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Student Stories from Around the World

Tag: Student Travel (page 2 of 3)

View on the way down

Coastal Living

March 3, 2014 / / 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 / / 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

Trip to Beijing!

November 19, 2013 / / 0 Comments

“About a week ago we traveled to Beijing for the weekend. There was some hesitation early in the week as pollution there has been quite bad. But we took off, knowing the conditions would not be ideal, but that the iconic sights would still be there.

We left early Friday morning from the station and proceeded to sit for about 5 hours on the long but fast ride. We were greeted upon arrival by Professor Lin (he had been touring the country for a week), who put us on a bus and took us to the Temple of Heaven, where we were welcomed by rain, pollution, and our tardiness. We were unable to actually enter parts of the Temple as it was too late in the afternoon. The Temple itself is a humongous park/square type of place with some interesting history relating to the emperor and The Mandate of Heaven.

After a walk around the Temple, we came out by the Pearl Market, where we were those typical tourists bartering and consuming in the portrayed Chinese market. We bought and bought and asked for cheaper prices. Still, a noteworthy place.

Dinner was incredible that night. We celebrated a couple of birthdays in the group over Beijing Duck at one of China’s most famous Beijing Duck restaurant chains. Professor Lin ordered well and we all enjoyed ourselves.

Professor Lin left Saturday open for us to plan our own day. That meant many different things for all of us. However, we all started the day out together by going to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Tiananmen Square is comparable to the National Mall in DC. On the four sides of the square lie The Forbidden City, The National Museum, The Building of the People’s Congress, and Mao’s Mausoleum. Some of us toured the sites around the square. I chose not to, and I spent my day with a friend eating great food, walking around Hou Hai (a lake surrounded by shops and restaurants in old buildings), and shopping at Beijing’s markets. 

Sunday morning we woke up ready to visit one of the sites of the Great Wall. After two days of pretty horrible smog, we woke up to a clear, blue, and beautiful sky. After a short drive but a long trip to the site, we were dropped off at the foot of a mountain. While there, we had a couple of hours to make a climb up and down the wall. I think most of us found the site pretty incredible, as the hype of the site was matched by our experience. A noteworthy feature: the discrepancies between the sizes of the steps. This made the climbs up and back intriguing as some steps varied very noticeably in height.

After the Wall, Lin treated us to another huge meal. We followed that with a traffic-filled ride back to the train station and long ride back to Hangzhou. Overall, a very enjoyable weekend. While we spent a short amount of time in Beijing, I don’t think any of us wasted time, as we all were able to visit and experience the parts and sights of Beijing we found most fascinating. Hopefully though, the short stay there will prompt us all to return and experience more of the nation’s capital. ”

-Calvin

Morocco Video

October 22, 2013 / / 0 Comments

In order to give you guys a better look into my trip to Morocco, I put together a video of my host mom, the camel rides, and a ton of other fun stuff. Click the link below, check it out, and make sure to read my full blog post about my Moroccan expirience!

Morocco Video

Morocco and Other Musings

October 22, 2013 / / 0 Comments

 

       About a month after my return, I think that it’s finally about time to tell you all about my trip into the heart of Africa. Ok, maybe “the heart of Africa” isn’t exactly the appropriate term for Morocco (both geographically and culturally speaking). Actually, it was more like being thrown into the streets of Aladdin’s Agrabba minus the Arabian Nights theme playing in the background. I kid you not, I saw at least 5 people sporting Aladdin theme notebooks/shirts while we were there. In all seriousness though, the trip was very impactful and one that I will not soon forget.

I had never anticipated visiting Morocco in my lifetime. Nor had I particularly wanted to. That is, until I read more about the Granada program and realized that a trip there was included in the cost. Suddenly, a trip to a country I had never desired to go to became one of the main reasons for choosing where I spent a year of my life. Crazy how that works. Fortunately, the trip lived up to the hype I had created for it. Though (almost) everyone else was just as pumped as I was about this journey, I think that in a lot of ways I had a very different trip than them simply because of some of the knowledge I had going into the 4 days I spent there.

Previous to going, I had a class on Modern Middle East history with the delightful Professor Schaefer. Though not always on topic, he shared so many stories of actually living and traveling within the Middle East and Africa, and as a consequence, broke a lot of previous misconceptions that I didn’t even know I had about the culture and people there. (Side note, if you haven’t read the book Ramza, do it. Now. Go spend the $5 and order it off of Amazon. It’s a fast read and I promise you won’t regret it.) I think that having that base of knowledge really allowed me to come into this trip with fresh eyes and an open heart. (See guys, education really does make a huge difference! I’ll get back to that thought when I post on Teach for America eventually….)

               The tour group we went with was actually much less a tour group and much more an educational experience. Most of our guides had spent a lot of time in Morocco, could speak the language, and were personally connected and invested as a whole. As a result, we got to interact with the local culture on a level much deeper than your average sight-seeing trip. Yes we saw the Roman gardens, and rode camels, but we also got to stay with host families and actually sit down and talk with real Moroccans about pretty much anything. For example, from almost the moment that we docked in the port city of Tangier, we were off to a women’s shelter to hold discussions with local women about their rights as citizens and the changes within Moroccan society as a whole. Overwhelming at times? Most definitely. Possibly one of the most valuable learning experiences I’ve ever had? You betcha.

       Though we had many interesting conversations throughout the 4 days we were there, my favorite by far was meeting Kawtar.

Photo: Isabelle Hicks

Dressed more fashionably than any Spaniard I’ve met yet and completely fluent in English, immediately upon first impression, Kawtar does not appear to be what one would expect a normal 20-something woman raised in a Muslim society to be like. Yet she is. Within the 3 hours she spent showing Gigi, Isabelle, and I her favorite spots in Rabat, we quickly learned that partying, dating, and college, is all so much the same as what we’re used to- even in the “exotic” place of Morocco. We talked about everything from faith to boys and while sipping Moroccan tea, we even had a heart to heart about working up the confidence to tell a guy you like him.

        What stuck out most to me however, was our discussion about opportunity. One of Kawtar’s biggest dreams is to study abroad in America. While that dream might seem totally accessible to some, for her, even though she’s already fluent in English, it’s almost impossible. 

          You see, while for us the process of getting a Visa to travel abroad might seem like a tedious annoying process, for many Moroccans, it’s not simply annoying, it’s nearly impossible. The Moroccan government requires one to have a certain amount money in a bank account before being allowed to travel outside the country. For many Moroccans, that amount of money is more than they will ever see in a lifetime. So, while it is possible for some people to leave the country,  those people are among the vast minority. Most Moroccans will in fact never be able to leave their own country and cross the border to the little section of Spanish land that borders theirs in Africa simply because they will never have the right to a visa. Though they will meet people from all over and see pictures of hundreds of places, many of them will never get to see those things with their own eyes and experience things in their own ways,

        So as Kawtar told us her dreams of studying in the US and my Moroccan host mom showed us a million pictures of all of her past host students from every part of the globe, my heart broke. Not just broke, shattered into a million pieces. Here was I, a white American woman spending a whole year in Spain, who only the night before complained about not knowing what country I should book a flight too next after Morocco; complaining because I didn’t think I had enough money to last the year and complaining because my Fulbright and Teach for America advisors are back in Valpo and I had applications to complete; complaining because after the group talk the previous night, I didn’t know how I was going to choose between applying for a Fulbright, or to Peace Corps, Americorps, or Teach for America.

In other words, complaining because I had too many options. 

      Here I was in a beautiful, yet economically destitute country meeting wonderful, intelligent people and creating tons of connections. The only difference between myself and them was that, at the end of 4 days, I would be able to leave and continue exploring the world. Most of their worlds, however, unfortunately begin and end with Morocco. There are no programs such as Peace Corps and Fulbright. No study abroad and certainly no elaborate eurotrips. For Moroccans, those are things to merely dream about. To strive to achieve, but at the end of the day accept that they are not reality.


If there was a way, I would give my abroad experience to Kawtar in a heartbeat. With all that she has already accomplished in life, she more than deserves it… I wish that there was a way that I could somehow give every Moroccan that chance to travel. Not just to travel, but to have the freedom to travel. Never before have I felt more blessed to come from the country that I have. In these last few weeks amidst the shut-down, I must admit, I may have not shown the most national pride. However, despite the many faults of our (and every) government, most of us, are blessed to come from a country where getting a visa is not impossible. A country where study abroad is so common that now almost half of all students spend at least one semester away from home. Travel here is not a dream, it is a reality. Next time you find yourself complaining about the security line in the airport or the endless paperwork of a visa, remember that not only are you blessed to have the opportunity to do so, you are also blessed with the freedom to do so.

              So go out, explore the world! Even if that ‘world’ is only the pizza place down the street that you’ve always meant to try, but never end up actually eating it. You may find that the place you end up and the people you meet are totally different than yourself, or maybe, just maybe, you will find what I came to know in Morocco. Maybe, we are all much more similar than we give ourselves credit for. Different people born into different economic and cultural situations, yes, but in all actuality, the world you thought was so big and different, might not be so big after all.

 

Home sweet Hangzhou!

October 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

“October 15, 2013

Our week coming back from vacation did have an interesting start, with a typhoon. Luckily our group was safe, but other places in town had some serious flooding and many people were without power.

Professor Lin took our group out to Wai Po Jia (Grandma’s Place), which is a popular restaurant in Hangzhou. The food was delicious and we got to hear about everyone’s trips everywhere from Kashgar to Hong Kong to almost Nanjing. Everyone was very excited from their trips and really seemed to have a good time.

The week went by normally, we had to get back into our daily class routine many of us had tests or quizzes this week. And then this Friday we got to get together with the students we will be working with for our recycling program at Jianxing Honor College of Zhejiang University of Technology. These students are in the Honors College at their school and had to be interviewed in order to take part in this project. They had put up a huge banner for the starting of the project. They had put out fruit and coffee for us. They had even put up balloons! Professor Lin spoke in Chinese and English to the group about how excited we are to work together. We were supposed to come up with ideas of how to implement a survey of Chinese students. From there we are supposed to compare the recycling processes on Chinese and American campuses and finally come up with recommendations for future action on recycling. ” -Margaret

Monks outside of a pagoda in Xi'an (photo credit to Mickey Suber of H-23)

Another view of Xi’an and the Muslim Quarter

October 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

“你好 from Hangzhou!

(Sorry for the lateness of this update – I took off for a flight to Hong Kong the day after we returned from the Xi’an trip, and have been recovering during these past few days from the excitement. :))

Much too early on the 27th of September, Professor Lin (and his wife, who arrived in Hangzhou a few days prior) ushered fifteen sleepy Valparaiso, Luther, and Roanoke students into a bus to the airport as we began our journey to former Chinese dynastic capital Xi’an. (Xi’an or 西安 translates to “Western Peace,” which if I remember correctly had something to do the hope that a peaceful name would lead to fewer wars.)

After a one hour bus ride, two hour plane ride, lunch at our hotel, and some sorely-needed naptime, we spent the afternoon at the Xi’an History Museum and the surrounding area of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. I’ll be the first to admit that history is not my favorite subject. Being quite tired and going to a city with a history of 3,000+ years (*and* having to retell the adventure) was a little bit frightening. But, you really do have to be impressed when you consider the intrinsic willpower of a city (and culture) that could persist for so long.

Monks outside of a pagoda in Xi'an (photo credit to Mickey Suber of H-23)

The museum was divided up by the different dynasties that ruled the ancient Chinese capital. There were some really impressive exhibits there, such as a reproduction of the 500,000+ year old skull fossil of ‘the Lantian man.’ Other exhibits, including statues of Buddha, models of homes, and ancient writing, gave insight to life in those eras.

Afterwards, we headed towards the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, aptly named after a goose whose spontaneous death at the site of the pagoda inspired an ancient branch of Buddhism to stop eating meat, or so the legend says.

It is one of the oldest pagodas still in existence, as it was built during the Tang dynasty soon after they started experimenting with materials besides wood (which was prone to rotting) with which to build pagodas. Built and rebuilt several times, and surviving an enormous earthquake that took off its top three stories, it currently stands at seven stories, or 210 feet. Like most other pagodas, it was used to house ancient Buddhist artifacts, and specifically held sutras brought back by famous monk Xuanzang who traveled the Silk Road to learn more about Buddhism from India. (As you may be able to tell, this was my presentation topic during the trip.)

We spent the evening around the significantly more modernized area near the pagoda. Many were gathered around an enormous fountain in front of the pagoda, while others milled around looking at the various statues of
important figures in the history of Xi’an. Several street artists were entertaining passerby. Further away was the mall-like complex where we got dinner with a ceiling that projected random nature imagery, among other things. Needless to say, the general atmosphere was much livelier than I expected in this area.

The next day was probably the highlight of the trip for me, as we got to see the famous Terracotta Warriors – one of a select few history tales that has interested me for quite some time. Long story short, these warriors were commissioned by Emperor Qin in the 200s B.C. to protect him in the afterlife. However, as I understand it, their creation and the location of his tomb was a huge secret – basically a legend before it was actually discovered in the 1970s.

There are three chambers of thousands of soldiers and horses, with the biggest having 6000+ soldiers. They are just as incredible as you can imagine. Still, there is much left to uncover – including the Emperor’s burial chamber. Even though they know where it is, there are concerns about opening it because of its age and even the possibility that it’s booby-trapped. (Yes — Indiana Jones style.)

After lunch, we saw the Muslim Quarter and the Great Mosque. Interestingly, though unsurprisingly, the mosque area is distinctly Chinese in architectural style, rather than Middle Eastern. As it is still a place of worship for the Hui Chinese Muslims, there were parts of the mosque that could not be entered.

Outside the tranquility of the mosque, however, was the bustling Muslim quarter full of cheap clothes, cheap souvenirs, cheap food and some of the most aggressive shopkeepers that you will ever meet. Those who dare look at anything for more than a few seconds will be bombarded with greetings, asking “what do you like?!” Occasionally, they may make it difficult for you to leave. Though it was not terribly different from other bargaining markets in China, it was still a lot of fun. (It’s the area that many of us ended up visiting during our free time the next day before the flight home.)

So, these are the highlights of our Xi’an trip! Our next big trip is Beijing, but I’m sure someone will
write soon about our in-between adventures. 再见！

Best, Michele” -Michele

Terracotta Soldiers in Xi'An (credit to Ryan Hough)

A trip to the historical city, Xi’an

October 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

” Our trip to Xi’an was the third class trip out of Hangzhou, second mandatory class trip, and is probably the most distant class trip outside of Hangzhou with a 2.5 hour flight. Xi’an was a strange and remarkable city, needless to say, vastly different from Hangzhou. Knowing that many foundations of thousands of years of political, and cultural history were born, here, in this very region seemed to make things all the more unusual and enigmatic besides the more practical differences. Certainly, much of the class already seemed to comprehend the sheer enormity of the impact of Qin and Tang dynasties on future generations of Emperors, bureaucrats, artisans, and so forth.

The first day fell like an anvil. It hit us hard. Most of us (including the narrator) were relatively unprepared until the morning of, thus we spent much of the late night packing. And of course, even after packing, there was always a certain specter of excitement, knowing just under 4.5 hours, we would board a plane to visit the very roots of bureaucracy. By about 4:30 am most of class was already awake and by 4:55pm most people were ready to board the bus—however the bus did not depart for some 10 minutes after 5am. Needless to say, the bus and plane ride over was deathly silent. Upon our arrival, the climate difference was most evident. Xi’an was dusty and rather dry and greatly contrasted Hangzhou’s humidity and vegetation. Perhaps party because of a relative absence of vegetation, the air seemed somewhat more polluted. The smoggy air nuanced many, including my roommate, and especially those whom were already suffering from illness, which has been felt across the international dormitories.

We finally checked into our hotel rooms around 11, 11:30am and ate lunch shortly afterward. By some by some miracle or hand of God, Professor Lin allotted us an unscheduled, but much needed nap between 1-2pm. After which, we visited the exterior of the Early Chinese dynasties history museum and the exterior of the White Goose Pagoda.     The Chinese dynasties museum was surprisingly good. I thought it was interesting that by having the artifacts sorted by each dynasty, one could roughly compare and contrast what each dynasty emphasis. The early Zhou period had many ritual vessels and various bronze artifacts indicating that the Zhou government found at least some if not most of it’s legitimacy through religion and religious ceremonies.

We went and ate at a large mall like food court near the White Goose Pagoda. It was a peculiar mall/food court because of it’s notable ceiling featuring an enormous moving electronic image. It was like the ceiling had one screen saver of epic proportions that changed themes every 10 minutes. I apologize for not adequately describing this phenomenon. Needless to say, this rather gaudy technological demonstration dazzled everyone. By 8:15pm, everyone was ready to return to their appropriate hotel rooms.

Terracotta Soldiers in Xi'An (photo credit to Ryan Hough from H-23)

The next day, we visited the most famous terracotta soldiers dating back to the end of the Qin Dynasty. Paxton, Nelson, and I wandered around the three different chambers. While the well-known, well documented chamber 1 was very impressive, it was very surprising to us how little they have managed to uncover, especially in the other chambers. We can only imagine the thousands more buried underground. We decided that it would be very interesting to return to Xi’an in three or four decades to see how much progress they have accomplished. Hopefully, with future technologies that will enable to preserve the soldiers better, the Chinese archeologists may have the ability to uncover the rest. I cannot help myself but laugh at the fact that Qin Shihuang’s terracotta army is, by far, the most disciplined army the world has ever seen—considering that they have had sentry duty in perfect formation for over two millennia.

After the terracotta army, we moved on to the local Hui mosque. It was a very small mosque—of course, hardly anything similar to the ones found in Jerusalem, Spain, North Africa or the Middle East. It was very natural looking with scattered pools of lily pads and fish and sporadic trees. It was a nice break to simply sit down and enjoy the nice weather. I felt a separation between inside the Mosque and the outside (which was an enormous market). Of course, after visiting the mosque we visited the Hui market, which was filled with various trinkets, food, make name-brand clothing items, and communist memorabilia. Everything was to be bartered for. Some were better than others at this, but I soon discovered that I was not one of them. We departed for dinner by 5pm. The next day was fairly uneventful. We had free time between 11am and 6:30pm. The vast majority of our group returned to the Hui market to get massages and to continue the exploring that was cut short from the day before. By 6:30pm, everyone was ready to return to Hangzhou, and thus we did promptly. Our three days covered only a small increment of the city. There was much that we neglected to spare time for. My speaking professor stated that, “you could easily spend an entire month trying to explore Xi’an. Three days is not enough.”

Nonetheless, it was a good trip and I hope that any future class trips are just as fruitful and educational as Xi’an.” -Matt

So viele Erlebnisse, one Post

October 15, 2013 / / 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

Museam on the Bodensee!
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
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

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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.

 
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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 Stuttgart Volksfest 014the 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!

Stuttgart Volksfest 092

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!)

Spielmannsau hiking 103Spielmannsau hiking 036Spielmannsau hiking 077

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.

Travel Update — August 24, 2013

August 24, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Hey all,

Well, the Wednesday post didn’t happen, so I’ll cover the whole week in this one. Before I start, though, here’s the general timeline of my study in Budapest:

August 15 – 20 Arrive and settle in Budapest
August 21 – September 6 Intensive language course
September 9 – December 20 Budapest Semesters in Mathematics courses

As you can see, this week was split between settling in and starting the language course, and it was quite hectic. So let’s dive into it!

  • Sunday. On Sunday about a dozen BSM students met up to explore the city some and get to know each other. We started at the BSM school and headed to the Danube, and from there ended up at a cafe for lunch. Somewhat of a local dish, I had chicken over noodles (think spaetzle) with paprika sauce. Seriously, I could live off of bread soaked in paprika sauce, this stuff is fantastic. After lunch the group split and my half went up to Margaret Island, which is a recreational island in the middle of the Danube between the Buda and Pest sides of Budapest. After a total of about 8 hours of walking we headed our different ways. All the BSM students are spread across both Buda and Pest, either in apartment or homestays.
  • Monday. A bit sore from the previous day’s walking, some BSM students met at the Great Market Hall for lunch and some shopping (see cover photo). Finally was able to get some langos on the first floor, specifically a sweeter one with sweet cottage cheese and powdered sugar. Cannot go wrong for only 800Ft (~$4)! The ground floor below acts as a farmers market of sorts, with stands for anything from chicken pieces to dried fruits (all by the decigram, of course!). In the basement lurks the various and invasive smells of both fish and pickled items. Market Hall is definitely a sight to see and taste and smell, I’m sure you will hear much more of it in my future!
  • Tuesday. On Tuesday was Hungary’s national independence holiday, St. Stephen’s Day. The streets were filled with music and stands with giant pretzels, pastries, and candies. A couple dozen BSM students met up again and we walked around the city, then walked up Gellert Hill to the Citadel. Finally, the day ended in a long firework display synchronized with Hungary’s famous classical music. Check out my Twitter page for some pictures of the day’s festivities!
  • Wednesday. Wednesday marked the beginning of the language course, and they are not joking when they describe it as intensive! For those unfamiliar with Hungarian, there are 44 letters, and each are pronounced a single way (no matter where they are in the word). Further, Hungarians like their suffixes, making words quite long! However, these qualities are not negatives, but characteristics resulting in a structure with its own unique faults and beauties. I am definitely looking forward to having a better grasp on the language!
  • Thursday. The first half of Thursday was a typical set of languages lessons, but in the afternoon we all headed to the BSM school for pre-orientation (read: paperwork). Oddly enough, as I was sitting there in a room of 50 math students, I realized that this was the first time in over a week when someone has addressed a roomful of people in English. Would it be strange to say that it felt foreign?
  • Friday. With BSM business out of the way for a little while, Friday began a long string of back-to-back language sessions from 9am till 4pm. It’s a humbling experience 🙂
  • Saturday. Having a better idea of what my life in the upcoming 4 months will be like, Saturday seemed like a good day to get my day-to-day life (apartment, cell phone, etc.) in order. I headed over to Arena Plaza as a central location and tried out some Hungarian Chinese food (quite good!), acquired a SIM card for my cell phone, and walked through the magnificently large Tesco hypermarket. While maybe not as exciting as a day at the Hungarians baths or a trip to Munich, I must say that it felt good to have a day to feel at home.

As usual, let me know if you’d like to hear more about anything! Pictures from several of these events will be on Twitter soon, they’re…developing.

Come back tomorrow for a reflection on what precisely we mean by a “cross cultural experience” and why the subtle experiences seem to have the biggest impact.

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