Germany – Page 2 – Valpo Voyager

Tag: Germany (page 2 of 6)

Spring Break Part 2: La Dolce Vita

After the first week of break, the first three cities, I already felt like I had seen a lot, done, a lot, and walked a lot. But the Odyssey continued. After one of the longest train rides I have ever been on, we arrived in Venice to start our full week of exploring Italy. Now, Italy was one of the specific places we were “strongly advised”not to go, mainly because of pickpocketing and other issues that past groups have dealt with there. But I’ve always wanted to go to Italy. I know at least a dozen people who have spent extended time there and have never had a problem. And the truth is, there are a lot of more dangerous places to go in the world, places that I actually do want to see someday. So I respectfully ignored the warnings, and guess what! I had a great time with no problems at all, and never once felt unsafe. So my advice is to go to Italy. Be a nerdy tourist and strap your valuables to your body, research good places to stay, don’t talk to strangers, and just go! During the week, we went to Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre, and Florence. Once again, I’ll try my best to sum up all the fun.

Venice:
I loved Venice. In fact, it’s one of my favorite cities. However, this place gets a lot of mixed reviews. People either love it or hate it. I love it because it is exactly as beautiful as I pictured it. It’s just a beautiful city that looks like it hasn’t changed much in centuries. The main thing to do there is just to walk around and get lost in the narrow streets. And you will get lost. There’s really not much point in looking at maps, and it will take you about four times longer to find things than you would expect. Some people don’t have the patience for this, but I found it fun. Instead of rushing around to a million tourist attractions, you can just wander, take your time, and enjoy the views. The public transport system here is the water bus, which is especially fun to ride at night, to see the city light up. One thing I regret missing out on was a gondola ride. People seem to think they are a tourist trap, but in reality, they actually aren’t that expensive. If you get a full group of 6 people, the cost would divide to 13 euros per person. If I had realized this sooner, I would have done it, so I’ll have to come back someday.

Rome:

I wanted to love it, I really did. I liked it, but in the end, I think it fell a little short of my expectations. Don’t get me wrong, there are a ton of things in Rome that everyone should see in their lifetime, but now that I have seen them, I feel like I can just check this place off the list. Experienced travelers recommend that if Rome is “too much for you” you shouldn’t go further south, implying that it is one of the more intense tourist destinations. While I do think that it was a little much for me, this wasn’t because it was somehow too intensely Italian. It was because of the hoards of crazed tourists. There were just too many people in town. I’m sure it had a lot to do with the fact that we were there right after Easter, but still, I’ve never had a stronger urge to shove people in my life. It’s a shame because the museums, the ruins, and the Vatican are beautiful. I probably would have loved it if it were February. Go to Rome, but book museum tickets in advance, and remember to bring extra patience.

Cinque Terre:
This area is a slice of heaven. Formerly known as “Italy’s Hidden Riviera,” it has now been discovered and become a top destination (Thanks, Rick Steves.) It’s five tiny, quaint towns along Italy’s western coast, linked together by hiking trails and trains. Unfortunately, the trials were closed when we were there, and the train system could use a lot of help. But if someday, they can fix it, so that it doesn’t take 2 hours to go 5 minutes up the road, this place would be absolutely perfect. I may seriously consider learning Italian, moving here, and opening up a bed and breakfast. It would be a good life.

Florence:
I really enjoyed Florence, the birthplace of the renaissance. Some people I know may take offense to this, but I thought of it as a more manageable, mini version of Rome. There are plenty of museums and attractions to see, but it maintains a somewhat relaxed atmosphere. And it’s walkable, which is always a plus. Aside from admiring all the renaissance art, my favorite part of the day here was walking up to Piazza Michelangelo, where I took this photo:

So that’s Italy. I loved it, and am so glad I decided to go after all. I’m proud of myself for getting through over two weeks of intense travel. Each of these places challenged me. I clearly wasn’t in Germany anymore, but I learned a lot. I learned how to read a map and not get lost, how to get lost and be okay with it, how to get by in places where I didn’t speak the languages, and how to get up every day and look for adventure. But as much as I loved all the places we went over break, the most important thing I learned is that Germany is my home, and I can’t ever take it for granted. I now have a greater appreciation for the fact that I know how things work here, that I can speak German, and that this is also a very unique and beautiful country. It’s good to be home!

Field Trips and Travel Tips

April 1, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted an update on my life here. That’s mostly because I haven’t had the opportunity to travel for the past two weekends, but in that time, I’ve still had a few little adventures, and I’ve made a point of taking the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of European life. The sunny and 75 degree weather we’ve had here has really helped with that! So I’ll share a few of those little things, and then I want to switch gears and offer some practical tips for travel and hosteling. Not that I’m an expert or anything, but I’ve learned a few things I wish I had known before.
In addition to all the free time we have for international travel, there are a handful of shorter field trips organized by the program, as well as several independent day trips we can do for fun. Last month, we went to Rottweil for the Fasching, or mardi gras parade. This is a very strange, but wildly popular phenomenon here, that’s hard to compare with anything in the US. Then, there’s something the whole world can understand: The chocolate factory.

Ritter Sport, my second favorite chocolate brand, conveniently has a factory very close to Reutlingen. It has two small museums, but the real attraction is the back room of the factory store, where they sell broken chocolate, discontinued flavors, and experimental test flavors for less than half-price. I came home with about 5lbs of chocolate.

Last week, we took another field trip with our econ class to the Daimler (Mercedes) Factory. Cars aren’t really my thing, but it was interesting to learn about how they are built.

Finally, tomorrow we are going to a nearby castle and then a wine tasting event, so I’m excited, and I will report on that later.
The other way I’ve been occupying my time lately is with planning my spring break. In our 17 days, we will go to Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre, and Florence. I’m extremely excited about all of those places. Dozens of people have told me that Prague and Budapest are amazing, before I ever went to Paris, Vienna was my favorite city in the world, and Italy as a whole has been on my bucket list for years. It’s an amazing blessing to be able to go to all of these places, but the planning process is not easy. Here are 10 things for future study abroaders to keep in mind when planning budget travel:

1. Be realistic about distances in Europe.
Before I got here, I said I wanted to go to about 15 different countries, including Greece, Croatia, Spain, Denmark, and more. But those places are really farther away than they look on a map. Now, many people studying here in previous years have gone to these places, either by plane or overnight train. But overnight trains are just not for me, and I’d rather use my rail pass than fly, so I had to scale back my plans a little. I decided to stay closer so that I didn’t end up spending half of my trip on a train, but of course, this is a personal preference that is different for everyone.

2. Don’t be too picky about accommodations.
This one is really hard for me. Most hostels are not as nice as most hotels, and there’s no good way around that. Read reviews before you book, but try not to let one or two bad ones cancel out 100 good ones. My paranoia has taught me that if you look hard enough, you will inevitably find at least one horrifying review of every place, but odds are, your experience there will be at least ok.

3. You get what you pay for.
It’s not always best to pick the absolute cheapest hostels. In some cities, I have seen them for less than 5 euros, but something seems off about that to me. There must be a reason. Usually it has to do with the location. While it may seem convenient to stay right next to the train station, in most cities, this is generally not the best neighborhood. The hostels I have stayed in have all been between 15 and 30 euros, which is still a steal compared to hotels.

4. Don’t settle and listen to your gut.
I don’t expect luxury at any of these places, but if I have any rational reason to believe that a hostel is not clean and safe, I won’t settle. Of course you don’t really know until you get there, but odds are, if your gut is telling you no, theres a better option out there. Be patient and keep looking.

5. Have a city map before you go.
Hostels will give you city maps for free, but that doesn’t help you when you just got off the train at midnight and need to find the place. And don’t rely on cellphone GPS.

6. Know the difference between hostels and hotels.
In most hostels, the beds are bunked. You can usually get sheets at check-in, but you have to make the bed yourself. You may or may not be sharing a bathroom. Some hostels have lockouts in the middle of the day for cleaning. Some offer free breakfast, some make you pay for it, and some don’t have it. Free wifi is rare. There is usually no furniture besides beds. None of these things are really a problem, but I’m always amazed at the reviewers who whine about these things like they didn’t expect them.

7. Bring a towel, pillow liner, combination lock, and flip-flops.
Hostels can charge over 5 euros just for a towel. Some have lockers without locks. Some of the pillows could be cleaner. Be prepared, and you’ll be fine.

8. Always get the cancellation insurance.
ALWAYS. It’s about 2 extra euros.

9. Don’t wait until the last minute.
Most of the time, we haven’t had problems booking about 5 days ahead, but the earlier, the better. Especially in the bigger cities (i.e. Paris and Rome), the best places sell out faster than you’d expect.

10. Look for alternative accommodation.
Most of the time we pick hostels from popular sites like hostelworld.com, but there are other options. Some people suggest looking for “budget hotels.” In my experience, this hasn’t been a very viable option. However, with a little research, you can find some other gems. For example, we found the only hostel in the 1st district of Paris directly through their website, but it wasn’t listed on booking sites. In Rome, it’s apparently very popular to stay cheaply in convents and monasteries. Since those were booked up, we emailed the most popular hostel in the city, and even though they were full too, they directed us to their blog of recommended accommodations, where we found an affordable B&B in a great location. Sometimes you have to hunt a little or send a few emails, but it’s worth the extra effort.

So that’s my two cents about hosteling. It’s definitely a learning experience, but it can be very rewarding. I’m off to Paris again this weekend, and then break starts the week after that!

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!

Switzerland and Feeling Like the World is Yours

March 16, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

We’ve officially past the halfway point of the semester. The feeling that comes with that realization is incredibly difficult to describe. First of all, I’m proud of myself for doing a thousand things I never thought I could. I’m sad to see the time passing so quickly, but since I have another whole year here to look forward to now, I’m actually really excited to go home for the summer and be with friends and family for a while before round two. Knowing that I have more time has gotten rid of the sense of urgency I had to go everywhere and do everything as soon as possible, which feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Still, I know that my experience next year will be nothing like this semester, so I’m trying to really cherish all the unique opportunities I have now.
The most exciting of these opportunities is the backpacking/hosteling/eurail riding experience. It’s one giant cliché, it’s what all the college kids are doing these days, or at least, it seems like it. Honestly, I never expected to love that style of travel. It all sounded way too spontaneous to me. However, I think this weekend was when it finally started to sink in that this freedom to go anywhere is pretty incredible. The fact that we can decide on Tuesday that we want to go to Switzerland on Friday and actually make it happen is not something to take for granted.
So that’s what we did. It conveniently takes only 3 hours to reach Zürich, and while it’s somewhere that was never on my travel bucket list, I’m so glad I went. We spent only a day and a half there, but since we decided to spend our time in a more relaxing way just enjoying the culture, we didn’t feel compelled to spend longer going to every typical tourist attraction in town. And to my surprise, the culture of Switzerland is really fascinating. The country has four official languages, and almost one quarter of its inhabitants are not natives. It’s like a playground for the rich and famous, but still has a rich mixture of cultures. Although Zürich is in the German speaking part of the country, I felt right at home when I walked into cafés with menus half in German and half in French.
We began our exploration of the city with a walk down the most famous shopping street. It’s lined with the kinds of stores I would feel awkward just walking into, but at the end of the road is the beautiful Lake Zürich. Switzerland, not Illinois.

The rest of our time was spent at a leisurely pace, looking for more beautiful views, strolling along the pedestrian streets of the old town, enjoying authentic Swiss meals in the outdoor sections of cafés, having wine and chocolate on the rooftop terrace of our hostel, and simply finding as many of those little moments of perfection that we could. It’s those moments of perfection that make this entire experience what it is. It’s those moments that make all the challenges worth it. It’s those moments that make me wonder why all the college students in America aren’t tripping over each other on their way to sign up for study abroad.
It’s been said a million times before, but studying abroad changes you. It not only makes you more independent, adventurous person, but also a more interesting person. You get out there and see all you can see, and when you get back, the world seems both bigger and smaller at the same time. Now I realize that America is such a small part of what it has to offer, but at the same time, I feel like it is a little more within reach than I used to think. It’s mine to explore, to experience, and it could be yours too.

I Live in Germany: What I miss and What I Don’t

March 9, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

This week will mark the halfway point of my semester abroad. Over the last two months, I have really settled in here and created a life that I love. And that’s not just because studying abrade is tons of fun. I really think it’s because there’s just something about Germany that’s good for me. I felt it when I spent a summer here in high school, and I feel it again now. There’s a different pace of life here, and a different general philosophy that’s impossible for me to fully describe, but it just feels right. And I’m not the only one who notices this. In fact, most of the people in the group repeatedly comment about how we want to live here forever. Today, as a sort of midpoint reflection, I want to share the top 10 things I miss from home and the top 10 things I’ll miss about Germany when I do come home. And then I have an announcement to make.

First, let’s start with what I miss from home/ things that annoy me here: (In no particular order)
1. Comfy beds. I don’t know if it’s just the dorms, and cheap hostels here, but I haven’t slept in a bed that wasn’t hard as a rock since January. Also, the bedding is odd here. I’ve already complained about the big, flat pillows, but the duvet blanks are weird too. I miss my fluffy comforter and my memory foam.
2. A fully loaded, kitchen. I’m a chef. I’m thankful that the program supplies us with some essential kitchen items, but I miss having a full set of pots and pans, my electric mixer, and all my little gadgets. Plus, I miss dishwashers and garbage disposals.
3. Free water, free bathrooms, free anything. Restaurants are the worst about this. not even a glass of tap water is free, and the price of bottled is beyond ridiculous. But it’s the bathroom thing that really gets me. Why on Earth should I have to pay 50 cents to use it? Is there some great cost of operating a WC that I’m not aware of? I have been known to sneak under or ark ound the barriers without paying whenever possible because I’ve never heard of anything stupider than having to pay for a bathroom.
4. Doggie bags. You usually can’t take your leftovers home here, but it’s jude to leave food on your plate. So what option does that leave?
5. 1-hour laundry. I miss being able to wash and dry a load of laundry in an hour. Here, the washing takes an hour and the drying can take several days.
6. Normal showers. This just apples to the dorms. I really miss taking showers without having to push the water back on every 10 seconds. Environmentalism really makes my life more difficult than it has to be.
7. Public trash cans. There are a few of them around, but when I’m out and about, I usually end up hoarding trash in my purse all day until I can get home to throw it out.
8. Stores like Target. I miss being able to go to one place and buy pretty much everything I need. Sure, I love the quaint, specialized shops here, but shopping through them can take all day.
9. My Taylor Guitar and time to play it. I have a little travel guitar, but it’s just not the same.
10. Service with a smile. The superficiality of American customer service used to really bother me. But the utter lack of it here bothers me more. Every once in a while, I’ll find a really helpful employee, but that’s rare.

And now for just a few of the things I love here:
1. Bakeries. They’re just better here. They have more variety, the product is cheaper, and they smell heavenly. Plus, their croissants and baguettes are just as good as in France. It’s a little dream of mine to work in a German bakery.
2. Public transportation. Granted, the Deutsche Bahn isn’t usually as punctual as the stereotype would suggest, but still, you can get literally anywhere and everywhere without needing a car.

3. Pedestrian cities. Since the cities here were built before cars were invented, they are laid out with pedestrians in mind. Once you take a bus or train to the center, everything you need is in walking distance.

4. Cafeteria food. The locals here complain about it, but I think it’s great. You can get a good, filling meal and dessert for 3 euros.
5. 3-day weekends. This requires no explanation.
6. Very informal professors. Most German professors actually insist on a more formal relationships with their students, but in Reutlingen, we have the perks of being a Valpo kid. This means that all of them invite us to their houses and feed us at least once during the semester.
7. The German language. When I go home, I’m going to miss hearing it and speaking it every day. Every day, I have at least one communication challenge, so i’m in the habit of planning everything I want to say in German before I say it.
8. Paying in change. There are 1 and 2 euro coins, so there’s a lot you can buy without paper money. I know it’s just an illusion, but it makes things seem cheaper.
9. Feeling safe all the time. One time, a tour guide I had in Munich joked that you could walk around at night with money glued all over you and nothing would happen to you. I still wouldn’t do that, but I think she’s right. I lock my doors and always keep an eye on my stuff, but a lot of people don’t.
10. A de-cluttered life. Almost everything I have here fits in a suitcase. Sometimes that’s frustrating, but most of the time, it’s freeing.

There are days when I really miss things about home, but all in all, I really thing that the good outweighs the annoying. I feel like I can live in two cultures now. I don’t know if I ever really had “culture shock” but the idea of it between the US and Germany seems silly now. This is my home now, and since I love it so much, I’ve decided to make it my home for a little longer. Next year, I’m going to stay in Reutlingen for an internship in the university’s international office. I’ll be back for the summer and then back at school for senior year in 2015, but for now, this is where I need to be.

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.

Departure Day

January 16, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

This is my last catch-up post, I promise. I wrote this on the morning of the day I left in order to get my thoughts out, and get ready to go. Departure/arrival day is probably a very different experience for different people, but for me, it wasn’t easy at all. I was a wreck all morning and convinced that I’d have a breakdown in the airport, but somehow, something changed somewhere around the metal detectors. At that point, I realized that getting upset was not going to do any good. Instead, I just had to tell myself to keep calm and carry on. And that’s why I’ve now been in Germany for a week and haven’t written about it yet. I’m still in that mindset as I try to get my bearings, but I’m getting there, and I plan to post about my first week by Sunday. But last week, this was what was running through my mind:

Surprisingly, I was actually pretty at peace with this whole thing until last night. I had expected the panic to set in much earlier, but in fact, in the weeks leading up to today, I managed to distract myself from fear with my very long to-do lists. Now that the lists are finished, I have too much time to think, but I have to find the peace again. That’s the only good way to do this.

When it comes to international travel, there’s an easy way and a hard way. I’ve experienced each once. The first time I went to Germany, I wasn’t technically alone, but it felt that way because I was traveling with 40 other students that I had never met before. The trip lasted about a month, and at seventeen, that was by far the longest I had ever been away from home. Back then, I had no idea what to expect, not only from the program itself, but also how my body and mind would react to travel. That particular flight on that particular day caused a perfect storm of factors that need up giving me the worst case of jet lag. First of all, I woke up that day almost too sick to get out of bed, and in addition to/because of that, I was not in the right mindset to do the hardest thing I had ever had to do. After I arrived, I unfortunately can barely remember the first week because I still felt physically and mentally awful. After spending a long time trying to figure out what went wrong that first week, I finally attributed it to about 70% jet lag, 20% heat exhaustion (Someone really should have told me there was no A/C in Germany) and 10% culture shock.
Luckily, This time I won’t have to deal with two of those three factors this time. In contrast to the -20 temperatures at home, Germany is currently a pleasant 55 degrees. As for the culture shock, I might sill have a little at some point, but I’m so thankful that this isn’t my first time to the metaphorical rodeo. I know a little bit of what to expect, and I know that I have felt at home in Germany before, so I can again. As for the jet lag, I’ve learned that that just comes down to luck. The first time I went to Germany, I was so out of whack that I didn’t sleep for 4 days. However, the second time I went to Germany, I was completely fine within a day. I think most of it is luck, but some of it has to do with your mindset going in. On the second trip, I was more confident. That time, I was flying completely alone, but I just didn’t panic because I knew that wouldn’t get me anywhere. When the mind is in a good place, it’s easier for the body to be too.
So this time around, I hope that I can use what experience has taught me. In fact, I wonder if it’s somehow possible to just skip the whole beginning part where I get upset and panicked. Can I just skip to the part where I start to feel comfortable and never want to go home? Because I know that part will come, and I don’t want to waste a single day feeling upset when I only get so many to begin with. What if I just don’t worry? Don’t cry? Don’t take it all so seriously? As of now, that’s my plan, to just let it all happen as it’s supposed to. We’ll see how that plan holds up when I get to the airport.
Like every soon-to-be study abroader, I’m scared and excited at the same time. Everyone says this will be the time of my life, and while I generally agree, I also think that adds a lot of pressure for me to make it that good. This experience is a gift, a blessing. But it’s hard. It’s once again the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Over the whole winter break, I’ve thought about it non-stop. In fact, my favorite little part of each day was the four seconds after I woke up each morning, and in my half-deeming state, didn’t remember yet that this challenge was approaching so soon. And then every morning, it hit me all over again. Finally, this morning, It’s time. Time to put one foot in front of the other and step into this blessing, this adventure, reminding myself that the things we fear most are the things most worth having.

Packing for 4 Months: My Attempt at Minimalism

January 14, 2014 / kaitlyncarzoli / 0 Comments

When I was first applying to study abroad, one of the most daunting challenges I faced was figuring out how to pack. A quick google search on this topic will yield some valid, but generic advice. I was able to piece this together into what I thought was a more appropriate list for me and other study abroaders. I wanted to dedicate a post to the great challenge that is packing for a long-term trip. Because that’s the kind of travel blog I want this to be. Not just a list of all the places I go and things I do, but rather a source of practical tips, honest observations, and general guidance for future study abroaders.

One of the biggest inspirations I found in my online search for packing tips was a video posted by a woman who travelled around Asia for a year with just a normal-sized backpack. She’s a real minimalist, and while I surely wouldn’t advise packing that light for a study abroad semester, she proved to me that we don’t actually need anywhere near the amount of stuff we think we need to not only survive, but to have a great time.You can wear most clothes more than once per wash, you don’t need to pack for every “what if,” and you will, in fact, be happier if you don’t have to carry your weight in luggage. This philosophy helped me take a hard look at each item I wanted to pack and honestly assess whether or not I really needed it. Miraculously, I neither over- or underestimated the amount of stuff to take (from what I can tell at this point). The stuff that I decided to put in the “yes” pile was the exact amount that would fit in my suitcase later. Now, I don’t claim to be an actual minimalist. I did fill the absolute maximum amount of free luggage, but I’m proud of myself because a few years ago, that’s the amount I would have packed for one month. In fact, that’s the amount I did pack for one month and it was way too much. This time, I really think it’s gonna last four months.
So I think I’ll start my packing advice with a few examples of what not to pack, most of which stem from my shock and horror at what some of the study abroaders of YouTube suggested. Most of this is more applicable to women, but hey, we’re the ones who usually need help with this kind of thing.

Things not to pack:
Hair dryers/curling irons/straighteners—That’s an obvious one, you don’t want to light your hair on fire. Personally, I decided to avoid this issue by re-perming my hair. Bringing the 80s back! And of course, they sell hair appliances abroad too.

Full-sized soaps/shampoos—It really bugs me how people can’t live without their very specific brands. Don’t waste space and weight in your luggage with this stuff. Just pack travel-sized bottles to last a week, and after that, be adventurous and try the local products. One exception to this is all prescription and OTC medication, which may be unavailable in many areas.

Season specific clothing—Know the climate before you go, and don’t pack a bunch of heavy sweaters or a bunch of short shorts if you won’t need them several times.

Too much clothing/accessories—Don’t bring your entire jewelry collection. I packed one necklace, one bracelet, one ring, and 2 pairs of earrings. Tangent time: I saw some girl giving packing advice on YouTube who had about 15 bras in her suitcase! I can’t imagine why that would be necessary.

Feminine products—This one really gets me, at least if you’re going to Europe. Several girls have
advised bringing your own, but before you waste space on that, just take a second to ask yourself how millions of European women manage to get by with what’s available in their countries. Another YouTube nut actually packed 2 giant Costco-sized boxes of tampons for her trip and acted like that was a good tip. I don’t want to judge others and I know that we all have things we won’t budge on, but I actually laughed out loud at that video and the size of those boxes. Becoming adaptable to new environments is a life skill. Come on girls, let’s learn it!

Too many shoes/heels—The final YouTube nut advised brining about 8 pairs of shoes, 3 of which were heavy boots. Believe me, I wish I could do that, but with no room left in my one suitcase, I had to pick just 4 to pack in carry-on and the heaviest to wear on the plane. Also, you really, really, really don’t want to bring heels to Europe. Heels + cobblestones = pain and embarrassment.

And finally, the worst offense of them all…
American junk food—IF I HEAR ONE MORE PERSON TELL ME TO PACK PEANUT BUTTER AND/OR KRAFT MAC & CHEESE, I’M GONNA LOSE IT! And it’s not just because I don’t particularly like these 2 foods. It’s the principle of it. First, I wish people knew how easy it is to make real mac & cheese that’s infinitely better than the box. In fact, I think I’ll make that my first abroad recipe post! Secondly, I hate the idea of clinging to comfort junk food instead of trying local foods. You have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try some really yummy stuff that you’re gonna miss when you go home. Embrace it and enjoy it!

And now for what you should pack:
Disclaimer: I don’t know if I made all the right decisions, but I did my best, and I feel confident that I’ll have what I need. Sometime during my semester, I’ll do an update post to talk about what I wish I would have packed or left at home.

To start the process, I spread out a big sheet on my floor and pulled things out of my closet, organizing them first into “yes” and “maybe” piles and then into item categories. This is all the clothing I ended up packing:

Some people may find this boring, but I want to list everything I packed because I found it extremely helpful when other people posted their packing lists on their travel blogs. Just in general, I tried to pack mix and match clothiers in mostly neutrals with a few pops of color. I opted for comfort, layering, and versatility above all. If a particular item didn’t match with at least 2 other things, I wouldn’t bring it. I didn’t pack clothes I don’t like, but I also didn’t pack my favorite/nicest things either. Many pieces are hand-me-downs, thrift shop gems, or just sort of on their last leg. That way, if I need to throw things out at the end of the semester to make room for accumulated junk, I won’t have a problem doing that. Finally, remember to wear your heaviest clothes and shoes on the plane. In my case, that’s jeans, my snow-proof walking shoes, and my winter parka.

In the big suitcase:
8 t-shirts/everyday shirts (all short sleeves for layering with cardigans)
3 either casual or dressy tops
1 dressy top
4 cardigans
2 pairs of jeans
1 pair of khakis
1 black dress pant
1 casual khaki skirt
1 pair of longer khaki shorts
1 pair of black leggings
1 pair of yoga pants (that double as pajamas)
2 workout/sleep t-shirts
1 lounge/sleep short
2 versatile black dresses, 1 printed
2 pairs of black tights (because 1 will rip)
5 tank tops/layering camis
1 swimsuit
1 swim coverup/PJ
1 dressy coat
1 spring windbreaker
5 printed scarves (plus a warm one with hat and gloves)
socks, underwear, and bras (but not 15 of them, see above)
minimal toiletries and makeup

To actually pack the suitcase, I first used all of my roll-up space bags, and then packed things by category in gallon ziplock bags. Those are like the poor man’s space bag because you can squish all the extra air out. Every piece of clothing (except jeans) is in an airtight bag, tightly rolled, not folded. I’m really not usually so OCD, I got the bag idea from YouTube too, and it’s brilliant. There’s no way I would have fit everything with any other method.

Carry-on baggage:
My airline allows one carry-on and one “personal item.” Because I would probably go nuts if I didn’t have a guitar for 4 months, I bought a really cheap as-is, travel-sized one that counts as my carry-on. Then i stuffed the case with all of my paperback books. It’s probably not great for the guitar, but I’m not wasting any space. And isn’t it pretty?

So that meant that I only had the “personal item” left in my luggage allowance. Usually, they say this is supposed to be a purse or laptop bag, but I’ve never been stopped in all my years of using my regular-sized school backpack and calling that my “personal item.” That way, I can fit my laptop, my entire purse, plus some other stuff in it. These are the other miscellaneous items I recommend bringing:

Shoes—because there’s no real weight restriction for carry-ons, or at least, they don’t check it. I will wear my good walking shoes and I packed a pair of black flats, converse sneakers, comfortable walking sandals, and shower flip-flops. If it was summer, I would have bought flip flops there but unfortunately, it’s January.

laptop, camera, smartphone at least for wifi use, plus all the cords and chargers, and an adapter
laptop lock
regular lock (for hostel lockers)
ethernet cord (unless you’re confident in the wifi wherever you’re going)
small umbrella
a folder with important documents
one notebook (This is study abroad after all.)
medication/contacts/glasses
sunglasses
minimal jewelry
a bunch of ziplock bags–I heard that they don’t have them in Germany, but I guess I’ll find out.
American measuring cups—For me, that’s a necessity.

Except for a few other little things, that’s pretty much it. Of course I’m afraid that I forgot something, but in the end, the most important thing to remember is that I can’t be prepared for everything, but I will figure it out when I need to.

Feeling at Home

November 11, 2013 / hannahheagy / 0 Comments

Hallo alle! I should start out by apologizing that I didn’t post anything last week as I promised. I realized after the first round of “Blog Monday” that although weekly updates would be informative, I might not have something interesting to post every week. A blog every two weeks or so should give me more time to think of good stories and reflect on my experience here rather than just giving a “blow-by-blow” of my week. So I’m back, with (hopefully) some more interesting stories to tell.

: Hiking to Schönbuch!

I have had a beautiful past couple of fall weeks settling into classes, homework and spending time with great people! Last weekend a few friends and I went hiking through the Schönbuch forest past Bebenhausen, which is a small town and monastery near Tübingen. The ground was covered with crunchy fall leaves, which is always fun, and the weather was warm and absolutely perfect. After going hiking in the snow in Oberstdorf, Bavaria a couple weeks before, the warm weather was definitely a positive change! Throughout the Schönbuch forest there are “book trees,” which are tree-shaped cabinets filled with books. Hikers can take a book to read while in the woods or bring a book with them and exchange it for a book already in the tree. How cool is that? After our day of hiking, we carved pumpkins, ate candy, and watched a horror movie to prepare for our Halloween celebration in the upcoming week. A few of our friends had never carved pumpkins before, and it was so much fun to see their reactions to the process (sticking your hand into the pumpkin goo, making a unique pumpkin creation, eating roasted pumpkin seeds & pumpkin stew, etc.) When Halloween is involved, some traditions from the US naturally have to be involved as well!

: Pumpkin carving!

The next weekend, after an eventful Halloween party (I dressed up as a Starbucks latte, in case anyone was wondering), a few people from Deutsch-Kompakt and I went on a Kennenlernwochenende, basically a “get-to-know-each other weekend,” with the SMD at UniTübingen. SMD stands for “Studentenmission Deutschland,” and they are one of the Christian groups here. I was a little nervous going into the weekend since I knew that I would have to speak German from waking up until going to sleep each day. I was completely right about this, but I had nothing to be nervous about. Everyone we met was so welcoming and willing to talk with my friends and me. The weekend was filled with games, lots of food and hot tea, worship services and praise songs. A few people in the group had studied abroad in different countries in Latin America (including Chile!!), so I even got to speak a little español! This weekend meant a lot to me, since it reminded me how important having a church family is to my idea of being “at home” in a place. Over my first couple of weeks in Germany I went to church by myself, either because I didn’t know anyone or I (wrongfully) assumed that no one would have wanted to come with me. The services were really beautiful and by my second week in Germany I had already made great friends, but I really missed (and still miss) worshipping with friends and the community in the Chapel of the Resurrection at Valpo. This weekend I was pleasantly surprised that along with praise songs in German, we also sang some of my favorite songs from Wednesday night Celebrate services at the Chapel. While sitting in a circle and singing “God of this City” with friends from Deutsch-Kompakt and new friends from Germany, I once again realized that I don’t have to limit “home” to one specific location. I have a home in Christ, and in Him I’ll always be at home wherever in the world I am. This weekend really helped me realize that although I can miss Valpo and Pittsburgh, I can’t let any homesickness get in the way of enjoying and taking advantage of my experience here. I am so blessed to have such great friends here in Tübingen, and people from both Deutsch-Kompakt and around Germany to make up a new church family. “Der Herr behüte dich vor allem Übel, er behüte deine Seele; der Herr behüte deinen Ausgang und Eingang von nun an bis in Ewigkeit” Psalm 121:7-8

Keep checking back every couple of weeks to see what I’m up to! I’m also keeping more day-to-day updates on my ValpoAbroad twitter account @HannahinGermany…follow me!

Peace

and more music!

The Reutlingen group and Dr. Stroebele

A great opportunity

October 24, 2013 / studyabroad / 0 Comments

The Reutlingen group and Dr. Stroebele

A short, but very interesting update! Last week the Reutlingen cohort was invited to meet with the Cultural Minister of Reutlingen, Dr Ströebele. Dr Ströebele warmly welcomed the Crusaders at City Hall. The night went smoothly and everyone had a great time- the event allowed the students to interact with the cultural minister, asking him questions and listening to what he had to say.

The students greatly enjoyed the opportunity of meeting an important figure in the city of Reutlingen. The event was even covered on the official website for Reutlingen! The article also gives in-depth information about the Valpo Reutlingen program. Check it out: (though you might not understand it)

http://www.reutlingen.de/de/Aktuelles+Info/Nachrichten/Nachricht?view=publish&item=article&id=5109

Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World