitzel in English is like Wiener Schnitzel, but with with a rich mushroom and wine sauce on top. The sauce really takes it to the next level, and I don’t just say that because of my unconditional love for wine sauces. There was just something about this particular one at this off-the-beaten-path restaurant in Cologne that set it apart from the rest.

And now for some sweet treats:

Milka is my favorite chocolate on the planet. Sure, Ritter Sport is more famous globally, and Swiss and Belgian chocolates are generally considered the top tier, but Milka is the chocolate of the people here. It’s cheap, unpretentious, and still a thousand times better than a Hershey bar. I haven’t eaten a Hershey bar in the three years since I converted to Milka and I never will again. Luckily for me, Milka is getting easier to find in the US. You can usually find it at Target if you look really hard. This butter cookie kind is my favorite so far:

And surprisingly, they have an oreo version even though oreos aren’t popular here. It’s almost as good as a Hershey’s cookies & creme. Okay I lied before, I do still love Hershey’s cookies & creme only.

And the best for last, my beloved German cheesecake:
One day in Stuttgart we had lunch at the greatest place on Earth, Vapiano, and I could barely contain my excitement when I saw this cheesecake in the dessert case. So there I was, eating my favorite food in the world in my favorite place in the world (all on my university’s dime, by the way) and thinking this is the life.

I was so excited, I couldn’t wait to take the picture before digging in. Later that week, I get inspired to make my version of this, and even with limited ingredients, iffy metric conversions, and only a pyrex casserole dish instead of a springform, the result tasted just how it should.

Those are my favorite meals and snacks so far. Maybe I’ll make tis a monthly series, because I’ll always be that tourist who inappropriately pulls out a camera in a restaurant. But I feel compelled to do it because there’s just so much left to discover and share.

So viele Erlebnisse, one Post

October 15, 2013 / hannahheagy / 0 Comments

: Klosterkirche Birnau on the Bodensee! SO gorgeous!

Wow. I haven’t posted anything for so long that I honestly don’t even know where to begin. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of Oktoberfests (yes, more than one), last shenanigans with the full Deutsch-Kompakt group, some travel and finally registering and preparing for normal university classes, which start next week. I am definitely looking forward to a more consistent schedule. This will allow me to make a budget for food and other necessities based on guaranteed time slots where I can be home to cook, do laundry, etc. A concrete schedule will also allow me to spend more time keeping all of you updated with more stories from Deutschland! Jetzt verspreche ich euch, dass es ein neues Blog jede Montag geben wird! Translation? I promise to post a new blog every Monday (unless I let you know otherwise), so be sure to keep checking back each week to see what new adventures I’m up to. Now a re-cap of the past few weeks and some reflections after over a month of living here in Tübingen.

Bodensee Excursion! The week before the end of Deutsch-Kompakt, our class had a day-long excursion to the Bodensee, a lake near the Swiss border, and some cities around it. First we visited a beautiful Rokoko church, the Klosterkirche Birnau, on the lake, then took a short hike and made our way to Meersberg, where we toured a castle and strolled around town. From Meersberg we took a ferry to Konstanz, a city that is actually partly inSwitzerland. We had two hours of free time before eating dinner together, so a group of us decided to rent a paddle boat and boat on the Bodensee. The weather was perfect and we had so much fun! Another group of Deutsch-Kompakt people had gone swimming in the lake, and we stopped by and picked them up in our boats. We ended the day with a dinner at a Turkish

: Museum on the Bodensee!

restaurant. Turkish food, especially Döner, a type of meat, is so popular in Germany and I’m definitely a fan (In Tübingen I have a punch card at the Döner restaurant near my house, and I’m almost at my tenth kebab on the house!) Our time at the Bodensee was great, and I wished Deutsch-Kompakt could last for the whole year!

: Paddle boat ride in Konstanz!

Oktoberfest München! After taking German classes since eighth grade, Oktoberfest was definitely something that I couldn’t miss being in Germany this season. A lot of people from Deutsch-Kompakt wanted to go, so we all

: Unfortunately my phone died at Oktoberfest and I didn’t get a lot of pictures 🙁

booked bus tickets together for the last weekend of September. Arriving in Munich early Saturday morning was surreal for me. I visited Munich with my high school German class about three years ago, and our trip was unforgettable. This trip was great for remembering great memories from my first visit to Munich as well as making new ones. We arrived at the Theresienwiese (festival grounds) at around 10:30am and the park was already PACKED. We spent the day in the tents as well as riding rides and exploring the city. We decided that one day wasn’t enough for Munich or Oktoberfest, so we decided to leave on Sunday afternoon instead of Saturday night. The problem with that? We hadn’t booked a hostel or any place to sleep. Although after a long day, night, and short “power nap” in the Munich train station, we didn’t regret our decision to stay the extra day. A few people in our group stumbled upon a church with service times posted on the door on a late-night walk around the Munich old town and decided to go the next day. The service had a choir and orchestra and was one of the most gorgeous experiences I’ve had in Germany. I play cello and sing, and I’ve missed hearing and participating in choir and orchestra.

Cenerentola stage at the Opernhaus!

Stuttgart! On the last day of Deutsch-Kompakt our class took an excursion to Stuttgart to visit the city and see Rossini’s Cenerentola (Cinderella in English/Aschenputtel auf Deutsch). Walking around town with everyone was fun. We shopped around and went to a market place. After a quick Chinese buffet dinner, we headed to the opera and found our seats. The Stuttgart Opernhaus is one of the most famous opera houses in the world, and I was really surprised to hear that their interpretation of Cenerentola would be modern (the cast wore modern clothes, etc.). I really liked the idea, but I wondered if I would have liked the opera better with the original costumes. I enjoyed the opera overall and had a successful day in Stuttgart!

Cannstadter Wasen/Goodbyes: On the Friday after the last day of Deutsch Kompakt (our Wednesday trip to Stuttgart) a group of us visited the Stuttgart version of Oktoberfest- the Cannstadter Volksfest. I actually liked the festival better than the Theresienwiese because there were a lot less tourists. The tents were a lot less crowded and we were able to sit at a table and eat lunch without worrying about being kicked out to make room for another group. After leaving the Wasen we all went back to Tübingen for a goodbye party for our friends from Sweden. Their program in Tübingen was just Deutsch-Kompakt, so they are back home already. They are some of the funnest people ever and we miss them here so much, but we are visiting them in Uppsala this December! SO excited!

Oberstdorf/Spielmannsau travels! In between Deutsch-Kompakt and our University classes we have a little bit of a break. Some of us used this break as an opportunity to travel around Germany/Europe. A group went to Berlin and a couple people went to Italy and Spain. A group of friends and I decided


Realization that it’s not going to stop snowing this weekend.

that a hiking adventure and some fresh air before classes would do us some good, so we set out to Oberstdorf and Spielmannsau, two small mountain towns in Bavaria for a weekend. We thought we would be able to hike a lot more because “the snow line was going to be pretty far up the mountain” but we were so wrong. The “snow line” pretty much began at our hostel and continued all the way up the mountains surrounding it. Although almost nobody brought good snow shoes, we made the best of the weather and had an awesome time playing in the snow, had one day of good winter hiking despite some fog, and relaxed in our hostel and cooked our own meals. It was a great and well-budgeted trip, and now I feel even more ready for classes this semester as well as the coming cold weather (in Tübingen and Sweden!)

I still can’t believe that I’ve been in Germany for over a month. I spent two months in Chile two summers ago, and at the time those two months felt like a long time to spend in another country (although they felt way too short when they were over). In the past month I’ve learned so much about German grammar, re-learned how to live in another country while learning the language, and developed more confidence with the German language and in approaching new people (while speaking German). In an international group like Deutsch-Kompakt, most people speak English. It is so easy to slip from German into English mode, since that’s usually the most effective way to communicate with everybody. Since we all have the same goal of learning German, we have to motivate each other to practice, and that is everyone’s job, including mine. I do feel that my German has improved very much, despite sometimes speaking ein bisschen Englisch (y también un poco español).

: One of my favorite photos with some great people.

Also, bis Montag alle! Expect another blog from me next week about the crazy process of class registration in Germany! If you want to read about the last few weeks in more detail, check out my friend Sarah’s blog. She’s been so great (a lot better than I have been) about writing a lot and keeping up to date with blogging about the Deutsch-Kompakt group happenings.

Check back here on Monday, und auf Wiedersehen!

Peace.

Valpo Voyager

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