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Tag: Study abroad (page 5 of 13)

View From the Skybar

A New View of Windhoek

March 10, 2014 / / 1 Comment

This week marks the halfway point in my study abroad experience, and to say it’s flown by would be a ridiculous understatement. Two months from today, I’ll be home. Whoa. Nonetheless, the weeks fly by. Each are packed with studies, but many adventures that make it all worth it. Though this week was crazy busy, it definitely marks one of the best weeks I’ve had thus far. On a high from skydiving and Swakop, being back in classes was a bit difficult, but I managed.

We had 2 birthdays in group this week, so we celebrated accordingly. On Thursday, after dinner we made a walk over to a place called 3 circles, by far one of my favorite places in Windhoek. It’s about a 20 minute walk from our house through the city and up a little hill, but once you get up it is absolutely breathtaking. The view looks over the mountains encircling us as well as all of Windhoek and Katutura. We made it just up in time as the sun began to set, and if you know me you know that sunsets are one of my favorite things in life. As I watched the sun go down, painting pinks and oranges in the sky, meeting the city lights and the tops of the mountains, I couldn’t help but smile. It was such simple, but surreal moment, and it felt so much like home.

The group looking over 3 circles

On a more solemn note, ever since arriving in Namibia, every time I’ve watched the news there’s been a new story of a violent killing of a woman, often by her significant other. Gender-based violence is a rising and very serious problem here in Namibia, and many citizens are beginning to take a stand. On Saturday morning a group of 12 of us headed downtown to “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”, an event organized by some people in Windhoek to raise awareness of gender-based violence. Hundreds of men wore high heels as they stumbled down the busy street chanting things like “Don’t hit her, just kiss her” or “Stop gender violence” in order to show their support in the fight against GBV. As I marched down the street with all of the locals, I sincerely recognized it as one of the coolest things I’ve ever been apart of. To see all the men [and women] walking and supporting something so important was truly amazing; I got the chills as I looked around at the crowded street.

The men leading the way in heels

Crowded Streets of Windhoek at the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" March

The weekend just kept getting better and better as we headed to Skybar, a nice little restaurant/bar atop the Hilton in downtown Windhoek. As we climbed to the top we, again, got to see all over Windhoek as the sunset; an absolutely breathtaking view (this place seems to be full of those).

View From the Skybar

This week is absolutely busy to say the least, but the next 3 weeks hold numerous adventures; which includes our rural home-stay in the north, a safari in Etosha, and spring break in Victoria Falls. Buckling down on work is hard, especially when I know all the things I’d rather be doing outside. But nonetheless, I’m learning topics I’ve never learned before,which is a pretty awesome feeling. I should have one more post out before we leave a week from today, so stay tuned!

 

Thanks for reading!

All my love- xoxo,

Maddy

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

Working and wading through water in Windhoek

February 9, 2014 / / 1 Comment

As the bus rumbled down the road, my eyes scanned each building intently for the words Family of Hope – the name of the organization I would be interning at for the next 3 months. To say I was nervous would be an understatement; but as I arrived, I was greeted with smiling faces, friendly hellos, and the nerves quickly subsided. Family of Hope Services is a nonprofit faith-based organization in Katatura, a former black township in Windhoek. In particular, FHS works with children and families who have been affected by HIV/AIDS through various programs which includes a remedial school program, before/after school program, feeding and nutrition program, parental support groups as well as a bicycle workshop which assists in raising money for the various projects because FHS receives no government funding.

A little one waiting for her lunch

In my 3 months with FHS, I will be mainly working in the feeding and nutrition program as well as doing what I can with the remedial school and after school programs. At first I was somewhat overwhelmed because I thought “I’m  supposed to teach these kids? I have absolutely no background in teaching, whatsoever!” But, after the first few days, I’ve learned a little from the women I’m working with and am having a ton of fun. Many of these boys and girls ages 6-12 have never been in school before so we are working to teach them the alphabet, counting, etc., so that they can eventually enter formal education systems and further their studies.

The classroom at FHS

Education is something we, in the U.S. take for granted without realizing how lucky we are to have the opportunities we do. Many of these kids have not been in school because they didn’t have their birth certificates  to enroll or were at home taking care of the cattle. With that being said, it is so much fun to work with these kids because they are so eager to learn. Along with my ‘accent’ being hard to understand, I’m also working with other ladies from Australia, New Zealand and Germany so that provides an additional challenge. I’m excited to work with these wonderful women over the next 3 months and cannot wait to see the kids grow in their knowledge, as they teach me so much simultaneously.

Weighing one of the FHS students before he's served lunch - as part of the feeding & nutrition program I'll be helping with

At the start of the week our group of 15, plus the CGE staff headed out to a little retreat for the day; time for team building and getting to know each other even further. With it being rainy season in Windhoek, of course a small rain storm was upon us. As we made our way back to leave at the end of the day, the small stream we crossed to enter the park was now.. a rushing river. A few brave souls started trekking first and we followed at about 3 at a time. Some phones went swimming, jeans were soaked, but hey, all in all it makes for a great story, and our “always say yes in Namibia” motto continues to hold true.

Fell in love at our team building retreat

River crossing

 

After about 2 weeks now, our classes have finally begun. I can’t complain though because studying consists of laying by the pool reading the required material. Classes are also held in our living room which gives us a well… comfortable feel. Again, I can’t complain. I’m currently taking Religion and Social Change, History of Southern Africa, Politics of Development in Southern Africa, my internship course, and yoga! For the first four weeks of the semester we are all also enrolled in a Language course. During our first class we learned the four clicks and basic elements like greetings, numbers, and family names. We couldn’t help but laugh when our mouths began to get sore after attempting to do the clicks properly. My first attempts were.. somewhat successful. It’s a lot harder than it seems, but it’s so exciting to be learning a new language that very few people in the world can speak.

Tomorrow marks the start of my urban home stay. I think the group has all around nervous energy going into this because it’s a week long and we’re all on our own this time, but I’m sure I will love my new family and all the things I’ll learn from them throughout the week. The bugs out here are eating me alive, although the hours and hours spent by the pool probably aren’t helping much. Oh well! It’s better than the Indiana winter I’m missing out on.

 

Thanks again for reading,

xoxo,

Maddy

 

 

 

This Is Home

February 2, 2014 / / 3 Comments

To finish up our final days in Johannesburg, we visited St.Martin’s high school in Soweto. This was by far one of my favorite parts of our time in Jo’burg because we got to casually interact with kids around our age, give or take a few years. They were all so eager to ask us questions about America or our views and opinions of South Africa. By far my favorite question was when I was asked if I personally knew Dr.Dre because I lived in California. One thing I admire most about these young kids is their knowledge and understanding of politics, not just in their country, but around the world as well. They were also so sweet and welcoming to us, it was sad to say goodbye.

Group photo atop the Voortrekker Monument

Some of us with the St.Martin’s High school tour guides

 

I arrived at my first home stay where I’d be staying for the weekend. It was nice to sit back and relax for a few days as I got to know my new family. My host mom Nthabiseng is the sweetest lady and was so welcoming! Subah (my roommate) and I were made delicious home cooked meals that we got to eat with our hands. I’ve come to love pap with just about everything! Visiting Credo Mutwa Village during our home stay was definitely one of my favorite parts. After climbing, well.. a few stairs to the top of a tower, we had a 360 degree view stretching all over Soweto.. definitely breathtaking. On our last night at our home stay, we were fortunate enough to go see Mandela’s Long Walk To Freedom in theaters at the local mall. It was such an honor to be able to watch this film in the country where Mandela changed so much. Our goodbyes were sad as we sent Sandile and Loyiso off to school the next morning, but we exchanged emails so I will definitely be keeping in touch with them!

View over Soweto

My wonderful host family

As we arrived later in Pretoria we settled down in a beautiful new guest house, that had a pool. WOOHOO! While in Pretoria we visited the U.S. Embassy , Freedom Park, the  Voortrekker monument, and the Capitol. Visiting these places, especially the U.S. Embassy made me really think about what my future holds. Surely not with the Embassy, but it solidified my thoughts on wanting to travel the world, hopefully working as a nurse. Windhoek, Namibia welcomed us with a downpour and a long line of customs. We were so excited to finally get here, that in fact it didn’t really matter. Seeing monkeys crossing the road and one sitting on top of a street sign filled our bus with shrieks and laughter; definitely something I won’t forget.

Our big, happy family

The highlight of being in Windhoek so far was visiting an orphanage in Katatura (a former black township).  Within a minute and a half of meeting the little ones, they grabbed our hands, asked to be held, and wouldn’t let go. Many of them are HIV positive but are healthy and getting treatment. Once they got a hold of my water bottle, there was no way I was getting it back, they were in heaven figuring out how it worked and taking swigs too big that poured out of their mouths. I couldn’t help but have joy in my heart knowing these little ones were being taken care of so well despite what may have happened in their past. There were 4 little houses with very clean living conditions and many of the older ones were off at school. It was incredible to see the differences these “moms” and “dads” were making in the lives of some who couldn’t help themselves. My heart broke when we left as some of the little ones began to cry. I wish I could go spend time with them every single day.

A little one with my water bottle at the Orange babies orphanage

Settled in Windhoek now for a few days, it’s beginning to feel like home. This city is absolutely beautiful, and our group of 15 students who hardly knew each other 2 weeks ago have become a little family. It’s crazy to think I’ve only been here for 2 weeks now. I begin my internship tomorrow, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but excited at the same time knowing the opportunities that await.

I had to

Thanks for reading,

xoxo

Maddy

A day lost, a lifetime changed

January 23, 2014 / / 0 Comments

This is kind of my catch up post, stuff I’ve written over the past 3 days, but I haven’t had internet to post. Enjoy!!

To start out, I’m Madison, mostly known as Maddy. I’m currently a sophomore nursing major at Valpo and a member of Pi Beta Phi.

Well.. The journey has officially begun. I’m off, and I can hardly believe it!! I feel like I have waited my entire life for this opportunity and it’s just started to feel real within this past 24 hours (as I am currently sitting in the airport waiting to board my flight). Packing was.. well as packing normally goes; stressful, procrastinated, etc. But hey, I made it! Imagine your most stressful 6am morning possible at an airport, that’s kind of how mine went. Ticket didn’t show up, bag was too heavy, no one to help, but I made it to my flight, even without sprinting through the airport in my flip flops. Now that all the stress is done, the nerves and excitement are finally kicking in.. Well the excitement has been here for months on end, but still.

For those of you who don’t know me or my story, I’ll give a little background. I have dreamt of going to Africa for literally as long as I can remember. Whether it was a mission trip, a safari or just to travel there, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. So when I found out Valpo offered an abroad program in Namibia & South Africa, I was sold. I began planning quickly after my freshman year begun, because I knew that the nursing program had strict requirements. The people and unfamiliarity is what drew me to Africa specifically. Everyone has an idea in their head of what it’s like, what the people are like, how they live, etc., but you never really know until you experience it. So that’s what I set out to do.

As I took my last views of the California coast and Pacific Ocean, reality began to sink in. This is real. The 17 hour flight to from Washington Dulles to Johannesburg begins now. Lets just say the flight consisted of constant rustling around, a few cat naps, sleeping limbs, 3 movies [42, Great Gatsby & Jobs], sudoku, and lots and lots of Solitaire. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant ride, and went by a lot faster than I thought it would. After we stopped in Dakar, I got to watch my very first African sunrise as we flew over the island of Senegal. It was beautiful to say the least, very lion king-esque. I was one of the few students who sat next to someone other than a fellow student on our flight. As i observed the man sitting next to me, I noticed his worn hands, and as he spoke I could hear his accent. I began to wonder what his story was, where he was from, how many times he’s made this flight, how often? But, he had his headphones in, so I guess I’ll always wonder!

7 hours later we start to make our descent into Johannesburg. As I stare out the window, I see the city pass below me and then open plains. I notice cars driving on the left instead of the right, and I just can’t help but smile as I realize one of my lifelong dreams is coming true in that very moment. And now.. it’s real.

As we waited in the customs line at the airport a 7-9 year old boy begins to walk by stopping at each and every individual in line, asking in very broken english “hi you, where you from?” and would move on to the next. We later found out he was from Zimbabwe, as he made his way back down the line saying goodbye to everyone.

This next week has many adventures and lots of learning about Johannesburg’s history in store. So stay tuned!

I promise the next blogs will have more excitement.

xoxo

Maddy

We’re Capable of More Than We Think

January 12, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Hi! I’m Kaitlyn Carzoli, a junior German major and French minor studying in Reutlingen, Germany this spring. You can follow my adventures on this page as I dive into the life and culture of Germany and hopefully many other places across Europe! For now, I have a bit of catching up to do, so I’ll start by posting the three entries I wrote before arriving. This first one should give you a little bit of background on why I chose to study in Germany and my hopes for the semester:

     As of today, I have about a month left before I leave to spend the spring semester in Reutlingen, Germany, and I couldn’t be more excited! Still, it goes without saying that I’m nervous too. Some of my biggest passions in life are travel, foreign languages, and foreign cultures, but even so, my decision to study abroad was not an easy one. I always knew I wanted to study in Germany at some point, but my fear of the unknown kept making me feel like I wasn’t ready yet. There were so many questions to answer, lists to make, and problems to solve, but if only I had just a few more months, maybe I would be ready by then. And then I realized something. I’m never going to feel ready, so I just have to get on the plane and figure it out as I go along. I’m never going to have all the answers or know exactly what to expect. There will be unforeseen challenges, and I have to make peace with the fact that not every decision I make will be the right one.  But learning to meet those challenges is how I’ll grow and learn to trust myself. I know I’ll be a different person when I come back, and I’m excited for that transformation.

            Luckily, underneath all my nervousness lies a stronger peace. I know that everything will be okay, because on a smaller scale, I’ve experienced this sort of transformation before. In high school, I studied German for four years, and for some strange reason, I really had a knack for it. During the summer before my senior year, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend a month living with a German host family and travelling around Germany with other students. On the first day, I was so terrified that I almost didn’t get on the plane, but by the last day, I would have given anything to stay just a little longer. On my last morning there, I sat down to breakfast, and my host dad told me something that I’ll never forget. Roughly translated, he said that we’re always capable of more than we think. I’ve decided, that’s going to be my mantra in Reutlingen. It sounds cliché, but that summer profoundly changed my entire way of thinking about myself and the world, and somehow, I felt more at home in Germany than I ever have anywhere else. So in a way, I’m thinking of my semester in Reutlingen as a homecoming of sorts. I’m going back to a place that I love, and I’ll get to rediscover all the things that I’ve missed about it.

 Like the breathtaking landmarks:              

And 500-year-old buildings that look like this:

  And this:

And of course, the amazing food!

      So that’s just some of what I’m looking forward to this semester. Next, I’ll post my general study abroad packing tips and some pre-departure thoughts. Then, I’ll be all settled in and ready to add new content about my first week in Reutlingen. If you are at all interested in studying abroad at Valpo, keep up with this blog, and if you want to know even more, check out my travel/food blog at spoonfulofzucker.blogspot.com .

Bis morgen!

–Kaitlyn

Feeling at Home

November 11, 2013 / / 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!
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!
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!

Honestly, I Want to See You Be Brave

October 21, 2013 / / 0 Comments
“Say what you want to say, and let the words fall out.  Honestly, I want to see you be brave.” -Sara Bareilles

Hey Leute!  It’s Monday and, as promised, I’m blogging again!  I’ve had a great “last week of no classes” hanging out with friends, touring the Ritter Sport chocolate museum (an unbelievable experience for a chocolate freak like me), getting lots of sleep and preparing for the upcoming week (scheduling, e-mailing and meeting with professors, etc.).

SAMSUNGSAMSUNGSAMSUNG

A new semester always presents new challenges and lessons, especially in a new country.  It’s mid-October, and classes are just starting here in Germany, which for me is both exciting and intimidating.  For the most part, I’m excited.  I’ve put together a schedule that, for me,  sounds really intriguing.   I am taking Baden-Württemberg Church History, Art History, 20th Century Argentinian Literature (in Spanish!), and another class to be determined in the next week.  I am taking the approach to scheduling courses that most German students use.  German students schedule more courses within the first week of classes than they plan on taking in the semester.  After visiting various lectures, they decide which courses to keep.

Despite how much I am looking forward to my new courses, I am still intimidated by the challenges they will present.  The start of classes means more for international students than just the beginning of an abundance of studying and reading.   Exchange students will have a lot more interaction with “real” Germans in classes and student groups.  The professors will speak German quickly, without accounting for the fact that some students may not understand.  Exchange students learning German will be graded beside native speakers and expected to perform.  I know that a “normal” amount of reading for a German student will take longer for me, since I will have to spend time looking up words and patching together grammar concepts.

The transition from a language course designed for exchange students into regular university classes will also be a challenge.  Until now, I’ve been in an “international bubble” of the students from my German intensive course.  This course has been a wonderful experience to improve my German and make amazing friends for a lifetime, but spending time with only international students has allowed me to build myself a new “comfort zone”.  I am not afraid  to speak German with my Deutsch-Kompakt friends since they speak at or below my level.  We take all of our mistakes in speaking and living in Germany, learn from them, and help each other.  Having such a supportive group of people around who pardon my Sprachfehler (speaking errors) makes it easy to avoid speaking with people who may be less patient and understanding.   I’ve been getting around just fine spending a half hour hunting for the printer in the library instead of asking someone where it is, double-checking every German word I need to type in an e-mail, and strictly sticking to “the script” of words I definitely know.

As the start of classes draws nearer, I am realizing that I need to change my cautious ways in order to really become fluent in German.  Earlier today I decided to re-read the blog that I kept while living in Chile two summers ago.  I remembered that I had similar problems learning Spanish to my experience here in Germany.  I had figured out that I could “just get by” with speaking as little as possible to avoid embarrassment.  I became frustrated with my slow learning pace until I realized that my unwillingness to practice speaking was my biggest problem.  I read further through my blog and realized that I had given myself (and hopefully other readers traveling abroad)  some good advice that I had practically forgotten.  “The only way to get better at a language is to go out on a limb and say something, anything,” I wrote.  “If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification.  If you want to use a word you don’t know, explain what you’re trying to say in other terms.  You might learn something useful.”  I learned so much after committing myself to not be afraid to speak Spanish in Chile, and I hope to do the same here in Germany.  Although I know that my new classes here at UniTübingen will be difficult, I won’t let intimidation get in the way of my goals.  At the end of this academic year, I will be able to speak German fluently because I made the effort to speak up.   Alles kann ich durch Christus, der mir Kraft und Stärke gibt (Philliper 4:13).

P.S. Listening to music helps with the language too!  Here’s some fun songs trending in Germany 🙂  Enjoy, und bis nächste Woche!

 

你好，杭州!

September 26, 2013 / / 0 Comments

“I was asked to put together a little report on what we’ve done so far our first week in China. Sorry if this goes on long or is a little scattered-about. That being said, here’s the first week in review:

When you last saw us, we departed for security. The checkpoint was rather uneventful, and we made it to the gate with little consequence. We had some polite conversation and tried to get to know each other a bit. Before we knew it, it was time to board the plane. We were mostly in the same area. Everyone was within a couple seats to a couple people.

The group's first official meeting at O'hare.

The flight went much like you would imagine a 14 hour flight to go. There was plenty of entertainment available through the television monitors found conveniently on the back of every seat, but it still wasn’t exactly what any of us would describe as a pleasant experience. Especially those of us who had to fly with a drink in our laps, due to a certain student’s clumsy exit from the row. Once we landed, everything went according to plan. Professor Lin was waiting for us when we got our bags, we took a nice ~3 hour bus ride to Hangzhou and enjoyed a lovely meal before heading off to bed.

The first thing that really hit me, before any kind of culture shock was just the jet lag. I’ve never taken such a long trip before and wanting to go to bed at 7:00 was certainly not something I am used to (Though I’m sure some parents will understand. ;)) The waking up at 5:30 part was pretty nice. It felt like there was so much time for things in the morning! The first couple days all went the same way. We’d get up, get ready, go do stuff with Lin (usually including some free meals) and then have time to ourselves. Many of our number chose to go out and explore the city, while the more timid of us were content to practice our language skills and get to know the university campus.

For a little less than a week, we’ve been working with some language tutors to improve (or for three of us, start) our Chinese. These tutors are students studying teaching Chinese as a second language, so it works out well for both parties. I have limited experience with the other tutors, but ours is named Xiaoping or Nancy. She is very nice, and has been incredibly helpful for my studies. We are taking the placement test tomorrow, so more information on how people do will be revealed in the next mailing.

Stepping away from Academics for a bit, last weekend we went on a couple of fun trips. First, we visited the waterfront of Hangzhou and saw the Canal Museum and the Museum of Swords, Knives, and Scissors. I thought both were very interesting, but I also love museums in general. Everyone seemed to be having fun though. At the end of the day, many of our number rode around in inflatable go-karts baring the likeness of various cartoon characters. They’re designed for children, but college students are certainly a strange breed. Several of the business majors want to bring them to America.

Visiting the busy city of Shanghai!

Then on Sunday we traveled to Shanghai via high speed train. It’s quite an experience. It was my first time on a train and the experience was great. In Shanghai, we visited the birthplace of the Communist Party. It was really a unique experience. In China, this is akin to seeing Independence Hall, except no one knew the story. There’s so much history we’ve never heard about… After that we broke up for shopping and exploration.

I was told that this doesn’t have to be a novel, so I’m cutting it off now. Everyone is fine and having a great time!” -Mac

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