Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Tag: Valparaiso University (page 2 of 7)

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

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

Exams, Experiencing Culture Shock, and the Effect of Snow

November 20, 2013 / / 0 Comments

No I didn’t get taken, but I have been relatively missing from social media these past couple weeks and I wanted to apologize. I officially have a fully functioning computer, so from now on, I promise posts will be much more consistent.

I’ve done a lot within the last month: explored Madrid, sprained my ankle falling down some ancient steps, entered the famous mezquita of Cordoba, saw Big Ben with my own eyes, and received my official Spanish residency card for the year. Though I’ve had my usual share of fun and adventure, these last couple weeks in particular have been a giant wake-up call back to reality.

The week before last happened to be midterm week.

This wouldn’t be such a big deal if,

 A. I was like every other student and had regular midterms every semester. In the history field, I usually have papers. Don’t get me wrong, papers themselves are a lot of work. They just require a different type of work than a multiple-choice test. I haven’t had a proper midterm since the days of living in the basement labs of Neils when I was a science major…

and

B. All of my grades this semester were based upon more than 2 things: my midterm and my final. In all actuality that is how all of my classes are being graded. Only 2 grades for a semester’s worth of work.

That’s a lot riding on just 2 tests.

If you know me well, you know that I am a perfectionist. Especially when it comes to school. I knew that this year of classes entirely in Spanish would be a huge risk for me. I’ve had my fair share of failed tests and bad papers throughout my time at Valpo. Usually, however, classes are weighted with enough papers, tests, participation, and the like to allow for one or two not so perfect assignments. Apparently, it doesn’t work that way in Spain.

So while it’s extremely nice to have 4 day weeks and not have boatloads of readings, 20 pg papers, and in general outside of class work, that also makes for ensured stess leading up to midterms and finals. Not to mention, everything is in Spanish.

It’s a whole new education system to get used to. One that I quite honestly wasn’t expecting.

There have been so many things that I’ve had to adjust to while living here that I never anticipated. It’s amazing how seemingly little things such as your host mom refusing to refrigerate milk, or classes being graded 10-1 vs A-F, all add up to create a huge feeling of being foreign.

Some days, that feeling unfortunately takes over. I’m at the point in the semester where the “honeymoon” is over. I’m still as deeply in love with the city of Granada and with Europe as ever, but now that I know the city like the back of my hand and am a lot more comfortable with it, homesickness has begun to set in a little bit.

On days when I need to buy something, but can’t at the exact moment I want to because the whole city is closed for siesta, or moments when I can’t seem to speak or think a word in Spanish, all I want to do is be back at Valpo where I’m much more comfortable.

Fortunately, I have days like today to remind me just how much I love being here. 

This morning on my walk to school, I caught a glimpse of the freshly fallen snow on the Sierras. Suddenly not caring so much about getting to class on time, I took a few moments to soak in the beauty around me. Granada is perfectly nestled within the mountains and I will never get sick of the incredible view. Seeing them covered in snow for the first time was beyond words.

After such a good start, my day and attitude only continued to get better. Booking my flights to Portugal and Germany for winter break, I realized that I only have a month left here before Dec-January break. I won’t be back to Granada until classes begin again in February. Though I’m beyond excited to visit with friends and see more of Europe, suddenly it seems as if my time here is growing very short. I’m blessed to have another semester here and can’t wait to see what it holds. Until then, as I count down the days til break, I’ll be cherishing every moment I still have in this beautiful city. 

Oh, and in case you were wondering about those exams I was so worried about? I got my results back. All were not perfect, but I did manage to far exceed the expectations I set for myself.

Maybe I can speak a little Spanish after all.

 

 

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!

 

Paris- The City of Lights

October 14, 2013 / / 0 Comments

So this past week has been an interesting week to say the very least. I started my third week of classes and again, I’m very blessed to have such wonderful teachers who are patient teaching classes that I want to take (minus grammar but that comes with the territory I suppose). One thing that was a little bit different from past weeks was that I started my service learning at a non-profit organisation. It’s very different from anything that we have in the United States, but I think it’s closest to an after-school program, that does a lot more. It was a different experience and I look forward to contributing more in the future.

Thursday night was an experience to say the least. We went to the Opera Bastille for my first ever professional opera experience! To see the Opera Aida by Verdi performed in one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world, is something that I’ll never forget. It was largely unforgettable because of the reaction of the audience.

Opera Bastille

Aida takes place in Ancient Egypt. One of the main arguments a director must make is about the costumes and the setting. Should they be dressed like in the story, the time period in which it was written, or in today’s time? The director chose the latter of these options… and was very political. I won’t go into much detail, but the worst of it was when one of the main characters was singing the KKK walked on stage. People were not happy. At curtain call, the audience couldn’t have cheered louder for the the performers. However they booed louder than the refs making a call in favor of the Packers at Soldier Field. It was bad. Good experience though.

Friday and Saturday I was blessed with some visitors from Valpo who are studying on the Cambridge program: Grant, Lisa, Rachel, and Cat. We had a wonderful time and I finally was able to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower! It was amazing to me that we were so high up, I could barely recognize Notre Dame from the top, yet from the ground in front of it, Notre Dame towers over you. It was indescribable. One reason I find the tourist attractions very easy to spot and beautiful is because at night, everything that is important to the French are lit up at night; even The Eiffel Tower sparkles at the top of the hour on top of being lit up after dark. I suppose that’s why they call Paris The City of Lights!

Valpo Crew at the Eiffel Tower

On Saturday night we went to the Fete des Vendages. Found at Montmarte, this is a wine festival and a festival of love. Every year they have a brilliant firework show on the steps leading up to the famous basilica, Sacre Coeur, and although crowded (it was so crowded at one point, I moved ten yards and my feet didn’t touch the ground. I was carried by everyone around me because it was so densely packed!) we (accidentally) got some of the best seats in the house. Unfortunately, my computer is being stupid, so I can’t upload a little video of the fireworks, so here’s the crowd behind me. Mind you, this is a small portion of the actual crowd and it took us 40 minutes to get from about 20 yards from the stairs to the bottom of the stairs.

Sacre Coeur

All-in-all it was a wonderful weekend, full of new adventures with some familiar Americans!

Week #1- Tourist Week

September 16, 2013 / / 0 Comments

It’s amazing how much I’ve learned so far; I’ve only been here twelve days and I’ve done so much and seen even more. So let’s start at the beginning:

 

Tour Eiffel et moi!
Tour Eiffel et moi!

I arrived in Paris, completely unaware of where I was in regards to where I needed to go. Let me tell you, it is so much harder to approach a native and ask where you are for the first time, than to ask your French professor on which main themes you should focus for your rather large French literary analysis. After some time and a few wrong turns, I got to my hostel. Tired, I went to bed early.

After finding out the hard way that I wasn’t doing my homestay with the original host mom, I met the rest of the wonderful people on my program. Since then we’ve been doing practically everything together.

Just South of the famous Luxembourg Gardens, home of the French Senate
Just South of the famous Luxembourg Gardens, home of the French Senate

So what have I done besides be homeless and get lost? I’ve been what I call a “residential tourist.”

Technically I am not a tourist, because I have a visa and I live in France. However, I’ve done about everything tourists do. I’ve been to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Le Louvre etc. I’ve visited several museums and other locations. However, in Paris, it is so good to be a student on a Student Visa. I say this because, if you are a resident in France under the age of twenty-six (no discrimination to race or ethnicity) you are allowed into museums for free… all of them! There is one dilemma: there are just too many museums to visit and check out in the time that I am here.

The Moulin Rouge is a cabaret show that was known for its... classy broads. It remains very classy, with the cheapest show 180 euros which is over $200! Don't worry Mom out of my budget.
The Moulin Rouge is a cabaret show that was known for its… classy broads. It remains very classy, with the cheapest show 180 euros which is over $200! Don’t worry Mom out of my budget.

I haven’t just been a tourist though. I have also started taking a class at Ecole Etoiles, a school for international students looking to improve French grammar. I start my classes at L’Institut Catholique next Monday, September 23rd, and that is when life will get a little more interesting.

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